Mike Riley

The connection between tiebar and blade needs to allow for the rotation of the blade. I have found on my track that, where I have soldered the blade to a copper-clad tiebar, it eventually fails and I have to resolder it. On other turnouts I used a small L-shaped piece of brass soldered to the blade and a small pin engaging in a hole in the tiebar. None of those have failed. But I have to say that they don't look like the real thing. For that one can use the C&L tiebars made of brass wire with an insulated connection in the middle. Mike

I think the one having a laugh is robmcg who made a mistake in Photoshop when changing the spokes from 12 to 10..

It isn't just the clack valve cover on the top of the boiler, there is the pipework that runs along the top of the panniers and then down the side to the injectors. All that would require a number of very fine parts to be fitted. I'm afraid that separate tooling is required for non top feed panniers. Given that the majority of buyers are modelling post war when most of them had top feed, the manufacturer will produce a model that satisfies that majority. Mike

Thanks Neal. Yes, Cornwall in the early 30s. I'll post some more pictures but not in this thread. Mike

That is a very logical conclusion. Peco could only increase sales to people who would otherwise make hand-made turnouts in 00. I'm one but I think the overall number is small. Probably more doing it in EM and P4. Mike

Somebody asked for toplights to go with the Star. So here are some made from Slaters kits. The camera flash accentuates the rather anaekic green of the Star compared with the pannier (railmatch IIRC) Mike

I'll add a vote for no topfeed. It is a fiddly job removing the cover and all the pipework. Mike

I would advise anyone buying a Hornbby loco to check that all the screws are tight before running it. This includes the crankpin screws (a 12BA nut spinner is a good tool to have). And remove the body to check those inside holdling the motor etc. That may include a hidden screw under the motor. This only takes a few minutes - less time than returning a damaged model under warranty. Mike

Gruffalo, you don't need to worry about the power demand with a Powercab. I have mine set to show amps instead of time and it rarely goes over 0.3A. That is with several DCC locos on the track and coach lighting. And a sound chip takes liitle more than a normal chip - sound doesn't use much power. I recommend a zimo 645 and suggest trying the Digitrains (Paul Chetter) 4MT sound. Mike

Although the title of this topic is ready to lay 00 track and pointwork I think the issue is pointwork. Track is already available ready to lay from C&L and SMP. C&L do both bullhead and concrete sleeper base (exactoscale) for fb. Ready made pointwork is available from Marcway, but some don't seem to like the soldered construction. So what do people want (those not willing or able to build their own which is extemely cheap if you make your own vees and blades). Presumably they want ready made bullhead turnouts with chairs. I think the tooling to make this in a highly automated way (to keep the cost reasonable) would be quite high; the alternative would be hand made which is already available but expensive compared to Peco. I don't see anybody taking the risk of setting up automated production with no certainty of sufficient sales to recover the investment. Mike

But it isn't just the top feed that needs removing if you are in the pre-war period. Also the pipework along the tops of the panniers and down the rear sides. It would be nearly impossible to make that as separately fitted. items. It would be nice to have a pannier in pre-war condition and let the post war modellers add the top feed and pipework. But pre war modellers are in a minority. Mike

And the lamp irons arrived this morning. Full marks to Dart Castings. Mike

GWR modellers might like to know that Dart has the Frogmore Dean and Churchward lamp irons back in stock after many months. Hopefully I will now be able to apply the finishing touches to several coaches. Mike

Thanks for that Miss Prism. Now I'm told what to look for I can see it in the photos. Mike

I haven't seen a comment on the cab handrails (unlike Hornby's Star!). The Bachmann appears to have the handrails in line with the cab sides but Miss Prism's photos show it outside the line of the cab sides - i.e. normal for a Churchward cab - which it is being a rebuild of a Churchward loco. Mike

People keep referring to NRM as a charity. It is a national museum and thus a wholly owned subsidiary of the British government which is not a charity. Because of funding restrictions from their owner, NRM solicit donations but that doesn't make it a charity. Mike

The Hornby 14xx has a different chassis to the Airfix - the drive is to the rear driving axle instead of the front axle. This allows one to cut-off the casting inside the boiler, fit a "bottom" to the boiler, fill the boiler/smokebox with lead and you have a much better looking loco. Also replace the drivers with Markits, the motor with a Mashima and it runs better. And there is room for a Zimo 648 with a speaker in the bunker. I've done 2 like that so won't be in the market for a newly tooled 14xx, sorry. But if Dave does go for this them make it a 48xx without topfeed. whistle shield etc. i.e. in pre-war condition. That will make it different to the Hornby/Airfix version. Mike

Thanks, Pete, for updating me on axle sizes. It struck me that 2.12mm is an odd dimension. It equates to 1/12". Maybe just coincidence.

