SMR CHRIS

Just found this Wow a great prototype for inspiration. Pete looks like an interesting project, I always like things that are a little unusual the DMU is a nice bit of kit dose in come With the DCC sound or did you fit DCC to it. The small layout concept is a good way to get to a more complete stage with a model railway within a reasonable time period with out it dragging on and loosing interest due to having vast amount space to complete. Will be following this Thanks for posting

Nice little scene Bob The little X class looks right at home. Re operators it seems more common now that they just want to watch trains rather than "Run a railway" up at the local Club layout they have to actualy "run a railway" due to the single line with passing loops design but they seem to forget that and (Adams family) head ons are not unusual (consequence of DCC) as they just set there train off with out looking what else is going on on the railway. I visited Liverpool exhibition with a friends Small OO shunting layout and it got lots of interest but I did note a lot of "board looking" operators sitting behind big tail chasers layouts and that was only Saturday afternoon how would they be by Monday, we didn't get a chance to get board with the shunting plank plus all the questions from the lookers at the show as we operated from the front so as to interact with them as well. It's good to see you have been able to get a running session in on the Out side layout as well Looked like a nice day.

Hi Bob the indoor layouts looking good in that last photo Everything's good down my way It looks like the seasons changing so it will be back to outside running up you way We just had a Friday running night on Moonan Flats with a timetabled session train orders etc for the shunt. 4 trains on the layout CPH 11 rail motor 3213 on goods No1, 6 wagons + BHG Guards Van 3108 on the passenger service BR independant + ACM branch line Sleeper. 1903 on goods No2, 6 wagons + BHG Guards Van It's interesting to watch others do the shunt in the limited space of Moonan Flats I worked out the minimum number of moves/ quickest way etc only to see the minimum number quickly suparsed and the number skyrocketing. It's interesting to see the combos others go to in the shunting of 12 wagons and then you can see them get stuck with one wagon in the wrong spot. It really is a puzzle that you need to plan all your moves to get the out bound train Assembled and the incoming wagons positioned correctly. Tonight was a much improved shunt time, last time we did it one Goods took as long as the entire sequence took this time.

Your making good progress Bob I'm guessing with the Dodgy weather there will be a good deal more soon

Hi LesSorry forgot to say that there is no sign of the rest of the screw in the box with Hurricane. However Hurricane did have two sets of coupler's in the box?? I will try and see how many wagons it will pull on a grade on a friends layout once I have DCC one I have about 45 16T minerals if needed. May be a while before they get DCC conversion though. A question for the brains trust "How long was the average train of 16 ton mineral wagons Unbraked type and braked type if there is a differance, Not being from the UK and to young, when we lived there in 1981 to remember how long trains where.

Thanks Dave as I have said in a few other posts I'm really happy with the models on a whole Have been in contact with Christine and Ben at Hattons, They are going to replace the models they will be on there way back to the UK next week. As far as the screw I expect that would have happened at the install stage I read a online review last night that mentioned that the screws are very small and super tight and of differing types even though the part number is the same, there is a photo in the review of the screws Link https://albionyard.wordpress.com/2016/09/15/djm-j94-setting-higher-standards/ Of the Six I have received it was only the ones in my post that have issues the other 3, Backworth, yellow peril and the Littleton blue No7 weathered ones are all fine and run well And my only issues with the Maroon loco is on my one the water tank filler weathering looks like it missed the step before the dark soot over spary then was applied haistly later on top so Stands out like the Dogs proverbial's and it spoils a otherwise nice looking paint scheme. As far as people saying they are light and may not pull well on test last night the Littleton Blue No7 was able to manage a load larger than would be expected for a small 0-6-0 and as a test was able to move away 30 wagons plus brake van, (Bachmann 16 ton minerals) it would probaly pull more but I have mainline 2-8-0 for the hauling of these trains I figure the most any of my ones will ever pull will be about 6 as they form up trains from the Colliery, not mainline size trains that's not the point of a small loco like these that's the job of the big 2-8-0's. Anyway thanks to Hattons and Dave for producing these Models and to the staff at Hattons, Christine + Ben for getting back to me quickly it can be hard coordinating emails back and forth due to time zone variance.

