john new

Look closely at the problem, is it the track or the loco's bogie? Testing principles are a step by step process to steadily eliminate causes until the actual problem is located/fixed. Is it, as I found, the check rail isn't checking or the pony truck on the loco? Is that the only rogue loco and do your other 2 Halls do the same thing? If the former a simple bit of card blue-tacked in place to extend the check rail will identify the fault (why I replaced the rail). If the latter some thoughts, if it is your only failing loco is the back to back correct, if the mounting arm has a joggle is it installed the right way up/right way round?* I have some derailing wagons, found to be that they have wrongly gapped wheels. Probably not a track fault but I have yet to reset the wheels to establish that. Assuming the wheel set is correct you will need to possibly add some weight or alternatively fit some extra springy bits to the leading bogie to steady/guide it. * observation, does the bogie also derail if going through running tender first or only if leading in?

I know I saw it at Beaulieu many, many years ago, (pre-1972 when we left the area) but have no real memory of it, so whilst it may have been big, it can’t have been that impressive to me as a boy.

Quite likely, one of the decisions when I first started this particular quick build was just to use track bits I had in stock from earlier purchases so it was zero initial cost. The Y point on the layout is an old PECO one maybe even from the 1970s as it has been on a few previous layouts! It was built to be a public shunting plank option at an exhibition. After the show I decided, as it was portable, and I have limited space in the house, I could use it as a test piece for trying various things like DCC and also for general modelling. One thing learnt is that the old one’s were in fact much better built, three of the newer one’s* have had to have the switch blades soldered to copper clad sleepers as the fixings were too weak. (Recovered from my grandson’s train set and swap replaced for him) * not used in this, problem more recent.

The key issue I found, hence my cutting off the moulded one and replacing the rail, was that the start of the plastic moulded check rail was after the place where the wheel set began to move sideways and needed to b checked. The point in question is part of a pair feeding three sidings and as the lead wheel set came out of L/H point one towards the next frog (Another L/h) it was OK if going left (The third road). However, if that was then set for going straight ahead into the centre/second siding the wheels did not centre in time and therefore the left hand wheel hit the frog nose, rode up and derailed the bogie. (first noticed testing with my Hattons Class 66) The check rail lengths and positioning may have been a prototypical piece of modelling by Hornby, unfortunately, they needed lengthening in the real model world in order for them to actually work as check rails. The drawback to narrowing the flange-way gap is that some older wheel sets will then stick. There may be other solutions, that one worked for me.

Sketch very roughly what you think might work onto an old flattened cardboard box or cereal packet. If you like the look of it in situ on the layout then design something more final. An example of mine. not yet progressed as I didn't like some aspects of it, to show what I mean as the technique. Zero cost apart from a bit of glue.

I recall they did - BRMSB (or similar initials) set a good standard. Meccano used that for their Hornby-Dublo range, other manufacturers used a courser standard. The market place decreed the latter won out long term. Same with the tension lock coupling, H/D, Trix, Playcraft all used the PECO designed and patented knuckle coupler, but commercial reality meant the market decreed the success of the alternative.

Same problem with a straight/LH - my fix is described here. I found that Hornby's frog design problem was compounded by a check rail that doesn't actually check a wandering wheel, hence my fix with a new one of those!

I can’t remember the year but one year I was on the SLS stand at Warley, and when I looked back at the show in memory a few days later, of the other stands only the always impressive G1 live steam and the Lego trains had made any impression. There are a lot of extremely well made, but samey clone layouts around currently.

There are many reasons for going to those over and above seeing friends etc., just three:- a badly done, but good idea, can still be interesting, perhaps even inspiring new thoughts for you. Beginners layouts enable beginners to think I can do that too. IF, you think you could/can do better it may send you away to have a go at trying to do better. I hope over the years I have progressed in skills and knowledge a little bit beyond basic but at times I get boggled by the level of knowledge some people on here know about the minutiae of aspects of workings, stock dimensions, types and diagram numbers etc., etc. Plus the watchmaking skills they bring to making things.

