Loconuts

Hi Chaz

Can I suggest that you put a large circular base on the tree and then bury it in a recess. The same trick that is used on removable signals. This will allow the modeling of the roots and blend them into some ground cover.

John 

I read that, I wondered why there would be such a piece written within Martin's article and thought it might be because of the negativity that is raised about P4. A shame that a response was thought necarsary but a well written one none the less. Sadly the P4 vs OO will raise its head again at some time in the future.

Excellent edition.

I think we are getting the wrong end of the stick over Martin's comments over Tony Wrights efforts, the point he was making that both he and Tony are aiming at the same thing. A dream project with the clock ticking against you of your time on this mortal coil. Nothing to do with gauge wars.

I am following this thinking myself working on my last project and with a narrow vision of only that project. No side line projects, however tempting they are. I also know that the  editor of this issue is following this way of thinking. Maybe a few more would do well to look at this rather than sitting around waiting for the next box to arrive from China.

It does not have to be a big project, even small projects can provide years of entertainment as your modeling skills improve.

Loconuts.

Martin Finney's layout sounds amazing think I'll buy a copy.

I did not know he had sound fitted locos.

Loconuts

ARRIVED TODAY, all I can say is another cracking issue Grommet.

Loconuts

True of sausages, though it would seem that diameter is more critical than length.

It would be no good if it does not fit in the loading gauge so size is important.

I had time last night to make four more ground cover foliage tangles (brambles?).

 

 

After I had soaked these in the foliage spray I rolled them in a heap of scatter rather than dropping it on.

 

 

Waitrose soup pots make useful storage for scatter - but it's worth taping a label to the lid.

 

Chaz

 

PS - no not brambles - that green is too light in colour. I wanted a variety of colours in the greenery, I will see how these look in place amongst the others.

Waitrose? yee gods you are posh. Morrison's for me.

Have  you  any  firm  evidence  of  reduced  discounts  to  retailers?

I think the evidence is in front of your nose. Bearing in mind this is a new venture for Heljan it is obvious they would want to cover all bases over these models and the 009 market is not as big as the 00 and 0 market.

I personally believe that these locos are going to prove popular like the Hornby Pecket, even at the higher price.

No matter what caused the price change we the consumer have two choices, purchase them at the higher price or not purchase them, the choice is yours. But if I was a betting man I think the former will happen with the models selling out in days.

Loconuts

The RRP has not changed for this model, what has (just) changed is the retailers decision (in most cases) to price at RRP!

 

all the best,

 

Keith

​I did not suggest that Heljan has put the price up, however it looks as though they have slashed their discounts to the retailers.

Loconuts

Looking around at other retailers this rrp price seems to be the going rate, the discounted prices being offered have disappeared. Good for the retailers if they can shift the stock at that price but unfortunately for me it's a stretch too far :-(

 

Oh well, lots of new other goodies coming soon that have now become a little more affordable as a result of reallocating the £145 I had earmarked for the L&B loco!

 

Cheers,

 

Keith

Is anyone surprised the price has risen, not me as it was on the cards for months. Why? Brexit, the value of the pound falling, rising production costs in China and the rise in oil prices. Added to that we also have the situation being forecast about wages not keeping up with inflation. Cardboard modeling here we come.

Some manufacturers are starting to cancel projects others are putting their prices up in line with their costs. RTR is never going to be cheap again, prices are going to continue in an upward spiral.

Oh I forgot, in 2 years time we could be paying import tariffs on Heljan products

Sorry to be the voice of doom and gloom but at least the sun has come out down here in the south.

Loconuts

This has been the discussion across many sites on the RMWeb for a couple of years

Only the second post, and there's a needlessly combative tone? These are John's photos - there's no reason at all that he needed permission to publish them. He might

have needed permission to take them, but presumably that was granted. I've never seen a "do not take photographs" sign at Pendon and I know they have special events

where the glass covers are removed to allow better photgraphy.

 

Also, John lives nowhere near Pendon.

