mabel

As the title really. Struggling to find a stockist of Microscale decals in the UK. Can anyone point me in the right direction or am I stuck with the £8 Royal Mail tax? I have tried Hannants being that they are a huge stockists, but when I asked if they would order specific sets for me, strangely, they flat refused. Thanks Tony

Final job today, fire cracker antenna test fit into cab roof. A1 models provide the antenna only. Details west version of the same antenna comes with a ground plate, although there are only two in the pack, and are more expensive than the A1 item. I had a part etch in my scrap box of what looks like class 47 engine emergency stop button back plates, probably also by A1 models. I drilled a 0.5mm hole in the centre and sat the antenna into place to make sure I was happy with it before painting and glueing in place. Looks ok to me.

I am using Microscale decal pack 87-1237 CEFX ex UP lease fleet, a fire cracker antenna from A1 models (no, I didn’t know they did US stuff either), and a SP style plow from Detsils West. The fire cracker antenna are £2 for a pack of 4, the decals were £6 from America, and the plow was £3 from ebay.

I thought I would revive this topic as I have just got my workbench back up and running after a house move and hope it may be of interest to some of you. This is the first time this SD40 has been out of the box since 2018! I was stuck on a definitive id for the loco, as no matter how many times I type SD40 into various search engines, it always comes up with the SD40-2 variant (with much larger rear porch). Patience paid off, and I found this leaser, CEFX #2813, being reworked by an American model railroader on YouTube. I will embed the link when I can work out how.... So tonight, I removed the body shell by removing the screw front and rear, that holds the coupler to the chassis. I pulled the couplers out, then lifted the body off. I needed access to the nose so I could push out the two nose steps as I have a decal to fit over the whole nose front. Next I trimmed off the two marker nose marker lights as my chosen machine was an ex Southern Pacific/Union Pacific loco so didn’t have them fitted. My weapon of choice is a Swann Morton No 9 blade. I managed to pull the wire steps off the nose without damage. A quick rub with a fine sanding stick, clean off with Micro Sol (all I had handy), and we are ready for decals.

Just found this old add from PWRS, it could have been a dealer special maybe?

I bought it new from a store (mail order) in Canada about 4 or 5 years ago. I cant remember the name of the store for the life of me. Tony

I cant take credit for a repaint. It is an Athearn factory model #94713. Thanks for the pics of the real thing. Tony

Carrying on from my lengthy rambling post, here are links to my main inspiration on YouTube. All worthy of binge watching from start to finish. They are all in a similar vein, with their videos sharing their layout growth from the very first board through to operation ideas. I’m sure that there will be something here for everyone; https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCk9bYOMGKdRZ-lfJ0WPNLdA this link takes you to a Canadian modellers YouTube channel, BArail systems. It charts his layout from his first home, through a house move, into the basement of his new home to build the layout of a life time, based on a real location. Excellent channel showing everything from how he built the baseboard (bench work), back drops, lighting, track laying, wiring, rolling stock detailetc etc. Even how to take scale measurements from google earth. A real must to binge watch from the beginning even if Canadian modelling isn’t your thing. Very very informative easy to understand ‘how to’ videos (or how He did it), plus plenty of opps videos too. Then there is The Hills line. Iowa interstate line. A great shelf layout done very well. This shows you what can be achieved on a small shelf layout. Unfortunately I can’t seem to add a link for it. There is a series of videos on YouTube plus the guy has a website dedicated to the layout. SoCal Scale Models is another superb series of videos showing the layout being built from scratch, including bench work, backscenes, scratch building industries etc. The layout is based on an actual location in California. Again, apologies but I cant seem to embed the (correct) link no matter what I try. The problem is with YouTube, not RMWeb. Finally, this young guys videos are predominantly about modifying and weathering locos and stock. A mine of information and lots of new to me techniques. After many years he is now starting to build his layout. Have a look for DansRailroad2011 again, hyperlink insertion isn’t playing. The above recommendations are just the videos that inspire me and ones that I watch regular updates on. I’m sure there are others, but those alone take up my self allotted internet time. Hopefully there will be something for everyone in the above selection. Binge watching that lot is easy modelling! I hope it helps stimulate the mojo for anyone that has lost it a little, and hope it gives some new insight, into all aspects of the US modelling scene. Tony

