Geep7

I have a Southern Pride Blue & Grey 4-Cig Kit and a set of MJT sides, plus the Replica coach bodies to do another 4-Cig (most likely a phase 1 in Green). However the motivation to make them at the moment is tempered by the fact I don't have a layout large enough to run them on. My previous 4mm layout, West Sands, could run up to 6-car MU sets, but the whole layout was nearly 18 feet in length (16ft6 long with the fiddle yard on a curve), built in the master bedroom (yes, you read that right. My wife is generally very understanding and supportive of my hobby). However, I came to the realisation that it was just way too big for my home, so it's been dismantled. So, back on topic. My young nephew is very much into the more modern scene, liking IET's, HSTs (In GWR livery), Class 66's etc. For him to have any chance of modelling that, he's gone for N gauge, having one of the simply superb Kato Class 800's. My father and I originally built him a roundy-roundy on a 4x2 board, but recently we have started building a Cornish modern era branch terminus, inspired by Newquay, in a little over 9ft x 1ft. For the longer length stock that now seems to be the norm, N gauge seems to be much more suitable. I certainly wouldn't be contemplating modelling the modern era in 4mm. There i'm happy modelling the late 60's/early 70's, with short 2 coach MU's, and 4-wheeled (mostly) freight stock. Even most of the loco's are shorter, Class 33, 73 are only about 8" in length, with my longest loco, a Western, being the only one almost a foot in length.

I still don't understand why a 4-Cig hasn't been done yet RTR. The Phase 1 stock was introduced in Green in 1963, the Phase 2 stock in Blue & Grey in 1972/3. Since then, i'm pretty sure they've carried every livery there ever was in the south until they were withdrawn. Some were reduced to 3-car sets in their final years, including the 2 units (in Blue & Grey and Green) that worked the Lymington branch. Please Bachmann, if you're reading this.....

Well worth a punt for this one. Just enter your name and email address for a chance. You also have to have a hobby rewards account to receive the points. Worth it, just for the 5000 points tbh. Mind you, I never win anything, so hey ho......

Agreed. Electrotren is THE Spanish HO model railway brand. Yes, there is also Roco, who do the odd locomotive, and some freight wagons, and there are a couple of other smaller manufacturers, but if you want anything Spanish outline in HO, you pretty much have to go to Electrotren. Electrotren was founded and based in Spain until Hornby bought the brand and tooling. Frequenting a couple of Spanish model railway forums myself, I think there would be a few unhappy Spaniards if it was renamed as Hornby International.

I've just started back doing some n gauge (as an aside to my main 4mm OO and 3.5mm HO stuff) using code 55. I used to swear that I would never go back to N, as my eyesight has gotten worse over the years, but, as i've started to use a magnifier for 4mm, it's isn't much different for N. And tbh, it's been not a lot different wiring and laying track, just a need to be a bit quicker in and out with the soldering iron, but that's about it. All frogs wired up to polarity switches, so hopefully that should cause a problem. I haven't fully wired it up to test yet, but something that's a job for tomorrow evening. One thing that has tempted me back to do some N gauge is my nephew. As he's more a fan of the contemporary scene, it's so much easier to fit the longer train and wagon lengths in in N gauge. He has a Kato Class 800 IET, and we've managed to fit a terminus to fiddle yard layout in just over 9 feet length. It also allows for reasonably long modern freight trains, for instance, a Class 66 + 6 JIA China Clay hoppers. I'm rather tempted to build a small shunting layout with some china clay dries.

Except on the Great Western Main Line, where they are paired by use.

