Joseph_Pestell

I wonder why no-one (especially one of the Sheffield shops) has commissioned a Class 13 based on one of the new-generation 08s?

I certainly agree Jeff that now you have put the switches in, you should not take any out which would ruin the appearance of the panel. But I can't agree about "it looking like the real thing". In a modern box, the switches (latched push buttons with integral bulb usually) are indeed on the track diagram. But they are not at each point. They are on stretches of track and move all the necessary points and signals by way of route-setting ("entry-exit"). The sort of thing that Mike seems to have (very neat solution to use that moulded box with carrying handle). In a more traditional box (e.g. Settle and Carlisle), there is nothing on the track diagram apart from lights (track circuits). All the switches are in the form of a bank of levers - even for the colourlight distants. The way that you are doing it is the traditional way for model railways. It has the great advantage of being easier to use for new operators. But it does not look like the real thing.

You will soon get fed up of moving two switches rather than one! Especially when you forget one and cause a derailment. Rewire really would be better. On the real thing, crossovers are always on one lever.

There were Hull-Liverpool "boat trains" but outside the scope of this Manchester Central thread. They transported emigrants from Central and Eastern Europe to the USA. In Hull (and Liverpool?) they were escorted through the streets in large groups surrounded by police for fear that they would pass on exotic illnesses to the local population.

Always pleased to get a laugh. I just recall the early part of this thread and the amount of work that you put into making the railway room. I had not considered that there might be a door missing. Obviously, as a physicist, you are well placed to know about expansion co-efficients. But some layouts seem to have had problems with lower temperature variables that that. 1mm gap should be plenty. It is, after all, equivalent to a 3" gap!

Certainly used to be the traditional method. Perhaps something better nowadays? I have always thought that epoxy would set too hard and not allow enough for expansion. That may not be an issue for Jeff in a well-insulated building.

If you have wheels, back-to-backs, etc set up for use on Marcway, then Peco 75 should be fine for a fiddleyard and rather less trouble. Code 100 would be a different matter.

Re photo-shopping the latttice work signals: Do you work round them each time? Or do you have a library of signals which you can add too the shot afterwards? That might be quicker and easier.

How did you make the payment? If by credit or debit card, I suggest you contact your card supplier for a refund.

I sympathise with your predicament as I have been involved with several clubs that do not have clubrooms where layouts can be left erected. Makes for very slow progress.

I would really like to operate my new layout with a proper leverframe like this although it may be difficult to arrange all the interlocks for points and signals on different boards. How are you getting on now with the point actuators and cables now? Does Scalefour Society sell its frames to the profane?

For many years I have been returning to the theme of Dewsbury Midland. I had an OO version in my late teens. This time, I have been planning for N. Three things have slowed me down: - time (two businesses on the go plus other commitments); - space (even in N, Dewsbury needs about 24' to do it justice); - track (I'm not that happy with Peco but don't want to have to convert N gauge steam locos to 9.42mm). I'm still struggling on the time issue but I have taken a change of course which will hopefully enable me to get started. I am now planning to model Tamworth LL station which only needs 12' length in N (allowing for the fact that the HL station provides one of the scenic breaks and I am therefore only modelling part of the LL station). Boards will be simpler - I may even buy kits for flat-top - and will hopefully be ready for when FineTrax products become available at the end of this year. High Level station may follow in due course with an additional three baseboards.

Sorry to hear of your builder problems. I'm looking forward to seeing this one too. Although I'm not a civil engineer by trade, I like bridges (and other structures). How I would have liked to see Belah before it was demolished. Travelling often in France, I have seen some of the greats including Garabit and Fades. So many otherwise good layouts are let down by bridges that are simply in the wrong place or would not stand up in reality. Modelmakers most important tool is eyes - to study the real world out there.

Do we know of any dates when Mount Pleasant will be out on the exhibition scene? I'd love to see it in the flesh and perhaps even bring my 87-year-old father who has always been fascinated by the Widened Lines and Snow Hill Tunnel.

Me too. A great layout. Looking forward to seeing it develop. Should be possible to build it in a form which works for a small space at home but can still be expanded for the future or for exhibition use.

I had heard of a back-to-back problem with one of the other dimensions but not with 14mm. First time also that I have heard of a problem about them being concentric and these have been around for a while now. Have you spoken to ScaleLink? Perhaps a rogue batch?

Enough space there for a mezzanine floor - and another mega layout!

Amazing to get that far in just two days. I'm not really convinced that I could ever do it but do you have details of the evening class course? I might just try it.

How much space do you need for your layout? Best option is probably to build a partition about 1m20 inside the up-and-over door. That way you get storage for lawnmower, bikes, etc. separate from the layout. Make sure all walls and roof/ceiling well insulated. Check out the current Settle-Carlisle thread on here for details of fitting out a garage.

Carl is right. Someone quoted to me several recent cases of kits selling at £40 on Ebay which are still available new at £23!

I would be mighty reluctant to buy a built kit on EBay. If it has been done badly, it can be more trouble to sort out than to build one from the kit. I would only buy a built kit from a known competent builder or from somewhere where I could see it properly (running).

Good luck with this. When you finally get the workshop, Tiverton Jct is a fascinating station (particularly pre 1930s rebuild) and will make a really interesting model.

Tim, Do you really mean CEP? I can't recall ever seeing one there - only (very occasionally) a VEP to replace our usual diet of 2EPB and 4EPB.

Just come across this thread. Cracking idea but so hard to cut it down to three! Partly a reflection of my age: 1) Garsdale Road (EM David Jenkinson) 2) Buckingham (EM Peter Denny) 3) And then? Tempting to go for Jenkinson again even though that layout never got completed). Also very tempted by some of the S Gauge layouts Millers Dale in O Gauge at Matlock? But I think that I will give the final place to Chiltern Green (N MRC)

Agreed that it would need a big budget except for someone who can scratchbuild all their own trackwork. But, like a lot of city stations, it is quite compact. I have not tried drawing it yet but I am fairly sure that an N gauge modeller could get it to fit in a standard 16' x 8' garage. The plan is also shown in detail in one of the Historical Surveys of the LMS books. Signalling was awesome. How a driver could identify which signal he needed, I don't know.