Interesting topic...... I have read every post, and digested everyones responses. If anyone is interested, here is my two peneth worth; There are lots of distractions now from UK outline manufacturers.... to a point. The modern manufactured stuff is very nice, but seemingly these days the big names are pricing themselves out of reach of a lot of people (£400 plus for a dmu?? Wow!) I have a sectional exhibition style layout based (loosely) on Hayling island. I also am collecting 1990 ish era NSE, Rfd, InterCity etc stock for my layout of a life time. Retirement (early retirement) is only a few short years away so I have lots of modelling activity working towards that goal. Also, in a similar vein to Ian (Olddudders), my layout of a lifetime will be partly US outline. I have a huge collection of stock and structure kits towards that goal. Luckily for me, I have a job that allows me to do lots of research for my chosen subject whilst at work. Also, luckily for me, my wife is happy for me to have a layout room built in the garden (45’ x 15’) as long as there is a craft workshop attached for her. We do have a craft room in the house where we spend a lot of time. I have my workbench where I still get my fix be it building a Walthers kit, weathering a Kato SD90/43MAC, but never take any pictures as I’m not sure wether people on here would want to see my efforts. I have posted in the past, partly because I have learned a lot from the users of RMWeb who are happy to share tips and techniques. I’m just not sure that my level of modelling is something other modellers will learn from. I do plan a warts and all thread when construction starts on the railway room. I hope it will be of interest to others. I don’t use any form of social media other than RMWeb or occasionally YouTube, so if I can’t find what I’m looking for here, I tend to venture into US online articles. The comments section on various YouTube videos (of American modellers) has been a mine of information with other modellers happy to share their own tips or even where to buy a particular detail part. For example, I found a guy who would post two packs of Microscale Decals for the same cost as posting a birthday card. i also agree about Model Railroader mag. There isn’t really anything new in it. It is very thin, and depending on the exchange rate, the price can be astronomical. I found a fluctuating price of between £3.45 to £4.99 within two months, although that was about 18 months ago. I no longer buy it. As for MJ of Slough closing, bit of a , but best of luck to them. They have earned a quieter life I would say, I have just tried the Rails of Sheffield pre order service for Walthers F plate high cube box cars. They pre ordered for me in the same manner as MJ used to. Fingers crossed. By the way, if anyone wants High Cube 60’ Railbox cars, they are now listed on Rails website to pre order at a bargain price. Another new retailer that I haven’t seen anyone mention yet is Ellis Clarke Railworks up in Skipton. He has quite a comprehensive list of some very nice US outline stuff. Finally, layout type and size. I understand the reluctance of some modellers to build ‘yet another switching plank’ as they have been done to death. There is only so much operational interest in such layouts. I have been there myself. As I said earlier, I’m lucky enough to be constructing a dedicated railway room. Not everyone gets to do that. If I could recommend a guy called Bob Sprague. He is an American model railroad planner, having a number of his schemes printed in model railroader mag. He used to plan layouts for free (or a few beers!). He now charges a modest sum to plan your bespoke layout, but he also has 9 pages of layout plans you can download for yourself. You will be amazed at how much layout you can fit in a small place. I hope I have managed to add the link below https://www.bobstrackplans.com/plans A bit of a ramble through my opinion on the subject but hopefully I can be counted as still here and still modelling US outline Tony Currently on the workbench, a CP GP40X for a bit of light weathering and grilles dirtied, plus these silos (from 40mm drain pipe) for a planned commercial bakery Last weeks pocket money went on these.....

Thanks for the history of the design. Being close to York, I wonder if the nrm might have some drawings.... Failing that, I think I will try and scale from the signal head and knock up a test structure to see what it looks like.

Wow! Thanks Phil. That could have been an expensive trip for nothing........ the new signals look functional rather than aesthetically pleasing ...

It has been suggested by a forum member that I should hop on a train and take my tape measure with me. Excellent! Why didn’t I think of that sooner? So off to Trainline.com......... £162 for the Mrs and me!!!! Wow! So perhaps another idea on this theme, could anyone tell me the closest to York that I might find one or any of these structures? Were they typical to Western region only being a Reading signal works product? I have tried my local S&T guys who provided me with lots of drawings but none of the type required. Tony

Still looking for drawings, dimensions, or even sketches on a fag packet of the above gantry signal(s) at Reading. I bought the Adrian Vaughan book on GW signalling, but unfortunately there weren’t any drawings of that type of gantry or similar. Many thanks in advance, Tony

Excellent, thanks.

Wow, thanks for the offer. Much appreciated. Happy for you to copy and paste the whole posting of mine if that is easier for you? Otherwise, if you could just ask for basic structure measurement and what were the walkways / landings made from? I am a bit of a Luddite. Thanks again for your offer. Tony

Thanks for the explanation and the pics... to negate S5 train starting ahead of a signal ...

Jonny, I will have a trawl through that later. Unfortunately Im not a user of Farcebook so cant take part. Thanks for the link, much appreciated, Tony

The size of the U girders would have been a great help. I will have a go at scaling from the height of the red aspect. Thanks for the input, much appreciated. Tony

Also, still at 1990s Reading, could anyone tell me what this colour light signal is for? What routes do the indicators read? (Just curious). I think it was off P3 (or maybe P2 but unlikely....). The pic was a still borrowed from a video on YouTube so clarity isn’t great, but I think it reads R338. It’s position seemed odd as there is a T gantry in that locale. Were there any other similar signals in that area at that point in time? thanks again Tony

Could anyone point me in the direction of where I could get either drawings or basic measurements of standard (ish) Reading signal works gantries (bracket gantries) as in the pics below please? I have been trawling the net (and rmweb) for some time now so any help would be greatly appreciated. I have noticed that some gantries seem to be wider than others, is this just camera angle? Also, what are the walkways made from? Thanks, Tony

I still have an old Hornby body somewhere with some white metal headcode boxes crudely Araldited on.... we were easily pleased way back then! T

Thanks for that. I did think of getting a Lima shell to cast some myself, but being lazy I thought I would try the easy route first T

Is there anyone out there that sells resin replacement noses in split headcode format for Vitrains class 37? thanks Tony

There does still seem to be a few missing but that list is great. Many thanks.

I don’t know if this request is in the correct section. Mods feel free to move if necessary.. Can anyone help me with a definitive list of class 37’s & class 47’s produced by Vitrains? Despite repeated searching of the web, I can only find a handful of different locos.. Thanks in advance Tony