TT-Pete

What’s the point? I have a choice of three different brands of 12mm gauge pointwork, Tillig Modellgleis, the new Peco TT:120 and the long-standing Peco HOm. Tillig turnouts work well with under-mounted stall motors (Tortoise, Mighty Mole, Hoffmann etc.) but I’m needing surface-mounted motors this time so that probably counts them out. HOm sleeper spacing doesn’t look right for TT, but with a steeper turn angle they are very useful, so they are mostly going to be used where they can be concealed under a bridge or disguised with ballast. Referring to my back of fag packet diagram of scribbled imaginings from some time ago and most definitely not to scale, but it does feature the list of things I’d like to see; UP/DN circuits with 2 platform roads and an avoiding line each, sidings, loco shed and turntable. Back to mock-ups again. Left-hand station throat, the station building and forecourt will sit on a raft over the tracks with the road bridge from front to back and steps down to two island platforms with canopies. Platforms can accommodate a rake of seven Tri-ang Mk1s with loco as this is the most that can be squeezed in before - The Right-hand station throat with the sidings ladder in the foreground. The MPD consists of ancient Triang TT3 buildings and a turntable courtesy of Fleischmann. The Swiss HOm locos are there because I want the two avoiding lines and sidings to accommodate the Bemo loading gauge, as I think the platform/canopy clearances for TT3/1:120 will not suit 1:87 scale, but we’ll see. I’m not going to get all purist with this one, my overall ethos is that whatever I can use that more or less fits if it looks more or less right is good enough, whatever the scale that was printed on the box.

My Merc amd my mate's Rover P6 parked at Hardingham station for the Mid Norfolk Railway vintage Bus rally on 14th May: Photos from the event at: and

It is late on a Friday night, I have consumed more Bourbon on the rocks than is probably good for me (BTW my glass is empty, again!), but nonetheless I manage to take a photo of one of the two 08 chassis that present themselves to me thus: Is of any use? Hope so. It's the chassis from the Worsely Works 08 kit that I bulit some 20 years ago and that remains one of the few chassis I have built that actually works.

@big jim Reminds me of

My 08 has no problems and runs just fine, I'm very happy with it. A comparison shot with it's OO and TT3 Big Brothers:

Agreed on all points, maybe half the distance is sufficient?

@woodenhead yes, I thought that too, can't wait to see what the HST set looks like close-coupled when it eventually turns up...

Starting construction in 2017 I always intended my layout would have different levels with 12mm gauge running lines above the OO/HO circuits to indulge in my various 12mm gauge interests; 3mm scale TT, Continental TT 1:120 and Swiss HOm at the same time as running OO/HO on the lower levels. Sort of like a layer cake: But never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that UK outline TT 1:120 would also be added to that list! :^) But anyway, the design of this ill-thought out and half-baked idea requires that the OO/HO storage yard be encased by the TT scenic board sitting directly above it, effectively turning it into an underground parking garage (which something tells me that I might just live to regret). So in order to complete the 12mm running lines I have a Great Central gap to bridged from here to here Built in 4 separate sections and just placed in situ so that they can be lifted out again if I need access to the lower tracks, “takeapart-able” as I call it (sez he, let’s see how that works out in practice). Starting from the left and using Tillig Modellgleis flexi track: before moving to the right, and, following construction over a long bank-holiday weekend (thank you Charlie) this section will henceforth be known as Coronation Curve: Leaving just the final section that I had hoped to get finished before the arrival of my first Hornby TT motive power; But rats, they beat me to it! But that enables an interesting comparison with "Big Brother" 3mm scale TT: as well as a comparison with Continental TT 1:120 And the Lincoln Locos Hymek. So come on Hornby, get more stuff rolling! So with the gap finally bridged I now have 3m (10’) by 50cm (1’ 8”) of real estate. What to fill it with? Hmmm....

My cousin had a rescue cat they called 'Nelson' who then had a litter of kittens and had to be renamed 'Mrs Nelson'

I dare you to stick your hand in this box.... :^)

That works both ways Bob, it was nice meeting you and thanks again for the cuppa and the books, which are now challenging my Dutch linguistic skills with words like "blokkendozenmaterieel" :^) Good luck with the move and all the best for your new life in Cheltenham. Peter.

Sunday 14th May saw the Vintage Bus Rally at the Mid-Norfolk Railway, centered on Dereham with a loop service to County School station at the northern end and Hardingham in the south and a Pacer shuttle running between Hardingham and Dereham. Having parked at Hardingham we took the Pacer to Dereham and a bus to County School: No trains here for a while yet as the station is isolated from the rest of the line with quite a substantial section of track needing to be relaid between here and Dereham, but it promises to be a picturesque little spot once the trains are actually running again. So it was a bus back to Dereham to view the busses and the station environs: Then another bus back to Hardingham, Part 2 follows...

At Hardingham the last shuttle of the day was just arriving And with the departure of the last train and busses, Hardingham regains it's usual bucolic tranquility: So it just remains to have a quick look around the yard before reclaiming the cars and heading off home.

This is really shocking news, I had conversed with Neil on a few occasions and found him to be a really likeable chap, my condolences to Dan and the family.

Last weekend there was a vintage bus rally at Dereham with a loop service running between Hardingham and County School and a Pacer shuttle between Hardingham and Dereham, I'll be posting photos from the day in the Preservation section when I've finished editing them. The service is suspended between Kimberley Park - Wymondham due to rotten bridge timbers which alone cost £40k and may not be replaced in time for running this season, so you may have a while longer to wait...

This came up in my YouTube feed this morning, have replayed it a hundred times and has had me chuckling most of the day: Frankly much better than 95% of what I hear on the radio these days and oh! The poignancy of those lyrics! "I'm cold, hungry, and I want to come in.."

Merlin, the station cat, at Kimberley Park station on the Mid-Norfolk Railway last weekend

<lights flicker and dim in the neighbour's kitchen> "Oh. Ian's running his trains again I see."

After the war the designer Kurt Tank (where the "Ta" designation comes from) went to Argentina and further developed the design as the "IAe Pulqui II". The Russians on the other hand claim that the very similar MIG 15 was an entirely indigenous design and not in any way influenced by the Ta 183. Yeah, right. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Focke-Wulf_Ta_183

Ah, a Panther/Tiger diorama I see, good job you're not building a Maus.

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This is apparently a Cat Cafe in Japan with the model railway layout built in - what a delightful concept, cats, trains and snacks. :^) And if you want to spend the next few hours of your life watching trains n' moggies: https://www.youtube.com/@daiorama_cats

Thanks @03060 @bradfordbuffer , the whitemetal ones have more detail but are indeed cumbersome, the wheelbase on both sideframes is the same, and although the chassis is a bit on the short side, the wheelbase issue seems to be accentuated on the whitemetal ones and less so on the resin. I think I'm leaning towards resin, but as Ian says they will look very different with some paint on. I think I'll finish the body/chassis and make a decision when I'm at the point of fitting couplings...