malcolmy

Super layout and detail work on the items under-going restoration.

I've always been fascinated by the Lickey Incline, and especially all the various banking loco combinations. I remember being taken there by my uncle (at least 40 years ago), and having an express flatten shiney new pennies we'd put on the track. Hopefully now that someone's started a kit build, there will be an RTR announcement! lol

There are two in existence on the Severn Valley. They were bought by the Stanier 8F Society. Last time I saw them, they were languishing (un-restored) in the triangle of sidings just South of Bewdley station. they may have been moved recently though, as the Stourport line is now used for track maintenance training.

I use a Bachmann 66 (Malcolm Rail 66412) to pull mine. I can apply rule 1 to justify it on my layout! Given that it's a lump of brass shaped like a US tank wagon, it's never going to look particularly realistic (on OO UK layouts) as a modeled train anyway!

Well my lined maroon version is on it's way from the 'Liverpool emporium'. The SVR has a couple of auto coaches used with Mike Little's 14xx (1450) which I also have on order (the DJ Models version), though it appears delayed until Q1 next year. So my auto-coach might be laid up for a couple of months! On the 12":1ft railway, how much more difficult is coupling/uncoupling the auto-fitted loco, compared to any other type of loco hauled stock? Does it need any special additional equipment that would preclude coupling/uncoupling within a station? To service the loco/coach, would they generally be separated so the loco goes 'on shed, and the auto-coach is shunted away to a carriage siding. Or do the ensemble stay together as much as possible? I'm most interested in current operation on the preserved SVR, but the historical context would be interesting too please? Some earlier posts refer to the current pick-ups on these coaches. Is there any chance that the DJ Models 14xx might be produced such that the connection betwixt loco and coach can make use of the additional coach pickups?

Thanks for all the suggestions Sounds like a lot of pfaff! Oh well I can always resort to the Knightwing fencing if it goes wrong!

I've planted the fence posts. Then the kit includes a sheet of gauze to represent the fence panels. I reckon I need 21mm high strips, of gauze. Any ideas on how to cut strips of the gauze as it stretches and moves?

Yes - they are definitely MAJ L&Y Motor Car vans. I remember building one when I was much younger. A family friend (Tommy Gough I think?) was the proprietor for a while, and gifted me a GWR Full Brake kit, and the L&Y Motor Car van, and Loco Coal wagons kits. Long since departed from my collection I'm afraid.

Is the Limited Edition Bachmann Truro Signal Box imminent? It is destined to be my 'Kidderminster' box.

OK - I'll look for those. I noted last night that the 'fingers' on the Heljan coupling were much finer than any Hornby/Bachmann coupling I have seen. By 'fingers' I mean the prongs that lock the coupling into the mounting. So perhaps the Heljan mounting/socket is non standard? i.e. too narrow?

Having spent many frustrating hours taking my 14 apart, and checking everything, and then struggling to cram everything back in place to put it back together, I have a nice smooth running unit on DCC (using a TCS chip). The erratic running issue I had was solved by tweaking all the wheel pickups, so that they bent further outwards from the chassis and contacted the (cleaned) wheel backs much more reliably. Amazingly (for me) I have managed to retain all the extra bits to add on (although I did manage to break both sets of steps off too!) My only remaining issue is the supplied couplings. They are way too short. On other stock, the tension lock coupling bar is generally on the same line as the buffer faces, whereas if the Class 14 couplings are pushed home, they are too far back, and don't swivel through the slot in the buffer beam. Has anyone sourced viable replacement couplings, or found a reliable solution please? I suppose I could just glue the existing couplings into the sockets and hope the glue is stronger than the weight of any trains it hauls?!?

Nielsen symphonies 4 & 5, coz I'm a percussionist! Saints-Sean's 'Organ' symphony Adams - Harmonium

I have had a similar problem a couple of times, over maybe a twelve month period. It seems that channel 0 'loses' its programmed address sometimes. I just re-program it (once I've found a jumper!) and all is well again. I have 5 Switch-8s installed, and it's only ever happened on one of them. Control is from an NCE PowerCab with S5a booster.

I still hope that Bachmann eventually produce these in LMS livery. The preserved examples on the SVR run in the LMS set.

2 black 5s remaining at Tamworth ASDA following my recent visit.