oily

Thank you both Nigels. I've downloaded your messages and the contents of URLs and will study and try and absorb as much as possible. Will probably need to get back though as I already feel a bit overwhelmed. Yes, the Coal tank is incredibly impressive, I would love to be able to copy that, but a wish list dream at the moment. although I'm sure it's not that difficult once the first one is set up. Well, I hope so. Oli

I have two scratchbuilt 2mm locomotives. An M7 and a T9 that both run reasonably well and reliably on a very small DC layout. I have spent hours and days reading up on DCC and Stay Alive capacitors, thinking maybe I should upgrade and get modern, but the more I read the more confused I get. SAC I gather might stop the very occasional hesitation? But some say DCC does that also. Or should I go for both? But then my problems get worse as advice gets more confusing as to what capacitors to use, what size they should be, whether one should add diodes and surge protection, to say nothing of which DCC decoder is compatible with them. And that's before you even start on the soldering them together and finding ones small enough as a lot of the advice online refers to 00 gauge. In case it affects the advice I'm given, both locos have coreless motors and years ago I was given a Digitrax DCS51 controller although it looks horribly complicated so I've never tried it. Can anyone just give me a suitable 2mm scale shopping list of what to buy, or indeed whether it's all worth the effort. Thanks Oli

Does anyone know if an etch is available from any source for a 2mm scale GWR 4-4-0 (Bulldog) or an SR 4-6-2 Spam Can (West Country, Battle of Britain, Merchant Navy classes) I've found the Worseley Works BoB chassis etch but nothing else so far. Many thanks Oli

Thanks Nick Works now, I have no idea why I kept getting repeats of previous video. Not like I've had problems with all the earlier ones. Anyway thanks for helping. Oli

When I try and download and save Part 16, I get Part 15. Looking at top line it seems they have the same URL. What am I doing wrong? Please can someone advise. Thanks Oli

Sorry to ask, but I need to clarify in my mind, am I correct, you're saying the balance weights are in identical positions on both sides in relation to the spokes not as I've been doing as mirror images side to side? Brillant set of video tutorials though. You should publish as a DVD when the set is complete. Oliver

Does anyone happen to have a reasonably clear or close up photo of the bolier band tightening screw arrangement on top of a Great Western Belpaire firebox? Or better still a dimensioned drawing. Thanks Oli

Yes I thought of and even tried a rolling road, but although I found it fine for a tank, it was less satisfactory for a tender loco with tender drive. Plus I like to get the bogie and tender wheels thoroughly run in too. And it always looks so much more authentic watching a new creation running up and down some track rather than sitting stationary, albeit with revolving drivers. Oli

Thanks Andy that's looks a possibility. I will invesigate that further. I must confess to feeling extremely old and dated as Ian Morgam and Crosland (sorry don't know his first name) might well have been talking in a foreign language. JMRI, Raspberry-Pi, sensors, GPIO pins. I am totally lost, sorry guys, I've only just managed to fit a DCC decoder with some apprehension. Oli

I used to have my locos and chassis under construction run themselves in on a length of track with a gap in the rail with a diode across the gap. Then a timer would reverse the current and the loco or chassis would run back. And so on all day and all night. Problem is now I have gone DCC the track is AC and the system doesn't work. So my question is, how can I set up a shuttle system with DCC? I have a Digitrax DCS51 controller and an even older ZTC system that was really great but rather bulky and now stored in the loft! Is it even possible without a massive amount of new electronics? Oli

What a joy to read that there are still people who prefer the satisfaction of good old fashioned craftsmanship! I'm with you. I sometimes feel that skilled craftsmen and women are an endangered species. I'll now put on my tin hat and get my head down. Oli

Does anyone know where I can obtain a standard 8mm watchmakers collet (Boley, IME etc) size 55 or 56 or better still both. I have searched eBay including USA without success and done a full internet search and can find nothing for either size. Maybe someone has one they don't use perhaps? Thanks Oliver

I often run the M7 built as described in a series of articles a while back by Tony White. It has the motor over the bogie, built as a conventional bogie 0-4-4T, not as a 0-4-2-2T. It is driven on rear driver and inside the front of boiler over the drivers is a solid lead block, specially cast to fit. Pick up is superb and due presumably the to eight wheel pick ups, pulling power, well no problem either. I just tested it with a wagon loaded with pieces of lead, and it started and pulled away no problem, So rake of wagons or coaches not a problem either. He likes to keep things simple and it seems to work. He's a great fan of four coupled engines so quite experienced with scratchbuilding them, it's really all he makes these days, making a Bulldog at the moment. But he's not on Yahoo. Oliver

Absolutely agree with Jim's comments, more or less identical to my 0-4-4T. I'd put them in reverse order though as 3 for me is crucial in order to double the number of wheels picking up current. And 1 I'd put last as I always think you need as much weight on drivers as possible. Oliver

