MJI

How much would it cost to repair?

Either DIY welding or pay someone.

Say it was 1k for another years usage, compared to insurance rises, would be viable.

Says someone looking at spending 6 to 7k on a 20 year old car to life extend.

RBRs have Commonwealths

And they wonder why do many people buy a car and not insure.

Got a son in 20s looking at cars, i told him look at bigger 'boring' cars.

Mentioned 5k insurance for a focus.

So i reminded him, boring bigger car, try a Volvo.

Small cars are prime high insurance due to buyers.

So choosea  car labelled as boring, could get nicer car with less insurance.

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

Yes - but.  The big 'but' is the difference between a turning capability being available and time and resources being available to allow it to be used.  That is little different now from the days of the WR HST fleet - the sets have limited overnight time on depot so if a set 'needs' to be turned it either has to go on depot late or come off depot early.   That very often won't be possible due to the way depot workload has to be arranged and that is probably little or no different now from the way it was with the HST fleet - there is rarely sufficient time available to do it.

 

There resourcing problem is also an added difficulty.  Booking on or off times can be difficult to alter as it will affect rest periods etc,  Spare drivers basically don't exist nowadays but even if there is one (or the two you would need at most of those locations in order to save time when reversing) and it relies on suitable line capacity and signalling also being available.  For example one leg of a turning on the triangle at Reading requires the train being turned to run over a mile from one of the junctions before it can revers;  in the old days you were lucky to be able to turn a tran on that triangle in less than 20 minutes hence it was only done in extremis.   The only simple way of turning a train was 'round Greenford' as it only involved a reversal on or off the depot, the rest was simply running without reversal but it still took well over 20 minutes.

 

One big advantage with the HST fleet was that to some extent sets could be worked via a journey reversal going in the opposite direction to the way they had become reversed in the first place.  that might be a bit more awkward now as it relies on the train provider putting a set out in a suitable diagram.  all dead easy to say but it can be hellish difficult when you are actually trying to find a way of doing it without either incurring a late start or reducing the time a set has available on depot.  In reality it boils down to a simple decision - do you run a train on time or do you turn it round and have a late start of 20 minutes or more (assuuming that you have a Driver(s) available to actually turn it?  

 

So overall little has changed from HST days because - don't forget - the WR HST fleet had variations in it to suit different routes.  But one thing has changed and that is the quality of passenger information on station platforms with both indicators showing train formations (accurately in my experience even at stations in Cornwall) and announcements where that facility is available.  Similarly in my experience on-train staff in Cornwall are very good at dealing with the consequences of trains being incorrectly formed and avising passengers of the vehicles they need to alight from.

 

Incidentally if a 2x5 car formation stops at Camborne on the Down Main there should be at least one passenger door, if not two, on the leading set platformed.

At least Wednesday is not a problem.

I remember years ago joking about DU front buffer beams on 0-4-4Ts with some othe rmodellers at a IT event. We also laughed at the name of the town the organisers came from. (spelt differently to the OFAH character)

Funnny really but I am doing 41900 as well, then the Brake Third coach in the photo I am copying (Comet), after this will complete my PWM then start on 58071.

10 minutes ago, Jub45565 said:

 

I'm not surprised it isnt far Martin - but as usual with the eye it is more the ratio of front and rear cutouts than the absolute dimensions that screams.

 

Nice models Pete - though to be picky the Hornby brake should have its duckets removed for the diagram it relates to. They are on little pegs so easy enough to do, but I appreciate then needs a repaint/colour match so the path of least resistance is certainly the route you've taken! Nice looking print of the loco too.

1mm would change the look a lot, but too late now, plus it would damage the sides.

Not noticed that before, roughly 1mm too far forwards.

Mine is almost body complete so will leave it.

Just now, Phil Bullock said:

Was good to see you Martin …. You did well to stand in front of the layout for the time you did, sorry we did not have a seat to offer you! Yes new towns are no fun, especially when they are imposed on an old town!!! 

Was a  really nice layout, I liked the 3rd rail one too. Would have been there at opening if Jack had got up when I called him.

Was OK, until I hit all the closed roads in Redditch, was exhausted when I got home. Still not up to driving on own anyway, hence taking Jack.

