roundhouse

I paint the operating side of the rails white where the magnet is hidden under the tracks. The viewers cannot see these. Obviously only works where operating is done from the opposite side to the viewers on an exhibition layout. Ian

I paint the operating side of the rails white where the magnet is hidden under the tracks. The viewers cannot see these. Obviously only works where operating is done from the opposite side to the viewers on an exhibition layout. Ian

In a company I used to work for there was a sign "no entry personnel department" Before it became the personnel dept it was a thoroughfare but they aptly ( for the nature of this dept) decided to try and stop its previous use!

Squires also do small square section magnets that can be rotated to provide the correct magnetic field to operate Kadees and Microtrains. As to whether they have any left at the moment then not too sure. I meant to have a look when I was in their shop last Saturday but forgot. Ian

Matt The Dapol ones do appear to be very similar to the Microtrains so let's hope thy are compatible. I will get some and have a play. I have used Microtrains on all my USA N scale stock and they work well but ave been reluctant to use them on the British stuff for a number of reasons but mainly as per your comment re the stel axles. I must admit that I didn't relies that the newer Farish ales were non magnetic. I too have used cut down Microtrains magnets or under board ones ith the operators side of rails over the magnets painted a different colour so magnet locations cn be seen. The Dapol couplers o seem more expensive than the Microtrains ones though so I I'll have o be selective as o what thy get used on for now. Ian

These couplings look very similar to the USA Microtrains ones in terms of the knuckle so will be interesting if they are compatible in terms of the knuckles connecting and also the height at which they are set. Will there be a Dapol coupling that will be a direct replacement for the Rapido style in older stock? Ian

Too right its addictive! Used to live near Bristol until late 1973 so do remember a fair number of the locations despite I wasn't very old at the time! Ian

Its a pleasant city on a nice Summers day!! In the winter though.... stick to the pubs!! Ian

A few more photos taken last weekend

Mal Thanks. Hope to upload a few more some time tomorrow.. No firm invites this weekend but wont start altering any of the layout till I finish off my new Banbury layout, just in case. Ian

Some more photos taken at the Wimbledon show.

A few more photos taken this morning at the Wimbledon show. Ian

Here is an old shot of Fort Myers looking throguh the arches of the station. Ian

Ah .. . So long ago it's hard to remember but will look it up home as been on Coonado Orange Wit tonight.. No, it's not made with oranges but is from the Coronado brewery in Orange Avenue, San Diego.. Just costs a bit more drinking it in London! It's hard to come up with something to replace this layout as most of my fellow operators enjoy this layout more than any other I have built despite its age. The orange juice plant has been on it from the start but there aren't many things to make that very obvious bar the Tropicana refers when they are out front. Will keep you posted on any developments... There is even a slight chance It could still be set up in much of its original format even after altering the factory area but we shall see. Ian

Fort Myers was first exhibited back in 1994 and has done quite a few shows, a number of them twice after adding DCC and other changes. It has one more show booked which is this weekend at Wimbledon YMCA (2 day show). After this if it doesn't have any more invites then Wimbledon may well be its last one. However all is not lost as plans are now being drawn up to make use of it in two separate new layouts. The first one which is now in the planning stages is to make use of the orange factory section which will be made wider and add some new boards on to these with possibly a diesel shop or other industry. The rest of the layout will then be changed possibly to become a circular one but thats further in the future. So if anyone is in the area then the Wimbledon show this weekend may be your last chance to see the layout as it is. Ian Edit See newer posts for changes to the layout to make it bigger and better and adptable for use as a Freemo module.

I have not bought anything from them via mail order but have bought items from them at shows and in their shop. Visited. Few weeks ago and picked up a very well priced Farish class 47. The shop is a bit of a maze with shelves full of items from N scale to G gauge from railways to kits and Scalextric. A lot of secondhand railway items aswell. A real well stocked shop that you tend not to see much these days in the UK. PS - There are some good pubs in Hereford and the shop is on the way from the station to some of these pubs. Ian

05.00 this morning - my Farish class 57 has another coat of Yellow on the body sides and front. Now just need the Network rail logo and numbers.

I note on Gramodels website that they do some 2mm scale items. Does any one know if their 2mm warflats are suitable for present day use? Ian

WIll there be an N scale version... could definitely do with a few sets for my N scale layout.

Santa Barbara loaded and ready for the trip to Bournemouth for the NMRA British Region Convention. This year the Convention / trian show is open to the public on Saturday. All North American outline layouts. RS Tower will also be there along with the Poole N Track the Black Diamonds modular layout plus a number of other layouts. Quite a few traders aswell this year. Ian

I am using Hornby decoders in Farish class 168's. Need to file a section on top of the chassis so it clears the roof of the body shell but at around a tenner the filing of the chassis is worth the effort.

I have added some photos taken at Barnstaple in 1985 to my RM Web gallery. I don't have any good shots of Lapford unfortunately. I will add some more photos of the line over the next few days Ian

I spent a lot of time along the North Devon line in the 1980's, so will go though my photos and see what I have of Lapford and Barnstaple yards.Currently working on my latest model Bullied Pacific 'Lapford' as it happens. Ian

I have made these drain pipes from brass wire for a few Bullieds but they are quite diddly and tedious to do, so will look at this etch to do the rest of the current fleet.