2996 Victor

Dear All, Many thanks for your responses - that all makes perfect sense. I remember thinking at the time how odd it would be if it were an auto-fitted passenger working, but being unaware of modern (then!) goings on, I consigned it to the interesting but not currently relevant. And @Tim Chambers you're absolutely right - most embarrassing as I'm from Somerset and know the south coast quite well Thanks again! Mark

Dear All, I'm wondering if my memory is playing tricks on me, so I would be grateful if someone more erudite than me can shed some light on this query: In the mid-1980s, I spent a long weekend in a guest house situated just to the west of Wareham in Dorset, where the railway runs parallel to the A352. Whilst there, I recall a diesel locomotive hauling what appeared to be a single auto trailer, seemingly on a cross-country service. I would have said that the loco was in grey livery. I can't seem to find anything to bear out my memory, so is it at fault? After 35 or so years, I wouldn't be surprised. But for someone who knows little about such things, it would be interesting to know. Many thanks and best regards, Mark

Hi Kevin, Many apologies as I seem to have missed your post! Thank you for the extra info on the PECO unifrog points - that's actually quite straightforward which is ideal for a simple soul like me! It seems to me that for the purposes of converting to 3-rail, a dead frog is the best option, although isolation of part of the wing rails to prevent short circuits, as per @ilgrifone 's post would be needed. Thanks again and best regards, Mark

This is such a great layout - "Like" simply doesn't do it justice! Do you have the dates of the exhibitions? Burnley is do-able for me, depending on whether it's a weekend for seeing my little ones, and I'd like to see Far Wittering in the flesh! Please do keep posting the pictures as well. All the best, Mark

Hi Mike, many thanks for your kind words of welcome! As you may have gathered, I was introduced to Dublo at an early age with what had been my Dad's set when he was a boy in the Fifties. It's a perpetual sadness to me that it was all sold in the eighties, but there it is. I can easily understand how things escalate, or snowball perhaps, as I've already got some more wagons on the way..... I really would like to get to a few swapmeets soon, though, and be able to seek out some nice items in the flesh, so-to-speak. Your comments on running quality are very interesting, as that is something I need to consider soon - I'm planning/building for several small layouts including EM standard gauge and 009, all will be DC control as I like (need!) to keep the electrics as simple as I can, and a controller that I can use for all would be my ideal goal. Any suggestions would be gratefully received! Your take on adding the central third rail to PECO track is also very helpful - my soldering skills are "not great" but I think that's something I could make a reasonable job of! Have you made a sort of track gauge to ensure that the central rail is central (points notwithstanding, of course!)? Have you also contrived some sort of end ramp effect where the central rail breaks for the points? Unfortunately, I've only got one length of PECO Streamline Flexitrack , so I'll need to invest in a few points and some more plain - something I never thought I'd be doing again until very recently! I'll have to make sure of the back-to-back dimensions of any stock I acquire - the general consensus seems to be that it would have been a nominal 14.2mm. Have you got any plans to make your test track into a layout? I'll check out the link to Garry Hall's layout - any inspiration is gratefully received. Thanks again for your thoughts and suggestions - they are more helpful than I can say! With very best regards, Mark

Hi @Jonny Retro, many thanks for taking the time to check the height of the central rail relative to the outer rails. As you may have gathered, I'm considering using modern 2-rail track suitably modified with a central third rail for my HD 3-rail layout, hence my question. Thanks also for the additional info on the use of baby wipes - I think I'll probably use some mild detergent but I might try wipes on a derelict wagon and see how effective they are! All the best, Mark

Many, many thanks to @Nearholmer and @Il Grifone for the PECO track notes above - vital information for anyone, me included, thinking of using PECO rail for our planned HD layouts, in my case by converting it to 3-rail, of course. I must admit that I have no idea what PECO's "Unifrog" points are! As far I'm concerned, simplicity is king and for 3-rail a dead frog point is perfect! All the best, Mark