The rest of the NCB loco's I ordered via Hattons arrived today some hits and some misses unfortunately First a photo of the DJM fleet I guess when you mass produce models there is a good chance that there will be some issues and with my six three have some minor issues First is Hurricane J9405 it possibly is the best finish's of the weathered Version's I received but on removing from the box it was noted the chassis was loose at the cab end closer investigation reveals a screw missing when I took a photo I can see that it's actually had the head sheared off looks like it goes in a small brass insert in the plastic I may have to send this loco back as its not something that can be rectified or do I live with it and just be carful handelling as the Australian postage cost of posting back is 1/2 the cost of the loco. The location of the missing screw head The gap under the foot plate due to not being retained Next is the water filler weathering on the top of the water filler on Maroon J9404 on the other photos I have seen posted it looks a lot more subtle than the splodge of light Gray on my one that just looks out of place. My one I'm going to have to tone this down to make it look ok Then the loco that was my first pick to order NCB Mountain Ash #8 J9406 The smoke box front weathering is not as good as the other samples people have posted photos of and the hand rail is not mounted at one side just a little disappointing. Looks sloppy when compared to the photo below it For comparison photos below This one posted by Les1952 Any thoughts or are these just consistent with what others have received. It's not like I could have purchased these over the counter here in Australia and carefully picked the best one at the shop as these are allexclusive and I needed to trust the seller not to send a faulty model. The water filler weathering on the other two looks to have been applied before the dark over spray? where on my example it's on top. Ps the Blue NCB No7 seams to be perfect and looks just like Andys photo in a previous post.

It's arrived way down under as well Thanks Dave and RMweb it looks great top service on the despatch to Australia I have to get cracking on the NCB Diorama now. No65 along side Backworth No4

Les another member having Mountan Ash No8 at the club doesn't have to stop you having one on your "no place" layout. I've just started a micro/plank specifically to have my collection of DJM NCB Locos on display in a setting that suits at 4ft by 1ft it's fairly small, track just gone down and first inhabitants moving in 5 more to arrive 4 from Hattons and the yellow peril RMWeb version its going to be a full house The plan a home for the DJM NCB fleet I may have to Call it "DJ colliery" loco shed to left pop it head in the middle and loading screens to the right Backworth No4 plus Jinty

Well there's something you can do with the old Hornby J94 model now we have these great runners in the DJ modelsI don't think anyone would be planning on cutting up the limited edition one but stranger things have happened. The most that will happen to my one is a light weathering so it dosnt look out of place a overhauled a month ago look im thinking.

Thanks Dave they look great. I really like the weathering treatment on Mountain Ash NCB No8 Hurry up Mr post man

Thanks Dave Just got the notification that my 4 are one their way down under. Fingers crossed thay look just like the samples and not like some "other" company's attempts at factory weathering Looking forward to there arrival hopfully dosnt take as long as the last one that was on a world tour for a couple of weeks.

The Ozzy White ants have moved in thought it was a bit cold for them at the moment around your parts Bob

Hi Bob Been having Telstra internet issues the connection is so slow at the moment lucky to get 1.05MBS down and 0.03 up Bob I think that the hopper from the Oaust kit is one of the Upper Hunter Colliery possibly Muswellbrook and possibly the builder "Unknown" skipped or missed physics classes at school as Budgie was very observant in that the brakes can't be applied, may be they where under pressure to build quick and just missed it. For David "South_Tyne" Hopefully this plan of the Lampton Colliery hopper, helps

Hi everyone sorry had a few internet access issues and it's been so long since I needed a password to access RM that I couldn't remember what it was. Thanks for all the nice comments and the 98 likes. Thanks all who answered the questions re the Hoppers As far as the origins of the hopper kits on the Layout all I can say is Unknown origin but very very old white metal kit under frames with a resin cast hopper. I also have a lot that were produced in plastic for bergs hobbies but these need a lot of work to get them to run I think they were made in India as a RTR but they would never run with wonky wheels and wrongly drilled Axle boxes when I get around to it I will finish rebuilding them. Takes a while as I have to deconstruct each and rebuild. Budgie you look to be correct on the brake gear on the Kit from ModelOKits Not many understand how these work it is often seen the wrong way around on kit built models They must have skipped that Physics class.

Plus we will have to take the hit of import duty on them as well, by the time we get them May be cheaper to fly to the UK and pick up have a holiday and then post home.

