Bernard Lamb

People have been selectively breeding race horses for a few hundred years, and have not got there yet, and they have far more money than most of us to throw at the challenge. Bernard.

A bit of a break over the last couple of months but I have now started on the locomotive depot. A drone shot gives an idea of the track plan and the current state of play. The track came from stock, much of it being very ancient. Hardly to modern finescale standards but it works and does the job. The double slip seems to accept a wide range of wheels without any problem. The turntable is Peco, finger operated at present. I managed to get the polarity switch the right way round first time and the three long sidings are each made up of three isolated sections to hold the maximum number of locomotives. As an exercise I worked out the length of the shed roads to be as long as possible, but forgot that the shed bulding would not be square on to the end of the baseboard, so I have had to add a 20mm strip to make the shed fit. The buildings are just placed in position but need more details and painting. I also need a suitable water tower. I have just started on a wheel cleaning programme on some stock that has been stored for a while, so next week I can let a few locomotives have a bit of a run. Bernard

If you could find another one and add a center section, you would be well on the way to the basis of a model of Leipzig Hbf. with building A. Don't take that seriously, the real thing is huge. B would fit any scene in more modern times and the Faller staion is easily made to be as specifically regional as you like, within the area defined by rekoboy. The others do look a bit too American to me. Benard

Sorry ot hear about your problem. However it might get worse. You will probably get a bill for the damage to the bollard. Either from the car park people or the council depending on the terms of the contract. If it was seen by the camera they will be after you. I hope your insurance provider deals with this more efficiently than the current problem. Bernard

You are correct, although I have not reached the North Pole yet. As I only swim backstroke it is taking me a long time.

Please forward to anyone you know who might believe in conspiracy theories.

While NR may well decide not to employ a large team of drone operators, I would have thought that having an emergency cover deal with a company such as Sky-Futures would be worthwhile. Or is it, once again, that other government departments are higher up the pecking order than NR? Bernard

Green usually west of Leipzig, but sometimes dull red, depending on what acid was being produced.😃 Bernard

To contnue with the drift. Back in steam days some of the locomotives with radio equipment for shunting had girls names begining with R. Presumable as a call sign. I remeber Ruth and Ramona, but would need to look up others. The names were painted on the tender in large letters if my memory is correct. Bernard

These 'modern' wagons tended to run in block trains. I vaguely remember an earlier version of a limestone container that was based on the typical older type open wagon, with a much smaller container. Another destination for limestone was Leuna. Which I presume would have had some major infrastructure for handling this material that went way back. I never went too near the place, so can't provide any details. It was a horrible polluted area, visible for miles beching out smoke and fumes. Far too late for the OP though, so sorry for wandering OT. Bernard

Track has sleepers and points have timbers. Peco are correct in making these a different width. Although they are rather generic, as the real thing varies. To make it even more realistic you can cut out the web under the rails and move the last two sleers on a length of track closer together. Again, this will vary between companies, time periods and locations. I suggest that you get hold of some track drawings if you are aiming for a correct model. Bernard

Oh dear. A bit of a problem yesterday evening. A GWR train brought down the power lines and everything stopped. It seemed to be about three hours before the passengers were released. As one chap said. I will go back to using the Central Line. Bernard

I find that holding the parts together by applying two very small drops of solvent and then applying a larger amount along the joint works best for me. A very similar technique to the real world were a long weld between two pieces of metal would be held in place with a coule of tacks. If you do apply too much, than as long as you keep your fingers away it should be OK and will not make a mess. I last bought a 1l bottle long before Covid for the price of less than two of the hobby size bottles. I don't think that I have used half of it. Far more economical than any branded and packed variety. Decant what you use and keep the big bottle in a safe place. Bernard

I have just come back from a few days in Belfast. I used the train between the city centre and Bangor a few times. The service both in the station area and on the train was outstanding. On one occassion I was in Belfast and wanted to buy a ticket. The train was due to depart in six minutes and there were eight people in front of me in the queue. The booking office chap had no trouble dealing with all of these people and I caught the train with ease. I need not have bothered, as tickets could be purchased on the train. Are you all right for tickets, was the friendly call as the chap came through the train. The trains were very busy, as were the buses. The difference from the mainland was remarkable. A political plot? On the evidence of this trip certainly. Bernard

It gets complicated. Fairly straight-forward while in the UK, as others have posted. I do however wonder if there were enough UK drivers to take all the locomotives to the departure ports after D day. Once on the mainland things were different. EnglishSappers drove German locomotives and a German drove a Dean Goods, if you want to go to extremes. I have a photograph of an English WD locomotive taken on December 31st 1944nat Oisterwijk with a Canadian crew. L/Cpl TG Grover and Sgmn W Warshick. There were Austerities that were WD locomotives but were on loan to the NS in the 1945-1947 period. I presume that these machines were worked by Dutch crews in this period. Bernard

Noted a while ago, but as the thread was closed could not comment. Typical KR attention to detail that we have now become used to. Given the alternative, why should anyone even bother to look any further at this? Bernard

Be aware that Tillig track is much more fragile than Peco. If you want to see what nearer to scale H0 German track looks like, then take a look at Weinert Mein Gleis. I have some very old stock with deep flanges. It will run on Peco code 75 track but does complain at times on more complex poitwork. I am just starting on a MPD and have plenty of old track to hand of various codes and ages. Everything I have tried on a code 100 double slip runs through it without problems. I you are running latge locomorives I find it looks OK. However for a rural branch I would restrict my stock and use something finer. Bernard