vjoneslong

Thanks Phil. Glad to know I'm not the only one. I'm going to have a look at that curve I think. She is the second one to fall off there (technically its the wagons that derail and drag the engine down). Thanks Tony. Glad to hear the wiring is coming along nicely. The plants are a mixture of appropriate to the railway and ones my wife likes. I tend to let things go semi wild if I can and just prune as they start to over reach. Yes there will be a small extension. I need to lay the blocks for the main goods yard which will fill a small triangle of land which is currently all weeds at the moment. Must do that shortly! I had intended to spend yesterday evening working on some wagons, but a friend came round for cheering up after a nasty split from a long term relationship, so out came No. 14 and I let him drive her round for an hour. I did manage to get clean up and glue together some buffers for the wagons. 2017-06-28_08-00-07 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr

Thanks! I can't take credit for any of it. But there is plenty of real damage now, as Countess derailed on a curve and it bent that cab - fortunately not by much.

Thanks David, you are too kind. That scorched smokebox was not intentional. Its a earlier Countess with only a small aluminium plate over the inside to prevent too much burner heat hitting the door. I still had the burner up too high when I first started running her years ago and hence thats what happened. I hope to one day remove the smokebox and put some high temperature paint on it.

Great stuff Pinzer. I love what you have done with the Caradoc. Have you a suitable name lined up for her? I'm wondering whether a DJB engineering safety valve bonnet maybe better suited? Perhaps one for the future? http://www.djbengineering.co.uk/s-valve.shtml

Thanks Pinzer, but its a pale effort compared to your creations. I tend to go round the garden each evening with a hosepipe to make sure everything has had a drink, so I'm trying to keep on top of it. We haven't had any meaningful rain for a month (maybe two) but it is due to hit today so will have my fingers crossed. The lattice is a brass etching, with the support structure made from aluminium. Its a MVL bridge.

Hi Tony. Sorry to hear you have been unwell but glad to hear your getting better. Not much humidity here to be honest. Sun is setting around half nine at the moment, but we are just past the summer solstice so its all downhill from here. Cab is fixed, and gear re-meshed and tightened up. I haven't been working on the layout as such, but have been running some trains. Although I did install the locking mechanism to the lift out bridge. Right! As promised some photos of trains last week and last night. I installed a bufferstop at Much Camping. P1050054 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr I've also been tidying up the flower beds as well. P1050055 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050056 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr I played about with installing guttering ala Pinzer and the McMullen Coal Company. P1050057 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr I started steaming Dragon, only for the transmitter packing up. P1050058 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr This meant Chattenden and the newly re-rc-ed Baugley had more time to be left to pootle round. P1050059 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050060 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr I finally got some steam running through Joan. P1050061 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050062 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050065 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr I placed one of recently finished figures in the brake van, and used the dusk to use my lamps and lights. P1050063 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050064 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050066 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050067 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr I've been working on laying the station as well. The idea is that you will be able to shunt and prepare a goods train while not going anywhere near the running lines. Unfortunately the loop and running lines are a little too close, so I will need to move things. P1050068 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050069 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050070 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr Last night saw an attempt to run some double headed trains, though it took a while to setup. Engines of choice were no. 14 and Countess. P1050074 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050075 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050080 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050088 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050089 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050108 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050116 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050113 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050119 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr P1050129 by Matthew Jones, on Flickr

Thanks Pinzer. You should get your revenge with a coal steam engine and make some clag!

Oh dear. Sounds like steam engines don't like the hot weather either!

This increasingly seems to be the norm. Even several well reputed traders appear to be falling down the same hole. Sorry to hear that Pinzer. Speedy recovery! I think demand for chuffers has sky rocketed. I tried to order one before Christmas and it took nearly two months before the order was accepted, processed, and arrived at my door. At least they tend to communicate!

Oooh! Pinzer, you have been a naughty boy. Love the improvements to the Caradoc! Might I suggest some others which I have found have helped mine? The first thing I did was to add one of the Upgraded gas valves (http://www.thetraindepartment.com/ttd-upgrade-valves/) - you can get them from Anything Narrow Gauge as well. This makes controlling the gas so much easier. I did try one of the upgraded regulator valves as well. It didn't work in Sophie, but has done on Joan. The other thing I did was send Sophie's burner to Barley Pit Works and get one of their Bullet burners fitted (http://www.barleypitworks.com/bpw-burners.html). This has increased the run time, made lighting up easier, and decreased the burner howl as well. Looking forward to seeing some pictures soon! And I hope your youngest has recovered!

Apologies for the lack of service chaps. Ill health and work got in the way. Thanks Matt. I need to get myself on the East Mids list and have a open day. I hope business is going well! Hi Tony. Scales/gauges are always confusing. The way I think of it is I say 16mm to the foot, or a ratio of 1:19. Yes it is technically O-gauge track (32mm between rails) but O is 7mm to foot so mine is alot bigger. Nottingham is slap bang in the middle, we're about 70 miles from the coast (your never more than about 76 miles from the sea in the UK). Its on the eastern side of the country so we tend to be slightly drier and warmer than the western side. At the moment we are cooling off after a mini heat wave. I'm pleased to say I must have gotten the expansion gap right as nothing has buckled. Not so much progress as of late. I tried to run some trains last night, but it turned into a complete disaster. Gear slipped on Chattenden, Dragons transmitter is kaput, Sophie derailed on first lap and bent the cab, and Countess lost a bolt for the expansion link which vanished into the ether. I eventually managed to get Joan running around 9 o clock last night. Argh!

