Albion47509

Ghost are offering free shipping again for January 2023 using promo code free4u. I'd highly recommend trying their 7 micron blue backed waterslide clear decal foil (transfer paper) - especially with free shipping as the normal shipping fees are very expensive. No connection - just a satisfied customer. DECAL Foil, with blue background • Ghost Webshop (ghost-white-toner.com)

Thanks for clarifying on the bolster timbers Ben. I doubted it would be something that Revolution would overlook - just concerned when seeing the CADS. Just seen the options available and wow - you really have covered the variants well - decisions decisions!

Great News - I'll certainly be adding a number of variants to my fleet. One small detail question though - on the CAD images for the YLA Mullet, the bolsters all seem to have the same thickness of timber, whereas photographs seem to suggest that the outer bolsters had heavier timbers than those towards the center (at least when first converted in the early 80's). I've no idea why they were like this, and also note that BDA's seemed to be the opposite - answers on a postcard? Appreciate that tooling constraints may preclude this, and it may not be the case on all wagons though? It would be great if the bolsters were removable to make personalization easier.

Got an Email today from Ghost - They are currently offering free shipping on some items including Decal Foil using the discount code FREE21. Just successfully completed an order for 15 A4 sheets of there excellent blue backed decal sheet for £41. Certainly takes the sting out!!! https://www.ghost-white-toner.com/?goal=0_eea6303cc1-9b98112862-222006897&mc_cid=9b98112862&mc_eid=56042ba68a

Thanks Lantavian, I'll bear that in mind, although I'm using a very old version of Photoshop, so all of the functions may not be available.

Hi Meld, Sorry for late reply - not logged in for a while. I use various fonts found in word to get as close as possible to what I desire, then print them quite large on glossy paper. I then scan them back into Photoshop to enable gaps to be changed and everything to be shrunk down to to appropriate sizes - the important thing is to get all components to the correct size in relationship with each other. Obtaining the correct print out size can then be done in final scaling at the printing stage - I check everything first using normal black toner on normal paper. On the subject of fonts - I haven't found any way of replicating rail alphabet in word, but a PDF of New Rail Alphabet is available on line - I printed this off and scanned various letters / numbers into Photoshop to create a template from which the components can be cloned - it takes a bit more care ensuring everything is aligned, but it doesn't take as long as you'd imagine. As I'm working in such a small scale many of the small differences in font are lost, so I can get away with some degree of inaccuracy - might not work in 7mm though!!

Here's a few pics of some of my weathered N Gauge ones - I've also renumbered one to STS 10617 and moved the STS markings to the lower position as carried by many examples in the 80s. I've also added a B&B coupling to one wagon. For more images - visit tonybuckton.smugmug.com

Thanks Justin - I'll have to try that in the future - I just used Humbrol Decal fix which has performed fine on flat surfaces, but not so good on the planking.

Yes I imagine that the shading could be quite tricky - separate transfers may be an easier answer. Your results look great - can't see any shading in the planking - whereas the transfers applied the shark ballast plough I did didn't quite settle into the gaps.

Hi Justin1985, Yes I've used it a lot more in the last few months for an Eastern region weedkiller train (my reason for taking the plunge in the first place) and I'm more than impressed with the results - on the spray coach I wanted white on black for the Departmental running number, but I just printed the black patch and then added an extra white transfer over the top - the carrier film is so thin you can get away with it. However, it is something I've been meaning to try but suspect the the alignment will not be consistent enough - may be O.K for large transfers, but most of mine have been tiny so far as working in N. I've attached some photo's from my weedkiller train as examples - even the inspection dates on the sole-bar are just about legible Everything on the attached photo's is home printed apart from the electrification flashes which are from the Fox range. For further pics check out - https://tonybuckton.smugmug.com/NGaugeModels/BR-Eastern-Region-Weedkiller-Train/

RE Last Post, Horns - from memory, I may have even just turned the horn volume off on one loco - either way, if this isn't done, both horns sound together if given the same address.

