Clive Mortimore

Some Russian heavy metal bagpipes.

On 04/05/2024 at 17:09, MarkC said:

Dave (RIP) certainly did produce a K4 kit - indeed I have the very last one that he sold (he mentioned that as he handed it over in exchange for a fistful of beer vouchers at his last Newcastle show) in my roundtuit pile - and it's getting close to the top... No doubt a RTR version will appear just after I complete it; it wouldn't be the first time that's happened to me 🤔

 

As I've said before, I'll use (suitably weathered) RTR until I build or obtain a kit or scratchbuilt replacement, but when I look at the gorgeous Bachmann Class 108 DMU that trundles through Scalby, you do have to ask yourself how to top it. Some RTR is just stunning...

 

Mark

Hi Mark

I don't think any other manufacturer can beat Bachmann's first generation DMUs. I have been running a DMU heavy session  on Sheffield Exchange and watching a six coach train made up of a Bachmann Cravens, Derby and Met Cam 2 car units. Not only looking the part but just gliding along.

1 hour ago, gr.king said:

Little if anything to do with Grantham, other than the LNER connection and some stock that will eventually transfer, but this lot 13'8" x 9' 4", seen briefly test erected in our lounge, thus far fits in a 2004 Ford Fiesta...

Graeme, I am a bit concerned about  the photo of the loaded car. Where is the operator's armchair as seen in the first photo of the erected layout?

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

Brilliant!

 

@Clive Mortimore this was only started Monday, no excuse for you really, get that spraycan out.

While agreeing with you on Darius's build, yes Brilliant !!!

As for your comment about a spraycan, not only are the dogs very worried but so are Mrs M's horses.

I did earlier on today run the unfinished Hornby 110/Lima conversion 114.

More lovely girls

Lovely little girl.

1 hour ago, Darius43 said:

Day 2

 

Driving motor coach chassis constructed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Darius

Have you had time to sleep, eat, go to the bog etc?

Hi Darius

I have one, and I am sure by the end of this week it won't be any different to how it is now.

Here it is coupled with my "I started so I might finish" conversion from a Hornby 110. 

I also have a Craftsman etched overlay somewhere.

Living in Lincolnshire you can't have too many Derby Long Underframe units.

I look forward to seeing your model progress.

I am sure it must be my eyesight but the new bogie designs appear to suffer the same as the old ones. Have a butchers at the brake and wheel interface.

Then the news that Fred , our model railway club chair was found dead by his son.

He was mainly N gauge modeller but dabbled in other scales. Ex RAF armourer who had so many tales from his service in Northern Ireland, Aden, Hong Kong and the Falklands he could hold court all night.

RIP Fred.

What a great day today started out to be new songs from Los Bitchos and The Warning

1 hour ago, 5BarVT said:

‘Cos a terminal station is far more interesting operationally?

Paul.

Now stop it, you are making me consider what I have done.

Darius, please slow down, I am getting puffed out just keeping up with what you are modelling, let along doing any modelling myself.

6 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

Can you not model all half empty and then have an extra coal load you can add on top after the loco visits the servicing area?

That was an early consideration but having a few push along tender powered engines that idea couldn't be fully applied.

There is always the best idea, just like no crews in the diesels ................................ignore?

This morning I was cutting up a LNER 4,200 gallon tender to make a 3,500 gallon one and I had a thought.

At a model terminus station the arriving loco will have at least a part empty tender or bunker if not a nearly empty one. Once the train it has pulled in disappears and it is free to go to the loco shed. After the raking out the ash it is refilled with water and coal. So a loco departing with a train should have a full tender or bunker. On a model railway the tender is either full or half full all the time. So a loco arriving without burning any coal looks daft. Equally a loco departing with an express with a half empty tender ain't that realistic. Just something to ponder.

At least with DMUs you can't see if they have been refueled but the tail lamps either end and a driver in every cab do look a tad silly.

Why didn't I model a through station?

I have cured the problem of people leaning on my layouts. Table top height, just right for kids to view without them trying to pull themselves up to see and too low for those who are older to lean on. Plus I get to sit down to operate not stand all day. 

Sadly at the last show I took a layout to I still had to say "Excuse me" no reaction,  "Excuse me" no reaction, "Excuse me" no reaction, "EXCUSE ME" wow he looked my direction..."I have enough problems with children picking things up". With that he put the bus back on the bridge (where all busses should be) but no apology. And that was with this as my side kick to scare bad people.

Dagworth considering a new home, a LNER concrete fogman's hut on the site of Five Mile House station. http://disused-stations.org.uk/f/five_mile_house/index.shtml

7 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

 

“You’re doing sound?”

(Eyebrows were raised significantly as this comment was made)

”I thought you said sound was only for Saddo’s.”

Well said Mrs 5BarVT. 😉

4 hours ago, Harry Lime said:

Any further news on this year's Showcase? Having checked the DEMU website, there seems to be nothing there as yet...

DEMU Showcase 2024 will be at Sutton Coldfield Town Hall on June 15/16th.  

