hayfield

Look forward to seeing how the ideas and plan develop, how do you plan to widen the track gauge of 00 tracks to P4?

In my drive to obtain a fleet of locos on etched chassis I picked up a Southeastern M7 chassis built but no motor, gears, drivers or coupling rods,

I have a set of Romford/Markit drivers for the loco and think I have coupling rods, have motors but will need a decent gearbox rather than a motor mount. On the face of it paying £29.95 + postage is slightly cheaper than £32 plus postage and its built, but a nicely made and painted body is thrown in with the deal, the full kit is £89.90 plus postage

Looks like I will have the odd older Wills M7 for sale with a white metal chassis, and guess they will fetch about a similar amount, fair swap I think

Don't wish to put a dampener on the Idea but most novice track builders have trouble with the common crossing not the switch, but I do see that having a working robust switch is a benefit, then there is the cost (which most baulk at when bullhead kits are mentioned) adding additional parts to a £30 turnout. Still I guess the idea will be of interest to some.

Perhaps their will be a new market in Peco large radii common crossings

Richie

Colin's crafted items do look very good and he does have specialist knowledge in this area, one word of warning if his system is anything like the Masokits, then they will extremely challenging to build. I built a Maso kits etched turnout even adjusting for the additional time the first build takes, it will be an extremely prolonged process when compared building a turnout using either Peco, C&L or Exactoscale components.

Building in EM gauge will still be a compromise, both in gauge and also in the reduction in turnout length/size I would think about what you are trying to achieve.

The first thing will be to sort out a track plan and decide what size turnouts you will require, once you have that information you can then choose which system/method suites your project

Thanks for that - Colin's site is superb, i've sent him an email!

 

 

 

 

Again, thanks for that, it really helps. I think i'm getting myself all mixed up somewhere along the line!  But thanks for the line of thought re plain line and S&C.

 

 

 

Cheers John - thats a big help.  Do you suggest Code 82 rail or EMGS Code 83?

 

 

Richie

 

C&L ST baseplates were designed for code 82 rail. Check with the stores manager as to compatiblety with code 83

 

As far as I know the C&L ST base plates do not hold the rail at an angle but upright, it’s a very easy system to use. If you are hoping to use code 82 with the society’s filing jigs I think they will not be compatible. Just use a home made card template and do it by eye

Rich

Richie

Use the Exactoscale turnout timbering packs ( no timber grain). Each pack will make between 2.5 & 3 turnouts. Use the C&L ST base plates with code 82 rail

Interesting idea.. there must be some reason though that everyone uses ply?

Good quality ply will retain its shape and I guess is much stronger than wood for punching holes in when the use or rivets was the norm. I also assume ply is both cheaper and easy to get than wood strip, its also laser cut so is more accurate than using a saw blade

If they are 4 mm scale they might be the Romford wheels that were available which had been lathe turned, though Miss Prism seems to recognise them as Bonds

Would it be the case that Romford supplied a better quality casting which Bonds had finished off, which may be the ones I recall  

You'll struggle to find model railway shops, though. A lot of the tack shops/saddleries in Central London disappeared years ago. I don't go into inner London anymore unless a client needs me to go to Court.

Agree

I stopped going to both the west end and city years ago, the reason London looks less expensive is that everywhere else has put up their prices to match. 

Clive,

 

If you are going to make statements like that, please back them up with who said that and when they said it, otherwise........

 

Andy

Andy 

I thought it was those who wanted RTR track saying no one would pay £30 for a turnout, seems there is still a bit of friction against those who like making things !!! As for they would never sell I can think of 3 other projects mentioned on here plus another from someone who does not use this site, though DCC Concepts seems to have gone quiet on their proposals

Um, I'm not sure South Oxhey has improved.

Back in the 6's Teddy boys with cutthroat razors, all the original trouble makers have grown up, still a bit iffy but no where as bad

Sorry I was on my phone whilst on holiday and spell check kicked in Peck should have been Peco, plus I did not pick up you were using code 125 rail

Very impressive, but short of a total rebuild by lifting the rails by 1 mm to fit 7 mm chairs, having said this my idea of using the C&L ST baseplates (4SC 101B) may still work, or perhaps some 4 mm chairs. send me a PM with your address and I will send a sprue of 10 chairs of ST baseplates and some spare half chairs I have in 4 mm  scale to you

With hindsight I would have used C&L flexi track Which and glue one track/ spike the 09 out of code 82 flatbottom or the Peco Pandrol clips with code 75 flatbottom,

Must say a great idea 

The rot set in when the housing stock was sold off and not replaced.

 

Then the stigma was created by calling it social housing.

 

Mark Saunders

I totally agree with you it was wrong not to replace the houses that were sold off, but the stigma of being a council tenant was always there. People were looked down if they lived on the Merridan, Hollywell or South Oxhey estates etc. The right to buy has greatly improved these estates for both tenants and owner occupiers.