With an Oxford P3/J27 loco on pre-order (delayed) the most useful thing would be the sort of progress bar that Hattons did for a while on the progress of their new items. I don’t mind models being delayed, and currently plenty of reasons why that might be, but not knowing how things are progressing/when the £ cost will hit my account is an irritant. With preorders from 3 different companies (Oxford, Hornby & TMC) , currently all delayed, the lack of progress is frustrating. Commercial constraints probably account for it, so understandable. The Hornby one particularly annoying as it is only a livery change release, the base model has been out for ages.

Back in from the weekly Sainsbury’s run. Thanks for the responses one and all. Since posting earlier I have just realised that in all the years I have had to tweak back to backs this is the first set that I remember being set too narrow to gauge (wheels to be moved out) rather than being too wide to gauge and needing a gentle squeeze in. Pot luck I guess, either that or, being older (and hopefully wiser), I now think the job a bit more carefully through before action. I suspect in the past I may have just tapped the axle ends gently with a small panel pin hammer and hoped for the best! A logical bulk production manufacturing process would be pressing the wheels inwards on to the axles to make a wheel set, perhaps with a central stop block in the tool: not quite far enough on from loss of pressure is therefore potentially more likely as a b-2-b fault.

Based on an informative comment recently about SR coaches, and how much there is to learn, perhaps the range goes from - Oh look it is steam/look at the cho choos. nice looking coaches, why are they green when those over there are red? glad to see they are running typical SR 3 coach sets with an end number. Would they be MK1s by (insert date?) not those old Maunsells/Bullieds? Pity the centre coach in that 3 car set is the wrong way round. I would have scored circa 3 to 3.5. I know which coach is which for 4 but not scrapping dates or detail formations.

A modelling question for the experts on here - I recently found one or two of my wagons were derailing through a set of points. Checking identifies it is the b-2-b on them that is out not a track fault, they are too closely spaced on the axle. (Even the go half of my ancient but reliable C&L go/no gauge won't fit into the gap). What techniques do people use to widen them out evenly? Putting them over not quite closed vice jaws and tapping the axle is obviously going to wreck the pin point so a non-starter - some form of gap expander?

When it appears right, yes concur. Copenhagen Fields like @Northmoor mentioned works. I often don't notice the trains on it the scene is so enthralling. That is mainly though because the colours are right. There was a layout on YouTube recently mentioned by a magazine as a must watch - scenery excellent and weathered nicely (hope mine gets to be as good) with bog-standard r-t-r stock straight out of the box. The fact the scenery was good made the stock look even more obviously train-set.

An interesting observation as I find what 'grips' varies show by show and perhaps some layouts are best kept as magazine features. I also find that when you are at shows as an exhibitor/trader, therefore with far less time to see things, the same factor that applies in advertising theory applies. As you walk past there is a very short time to get your attention versus what causes you to walk on, as a paying visitor with a full day available, you can look closely and then savour (or not) the details. That said though, even with time, something needs to make you want to stay and watch, for many that is movement, therefore seeing the trains go past ; there are modellers who feel that the cameos like a house fire and flashing yellow lights do it. They are undoubtedly noticeable, whether they make you stay or walk on is ......????? An example - I remember being at Warley one year when Lime Street was there. Stunning architectural modelling and best seen in the period before the show opened when we were in the hall early for breakfast. Viewed as a static model with no punters in the way it gripped, later in the show crowds round, you couldn't see it properly and the trains were hidden. Had I been there as a paying customer I would probably have been disappointed by it as visually it was fairly dead when you couldn't get close enough to see the architectural details (other than possibly a chunk of over-roof past someone's shoulder) or view it as a whole due to the distracting view blocker crowds. Another example (I won't mention the layout's name) made by a leading modeller and revered was, when I finally saw it, one of the most boring layouts for overall interest I've ever seen in the flesh. I am not slagging off the modelling, I wish I could model to his standard, but to me it had no grip factor when seen, nor would it have had any great operational interest if you owned it. Conversely, seen as photographs in MRJ, with history of the company etc., and in books with the 'how I did its" added it was interesting! A model of somewhere quiet in the middle of nowhere.