Hi Graeme, I also use a NCE Powercab - mine is the wired version which has not had the software update from a few years back, so can't guarantee it will work as yours. I did have some issues when consisting my class 20's as well - I couldn't get the active braking to work on both loco's, so found one would be braking whilst the other was still running - at that point I decided to just give them the same address as I only wanted to run them as a pair anyway - this did mean I had to lower the horn volume to 0 on each loco for each direction, but I was O.K. with that. As for the sound synchronisation - the loco's only start at different times and run out of sync with each other if you have the decoders loaded with A & B unit sound files - this gives the best results, as the sounds are slightly out of sync when running and create a kind of reverberation between them. If you have just installed two decoders without specifying A or B units they will be in sync and won't sound as good - if this is the case, Digitrains can re-blow one of them to a B unit for a modest fee - I believe this can be done on the track without removing the decoder. Hope this helps, Tony

Yes, it is the blue backed transfer paper Ghost call Decal Foil - It's shown as 7 microns. I found the same with Crafty Computer papers transfer sheet - the carrier film was thick by comparison, and left an easily visible edge. It was O.K. for some applications, but not really much good on an open flat surface. This from Ghost is very thin - I'd say about the same as some that I have had from Railtec (before they went to blob printing) / Modelmaster / CCT etc. - you can just make out the edge on the 'Waste Oil....Botanic Gardens' lettering on the extreme close-up, but it isn't noticeable. I applied the transfers over a good gloss coat, and then over sprayed them with Humbrol Matt Coat mixed with 50% thinners. Because the carrier is so thin I did have some issues with the transfers folding on themselves etc whilst trying to slide them off the backing paper - so it's a good idea to print plenty of spares.

I have found the service they offer is superb, but when I questioned the shipping costs on 10 bits of A4 decal foil their response was that we (in the UK) are on an island and they are shipping from Germany! - It's expensive. However - I buy Vinyl records frequently from Europe and never pay more than ten Euro's - Still - if it works, it's worth it. In theory, the toner cartridge and my remaining 14 A4 sheets should last me a lifetime as long as there is no deterioration of either toner or decal sheet - unfortunately, only time will tell - trouble is we have no way of knowing if they will go down the route of Crafty Computer Paper and just vanish! - so is it one of those cases of get sorted while we can? Cheers, Tony.

Thanks for your kind comments, I was fortunate in that I was looking to replace an old ink jet printer at the time, so matched a reasonably priced HP LaserJet Pro M452nw to a toner cartridge type that was available from Ghost. I found the printers seemed to be at elevated prices direct from them, so purchased that from an online retailer in the UK (Printerland or Printerbase I think). I then purchased the white toner cartridge and 5 A4 sheets of decal foil (as they call it) from Ghost. For me it was a case of picking out the best combination as the toner cartridges vary considerably in price. The printer cost me about £140, and the toner cartridge around £240, so with postage the whole lot cost me around £400 - this seems a lot, but my old inkjet was costing me around £100 a year in ink that was mainly evaporating rather than actually ending up on any paper. One word of warning - Ghost do charge a very high flat shipping rate, so I would advise buying more decal foil with an initial purchase, as now I've seen how good the decal sheets are I've just ordered another 10 which came to £25, but with an eye-watering £28 shipping on top. Cheers, Tony.

Here are some examples of transfers created using my Ghost white toner cartridge - please remember I'm working in N - the tanks are Revolution Trains Class B 35t. I still need to add couplings to some ends. The print quality is certainly good enough - It could possibly be improved with experimentation, but for a first attempt, I'm more than pleased with the results. The number on the left hand end of the sole-bar in the extreme close-up (IMGP4151) compares reasonably well with the other printed lettering on the sole-bar. Correction - the company is just called Ghost - www.ghost-white-toner.com

