Roger Sunderland

I think Modelmaster used to do a selection of 4F numbers. Fox will do commissions but probably not worth it for a single number.

Hi Michael Been meaning to ask for some time. Was it a conscious decision to lay the track work directly onto the baseboards? I note from some of the photos of the real thing that there wasn't a very pronounced ballast shoulder, perhaps as it was mostly a goods line. Or is it because doing that way you always get a truly flat surface to lay on? I've tried both laying direct to the boards and 2mm cork bases before and apart from a slight noise difference, which I don't mind, both worked reasonably well.

Happens on Digitrax cabs too, intermittent display on the screen due to a wire flexing in the handheld.

Thanks very much for this ed66plant. At the moment (and lack of funds is a hinderence!) we have no 12 wheelers. I understand these were withdrawn in the early 60's, and you've indicated this in your post. We wish to model a typical weekday service so could be less than 12 cars, out of holiday times. Any further thoughts on make up, bearing in mind the above?

When the layout was dismantled to build the transport trollies I took a few pics from rail level of the approaches to the station.

Anybody know if the DCC Concepts Legacy phosgene bronze fishplates will fit Peco code 75 bullhead rail?

Perfectly possible to replace it. If the new chimney does not effectively cover the hole (which it should) just use filler then attach the replacement. Have a look at Alan Gibson, not sure but I think they do an Ivatt chimney.

Frank's drawings have been a fantastic help in getting the layout to its present state. Sorry about the lack of updates but all the work has been on running sessions (we are getting there but solving some of the issues of operating a Terminus like this are taking a bit of thought) and infrastructure items. Dave has created three large trollies which, barring the 2 station boards, take all the remaining boards- 18 of them! Then we've improved the way the boards go together with a captive bolt system. All this will pay dividends once we are exhibiting, although it doesn't make for a riveting update. One thing we are very pleased with is the automatic Kadee uncoupling system, used by the station pilots. I think I've said before this is a little known system marketed by Prescimodels, a Swiss company. In conjunction with a Zimo decoder it has to be seen to be appreciated. If I can I will post a video of it in action. It deserves to be more widely appreciated.

Yes you are right Joseph. We will change this when we get a more suitable poster. I originally used it on a blue era diesel layout (70's) .

Words fail me really. This is a major producer of 4mm scale railway items. Yet if you look on this website there are tales of woe about Mazak rot -avoidable, poor quality decoders -avoidable, TCS sound decoders that won't program properly - avoidable, hopper wagons where the wheels don't turn properly -avoidable, and this is only scratching the surface. When oh when will Hornby concentrate on the thing that matters most - quality, instead of continually hiking prices. If this were any other business sector they would already be long gone - but they are Hornby, we love them, or we love the name, because we all grew up with them. Sorry, rant over and words obviously didn't fail me. I would love them to get back on track as much as the next person.

Hi All Can anybody tell me if any of the 78xxx standards were out shopped in plain black at any time?

You could try repainting one like the picture.

Hi Paul Don't know why I missed this thread but great to see you up and running with a new shed idea. Such memories for me around Bootle to Aintree. I'm slowly progressing with my fictitious "Walton on the Hill ish" OO layout (really hope I haven't upset Michael too much but it will never be exhibited, it's just the track plan ticks all the boxes for me). All the best, photophucket are a charming company eh?

Quite right, the NCE is one of the best and easiest programming systems. If you look at other threads on here the fault clearly lies - yet again - with the Hornby decoder.

I've a large number of steam locos awaiting renumbering. Does this method work on Bachmann and Hornby Tampa printed numbers or just Heljan? Would black (or green) be best? Any particular acrylic thinners you've used afterwards, as there's some very different types around? Any help much appreciated I hate the cocktail stick/Tcut method.

A foolish manufacturer indeed coachman. I think all the major players are guilty, and not just sound, just getting a decoder into some offerings is a major enterprise - Oxford Radial and Hornby M7 to name two. On the other hand I have an SEF M7, uses their chassis but has a Hornby bogie with pickups. DCC - no problem, sound - no problem, bags of room for either, and it will pull 12 bogies. The Hornby offering will pull 3 on level ground.

I have to agree with EJS. Tension lock couplings are the most infernal things, I got rid years ago. If you have NEM pockets on all/most of your stock you only need number 18,19 or 20 Kadees. If you don't have tight curves you only need 18/19.

All the parts to build this signal are available from MSE and/or Alan Gibson. If you are going to have a go yourself I recommend Steve Hewits thread, on here, "Semaphore signals, 4mm mainly". Huge source of information and inspiration.

Try Colin Craig website. He has a selection of etched brakewheels.

In all the applications I've seen, Michael, as one rod is dropped, to work a point, then the the number of stools (bracket?) is reduced to fit the remaining rods, down eventually to one. Having said that, I suppose it is is possible that if a point was removed at a later time ie mid run, then the stools could have been left in place.

Very nice Steve. There appears to be a lot of glass paints on the market, any particular make/type?

Hi Tony, thanks for the comments. I met you and your wife at both Wigan and Doncaster last year where I was part of the group operating Horfield. The layout in the main picture is our new exhibition layout of Bournemouth West (there is a thread on here) which is aiming for its first outing at the GWR Steam museum in September. Both Steve Knight and his father Chris have helped with the layout and Steve built the signal box mock up. You are absolutely right when you say an enterprise like this, or LB, needs the help of a like minded group of people to bring it all together. On the topic of point rodding, I built the runs in the pictures on a sub base of 20thou plasticard and the rodding pieces were joined my a tiny piece of the same underneath where the rods join. Needless to say it is time consuming. The weathering definitely tones everything down nicely. The point runs can be eased under the C&L track by carefully cutting out a piece of the cork underlay and lowering the run using the Wills cranks which give 3 levels of drop. I've also used the method advocated by Clive above. The result is, I have to say, fairly robust but having said all the above I've used MSE stools and their square wire, soldered up, on my own layouts before, and it does have more of a scale appearance. I'm also happily (fortunately) retired but have been modelling for over 50 years, although now I have much more time for it. My wife says too much! The point rodding on LB will look amazing when finished, as everything else about the layout does.

Point rodding is definitely a " dark art" Tony. The Wills stuff is over scale for 4mm but can look OK to the eye with decent colouring.

Phil I gave up trying to carve bits off the chassis to get these to run freely and ended up swapping the wheelsets for Dapol ones. They now run fine.

Yes very sorry Paul, I did edit it immediately though.