Rich Papper

Wish I was as fast as you! I do have a small pile of kits to do and some Dapol Grampus and Turbot to fettle, but they never seem to get to the top of the pile. In fairness, I'm quite quick at the building, it's the painting that takes me an age. Rich

Or you could do a parcels 114 and chop them into sections anyway...

Hello Both I had the same conclusion with the WW etches for the 119, hence my slightly labour intensive method with the Hornby 110s as a starting point. Issue is illustrated here: (not my pic - Railcar.co.uk - https://www.railcar.co.uk/type/class-119/ ) Look at the lining under the cab front windows and then an upward wiggle along the sides. You couldn't do this with the WW etches, the bottom edges of the side windows are level with the bottom of the cab windows. You might get away with it in blue/grey but I'd concluded that anything with stripes, NSE in my case, might make the side windows look a bit odd. The DC Kits kit for the 119 had a similar issue, I think because the same side pieces were used for the 114, which does have deeper windows. As soon as you do any of them someone will announce one anyway! Totally with the 115 though. My justification was this pic on Honda Wanderer: (not my pic - http://www.hondawanderer.com/51677_Didcot_North_Junction_1992.htm) Half a 115 on a stopper at Didcot north junction. Meant I could have one on Oxford Road even though I can only fit a three coach length. One day I'll do the other half. Good luck with it. Rich

Thanks for all the colour recommendations. A couple on the shopping list for Warley tomorrow. Last two pictures from last weekend. OR has gone away now until next June. First an admiring glance at 50149 while 47406 ticks over the other side of the hut. Than a distinctly southern feeling at the shed. 33207 one of the rare locos I have that retains tension lock couplings at both ends. Useful for double heading, although would really like a matching partner for it. It's usually found with 33101 in grey. Really looking forward to the trip to Warley tomorrow, despite the early start. Have a small shopping list, but not going to go too crazy as the Bachmann refurbished CEP turned up this week. Thing 1 has his own shopping list. Seems to be keeping his options open, I noted just the word 'engine' on it! Rich

Found it - thanks. Now trying to work out how I could be accidentally passing Halfords on the way home from work. What yellow did you use to match the front?

Having beaten a class 119 out of a Hornby 110, a 114 would probably be do-able - and you can pick them up pretty cheap. A lot easier than a 119 too as the windows would be the right depth. Rich

I had trouble getting the windows out of a Bachmann Mk2f. I cracked two of the door windows, but was replacing these anyway to convert to a Mk2d which have larger ones. Someone did recommend putting the bodyshell in the freezer for a while first, but I'd already done it by then. I think I would have to do a full respray anyway, but L210 will get it's turn. Do need to think about the 101 end, annoyingly I have all the Lima bits but the Bachmann spares website is so easy to use... Rich

That does look pretty stunning. Was it a full repaint Ian, or just the blue? Rich Edit: sorry - muppetry - just realised the headlight is gone.

Could only do it with a local show where I could swap stock on the Saturday night! The NSE livery 117 I am tinkering with the idea of repainting into the lighter blue, but not sure it's worth the faff as I don't have one in the darker one anyway. The plan with the B/G was to use one end and some Bachmann spares to make L210 which means a 116 conversion - couldn't hope to match yours though. The other end I think will be de-motored and become a 121 DTS. No idea for the centre car as yet. A big pile of Underground bits further up the queue at the moment though. As for the 104, am waiting for the Heljan version with interest but after the shenanigans with the PWM I think I'll wait and read some reviews first. And for the price it will have to be a LOT better than the one I have. Rich

Hello Yes, DC kits with the bogies and motor from a Bachmann 108. I do miss DC Kits DMUs, they were great to build and detail. Occasionally one turns up unbuilt on ebay. Rich

