flexible_coupling

The "Thomas" blue one is quite fetching actually... although I quite understand your backpedalling on that colour choice!!

Blue's a good look!

I suspect the power draw on the sound amplifier component is a fraction of that of a motor under power... I could be wrong as I have little experience with "big" motors - but the scaled time-frame (fraction of a second of motor vs. 4 seconds of sound) might actually accurately reflect a similar draw of power... and point to inadequately charged caps or an inadequate capacity.

Not to derail the thread too far, but thanks for that - I'd missed your mod efforts on this loco, I shall apply a few of your ideas to my own Fowler I believe!

I haven't measured/inspected each to see - but I wonder if the buffer heads on the Fowler Diesel can possibly be swapped with that on a Hudswell Clarke? I actually don't know if the Fowler self-contained buffers can be easily disassembled, now I think about it.... hmm.

As someone that picks his up from layby tomorrow morning... I can attest to the lure of the little green (soon to be blue and hopefully S7!) loco. It had been taunting me in the shop window for months!

That's a great little layout design, very cool....

http://www.ozsteam.com/assets/images/non-air_hoppers.jpg Could be a fun scratchbuild project with balsa and plastic section if you made up a few basic jigs.

Very handsome little loco. I've had the recurring bad idea of building an X200 shunter to go with a few of the O-Aust Kits/Waratah Models wagons that keep tempting me. Problem is, I get an equally strong pull in the QR and VR directions... I may yet end up with a bookshelf with multiple small layouts for different parts of the country!!

I cut my teeth out of high school in a civil engineering office.... can't stand a dead-flat baseboard. I've used a rubber/cork hybrid underlay (about 5mm thick) which seems to be a Yank product - but is excellent, and gives me that bit of elevation to shape some authentic drainage between the tracks.

I've used garden-variety PVA, one time when I'd lost the bottle, to similar effect to Microscale liquid glazing. Technique takes a bit to get a handle of but for smaller windows (up to, say, a square centimetre at the maximum), it's quite effective.

The possibility of a fixed hook takes away the last iota of concern I'd had about the Lincs system (for the same reason as previously mentioned - the deep bufferbeam on a Class 03!).....

It's excellent and frightening. I only hope that there's a chance in hell that the kit will be suitably improved on the strength of your efforts.....

Just as a really simple "tweak" for bog-standard models that haven't had anywhere near as much work done to them as this one, giving a matte black finish to the smokebox and chimney sure seems offers a pleasant contrast. Excellent job!!

Could you create some faux builders plates, "shipping-details" clips etc. to cover the screw-heads? The average channel-frame coal wagon seems to have a lot of lumps-and-bumps in the channel that you could re-interpret...

Great stuff - big fan of layouts that break out of the 'big long rectangle' mould, shape-wise. I say that having built myself a big long rectangle.....

Maybe give it a test? I think* the success might depend on the specific type of solder, but I might be clutching at straws there. Links do look good, I'm liking the progress of this wagon!

You don't "need" solder paste to compliment an RSU - but I expect it helps! I've been working with conventional 60/40 flux-cored electrical solder, tinning carefully cleaned brass before using my home-made RSU and the results are fine... applying flux with a fine brush is very helpful if you're going that way. I am actually investing in some solder paste and some lower-melting-temperature solid solder to help out my process - you can cut down a tree with a junior hacksaw, but having the right tools sure do make it quicker, cleaner and easier. Moral of the story.... um...!

The rubbed paint looks great, if you can get a bit more darkness in to vary the grey as it's rubbed through it'll be subtle and authentic. The 'pretty' PO wagons are too early for my layout by a few decades, which is a shame as I always enjoyed my big rake of colourful wagons in my OO modelling days as a kid!

Interested to see if the Micro-Sol does indeed do 'the business' with those Methfix transfers. I was introduced to it a few years ago for regular waterslide decals to get the best key/adhesion and it's great stuff.

I got a little cranky with Templot while drawing up my layout - ended up doing the whole lot in AutoCAD, including sleepering. It was the "hard way", but the tradeoff was being able to use a software package I can (and sometimes do) manipulate in my sleep....

That's very convincing - if a little "clean" - I presume you intend to add coal dust? You've done well with picking out the effective bolt-representing notches, tricks the eye as it should, smartly done!

Although it's not specific to my chosen area, I'm very interested in this loco (Australians such as myself will typically have strong affection for any form of Garratt!) and would happily break geographical boundaries to have one!

The shot linked just below is brilliant - simply for the interpretive dancing that the high quality permanent way forces on the trailing wagons... The shots from inside the shed are delightful to see too. Very interesting and inspiring... http://www.flickr.com/photos/12a_kingmoor_klickr/5773546162/

Looks like a Connoisseur model...?