I've managed to make a little progress during the last week while I've been between jobs (slightly hampered by the arrival last weekend of a silver tabby kitten rejoicing in the name of Daisy) in that I've managed to apply lettering to the two S&DJR D299 5-plank opens and one of the D305 3-plank drop-sides. Unfortunately, the latter wagon remains incomplete as I've run out of the Highbridge-style script "Tare" wording and associated numbers Annoyingly, there are only enough sets on the HMRS sheet for three wagons, so another sheet is on order..... I've also lettered one of my Cambrian Railways 4-plank opens in the same pre-1899 livery as the 2-plank fixed sided open. Once I've weathered these few, I'll post some pictures. All the best, Mark EDIT If anyone wants the rest of the HMRS transfer sheet let me know. Its the 4mm/1ft scale "LMS English Pre-Grouping Goods Vehicle Insignia (except LNWR)" sheet, Pressfix style. Apart from the S&D lettering, I've only used the Midland "ED"s and "ENGINEERING DEPT"s.

I'm more than happy to discuss anything HD-related! Although my rolling stock preference is tinplate/lithograph and I'll most probably stay three-rail, its all interesting to me as it's a subject I'm new to. Just to muddy the waters slightly, although my planned small layout is most likely to be three-rail I'm considering using PECO track, suitably modifed, to hopefully make things more reliable..... Incidentally, I stood one of my recent three-rail acquisitions on a length of Code 75 EM gauge track (the wheel treads are wide enough that it didn't drop in between the rails!), and the HD wheels seemed happy enough running along it without bumping on the moulded chairs even when moved across so that the wheel flanges were against the rail head on one side. All the best, Mark

Note the wire wound around the chimney and the "staple" across the front of the tanks to keep it together - restoration project is about right! How were the halves originally joined?

Hi @Nearholmer, many thanks for the cleaning tips - despite the other suggestions above I haven't tried anything yet! It sounds like a good old-fashioned sugar soap might do as well, but wouldn't smell as nice as even "unfragranced" baby wipes! I'll give them a go when I get round to cleaning my acquisitions. All the best, Mark

Hi Jim, that's interesting - how good is it at lifting light dirt? I had considered Autoglym Resin Car Polish, which is very slightly cutting, and leaves a super shine when buffed, but was concerned about the litho printing. I suppose a trial on a beaten-up derelict could be a worthwhile exercise. I think I'll avoid the Windex, though..... All the best, Mark

Hi David, Thank you! I think I've really been quite lucky with those five - they all came from the same seller, whether they were his or he had acquired a collection I don't know, but they seem to have been well-looked-after. They should form a good nucleus for my collection. I really want to get to a swap meet or two now, and see what else is available! Thanks also for the suggestions re washing - they are a bit dirty! The coal load doesn't seem too bad for shrinkage/distortion, from what I've read, so I'll do as you suggest and put it with the open with the worse interior of the two. I was thinking also of trying to get some small pouches of silica gel to put in the boxes to absorb any atmospheric moisture; what do you think? As for the Gaiety Pannier, well it's certainly a thing "of its time", and as such I do rather like it! HD locomotives seem to be quite "crisp" in the finish of the castings - I can't work out whether the Gaiety JVM casting is also quite crisp and then appallingly painted (or over-painted with the passage of time) or whether its just the opposite. It would be nice to see one that has a good paint finish! The one in @bertiedog's thread (Gaiety GWR Pannier Restoration and build in P4) seems to be quite nicely cast (shame it wasn't completed). There also seem to have been several variations with different cab widths, and also different safety valve bonnets: one is appalling, and one is not so bad (unless it had already been replaced!). Kind regards, Mark

Hi John, Yes, I'd noticed the date of his last visit. I've come across several of his threads, and as you say an excellent modeller. Mark

Given @davknigh's post above, I hesitate to ask this, but is @bertiedog still active? I'd be fascinated to know if this project was ever finished. Regards, Mark

