Les1952

ex- NCB Backworth number 9 at Aviemore. I have a few DJM Austerities plus one EFE and a number of Hornby (and one Dapol which is pushing 40 years old). All are sound fitted. The weathered Hornbys and the Dapol tend mostly to work the rough track on NO PLACE's colliery. The clean Hornbys and the DJM and EFE locos work the preservation side where the track is kinder. Any loco can work any duty on its side of the layout, all perform as well as each other. Only the older locos are used in the colliery as their overscale flanges keep them on the rough track rather better. It isn't just the DJM locos not allowed there, I have locos by Rapido, Bachmann and Hornby that can't work into the screens. My issue with the DJM WDs is the rather fragile handrails- I'm going to have to replace a couple with wire where the plastic handrail knobs have broken off. Les

TT:120 please, I've moved out of UK N gauge....

Little to report today. The sound-fitted Class E10.12 arrived from Rails this lunchtime and it has had a body swap with my Fleischmann TEE coloured E10.12. The body of the one from Rails is now on the silent E10.12 chassis and in due course will go on eBay. 112 257 performing at Coalville when still silent. A prototype pic taken at Emmendingen on 14th April 1987 (I was there leading a school exchange). Quite what one of the class was doing on a Freiburg to Offenburg all stations local I have no idea- Hamburg where it was allocated is about as far away as you can get and still be in Germany... Les

Friday progress- forward rather than backwards today. I left the front off the layout to be sure that I could extract a loco tangling the wire on the run-in but didn't need it. The sound-fitted Taurus chassis is now under the European Vectron as seen paused coming downhill towards Freiburg with the Geisendanner car that started the problems behind it... I've lost track of why the pantograph in use is grey rather than red. The Hunt couplings between the loco and the Geisendanner wagon. I paint the tops of the couplings green while they are still together (making sure that is the same way up as the previous set) so that I can get them all installed the same way up - put one in upside down and it repels rather than attracts. The other end of the Geisendanner magnetically coupled to wagon 2 of the train. I found that with my curves one medium and one long shank gives a reasonable separation that is just enough to avoid buffer locking. At this point the last two wagons (Wetron and Willi Betz) still had Arnold couplings and, lo and behold, Willi Betz has come uncoupled on the bend behind the farmhouse. As a result the entire train has now got Hunt couplings. Just a spare loco to find and fit- probably a silent Vectron or maybe the Class 139. A view round the back of the layout showing the board for the fiddle yard. Each loco has its own magnetic card with a description and its DCC address. the board is an offcut of magnetic whiteboard. The two locos for each siding are put in place, and I try to take care that they look sufficiently different to be obvious which order they are in. I've used a green rectangle with a 1 for "normal" sound- ie activated by f1 with the horn on f2, and an amber rectangle with a 2 for those with Minitrix sound- ie activated by f2 with f7 being the horn or whistle. No rectangle means a silent runner like the class 110.1 sitting off the track on the incline. To the left there is a general instruction reminder- what needs to happen in what order to run a train, and to the right a summary of what the signals mean on each aspect. A short day as it was a very convivial lunch out. Back to the shed tomorrow.. Les

