NS Peak

What about using a bit of Cohesive bandage? It might be a bit too course for 00 but might be worth a look

Hello, what about a staggered / uneven ending to the platform? Cut back the platform side so that it is shorter than the other with a ramp Half the platform width stating by the point. There are quite a few places where the platforms don’t end neatly in the same place to take as inspiration (Ipswich platform 3 and 4 at the Norwich end as an example)

That is perfect. Thank you so much (vertaling niet nodig )

Hello, I am trying to find out information about all the railways past and present in the Netherlands, and was wondering if there was an equivalent of a railway atlas? The Netherlands like many other countries has a rich railway past and I was trying to find out more about some of the historic lines that existed. can anyone recommend any reading material that could help? Thanks Stephen

My thanks to cheesysmith, JDW, frobisher, Steve b and of course Butler Henderson, lots of stuff to think about. I will keep an eye out for another half but buying all the parts individually seems a bit expensive. i had thought about using to to power a MK3 based emu , but it did not cross my mind that it might be a good base for a 1st generation DMU. Also I did not think about stripping the parts do re motor my 156 (I had thought about using the underframe details however) last comment for the folks that went off on a tangent. The forum is called mondeling questions. There are other places I am sure more suitable for you to express yourselves even on this fine forum. kind regards

Hello, I have managed to come across the motorised half of a Bachmann 150 148 sprinter. (This is the one with a solid lump that obscures the windows). I must admit I am at a loss as to what to do with it. I don’t fancy the flaff of putting on an auction site so I was thinking of motorising the dummy car of another Bachmann sprinter but this feels like overkill for a 2 car unit, not to mention it will need another decoder. Sadly it’s too short and would take a lot of effort to stretch it to fit an old Lima 156 I have. This got me thinking would it be suitable as a donor chassis for anything else? i really would appreciate any thoughts or ideas. thanks Stephen

Thanks Johann, I see your point about the colour as I was able to find a few more pictures and https://www.railscot.co.uk/locations/I/Ipswich_Lower_Yard/slideshow.html both show some good shots of a very faded and unloved 48ds thanks again, although my bank balance might not be so happy as I feel an order for the Hornby open sided model coming up Cheers stephen

Thanks Johann, That’s perfect. I am always amazed and impressed by the depth of knowledge in the community. I thought the sone traffic was for Anglian Limestone but Drew a blank trying to get more information. It looked like a Ruston 4 DM from the picture in the Middleton press book but it’s great to get conformation . I did not realise that ECF even had a Ruston or that it hung around in Ipswich until 84. It did not ring any bells and I even though I born and lived there (even had a cub scout trip crawling around the yard in Ipswich around that time ) one follow up question was it all over Blue or did it ever revive wasp stripes or a yellow panel? Also Russ thanks for your picture, you had me scratching my head trying to work out where in Suffolk the picture was. I did also say Suffolk as there are a lot of Melton’s out there

Hello, I am trying to find out more about a Ruston & Hornsby DM shunted that was used at Melton in Suffolk in1972. There is a really bad picture of it in the Middleton Press Ipswich to Saxmundham book which states that it was brought in to help with stone traffic in 72. Does anyone know anything about it such as where did it come from how long did it stay or where did it go afterwards? Or better still point me to a better picture. thanks Stephen

Hello, It should indeed be just the 2 screws. i do find Bronsgrove Models DCC fitting guides excellent and really useful in showing how to get into most models https://clarahost.clara.net/www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/bachmann44dccinstr.htm Stephen

Hello Jack, I did not mean to imply lack of effort, far from it. More the case that it is a lot of bother hardwiring a decoder (especially as I don’t know why Hornby did not fit a 6pin NEM socket and continue with a 4 pin socket that gives very little other than selling their own decoders). I must admit also with my sentinel I also took the approach to use the 4 pin decoder for the same reasons. ( particularly the lack of phlaffing about compared to the effort hardwiring would have taken) Stephen

Hello, The chip kind of does what it says on the packet (that is it would if it came in better packaging than a plastic bag and a part number) . There are not the usual comprehensive instructions and details about CV settings that you normally get with a Hornby chip. Let’s face it had Hornby simply added a 6 pin socket (which I don’t think would have been any bigger) rather than going for a bespoke 4 pin socket it would have made life a lot easier. I will leave it to others that know more to comment if the chip has any surge protection something that older Hornby chips did’nt which made them pop really well and what the speed curve is like (again older chips used to make things go like a rocket rather than crawl like a shunter would. but hay as you say if you can’t be bothered to get a soldering iron out or are not going to be fitting lights then it kind of does the job and is simple to install. Just mind the handrails as these are easy to loose as you are taking the body off. good luck Stephen

