AJon30

Hi. Just got my earlier version of the conflat - not sure about the markings - should the 13 before the B number be actually 13T and in smaller script? Rgds Andrew

Have you considered the Darstead/Ellis Clarke BG? Make sure you get the right coupling - comes with Kadees Rgds Andrew

Hello Shane My name is Andrew Jones and I am a member of the Luton Model Railway Club. I thought you might be interested in the attached photo, which shows the Church (which features on Page 1 of this thread) in its new location, on one of our club members layouts that is in the course of completion. The church has stood up well to the passing of time, and makes a great feature. Hopefully more people will be able to see this when the layout is exhibited (whenever that will be!) Rgds Andrew

Just back from the Bournemouth show (through the gales and torrential rain) This show and Alton last week were both busy shows. Attached are some photographs from Bournemouth. Layout has a rest now for a period as, currently, the next shows are later in the year. Thanks to Ray Heard Model Railways who had this little beauty on sale (but not for long!) DJH J72 This will take its turn with the J71 at Great Barford Rgds Andrew

Thanks sb67. No there is no separate thread for Docklands, but I will post pictures here. The next show for Docklands will be Tonbridge on 15th February. Rgds Andrew

Hello David. Hope you are on the mend. There will opportunities in the future as we seem to be coming somewhat of a fixture at BOGG, with Harpenden East next year, Central Works the year after etc, etc. Once we get a foot in the door it is difficult to keep the LOGGIES out! Rgds Andrew

The full 34 foot version was at the Bristol O Gauge Group yesterday. After WArley last year, I resolved to replace all the Fulgurex point motors with Servo's. Managed to get the change over finished on Thursday before the show. Apart from a couple of operating wires which were a little long all went well. Here's a batch of photo's taken at the show The previous couple of weeks I was out with Docklands, my BR (E) DCC layout, which started as a test track but has grown Off to Alton next weekend and then Bournemouth. Rgds Andrew

First show of the year - Maidenhead on Saturday 4th. Surprisingly busy. Shown there was the 9ft version Out with Docklands for the next couple of weeks at CMRA Stevenage and Brambleton, Harpenden then the full version of Stodden at GOG Bristol and then the 19ft versions at Alton & Bournemouth, so a busy start to the year!

Hello everyone. Sorry for the long absence from posting but hope to try and be a little more regular. The exhibition circuit keeps me busy and the layout has now been exhibited 82 times! The full layout will be appearing at Warley this coming weekend (Stand E19). Hope to see you there. Watched James May's program on Hornby (Big Trouble in Model Britain ep 1) and was gob-smacked to see some filming of SHLR when it was shown at the Great Electric Train show last year - some set-up shots and some nice operating shots - looked quite good! Other projects on the go include "Docklands" my DCC O gauge Poplar docks layout and experiments with battery & radio control both in O and 16mm scales. Rgds Andrew

Hello Chaz. I have enjoyed seeing Dock Green in operation, and the thread running with it has been a "must read" I hope that it does not disappear completely as it has been an inspirational layout. Best for the future Rgds Andrew

Ref Dinghams - The spring and loop attachment to the coupling hook can be seen from underneath. However there is an amount of detail (operating arm and levers to end hopper doors) that would make access less than ideal. With a bit of gentle prodding the operating arm & levers can be loosened but the whole assembly seems to have been dropped in from above so it will not come out without some surgery. Fran. OK, well I have had a tie bar come adrift and the axle box dropped out. Luckily the tiny spring in the top of the axle box did not go walk-about but you may need some spares of those, as once dropped they would not be found again. I went round and applied a bit of solvent to the tie bars ends as they appear to be just a push fit? Andrew

I've had my couple for hoppers for a day or so. My only comment so far is that some of the detail parts seem a little fragile - I've got one broken brake lever guide and one become detached as soon as I got it out of the box. Wonder how thwy will stand up to the rigors of exhibitions?

Hi I've found it it is possible to (carefully) drill the hook end to take the chain, the visual impression of a rake of wagons is much improved as there would be a chain hanging down from one wagon in real life Rgds Andrew

To hide the vertical element of a support beam (for a possible 2 level layout in my shed - one day!) I had thought about a Grain Elevator. Possibly have to stretch the imagination of where the layout is based and the foot print might be too limiting? Rgds Andrew

Here's my offering. Currently just a circular test track but will enable layouts with continuous runs in all 3 gauges, which are O gauge (outer), Om (22.5mm middle) and On30/O16.5/OO (inner) Here is is with some stock (the Om coach is the largest!) O to the left and On30 to the right Rgds Andrew

OK, thanks for the explanation, I will need to put some time aside to re-read the information Rgds Andrew

If Templot is used for track/layout planning I would have thought joining 2 pieces of track was a minimum? Or have I miss-understood its function? Rgds Andrew

Hello. Some nice idea's there, keep up the good work. Nothing better than getting real stock and track out and seeing what looks right. Ref TRAX. I have used TRAX for a lot of my layout planning and found it much easier to use than Templot - that just gave me a headache as, after an hour of trying I could still not connect 2 pieces of track! Rgds Andrew

Thanks Jetmorgan We were offered barriers but declined them. Just have to keep a weather eye open for what's going on (and some adults are just as guilty with the finger-poken). Rgds Andrew

Sorry for the delay in updates, one problem is I keep taking my camera to shows and then forgetting to take any pictures! This year has already been busy with shows with all the club layouts. SHLR has been to 2 shows in its full 34ft form - Erith and Tonbridge. Here are some pictures from yesterday at Tonbridge At Great Barford work on the outstanding building items has been progressing slowly. The platform has been completed and the station building is coming along. A visitor to Great Barford was a Ruston provided by Nigel Adams, here seen with one of the stalwart Ixion Hudswell Clarkes. In the background can be seen a short LNER freight arriving Station building (store room & lamp room) nearly finished AT Pertenhall Queen Mary was engaged in its normal shunting duties The normal loco for the gas works in Kimbolton is the fireless, but that has not been running properly (diagnosed as a broken wire on a plunger pick-up) so a new addition, No,16, a re-liveried Fowler diesel shunter was employed on that duty. Finished in SR Malachite Green in anticipation of an order from the SR that never came, it has been leased to the SHLR. Rgds Andrew

That must be a recent addition at Dolores as I have a photo taken in 2009 and there is no board fitted. Rgds Andrew

WOW! Rgds Andrew

Sam, I've had the problem of motor contacts and soldering wires (especially Mashima which are very small). What I am tending to do now is araldite a small piece of pcb (an old sleeper offcut - with a slot across) to the top of the motor then attach wires to the motor connections and the PCB. Once they are in place then you do not have to touch them again, you solder wires from pick-ups to the PCB board. Useful if you want to go DCC in the future, you can add extra slots in PCB board to separate motor and pick-ups. Rgds Andrew

How tight is the clearance to get past them? You would not want to knock them as I have never been impressed with the robustness of these micro switches which is why I went for more "man sized" switches. You could mount them on the top surface, hidden in a building (depending on your building plans?) Rgds Andrew

Morning. Yes I had realized the problem with Tortoise switching in that you would have a miss-match between the 2 control panel (local & central), which is why I suggested a relay to actually switch the supply to the point motor, with the relay operated by push buttons in the control panels (one for each route) If the push button in the central panel was pushed and the point was already set that way there would be no effect? Of course, unless you had some form or light system there would be no indication of route setting that you would get with a normal switch. All of which would potentially add some complexity on the wiring side, for perhaps little actual benefit. The above is based on my knowledge of relays, so maybe a load of nonsense! Rgds Andrew