Right to buy should have helped to increase housing stock rather than increase the councils reserves

Indeed, and what has happened where I live prices have increased to such an extent that the 'working man' has been priced out of the market. This is because former social housing is being snapped up by private landlords resulting in a majority of such properties going into the private rental market at far greater rents than those still in public ownership. Whats more those properties are often overcrowded (3 couples in a small two bedroom house) and many poorly mantained into the bargain.

The only reason houses are bought by private landlords to rent out has been the fault of the benefit system in the past being far too eager to pay any amount in housing subsidies, which has made this possible. In the early years it was very different as rents did not cover costs unless you had large sums to put down as a deposit. It was first time buyers who were setting the prices and the buy to let market struggled to complete

Quite simply the buy to let investor asks what rental income would this property let for, the purchase price is calculated from this. Whilst people and or state benefits are willing to pay/support high rents they will continue to push up house prices

Here is an example, two identical houses next to each other being rented by different landlords. Landlord A has low fixed overheads of say £400 per month, Landlord B has recently bought so has costs of £1200 per month.

I will keep the numbers simple for this example

These houses are renting for £1600 per month, on the face of it there is a nice profit, but drill down and the reality is totally different. Take away 10% agents fees and the profit is £240 then there are costs which have to cover insurance, maintance, periods of non occupation etc. Landlord A is fine, just the profits are not as large, landlord B may just be breaking even and is consoling them selves on the increasing property values.

Now throw in a hike in interest rates, landlord A is still fine, but landlord B may now be having to subsidise the rent. He could try and put up the rent, which might be met by a tenant who is paying the whole amount themselves, but someone who is dependant on housing benefits cannot pay any more

Both tenants leave, but in the meantime owing to a downturn in the economy prospective tenants can only afford  £1400 per month

Now do both landlords hold out for wealthier tenants and have no income, or accept a lower income for cash flow purposes. Not an issue for landlord A, just not as profitable as it used to be. Landlord B has a major problem, their asset is making a loss. They decide to get out of the rental market, but the housing market has changed, due to falling rents housing is not worth as much now, which in turn makes property more affordable to owner occupiers, add in rising interest rates and it becomes even less valuable to the buy to let buyers. Home buyers are now pricing the market

Quite simply to aid the owner occupier market, the returns of renting need to be reduced. Rents need to either remain static for a long time and or state housing benefit needs to reduce and stop artificially inflating rents thus house prices

Check out the Kato chassis, they do there 0-4-0 which many use and if you look out they can be quite cheap

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kato-11-104-Powered-Motorized-Chassis-N-scale-/362073751198?hash=item544d46fe9e:g:jJsAAOxydlFSsWwS

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Kato-11-104-Powered-Motorized-Chassis-N-scale-/362073751198?hash=item544d46fe9e:g:jJsAAOxydlFSsWwS

It may be that the check rails need slightly larger clearances (that's why Peco have short check rails) as the wheels cannot move sideways in their chassis enough. Also try longer wheelbase wagons

Just spoke to Dave at Gas Cupboard Models in Trowvegas. Same as others have said SRP of £32:50 (I guessed at £35) and release date in October but no definite date. Darn sight cheaper than a C&L kit @ £48 (if my memory serves me correctly).

For me at that price I will be burning my fingers & stickin' & gluin' my turnouts.

Tim

The cost of C&L kits with pre-formed parts is still dearer, but if you preform the parts yourself and use the components, from memory using the Exactoscale parts equivalent the their kits come out well under £20. Certainly for those who for what ever reason prefer not to build their own, a cheaper alternative and what seems to be a much better looking alternative to H0 products, now how about a modern image 4 mm scale turnout in 00 gauge    Seriously, a first class result for 00 gauge modellers and you never know if it catches on additional products may follow and prices could drop

David

I have had 2 railway journeys to Italy in the past 3 years, I was amazed at the number of factory sidings in Italy. Whilst travelling on both the UK's mainline and the French TGV none

Now I think with the exception of heavy industry these sidings have long gone. I guess there is a prototype for everything and of course there is modellers licence  

Try getting MP's to move out of London!

 

The value of investments can go down as well as up; when this happens to ordinary people it's tough and you have to live with negative equity!

 

Mark Saunders

Mark

I think most of us would like to get rid of MP's and as far away as possible

Houses are a supply and demand commodity and you can have market corrections which affect prices in the short term. Negative equity is only a problem if you are trying to sell/remortgage.

What has been suggested from some areas is not a period of negative equity, but a wholesale reduction in property prices to a level which all could afford, this would collapse the banking industry whose balance sheets rely heavily on rising property prices. 

We could build more houses, but look at the size of land banks which are carefully brought to market to maintain/ increase land values, what land owner would sell land below its value?. Then if land was made available show me a building company who is willing to cut their profit margins to sell houses cheaply. If you pass this hurdles find a bank willing to lend on an unprofitable project.

Another thought is who should social housing be for, and for how long.

Example 1

A person who earns enough to either buy a property or pay for private rent, should we subsidise their rent? 

