kintbury jon

Morning all,

Really enjoyed my day at the French Railways Society GTG.  First time the layout has been displayed and also the longest it has been used.  The layout behaved itself all day and I had some lovely comments.  

I didn't spend too much time shunting but a lot of the time just had two trains running around.  I have realised I probably have too much stock but that is a nice problem to have!

A great day and I hope to be able to exhibit the layout again!

Thanks Ben.  I bought the kit from a friend. Not sure if you can buy it any more but typing in the label on the box into google shows it was made by 'Atelier Belle Epoque' 

Here is a link to one:

https://www.star-boutique.fr/modelisme-ferroviaire-details-produit-838-abe-ref-838-n-gare-3-portes-sncf-gare-de-verneuil-atelier-belle-epoque-abe-fr-ID9095.html 

Hope you can make it Simon.

Think the layout is ready for the show now.  Since the last update on here, I have added further vines to fill the rest of the bank.  

After a visit to the Loire this summer, an observation of the catenary posts showed them to be more of a red rust, so I have changed the colour of them.  Jury is out on them but I feel it gives them an aged look.

Any last minute suggestions welcome!

I can tell you exactly what it is!  It's an X2400 railcar that  is based at the CFT Vallée du Loir at  Thoré la Rochette.  The number is X2419.  I travelled on it a few years ago.  The train line goes over the TGV Atlantique line and the railcar sits on the bridge whilst a TGV goes underneath.  Here is the website:

https://www.ttvl.fr/

I imagine it is at Tours in need of some sort of repair.

The blue shunter looks like one of the Y6200/6400 series shunters.

Thanks Gordon!  I'm bringing it Lenham in August so hopefully it will be finished then.

Good evening,

Thought I would share a project that I have been working on for the past six or so months.  Photos are of how it is today - taken outside as it's a lovely sunny day!

I was toying with the idea of how small I could make a layout but still the opportunity of running two trains around.   Using Kato R183mm and 216mm curves I have created a double track circuit with a small yard for the inside track.  The SNCF used to use a good quantity of short BoBo electrics and having got a reasonable amount of them in N (produced by Hobby66) they make ideal locos to not look too silly going around the sharp curves.

Originally thinking the layout would be freight only, it changed into having a closed station and has no changed into an open one! 

Catenary posts are produced by Stephen Leigh and they are a great way of adding catenary without worrying about wires getting in the way. 

The layout measures 84cm by 52cm so easy to move around.  The hills are polystyrene so overall the layout is very lightweight.

Overall shot of the layout.  I am intending to add more vines:

View of the station. 4119 on a passenger working with two Romilly coaches.  346 waits its next turn in the bay platform.

View the other way with 4221 and 4222 on a coal train:

Looking back and Y6429 rests having moved the wine tankers into the sidings:

Finally a look from the back.  No fiddle yard as such so the hand of god is needed - at least out of sight!

Thanks for looking!

This is what I have achieved with a small space.  Width is 52cm and length is 83cm.  Kato track with radius 183 and 216mm.  

Layout uses short stock so it doesn't look too silly going around the corners!

I agree.  Pre-book Miniature Wunderland.  Expect to spend a long time there too.

Whilst not on your list, it may be worth looking to see if the class 218 diesels are still running to Westerland (if that's your sort of thing).  

We did Berlin and Hamburg as a trip, flying and using the ICE to get between the two cities.  Fast and very cheap if you pre-book.

Worth also looking at the regional day tickets which usually cost around the 20 euro mark.  Though these are not valid on IC trains.

Right ignore the rubbish quality of the videos, but this shows the start up, compressor noise and brief movement of 22338, 22352 and 7301.

22338

22352

7301

I don't like the compressor sound on 22352 compared to one the others.  Not sure why the recording was changed but I just don't like it.  It also doesn't make much noise when moving.  I am thinking I will get it reblown with something else but not sure what.  

This video of 22351 (released at the same time as 22352) sounds just the same.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i91SbCMbWU8

I had to get 22352 though, as I have it's name plate.

Hello,

I have 4 sound fitted nez cassé, 2 Roco and 2 LS.  The Roco ones are Beton BB7301 and Multiservice 22347.  I think they both sound great.  Generic noises are the same but when you fire them up at the same time the sounds do play at different times (compressor and air releases).  Both are Plux22.

The two LS ones are Beton 22352 (produced last year) and Phantom 22338 (produced I think in 2013).  22338 sounds good but something isn't quite right with the noises that 22352 makes. It just sounds different to the other three.  Both are 21 pin.