Coachman asks about rewheeling Bachmanns with Markit wheels. Bachmann normally have 3mm axles which are available to fit Markit wheels. And refit the Bachmann gear wheel. But strange axle diameters have appeared recently on some rtr. For example 2mm on the Hornby T9 when Hornby have previously used 1/8" axles. Mike

I have carried out the test suggested by 34C and the best I got was 65g for a Bachmann Class 66. The best of my steam locos was a Hornby 61xx at 45g. The new Hornby Star only managed around 20g. It seemed that older locos were better than new ones. The test was made on a programming track with Peco code 100 track, thoroughly cleaned beforehand. Other things being equal (weight, number of drivers) It is all down to the coefficient of friction between wheel and rail and I think wear of the wheel surface over time increases the friction. On the layout, the Star is the worst for wheel slip of all my tender engines. I'm surprised that Tony Wright managed 8 coaches. Mike

I think I have found the problem with lack of haulage capacity. It's the same problem I had with the M7 and T9 - lack of vertical movement in the bogie. Disassemble the bogie and there are two nibs on the top about 1mm high. File those down flush and that provides some vertical play so when there is a slight dip in the track it doesn't lift the front drivers clear of the rails. At least this was easier to solve than the M7 and particularly the T9. Early reports suggest that Lode Star is the same as KoGC. Glad I didn't pay the premium for that one. Mike

Farren asks how many have banana frames. I think he means running plates. Mine is fine in that regard. I will say in Hornby's favour that my Star and 2-8-0 tank received shortly before the Star run quietly and smoothly. No problems with wheel quartering or similar issues. But haulage capability? Today I coupled the Star to 4 toplights. These are Slaters with the Slaters bogies - inside bearings and not free running. The Star wouldn't move them, just sat still spinning its wheels. 8750 (Bachmann) then pulled them out of the station without problem as it normally does. And the 8750 has had some weight removed to make room for a sound decoder and speaker. Tomorrow I'll clean the wheels again with IPA in case there is some film on the wheel treads left over from the manufacturing process. Mike

My point was that many people, like the Stationmaster and myself prefer to fix the fault rather than return it to the retailer who then (maybe) returns it to the manufacturer. Hornby judge their sucess rate on the number of products returned to them. I think the returned products represent a small proportion of the total of faulty products. Of course, many people may not be able to fix the faults. But then may of those may not even realise that there is a fault - number of spokes, missing valve linkage etc. Mike

Re the Stationmaster (post 533) I have had problems with many locos from both Hornby and Bachmann but have never retruned one to the supplier or manufacturer. It would mean wrapping it, labelling it, going into town, paying 60p to park, queing at the Post Office and then paying the postage. And nowadays asking inquisitive questions about the contents of the parcel. Then waiting to get a replacement which may be just the same. Glad I'm not alone in this. I'm sure we are the majority. After all, we are railway modellers and like to think we can fix an error or improve on the rtr product. One thing that I have not seen mentioned is Hornby's version of Brunswick green. It does not come close to the prototype or Railmatch of Precision Paints version - it is too light. Bachmann seem to get it much closer. Mike

I've solved the problem with the missing valve linkage. I remembered that a few years ago I bought a Hornby Castle (not the latest version) to use the chassis for a Saint. Cylinders etc were put in the spare parts drawer. I dug them out and with a little trimming of the part that sits in the chassis block the valve linkage fitted the Star perfectly. A touch of Railmatch oily steel and it is now looking more the part. That is my good fortune. I don't believe that my Star is the only one missing the valve linkage and most people won't have a spare set of Castle cylinders sitting in the drawer. Mike