unklian

Sorry if this has already been mentioned , but did the original Walkley layout fold in half ?

So presumably my Gauge 3 ( 1:22 scale 64mm gauge ) thing is by the definitions a diorama ? Although when I have built a loco small enough and made a shunting capstan that works, it will be shuntable. The turntable is already motorized. At which point does it then become a micro layout ? It all fits in three box files, walls included and covers an area of about three square feet. Apart from many other firsts, this is the first layout I have built without having any stock able to run on it properly. What I have is all a bit too long ! Cheers Ian

More digging, this could be more what you were after....

Bit more info for you. As you can see a tank wagon very like the MRCW one is 'preserved' by AJECTA at Longueville. They also have a van that is a rare survivor of a series that were built for the ALVF, a kind of French equivalent to the ROD. Unfortunately it was jammed into a corner of their workshop and not easy to photograph. Built in Leeds ! However I do have a rather crude drawing of this one. Hope that is the sort of thing you meant and that it helps, Cheers Ian

Been digging around too.. British built French design tank wagon. WD bolster built for overseas then taken over by the North Eastern after WWII ? I have some pictures from Longueville but they need resizing

That is very good news indeed, I await developments with great interest. I presume availability, cost, etc. will be announced on your website ?

What scale is this going to be Steve, please say Gauge 3 ??!!

Very interesting ....

Health and Safety is for cissies obviously

As the kids used to say ..... awesome !

Simons layout is over here now for some reason ? http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/112958-new-ho-layout-using-3-boxfiles/ Presumably this thread has deviated too much from the original post ? BTW has nobody thought that perhaps the reason so many SNCF society members are in the South East, is that it is closest to France and the main access point ie. the Channel Tunnel ?

To return to the original subject. I have corresponded with Roger Allen the instigator of the challenge to confirm a few points about the Challenge. Firstly the size of the boxfiles may be up to 370 x 275 x 75 millimetres outside dimensions. This covers both A4 350x275x75 and Foolscap 370x245x75 sizes. Although it must be pointed out that there are many variations on these sizes and boxfiles seem to be anything but standard. Also the lid, the side of the box the lid is attached too and the back of the box must remain fixed together. The other three low sides of the box may be made removable. No external fidde yards or sticks are allowed, all track must be within the area of the three boxes. One important thing is that the boxfiles can be closed up with all the parts of the layout or diorama packed away inside. As was stated before rolling stock and control equipment is not included in this requirement. In general the rules are fairly loose, Roger is keen to see entries and imaginative interpretations of the brief . Hope that helps . Ian

Are you allowed to use the lid ? I thought the model had to be fitted into the plan/footprint of maximum 3 box files . I have emailed Roger a few questions to clarify things like this .

Anyone else going to have a go at the boxfile challenge ? Any recommendations for good boxfiles to use ? I have already rejected the Staples ones, far too flimsy and with plastic ends .

Does this work at all yet ?

Brian, Just out of curiosity would a loco with a conventional central pantograph still run under your new overhead wire ?

So what happened to this series it seems to have petered out with the Z4300 announced but none on ebay? The Z5100 Budd and narrow gauge Cerdagne Canari being the last available ?

Don't tell Geraint but I have been running a few of my vehicles on his layout with P4 ( or should that be S4 ) wheelsets. So much so that they have ground out all his crossing ways to P4 standards. I keep the back to backs dead right for P87 and they don't fall off so he doesn't notice .

Hello Brian and Co, here is another interesting mixed gauge track arrangement for you .

The St Jean D'Angely Dennis wrote about was an old Etat 2-4-2 named after the town, which he built a magnificent 0 gauge model of, he didn't really write about the town as such. I have been to St Jean D'Angely and it is a very pleasant town with a rather nice market hall and a very good camp site . Great pictures Jamie, thanks for posting.

That's today !! Whoo Whoo !!!

What Peco track ?? I cant see any ?? Do you mean the points in the fiddle yard ? I so they have had the check gaps closed up for P87. And anyway Peco is fine for plain track in fiddle yards too, after all unlike some finescale gauges it is all the same ie. 16.5mm !

Nice work !!

Sorry Brian it is straight out of the box, I havent 'got at it' yet ! It will need some work to make it into a Portuguese one anyway. ( Yes you are quite right John E !) And nobody tell me the bogies are a bit wrong for a Portuguese one please, I know, but I got this brass model for much less than a Norbrass one ! Maybe this would be more suitable,it is both British and Portuguese, and arguably prettier than the Alco . And getting back to the main topic, I do hope the rumuors of Quai 87's potential demise are untrue, I have a couple of projects I was hoping to visit / try out on the Quai sometime .

Wow, does that mean I can convert this to P87 5' 6" gauge then ??