ChrisN

I haven't been around for a couple of days, or is that four( ?), where has this week gone? As I was saying I have only just read this post but the strength of this thread is that details of how things are done and developed, and changed are all gone through in detail. I have seen this in some other threads and it is very instructive, on others it is like Blue Peter, 'here is something I did earlier' and although it looks good you would not then know how to do it yourself. The whole point of a forum like this is to exchange ideas so that we can learn, not just modelling but railway practise as well. Keep on posting, it is great to see things develop and new ideas coming in.

At the moment is the key phrase. I am sure someone of your modelling skills once you have built the scenics and all the structures will want something more to do. Although 20 or more of the same kit might be a bit soul destroying, so perhaps you could build the 'odd and interesting' items.

I have hesitated to comment on how you should proceed as it is all down to personal choice and what I would like someone else may not. Having said that I think you are right on going with gradients, especially ones you know you cannot take a train up. Also having moved the viaducts round so they are half clear of each other looks good. A bit worried about the river as it looks as though it might dribble off the edge and get your feet wet. (Sorry ) Enjoy your retirement do. They will soon be over and you will be back modelling. Your workrate is quite impressive; I am not sure I have managed to touch anything in about 6 weeks. It looks as though I may retire earlier than planned, well I will if they reorganise my Department and my wife has her way, not that I am going to complain.

I have been to that station, I am sure of it. What a fabulous model!

Back in the early seventies the college I went to, during the Rag Week went to UCL and wrote "IC Rules" on the wall. UCL demanded that it was washed off so the students duly went back and washed it off. However, this was in the days when all London buildings were still filthy from smoke so now the dirty walll had a clean bit that read "IC Rules".

I saw a new set of models on the Langley web site. They were of postmen with one who had a dog attached to its leg. How long before this appears on exhhibition layouts up and down the country?

Thank you all again for your help If I do not quote you directly I still am grateful for your reply Thanks, I will go through his site and see what I can find Thanks I will have a search through and also had it to my list of sites I did actually manage to buy a couple and took them to pieces but before I started to hack the buffer beams I stopped and wondered if I could do something better. I then left that and started something else but as I take ages to do anything that is still ongoing. However, some things do not need alot of setting up to do so I may go back to this sooner rather than later.

Oops. First time using multiquote. Obviously got the replies in the wrong place, sorry. Ohh, used the edior and managed to sort it out. Learning new things all the time.

Wow! Thank you so far. This is really helpful. Having spent hours trawling the internet for things I find that others have already found what I am looking for. Thank you. This seems more than feasable. I shall have to dig out pictures and diagrams and get sawing away. I have dug out my etches and looked at the Brassmasters etch. Seems reasonable. My only worry is that brass to me is nearly a four letter word and I shall have to learn all sorts of things to make it all work. Still I retire in 670 odd days so I shall have plenty of time, hopefully, once I've sorted the garden out, got us ready to move.............. Managed to do German not Latin at school so that might be a problem. Is there an index that I can view for MRJ or how do I access old copies? You are more than probably right. It just seemed an easy way to obtain a chassis. The advantage of narrow gauge is that you can set the time period and the locos and rolling stock can stay more or less the same. Period people can be a little more difficult if yo want variety but it is the locos and rolling stock of the main line railways where the difficulties come in unless you are a dab hand with the solder or want to be near a GWR line. I shall probably end up building the six wheelers, including the insides, adding some passengers but never actually building a line for them to run on. Oh well, never mind. I enjoy building things and I have wasted spent many happy hours doing the research.

Although my main modelling is of a freelance Welsh narrow gauge railway, I have for some time been investigating main line connecting services. The problem that I have with this is that my era is late Victorian, and the layout will be set in 1895. This means that any mainline coaches will be 4 wheel or more likely 6 wheel stock. I did buy some Kemilway Cambrian 6 wheelers even though I have no skills in soldering thinking that I could at least fold them up & glue them if nothing else. I also investigated HMRS for drawings so I could fit out the interiors. However, when I received them they were completely opaque to me as to how to make them, and I have been looking to see if I could buy one that someone else has made to give me a clue as to what to do. Also, having been bitten with the six wheel bug, I have also looked at coaches from the LCDR. What I would really like are some plastic 6 wheel coach kits which perhaps I could put different fittings on, although I am not sure that the Slaters MR ones are appropriate. I also have some Ratio 4 wheel kits with the view as suggested somewhere else on this forum of using the Bachmann Emily 6 wheel coach chassis but as yet I have not got around to doing the necessary hacking to make it appear reasonable. Today I saw on eBay some Ratio kits that had Hornby Palethorpes 6 wheel van chassis. This is another idea for producing a 6 wheel coach. My questions are:- Are there any plastic six wheel kits that I have missed? Could anyone give me advice on the Kemilway kits? Is using RTR chassis under a Ratio kit reasonable given that most six wheelers are longer than 4 wheelers?

In the original thread, the link for which is above, someone has converted a Track Maintenance coach. The body is the same as the ordinary 4 wheelers but the chassis is the correct height. I have done something similar. It just neeeds finishing off.

I thought that's what you meant but I must have missed that article when I looked at it. Still too late now. Chris

Toddler? Am I missing something? Chris

I have been struggling to find coaches for the Cambrian that I could model/convert. The Hornby coach is a fair approximation to a three compartment first class coach, the olny drawback being the moulded 'Third' on the doors. Although I have the coach it is still waiting for me to finish my rolling stock for my main project.

Thank you for your reply. I will look out for them. Chris

Hi, What a fabulous layout! I am just building the same Ratio station and have spent a long time deciding where to put the rooms. I wanted to put a station master's office which complicated things. A question, where did you get the internal doors? I have some doors but they seem to be the right size for front doors but too big for internal ones Chris