I prefer the Roco model over the LS one sound wise and I don't really see a visual benefit of the LS one to justify the higher price.  

Very good show, enjoyed it.  Thanks to all those involved with organising it.

Cut up an Airfix coach body and sell it for more than what the whole coach was probably worth?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394171607482?hash=item5bc67569ba:g:obgAAOSwBjti2ARl

I resorted to putting a few trains on the floor in the loft having realised that the trains I had stored on some lower shelves just weren't as warm.  Just need to make sure I don't tread on them when I go up!

The thermometer went up to 44 degrees in the end on the layout by the velux window but only 40 on the floor.

How hot can our plastic model trains get without deforming?  Just wondering whether I need to remove them from the loft that is currently 39 degrees.  All are out of direct sunlight.

Yes I think they did.  

Thanks for looking that up.  I had been looking at SD7 and SD9 locos as an option but couldn't find any figures on them.  Think that looks like the route to take.

Evening,

I purchased a Minitrix Nohab body a while ago with the idea of finding a suitable chassis for it.  I have measured up the dimensions comparing it to the Kato model (that goes for crazy money!) 

Can anyone suggest a suitable chassis/loco that I might be able to use (apart from the Minitirix Nohab chassis!) that also may be readily available?  I have some Kato US diesels that have suitable bogies but the chassis is too long. Would ideally like a nice smooth running chassis

Images attached show the Kato model and some rough measurements (in mm) that I think would work with the Minitrix body.

Any help appreciated!

Have you tried dismantling the clicking bogie and giving everything a clean?  

As mentioned above swapping axles around might have a positive effect.

Lovely.  Thanks for sharing it.

I would say no.  There are differences in the brands but they still look fairly similar.

This is a train I wanted to replicate which is a short 3 car rake that I travelled on in 2017 from Rochefort to La Rochelle.  The videos focus on the loco but you get the idea.  Rake was a corridor second, open second and a first/second with plug doors.  MS 67400 on the front (which has interestingly become a celebrity as the red has been painted blue in "Isabelle" livery).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLbHB4l3B_o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S3s9mSCFH4

So for my representation I have 67445 on the front, a Piko open second, LS 1st/2nd and a Roco corridor second.

Here is a shot of them side by side. 

Liveries are much the same with the Piko one having slightly lighter shades of grey but nothing too major.   LS top, Piko middle, Roco bottom.

Close up of the door area:

I will probably replace the Piko 2nd with one of the forthcoming Roco ones as it has the half coloured doors which I believe was only around for a short time.  

Here is an internal photo of the LS coach (one set of seating bays was loose so I had to glue it back in!)

As you can see they are superbly detailed with individual seats, luggage racks and curtains etc.  Are they worth the extra?  Not sure they are actually as when they are whizzing round in a rake you don't really see the insides - particularly as the windows are tinted.

Lastly here is a shot of 4 standard liveried Corails showing the differences.  Top Lima, then Piko, followed by older Roco and then most recent Roco at the bottom.

The Lima grey is darker than the Roco grey (though not too different).  The windows are a little smaller too.  The Piko Corail is a better model than the Lima one, however the lighter greys noticeably stand out. 

The Roco ones both have the same colours.  The most obvious difference between them is the fact that the most recent one has black frames as opposed to silver ones.  

Hope that helps!

I reckon it's going to be 67510.  I reckon that whilst there is space for two numbers between the 7 and 0, there isn't space for two 'wide' numbers, so one must be a '1'.  There is a photo of 67510 on the page below.  Whilst it's not a good side on view, if you look closely it looks to have some numbers missing.

https://www.raileuropexpress.com/album/album-2019/mars-2019/

This one is better:

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/694559/

Thanks for the replies.  

OK so I have downloaded the update from this page:

https://www.roco.cc/en/service/downloads/99-0-0-0-0-0-0-007005-0/index.html

But I don't see how I can connect the digital box with the PC.  The box I have is code 10764 and the only USB ports are labelled Master/Slave.  The Roco site refers to a 10786 box that looks like it has extra USB ports.

I'm quite clearly doing something wrong but would welcome any help as to what should be connecting with what!

Maybe I can!

When I looked it up I thought I read that you needed some sort of programmer to do the job.  Will look it up again!

Morning all.  I am aware that there is a software upgrade where the controllers can then access F20 -29. 

This appears to be something I am not able to do myself.  Can anyone suggest someone that can do this for me?

I have two 10810 controllers.