There is a company called Little Ghost that are based in Germany and offer white toner cartridges for Laser printers and can supply waterslide decal paper with a blue background. I've recently invested in a cartridge, paper and a suitable printer, but haven't gotten round to trying it yet (decal printing). The company offer white toner cartridges for a very wide range of printers, so as I required a new printer anyway, the best option was to match one of the cheeper cartridges to a printer that I could purchase in the U.K. - I purchase one of the HP Laserjet range for around £140 and then the white toner cartridge was around the same - this sounds expensive, but unlike Ink Jet printers, the cartridges should last indefinitely when not in use and the print capacity of the white toner cartridge will last me a lifetime (as long as there is no toner deterioration). Little Ghost do offer complete bundles (Printer / Cartridges and paper), but the prices of the printers seemed elevated and the shipping costs would be higher for a printer from Germany. The service was excellent though - the cartridge arrived within a few of days. https://www.ghost-white-toner.com/model-builders/?lang=en

More pictures of the Eastern Region BR Set circa 1984 / 1985 taken around Driffield, Gillberdyke and Hull by myself and my good friend Eddie Parker.

Hi Ben good to speak to you at Warley on Sunday. Following our conversation please see links to a couple of pictures of former Texaco Class B tanks in use in the Eastern Region Weedkiller set of the early - mid eighties. The set consisted of two BG's as stores vans in Engineers Olive, a converted BG as a spray coach in Engineers Yellow, and a converted Mk1 SK as an accommodation coach in Olive with Yellow doors plus 5 - 6 former Texaco class B tanks and sometimes a Brake van / Shark ballast plough. http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/weedkillerbr https://tonybuckton.smugmug.com/Trains/Class-31s/i-cnf3BQs/A There are more photo's on a Weedkiller topic; http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/3148-weed-killing-trains-in-the-1980s-what-worked-where/ Thanks, Tony.

Thanks Ben, Yes that's great news - and of course I meant printed and not decals! - it's much easier to stick them on if required than to remove them if not. I'm a mid 80s modeller and often get scuppered by unwanted items firmly glued onto rolling stock from the 50's and 60's - a rake of 35 22t Presflo's took loads of extra work to remove the boards and associated glue. https://tonybuckton.smugmug.com/NGaugeModels/22t-Presfos/i-vdzjQhC Thanks Again, Tony.

Hi Ben / Mike, Do you have any details of how the etched owners plates are to be attached yet - I have ordered 7 and I think all have plates, but I need to remove them for a project so might have dropped a clanger if this is not possible - I'm afraid I wrongly assumed they would just be decals! Thanks, Tony.

It's taken quite a while, but at last the finished project - presenting 20015 and 20008 in mid 80's condition - complete with great sound.

Thanks for the tip on the CV's - I may well try this with smaller resistors. Another mod that I have done is to change the LED colour to a more pleasing warm white on the forward marker lights - for this I used 0.7mm warm white surface mount type from DCC Supplies. I found that the farish ones are in parallel, so any unwanted ones can be simply snapped off (I'm modelling the mid 80's and the centre ones were not usually lit). I then filed the required ones back to the copper on the board, and stuck the new ones in place with conductive paint from Halfords - this works very well and is much easier than trying to solder the darn things. I'll post further pics when I've finished the cosmetics.

Hi - was completely blown away by the posted links with regards to this superb decoder and sound project, so decided to have a go myself - To try and improve the sound further I've experimented with larger speakers in the nose area which also has the advantage of keeping the cab clear for detailing. As I wanted to run my 20's as a pair, the nose end lighting wasn't required, so I decided to sacrifice this for (hopefully) volume. Following a lengthy evaluation process, I decided the best speaker for the job was the YouChoos Limo curve 9 - this requires a portion of the chassis to be removed in the nose area to accommodate the speakers, but if running in a pair, should not effect the haulage capacity too much. I've attached a pic of the completed project (Chassis only), but please follow the links to my SmugMug site for instructions and a video of the locos before cosmetic work. https://tonybuckton.smugmug.com/NGaugeModels/Graham-Farish-Class-20-sound-p/Construction/i-htWM6Js/A