Not a good day at the office.... The idea was to run trains to get them to settle and then label each wagon that is not already done underneath with its position in the train and an arrow pointing to the front of the train. If it behaves itself for 20 laps on test then it is fine. First up the empty coal train. Twenty Eastbound (anticlockwise) laps with no issue and the wagons labelled. New Class 140 on the head of the train. Wagons lettered and returned to the train which then ran another five faultless laps. Picture shows wagon 8 in the train. Next up the container train from line 5, going Westbound (clockwise). This got as far as the corner behind the viaduct and wagon 1 decided it didn't want to stay attached to the loco. It can't come detatched from wagon 2 any more as this pair are coupled with Hunt couplings, which stay coupled. Time to try a different wagon 1 as putting a Hunt coupling on the loco means a loco that isn't universal for goods. Complicated by the train sharing line 5 with the oil train which had to do a lap every time the container train lapped. This wagon didn't want to stay attached to the loco either- loco is the new Hobbytrain sound fitted Taurus chassis with the body from the Climate Hero Vectron. Why put a Vectron body on a sound-fitted taurus chassis? The sound file on the Nightjet Taurus from Hobbytrain is a Vectron sound file- identical to a sound-fitted Hobbytrain Vectron. Fortunately I have a fleischmann Taurus with the correct sound and a second sound-fitted Vectron isn't an issue. Three laps in- disaster. The pantograph on the loco decided to hit the end of the lead-in wire under the tunnel, and getting the loco out in one piece has involved taking the front off the layout. Why a pantograph should suddenly decide it wanted to spring to almost vertical I have no idea. I've now put an extra piece of balsa under the mast at the end of the wire, lifting it enough for even the highest unfettered pantograph. The pantograph on the Climate Hero Vectron is already a replacement for a Hobbytrain pantograph that came off the side of the wires some time ago and broke. This is a Fleischmann pantograph. After putting it back on the track and testing that it would run in try again- this time it came off the side of the wires under the bridge- another difficult extrication job. Visual check of the wires then testing with three or four other locos shows that the wire at this point is OK and all other locos run perfectly. Conclusion- the pantograph on the Vectron is now broken. The pan in question is the second from the left. However it clips down securely and the loco has been running reversed as it is at no.1 end. The corresponding pantograph at the other end was a broken Hobbytrain one, so this was substituted for a new one out of the spares box, one that even had the extra contacts. Did it work? No chance- it runs in but comes off the side of the wires under the viaduct (the next wire on). Next- find a body that has good pantographs- This sound-fitted Vectron is now "I am European", which stays under the wires with no issue. I've left the front off the layout in case anything else decides to get tangled while testing. Back to the train- NO wagon on this train wants to stay attached to the loco so I've had to fit the loco with a Hunt coupling. Testing will resume tomorrow. In the mean time the "troublesome tanker" train has managed 20 fault free laps behind the "Roco" Taurus.... Two more intermodals to do after this, and a second loco needs identifying and fitting with a Hunt coupling as a spare. Then the push-pull set needs testing with a spare engine. Deep joy..... Meanwhile I've ordered a sound-fitted Bugelfalte and I'm still waiting the replacement for the "dead on arrival" Class 147, but that is another story. Les

I'll be there with Bregenbach im Schwarzwald, though I'm right opposite James Street and next to Irgendwohn Strassenbahn with its fairground music so I don't know if all my sound-fitted electric locos will be able to make themselves heard. The red push-pull set is working well though it will have a green class 141 propelling it. Also in action on the through oil train should be the very musical Taurus. Les

With all the repairs done and the scenery put back around- rail sides painted rusty etc it has been time to try out the latest arrivals. With the sale of Croft Spa and steady departure of its stock I've been splashing the cash... First up a secondhand Minitrix class 150 from Rails- sound fitted. Probably going to be spare for the Eastbound intermodal, as seen here. The problem with Minitrix is that their sound uses different functions to everyone else's- f2 toggles sound on and off and f7 is the whistle. I'm going to have to mark each loco's number board with the type of sound fitted- 1 for f1 toggles on/off and 2 for f2, with a sheet of common functions for each type pasted to the back of the backscene. The back of the backscene is already getting crowded as there is the board showing the identities of locos on each track, a step-by-step reminder of what needs to be done to run a train, and an instruction/explanation sheet for the signals. Next a sound fitted Taurus by Fleischmann, from my local model shop. f1 to toggle sound, and it sounds just like a Taurus should (unlike the Hobbytrain sound-fitted Taurus, of which more in a future post). Running the oil train to keep the pantograph elbow at the front, though the head doesn't want to go parallel to the track, which should protect it a bit. Next up is a Minitrix Rheingold E10, technically I think an E10.12 but don't quote me on that. Another that uses f2 to switch in the sound, and one where the CVs needed a bit of tweaking. It ran vary slowly until I adjusted the CV for analogue top speed, and CV902 works the master volume, which was a bit overpowering. It will work light freight as it doesn't like this point when going the other way- runs happily into the loop but not on the main. It also doesn't like the three-way at the end of the fiddle yard when going the other way round. Hence it can't be used on the push-pulls as originally planned. With Arnold bringing out a BR181 there just had to be one on the layout as this was the type that really got me into German electrics on a visit to Trier in 1978. F1 for sound and quite conventional. It has displaced the BR141 from the rail tour onto the push-pull set. Yes, its pantograph does run a little below the wires. That seems to be the way Arnold single-arms are constructed and I'm not complaining. A little far from its home patch and underpowered in reality for this line but with DB having now sold all their class 181s it now belongs to the Bregtalbahn. Not one to roster on freight other than the ballast train. Wonky track in the foreground at the board join is deliberately so- it keeps stuff on the track- a major derailment point when it was straight... The loco that started it all, 181225-4 at Trier, Boxing Day 1978. More pics to follow when I remember to take them. there are still a few more sound-fitted. Indeed apart from the two railcars I can now put a sound-fitted ellok on every train. Les