The price for the Locos is really keen making it look good at the moment with the Aus $ faring well against the £ but if the $-to-£ goes back to pre Brexit values by 2018 will be again effectively double in price for us poor Down under cousins. Would really like a A3 in Apple Green, similar to how Scotsman ran when she visited Australia "atleast I can justify running this on my Ozzy O scale railway". Plus A4 Commonwealth of Australia would be a nice shelf sitter Whilst it has worked £-to-$ nicely for the latest Hattons J94 release in OO saving me plenty on the expected price from pre order to delivery. It's a gamble to know what the real price will be in the future for export sales, not such a big gamble on a £98 OO model but on a couple of O scale £750 loco's Hmmm what to do.

Yes as well as the few HO versions all looking towards Scott street.Plus Ron Layout is no more the people who got it broke it up. Going to need lots of Trax 1/43 model cars as well looking a all the photos of Wharf Road was full of cars. Really the idea for the layout is to provide a home for the 5 C38's and when I eventually get my big shed the the source of trains for the Toronto branch, it will all form part of the "Grand Plan Model" railway.

Looking Good Bob You certainly had some good sun shine up the New England make the most off it they say it's not going to last this week. Re my new layout probaly going to call it Wharf Road with the Newcastle Treminus represented looking across from the Scott street side towards the Harbour with the harbour as the back scene and customs house at the end will act as a view block for a fiddle yard at that end for goods trains to disappear and empty car stock

24 hours I can only wish Just received my notification from Hattons one down 4 to go then waiting on the RM yellow sub My first one (J9407 - Austerity 0-6-0ST No 4 in NCB Backworth Colliery lined black) is estimated at 5 min days with luck it will be, got all my fingers and toes crossed that it makes it safely Down Under

Ok Marty how are you going with the railway down the garage wall, now you have moved back to a place with a garage.If you haven't started You can make an offer to buy Moonan Flats if you like I'm about to start on a new layout based on a mainline Station with a Harbour back drop Hmmm Guess where it's based off.

That a Didn't take Long Bob, good move. If the O curve is out a bit further in the place of the HO line you may just squeeze a 18 class round but the 4F is sure to go round. I know what you mean re the Size of HO after you have been playing with O, I spent part of the the installing a new Loop on the Club layout in HO and whilst it's easy to handle it's just seemed so small I kept looking at this Peco code75 long point and thinking is that a long or a medium it was a long but shows how your perception changes.

Yes John that's the one it's good to have a lot of options re sound decoders due to the EMD being the engine of choice Bob has answered with a great link it has all the info re the class better than I could have conveyed. Nice start to the layout inside Bob is that a section of O track and the O scale X200 as well in that photo or just a trick of the photos angle?

Thanks BobA little bit more work, steps, mirrors on the other side I need to make some new brackets for them, Plus a heavy weathering job and a Decoder and it will be used as a pick up freight Loco with the raised centre buffing plate's 4916 will be easier to use with the transition Link coupler's, 4905 with the flat Buffing beam is a right pain to couple using the transition link as it is hard to get at. And with the bogie mods it can't destroy the drive shafts when under load 4905 had done it once (I think we messaged about the tube) so I replaced the connections with better quality tube now I'm going to build a second set of brackets to permanently fix 4905 as well Re your new layout inside ? Is it a small O scale or are you doing a HO layout for inside. Old and the New

Diesel day at Moonan Flats A new member of the fleet arrives at Moonan Flats 4916 This model was severely damaged in the post on delivery somethings went wrong the parcel was doing a Tour of this Big Country for a coule of weeks ended up back near where it started before finaly making it to its new home as a kit of parts. Still has some small parts to refit. One item that was very damaged "in several pieces" was the bogies these are a week point on the model anyway so a complete rebuild with some modifications and now they should never give an problem again. Added some new pickup wires as well the factory ones break off due to poor quality wire and they only had one of the two sets wired now all are wired, adjusted plus painted so are not shiny and visible One issue these bogies have is the outer Axles and gear box assembly's are able to torque them selves round and dislodge the drive shafts (Flexible RC fuel hose) visible in the Photo above. The brackets do two things hold the sides together if the mount screws come loose and stop the gear boxes from being able to torque them selves round but using the brass tube allows some movement as the bogies are fully sprung I also replaced the centre axles springs with lighter ones this alows the axle to float up and down as the factory springs are way to strong and the bogie could rock on the centre Axle. Once painted the additions are barely visible and when fitted to the loco are not noticeable