Geep7

Through wiring for DCC isn't needed except where lighting control is required. I'm still not sold on the idea of internal lighting for EMU's / coaching stock. It usually doesn't show up if a layout has it's own lighting anyway. The only thing that would need lighting (in the case of Southern post-63 Mk1 EMUs) are the headcodes, but I don't think Hornby will be heading there again anytime soon. For a 4-Sub / 4-Cor, most were stencil fitted anyway. If through wiring were fitted, i'd rather it was used for extra pickups, than lighting, exactly what I am going to do with my 4-Vep.

Been a while since i've done an update. Not a huge amount of modelling on layout has been happening recently, the recent heatwave, holiday in Devon and needing to write and edit the REC exhibition show guide (along with the pressure of having a young child), have all contributed to not having much modelling time. However, I came home from the holiday with a weathered Hornby 4-Vep courtesy of the model shop in Holsworthy. Now I know a lot has been written about these models, so I won't repeat them here, suffice to say, it generally looks like a Vep, but has areas of improvement. First improvement was to the cab front. I've cut out and moved forward the corridor connection door. Picture below shows the comparison to the one I haven't done. Can you guess which is which? I've also replaced the, frankly baffling, inside bearing wheels on the trailer bogies with proper pin-points and bearing cups. The motor bogie has had the traction tyres removed and new non-tyred wheels added. To aid adhesion i've added another 150g of weight to the driving coach, which has led me to remove the interior (to be honest, with the interior lights off you can hardly see it anyway, plus the motor bogie is visible in any case). It now runs rather nicely, a looks better. Next improvements to do will be to replace the horns and roof vents with MJT items. Below is a picture of the ends of all my 1963 style EMUS, left to right, MJT, 'Improved' Hornby, Hornby, Bachmann (4 TC) I'll let you all decide which looks best.... As promised (better late than never), here is the result of the ballasting session. It still needs some weathering, plus blending in across the baseboard join. Hopefully, the next update will include some progress on the station building. Until next time..... Chris

As Nearholmer has mentioned, there is Colin Park's former layout Newhaven Harbour (now owned by Wigan Finescale group) - (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/6570-newhaven-harbour/?fromsearch=1). It even inspired my own layout. If you are going to model the Newhaven branch, 2-Bil's and 2 Hal's we're seen all the time until the early 70's. In fact, there is a photo in one of the SR EMU books (one of the Martin Welch titles) showing Bil/Hal/Cor units being stabled at Seaford.

As the topic title says, i'm looking for a method of changing the headcode numbers in a couple of my Bachmann EMU's to ones that are not provided. I'm sure there are a couple of topics on here and the Web, but a search on here and Google hasn't turned anything up, so therefore asking here. I think it probably involves using IPA to remove the originals and then printing new ones, but don't want take the plunge without knowing if it will work or not. So if anyone has had any experience of this, would you be willing to share your method? Thanks in advance....

Ah, first time i've actually seen the signalling diagram if Bude. From photos, I always assumed it curved away from the end of the platforms (although diverged before the run-round loop). Thanks for correcting me.

Bude in Cornwall used to have a single terminus platform (with bay) which continued beyond the platform end to a run-round loop, and a separate line branching off beyond the end if the station to the harbour.

My layout has a pair of hex frog juicers, powered by an NCE PowerCab, and I don't have any sparking with them. The PowerCab puts out 16V @ 1.5A, I don't know what the output is from the multimaus, but I can't imagine it's much different.

I have a couple of these decoders and they do exactly the same. I believe there was a change to the firmware (I think the OMNI is either a re-badge or a clone of the DCC Concepts cheap decoder). With the chips doing this cutting out (they only seem to need a slight voltage drop, they do it on freshly cleaned track), they really aren't fit for purpose. Unfortunately I don't think there is any way of flashing the firmware on a DCC decoder like you can with a DVD player or PC main board.....

Very interesting, I wonder if that would have tied in with the airfield on Thorney Island? Of course, with all the flat land around the Selsey / Hayling Island area, it's conceivable that an airfield could have been built anywhere around there.

I'm presuming you've already built the baseboards, but is there any scope in building a peninsula in the centre and thinning out the boards down the 18ft length? You could then put Sheerness-on-sea on one side of the Peninsula and a fiddle yard on the other side with a scenic break down the middle.

Way back when I had a 4-TC set converted from Farish coaches, we cut the back off the Rapido coupling and permanently glued it to the bogie. If I remember correctly, we did this on all the inner couplings and it still went round 12in radius curves, obviously the lack of buffers within the set helping with this

If you want the location of the roof vents, pop over to Dart Castings website and download the pdf instructions for their 4mm 4-TC brass sides. They are all on their, and also the interior arrangements as well. Should be fairly easy to scale down to 2mm.... http://www.dartcastings.co.uk/resources.htm Edited to add URL

I can definitely also recommend Anyrail. You can download it free here: https://www.anyrail.com/en No connection other than a very happy user.

On my 'West Sands' layout (approx 16' long, 10' scenic area), i've used the Peco Y points in the station throat area, which being large radius, really do add to the flow. For the loco release crossover, i've used short radius, and originally, I didn't have space for medium radius. If I was doing it again now, the loco release would be mediums.

I don't have them back together yet, so don't know how well they'll run.... But anything has to be better than the awful Lima things.....

For toilet windows on Lima Mk1s when flushglazing, back in the day, I used cream coloured masking tape, just taped over the inside.... it gave that slight frosty beige look to them

Well quick update.... Cutting the gears of the backs of the lima wheels was a doddle, and I managed to source some 12mm wheels to attach them to. The hardest part was getting the wheels off the axles, but fashioned my own wheel puller and the came apart eventually. Just waiting for the bushes to arrive in the post and I can get the bogie back together....

Used last weekend to good effect to do some ballasting. Having the PVA soaked ballast dry out within a day is pretty much a record..... But this weekend has been way too hot for any useful modelling.....

I had a look at those. Unfortunately they are EM gauge..... whether the axles can be shortened, I don't know.... Although tempting as I would like to try EM.at some point....

Thanks, that was one if the reasons for getting the 2mm bushes, they have an outside diameter of 2.5mm, so they will fit into the Lima bogie to allow for the 2mm axles to be used. I think I have some spare 12mm wheels hanging around to practice with.....

I have a met-cam 101 as well, and the motor bogie is identical. I'm going to have a go with the coach wheels and taking the gear off the back of the Lima wheels, as I also have a couple of Class 73's and a Class 121 to do along with the 117 and 101.... I have just ordered some 2mm bushes so that I can use any coach wheels with a 2mm axle.

Thanks for that suggestion, I may just give it a go and see what happens....

In lieu of Ultrascale currently not taking any orders, does anyone know of an alternative source of wheels / axles? Specifically in the first instance for the Lima Class 117 DMU motor bogie. TIA, Chris

Just in case anyone is interested, i've replaced the Omni with a 21-Pin Bachmann decoder, and my 4-Cep is now running perfectly....

You're right, I have a copy of the Parkins book as well, and they are all a shade of cream. Probably what I had in my head, rather than yellow. Yellow definitely for on the end of Southern Green Mk1s though....