MarshLane

Steve, if you click the three dots top right of a post, and choose share, it will give you a pop up link with a url for that specific post. You can then copy and paste that into a message (forum or PM) which will display a link for the recipient. (Edit: For some reason my iPad decided to change for to fir! I know its cold but really.....) Thanks to everyone for restoring their pics where possible btw! Rich

I am struggling to find the entry from Nile that you refer to, can you give me a pointer or date?

Personally speaking, that has to be one of the best Nelliebashes I have seen .. makes me very tempted to follow your lead! What was the Electrotren chassis? Rich

Great to see Modbury on Sunday at the NMAG meeting. My father attended with me and took some video of the layout that Ian has kindly said he's happy for me to post on here. Hope people enjoy it, truly inspirational modelling. Rich

Hi Simon, Superb and very enjoyable as ever! Hope you've got a warm coat .. you can't stop entertaining us just because its cold!!! :) Rich

Yes there are similar forwarding companies in the UK that can send packages to Europe or the US. I have used MyUS.com to get stuff from the USA to the UK on a few occasions, found them really good - lot of reviews around talk of problems but Ive had an account for three years and its worked fine every time. A couple of issues with wrong import codes being put down, but an email with a screen shot and my description of the item saying it should come under code 1234-5678 for model trains has got it changed. They have a UK and US storage facility, so you get a UK shipping address - and I have found them really good. They talk about repacking boxes, but in reality I have found they pack all the boxes and packages that come into one bigger box. I like that as it gives more protection to the goods. They give you 30 days free storage, but will send from a UK address that you have goods shipped to, to Germany (or any EU country) if that helps. Rich

Nice progress on the NG Rod - is this 009 or 0-16.5?

Thanks - I think my mate has placed the order with C&L over the weekend, but the downside with the 3mm Society is that you need to be a member, which adds another £20 on to the cost of materials. That may have been a step too far for him, but we'll see how it all works out. Thanks to everyone for their help with this, really appreciated. I'll suggest that he updates this thread with progress as he makes it! Rich

Thanks Andy and Stephen, I think the Code 75 Bullhead will be the way forward (as you say Andy, its narrowness might work well) - I have just looked at EDM before suggesting it to my mate, who is in the UK yes, but unfortunately EDM are out of stock. I have sent them an email to ask if there is any indication of when new supplies will be available, but I suspect it may be a case that Paul waits until he has a variety of items required, given import duties and postage etc.. But thanks for pointing it out @Stephen Freeman. Rich

Guys, Just to say thanks for everyones input, my mate is going to do an order for some Code 75 Bullhead rail and appropriate chairs with C&L over the weekend, pointwork controlled by servos, which he fancies looking at the MERG boards for control of - should be an interesting project for him! Rich

Thanks. I’d forgotten when I looked it up on Festipedia that the page was talking about flat bottomed rail on NWNGR/WHR routes! This page talks about the various rail types https://www.festipedia.org.uk/wiki/Rail_Types The closest to Code 65 is some Code 75 Bullhead rail that C&L do. So that may be the choice I suspect, with 4mm sleepers cut in half as per FR history. Rich

Thanks Miss P, yes I had thought that, I am just not sure what his soldering is like. Off-scene it won't matter too much, but I know he's looking for a good track work 'on-scene'. Thans Keith. Thats interesting, although I am not sure the baseplates would look right for UK narrow gauge - although I have only had a very quick glance. Bullhead would be nice, perhaps in sidings, but I cannot find any Code 55 bullhead around. Rich

A friend has asked for some advice. He is building a small 009 layout, based (very) loosely on Ffestiniog practice. The FR has been using flat-bottomed rail for many years (pre-preservation) and he's asked what rail/chairs etc, he should used to handbuild the track. My track knowledge is limited, so I feel rather than give wrong info, it was best to throw it out to the more knowledgable ones on here. We had looked at Peco Code 60 rail (that is actually used for OO gauge conductor rail) but that is a) expensive and b) I am struggling to find any chairs, so it would be a copper clad soldered approach if we went down that route. My later thought was ScaleFour Society Code 55 rail - but then my knowledge runs out. Does flat bottom still use chairs or is it spiked? Given that this is representing 2-foot gauge, I think its probably spiked, I am wondering how he can create a decent impression of this in 4mm? Is it best for him to stay with copper clad and solder, or is there any way in which he could create the right view with laser cut sleepers? He's not a begineer at model making, but hasn't been down the hand built track road before. The layout track design (which is not complicated) is now drawn up in Templot, so I suggested a laser cutter or similar may be able to cut or CNC mill birch ply sleeper panels for him (no idea of the cost, so that may be a non-starter, and there is the waist element). Trackwork 'off-scene' would be copper clad sleepers and solder to create the panels for speed. Any ideas that I can pass onto him would be welcome. I get the feeling this will probably start as his Christmas hobby project!! Rich

Looking really good. Can I ask how you folded the tumblehome so neatly? Rich

Sorry dont know your name, but @bluestag you look to be making good progress with the bogies! Following along with your project, and I like the idea of the simple bogie making jig with wood, screws and plasticard - obvious way of constructing things straight but would never have come up with that myself! Nice tip. Rich

All displaying on my iPad and also iMac both using Safari and Firefox.

Superb as ever Simon! Rich

Aww go on Simon, you know you want to :) you'd miss the run that you have with Dallam if you changed .... grabs hat and coat quickly!

I thought we were encouraging Andy to get better Paul, not suffer further injury from Mrs P's right hook!!!! 😂

Trouble is ideas like that stick!! You do have my sympathy tho, my mother is a couple of years older and has Osteoarthritis that really impacts on her movement, its not nice and I know the pain she has at times. Hope your back on top form soon mate. Rich

Sorry to hear your leg is no better Andy, its a when you want to get on with something and cannot. Hope your back on your feet soon - if not have you considered a rolling chair on casters! 😉

Thanks Phil, I think we are more convinced now that the June 1948 date is wrong on the image. Looking at the heritage railway article that @The Stationmaster linked to, it looks like Mallard only worked on the Western for two days, 26th/27th April, one southbound and the second north bound. Its runs in June on the Southern wouldn't have touched Taunton, and it appears it failed at Salisbury with an 'up' train, suggesting even if it had been sent back via Exeter for some reason (unlikely anyway) it would have been the 'wrong way round', and unlikely to be on GWR stock. From what we have established on 27th April, it worked the 1.30pm Plymouth-Paddington to Savernake where it failed, and was removed, being replaced by a Prairie tank to Newbury, where Dumbleton Hall took the train forward. Mallard ran light engine to Reading where it stayed overnight before returning to King's Cross the next morning. Therefore we think the picture depicts the 27th April working to Paddington, at Taunton, which also explains the Savernake comment. Thanks to all for the help. Rich

Thanks guys, The interesting thing, I forgot to mention about the picture, is that it is working a train! The picture shows it on Great Western stock heading north through Taunton - the photographer noted that the loco arrived with the chime whistle stuck on, and indeed it is blowing on the image! Given that its working a passenger train, it cannot have been a big failure - although I suppose it could have been empty stock. There is a reference to Savernake on the image caption, but the text is not clear enough to work out what it is referring to. Given @The Stationmaster reference to the 27th April, failure, I wonder if the date of June 1948 is correct? Rich

Thanks Mikkel, You've certainly done a superb job with those! I'll hunt out Vallejo Modelcolor and see where I can acquire it locally. I am guessing one will build up quite a range of colours quickly, given the various tones needed. Rich

Looks an interesting track plan. Do you have a specific era in mind, or is it anything goes? I am assuming from the images that your modelling in 4mm OO gauge? Rich