James37501

Is the armoured one the Meridian/Mosskito kit? (Sorry if you’ve already said and I’ve missed it)

Yes, it's the Mosskito kit.

James, Good evening. Your Simplex locos look great. I am currently thinking of building some sort of dual guage 009 / 00 layout later next year. I have been looking for Simplex locos for sale. There dont seem to be any apart from the ones you have bought and certainly no ready to run ones. Can they be made to run DCC do you know ?

Thanks Stephen, unsure on the DCC question, there's a protected simplex in 009 on ebay at the minute, though that's on a old chassis by the looks of things. AFAIK there isn't another available in 009 but the kit does go together really well, it's an easy build and the Tomytec motor is a good runner. The 009 Simplex's that are 3D printed are great but you need to be able to add weight and find a chassis small enough to accept the body and additional weight, which is where I've somewhat failed with mine.

Best of luck with the building of your layout!

Does anyone have a RAF version of the 009 Baguley kit they’d be willing to part with?

I’d consider anything built, part built, unbuilt etc...

Price would have to reflect condition of the kit and how much work I’d have to do to it.

I have used it over Halfords primer without any problems

Thank you!

The Tamiya looks like a good match. I am slightly wary about using Tamiya’s spray paint as it is a synthetic lacquer. Does anyone have any experience of applying over acrylic primer, and on compatibility with other paints?

Does anyone possibly have a good paint match for the military green colour seen below - looking preferably for something in a rattle can, and hopefully acrylic!

Very nice. Will the incline actually work?

Yes, evaluating options for how it will work at the minute, but the plan is for the wagon to go up and down the incline!

I promised a layout update and here it is.

This is my representation of the incline at Far Ings, the actual incline bit is currently in build but I finished the pug mill building this afternoon.

Made using South Eastern Fincast brick sheets which are very nice indeed and have varied different brick bond styles, and Wills pantile sheets with some drinking straw ridge tiles, will be in for painting tomorrow, but couldn't resist having a quick position on the layout, just to check thing over and see how it will look when done!

At the bottom of the incline is a very muddy Hudson skip!

It all looks OK, there is a fairly loose part to the chassis although this seems to only be there to support the box body it comes with. If it’s not too much trouble could you take a close up picture of your chassis (side and underneath). I just need to check that everything is clipped together as it should be but I don’t have another one to compare it to.

Thanks

Might be a bit difficult, it's passed my running tests so it is stuck in there semi permanently. Sorry.

How did you find the running qualities of the Tomytec straight out of the box? I’ve recently got one and it seems to not run very well in one direction unless pressure is applied to the top of the motor, so I’m wondering if the tension has gone there (a problem I once experienced on another loco) or if I damaged something taking the plastic cover off the main chassis, which was more difficult than I expected. I know with some of these small chassis that they actually need more than the supplied weight to run smoothly but I’d just like to check as if I’ve got a duff one I probably still have time to swap it.

Mine ran reasonably well out of the box, when adding the white metal body on the chassis with everything else removed it provided enough weight to keep it in contact with the power source.

Try taking it apart again and putting back together, ensure that everything's looking as it should.

Another loco joining the fold is this Ruston! It's due glazing, some weathering and potentially a wooden platform on the side of the frame allowing a driver to stand and perhaps a travelling crewmember too.

Whilst I've just painted a Peco Skip in a very Alan Keef shade of orange...

Look forward to seeing your finished representation of the tile works at Barton. The works are still there but no narrow gauge railway now only about 20ft of2ft gauge track across the car park! Have you seen the Hull MRS layout 'Barrowfleet'? Based a bit further along the Humber bank?

Peter

Thanks Peter.

It'll be a slow burner project, between work and other commitments.

Barrowfleet is amazing and I hope that the layout I am building will have half of the feel, detail and atmosphere of the Barrowfleet - I've only recently seen it in the flesh and it's even better to see in real life.

