ROSSPOP

Yeah ! But it`s very watchable.....I`ve got it on DVD and quite like it........... I`ll raise you...... Jonah Hex Josh Brolin Megan Fox

With Steam trains...... Butch Cassidy and The Sundance Kid.............. Paul Newman and Robert Redford.

The Searchers....... wait for it.... John Wayne. Son Of Paleface Bob Hope Jane Russell John

The Outlaw Josey Wales............ Clint Eastwood John

Unfortunately having moved over from 4mm to 7mm modelling for the past decade , that is all too common and will be demonstrated this weekend at GOG Spring show where there will be masses of quality O Guage trade stands ( sadly without JLTRT, I shall miss them) but only 4 layouts, three of which are mediocre........... in my opinion,of course.....

Oh Yes...... Provided you gained your O levels..... if you were poor... you got a Grant from your local council Those were the days......... ....er so the tax payer paid for my hobby........... oops!

So... when I was a poorly poorly paid student in the 1970`s.... I saved up for one Kay`s complete GWR loco kit and one length of 00 track ( already had an old H&M Clipper controller) It took months to glue it/screw it together and eventually got it to run reasonably well with perseverance (and not the etched kit variety) Then I was inspired by a single advert and photo of an etched Mallard Models GWR Duke kit....saved a bit more for an Antex soldering iron, Bakers Fluid, and some cheap solder from Safeways (remember them?) Determined to build it ....I taught myself to solder on an old dinner tray at the kitchen table...... took ages. Are inspiration and determination out of date these days ????

I had a feeling that the low price O Gauge RTR market would attract more modellers into this scale..... and I feared that eventually this would affect some of the kit manufacturers..... So I sold all that I could on Ebay since 2015 and bought all the loco and coach kits for my retirement and got down to building the loco`s at least.......... And bought this five months ago.....phew So....Im alright Jack........

Thankyou Much appreciated sir Waiting for this long winter to go, so I can get on with more of it..... John

Hi Hayfield Don`t bother with Draper I can recommend Antex products.... used them for years. For 7mm coaches and locos you will need HP 40w and HP 80w and occasionally a little gas blow torch and a selection of fluxes and solders plus a tip cleaner Cheers John

Thanks again I did get on with quite a bit over a four year period......... John

1970`s Precision post 1928 GWR green. Thinned for airbrushing with El Cheepo White Spirit 2012 Job done !! 1970`s Precision GWR coach cream and GWR coach brown. Thinned with Xylene thinners (which is quick drying) and airbrushed 2015 no probs.......!!! John

Ta muchly.... S`posed to be COLE station signal box John

I see you are from Bedfordshire Theo, as a long time absent Bedfordian and a long time 4mm and now 7mm DCC kit build fanatic who does`nt use any `stay-alive` gubbins I would say you have possibly poor track laying and poor loco pickup issues. (both aggravated by unsprung/compensated loco chassis) Poor pickups will cause arcing between pickups and wheels which will produce black gunge buildup. So, select a length of track, clean it as you normally do. Select a loco, clean it, check all pickups are where they should be and are in constant contact with the wheel ( particularly if there is axle sideplay) get yourself some Peco PL-64 Power Lube .....apply a TINY SPLIDGOEN of power lube to the backs of wheels/picups..... and see the massive improvement..... and remember 90% of domestic dust is from human skin !! so when operating wrap up in a couple of bin bags !!!! JOhn

These pics might help????? In model form If you stand on one leg, close one eye and squint, smlie and think of England you can just see the rear cut-out on this one. and this one

Unfortunately, DCC will never be able to improve on any example of an overcomplicated chassis mechanism and if a coreless motor is included then tweaking of `very few` CV`s may be required. It also depends on the quality of the decoder being used and it`s motor control abilities. DCC is only complicated if you make it so....... Sorry I hav`nt any 4mm Auto -tanks.... but with a good old fashioned chassis mechanism where the coupling rods actually do the work they are intended to ...... you might be missing out on the wonders of true DCC.......... Having said all that...... this the best example of this 4mm model I have ever found...and it`s DCCCCCCC..... john

Thanks Tim, All scratch built using Greenscenes plasticard products and a bit of `guessometry` from photographs....... John

Sorry I hav`nt got any LNER models Tony , but I have always been and remain an avid loco kitbuilder. I think this counts as an old fashioned XO4 type motor (actually it is a Japanese KTM) inside a recently completed 1970`s 7mm whitemetal Pug kit. I think DCC (using a quality decoder) makes these old motors function even better than expected....... .https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltiTolPzhsU regards John

Do not be afearred !! Malc There will always be 7mm loco kits, because in my opinion a half decent lovingly hand built kit will ( from a decent kit designer that is) will always look more realistic and perform better than mazak/plastic ( entry price)RTR models. I often wonder who gets to fix the RTR locos when their chassis/motors `bite the dust` It might be that some enterprising kit producer might design a replacement chassis kit . So far:- FINNEY 7 MODERN OUTLINE KITS (MOK) JUST LIKE THE REAL THING (JLTRT) SLATERS GLADIATOR MODELS 88D MODELS DJH LAURIE GRIFFIN MINIATURES WARREN SHEPPARD. All going well with loco kits. Plus a couple from the `on the strap` department HATCHETTE PARTWORKS. but just like 4mm there are too few 7mm coach kit providers........

I could`nt find any suitable S&D barge boards in my 4mm S&D days. So it`ll be out with the plasticard etc I`m afraid...... Regards John

ZIMO........... DIGITRAINS.............. Cheers John

Just a thought......... To stiffen and prime paper and card....... good old ,but effective,.......... SHELLAC..... John