NCB

Just tried drilling the holes in the boiler using my drill stand method. It worked! Only had a quick look to check but it looks as though the holes on one side are level and on the other very slightly sloping, but I think there's enough wiggle room with the handrail knobs to correct this fairly easily. Generally I use either 3mm Society handrail knobs or Markits N scale ones, which are virtually identical; in this case I'm using the latter. I marked the spot for each hole with a fine black marker pen, as seeing the right spot isn't easy, having initially marked them using a scribe.

Thanks for that. I've been playing around with the points of broaches. The problem is I have a dodgy right hand and its both hard to hold one firmly and to apply any serious force. I wonder if the left hand could manage it. But the broaches aren't that sharp. I have drilled one hole in the smokebox; it's visible in the pic. I shoved the drill in a drill stand and brought it down very slowly in the hope the drill wouldn't fly off target. It worked. Not sure if it would work on the boiler, where I'm using 0.4mm drills. Maybe worth a go. Nigel

Cleaned up the smokebox; think it'll do. Here's another test fitting of the parts: Now for the joys of trying to drill holes for handrail knobs in the boiler tube! Nigel

Is that an asbestos roof on the goods shed? Looks a bit like one. Nigel

3m/ft. Peco N scale stone platform sides (they're the right depth for 3mm because they allow for track using Peco ballast underlay). Slaters sheet paving, supported on plastic formers fitted between the sides. Nigel

Lot of walking to do. Might have used the odd horse but walking was the main thing. All the sorting would have been done locally. A long time ago I came across a postman at Elgol on Skye, who'd just finished his round and was caught in a storm. Gave him a lift back to Broadford. Said he enjoyed the walking, but he was about to retire, and when he did they'd bring in a van. Nigel

Reminds me of the original Triang 4mm B12, a loco I always admired. Nigel

Getting the wrapper soldered on proved very, very fiddly. In the process I found one way of reducing burnt fingers when holding parts together with one hand is to stick plasters on the fingers. That way you can afford to let the solder cool a little longer before screaming and dropping the part. Here's the result: Pretty messy, not perfect, but I think after cleaning up it will do. The wrapper isn't quite long enough so a bit of filling will be required around the base when it is finally in place. This is probably the last bit of really fiddly soldering to do. After I've cleaned it up I think I'll take a look at adding boiler and smokebox handrails, as these are probably easier to do before assembling these pieces to the main model. Nigel

Re the pics of Llangurig station site which I mentioned on the previous page, I've now stumbled upon them, actually taken the same day as the the pic I showed on the previous page which I had thought was later. Date 31 December 1998. Here's two of the just demolished bridge: Here's one of the western part of the station site, with much of it obliterated by the re-established road: The railway ran along the embankment. Here's the eastern approach cutting to the station: I'm at a loss to guess the layout. Finally, the cutting west of the bridge carrying the A470 over the railway: Apologies for hijacking your thread, Jonathan! Nigel

But Continental N is 1:160, so there's still a reasonable reduction from Continental TT. I.e. the former is 75% of the latter.

Some did carry LOCO COAL, on a separate plank attached to the sides, but not sure how consistent it was. Yep, it not only needs the bang plate but the door banger itself. I'll get around to it, one day ... Nigel

As here

I'm thinking over setting my Cambrian interests about 1910-1912 as well. For one thing it is less testing as regards painting coaches, all over green instead of white panelling; not sure my dodgy right hand is up to doing the latter. For another, I think the polished brasswork on locomotives was increasingly painted over. I always look for easy ways out! Nigel

Soldered tube to smokebox front. A bit fiddly, with nothing positive to locate things, and it took several goes to get it reasonably right. Then added the saddle. The smokebox front is slightly deeper than the saddle; it's probably the latter which is slightly too shallow. Doesn't really matter as the saddle is primarily to help locate the wrapper. Now for the joys of adding the wrapper! Nigel

Think it was supposed to be a branch off the Van branch. As it is a through station it could have continued to somewhere north of the current Llyn Clywedog, although there are substantial hills in the way. Nigel

I believe the NEM standard mount doesn't have the height above rail specified, hence ...

To the smokebox. I cut a bit of brass tube of size next one up from the boiler, of length so that it projected slightly out of the smokebox wrapper. The cutting process tends to shrink the tube around the cut, so the outside is nicely bevelled which is what I want, but the inside will not fit over the boiler tube. So I did a fair amount of filing of the inside until it did fit. Here's the tube, with smokebox front, saddle and half-etched wrapper: Now to stick this lot together! Nigel

How does modern commercial rolling stock run on HD 3-rail track? Wondering about coaches in particular? Also, any tips for converting modern couplings to the HD type?

When I was a tot my elder brother had the Hornby Dublo, mainly Atholl and the 0-6-2T in LMS livery. After he started other interests I took it over, but had a battle getting funds to expand it. Eventually I had a Castle, but that was it. I'd always fancied the 2-6-4T, and also liked the 0-6-2T in BR livery, but to no avail. A month or so ago I thought what the hell, stop thinking about them and do something. A scout round Ebay, and I had one of each, in what looks to me in very clean condition and what I think were reasonable prices. Yipee! Pics: Very satisfied; they have a presence about them. The 2-6-4T runs well, the 0-6-2T not bad but sticks a bit; I think a drop of oil should help. The couplings on the 2-6-4T look a little battered. I also bought 4 turnouts, again in good condition, to supplement the 5 I already had (should have been 6, but I lent a pair to somebody for an exhibition and only 1 came back). I don't know where all this is leading. Could be dangerous Nigel

Hi Pete What wheels did you use? Do they come ready gauged, or can you move the wheels on the axles? I'm contemplating rewheeling a Triang suburban. I was thinking about using wheels which can be moved on the axles, so an axle can be fed in from the outside, a couple of wheels slide onto it, gauge adjusted, then bearings applied. Reason being that it avoids the vertical slot. But maybe it's not worth it; depends on what choice of wheels there are. Nigel

In practice, British OO track standards should be virtually the same as NMRA HO standards, and model commercial wheel standards conform to RP25/110. It sounds as though your Dapol wheels are way out.

If the locking nut doesn't work, try Loctite Nutlock. Designed for this sort of thing. Now called Loctite 243. Nigel

Got the tube for the boiler. Cut it to length so that it would project a bit into the smokebox, and soldered it to the firebox. The rods I used to construct the firebox proved just right to locate the boiler. Nevertheless, it's not one of my best efforts! Things are slightly skewed. But it will have to do. I tell myself that when finished nobody will notice. Whatever, it's too much effort to try to redo it; probably a different approach might have been better. Indeed, I'm wondering how a 3D printed brass firebox would work out. Here's the assembly temporarily attached to the cab front: Next stage will be the smokebox, which will be a separate assembly built around the next size tube so that it's a sliding fit on the boiler. That way I can juggle things so that they fit. I hope! Nigel

Here's a model of a SR diagram 1309 wagon with raised ends: Parkside kit for the 3mm Society. The ends may have been cut down later in life but I'm not sure when. Nigel

Think Alan Jones used plans dating from around 1900 for these fixed-side 2-plankers. But they are very similar to considerably older wagons. Early ones had variations in the chasses such as Y hangers instead of V hangers. Drop-side 2-plankers were more common than fixed side. On the Cambrian 2-plankers were the most common wagon by far.