cravensdmufan

Railways are a nuisance aren't they?!

Give him that red herring for his tea!

Hi Vecchio, Just found your topic - very interesting and potentially useful for me as I have had a good few masts in a box in my garage, so this has got me thinking about OHLE again - yet another project to consider during self isolation! Thanks for posting.

Are you absolutely sure it's the cat causing those "tiny pinprick spots"? I can understand there may be a few scuffs or even very light scratches caused by claws. But holes seem unlikely to me. I had a similar issue years ago when I used to use a station car park right next to the GE main line. After a few months I noticed tiny brown pinpricks - I realised, rather too late, it must have been brake dust eating into the paintwork. A couple of years later I lived in a road with lime trees, and had to park it on the street - sap caused a similar problem of paint contamination. I was always kinda unlucky with my parking areas! Could yours be something similar? The cat could be a red "herring" (which I sure he would like for his dinner yum yum ) Sorry, can't really suggest a filler - I suspect a professional respray of the bonnet may be your only realistic option.

That's very strange about CV29 SImon. I never had problems with CV29 before. Maybe do a decoder reset CV8=8 and try and do CV29 again. You'll also have to change those other CVs again of course. I believe the Railroad 31 is a different animal and has a single power bogie and different motor, so you'll have to play about with the CVs. But generally those CVs you changed for the super detailed loco will be the same ones you'll need to change for the Railroad loco albeit probably with different values. It's all trial and error with TTS decoders but superb running can be achieved eventually. Certainly worth the effort when you consider the price.

Ah, great. I'm delighted it's running well. CV29 changes can be made as per Hornby's instruction sheet. The 2mm org calculator as mentioned by beejack is very useful - I have that bookmarked and always use it when setting up a new decoder. It's always best to turn DC running off on TTS decoders as if you don't the loco can sometimes suddenly shoot off at full speed after a short circuit has occurred on the layout! Just out of interest, what DCC system are you using please Simon? I was always curious whether my CV settings would work well with other systems.

Hi Simon, All 3 of my Hornby 50s that I've retro fitted with TTS now run super smooth at all 128 speed steps using the following CV's: CV3=35, CV4=20, CV29=34 (that turns DC running off), CV150=1 (that's the really important one!), CV153=215, CV154=0. Those CVs all work really well with my NCE Powercab, (which has been upgraded to 5amps) for most Hornby and Bachmann diesels that I have fitted with TTS chips (over 20 in all). HTH and let us know how you get on. Edit: And I haven't needed to remove any suppressors from any loco yet.

PM sent.

Another good informative article written by again Mr Geater supported by relevant photographs (liked the one woth the new colour light in front of the semaphore). How refreshing to see accurate reporting of railway matters in a newspaper. All too often press reports are quite general and supported by wrong imagery - sometimes not even the type of train they are talking about! Maybe Mr Geater is interested in railways - maybe he's a member on here?! Anyway, fair play to the East Anglian Daily Times for keeping the public accurately informed about their local railway.

For a newspaper, a well written article with a very nice selection of photos I thought. Thanks for posting the link.

Jim, yours sounds "normal"! 3mm is about what both my locos move. As long as the bogies stay level when you hold the loco up. It's when one of the bogies really drops down at one end - that's when the mount has fractured; then back to Bachmann (via your dealer) for repair. Hopefully yours will remain OK.

Quick questions for bus experts out there: Never managed to travel on the Eastern National X10 Southend to London express service when it was operated with reverse livery cream/green FLF's I always wondered why the rear windows of the downstairs saloon were fitted with opaque glass - and why was the rear window of the upstairs saloon only half glazed? Were they fitted with more powerful engines, being as they were for limited stop express use? IMO these vehicles always looked really smart in their cream livery and shiny hubcaps. Would be really interested to learn more about these. I think EFE did a version which I must look out for. Thanks! Here's a photo of a preserved one showing the windows I'm talking about: https://www.flickr.com/photos/mikesbusphotos/3962829973/ Edit: Can't believe it - just found an audio clip of one!:

Good few nice photos of Eastern Nationals here: https://flickriver.com/groups/eastern_national_omnibus_company/pool/interesting/

This one pictured at Clacton in 1978, according to the pier poster, even made it in service to carry the "double N" NBC logo along with it's lovely original Tilling cream/ green livery: https://images.app.goo.gl/K7n1sMRLPX8DCuhf9 IMO (NBC white / apple green as in Johann's photo above didn't suit quite so well, nonetheless fair play to NBC for keeping them running as long as they did. I guess it must have been worth their while - passengers loved them. And here's another pictured in Southend in 1968 also looking great: https://images.app.goo.gl/g36tLKMy9QYwg7aK6 Eastern National had style! Great that some open toppers along with other old buses are beautifully preserved. Looking forward to attending future bus rallies again someday.

