jimwal

In my experience, no. The magnets are much more permanent than older open frame types. Even with these I have stored them stuck together by their opposite poles with no ill effect. If you buy a number of magnets at the same time they will be stuck together like this anyway. So I'd say its fine. Jim.

Or is the conduit routed differently?. An after-market etched plate set may be the icing on the cake.

Hi Clive, I agree with you regarding the modelling magazines. 'Staff projects' and lots of weathering articles suggest a difficulty in finding enough content for each issue. Sometimes what modelling there is, isn't very good or is poorly researched so what's the point?. MRJ normally has better standards certainly in the modelling. We can aspire to this even if we don't always achieve it, I think this usually makes it a worthwhile read. You have scratch built all that Geoff has, plus you've done locos, I don't think he has. So you can connect with the plastic modelling. It may be the etched metal stuff you feel is outside your comfort zone. It does not matter, work with what suits you. By the way, you can have P4 track on an 00 layout: 60' panels on 'Salmon' wagons, the track is still on view when the train is running. Jim

Good to see you Clive, sorry we were unable to spend more time with you. You know what its like getting Keith around shows but we did manage to see everything we wanted to. Ok, reliability was not as good as you'd liked, but Dave was pleased I'm sure to operate such a huge layout (by his standards). The small details always go a long way, despite being a long way from our viewpoint!

Yes, I'm still interested in purchasing a set.

Hi Clive, I enjoyed the photos and movies of Sheffield Exchange. Many of us have that scenery (clutter) you mentioned, as others have noted we went out to see the railway not the countryside. The HST must have bought back memories, though it didn't look as fast as Mr F's were. Noting your positioning by the layout the station throat could be named 'Belly Isle'. Skilful camera use in a later shot showed neither 'fat' or 'bald' so perhaps you won't have to. I see Pig Lane, low level?. We will be along on Sunday via the Colchester charabang to see you performing with the layout at normal height we hope.

Dorkingian, your images show just how well Meccano Ltd did in capturing the overall shape of the Stanier 8F. Along with the BR std 2-6-4T I regard these as the best two Hornby Dublo locos ever made.

Good to see this, as it was looking as if the series was becoming moribund. I have 'No.1 The Rebuilt Royal Scots' published back in 1999! As mentioned above I look forward to seeing the smaller locos covered in due course.

Clive, I'll let the club know you will be there with your Little Pig, Keith can operate and the rest of us will get round the show quicker! The dinosaur is in my lounge, no one else could use it and it seemed a shame to let Colin's year long efforts go to waste. Maybe I could populate (clutter?) your thread with some photos. I know I can start a new thread but will it just wither in the mire of RM WEB if nothing is posted for ages?.

Done

Hi Clive, Glad to learn you had a good time at Model Rail Scotland. Did I see Pig Lane listed for Ally Pally? Re Collet full brakes, I think you have identified the problem; a number of different diagrams but all looking similar, which does a RTR manufacturer produce?. Your bag of parts, if side/roof/side aluminium pressings seem like MTK or Westdale. I believe BSL coaches had sides of a slightly thicker aluminium and a separate wood roof. BSL castings were much better than MTK! Off topic I realise but the picture, if it has arrived on here shows the ex club 'dinosaur' layout during refurbishment after its 30 year hibernation in a GER van at Mangapps. Jim

Clive, looks like you've got those near two dozen bits pretty straight on the sides of that saloon you're building. I don't envy you of the task of all the filling, sanding and general smoothing needed to achieve a reasonable finish. You have just a few other coaches and multiple units to complete as well!. You have seen the Airfix LMS cut and shuts I done many years ago, they were far simpler. I've done some GWR flat end suburban coaches some years ago from Farish and Airfix non corridors, they have taken some filling. Meanwhile I press on with LMS coaches, mostly Comet sides on Airfix donor coaches. Maybe one day I'll get something posted on here but don't hold your breath! it took long enough just to type this!! Jim

Trix coaches Clive? aren't they 3.8mm/ft scale? I presume you're talking mk1 stock and not Trans Pennine units. The TP units must be worth more to the collectors than to cut up. Or have you now run out of Triang mk1 coaches?. The current Hornby 'Railroad' ones with plastic wheels are quite cheap. Buy the metal wheels separately and it works out cheaper than the coaches with metal wheels in. Jim

I'd be keen for a pair of these vans too.