Example 2

When a person(s) circumstances change, should we change the type of property they are entitled to. If its right to give them a larger property when their family grows, surely the opposite is also right when family leave home

I used to live near a housing estate where after the war was build for homeless Londoners, by the early 80's there were more Rolls Royce's on this estate per square mile that most other local areas, which were supposedly better off.

The rental sector in my opinion needs a rethink, prior to the change in legislation allowing Short hold tenancies the balance was too much weighted in favour to the tenants, resulting in homes which became available being sold rather than re-let, Now the balance is too far in favour of the landlord. We need a rental sector which works equally for both landlord and tenant. Landlords are always looking for good tenants and I think in many cases good landlords try to look after good tenants, we need to squeeze out bad landlords, but also protect good landlords from bad tenants 

Well, the approach that I plan to take is to simply leave the template in place. That is, glue the sleepers to the template and then glue the template to closed cell foam.  If leaving the template in place is good enough for Iain Rice, it's good enough for me.

This is fine providing you get a good bond between the paper template and the track bed. Or as I think on at least one of Iain's layouts the paper template was stuck to the baseboard at the edges allowing the track to float.

Just ensure all areas that have been glued have bonded well and the correct type of glue has been used. (Avoid PVA if sound reduction is desired) 

Well, I suppose you could try to ban foreign nationals and companies from buying properties in such areas....

Ivan a bit radical and knowing you its mostly tongue in cheek/irony.

On the other hand all over the country in desirable areas wealthy individuals and companies are buying second homes/holiday let properties, which make it impossible for locals to complete. Walking back to the hotel in St Ives I went past many ex-fisherman's cottages, all of which had been either turned into holiday lets or commercial premises.  This was common in most of the coastal towns and villages, the exception was Clovelly (which you paid to enter) which has strict occupation rules.

Then you have the likes of myself moving out from the London area a bit thus increasing the prices further out

You are right in many ways, certainly those who live elsewhere and buying for investment purposes only put nothing into the local communities should be discouraged. Also our major cities are getting far too overcrowded,

Years ago there was a move to relocate jobs to other areas, seems only national and local authority jobs moved. Perhaps a tax on nonessential jobs in the centre of London might focus minds, but the financial carnage which decreasing property values would cause might collapse the banking system?

I took the time (about a minute and a half) to see what the average price for property in Kensington and Chelsea actually is. According to Rightmove it's 1.4 million pounds for a flat, 4.4 million for a terraced house and 6.1 for a semi detached property (I've rounded down the tens of thousands and lower amounts). You've either got a wildly different view of moderately well off or haven't bothered to do some basic fact finding.

Grenfell was in the borough of Kensington, but not in Kensington. I think white city is a better description and whilst the cost of properties is much higher than many in the greater London area, its no where near the prices of Kensington. One bedroom flats £300k  three bed flats £350k.  However whilst these areas are very close to each other, different additional factors may alter prices slightly

In many areas if you buy a commodity at the correct price and market it well you normally make a profit. Was the collection built up for profit or pleasure ?

That might work, although most of mine will be on some sort of curve it could work out ok and then all I'd have to do is work out the points

Mike

With straight track you can lay both rails, the method I have explained we used on a club 7 mm scale layout

Turnouts are similar, I tape a piece of tracing paper to the plan, then cut strips of double sided tape about 3 mm wide and have 2 lines of tape to hold the timbers. Most chairs will hold the timbers in place. The exception being the slide chairs, super glue the slide chairs to the stock rails. When removing the tracing paper just wet the double sided tape with white spirit and it will come off very easy. carefully glue the timbers in place. The odd one may need adjusting 

Home insurance will restore a property to the condition it was in before the damage occurred.  Although how that will work in this case I have no idea.

Dave.

Dave

I was talking about the buildings insurance, as there as several different properties within a block of flats unlike contents insurance it is totally impracticable to have individual buildings insurance policies in the same building. As part of the annual maintance agreement the managing agent arranges for one policy which covers every flat. This protects all owners that the correct policy for all flats remains in place, and insures that no one individual owner jeopardises the others.

There are two groups, the owner occupiers plus the housing associations (non Kensington) and Kensington council. The owners will claim a total loss be reimbursed by the insurance company, as for Kensington they will be reimbursed for their loss and I guess will do a deal to buy the land back for re-development  .

Anyway what I was trying to comment on was the ability of the owner occupiers to be able to buy a property with the compensation from the insurance company in the same area

Firstly generally ex local authority property normally is less valuable than privately owned property, secondly looking at the BBC article the flats were quite generous in size, thirdly with the loss of so many housing units within the area will increase the cost of existing housing stock. Fourthly after the experience of seeing their homes destroyed would they want to live in a high or low rise flat again, houses are dearer 

Plenty has been said about tenants being able to remain in the area, heard nothing about the owner occupiers who suffered the same fate, and for the above reasons may be financially forced out of the area. I feel all should be treated equally 

Mike

If its a section of plain track, why not make a card comb to hold the sleepers whilst laying one length of rail on to the sleepers, the solvent if run along the rail, when dry will be strong enough to hold the sleepers in place during the move to the baseboard. stick the sleepers to the track bed, once set fit the other rail