hallmodelspares

Hello hope you find a constructive and supportive audience

Hello Bob,

In regards to your question on the website lytchettmanormodels the current supplier of Gem control equipment, is currently not trading. The owner is unwell and has shut the website for orders.

Also he has honored all outstanding orders, items of Gem products are available from the following stockists Antics, starlight models, wizard models and dundas models. Information comes from

the website lytchett manor models

Another couple of sets they could try is a snow loco set with frost effect track and the 'wrong kind of snow' for the train to run! and a hst set which has scale leaves which are too big for it to handle!

A set they could make the southern strike set which includes an emu with a system which detects if the driver is on board and does not work without the figure onboard

A couple I would like to mention Ian beattie for his RM articles drawn and described, Ian Allan for his many books he helped publish for modelers and train spotters and Jim read, cornermouse and others on rmweb for inspiring me to model in card 0 gauge

Not connected in anyway to the firm but Easybuild kits list wheels by themselves available in 3ft7in and 3ft sizes with bearings at 3.25 per axle

The next stage is the chassis floor and body united and the roof has been started. Have to now fill the wagon with something like matchsticks before fixing the roof

Here is the next stage of the salt lime wagon build, I have made the floor piece and the axle frames. Then I will finish the chassis frame and then build up the detail of axleboxes etc 

Another wagon based on the excellent files of a rmweb user jimread. a very similar wagon to a salt/lime wagon

Hello here is the next round of photos of the wagon body fitted to the rough structure of the wagon body. It still require ends and the fitting of axle frame which sits inside and looks like a c shape on the wagon floor when turned upside down

Thank you for your comments Annie on the wagon. I have some more snaps of the wagon progress showing the rough underframe and axle holder and the wagon upper body with sides. Nest photos will show how the planking is done and the ends and detailing aswell

Andy the wagon is made mainly from card has matchsticks etc making it rigid and more weighty. Copied from drawings the photo shows the chassis in multiple form as many as a4 will take.

The other project is currently the body for a diesel shunter on a very small scale even compared to a class 20!

Hello it has been a while since I last posted here, progress is ongoing on the wagons. I have found another drawing of an open wagon and have got as far as the following picture

I find dcc to be not too easy to get along with. I prefer trains to be dc myself as this is still a majority of what is available second hand. To me its all about cost when I looked at railroad just coming on stream the dcc chips Hornby made were a bit cheaper than they are now and quite a few other items. To me a good has been to the dcc modeller that sound has come down in recent times with Hornby making some more affordable offerings but still over the average dc model price. I think there is a place for both its just down to what you can afford really.  

I feel since the millennium, Hornby and others seemed to change objectives and listen more to demands for a certain model. some magazines started polling modelers for various subjects like wagons and locos etc. This has led to a great diversity models and where some models are duplicated different solutions to how they are powered. I think we as modelers have a power which we have to be aware of always. We have the power to decide if a model is a success or a failure as we do also with kit makers choosing a product or not. If we can support both sides rtr and model kits we should keep the diversity we have had for years to come. 

Hello I have been modeling a card wagon project but I am now proceeding with a steam engine. I have an idea at the moment but I will let it take shape as I begin to make it. Hopefully progress will be rapid as I aim to display it before I do finish it

I have drawn out the chassis ready for the next stage of assembly I will post pic of the chassis and show the construction of it. Also going to attempt making the wheels from card as a trial

May also be worth looking at the lead wire in the tender as well. I had one once where the wire had been shoved about and had a bad connection. soldered a new wire and it fixed the problem. Also find some get fussy if over lubricated of the chassis on the loco. make sure also the insulated side the wheels all are round the same way. Best variant to find of this chassis has even feed wires from the block to the mounting point for the rear pony truck and has at the top of the mount a connection for the spade type arrangement.

Neil your chassis you describe as an x-04 motor is in fact an x-03 motor. This is because it has a silver drive gear which is different ratio to the older x-04 type found in many triang and early Hornby after its separation from the triang toys company. The worm is different being black plastic and nearly all x-04 are brass. Hornby in some documentation recommend adjusting the rear axle using strips of paper between the axle spring to change the compression. I had for a while the railroad red and black 08 diesel, this has a different centre axle to many of the others. They put a set of wheels with no traction tyres whatsoever fitted even no grove for them. I do not know if the other railroad were changed the 08/09 in the railroad pack with 3 wagons

Hello everyone, sorry I have posted for a while but work continues slowly on the van. I have now finished one van shell off and managed to fit the roof on. Took some modifying to get it to sit down on the body, as the bracing with matchsticks meant cutting down the supports further inside to allow a good fit. alongside the ready shell is the next roof which I have taken two pictures of to show the outside and inside with the marks to align everything.

Hello it has been a little while since my last post. I have moved forward somewhat and have now completed the bracing inside the body using matchsticks placed along the length of the shell. The weight of it has improved considerably and now upscailing to produce more. The roof is cut now need to sort it out then I can fix it and start to build up detail on the outside 

Single wheelers have a problem with usually creating a lot of wheel slip especially due in part to gear ratio and size of the wheel itself. Hornby have this problem with single wheelers they make, even traction tyres on the big wheel have not helped. I agree with the idea of drive to the outer wheels and perhaps as mentioned weight as well to help. If building tendered single wheeler I would consider motorizing the tender instead

Hello everyone the next phase is to make a roof. I have a handy tip on this I use a tape measure set against the roof arc and also include on the finished item another 4mm either way so it sit over allround

Jim the wagons look great and do prove what can be done with card.

Anyway getting back to what I have done, I have now glued the basic body together and made a floor.

I will show nxt set of pics how I intend to brace and strengthen the card body and add some weight too. and I have put lines on to where the door will sit

Thank you everyone for the feedback. I will post my next update in the week.