Revolution Mike

I haven't used Sketchup so I don't know what functions it has, but you could try Blender (which is what Guy and I use). The coils of the spring are spirals/helixes and relatively easy to do. The bogies look complex, but like everything in 3D modelling it is just a case of building up details from simple shapes. I am not sure where you live (with a user name like your's possibly the Eastern edges of Cumbria!), but if you can get to our show on Sat or Sun Guy will be demoing Blender design (2-4pm each day): http://www.demu.org.uk/showcase.php Cheers, Mike

Hi WBF I would look at how Guy has done the BSC Axlemotion bogies in this thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/52075-scratch-built-yeoman-arc-bsc-pta-tipplers/ Ie print the "outer" of the bogie all in FUD with proper springs as on the real things the springs are pretty obvious eg: http://www.garethbayer.co.uk/wotw/wp-content/gallery/great-britain-details/moda95281_gps22.jpg Cheers, Mike

Ah in which case I would go for some form of Gloucester/ASF - another look suggests that the top of the bogies is actually hidden and that they actually curve a bit like this: http://www.garethbayer.co.uk/wotw/wp-content/gallery/great-britain-details/YWA_DB996443_asf.jpg

They look to have straight edge along the top of bogies like NACCO swing motions: http://www.garethbayer.co.uk/wotw/wp-content/gallery/great-britain-details/500031_nsm.jpg Cheers, Mike

But later in life the 26s ran without disks so it is cheaper to design a model with lights for all than 2 variants (with and w/out lights). The only problem is lack of hole in the discs, which should be pretty easy to do with a small drill bit in a pin vice - mark where you want the hole with a pin (or small bit) and then drill out. Cheers, Mike

Good work Julia - what software are you using? Ian - does sketchup offer either boolean operations or chamfers? That is how I would do them in Blender. Cheers, Mike

0.1mm should print (it is within the design limits). Whether you will actually see it is another matter - on some things I am adding deliberately overscale items so that they can actually be seen (as the mind expects to see something which may to scale be too small). Cheers, Mike

Nice work Pete! I know the different blues might jar on the eye, but it probably isn't too far from reality in that unless the two locos were painted by the same paint shop at the the same time then there would be natural variations in the blue. Cheers, Mike

Chris Sorry to be a pedant but you can't copyright an idea/design. You can patent or apply for design rights, but copyright is different. Copyright would only apply to the artwork used in the etch design and even then would be pretty limited. If anyone is at all worried about the differences then it is well worth having a quick read of the Intellectual Property Office guides: http://www.ipo.gov.uk/types.htm Cheers, Mike

Chris What copyright issue? There might be a patent issue if the design is patented, but given that Missy has drawn her own artwork and it is significantly different there is no copyright issue IIRC. Cheers, Mike

What next? Miniature diesel engines Cheers, Mike

Surely Jerry's point is that if inaccurate headboard clips bother you that much then the track gauge must send you into fits of apoplexy? Dapol's approach has been commendable and by all means contact Dave directly with information (don't rely on comments being seen here), but let's have a little perspective. If headboard clips are the only thing that is wrong or compromised then RTR has come a heck of a long way! Cheers, Mike

Fiddlers Ferry has been fitted with flue gas desulphurisation for SOx and selective catalytic reduction for NOx, plus it co-fires biomass so I can't imagine it will close imminently. Cheers, Mike

For anyone interested in seeing Jo's layout in the flesh, it will be appearing at DEMU's Showcase exhibition in Burton upon Trent on 2/3 June </shameless plug>! Cheers, Mike

Hi Dave Unfortunately I don't think it is an isolated comment - I heard the same thing over the weekend ie that a retailer had had difficulty getting hold of stocks of 22s. Cheers, Mike

The 26 looks lovely to me!

Nice work Jack. Cheers, Mike

Great idea Jack - I am going to have give that a try. I wonder if dummy couplings with magnets + elastic for the air pipes would work. Cheers, Mike

Parkwood Models do an N gauge Warflat and Warwell - both now available exclusively from the N Gauge Society. Cheers, Mike

Sorry to throw in my 2p again - just back from a few days killing my liver in Munich. As I said originally - my view is that what actually dominates the initial surroundings of Kyle is the sea. The photo that was linked to shows this - you see sea first, then further back (at least half a mile back?) the hills on Skye. My point was initially that the shots that Pete has are actually viewed from the station bridge across to Skye where as the layout will (I guess) primarily be viewed from face on to the station ie from the old ferry slipway eg: http://myrailwaystation.com/RAILWAY%20STATIONS/pages/KYLE%20Of%20LOCHALSH%20STATION%20%201999_jpg.htm http://myrailwaystation.com/RAILWAY%20STATIONS/pages/KYLE%20OF%20LOCHALSH%20STATION%20Ex%20H_%20R_%201989%20_jpg.htm Cheers, Mike

PS for true to life Kyle it should be very grey and raining ;-)

Eeek! Apologies for setting the proverbial cat amongst the pigeons. FWIW I definitely prefer the second version and agree with Mickey's comment. Cheers, Mike

Pete Sorry to be dissenting and negative voice here, but I have to say that the backscene doesn't really work for me. A combination of knowing the prototype too well - my eye is immediately drawn to the missing half of the station and from most angles knowing that you wouldn't see a mountain behind but the sea, and the way it looks like the station building is almost built into the hillside. I am not sure that I can think of a solution - you might be able with a bit of clever photo backscene positioning to have the other half of the station as part of the backscene and then a shot of the sea/sky behind. Alternatively I think that I might be tempted to just have a relatively plain backscene (or even none at all). The photo is actually the hills behind Kyleakin on Skye and should really be at the sea end of the station at a right angle to where it is now. Sorry for being a party pooper! Mike

Great work Ian Looking forward to seeing this layout in the flesh. Cheers, Mike