Thanks very much Tony. Its not a bad size garden as things go round here. Its roughly 30m long by 10m wide (I think), so thats 100 foot by 30 foot approximately. Out street has big gardens, but a couple of roads away and they are tiny again. She will only play with it if its steam. She isn't interested when I'm running one of battery diesel locos. I have three, but only one (Chattenden) is operational at the moment. The other two are waiting for me to swap their RC gear. The HO/OO rail is too small, the flanges on the wheels would bounce along the sleepers. No, no tickets required. But its worth testing the safety valves and keeping the boiler well maintained as it avoids problems in the long run. I think you may need a ticket (or certificate) if you are running at a public exhibition, but its generally down to the exhibition organiser and their insurers whether its necessary. I'm not much of an exhibitionist (ahem) so I don't have any for mine. I have pondered a clockwork loco. Several people have used the mechanisms for 16mm scale locos. I quite fancy a nice Midland Compound, but they seem to go for silly money. Maybe in the future. Get well soon Tony. Its turned to winter here again. Gale force winds the last couple of days and heavy rain. As I am typing in my office looking out the window all I can see is dark grey clouds scudding across the sky. Bring back summer!

Hi Tony. Sorry to hear you have been unwell. I too have asthma but its more hayfever related. I couple of months ago when the tree pollen was high I could barely breathe, so I know how it feels. Will keep fingers crossed for a speedy recovery for you. I was going to suggest that perhaps some plastic rod might suffice? I wondered if a rough representation could be done with putting the rod in a hand drill and then using a file to get the rough shape. I did have a look at some major suppliers (well over here) to see if they had anything similar, but I couldn't find anything. Having said that, Walthers in the US have a bridge with that sort of fencing, perhaps butcher a couple of those? https://www.walthers.com/arched-road-bridge-street-system-kit-7-3-4-x-10-3-8-x-3-7-8-quot-19-7-x-26-4-x-9-8cm-opening-4-5-8-quot-11-8cm 3d printing might be a good idea as well. I think you would need to draw one up in a CAD program. I've never done it but I'm sure it would be possible!

Looking good Tony. Well impressed with your progress.

Great video, and a lovely engine. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for the photo on the battery loco Andy. Hmm, tis as I expected, very difficult to re-gauge to 32mm. Ho hum! Maybe something for the future. The extension is looking good. If you are worrying about weeds and its an area which won't be planted, then I would just spray it once a year, should be more than enough to keep them down. Plus, as you are using those concrete blocks for track support they won't be able to get up through the sleepers. Keep up the good work!

Great video. The black certainly suits the Caradoc.

Sounds good Mike. Look forward to seeing progress!

Thanks very much for the kind comments Tony. When I started I used all the good bricks I recovered from the demolishing of an internal wall in the house just after we moved in. However, there weren't that many of those, and we had over ordered on the bricks we needed for the internal building work, so I ended up using those. As things have progressed I also purchased a load of "breeze blocks" in varying shapes and sizes. These are light, and as you say, easily fixed too. They just aren't terribly strong, but are fine for what I am doing. Yes plenty left to do. I had hoped to spend the weekend laying the track in the station but weather and exam marking have put paid to that. I still have some block laying to be done, but I am in no rush to get on with that for the moment. My better half enjoys the railway to an extent. I can't get her to help me with the construction (other than supplying tea and coffee), but she helps with the gardening. Since Sunday evening was nice late on and we were home we managed to run two trains in opposite directions, with her driving one and me controlling the other (and the pointwork). I guess I'm quite lucky.

Thats good news Pinzer. Surely having her not by the pool must be a good thing as she won't get chased by grotty little scrotes? Glad to be of some help.

Thank you very much Mike. I've made the mistake with not planning properly, but even with this one I have managed to get a few things wrong along the way. But thank you for your kind comments. Yes the whistle was the DJB prototype for the No. 14. I think its moved as its a little throaty at the moment. Its tucked up underneath the footplate, there is just enough space between footplate and trailing truck.

Great minds eh Phil?

You southern heathen you! Is this what you were asking for? http://www.wickes.co.uk/Products/Building-Materials/Insulation/Insulation-Boards/c/1000272

Nice extra carriages there Tony, including the all important bar car. Not something that has made its way onto the DFLR (yet)! Sounds like you have already tested out the gradient then. I'm always surprised by just how much difference the gradients can make. Another trick we used to do was rebuild old Peco pointwork with PCB sleepers. This meant that the rails were already formed up, so it was just a matter of positioning and soldering. A possible solution as and when needed? Its quite warm here at the moment. About 24 degrees Celsius (75 degrees farenheit?), and not coolling off much in the night. I'm quitely pressure cooking in my office, but at least its not raining. Please do pop in to my thread. There is even a video of the first trains making a complete loop!

Thanks. It was really nice to come home and spend the evening running trains rather than mixing concrete. I've still got alot to do, and I need to spend a few days taming the garden again, but at least I feel as if a big barricade has been breached!