Some time ago I bought a secondhand "tested" Dapol A3 from Hattons. What turned up had no motor, pickups, drive or gears, and no evidence of these ever having been there. It was only after I'd send it back that I realised I'd seen it before- it was the livery sample of "Lemberg". At that point I wished I'd kept it. This one could be valuable at some time in the future. Les

The Pacifics book I can highly recommend- a good few days of solid reading. Les

Mine has missed one of the three shows the layout was booked for, though the Rapido Hunslet performed well in its stead. Hopefully it will arrive before Stafford in 2025........ Les

Hello. It was mentioned at the start as "Another that isn't on the list" and by the time I got the final list I was in panic mode over getting the programs ready- even they were wrong as we had a cancellation with a week to go, and another drop out due to heart attack that we only found out about when setting up on the Friday. The layout was "Shagbats". Les

Having got the point at the brewery end of the loop done and the line open I've started testing and running in the new locos. Hobbytrain sound-fitted Vectron (with "European" body substituted) runs fine but didn't like the point outside the widget yard. Fleischmann Class 147 just sits and makes buzzing noises- was OK on the program track but only managed about 6 ins on the layout. Now just buzzing on the program track so its off via Access Models to Gaugemaster for replacement. they still have one in stock- otherwise I'll exchange it for a class 110.3 Fleischmann sound-fitted Taurus, runs well but stalls on the point outside the Widget yard. Secondhand Minitrix sound-fitted Class 150, runs well but is at its limit on a couple of the curves and stalls or derails on the loop point by the widget yard. From stock, class 110 runs fine but derails at the Widget yard. Conclusions. I need a trip to Access Models and the point outside the widget yard needs replacing. New point in situ ready for some testing before connecting back in- it throws beautifully both ways. Note overhead removed a safe distance in both directions- the Vollmer mast in the pic is well embedded and I decided not to move it- there are three spares for two Vollmer masts. The bases without masts are where I haven't glued the mast in- only every other mast is glued to give me a little leeway for adjustment.The point went back smoothly and locos no longer derail. However I found they stall just beyond the point. Close inspection revealed that this point had had its Fleischmann thinking clips removed- the same as Hornby's DCC clips only smaller to fit N gauge. Taking the clips off the old point and fitting them to the new one solved this problem. Just the wiring to put back and I'm nearly ready to run locos with the pantographs up. All for now Les

Some views of the damage and the repairs so far. First the damage- you can see that both tower masts were broken off at the base. The thing on top of the brewery that looks as if it is about to take off is the cover for the point motor. The two badly bent wires are the two bespoke lengths of Somerfeldt wire that I used over the points as standard Hobbex ones were either too short or vastly too long. Same place just now. The tower masts have been repaired with copious amounts of plastic weld holding the slightly shorter masts into new holes in the bases, and angled fillets of surplus plastic added as strengtheners. It survived the usual battle of persuading wires to go through the holes meant to take them, a job that can be a bit stressful for the parts involved. The point motor cover is back in place but needs a neater fix doing when I'm happy everything works well. the mast with the tensioners is a new replacement. Hindsight says the tensioners should be on the next mast along (out of view to the left) but they are staying there as I've no spares if I break anything else just yet. Only one mast short of getting things completed. The wooden stirrer is taking the place of a long arm mast and lifting the end of the catenary so I can start using electric locos to test and adjust the wiring at the junction. The long arm mast is on its way with four others from Germany. With only eighteen days to Syston's show I need a lot of testing. If I can get everything working well I'm hoping the layout won't need any work between Syston and the show at the NRM in York two weeks after that. Les

With a sound fitted one on sale on eBay at the moment, any news on sound decoders? Les

Plus Austria with some of each still, and those parts of France that border Germany where there is right-hand running, though the latter might be shown on the map....... Les

That won't fit my layout! (5 foot scenic and 2 feet hidden.....) Les So it will potter about like the rest of the 0-6-0 fleet...

