deltic9014

Looks great, show us some more!

I know that it is best to have all the same type of coupling at the same height, and I have also read about the advantages and disadvantages of different coupling systems. However, as much as I would like to standardise my couplings or change to a 'better' system, I am modelling within a very limited budget. Therefore if your suggestions involve spending money, they are probably not helpful to me.

Thanks for all the replies. Most of my stock is old Hornby and Lima with the large tension locks, the only exception being a Bachmann class 08 which doesn't seem to care whether there is a hook on the adjacent coupling or not. My layout doesn't feature any gradients, doesn't have a turntable, and most of the locomotives are diesels - the 3 steam locomotives will probably be left alone as they don't get used much for shunting anyway. I'm also not planning to fit wire loop couplings, as it would be a lot of work to equip all my locomotives.

Hi all I've been thinking about removing the hooks from the tension lock couplings at one end of each item of rolling stock in an attempt to make shunting easier and stop the hooks getting tangled/the wrong way round when coupling on curves. Has anyone done this, and are there any potential problems I should be aware of? Thanks in advance

Hi all, While testing the new points this morning I tried running one of my Tri-ang Princess locomotives. Unfortunately the result was a massive spark and lots of smoke from the motor. Having tested and fiddled around with it since, it appears that the armature has burned out. Does anyone have a spare decent running X04 motor or armature that they would sell for not too much - please PM me if you can help. Thanks

Hi PatB I did think about this when I first planned the layout, but one of the things I wanted to keep was the ability to run round a passenger train stopped in the platform when using the layout without the end board on the right hand end i.e. not a continuous run. As it is I have fitted the new points and tested them, and they have eliminated the problem. Thanks anyway for the suggestion

Wow! That's really good work. I'd love to see the NMT interior when you get on to it.

Come on Sam, show us the weathered containers, they can't be that bad! Keep up the good work.

Hi all, Sorry for the lack of updates so far. I recently ran into a problem with the first platform. As you can see from the photo, the mid-platform crossover is around halfway along it: This is made up of Hornby set-track points, like all the points on the layout. However, when building the platform I didn't take into account the tight radius of the crossover and the related end overhang on locos and stock. Consequently longer locos now catch their buffers on the platform edge when going through the crossover: I thought about modifying the platform to rectify this but decided it wouldn't look very good. Therefore yet more money has been squeezed out of the modelling budget to purchase some large radius Peco Streamline points - these will also be Electrofrog to (hopefully) result in better running. I've also started building the second platform - here's progress so far: Happy modelling

Hi Steve Assuming you mean the unpainted board? This is not currently going scenic, although I may do so in the future. The plan is to add storage sidings of some sort at a later date, but at present my budget doesn't allow for that. The layout will be developed in 3 stages - I will make the scenery on the main 6x2ft board first, then move to the 4x2 end board (not shown in the photos) before deciding what to do with the currently unpainted 6x2. Thanks for your support Robin

Hi everyone At last I've got some time to get my layout on RMweb after spending the last few months frantically finishing off at college. In between I've been building baseboards, laying track, and wiring. Beamish Cross is a medium sized urban station located somewhere on the East Coast Main Line, on the outskirts of the London conurbation. It's the late 1960s/early 1970s, steam has all but gone, and the traction and rolling stock fleet is changing from green and maroon to the new corporate blue. It's this variety that fascinated me and that I am trying to capture. As you can see from the attached trackplan, the layout is 8ft x 4ft when fully set up, made up of two 2x6ft and one 2x4ft boards. At home the layout lives on the top bunk bed in my room, so the 2x4 end section is removed and the layout can be operated as a terminus-to-fiddleyard setup. Here are a few shots of progress so far, showing one of the platforms, the private siding and the diesel stabling point; The plan is to use a road bridge as the scenic break at the end of the layout nearest the camera, and an overall roof on the station at the other. Since I am only working part time and paying for driving lessons out of that, I am building this layout on a tight budget. With this in mind, most of the rolling stock will be second hand, older models, which I hope to do some detailing jobs on - I can show what I already have if people are interested. Buildings will be either scratchbuilt or made from free downloads - fortunately my parents don't limit my use of their printer ( at the moment!). Finally for this post, I must acknowledge a few inspirational layout builders - Kier Hardy's Wibdenshaw has given me a lot of ideas, and Chris 64B and Jaggzuk's 8x4 layouts have also encouraged me that a good amount can be done with such a space. Thats all for now - please like, follow and comment, and I'll bring you some more later. Thanks Robin

Go on! Build it! It's something a bit different, rather than the typical containers/steel/coal/whatever else that typically features on modern image freight layouts. I agree with 37038 that the wider boards are better, the narrower version is just too cramped. BTW have you thought about doing the late 90s period, as the trains were hauled by some interesting class 47s (I believe from the Immingham Infrastructure pool?) in various heritage liveries including BR green and Network SouthEast; modelling those could make an interesting project and add variety to your fleet. There was other interesting traction used then as well, including class 37s and 58s - try searching 'avon binliner train' on Google Images and see what turns up.

Your workshop looks very organised.

Looks like a great start. Also love the class 442 in one of the pictures - shame it won't appear on the layout much!

Stu Love the progress on the layout and how you seem to make the older stock fit in with the more recent releases. Keep it up .

Looks good. Nice to see a class that isn't often modelled

Great work on the FGW HST. I've lost count of the number I've seen that look really toy-like. I don't know how Hornby managed it...or how many modellers can live with it! Yours looks massively better.

How come Heljan omitted so much painting? My brother's Hornby 58 has all that kind of stuff painted on it already (and the Hornby model isn't supposed to be as good!?!). Come on, Heljan... !!! Brilliant work Andy. Keep it up

Paul You can't run Deltics on Buxton . Heljan do a nice looking model in O gauge

Very naughty!! Love it though! Diesels Forever!! (gets hat and coat)

Hi James How much would you be asking for this layout?

My vote for worst loco goes to the Minitrix class 27. I have never seen such a disgustingly distorted 'model' in any scale, and the motor sounds like a bag of spanners. Makes the Lima N gauge seem pretty decent by comparison.

Just seen Paul's latest post. Question is: which sort?

Missed something off my post as I was too busy joking Meant to say that the bridge is looking good. Keep it up Paul .

Hi Paul and Andy