I've never really seen a layout project fully through (I've had to rip so many out because of house moves etc...) this one is small and modular enough to be something that can be moved and despite limited "play value" exhibited.

Starting work on the buildings soon, so they'll be some layout updates shortly.

I have ordered a Simplex and Tomytec HM01. The latter is coming from Japan where I bought my three Katos from for other 009 locos.

The Tomytec is a good motor. I hope yours makes it through without being stung by a customs and royal mail handling charge!

You need to buy an adapter plate for the Tomytec too!

A symphony of Simplexes.

A Simplicity of Simplexes?

Both very good suggestions and show some alteration!

Had to go and collect and pay a customs charge on a parcel from Japan today...

This means however my Tin Turtle is now running!

Is there a collective term for Motor Rail Simplex locomotives??
Simpli (pronounced Simp-ply)

A pandemonium/ostentation/unkindness/flock/rasp of Simplex's...?

Anyhow whatever it is, I'm starting to get one...

This is all looking very good. How big is the layout going to be? Will you just be running one skip as in the last days of Far Ings or a few more?

The layout boards are about A3 paper size. So quite compact. The layout is just a representation of the real thing so not to scale. I will be running with one or two skips.

My other project in mind is completely fanciful and will run with around three skips and one loco.

Really like your loco's James. Looking forward to seeing the layout develop.

Steve.

Thanks Steve.

It will be a slow progress one, probably focusing on one board then the next. Will have to fit around my work life too!

I have a soft spot for Motor Rail Simplex locos. But I’m planning to try and model some other motive power types!

I have another compact layout in mind too which will be based around a contracters hire railway in an unlikely setting — something which has happened in the past, but in my case the layout is completely fanciful.

J.

Here is a little plan of what the layout is going to be and look like - though the motive power is not prototypical, I am planning a representation of the clay pit and tile works at Barton upon Humber (Far Ings)...

The boards will have a central fiddle yard between the two.

Looks very good. That's a nice shade of green you've painted it in too.

Thanks Luke, the shade is grass green by Humbrol -- most of these were green from photographs I've seen, obviously heading into further roles they got painted in various liveries. I wanted this one to look like a new owner had painted it in the closest green paint they found, a number of years ago, and it has been through several owners since then! 

Well with a little bit of cutting away some plastic and a light sanding I have completed my cabbed simplex, it's not perfect but I'm happy and proud of what I've achieved.

Wasn't so bothered about the grainy finish, I wanted it to look like a well worked example where the paint had bubbled and oxidised.

Perhaps one that is awaiting a would-be preservationist to see her working away and asking for first refusal when the time comes!

it did require a bit of chopping to get it to fit the chassis in the body

Could you possibly share what you did to get a good fit please Tom?

I don't want to go it it with all the finesse of a scrap merchant and have to get another printed!!

It’s so teeny! Will the chassis fit under the bonnet alright?

It fits in a fashion a lot better than I originally thought it would — however will need a bit of fettling to get a good fit.

Well the still distinctive UPS van pulled up today (then the Royal Mail van - seconds apart, I thought there was going to be some sort of turf war!), delivering a nice 3D print from Shapeways of a Simplex of the cabbed variety.

I've had a book since I was a lot younger with the Leighton Buzzard railway in, so that's somewhat influenced my two initial motive power choices.

Also coming from Japan was one of these World Craft Company Chassis', yes, it's very compact, but has four wheel drive and is a really good runner when tested this afternoon so far.

A quick phone picture to show these together - I think they'll be a few post work sanding and primer sessions to try to get the body as smooth to the naked eye as possible.

The 3D print is from TeeBee Models, and is excellent!

I love the rust effect you've got there.

Thank you!

This is a tried and tested method using powders and humbrol's “decal fix” solution.

Nice work!

Thank you sir, hopefully another Simplex coming soon of the cabbed variety, and a layout in the offing - that's if the baseboards I've ordered arrive!