Just thought I'd post a few pics of my recent purchases: http:// http:// http:// http:// http:// http:// As I mentioned above, I'm really rather pleased with them! The two coal wagons and the meat van are, I would venture to say, nearly mint, while the bogie bolster has one or two tiny chips to its paintwork and the tube wagon has a few minor blemishes. Very happy! On another track (!), I hadn't even considered that body kits had been made to fit proprietary chassis like HD or Trix. Quite why I'd assumed that that cottage industry had sprung up in more recent times, I can't say. So it was a bit of an eye-opener when I stumbled across a Gaiety Models GWR 57xx Pannier Tank - this particular example is priced rather excessively, I've since discovered. Having found a few mentions here on RMWeb, I know it has its limitations, but I understand that generally-speaking its dimensionally quite accurate and I feel I might seek one out, either complete or as a body only. So, as far as keeping strictly to HD is concerned, it looks like I'm already wavering! As indeed David @Il Grifone suggested some time ago! All the best, Mark

Hi Terry, many thanks for the heads-up! The exhibition looks rather good, with some exceptional layouts. I'll certainly try to get there, although we have a prior family engagement. Best regards, Mark

Hi Ray, that's most helpful. I'm afraid I'm not well-versed in electrics/electronics and as such I aim for simplicity! Many thanks, Mark

Its been a while since my last post, and there's been a little progress on my current raft of wagon builds. The Coastline Models 3D-printed Cambrian Railways 2-plank fixed side has made the most progress: http:// In line with its pre-1899 livery, its had its numbers added to the ends and load capacity to the bottom-left of its sides - the latter is a little on the large side, really - and the remainder of the ironwork picked out in my favoured Tamiya Iron Grey. The interior woodwork has been tinted to hopefully look more like individual wooden planks, using thin washes of acrylic mixed to give a murky brown-grey, the depth of colour being built up be successive washes on the separate planks to give the variation. I've also done the other wagons currently on the bench. Starting with one of the Cambrian 4-plank opens, this one will also be in pre-1899 livery: http:// The Cambrian 3-plank fixed side, to be in post-1899 livery and yet to receive its underpinnings: http:// And one of the S&DJR foursome - they all have just an indication of the top-most plank tinted as they'll be loaded: http:// And a group photo: http:// They'll all be weathered externally and internally, using my favoured powders, before having a sealing coat of matt clear lacquer, hopefully soon! All the best, Mark

Hi Jim, many thanks for the extra info - I hadn't considered how the sprung pick-up shoe would drop between the studs! At the moment, I'm considering my options with regard to track, so any thoughts or advice are very welcome. All the best, Mark

Ray, thanks for the pointers regarding the best type of controller - I mentioned in my reply to David @Il Grifone that I'd be ideally looking for a controller that I could use for both an HD layout and also for my planned EM-gauge finescale layout (DC, not DCC). So any advice would be gratefully received! Thanks in advance! Mark

Hi David, thank you for your thoughts regarding a suitable controller - to be honest I hadn't considered that aspect as yet! I've got Dad's transformer/controller, and it worked perfectly 35 years ago!!! But it hasn't been used since!!! So a recommendation for a suitable modern electronic unit that could be used for this and for a modern DC control (no DCC for me!) would be gratefully appreciated. All the best, Mark

Hi John, I'm interested in 3-rail and tinplate, not sure about track just yet, whether to find good original or to modify PECO, or even use their Marklin stud-replacement strip. Incidentally, what would HD rail equate to in terms of rail "code". Best regards, Mark

Hi, Yes, you've pretty much hit the nail on the head. I wouldn't class myself as "a collector" in the normal sense of the term, rather I'm collecting some items that I like for a small layout. Being a bit of a perfectionist, I'm looking for really nice items, ideally mint, but I'm not prepared to pay silly money so a dose of pragmatism is the order of the day. I'm also happy to do a little light restoration if necessary, bearing in mind that that can affect the value of rarer items. But then, I probably won't be buying any of the rarer items, anyway! As far as the layout is concerned, I can see it being "scenic", but probably using more traditional methods, Superquick-type buildings, for instance. At the end of the day, it's all about nostalgia, and having a bit of fun! Cheers, Mark

Hi, have to say that does look effective! How did you do the safety valve bonnet? I should like to see some photos of the coaches when they're finished! Best regards, Mark