There was no intention in sounding combative in my post, too many people are taking crap photos on their i'phones and publishing them and thereby not doing the subject justice. Madder Valley is a early layout that came into being long before RTR and is a inspiration to anyone and Andy's photos do that (superb photos).

As to whether you have to live near Pendon to help out is also a myth, although I was fortunate to live up the road in Abingdon at the time they had many members who lived a lot further away. I believe I am right in saying many of the figures used on the Pendon scene were produced by an artist who lived in California. Guy Williams lived in Bristol and he was a regular visitor, pre M4 days, arriving in his mini, not an easy journey.

If you want to learn how to do real modeling and not rely on the latest imports from China then join Pendon, they are a friendly crowd and are only too willing to pass on their knowledge.

Loconuts  

Did you get permission to publish these pictures from Pendon?

Also if your trip to Pendon inspired you, did you join Pendon and offer to help out. It is well worth joining as you will meet the modelers that built these models.

I joined in 1972/74 and met such as Guy Williams who passed on advice on Loco building and it was through his help and advice I went on to build 7mm scale locos. Also I was privileged to spend time with Roye England, visiting him on a Wednesday evening every week watching him work and picking up lots of tips on the technics he used to achieve those results you see on the buildings.

Many of todays well known modelers started out by being involved with this project and going on to be involved with the MRJ. I started there running Dartmoor on either Saturday or Sunday afternoon and went on getting involved in the modeling.

What stopped me continuing, it was all down to a new wife and a house to do up. 'Oh' happy days.

Loconuts

"How to get lynched at a Model Railway Show" is the title of this topic, however I think it should the Exhibition organisers that should be lynched.

I visited a general Model Railway Show this weekend and my first impression on entering the show was that I had walked into a well known Model Shop in Liverpool, everything was straight out of the box, layouts being clones of each other, no care by the exhibitors to put on a good show. I experianced a diesel loco where the sound decoder had defaulted to factory settings and was emitting steam sounds and none of the operators had noticed.

A 57xx pannier tank which was sound fitted which did not sound like a 57xx, as a matter of fact it sounded more like someone dragging a file across some tin plate. It was also emitting 3 beats per revolution and I am sure they only had 2 cylinders.

Also there were the usual crop of exhibitors sat talking to their mates behind their layouts and nothing moving. Trade stands selling the same old boxes with very few specialist traders, I went there to get some scenic materials for my layout but I walked away without spending a thing apart from my entrance fee and also the snacks were not bad.

The only layouts that broke the mould were the narrow gauge ones and very nice they were.

Does this qualify me for a lynching?

Loconuts 

 

Oh yes! I can't think of a way of growing what I need (Bonsai weeds?).

 

Here's a batch I made yesterday.

 

 

It looks quite a lot but will not go that far at all - the layout has a seemingly endless appetite for greenery. Incidentally I switched to putting them on a piece of polythene to dry to stop them sticking (sometimes it takes a while for the penny to drop).

 

Chaz

Japanese knotweed? 

The photo of the water tank in post 962 is a model of the Baker tank and is a lot larger than the one Jeff showed. Baker tank still survives on the Baker hiking trail in Colorado (plenty of photos on Google).

John

Hi Chaz

Which one have you got? I have a model of the Baker tower (C&S) which is being used as a temporary one. One day I shall get round to building a correct D&RGW version.

John

 

All the track in Stoke's Ferry is now ballasted (apart from the short industrial spur which I won't do until the works and unloading platform are in.

 

 

I have also had some success with the beaten earth (dirt?) between the tracks. The stuff I am using can best be described as cork dust. I shake it on to a generous coating of 50/50 PVA/water and vacuum the excess off once the glue has dried.

 

 

Progress is encouraging but I will need shortly to get back onto the tree making treadmill............ARGGGGG!

 

Chaz

Looking good Chaz, but you will have to get on the water tank treadmill as well or your locos will go thirsty. Have you left room for one? They are fairly large structures usually mounted alongside the mainline. 

John

A visit to the pub?

Don't be silly, the weather is bad. Damian is lucky to have a pub to visit. We have 3 pubs in the village and two are shut for re-furb. Guess we will have to cook our own Sunday dinner.

