thegreenhowards

Some of you will remember the lovely J69 I built from a 3D printed kit produced by my friend @woko. Well the trouble with 3D printed kits is that they can be fragile…especially if you’re a stupid oaf who puts his rolling road on a bookshelf and then knocks it off while searching for a book! I’m happy to report that it wasn’t a complete write off. I found most of the parts and have glued it back together. I had to replace some bits with brass which is no bad thing. It now looks like this (the roof is ok - just not attached). I now need to try to blend in the paintwork as I don’t want to have to redo all my lining. I think it may need a heavier weathering than before!

I think the best write up of the point bending was an article by Graham in Railway Modeller spread over three editions. I can’t remember when but they were Summer editions 5ish years ago.

I definitely agree on the quality of the speaker. I have been concentrating on my O gauge locos for sound fitment recently and the ability to get a decent speaker in makes a huge difference. All of my O gauge fleet is sound fitted whereas only about 20 of my 150 Locos in OO gauge are fitted.

Tony, I sympathise with you on the diesel depot. I’ve heard similar and it all blends into one drone. I tend to have one, or at most two, sound locos working at the same time. While not necessarily prototypical, it allows me to concentrate on the main ‘actor’ at the moment, rather than being distracted. I also regard diesel (or steam) depots as rather overdone in the modelling world. I like to see my engines working rather than sitting around. Andy

There are badly built kit locos which look rubbish and well built ones which look fantastic. We don’t criticise all kit built locos because of the badly built ones, so why criticise all DCC sound because of one or two that sounded bad? None of our models are perfect but sound is a massive leap forward into realism for me and brings a layout to life. I admit it isn’t hugely significant on a large roundy roundy with trains going by at speed because (what Tony calls) mechanical noise drowns out the engine sound, as it does to a degree on the prototype. But on a BLT, or any layout with shunting or stopping and starting it massively increases the play value and, for me, the enjoyment of watching such a layout. I also think it encourages realistic operation because of the in built momentum and braking sounds - no sudden starts and stops. When operating our club exhibition layout, I also find it helps engage the younger generation. Children love it when I pass them the handset and ask them to sound the horn/ whistle. That may be regarded as playing trains by the elite, but I see it as my duty to entertain. Finally, I think diesel sounds are better because there is more variety in the prototype. This may be because I grew up with diesels, but I find all steam locos sound similar - with just the whistle and a marginal difference between 3 cylinder and other locos. On the other hand the difference between, say, a class 37 and a baby Sulzer (classes 24-27) is dramatic and easily reproducible in model form. Andy

Andy, I get the same sort of problem when masking models for painting. In my case it’s normally been painting blood and custard coaches. I now resort to hand painting up to a scored line and then covering the slightly wobbly join with lining transfers. Can you get the white you’ve applied off with some white spirit? If so, I suggest that using lining transfers might be the best approach. 5cm is about 0.7mm so this should do the trick. Use some setting solution to get them to mould over any contours. https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/general-alphabets-linings/lining-in-white-33430 Andy

You’d get less for murder!

Thanks Andy, I’ve subscribed and it all seems to work. I feel liberated now I’ve got rid of that bl…y video and can see what I’m reading again! Should have done it sooner. Andy

Hi Andy, I’m about to take the plunge and go for premium. However I just want to be clear what it means when it says you may still see trade ads. If I’m still going to see the incredibly annoying Digitrains video in the bottom right hand corner then it’s not worth it for me as this makes it virtually unusable on my iPad. Please could you confirm whether or not the trade videos will disappear? Regards Andy

That was quick! I saw the track hanging in mid air and thought ‘the line’s going to be shut for weeks’, but then scroll to the bottom and it’s all back in position. It looks promising for modelling the drop off.

Thanks Gilbert for an enjoyable visit yesterday. As Gilbert said I wanted to try a video as there haven’t been many shown of this fantastic layout. I only have my iPhone but I find it does pretty well even hand held in modest light conditions as we had yesterday. We talked so much that I only captured five trains despite being with Gilbert for almost 6 hours! Here they are.