Currently bothering Specsavers over an OCT scan suggesting a damaged retina.

Long Covid is pretty horrific and I got off lightly with no lung nor heart damage.

I have not driven to work since 2022 dues to this, work is in - Redditch, because if I did I would need a rest before work, leave before dark rest the next day.

1 hour ago, thegreenhowards said:

Probably because that would be an unnecessary extra cost and complication.

And sound is alreadt expensive, and with custom sounds and the like, it seems sensible, even if to stop me commenting to an owner  that my 1970s Flying Scotsman with sandpaper tender sounds as good.

1 hour ago, thegreenhowards said:

If I can weigh in on this too, then I would say 1) is possible, but often not achieved; and 2) nearly always.

 

The ‘Chuff rate’ is programmable on modern chips, certainly the more expensive ones. However many people just fit and forget rather than taking the time to change one CV (CV 267 on Zimo) to get the correct rate. It needs to be finessed because different locos will have different gearing etc. On my O gauge locos this is particularly important as the chuff rate is normally roughly set for 00 and the larger diameter wheels mean they chuff far too frequently.

 

As for coasting, there all decent modern chips will do this, but early DCC sound didn’t do this and maybe some current cheaper ones still don’t. I particularly like ‘active drive’ available on Zimo and ESU (maybe others) where shutting off means the loco coasts with just some clanking and slows down very slowly  (just like on the real thing) and one applies a separate button to brake (with appropriate noises).

 

Andy

Why is chuff rate not controlled like the ignition on a 70s car with a hall sensor (as found in the distributors)?

2 lumps for a 2 or 4, 3 for a 3, 4 for a Lord Nelson.

More info.

I am fed up of modifying Triang floors. So want to print a chassis. With my own side mounting,  no ends, no trussing , slightly deeper.

Craft cut sides, ends, except 123 ends, resin printed.

Roofs will work something out. Just experiment.

This is useful thanks. I do need to experiment with different resins anyway.

I do have enough use case  as i want to try the track printing,  these needs both types.

Higher strength and better stability are definitely requirements.

1 hour ago, njee20 said:

More words may help here, I have no idea what you’re talking about… just print roofs in resin. 

 

Here’s a shark I (FDM) printed this morning for my son’s school project, you can see it looks like a contour map on the gentle curving upper. It’s about 9cm long FWIW.

 

That stepping is obvious, as to resin, can't do long enough, plus strength on the edges.

Need to think a bit more for carriage roofs.

2 hours ago, njee20 said:

Chassis yes, definitely. Things like roofs not ideal IMO (assuming you mean rolling stock), the gentle curve just accentuates the ‘contour lines’ you get from the layers. It doesn’t sand particularly well either, much harder than resin.  

I could do undersize and laminate plastic card.

But chassis would be good.

Roof making not easy.

Thanks i will be getting one.

I know the detail is pants, but a roof sanded, or a DMU chassis. Ideal.

I would trust standard resin on something big, yet great for wagons.

Shattered now, traffic was horrendous, left when it was getting busy.

I hate driving around redditch

I know about resin, but the ones with little nozzles which squirt out plastic i have little information of.

On 01/03/2024 at 08:33, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

I think they are the top hangers for the gangway, so yes whilst ever gangways were fitted.

 

Mike.

They only supported the step. Gangways are not suspended.

I am considering one, but want to see if worth it.

Stability on long items,  would a carriage chassis be solid and not warp?

Shrinkage, how much?

Gluing , what would be used? Attaching plasticard, cast resin, brass, and phototropic resin items.

How small can you go, for holes and the like?

Brittleness, how brittle is it?

Not going to do high detail as i have a mars 2 pro for that.

MJT bogie sideframes are quite good.

But every bogie needs a good source.

Could do with good DMU bogies, i am using resin cast copies of beefed up lima, and resin copies of trix Swindon

And then i have not bought anything of theirs new in ages.

Just second hand HST stock in blue grey with a certain glazing tint.

Want doppler effect, Valentas were great for this.

2 hours ago, Islesy said:

I can catergorically state that they weren't based on SECR stock 😉

The base vehicles surveyed were LB&SCR D47, D33, D45, D34 and D44, before they were butchered about...

What was the point of that?

They could have painted them up but left as models rather than toys.