So i've made some progress over the past week or so. Here is the underside of the bridge, which i've added the extra cross pieces to. It's not meant to be 100% prototypical, but it at least will look better than just a huge void. I've also done some work on the abutments and parapets. The centre abutments have been joined into one piece, and I just need to add a small piece of wall on each side. And here is the entire bridge back on the layout, after I had given the deck and girders a coat of acrylic primer. I'm not sure what colour to paint the girders, or whether to leave them in the grey primer and just weather them from this. Also you can see i've start planning out the embankment wall along the backscene. I'm not sure whether to leave it at full height for a bit, and then slowly drop it down, or start to drop it down straight away. Perhaps I could have a low relief building at the top of the embankment (the former station building?), but I don't want to have too many buildings on the layout, as it's meant to be deep out in the countryside. Progress will probably be a lot slower from now until the new year. Not only is the festive season fast approaching, so the layout will need to be put away. But work pressures may see me having to do some weekend work, so eating into my already scarce modelling time. Oh, and then there is the N gauge layout that my father and I are building. I may have done something silly and bought myself an N gauge Class 66 and some china clay JIA hopper wagons..... a small N gauge china clay works micro layout is tempting. But not until Sotherington Lane is mostly finished.

I've just ordered myself a couple of these, including one of the heavily weathered examples. Has anyone tried to take back the heavy weathering a bit, and if so, how much success have you had?

Hi Rob, i've noticed you've got Ewe on a 3x4 and Sheep Dip on a 4x4 Kallax. As i'm looking at getting a Kallax myself, i'd be interested to know which you prefer from an operating height perspective?

So I finally got around to purchasing something from Zetland, and it was one of the best online purchasing experiences i've had. As mentioned in the previous post, nice friendly emails keeping me up to date with everything I would not hesitate to use them again in the future and would certainly recommend them.

Thanks @Chris M, I saw your layout at the Farnham show, and was rather impressed with, not just the running, but the layout as a whole. It really does look like Dawlish Warren, and reminded me of when I sat on the wall alongside Langstone Rock watching trains during the 1999 solar eclipse, as the trains weren't being obscured by a load of grey cloud. I'm also rather partial to the Hydraulics. I'm not old enough to have seen them running, but as a child I used to keep looking through my father's copy of Railway Elegance, so something must have stuck. I've already started down that slippery slope in 4mm, but i'm trying not to be tempted in N. The N layout is going to be post privatisation, almost current era, 2016 onwards. So mostly Class 66's, 70's, IET's, HST's...... maybe Western Champion on a railtour.... no, that's naughty thinking there.....

Does anyone know if these would be reasonably OK to represent PCA cement wagons, such as the non-depressed centre ones that i've seen used on the Moorswater branch? They seem fairly close, and quite cheap to make a rake, but i'm not sure how accurate they would be.

I had wondered whether Farish/Bachmann had produced one in GWR green.... I may just settle with an old FGW purple one, but I think I'm going with just freight stock for myself for now. Unless I see one for a good price. A cross-country Voyager is also a must at some point, but they are a bit pricey, although no much more than the equivalent in 4mm. We used the plain turnouts on the previous layout, and didn't seem to have any issues, but we'll be using a double-slip on the new layout. I was sorry to read in your posts about the issues you've been having with the code 55 track, especially the double-slip. Most of our stock is going to be all wheel drive, multi-axle locos and units, so hopefully we should be OK. The smallest loco is a Bachmann 08, so will be interesting to see if we get any issues. Unlike my 4mm and HO stuff, I'll be sticking strictly to DC with the N gauge, mainly as it would be unfair to expect my nephew to get DCC.

I'm not sure if this is of much help, or inspiration, but this is the track-plan i've come up with for an n-gauge layout that my father and I are building for my nephew. It's loosely based on Newquay, and as such, is a single track branch line terminus, but will take at least a 5 car IET, or a 2+4 Castle Class HST. There are a few freight sidings, but also a separate branch line, which, as the layout will be set in Cornwall, goes to a china clay works. The layout is just over 9ft long x 14 inches wide. This is using Peco Code 55 track.

I had exactly the same happen to me too. But I think I was trying to use them to cut some brass that was a bit too strong for them. So another lesson, use the correct tool for the job.

Thanks for such a quick reply. The reason for asking is that i've been looking on eBay for secondhand Dapol 66's, and noticed a few listed as "spares and repairs", so wondered if there was an issue I should be aware of. Split gears, are, unfortunately, endemic in most modern d/e locos, no matter the scale, but does seem to have improved recently. In the space we have available (just over 9ft), I don't think the 66's will be pulling much more than half a dozen JIA's anyway, so hopefully the Dapol 66 being a bit light shouldn't matter too much. Personally, i'm toying with the idea of building a small micro-layout with a china clay works that'll fit on a shelf.

