Phatbob

Hello Phil. Love the new layout, it's looking really good. I look forward to seeing it in the flesh at "Rainfall", or should that be "Rainhill"? Just another a bad case of "autoincorrect"? ;-) LOL I'd persist with the Kadees if I were you, but that's just my opinion on which couplings are the least unreliable. Cheers, Bob.

Joseph, This is great news. Good luck with this venture. Just one question that's not currently answered in your specifications as I understand them; What track-spacing are you using for your crossovers? (In simple terms, how far apart will parallel tracks be?) One of my "issues" with current proprietary H0 based systems is that the tracks are far too far apart. Thanks and a happy new year to you and yours.

Agreed. A bit of background information for those unfamiliar with Kadees. The reason that it's helpful to know that #5s can be used on wagons with NEM pockets instead of the NEM couplings is as follows. All Kadee couplings are supplied in bags of four. Number 5s (and AFAIK only #5s) are also supplied in bulk packs as they are the size that fits nearly all US H0 stock. These means that they can be had for about half the price of the others if you have a large amount of stock to convert. The #5s have to be made up from a kit of parts and some wagons require a bit of fettling with a scalpel and file to get the right fit. So, if you are cash rich and time poor, go for the NEM ones. If you are cash poor and time rich, go for #5s, kill a few happy hours and save some £o££€¥. HTH, Bob.

I generally use the Fleischmann Profi coupling within rakes, rather than the Roco / Hornby pattern ones, as they are a great deal more robust. Once the outer prong+ hook thingy on the Roco / Hornby type gets bent, they're scrap. :-( The Fleischmann ones are much more tolerant of being shoved into a stuck-box in a hurry at the end of an exhibition. :-) As for NEM fit Kadees, start with a #18 and take it from there. I've used all 4 sizes of plug-in Kadee couplings, but on UK stock probably 50% of them are #18s. For the non-NEM ones, #5s work well enough, but the draw boxes have to stick-out a bit beyond the buffer stock. For a flush fit, a #46 (or #146) is usually the right length. HTH, BOb.

Given that it is possible to 3D print some metals, would it be worthwhile printing the "tricky bit" of the turnout (i.e. the crossing vee (frog) and switchrails)?

Me neither. The NYMR have also missed off the extra set of footsteps on one bogie that lined up with the cut-out ladder up the side to reach the roof mounted water filler that was fitted to locos in original condition.

There were three expressions of interest for further appearances of Appledore over the Warley show. Should any mature into definite invitations, rest assured that they will be well and truly plugged on this forum. I'd like to thanks those RMwebbers who introduced themselves over the weekend. Always a pleasure. Thanks for the kind words and compliments too. It's a real lift to the spirits to have one's efforts appreciated by fellow modellers. Thanks also to everybody at the Warley club for their efforts over the weekend. It's sometimes hard to remember that such a vast a professional undertaking is actually a club show and not a commercial one.

Some of Roundhouse's spam cans and other kettles will be making guest appearances at Warley, but not all of them. He won't have room in his car and I won't room behind the fiddleyard! He's got about forty of 'em. I think he'll only stop once he's got all 110.

No problem testing it for you. Happy to help. One thing though, mine definitely needed running in, as per the instructions supplied. "Out of the box" is was superb in the forward direction but a bit jerky when running backwards. Now it's run-in, if anything it runs faster backwards!? So don't fret if it is a bit jerky on initial test. Mine also has a little bag full of fluid lead in the smokebox and some down the inside of the chimney too. As it'll be station pilot, it'll need to shift some heavy loads.

They look like the old 00 scale Graham Farish ones to me. Which means they must be VERY old!

Yes, but only one at a time.

RMwebbers, Please do come along to the Warley show and see Appledore, it might be your last chance, as I've no more exhibition invitations after Warley. We're hoping to bring you alternating sequences with Diesel Hydraulic (circa 1964) and steam traction (Circa 1961). Please do make yourselves known too. Always nice to put a face to a name (or RMweb alias ).

The Association of Retired Submarine Engineers suffers from an unfortunate acronym, does it not?

Well, my order was to be four 116s and a 118, but I've no use for a 117. So I sincerely hope that somebody does produce a 116 and a 118, and sooner, rather than later. C'est la vie.

Both would have been repainted from blood & custard into green from 1956 onwards. So the Bulleid could have the elder paint job.

Just bung the Replica chasis under the driving trailer (63' long) instead of the motorcoach (57' long). Simples. Who will know, or care, that it's the wrong coach in your tadpole unit that's providing the power?

Exactly! The point I was trying to make was that Budgie's suggestion (laudable though it is) of a co-operative venture to produce a 4EPB is unlikely, for the same reasons that a 2HAP hasn't happened. In fact, given Bachmanns past statements regarding the popularity of 4 coach units, it's even less likely. This is a great shame from my perspective as I would buy some. But I understand the esoteric nature of things southern electric to most UK railway modellers. I'm also waiting for 3H and a 4BEP, but I ain't holding my breath.

They (Bachmann and Kernow) could already put together the Driving Trailer Composite from the 2H with the EPB motor coach to produce a 2HAP, but they don't.

Just had a browse through my railway video collection and can we have a "75" please Dave? Just in case we want to do "The Night Ferry".

The nickname is ancient and refers to the nature of the place as large, somewhat nebulous and easy to get lost in, much like a jungle. Nothing else IFAIK.

I've been looking through my library and have some more headcode suggestions Dave; C3, C7, 02. 02 appears on a few different 'photo's of van trains and also empties to Clapham Jungle. C3 and C7 will suit us nicely for van trains on Star Lane. Can't find any 'photo's of a general goods train or coal train on the Brighton line with an HA at the head. Can anybody out there help on that one? Cheers, Bob.

Dave, you'd have to crazy not to do at least one as "46" for the Golden Arrow. I'd like "76" for a VIC - Newhaven boat trian please. Just right for Star Lane. :-) More suggestions to follow no doubt.................. ;-)

Biggest issue to me is the omission to me is the "dumb bars" or "life guards" on the bogies. Easy enough to add them though, but one shouldn't have to.

I'm sure that a man of Dave's perspicacity could do CC1 and CC2 from the same tools with crafty use of slides etc, but I fear that the third one was just too dimensionally different. Kickstarter anyone?

If anybody is interested to come and see Otherplanet's radio controlled 00 scale vehicles, Upper Benllech will next be exhibited at the Liverpool MRS show on 25th-26th April. http://www.lmrs.org.uk/Exhibition/Layouts.html Otherplanet is due to be operating the layout that weekend and will be bringing the vehicles with him. :-)