Well I bit the bullet and picked up the zimo chip at my kind of local model shop, there is something enormously satisfying about watching the pantograph go up and down at the push of a button. I just need to remember to unclip it. Thanks for all the responses. stephen

Hello, I did not know the Bachmann chip was Zimo product. I am curious though which chips are available that come with servo control or are capable to have it enabled also picking up on Philips question on which sound decoders could be used. Thanks Stephen

Hello, I have given in to temptation and bought a Bachmann Class 90. It’s a thing of beauty, but I am now looking to install a decoder. I know that Bachmann sell a decoder specially configured for the servo driving the pantograph, but I was wondering what alternative decoders could I use instead. there must be other decoders or possible CV settings that could be tweaked to possibly do the same thing as the Bachmann decoder. I am not thinking of sound yet as my budget is stretched. But can anyone suggest alternatives or do I now need to spend a further 33 quid or so on the Bachmann decoder? thanks for your help Stephen

Hello, You could try https://www.noch.de/de/profi-gestein-kohle.html most Dutch model shops carry a good range of Noch scenic materials and you can order directly. Depends also where you are located as there are a number of preserved railways in the Netherlands and I have always found folks there to be really helpful and friendly and would be a Good excuse for a day out. if you not sure what’s in your neighbourhood let me know the town and I happy to take a look. Myself I don’t use crushed coal as it sometimes does not look that good in my opinion. stephen (also Located in The Netherlands)

if you are looking for a some former German steam in the Netherlands I would recommend STAR museum line between Veendam and Stadskannal in the north. http://www.nmld.nl/de/objekt/2580 I have had the pleasure of rattling along in 4 wheel coaches with wooden seats behind this wonderful bit of German engineering on quite a few occasions. Stephen

I have been looking for a blue buffer beam cowling for a while. i have to say the glue that was used was fairly week so grills windows and buffer beam cowlings are useful so too are the buffers themselves. (The individual buffer beam details are alway worth salvaging) Also the cabs and lights are useful things to salvage but probably better to wire these separately than keeping them still on the PCB. If you are not sure what’s keeping take a look on eBay or even peters spares on what the main spare parts are that are offered. stephen

In East Anglia one of the few Freight only lines would be The Snape branch. It only carried freight through its life supplying the Maltings and surrounding agricultural area. It had a regular pick up goods throughout its lifetime until closure and would have a combination of vans an mineral wagons being serving a very basic track layout which was basically a run around loop before disappearing into Snape Maltings itself. otherwise the only other truly only freight lines I can think off in East Anglia would be the dock branches in Lowerstoft, Great Yarmouth, Ipswich (including an extensive goods station) and Kings Lyn. Also Haverhill Had a separate good station at the other side of the town but this was originally built for passengers when the railway first reached the town. Stephen

Thanks, the buffer beam beam is plastic so it would be a Plastic to metal bond which was beyond super glue. I was thinking of epoxy but will look into evostick, but I am not sure I can get that here in the Netherlands.

Hello, I have a Heljan class 58 which has been in the wars and the buffer beam has come away from the chassis block. I have tried gorilla glue, and other types of super glue to reattach it but nothing has worked so far. Does anyone have any experience or advice on how best to reaatch it? thanks Stephen

It looks like an old Milk Tank to me. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Railway_Milk_Tank_Wagon

Thanks, (I picked a a couple of packets of peco aws magents and was wondering where to put them)

Hello, What would be the guidelines on placing an aws magnet. What would the faults be on distance from the signal and would this be based on the running line speed for example? I admit from the outset I am a complete novice on signalling, so sorry in advance if this is a daft question or one that has been covered before (I could not find anything when I searched) Thanks Stephen

I was lucky enough to visit Buoys Toys & Models a couple of weekends ago and was really impressed with the amount of kits and scenic material that the shop has. I must have spent half an hour just looking at all the bits and bobs the likes of which I only normally find at a exhibition. Fantastic stock and a really relaxed atmosphere to just browse. I ended up walking out with a number of things that I never knew I needed until I found them in the store. My appreciation to the owner and honestly a great shop in a lovley town.