My father and I have just started building a bit more of serious N gauge layout for my 13 year old nephew, and i'm possibly thinking of getting some N gauge stock to run on it. The last time I properly modelled in N gauge, apart from building my nephew his previous roundy-roundy layout, was back in the late 90's, so i'm not totally up to speed with stuff, as i've been modelling 4mm British outline since. Obviously I know Bachmann now makes the Farish stuff, and Dapol, Revolution Trains and EFE are now on the scene. We'll be modelling current era Cornwall, as my nephew already has a Kato Class 800, and loves the area, so i'm looking at getting myself a Class 66, and a handful of china clay wagons (possibly the EFE JIA's). But, what should I be aware of? I know both Farish and Dapol do a Class 66, but which is the better one to get? My nephew already has a Dapol 66, and it runs fine, but i've heard they are rather prone to gear issues? Have we just been lucky, or is the gears issue not that bad? Just hope some of you out there might be able to just give me a bit of advice. TIA.

Not a massive update this time, as I was pulled away last weekend to help build a new N gauge layout for my nephew. However, I did get a chance to give the backscene a first initial coat of sky blue paint. I bought a tester pot of emulsion paint called "Blue Horizon", and there was just enough in the pot to cover the whole backscene. I think it works pretty well, so i've order a full tin of the stuff to give it another coat, and which should be of use for any future layouts as well. I'm seriously considering replacing my Spanish layouts printed Peco backscene with this plain colour. It'll be easier to patch up any damage, should any occur. A view of the bridge, with the obligatory bus.... I currently have the far corner of the road/bridge right up tight in the corner of the backscene, but I think I have scope to move the bridge to the right a couple of centimetres or so, which should allow for a tree to hide up the corner joint. I was originally going to try and curve the corners of the backscene, but I don't think I have enough room to do so. I have also been gradually working on this Cambrian Sturgeon over the past few months. I took it rather slow and steady, and I think it's come out rather well so far. It's currently still in primer, waiting to go through the paint shop, and will be turned out in well-weathered Engineering Black. A rather enjoyable kit to build, even though it appeared daunting to start with. I do have another to build, but thankfully it's the version without the doors (no need to make 28 identical wire door handles this time), and also a Salmon. They are however, rather long wagons. I hadn't appreciated quite how long they were until i'd finished it and put it on the layout. So this will make the odd appearance on the layout, with a Grampus and Dogfish for company. So next tasks..... the bridge still needs finishing, but I think I want to get the point motors fitted, even if not wired up, and then get the ballasting done. However, before I ballast, I need to work out positions for the magnets to uncouple the Kadees. For now, i've been using a cocktail stick, but, should this layout ever end up being exhibited (never say never), i'll want hands off uncoupling. I intend to use the neodymium magnets again, now I know how they work, as they have a smaller area of influence compared to the proper Kadee magnets, and they also seem to work better on shallow curves. But the good news with trying out the magnet positions is, I get to play run trains.

Or a comfy chair....

As someone who tests websites for a living, i'm not massively keen on this move to big areas of colour with text, and large moving videos, etc. Would be interesting if it passes accessibility. Bring back the white space......

Have reported it, but there is nothing to select that allows you to specifically tell FB that the page has been hacked.

"You'll need a tray......" 😃

Wow, wasn't expecting a Booster to be announced. The BR Blue one does seem rather tempting.

Having read railcar.co.uk, apparently half were fitted with gangways whilst still in Blue. Most 117's also received White & Blue before getting Blue & Grey. But yes, it would be nice to have a 117 in Blue without Gangways. It's a shame that you can't easily change the inter-unit connectors, so that you can create mixed formations.

Would it be too much to hope for a OO gauge 4-Cig or 4-Cor? But also still hoping for BR Blue Class 117 and 2-Hap.....