Wolseley

I'll think of that next time I take the 15/60 out.....

Here's one on display at the All British Day at Parramatta in 2012:

The Clubman style of bodywork was introduced in Australia in August 1971 and the name of the car was changed to Leyland Mini in April of 1972 (the Marina changed from Morris Marina to Leyland Marina around the same time). Australian Minis were assembled initially at Zetland and, after closure of the Zetland plant in 1975, from imported CKD shells at Enfield until 1978. The local content of the Zetland built cars varied over the years - in the late 1960s it was around 80%. I don't know about the later cars rusting more than the early ones, but BMC cars in the 1960s had a very good reputation for resistance to rusting partly because of the quality of materials used, but also because the Zetland factory had a Roto-Dip plant which, of course, disappeared when Zetland closed.

I now have ten Dublo N2 tanks. I think that's enough for the moment.

I will but, as I don't work very quickly on such things, it might be a couple of months or more before you hear anything.

My Wolseley 15/60 is positive earthed....

I did come up with a plan like that, but rejected it because it didn't look right. I might revisit it.

Thanks for your comments. I know that the trains will not be going anywhere other than around in circles and then maybe back to the station they came from. My aim is mainly to see trains in motion but, yes, it would make more sense to have somewhere for them to stop at and it would probably make it more interesting to operate. Maybe I will see if I can work in another station on the main circuit. I can probably do that and get away with only adding about 6” to the width. As to the diamond crossings and short rails, that’s not a problem, as I have one left and one right hand diamond crossings, and somehow I managed to end up with about 15 short rails. The only track I am likely to need would be four or five extra points, which shouldn’t be too hard to get hold of. The position of the TPO is, I admit, the one thing I thought I might have got wrong (the controls will be in the bottom right hand corner), although it’s not the sort of thing you would use that often. That said though, my grandson wants to see it operate every time a train goes around - I think he just likes the noise it makes. The siding at the foot of the plan could be moved away from the main track a bit (adding two or three inches to the width) to allow the TPO to be closer to the operator. I’m undecided on that right now. It might also depend on whether or not I put another station in, as mentioned above. Or I could add a quarter or half rail length to the tracks and position it between the points that lead to the goods shed and to the turntable. The two long sidings were intended as refuge sidings for parking trains - a way of having more trains on the board which, in turn, should make it easier to change the trains around while at the same time keeping handling to a minimum. The goods shed being a bit lower than it should be doesn’t really bother me. If it were a passenger platform I would put some packing under it but a goods shed? I’ll just use it as is. The reversing loop is probably not essential and was included more as a statement to those who have never seen 3 rail in action that this can be done quite easily in 3 rail rather than because it is necessary for the operation of the layout, although it is handy for turning the Canadian Pacific loco as, with the additional length of the cowcatcher, it fouls the locking lever of the turntable. And the turntable is only there because I wanted one (plus it would be a shame to have one and not use it). in spite of having almost everything (bar one 3 rail conversion of a 1980s Hornby DMU and a three rail Flying Scotsman, which I haven’t got around to doing yet) I am going to use modern productions of 1950s road vehicles. I had originally planned using Dinky and Matchbox toys and had purchased a very playworn Dinky double decker bus to repaint but, as soon as my grandson saw it, he decided it was his and it has become his favourite toy. I do have a couple of EFE buses that wouldn’t look out of place, so I thought I might use them instead. Then I saw a selection of Oxford Diecast cars in a shop and, after seeing that one was a dark green Jowett Javelin, I bought it for the layout. In case you’re wondering, the first car I drove was a dark green Jowett Javelin although it wasn’t on a public road, as I wasn’t old enough to have a licence at the time. Anyhow, I digress….. And, speaking of my grandson, with the selection of locomotives I now have, he has two definite favourites: the Trix Warship, and Sir Nigel Gresley, with the Co-Bo coming in third.

Some time in the next few months I hope to be able to commence building a layout. The most likely size is 8’x4’, although I will need to have it split into two (or maybe three) boards so it can be put away when the space is needed for other purposes. It will be a double oval in the style of 1950s layouts, with scenery being rather basic. It will be designed more as a way to display the trains and watch them going around, rather than being realistically operated down to the last detail. Locomotives and rolling stock will, with a few exceptions, be Hornby Dublo 3 rail. Track, buildings and signals will also be Dublo. I suppose you could say that it will be a cross between a museum display and a place to watch trains go around. Something to amuse myself and my grandson (or, in a few months time, grandsons). I have been using SCARM, which has me a little bit concerned, as everything fits together perfectly this time, and every time up to now I have found that, as soon as you put in a diamond crossing, nothing lines up properly, even though it does when you put the actual bits of track together (according to SCARM about half of the layouts in the Hornby Dublo track plan book shouldn’t work). I guess I’ll find out when I try it for real. This is my latest draft which, by now, should be getting close to the final design. It should allow me to run two trains and have another three or four sitting in sidings while awaiting their turn, plus the opportunity to make some relatively simple shunting movements, which was what I was aiming for. In case anyone is wondering, the station platform without the ramps is where the Goods Shed is going. I was wondering if anyone who has done something similar might be willing to suggest some improvements, or point out any obvious mistakes. Thank you.

