john new

Having been prodded by this thread into pulling out of the box my first (and so far only) attempt at a brass chassis that got put away a few years ago because it never ran I have at least got it running today. Poor pick up design and noisy. However, I will persevere. Reason for my post (and I got torn to bits for saying this on the old forum) is that the improved RTR stuff is to the detriment of mid-range have a go modelling. As an example we've lost all the half-way house Wills body kits to go onto r-t-r chassis, that got people moving beyond first base, taught painting etc. I regularly draw a parallel with soccer, as I see it the loss of things like the old-style Wills kits, combined with improved r-t-p scenics and r-t-r stock, has wiped out much of the middle ground. It's rather like as if in soccer Sunday league is still popular for low-skill players but all the divisions beyond say County leagues and the lowest EFL (Div 2 as now called/Div 4 as was) have gone so better than average but not brilliantly skilled players would have no progression as not good enough for the top four leagues. Top skilled modellers, and Tony is one, still exist but the steadily opening void between them and beginners is lower down. The progression from beginner to expert has become more difficult as, from my perspective, the kits etc., which twenty years ago existed, targetted at the improving beginner/mid-skilled modeller have gone. The clamour for better accuracy killed them off. Back to my poorly running kit, a motorised Dapol rail-bus, I will persevere with it because I have it but if looking at the scenario today why would a current modeller buy the kit? Reason I say that is because better than I will ever get this one painted , even if I get it to run properly, have been done r-t-r. Same with Drewery shunters , I want two more which will probably never be issued r-t-r in the Derwent Valley Rly liveries I want. Kit or r-t-r options both available. The r-t-r/repainted option is quicker and guaranteed to run, even if taking the kit build route will be more satisfying.

But to confuse further on a YouTube video I have just watched the narrator of the DIY video refers to polystyrene block insulation as HDF too.

Big help, thanks.

Used it once decades ago on the first layout I ever built, definitely agree with all the comments above re-use of it for baseboards. NO DON'T!!

If you haven't already found it this site is also worth a look at for texture sheets - https://www.textures.com/ The former Mayang.com site was also good for freebies but seems to have disappeared again. However at least some of the items are on the wayback site if you poll back for the 2016 snapshots. See https://web.archive.org/web/20160229180511/http://mayang.com/textures/ Hope this helps.

A problem I see in the photos above is that the onward extension of the main road beyond the r/h bridge (over the line that Harrogate DMU is coming in from) goes through the roof line of the shed. Not quite sure how you would disguise that other than bringing the road line forward on a curve and putting the gable ends of the sheds behind the road line. If you don't disguise it somehow you will have a very short goods shed. Dabbling with ideas for the buildings etc., on my own small shunting plank currently so facing similar decisions.

On the lamps topic, what lamps would a BR (N E Region) loco shunting an off-route, industrial site side yard carry? I have read that a station pilot had red & white lamps fore and aft, but the book chapter I have to hand on loco-lamps didn't cover yard shunting. I'm surmising that as it would be running as a pick-up goods before the sidetracking exercise into the yard the relevant lamps would be as for a pick-up goods. Any observations welcome.

Having seen this post http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/139337-nem-kadee-couplers-for-uk-stock/ looks like Kadees/Kaydees, like the Sprat & Winkle, are a hassle to fit too. I think this is going to continue to be a hook and hand from the sky layout for uncoupling. However, magnets seem to be fairly cheap, so I may well put some in as future options for the staple method. Such a shame when Tri-ang merged with HDublo they ditched the better option of the PECO couplings; I guess to save the patent fee.

I've been using 1mm piano wire from B&Q inside the springy white coated tube used for hanging curtains. Works fine.

Could you finish the goods area off with a pictorial extension of the sidings using forced perspective? The vans on scene will be static so the perspective trick should work and hide the line behind too. For a prototype big over bridge across the platform ends and over the goods sidings - Bradford Forster Sq.