Yes very fast, and comfortable too. NSE refurbishment totally spoilt them IMO. I remember as a boy standing in the vestibule where the units were joined together. You could see straight into the drivers cab and I watched the speedo which was often in the high 90's! Anyway, back to buses. Those K's with sunken gangway and bench seats upstairs were interesting. I seem to remember the Brentwood ones had folding doors on the rear platform, something our LD's didn't have, unlike Eastern Counties.

Ah, this topic is bringing back so many memories! As well as a love of railways, I was enthusiastic about buses too. I used to visit Eastern National depots (and Eastern Counties when I could - Granny lived in Norwich) and my "bible" was this little book:-

Yes Izzy, I remember those nice ENOC open deckers at Clacton, and very smart they looked too. As a treat one or twice each summer my Mum and Dad took me to Clacton on for the day by train (Class 309 in maroon livery from Shenfield, "front 4 cars for Kirby Cross, Frinton and Walton, rear 6 cars for Clacton"). Highlights of the day were a ride on the open deck bus, and lunch at Cordy's restaurant on the seafront. White tablecloths and waitresses in black dresses and white aprons. Wonderful memories.

Yes, I'd forgotten about the luggage racks. And were the seats slightly more reclined than normal buses? Maybe I'm imagining that! They were really smart in their original livery. But IMO spoilt when transferred to NBC/LCBC. I'd love to see one in preservation one day. Might have to wait a while though.....

Ha! Yes, I actually bought one of those 150s back in the day. Must have had a mad moment; IMO one of the worst models ever produced! It barely ever got on the layout! I found it a couple of years ago buried away and almost forgotten about so I put it on the 'bay starting at 99p. Amazingly made just over £60!

I think this model started off as a Dapol product (can't be 100% sure - others will advise). But looking at photos it wouldn't look good next to a Hornby 153 - there's no comparison really. I would say even worse than Lima 156 (which I think is still pretty good for it's day actually except IMO now overpriced by Hornby). https://www.hattons.co.uk/489159/hornby_r2108_po10_class_155_super_sprinter_2_car_dmu_in_west_yorkshire_pte_livery_pre_owned_dcc_/stockdetail.aspx Strangely it looks slightly better in the WYPTE Metro livery than it did in Regional Railways!: https://www.hattons.co.uk/83213/hornby_r2162b_ln_01_b_r_sprinter_class_155_57317_52317_pre_owned_like_new/stockdetail.aspx

Keep it here I think. Nice to follow a project from it's inception and research stages. As you are the OP, I wonder if you can add some tags like model bus, Eastern National, scratch build etc? I'm not sure if you can retro tag. I'm sure Andy Y could advise and help. Or change topic title to include scratch built model?

Thanks for that information - 11.3 litre engines! That's amazing! No wonder they romped along. I'm enjoying this thread - apologies to OP gobber, we have moved slightly on from the early 60's and into the early 70's. But at least we're still in Essex!

Traffic lights there in my time in the late 60s/early 70's. The traffic light hold ups were beneficial if I just missed my connection for the 252. Could leg it round the corner and still catch it at the stop in Ingrave Road (outside that toy shop, can't remember the name!).

Yes those RCL engines had a lovely sound. I think they were 6 litre AEC (what would Greta say?) There is an RCL preserved - I wonder if it has that lovely original engine. I know most RMs were re-engine with Leylands in latter years. Always sounded rough to my ear. Give me an AEC any day. But I think AEC finished.

Used to play school cricket on the fields opposite the London Road Garage. I had more interest in buses than sport. In fact I used to bunk off school football and hop on the 251 and go down to Southend for the spin. Filled the afternoon nicely. My parents never did find out (I think!). But the teacher must've known I was missing most weeks - and never told anyone. Can't begin to imagine that happening nowadays....