Look up Celtic FC, training break in Dubai. Still defending it and saying they did nothing wrong, that may be technically true but hardly a responsible attitude to take when your organisation is probably seen as a role model by many. NB Several days later there was an apology made.

Harder going as you are finding, mainly due to the lack of face to face contact with family and friends. Over 12 months now since my wife and I saw her sister (other than by Zoom) and about 5 months since we saw our other relatives in person. No hugs and cuddles with our grandchildren, daughters, my sister and my Mother. All very hard and depressing.

My point was perhaps unclear. I know of self-employed people in the entertainment sector who are getting zero offered despite the fact the government has the information available to calculate a figure for what they have declared they were earning, or for paid employees even casuals, that which employers should have recorded as having paid them. True, those who have under declared and worked off the books would take the consequences but that was their gamble at the time.

What has surprised me regarding the issues of the self employed/gig workers and furlough , no grant aid etc. is HMG should know via tax and national insurance contributions and the like what people earn PAYE/declare. Re beauty spots, we are extremely lucky enough that work brought us to live at the coast in what is now an internationally recognised World Heritage Site. The crowds do get thickish here on the island but, even currently without the massive influx of summer tourists, if only a % of the 10k island residents decide either a walk at the Bill or down on the Chiswell Esplanade is their exercise answer - on a sunny day it gets (over?) crowded. (Monday was like that). All within guidelines. What a lot argue would be good down here is stopping second homers occupying, I concur to a point; not if they come once and stay put but definitely if they are still commuting for just weekends. That has been alleged but I have no personal proof it is true.

Has that changed for everything? Used to be the case that if it was originally UK made and exported (no tax paid) you had to pay UK tax on it if it came back to UK.

Yesterday (moved from wrong thread) Looking for a lost part that probably fell off the workbench - result complete empty and tidy of the tool box and another box (electrical cable stocks etc.) as both were open and next to /below the workbench. Sadly part not yet found! Not expensive to get replaced but annoying. The positive - something else that fell off the bench and had been missing did turn up in the tidy so one less item of spares to reorder

We are beginning to see DJM models 2nd hand and some are still on sale as new stock. How reliable are these models? The follow up question is are replacement fittings for the things likely to fail, such as motors, available because they were standard components still available from 3rd parties, or were they bespoke designs to DJM therefore any future failure will require a chassis rebuild? I am tempted by an O2 to go with Kernow's LSWR gate stock as they ran locally, although the branch closed well before I moved here, but I don't want to buy something that will be a b****r to fix in the event of motor problems.

Ordered, it had to be YOYLI in final livery with sound. The garden circuit round the pond will be reverberating to the sound of a Deltic (track and timber bought - it is my lockdown project for the early-Spring) plus my sound fitted 66 and the class 20. I am just hoping that my pre-orders which were placed on deposit only don't arrive and hit the bank at the same time! Still outstanding are the Hornby 0-4-0 DVLR Jim, Oxford's BR P3/J27, SMC's G5, Locomotion's Hardwicke and this one. (Two fully paid for - the rest deposit/pre-order only).

Ex-works?

My wife and I (67 & 68) have a mix of reasons for undertaking some shopping in person (food, village pharmacy and the village post office) with pretty much everything else on line these days. Also we have reverted to less frequent bigger Supermarket trips for foodstuffs to minimise risk supplemented by the village convenience store for milk etc. We also avoid some stores for the food shops as the adherence to social distancing by customers varies tremendously. My elderly mother (97) also has a mix - mostly delivered from a village store using telephone ordering with a few items she can't get that way bought by bus trips into the nearest small town [since COVID arrived also with support bubble help from my sister]. That is how it always used to be when I was a lad in the 1950/60s, but the difference now is it is a car/van delivery not a lad on a bike. On the other hand my sister (66) does use on-line ordering for food a lot. With your comment on food shopping by internet on-line deliveries being an old - v - young thing therefore I agree it is probably a generational thing - for us we want to see what we are getting and can vary planned meals according to what the shop has. Whether that is just because as older people we always have done it that way who knows, but it is not exclusively so. As for phone orders an old established system that has worked for decades.