Two images of the pre-scenery "as built" section. Firstly, what will be the scenic end. Lots of ideas but nothing yet fully finalised. Track deliberately laid to not be parallel to the edges. The stepped edge to the scenic break was in case of a need to fit a point motor (it has needed one) and all to be disguised in due course with a building. The reason for no cork tile or other under track barrier is the line will be finished in a mix of ash ballast and concrete roadway in-fill. Neither needing a noticeable shoulder. Size as measured 1230mm (4ft 1/2") x 310mm (1ft 3/8ths); the source for the base timber was a ready made shelf I had in store, which I am assuming was made/cut to the metric size so that is put first. Fiddle yard end. The long siding will just hold a single coach and 0-6-0T / diesel shunter for a workers train if working to a sequence not just shunting. The centre - two brake vans for a brake-van special or a second, short, loco. The one nearest the camera the head-shunt. My intention is to fit a velcro fastener buffer stop for the inglenook shunting limit, position variable according to length of loco in use.

This layout was started as a quick build for our SLS stand at Warley where it attracted a bit of "have a go" interest but less than hoped. It is also proving more problematic, and complicated in practice, than the pre-build intention. The first write up is on my own website ; however, due to some unrelated issues with the Wordpress installation I haven't been able to update it subsequently on there. Initial intention was as per the photo below In actuality I have added an extra point/siding at the right hand end to allow loco swaps and the long siding has the half curve swapped with one of the half straights to widen the vehicle loading road. The points are currently wire-in-tube but I have bought point motors to fit in the next week or two once everything is finalised. Originally intended to use up track I had in hand (all previously unused apart from the Y), have a single power feed and reliance on the points for isolating the sidings so that there was almost a zero cost to the build it hasn't worked out that way in actuality. The points, a mix of Hornby and Peco Setrack plus the Streamline Y proved hopelessly unreliable for contact and have been converted to semi-live frog so as to reliably connect electrically. The track is currently loose pinned, it runs OK but I have it to wire now so that sidings can be isolated electrically. I have also bought an ironing-board for it to sit on. This will give a quick and easy way to erect and dismantle it as for home use it has to fit into a spare bedroom and be easily dropped and stored in the garage when the room is required for family visits. I still have a few final decisions to make:- where is the panel for the stud/probe and section switches going? under track magnets yes/no - and if yes where to place and what type? which of four/five possible locations, none in reality rail served, in the York area it will become when I get around to starting the scenery. It will almost certainly be a bud, off a twig, off the Foss Islands branch although there are a couple of other options I'm pondering on. The couplings/magnets issue is the key puzzler. Currently I use tension looks and the usual manual hook from the sky. I would like to fit magnets for auto-uncoupling as a future option but which type? Whatever is chosen as the future option creates a need to fit the under-track magnets now, before the final track laying/ballasting is done, even if the actual conversion of any wagons isn't for months. A 1960s style (HD/Tri-ang) coupling converter barrier vehicle will also be needed between loco and the set of wagons converted for this layout if taking this route as they will be used un-modified on passenger sets etc., elsewhere. Standard Hornby Ramps and derivatives. Ugly and no space to fit in the yard throat. (Dismissed completely) Sprat and winkle: I bought a set of S&W etches a few years ago but after starting work on one wagon realised the extent of work required and did not progress conversion. S&Ws do give delayed action when pushing a wagon. (unlikely to be the final choice). The wire staple method: appears to be fairly quick and simple but requires a magnet at every possible dropping off point as there is no delayed action. Kadees: possibly the best option long term with contemporary wagons coming fitted with the necessary pockets to swap. However, where to put them in the sidings is the issue. For propelling moves one under the yard throat is obvious but for splitting stock in the sidings their position is a ? Asking around about Kadee use in practice also suggests the necessary fixed magnets can pull light rolling stock towards the magnets! Do nothing until next layout - remains on the list as it is definitely the easiest option and has no extra costs. Will post a few more pics in a few days. Update: 17 Oct 2021 - Thread title updated.