Hello All Fantastic weekend at the Thornbury show. Great venue, lovely people and a greater cake selection than I've seen anywhere! Some early gremlins with the electrics (I hope) have been traced. A selection of shots from the weekend. I'll try to find some more general ones later, but rising to Will's challenge: how many DMUs do you really need to operate a layout that's 9' x 1' with one platform? Spotted at Oxford Road this weekend: A class 119 set L588. Comfortable, if a bit sedate in pace: Slightly draughtier and with no corridor to the toilet, a class 115 borrowed from Chiltern: Class 121 L124 glimpsed from the overbridge: A class 128 DPU fills up with fuel before heading back to Paddington: Another class 121, this time L120 still avoiding the toothpaste colours in an attempt to remain classy: Another view from the road above sees class 101 set L207 arriving: Class 117 number L400 appears from beneath the bridge (deputising for the Bachmann one I still haven't weathered!): Class err.... 'Iris' seen at the fuel point. Probably in the area for radio survey work: You can almost hear the rattling from here as class 104 set L703 heads off the fuel point to make up an afternoon service: Another DPU, but more space this time as a class 114 set passes through: Does this count? As much rattling and diesel fumes as the rest, just a difference in transmission for the class 205: Taking the next turn at the fuel point, another scrounge from Chiltern, a class 108: Yet another class 121, this time L131 that has gained the unofficial name 'Rachel': And finally hybrid set L211 puts in an appearance - a class 101 & 121 DTS combination: The frightening thing is I am sure there are more kicking around. I can think of at least a Bachmann 117 in NSE awaiting weathering, a Bachmann 117 in B/G awaiting conversion to other things, and a Lima 117 in heritage green that needs a re-wire - but I can't rule out something else turning up that I've forgotten about. There were other items of rolling stock present. It took most of Sunday, but I did finally manage to get a shot of a pair of 50s in the shed. Next outing is booked for June next year, but my son has a booking for his first layout before then and pretty much anything could appear on that! Stay safe all. Rich

You too Rob, and thanks for the tip about the width of board for the replacement. Not something I would have thought of until I was wedged in a doorway! No further electrical gremlins after the issues around the time the show opened on Saturday. Tried to narrow it down with process of elimination since the layout had run quite happily for hours at home after the Stafford show. In the end best guess is the removal of one of my son's tank engines seemed to solve it. On closer inspection now we're home it looks to me like the area at the top of the smokebox has melted slightly, suggesting the chip has been fried. Not sure why though - more investigation needed. This loco has been no particular problem for years and has run at home and on OR before. Could just be coincidence that it fails just after the failure of the layout at the end of the Stafford show, but will keep thinking on it. Great show this weekend though - more photos later when I get a chance to sort. Rich

View from a bridge.

Feels like it! He's just turned 8. He started it about 6 months ago having picked up a C J Freezer track plans books from the BRM lucky dip at the Bristol show in April. Just a small shunting puzzle style thing. Good for him to learn some techniques. He's probably already better at most of them than me! He's probably safer with the tools than I am too. Rich

I bought one of these and have no complaints: http://www.branor.co.uk/products.htm No connection etc. Rich

Thanks Wayne. Having just dragged all the bits together I do have a bit of a sense of ‘still going’. Really need to start on the replacement but my son is building one at the moment so not a lot of space. Rich

Thanks I’ll try. As this one is quite close to home I might do a bit of a stock-swap overnight to get a few more DMUs an airing. Rich

Best of luck this weekend Ian. I’m out with OR near Bristol. Just piled up everything I think I need! Always love to see some photos if someone gets the chance. Rich

Good Evening All Some wheel cleaning afoot tonight as Oxford Road is out this weekend at the Thornbury and South Glos MRC exhibition - details here. Taking a lot more tools this time just in case. Please do say hello if you're passing. Always interrupt if it looks like I'm concentrating on something, I've probably just snookered myself. Rich

Some interesting class 37 bundles at Rails too: https://railsofsheffield.com/search?q=Bachmann bundle&_kx=eovXrDUpEVrZ0in_9Tx4TX8PfOodDqNguNT3QEZkI7E%3D.RXkVMS&utm_campaign=Bachmann 37 Bundles&utm_id=01HF5267WYH9XGB954BV1RMFNZ&utm_medium=campaign&utm_source=Klaviyo

