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ColinK

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Everything posted by ColinK

  1. I usually do the ballasting last, easier to blend i to the scenery and allows you to make track adjustments until the ballast finally goes down. To help with laying curves, someone makes a set of clamps to hold the radius as the track is being laid. I have some somewhere, I think they came from Germany.
  2. I’ve mot been to this show before, but it sounds really good. Planning to go on Sunday if I’m not too tired after my late shift on Saturday.
  3. Been working on similar uncoupler with one of my friends. We found the best solution was to use rectangular brass tube fixed in baseboard (either force it gently into round hole, or fix with epoxy. Then use a rectangular piece of plastic inside the brass for the bit that goes up and down. Then use polystyrene cement to stick the actual ramp on the top. By using rectangular sections the actual uncoupler doesn’t twist round and by using plastic for the uncoupler plate it doesn’t short out the electrics. This method came from suggestions on RMweb and construction of four different prototypes. All are raised and lowered by servos. Megapoints make suitable servo control gear. Heathcote Electronics sell a complete kit, including the ramp raising mechanism.
  4. Two of my friends went and said it was excellent. The Yorkshire Coast Tramway looks terriffic, I really hope it is exhibited again as I would like to see it.
  5. Instead of buying a table saw, consider getting your baseboards from one of the reputable suppliers. I’ve used White Rose at Leyburn and Tim Horn in Norfolk, but there are others such as Hodder & Grainge, plus people like Scale Model Scenery. Some come as assembled boards, others as kits.
  6. ZTC made an extra handset which plugged into the ZTC controller, one of those would be a better solution. There are some around as I sold mine recently.
  7. I’d been after a 104 for years as I was brought up by the Buxton line. Eventually I ordered a 120 and a 104 from Silver Fox. A few days later Heljan announced their 104, so I cancelled the Silver Fox one. I still got the 120 though and it’s very nice. The model shop I use said they have received loads of orders for the Heljan 104, so hopefully it will be a success. If it is it might encourage them to make a 120.
  8. I manged to get a day off and went to Rainford today with my 009 micro layout ‘Fryden Brick’. Has to be the friendliest and most welcoming model railway event I’ve ever been too. Everyone was happy to spend time chatting and sharing ideas, spent far far too much on the two trade stands, plus the best ever bacon butties.
  9. Maybe it would be cheaper to buy some broken second hand bargain Hornby wagons just to get the wheels, rather than buy new wheels.
  10. The Govt will still want to save money, they will just look at cutting something else.
  11. Many thanks idd15 and young37215, your posts are really helpful snd very much appreciated.
  12. Well done. Will be interested to see how you fit the couplings.
  13. Many thanks, the Gaugemaster electric tension lock uncoupler has the actuating rod and a second rod in an attempt to keep it straight, but its not long enough so the whitemetal uncoupling plate usually turns and shorts out the track. It uses a solenoid which is very noisy. The idea of me using a rectangular rod is great, should work better. It might be possible to 3D print a combined rod and uncoupling plate. I just happened to have some square brass tubes that fit inside each other that I’ve used for removable signals on another layout. I know very little about servos, especially how to set the limits of movement. Perhaps someone like Megapoints might have an appropriate servo controller?
  14. I built a 0-16.5 layout of a rail served chocolate factory - just passed it on recently.
  15. I've just finished editing my video of the trip to see the Irish Peat Bog Railways, an amazing 3 foot gauge industrial railway. Just got there in time as some of the bogs stopped production for good last weekend. The whole network is expected to have gone by the end of the year. You can watch the 63 minute video on the link below. Hope you enjoy it.
  16. Intetesting discussion. One of my friends is building a HO and HOm layout, so 16.5mm and 12mm gauges with ‘european’ couplings. We’ve been struggling to find a way of making uncouplers when this thread popped up. Latest suggestion was square brass tube through the baseboard, slightly smaller square brass tube through it, uncoupling plate (brass, plastic or 3D printed) on top, servo under the baseboard to push the ramp up. But we’ve no kniwledge nor experience of using servos. Happy to be DC or DCC operated.
  17. I prefer to scribe the DAS when it’s still wet. For the horizontal courses I just use a long strip of thin plasticard across the full width of the building, while for the vertical courses just jab a short piece of plasticard (or screwdriver). Once it’s dry just a light sanding and it’s ready for paint.
  18. I like the plan, especially the station on the left hand side.
  19. Some interesting ideas for modelling there, and the modular layout should make it easier to make them. Anyone for a 58 with a single cab in the middle?
  20. I was on that Western trip, sad the way it ended.
  21. Nice video, thanks for sharing. Good to see the NCB coaches and goods trains. I must get back there sometime. PS Just spent most of the last two days editing my video of the Irish Peat Bog Railways and its still not finished.
  22. You could park a breakdown train on it, or some condemmed wagons.
  23. I’ve been following your articles on your railway in Narrow Lines, looks like great fun to operate.
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