It was is on YouTube but may have been one of the many coming up as video deleted when you search in compilation lists as I can't find it today. Revised link = Somewhere I'knew I'd seen it in colour and with sound. To find is search for Sheffields railway in the 60`s

The prize suggested would make sense for series two,

AND showing how loud I can turn the sound up to over-scale levels because I can, thus meaning that the steam layout you are looking at next door (in the worst cases several stands away) appears to operating Class 66s at full whine..

Despite my comment earlier I am glad I went. The models on show a mixed bag from entry level upwards, they all had something of interest. In addition I bought a few 2nd hand books and a 2nd hand loco' I've been after for a while (and didn't find at Warley!) so definitely not a wasted trip. However, I do concur regarding the same exhibits, some worth seeing repeatedly, others not on the local circuits and especially with club open days. My wife and I combined the show with a trip to the local farm-shop on the way back so a pleasant Saturday afternoon out.

A plug for a Society free download. Anyone wanting to recreate the SLS special the headboard can be downloaded for free with home printing in various scales. See page http://www.stephensonloco.org.uk/sls_headboards.htm the links to the scales for printing are part way down. Not yet got around to making them a sheet with multiple copies but when time permits will do so. They are accurate as scaled copies from the originals. Copyright SLS: Terms of use = free to use and share as individuals or within not for profit clubs/groups but not for copying or distribution commercially.

Having been to a local club show today I can see exactly what the article was on about; Metcalfeville scenics backed up by a railway populated by models representing 70 years worth of mixed rolling stock. The Metcalfeville is much easier to accept than diesels on a rake of PO wagons. And on another tack don't talk about over loud sound! 10 yards away from a layout, and sitting in the tea bar area, surely you shouldn't be able to still hear it.

Some thoughts on wizarding rail and Kings Cross placed at the end Chap 1 of a Hogwarts Express story are here. https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/40211189#work_endnotes

Wouldn't it just look like a lot like the maroon liveried Hornby Hogwarts Castle but with LMS on the tender instead?

Should posts about a new 4ft x 13” total size layout go here (as a micro) or in the general layout topics? It is a shunting yard inglenook layout in OO. Edit was for a spelling error

Re the gun blue tip above - can you use it on the contact area of pointwork without impact on the connectivity? Considering trying it hence asking the question.

It would for a current run but not for the historic records if those were from a speedo reading. A bit like back in the day when as stupid teenagers we raced cars and bikes to do the ton, the dial said we did but I bet high 80s was probably what we actually got. Much of the argument about records, (even Mallard's actual rather than claimed) is about accuracy in the recorder/recording equipment's data. City of Truro, ridiculously fast for the day, but stop watch timed. Mallard, modern analysis is again confirming it went beepingly fast but probably 1 to 2 mph less than stated. Bill Hoole IIRC wrote about taking an A4 into a high speed situation where it's physical feel was like he'd never experienced before, who knows what that record might have been as he ran very fast regularly so it must have been an exceptionally fast run even for him.

York South end. Full date loco and service details unknown but between June 1972 (moved to York so earliest date likely) and (IIRC) Easter 1977 when I swapped from roll film to 35mm slides. My guess at services is a trans pennine or cross-country service via Birmingham on the left with a York KX on the right. Hoping the signal shapes and positioning help your Sheffield project.

Hi Clive Found a photo in my collection earlier of the platform end colour sigs at York (plus a peak and 47 ready to leave). Heads for three tracks mounted on an unevenly split cantilever arm. Admittedly silhouetted against the sun but I'm happy to post a link to it later if you are still after shapes and styles for the older colour lights. Would have been taken in the early 1970s but I have no exact date other than between summer 1972 (moved to York) and late summer 1977 when camera faults meant I switched from roll film B&W to 35mm.