young37215

Had a look back at my old pictures, I found one of the original bottle used for dunking. Also a couple of before and after shots of a loco treated in a bath of Totally Awesome.

I very much doubt you will have any issues in using a plastic bottle, I did something similar at first before graduating to a plastic box. As with all of these sort of things, you would be wise to monitor the first loco body immersed in the Totally Awesome closely. I found that 15 or 20 minutes and it became visually obvious that the weathering had been disturbed and would come away with encouragement from an old toothbrush. A quick rise under the tap afterwards and I hope you will have the result that you seek.

The last few static pictures from the other days shoot show the line between Arrochar and Ardlui.

My Bachmann tamper has been hard wired with a decoder which cost more than the model itself!. It actually runs quite well, considerably better than my other engineering vehicle the OWB. On the subject of Engineers trains, I have just bought a yellow BCK which will become the Scottish BTU staff coach ADB975077. This spent a fair amount of time at Fort William, it needs a bit of work including a bogie swap, renumber and weathering but should not be too difficult to turn into something representative of the original which can be paired up with the Mickleover yellow BG.

The GWSR has a ballast regulator currently stored at Toddington. It has done some good work building up shoulders along the line but the number of clips it knocks out whilst regulating is ridiculous. I shudder to think how many hours we have spent replacing and renewing the clips. I have a version of the old HO Lilliput tamper that Bachmann still produce from time to time which is a reasonable match for the 1980's pictures that I have seen of tampers on the WHL.

I had similar problems with a Heljan 27 which was transformed by swapping the nasty brass wheels for some of the more up to date ones. I picked them up second hand on Ebay but even then they were not cheap. Guagemaster had some in stock when I last checked but it would cost around £50 to change the wheels.

Garelochead in pale light with 37043 heading an Oban service passing 27105 stabled at the head of an engineering train. Increasingly I find the pictures without trains as interesting as those with trains.

I use Totally Awesome neat from the 1L bottle I have. It get’s poured into a plastic tray that enables the offending article to be fully submerged. This is left for 15/20 minutes then removed and scrubbed with a toothbrush. My experience was that it removed 98 percent of the enamel paint weathering. The Everard video shows something similar if my memory serves me correctly. It is worth a few minutes to watch.

Everard uses LA Totally Awesome. I have removed weathering using the same with fantastic results. I stripped a dozen or so coaches and in every case the factory finish was untouched. Edit, link to my thread which has a few before and after pictures of the coaches and a loco cleaned in Totally Awesome

A well made point which works from a modelling perspective with the tamper transit movements to station sidings close to a work site occuring during a running day. I have'nt switched power on for some time but had to venture up to the loft yesterday looking for tools. I find the unlit views of the layout where the camera highlights the extremes of shadow and light captivating and could not resist taking a few pictures.

As others have said, you would be wise to determine exactly what you want from a new controller before making any buying decision. I considered and disregarded the ECoS because all I wanted was a wireless controller with a rotary dial. With a seperate BUS for point and other servo control, I had no need for some of the ECoS functionality. What I wanted was an updated system similar to the Prodigy I had used for a number of years. Having researched what wanted I bought an ESU Cab Control system which I imported from the USA a few years ago. Despite some teething issues which were mostly of my creation, I have been delighted with Cab Control which I describe as an upgrade on the Prodigy. It also cost me little more than half of what the ECoS cost!

My thanks to Pheaton who has provided me with the rotary switches that I need to make the Absolute Aspects signals function. I have wired them in a test environment and hope to switch the power on shortly but want to double check a couple of points with Absolute before I do. Elsewhere and as spring passes, I am spending less time modelling and more time enjoying being outdoors. Activity on WHL4 is much reduced during the summer but this does not stop me pondering and plotting with the bulk of my thoughts still focused on how to produce prototypical engineering trains. Most of the pictures I have seen from the early 1980's show a mixed bag of engineers trains which I think can be explained by the type of engineering work that took place during this period. A regular feature of the engineers trains is a lowmac with a JCB digger being carried which I am guessing was used for digging out life expired sleepers and wet beds. I have ordered the Hornby Lowmac but need to find a replica for the JCB so that I can create this consist. Track replacment was infrequent although several pictures can be found showing relays taking place. The 1982 pictures of Rhu shows Salmon wagons loaded with rail and fitted with cranes which I want to recreate using the Flangeway Salmon. Cranes are available from Shapeways albeit they are rather rather expensive. Tamping is likely to have been infrequent on the lightly used WHL which in part explains the lack of photographs. The 1981 picture below provides me with reassurance that I can allow my tamper to trundle round from time to time and be prototypical.