Regarding the comment from Chris - Also you either need to narrow the frames at the rear or make the wheel cutouts larger to clear the bogie wheels, unless it only needs to travel in a straight line. There's good photo showing such cutouts for bogie wheels in Magazine Aug/Sept 2013 page 8 (Photo 9) In that example looks as if just a simple bolt used as the bogie pivot. Oliver

There's a very useful article on building the various GWR tenders in the 2mm Magazine about (I think) Dec 2015-Jan 2016. I seem to recall that the author also made some of the masters available for others to use via N Brass castings. Things like tool boxes, brake and water filler standards, filler cap and so on. There was a useful few notes on the various GWR tool boxes that I copied down hence my remembering it. Oli

It's on the left in my copy!

I continue to help clear out 2mm stuff for a friend. Thought these might be of interest with suggested prices, But open to offers to clear : Wheel Specifications for the Modeller. Mike Sharman selling at £5 £2 Build an 0-6-0 in 2mm Scale. David Holland £6 Historic Wagon Drawings in 4mm Scale. F J Roche £6 Historic Locomotive Drawings in 4mm Scale. F J Roche £12 An Introduction to Split Frame Chassis Design. 2mm Association £5 The Beginner’s Guide to 2mm Modelling. The 2mm Association £5 The 2mm Handbook. 1990 £4 Loco Bits and Pieces. Pete Wright. 2mm Association £6 Model Railways Bassett-Lowke Catalogue 1954 edition £8 Track How it Works and How to Model It. The 2mm Scale Association £8 Modelling the Old Time Railways, Edward Beal. (selling for £74!!) Offers? Modelling in 000 Gauge. E F Carter £5 Railwayman’s Pocket-Book. Instructions for Drivers & Firemen. OOP £5 Digital Command Control. Guide to DCC £2 Introduction to DCC for Railway Modellers. Nigel Burkin. £5 We knew the Beal book was a classic but £74!!!!! Anyone care to make an offer but promise not to sell it on. Regards Oli

That's helpful although not cheering news. It sounds like an eBay 0.99p job! Oli

We've just found an ESU Sound Decoder Tester, brand new in its packaging together with three DCC decoders, one is a ZTC 225 sound decoder but cannot identify the others. They appear to say ATMEL MEGA 168. One has 9 leads and the other only 4 although they seem otherwise identical. They measure 20mm x 12mm approx. I think they were all originally sound decoders Plus there's a few odd bits and pieces with them. Is any one interested? If so send me a message. If you know what they might be worth also send me a message of this site. Thanks Oli

I've helped dismantle a layout and we have saved all the straight track and turnouts undamaged, some quite complex and some new and were never used. They're all soldered PCB so may not suit modern track builders, but they would save someone an awful lot of work. I've made a list of turnouts and think they are mostly B7s but in addition to about 5 feet of straight track there are: 6 RH turnouts 3 LH turnouts. 4 crossovers, 2 leading and 2 trailing 2 LH turouts on a curve A leading crossover running into a double slip. We also uncovered a box of 2mm track building jigs, three triangular ones, and three roller gauges, two joined together for double track spacing and a host of other goodies, including plastic track bases and rail, old 2mm booklets, It goes on and on. I don't understand the Buy & Sell section on here now, but if anyone is interested in any of it just email me or send me a message. Regards Oli

Not sure where to put this or even if anyone might be interested but have a friend who is selling all his old 2mm stuff, he was about to bin most of it, but it includes: Build an 0-6-0 in 2mm Scale. David Holland An Introduction to Split Frame Chassis Design. The Beginner’s Guide to 2mm Modelling. The 2mm Handbook. 1990 Loco Bits and Pieces. Pete Wright. Model Railways Bassett-Lowke Catalogue 1954 edition Wheel Specifications for the Modeller. Mike Sharman And he has some interesting old books on model railways like the old E F Carter Book on 000 Modelling, the Beal book on Modelling the Old Time Railways, books on model engineering, small lathes and so on. I even found an illustrated catalogue of Mr H B Whall's of Kew that must go back over 60 years. If anyone is interested after I've had a pick!! contact me off this board with a message and I can put you in touch. Oli

Here's a picture of the loco running this week. Sadly the paint on the chassis and wheels is getting a bit chipped. And the photo is a bit cruel as it's roughly twice life size! Oli

I think there was an article on building the Worseley Works M7 in the 2mm Mag about five years ago possibly 2012. It makes up into a beautiful model as I've seen it running. Oli

I have a note that there's an article in Magazine June/July 2015 on converting a Dapol Siphon G but don't have Magazine so not sure if it helps. I think it had some prototype notes but not sure if it used one of Chris's etches.