Layouts

Alderford......................................WCML 1985-1990, 00 Gauge

Blueball Summit.........................1970s West Country, N Gauge

Deadmans Lane..........................Derby RTC, 00 Gauge

Farbine Road W.R.D.....................Wagon Repair Depot West Midlands, 00 Gauge

Fenwick TMD...............................TMD and Engineers Yard, 00 Gauge

Gordon's Lane...............................Southern Region Main Line, 00 Gauge

Knype Bridge................................Parcels depot. 70's early 80's, 0 Gauge

Oldshaw..........................................WR Branch,EM Gauge

Ravenscroft....................................1988 Steel Distribution Terminal, P4 Gauge

Templegate Wagon Works..........Wagon Works, 0 Gauge

Trodinnick Dries.............................China Clay Dries. 1960-1970, 00 Gauge

Waddon Marsh...........................South London Branch, 00 Gauge

Wormhill.....................................Peak Forest 1997, N Gauge

Confirmed trade stands

Accurascale

Bachmann

B&H Enterprises

Booklaw/Santona Publishing

Cambrian

Cavalex

Coastal DCC.

C Rail

DC Kits

Kernow Model Rail Centre

Rainbow Railways

RCTS

Realtrack Models

Replica Railways

Revolution Trains

Road Transport Images

S Kits

Shawplan / Extreme Etchings

Squires Tools

TTC Diecast

West Hill Wagon Works

Opening Times

Saturday 15th June 2024 10.00 - 17.00
Sunday 16th June 2024 10.00 - 16.00

Sutton Coldfield Town Hall, Upper Clifton Rd, Sutton Coldfield, B73 6DA

Tickets

Adults £12

DEMU members / children (U16) £8

Families (2 adults and unlimited children) £28

Transport

The town hall is less than 5 minute walk from Sutton Coldfield Railway Station.

Nearest car park is opposite in Anchorage Road. There are others around the station only a few minutes walk.

20 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

Except if that loco is behind another loco that hasn't started up as well to move out of the way.  Gonna need some AI to sort that one.

 

And I've seen you cheat at cards 🤣

Me cheat?

No matter which system one uses to generate loco moves on a depot layout it must be one that works for the operators and is fun to play with.

34 minutes ago, Boris said:

You don't need to program anything, just use dice, they come in all shapes and sizes these days.  All you need to do is make a table for each activity/road/failure etc and write it on a table and assign a dice number to it.  You can even add a rare combination so a loco fails and has to be assisted back to a service road etc.

 

Sounds good but when I have used a dice system the public at shows can't see what is happening.  Unless the dice falls on the floor.

With my card system I simply put the card in a box where the public can see what I am doing.

Or they can see the card on the floor.

When I miss the box.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4EL_MRnT8o&t=40s  For a quick video on how I operate Pig Lane.

I suppose with a computer generated random system it could be linked in with the controller so when it chooses a loco, the said loco goes through its start up procedure automatically and is ready to roll when the operator wants to move it. 

4 hours ago, Carver Bridge TMD said:

Ok, so this one feels a bit niche, to say the least.

 

I want to design a simple program to help replicate the challenge of managing operations in a small TMD layout.

 

What I want it to do is to pick a loco from those not already on shed, then generate a random number that signifies, appropriately weighted, whether it needs fuel, inspection, Cat A/B/C/D/E work, or has failed. Then it should remove that loco from the pool, adding it to the 'on shed' side of the list, wait a predetermined amount of time, and repeat until nothing is 'off shed'. Ideally, there'd be an option to move locos back from 'on' to 'off' as they are sent back out for duties, but that's negotiable.

 

The problem is I'm not great with programming of this sort, and I don't really know where to start. Does anyone have any experience with this, or use a similar system themselves?

 

I should clarify that I'm not looking for a program that moves trains, just something that tells the operator where a loco needs to be stabled and for how long.

 

Many thanks

10 minutes ago, Dagworth said:

Buy a pack of playing cards!  Ask @Clive Mortimore

 

Andi

As Andi suggest a pack of cards.

My old large depot Hanging Hill had the following, at a normal show there would be around 40 odd locos,

An Ace, any colour, was for a fuel train, swapping the empties with new full tank wagons.

A black card turned over meant a loco coming on shed and was refueled, and A or B examination. If it was a picture card the loco that had been on the fuel point the longest was moved off into the shed building for a repair or C, D or E exam.

Some black cards had a meaning, 6 was a double headed pair, and 8 was coupled to a brake tender.

A red card turned over was a loco off the depot from the loco sidings. A red picture card released a loco form the shed building, repair/exam done so to the loco sidings, with a different loco going off to perform it's next duty. Again 6 was a double headed pair and an 8 the loco had to find a brake tender before leaving.

A joker was the stores train, swapping the various stores vans and wagons.

For my small stabling point Pig Lane where I only have 12 locos,

An ace is the fuel train and a joker the stores train.

Each loco has a card number or picture irrespective of suit. If the loco is on shed it trundles away to its next duty. If on the stock table it is placed on the track and makes its way to the fuel point.

Got a theme tune

20 minutes ago, great northern said:

I haven't forgotten your problems with the written word Clive, but I can't resist pointing out that you have actually said that you "would catch me operating a layout with the extra C". That's good, because it may mean that you are beginning to see the light.

Look at the surprise on Hugo's boat race.

Gilbert you wouldn't have these problems if you were to use good old fashioned Luddite DC.

You would catch me operating a layout with the extra "C"

You wouldn't catch me with the extra "C"