I’ve been finishing off and painting the last of the baseboards recently. Trying to get it finished before the weather turns. As pictures of paint drying aren’t that exciting I haven’t posted anything. However, on Wednesday I took my Interfrigo vans down to SEGOG and gave them a run on the test track in the final formation as in the prototype photo on the previous page. I’m please to report that they behaved themselves. The 37/4 is fitted with a legimanbiffo sound chip, but the ambient noise was so loud that you can hardly hear it! Andy

I certainly agree. I often post similar items on both Facebook and RMWeb or the Gauge O Guild forum. Different people see the posts and one gets different comments which are (sometimes) useful. I find all three quite civilised, but we are posting about relatively uncontentious subject matter. Try putting some politics on here and see what happens! Andy

A nice mixed rake.

I think you’ve cracked it. The view over the rocks is particularly effective. Andy

In other developments, my Interfrigo Vans are more or less finished. I think they’ve come out pretty well. The decals are bespoke transfers commissioned from Steadfast Models. I think they’re pretty good and really bring the vans to life. The 3D printed kit went together pretty well but I’m worried about some fragile bits of details which I think will need strengthening somehow - particular the end rail above the platform.

I’ve tried the double layer of strip above the triangular section and I think it works better. On the left is the original attempt with one 3x2.5 strip. …and on the right, the double strip. Comments welcome. Andy

Thanks Rob, The signal box will clearly need a repaint. It seems to have a strange beige coloured timber on the left corner in your photo. Do you think that was a recent replacement? If so, I’ll have to work out when it happened! The station, as you say, is more or less OK. Although, I wonder if the green for the framing should be darker - like in the signal box. Andy

Do you think it would be better if I put two strips of the 3x2.5 above the triangular section so making a 5mm flat section at the top and pushing the triangle down by 2.5mm?

I agree Andy. Unfortunately I could only get 90/45/45 or equilateral triangular section whereas I’d really like 90/60/30 triangles to give a shallower angle. I could have gone for a bigger triangle (3 or 4mm sides rather than 2) but that would push the platform edge out a long way and I still don’t think it would be right.

With regard to the platform you were all too polite to say that my previous attempt was rubbish! But, I knew in my heart if hearts that it wouldn’t do, so I went for plan B. This involved using micro strip to make the shape under the platform edge. I used triangular 90 degree isosceles triangular section and some 3mmx2.5mm strip to make the edge. i started with the 3mmx2.5mm strip along the top and then inserted the triangular section below. It still needs th3 capping stones. I’m now much happier with it. Comments welcome. Andy

Ok. Here are the photos. The body is held on with an 8 BA bolt and a self tapping screw - perhaps from the Bachmann Pannier? It was a very tight fit and I had to file a fair bit of metal off the inside of the firebox and cut away some of the bottom of the boiler. Then I used black insulating tape to ensure no shorts. There was no space for a decoder, so I put that in the tender. I think the tender still uses the K’s wheels but I had to replace the securing method with a brass strip. Not the neatest job, but it runs very smoothly and was dead cheap when I did it. £25 for the Pannier off eBay and sold the body on for £10. Of course the purists will complain that the wheel diameter is 1mm too small. I can live with that! If you need any more photos, let me know. Andy

Hi Bill, Many thanks for your photos. I now realise I should have specified the earlier colour scheme for the signal box. Looks like it will need a repaint eventually. It won’t be a priority at this stage though. Did the Gaelic nameboard on the signal box come in with the repaint or was it always there? I haven’t tackled the waiting shelter yet, but I have an Alphagrafix kit which is close, so will probably use that initially. I have found a photo of the top of the water tank captured as a still from the BBC 1983 video suggested by @mallaig1983. It shows that it was open on the top. A clearer photo would be welcome if anyone has one. Thanks for the tips on the platform coping. I have made some progress - more later today hopefully. Andy

I’ve gone down the Bachmann pannier route. I’m away until tomorrow evening but could take mine apart for a photo if that would help when I get home.

Be careful when shopping for the second half as the two x four car sets aren’t the same. One was originally a composite with 1st, 2nd and 3rd class. This was declassified by the ‘50s but the compartment spacing was still different.