Loconuts

John, does your stock travel much to other layouts?

 

I think I may just replace any Bachmann couplers that sag. Is there a Kadee that will fit the Bachmann coupler box without modification?

 

Chaz

The answer to that question is no not now, the stock and locos are too fragile and bits have a tendency to fall off in transit. I am taking the same view as you, a fixed layout and the stock goes on it and stays on it. Also a lot of British modelers use Peco track and the MMI Locos and San Juan stock will not go through the switches, hence the reason I did not join in with the SGC module group. We have a Canadian in the Bearwood group who is working to the same standard as myself but he lives in Somerset so is still a fair way to travel.

As you are a 7mm modeler with an exhibition layout (Dock Green) you know all about standards and building to them. The same goes for the American layout. The NMRA publishes standards which can be downloaded, these cover wheel, track and coupling standards, well worth getting. There are two 0n30 standards, one covers what you are doing and the other covers the standard I am working to. But based on advise I have received by very experienced modelers on the other side of the pond is stick to one type of coupler and not mix or match.

John 

Sorry for the delay, I got stuck down the pub

How can you get stuck down the pub, did you take some PVA with you and smeared it on the seat?

So one either modifies the car to get the coupler at the right height or removes the trip pins?

Hi Chaz

It is the former, all mine are set to 0n3 height as my stock can run on 0n30 and 0n3 being mainly San Juan, AMS and MMI. I chose 0n30 as there are not too many 0n3 layouts in this country.

John

Thanks John, I have a Kadee height gauge and somewhere a little puffer bottle of their powdered graphite.

 

"The Baccy couplers are loose in the mounting box and tend to hang down." Yes, it is noticeable. I wa wondering if there was anything that could be done - a very thin packing washer inside the box to take up some of the slack. I may try a slip of 5 or 10 thou' plastic sheet and see if this effects a cure. I'd rather not have to convert all the stock to Kadees - that's going to be a bit pricey!

Your telling me, I have converted all my stuff to Kaydee's. But I am using the 0n3 knuckle rather than the HO.

John

I have heard it said that the Bachmann couplings couple more easily and the Kadees uncouple more easily - or is it the other way round? And don't the Bachmann ones break more easily?

Hi Chaz

I have found in my experience that it is best to stick to one brand of coupler. The Baccy couplers are loose in the mounting box and tend to hang down.

Also if you are going to manual uncoupling you do not need the tails as they are only useful for magnetic uncoupling.

The coupling properties are dependant on the face of the coupler pulling the cars together when under tension. So if you mix the couplings the angle on the two faces may not match and will tend to uncouple. The AMS coupling is notorious for this.

A little bit of graphite dust on the working parts of the knuckle works wonders, this needs to be done on a regular basis dependant on use. I would also get a Kaydee height gauge to check to coupling height as having them all at the right height helps with reliability.

John

As folk are always saying... there's a prototype for everything.

 

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Oh, and don't forget Rule 1.

Is rule 1 the big bang theory? Because those ladies are heading for one.

Thanks John. Already asked Paul about it previously, Said I am just as quick to order direct. I am going to the narrow gauge convention in Denver later in the year so I will be pre ordering a suitcase full of stuff to bring pack from various suppliers!!!

 

Now back to Chas' super modelling!

 

Leigh

Hi Leigh

Just remember you will only be able to bring back £300 worth, not like the EU. Also remember your luggage weight of 20Kgs. But I still say lucky you for being able to go if Mr Trump lets you in!!!!!!!

I wanted to go to Colorado later this year for the Railroads but the management thought replacing the windows and doors would better.

John

Absolutely perfect Chas.

 

Are you planning on refitting the snow plow in the future? If not PM me as would be interested if you want to part with it.

Hi Leigh

If Chaz does not wish to part with the Snow Plow it is available from PSC castings. It is the C&S version, I could dig out my PSC Catalogue and get the number. EDM Models stock PSC Castings and although may not have in stock could obtain it for you. Check with Paul Martin.

John