A very interesting link. Thank you for that. I have printed out that page for future reference. The possibility of the cause of my problem being two controllers with one transformer was mentioned earlier and, yes, that was it. One of the sliding controls on my controller packed in, and I opened up the box to see if I could determine why. I couldn't but, while it was open, I noticed that there was only one transformer inside. I bought myself a Gaugemaster controller and now use that and the remaining control on my old controller and all is working properly now. I suspect that the life of my old controller is somewhat limited, so I intend to get myself another Gaugemaster one in the near future.

Spotted an Armstrong Siddeley 234 or 236 parked in a multi-level carpark at the local shopping mall. A bit different from the usual old car sighting.....

The same thing happened with the exhaust on my Wolseley the last couple of years (and the oil leak too - what do you expect - it's a BMC production). It passed each time though. Presumably once the metal heats up it expands and seals the leak.

I never noticed before how many Ford Escorts are in those photos....

Seeing as how there seems to be quite a bit of interest in old buses, here are a few photos I took in Aberdeen in the 1970s:

And how about this one: "2 TRIANG Hornby/WRENN /DUBLO ETC 0-6-0 / 0-4-0 REPLACEMENT CHIMNEY CAPS." http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/2-TRIANG-Hornby-WRENN-DUBLO-ETC-0-6-0-0-4-0-REPLACEMENT-CHIMNEY-CAPS-/382076820066?hash=item58f58d9a62:g:YPIAAOSwX61ZEcfe

I was thinking it looked rather like an ex-Highland railway Struan Banker. Also, in spite if there being one too many pairs of driving wheels, there is a certain resemblance to an ex-Caledonian 0-4-4T. Here's my maroon N2:

And here's my red one:

I'm actually in the middle of doing this to a Dublo N2. I just have to apply the lettering and numbers (it will be LMS and not BR though).

It's downright misleading to call something in this condition mint or near mint. If you're particular about such things, the horseshoe motor would make it more desirable, although whether it's worth what he is asking I'm not sure. I wouldn't pay anything like that for it but maybe someone else might. He wants £130.50 for the box (admittedly with track and controller) but it really is only suitable for the recycling bin. He is asking £625.50 for the articulated coaches, which are in pretty good condition for their age. I wonder what he would be asking if he kept them all together..... But if you really want something unusual, he has a rather inexpensive Dublo Bo-Bo Deltic: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-DUBLO-MODEL-No-2234-BO-BO-CREPELLO-DIESEL-CODE-3-/302050921877?hash=item4653a34d95:m:ml_aKkrgdkzwh5p9MZjZhbg

Hook turns are pretty simple to do really. More of a problem is figuring out which intersections you need to do one at and which you don't before you get there. Anyway, I'm in Castle Hill, NSW and run a selection of Hornby Dublo 3 rail (with a couple of Trix Twin locos thrown in for a bit of variety).

One of the two controls died a couple of days ago, so I was left with only two speeds - full steam ahead or full speed backwards. I was in Hornsby today so, after I had done what I was sent for, I stopped off at Hobbyland and bought myself a Gaugemaster COMBI Single Track Controller/ Plug in Transformer. I tried it out when I got home and it gives much better and smoother control than what I already have. The old controller is still good to control one track but, as soon as I can justify the expenditure, I'm getting another Gaugemaster and the old controller can just power the points and signals.

I found out about the shorting through the couplings the next day. When testing both locomotives I had them coupled up to Super Detailed stock with plastic couplings and wheels. The problem manifested itself later when I coupled them up to some older stock with metal wheels and couplings. The coupling of the 0-6-2T has shorted once or twice on the third rail, but only enough to generate a few sparks before it continues on its way. I have enough SD stock for this not to be a problem, although it could be an excuse to get hold of more SD coaches......

And he can't even spell the name of his eBay store: he has it as Cartmel Toys Diescast and Trains! I also realised that this idiot's eBay store is the same one I commented on regarding postage costs a while ago. His prices for postage to Australia range from GBP 15,495.00 (approx. AU $27,051.32) for "A "HIGHLY ATTRACTIVE & HARD TO FIND" BTTEEHORNBY MECCANO (DINKY) MODEL OF PART GIFT SET No.RAILWAY ACCESSORIES GS No.4 '' FIRE HOSE HUT, PRE-WAR EDITION "TINPLATE LITHOGRAPH RED BODY WITH GREY ROOF, IN ORIGINAL GOOD+ CONDITION, WITH SOME MINOR RUSTING & A LIGHT SCRATCH TO ONE SIDE OF PAINT", through GBP 50.00 (approx. AU $87.29) for "A "MEGA RARE" HIGHLY DESIRABLE DINKY TOYS UN-BOXED MODEL No.40e STANDARD "VANGUARD" SALOON FINISHED WITH MAROON BODY & HUBS, 2nd VERSION CASTING WITH CLOSED REAR WHEEL ARCHES, LARGE BASE LETTERING, REAR AXLE HELD BY BASEPLATE TABS. IN ORIGINAL PLAY-WORN GOOD+ CONDITION" and down to GBP 4.95 (approx. AU $8.64) for "A UN-BOXED Hornby MODEL No. "A2" 24" RADIUS CURVE LINE ON SLOPING / TAPERED SLEEPERS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION". I noticed that the description of the rather tired and playworn post-war Dublo Sir Nigel Gresley (described as being in "original excellent condition") for GBP 166.50 explains away the absence of the tender by saying: "PLEASE NOTE :- THE TENDER IS NOT MISSING! Hornby LISTED THE TENDER AS SEPERATE ITEM".

Thanks. My two locos appear OK so far, but I'll make a note of that just in case.