You have certainty been productive Clive, well done. I'm sure if you contact Paul he will be able to direct you to more information on the coaler.

Intermittent connection to a winding such as a dry solder joint seems the most likely cause. it can sometimes occur if the windings have been nicked when cleaning the commutator slots. Weak magnet alone (unless very weak) is unlikely to cause poor starting but certainly worth having done. Jim

Sounds to me like dry motor bearings. The motor is buried within the main chassis block making access for lubrication difficult. Returning the loco(s) is the best bet. Jim

Ample room for extra weight in the big pacific locos, the black case Hornby motors are generally good and the recent models don't suffer from the gear splitting of previous releases. Jim

Clive, platform starters on posts give more flexibility in placing. If the platforms and clearance points vary in position you couldn't use a gantry without wasting platform length. This usually important on most layouts. So to use a gantry in this location may look nice but be unusual.

Agree with Dave, free running stock is the way to do it. A layout without gradients is a must for long trains as well. Gradients are a nightmare for prototype and model railways.

Hi Richard, Actually the nylon is quite hard with good wearing resistance, hence its use for gears. Maybe the plastic 'mix' for the gears was slightly wrong for the earlier gears as more recent locos don't seem to have been affected. Moulding the gears is probably a cheaper process than machining brass ones. The brass worms fitted to the models do suffer wear if they get used frequently. Steel worms would be the best choice but machining cost would go against it. As mentioned, I've not tried Clive's proposal but if I were to I would proceed cautiously using a self grip 'Mole' type wrench. With card to protect the teeth the wrench is adjusted to just close the split, if set correctly the split line will virtually disappear. Hi Clive, just seen your reply, you can practice this on the old gear even if you don't need it. Jim

Hi Clive, Bring the split gear with you on Friday. I've got a few which I'll bring and if there is an identical one then you are welcome to it. I've never tried repairing split gears. The split will end between two teeth meaning they are further apart, affecting the running. The hole in the gear would need easing to allow a sliding fit on the axle and the split clamped to close it before you pinned it. Jim

Clive, repair your broken locos, split gears excepted. Pony trucks with mazak rot can sometimes be rescued with superglue - let it soak into the crazed metal and it will hold it together. I have an L1 with bogie and pony truck repaired this way and so far so good. If the curved holes of the pony truck have broken fit a longer arm with single hole to go under the first screw of keeper plate. It will probably work better than the original whose slotted holes result in the wheelbase changing by a scale 18" every time the direction is reversed. Richard, Clive doesn't have a problem with people - his plastic surgery skills are legendary! Jim

Hi Clive, I thought it was about time I caught up with your operating woes!. The cam coupling fittings and excess side play in driving wheels are RTR manufacturer's attempts to get fairly accurate scale models to go round set track curves. If your track is around 3' radius or greater these features are unnecessary and can add problems. The side play is mainly an issue with pick-ups, it is essential to check these have contact with the wheel back over the whole side play movement. Using Peco fibre washers with a bit cut out to make a 'C' and slipping these in to take up some side play can help. Some of the 'L1' pony trucks seem to have had Mazak rot issues. I got a replacement for Fred's loco and put a single pivot on another, which eliminated the twin slot thing, itself a troublesome feature on some locos. I cut the studs off the front of the keeper plate and made the new pivot arm long enough to fit to the first keeper plate screw. The cam coupling mechs are often slack causing the couplings to sit low, so are better glued up solid, certainly on long wheelbase four wheel vehicles. With bogie stock the units are body mounted so gluing up is no good. I've used Hornby's 'Roco' style couplings on their LMS coaches successfully which closes the gap making the gangways almost touch. These couplings form a rigid bar when coupled that keeps the cam units under control. Bachmann 'porthole' stock needs actual Roco couplers available from Gaugemaster, these are shorter than Hornby's. Layout issues. Points will usually eventually give trouble with blade only contact. The black crud that is present on any operating layout will work its way between blade and stock rail. Wipe your fingers over the rails and take a look at them!, using a track rubber cleans the rail tops but rubber bits can end up in the points. Your layout may have been laid now just long enough to be starting to get 'settlement' issues where the baseboard and track materials are adjusting to their environment and may need regular monitoring and minor adjustment to keep things running. This happens on the real thing!. Jim

The nearest coach looks to be an ex-LMS Stanier suburban coach.