Hello All Not much to report on the workbench at the moment. Underground battery locos have stalled slightly while I try to figure out the lighting and a way of not boxing myself into a corner for any future shuttle conversions. Looking at using the DCC concepts zen black and ABC boards to automate the Underground when I get around to rebuilding Oxford Road, but am conscious that of the three motorised sets I aim to have by this time next year, each will have the motor in a different place and OR is not long enough for much of a transition between running and braking zones for the ABC modules. May need to rig up a test track before I start anything that's not going to work. In other news, Thing 1 is up to something. Not entirely sure he knows what the finished thing will look like yet, but lots of good bits so far. He's probably safe with all those tools... (...safer than I am anyway!). Rich

Hello All, The Black 5 on the poppy express today. Look after yourselves. Rich

Hello All During a recent trip to Hamburg to visit Miniatur Wunderland I took the opportunity of photographing a few station details that might be of use to someone. I've found myself in the past trawling through Google images trying to find a 'square on' picture of a sign or ticket machine etc. so when I have the opportunity I try to get a few photos to make it easier in future to copy / crop / shrink an image so I can use bits of it - even if just to match the colour of the background of a sign. With that in mind some of these might be of use to someone, or just of general passing interest. All taken in and around Hamburg in November 2023. Lovely place by the way. Rich

Just back from a half term trip over to Hamburg with two small people aged 6 and 8. Spent one whole day at Miniatur Wunderland and could have quite happily spent longer. My wife and I had been for our first wedding anniversary many years ago when we had money and time (now we have children instead). Amazed how much has been added since then - really looking forward to seeing the France and Monaco section completed. I do echo some of what Ron says above - there are aspects of every cliché you can cram into a scene, but the sheer scale of it more than makes up for it for me. The standard of modelling and attention to detail are fantastic. I knew I would have to drag my son away at the end of the day, but my daughter was completely sold on it too. Hamburg fantastic as well - great city. RyanAir from Stansted was pretty cheap booked in advance, good times of day for those with small people. Hamburg Card for travel on S Bahn, U Bahn, buses etc very reasonable for a family. Had a couple of fantastic dinners at the food court at the Hauptbahnhof too. Nice place, will go again when they've built a bit more. I'll let the pictures do the real talking though. Rich

Hello All Sorry, really not keeping up with this very well this year, all manner of reasons (all boring), but we're getting into the season so hopefully get a bit more done. Lets start with some new arrivals. First up is this excellent creation from Revolution. Love it, something I've wanted for years, but cannot for the life of me get the lights to work. I've read through the thread on it, tried everyone's recommendations, still nowhere. Has received a light weathering so it could appear at the Stafford show on Oxford Road, but without the lights I felt a bit daft running it. The Accurascale Siphon has been weathered and taken it's place in a parcels rake. Need to give the couplings some more thought. The rest of the rake uses Hunt couplings, but this chap doesn't like them. There are only a couple of pinch points, but need to find a better solution. Don't mind leaving it with tension locks and putting it on the end of the rake, but will find a way of fitting shorter ones if so. And then finally the long awaited Cookham Manor. Very long time since I've bought a new steamy, but this is the first one I remember as a kid at Didcot Railway Centre going up and down the demo line, and going back with my son more years later than I care to think (place hasn't changed one bit), he has been in the cab - so had to be this one. Runs beautifully. Will get a video at some point. Being a GWSR member I also considered Dinmore Manor, but the black is a bit boring and having re-acquired a black 5 this year I don't really have the space for another 4-6-0. One reason progress has been a little slow on here is because Thing 1 has been working on his first layout. Started when he was 7 (he's just turned 8), so far it is a gluey pile of plywood, styrofoam and cardboard - but I think he may be on to something. If all goes to plan it will be a small shunting puzzle style thing. Trying to keep him to a budget by making or reusing all we can. He's been painting a canal this evening. May start him a thread... Stay safe. Rich