The double reward points also work on Arnold- a couple of beer vans for Bregstadt for £32 worth of points, still leaves me with an awful lot ( two train sets and an Arnold sound-fitted 2-10-0 got me the big number...) Les

The good news is that I've managed to drill out the holes in the mast bases where the masts had snapped off and the masts are now stuck in the enlarged holes with a serious amount of plastic weld holding them in place. I can make a couple of new bespoke lengths from the leftover Hobbex wires I kept hold of, and hopefully there are enough masts including the new ones on order to renew the wiring to the corner. I picked up a Fleischmann Class 147 from Access Models this morning- sound fitted. They ordered it from Gaugemaster for me. Win-win- I get 10% discount and my local model shop gets the rest of the difference between Gaugemaster's trade and retail prices. Pics might be after the weekend. Les

As things stand your main line out needs protection against things rolling out. That would be in the form of a trap point or a headshunt. you are also shunting on the main line which the prototype avoided. To be absolutely correct the station and signal box should be swapped so the other line is the lead out with a crossover of two 8009 points instead of the 8008, which would bring the goods line into the station part way along the platform (plenty of prototypical examples of that), and leave the present exit line as a headshunt. this means nothing can roll out of the goods sidings unless pulled by an engine, and a loco shunting the yard doesn't go onto the running line. You would have a home signal at the end of the platform by the station building, and shunting moves may not pass that point. Giving a headshunt means you don't need shunting signals.

Show was an overall success, with our best ever attendance (though still below our target of 1000). We also put a healthy amount into club funds. Next year is the first weekend in April again, Saturday 6th and Sunday 7th April 2024. See you there. Les

To be nearer prototype 8007 needs replacing by a left point and a short headshunt.

Bregenbach is back on its trestles following NO PLACE's appearance at South Notts Show this weekend. An earlier photograph, but I decided that the dodgy point that the near end of the railcar is travelling over needed replacing, and while it is up I'd look at the connections to the other two points in this area. I took out the mast with the tensioners and the wires to next mast down the hill and to the tower masts, but the latter were quite heavily glued and pinned in place. Getting the old point out involved a lot of levering but it came up cleanly. Fleischmann's "thinking clips duly swapped over from the old knackered point to the replacement which although a good secondhand unit came without clips. Then to get the replacement in. The motor went back cleanly at the second attempt and the point fired in both directions from the switch. So far, so good. However one of the fishplates at the end below the mast refused to go in under any circumstance, and while trying to persuade it I slipped and demolished the two tower masts, snapping each off at the bottom and bending the two bespoke pieces of Sommerfeldt wiring that hadn't wanted to come undone. A bit of a disaster as Hobbex tower masts are no longer made. I'm going to keep these two as spares for the vulnerable masts at the other end. I've now removed the bases and all of the wiring between here and the point at which it goes through the backscene by the brewery. No Hobbex tower masts to be had anywhere means improvisation. I've ordered a pair of Veissmann tower masts and a kit for a cross span from DM Toys in Germany- none of the dealers on my "save list" had all of the parts I wanted, and I've found a pack of five Hobbex long-arm masts on German eBay. All this lot should reach me in about a week, leaving me just over a fortnight before the layout goes out to Leicester show. In the mean time the track can be bedded down properly and the new point soak tested with either diesels at the head of trains or elloks with their pantographs down. I've five new elloks to try- all sound fitted and these will be photographed as they get tested. Some of the existing stock will appear on eBay in due course. How have I paid for all of this? Selling Croft Spa has left me with a surplus of about 120 locos, 150 coaches and 300 wagons, of which 100 coaches and all the wagons have already been sold. That is enough to buy the smaller amount of stock Bregstadt will need and to upgrade Bregenbach's loco fleet a bit. Les

No parking restrictions apart from finding a place. There are three car parks in the precinct just down the street, two accessible from Ringleas (which is your approach towards the Welfare) and the other round the back behind the police station. But wherever you find to park, make a note of landmarks on your way to the Welfare. Tony Wright spent some time after the show today driving round Cotgrave with a punter who had lost his car before coming back for assistance. We found it eventually........ Les

Needs someone who has one to measure the doorway heights and then times by them by 100 and by 120 to see what they scale up to. Les

One thing omitted on most BLT designs is trap/catch points, of which I think you need two, with a long wait before Peco get round to them.... Les