I am seeking assistance with the installation of 2 Absolute Aspects signals on my west highland line layout (WHL4) which are working copies of those found at Fort William station comprising: ⦁ a dual headed, 3 aspect bracket signal on the end of the platform that controls departures from the station. ⦁ a two aspect (red/amber) signal just beyond the station throat that controls entry to the station. The signals are typical MAS with each additionally have a calling on signal to facilitate shunting at the station. The single aspect signal has a further addition by way of a working theatre box which identifies the platform set. Each signal will be operated independently of everything else on the layout, I do not require any interlocking. On DCC controlled WHL4, Fort William station is about 15M away from the main control panel which runs the entire layout. For consistency and to avoid long cable runs, I had hoped to use my point and signal controlling Megapoints network with their Autosignal component to operate the signals. I now learn that the Autosignal will not deliver what I need and am looking at how best to control the signals from the control panel without having long cable runs to individual switches. Getting the required 12V power the signals require from the power BUS that runs the Megapoints network is easy enough. The signals come with a PCB where attaching the wires from the signal looks straight forward, I am comfortable soldering these in line with the supplied instructions. Where I am lost is how to control the signals where I want a solution that enables independent: ⦁ control of the bracket signal red/amber/ green. ⦁ control of the 2 aspect signal red/amber. ⦁ control of the calling on signals. ⦁ The theatre box number displayed should be determined by the direction of the points into the the platform which should only illuminate when either main aspect is amber or the calling on signal is green Can anyone explain how I might achieve control as outlined? I recognise that this may be beyond my capabilities to undertake and I am not averse to subcontracting the work if necessary.

Two new arrivals are the signals for Fort William custom built by Absolute Aspects. They really look the part but I cannot use them yet because I do not have anything to control/operate them. My original plan was to use the Megapoints Autosignal but I have since learnt that the Megapoints product will not deliver what I want. Each signal comes with a PCB, what I need is a means of issuing instructions to the PCB that I can incorporate into the main control panel some 15M away. Here I am stuck, I am guessing something that utilises the DCC BUS and requires a decoder for each signal but I have no idea what will do this; any suggestions please?

I had a look in a couple of class 27 books and did not see any with this sort of stain. Most of the oil spils that were visible came from the roof and cant rail grills which was why the were so prone to catching fire. The loco looks good otherwise, a few minutes with a cotton bud and some thinners will tidy the spill up?

The final few pictures from my latest running session, 37039 is seen again departing Arrochar with 6S56 on its journey north.

It is a Spannerman picture of 37178 south of Crianlarich. www.flickr.com/photos/eastfield/7530003816/in/album-72157714056700757 Arriving at the northern end of Crianlarich is 37043 with 1T24, 1226 from Oban to Glasgow.

I like the feel that the view creates although I prefer the opposite direction from the station back towards the cutting. Which ever way you view it I am pleased with the way the area has turned out although, as ever, more trees and bushes would be nice. My preferred view of the section with 37039 in charge of the northbound Alcan hoppers.

Nice one Ian, I will have to do one of the SRPS tours with 403 when they run on the WHL. I was pleased to learn that Hornby are doing a re-run of their BSO in blue and grey. Scheduled for delivery this summer, I will be tempted to add another couple of these to WHL4. I might even start thinking about converting them to BSOT micro buffet. Closer to home operations continue, 20085 has charge of a rake of empty Grampus spoil wagons seen arriving and stabling at Crianlarich.

An eclectic mix of wagons with both vacum and air braked variants in the consist presumably hence the guards van. 37085 departs Garelochead heading south.

Hi Andy There are limited number of 1980's pictures of WHL engineering trains in my experience of my main source, Flickr. When you think about it, the lack of pictures probably reflects the nominal maintenance carried out on the line during this time. The only significant work I can think of on the extension was the rationalisation at Mallaig and move to the 'one train in steam' method of operation in 1982 of which I have never seen any pictures. Other than that I suspect that maintenance was only ad hoc replacement of failed track components, ballast top ups and the occassional tamping. 1985 Mallaig, A Mermaid sneaks into the picture of 37112 37403 Arisaig 1988 1984, engineering consist approaching Glenfinnan 37401 1986

Carrying on the operating day, 37033 having run around the stock of the inbound 0600 from Glasgow, sets back and prepares to return the 164 miles to Glasgow with the 1245 departure from Mallaig. 37017 awaits departure of the passenger train so that it can use the loop to run around its loaded ballast train.

Little activity of late, a 'motivation battery recharge' is ongoing. Yesterdays monsoon restricted my activity outside and so I returned to operations in 1983 which was fun. 37085 was photographed approaching Garelochead with 8D10, 0707 Mallaig Junction Yard to Mossend.

When Doncaster commenced the class 50 refurbishment programme in the late 70's/early 80's, they started returning the ex works locos to the Western Region on the 09.50 Edinburgh Plymouth. Many of the ex works fleet returned this way although other trains were occassionally used. For example I had 50034 returning home on the 12.37 Leeds Cardiff service on 27/10/82. On a positive note, as the locos were ex works you do not need to worry about weathering your models!

The Ardlui picture is undated but shows the RETB stop board and with no visible sign of the old semaphores it dates 1986 onwards. My Mermaids have been around a while, I did a piece on weathering them back in Summer 2018 but last years meltdown wiped all the pictures! Like you I have a number of engineers trains and insufficient sidings in the fiddle yards to store them which means they get shuffled around from station siding to siding. This is probably more prototypical than I appreciate although evidence to support this is thin on the ground, photos of engineering trains were never a great favourite for most people. As ever Ernie Bracke has one There are others if you look hard 1986