andi4x4

Don't know what browser you use, Andy, but, I have no problems with ads at all using Opera on Win10. Liking the changes to Bute Road, following, in the background, as always ! Best Regards Andi

I have not cut an ETS chassis down, so, not sure if it would be possible or not - from what I have seen written on other forums, it takes a brave soul to try and take one apart ! I see the dilemma with the chassis wheelbase though. I think, looking at your comparison photo, that a good compromise would be as Nearholmer suggests - centralise the body on the chassis a little and I think the eyes and imagination will do the rest. Balance is the key in this case, I feel. Regards ! Andi

I have often looked at an unmotored 0-4-0 body I have and thought an 0-6-0 chassis would look good under it - I was thinking about a shorter wheelbase though - I just thought it might fit a little better. What wheelbase is that one in your picture ? Regards ! Andi

I am using Opera - not getting any ads at all. It does have a built-in VPN but, I don't view RMWeb through the VPN. The built-in Ad Blocker is active though. Opera is free to download and worth a try if you're having problems - Google Ads was the reason I switched. Regards Andi

Are the Peco ones of any use to you ?

Instead of using the switch in the V to cut power to the whole layout, how about using it to isolate a section of track before the lift out bridge - then if anything does move toward the drop it would hopefully stop in the isolated section before disaster can occur. Andi

Well, It has been a while since there has been any update on this thread, but, there has been a little recent Permanent Way works going on. As previously mentioned, I was having thoughts about the station area and the inclusion of a 'Minories' style terminus - several sets of points and some track shuffling later, this is now taking shape. The longer Foster/Pentney points and crossing have been removed and replaced with shorter standard 38" radius Maldon points giving the area a terminus and pilot siding across the back of the main board running into the right hand corner. The Minories style points arrangement has been altered slightly to allow for double track running through the junction and past the ends of the platforms around to the lift out section across the doorway. The Foster/Pentney points will be re-used elsewhere - probably within one of the goods yards/sidings areas. Will put some pics up over the next few days - still waiting for a couple of track items to arrive to finish off. Regards Andi

Happy Birthday, Andy ! I've not been posting much, but, I am still here, sat in the back row, enjoying the show, so to speak ! Best regards, Andi

Depends on the Hornby chassis being upgraded - Ringfield motored one will need body mods, later Lima chassised ones will possibly take the ViTrains bodies I think - certainly the Lima style bodies will fit the Vi Chassis blocks as I have done a couple myself.

opps !

How long is drive, Andy ? Measure car, Measure drive, deduct length of car from length of drive, build extension on unused portion of drive ! and if you need a bigger unused portion of drive in the future, just buy a smaller car and repeat process ....... Hat, coat, etc...... Regards Andi

How about a curved fiddle stick from the branch curving round towards the corner where the cabin sits on Bench Road ? Might not even need to curve round that much, only needs to accomodate that one train. Admittedly, it would prevent the existing fiddle yard setup from being moved when in place, but, it might offer an option ..... Regards Andi

I remember my father having a bright orange 3ltr with a black vinyl roof. Lasted about 6 weeks before it got written off ! He told me that he could have bought an E-Type for less on the same forecourt, but, felt, having two young children, that the Capri was more 'Family Orientated' ! Lost him over 20 years ago - would have been his 75th birthday today. Happy Birthday Dad. Regards Andi

What camera are you using, Andy ? Different model/makes of camera seem to emphasise different colours - the Canon DSLR I have really seems to highlight the reds. I seem to recall that Fuji and Nikon favour green. You can play with the gamma settings of the camera or the software you use for editing to soften the tones/mix. Regards Andi

Both Lima and Triang (and the various Triang copies) used something similar to what you describe above, albeit probably far too big for what they needed to be. Regards Andi

Ah, yes, the Cowans 10 ton. That was the basis of the Triang/Hornby 00 gauge 10 ton crane wagon - still in production, I think.

There is a rail mounted breakdown crane I have seen somewhere scratchbuilt using a Dinky jib that looks very effective - probably more coarse scale than tinplate scale, but, looks the part. Can't remember where I saw it though..... Regards Andi

Ah, the engineers taking advantage of the Bank Holiday Shut Down then ! Andy, Many thanks for all the inspiration and entertainment this thread has provided. I may not post much here, but, I tune in every day for my fix ! All the very best to you and Dee, here's hoping 2021 improves for us all ! Happy New Year Everybody ! Regards Andi

Hi Folks, I am looking for a spare rubber corridor connector, vestibule, or what ever they are called. I have an ACE Trains A4 who's tender is missing its corridor connector. I think they are the same as the ones used on the ACE coaches and possibly also the Darstaed coaches and corridor tenders. They are a rubber moulded part with three or four 'pips' on the rear which push into holes in the tender or coach end. Anybody have one spare or can point me in the right direction , please ? Andi

Enjoying the '70's chat ! Brings back memories of my father and grandfather using similar hand tools (and teaching me to use them too ). I recall my grandfather having a black and silver hand drill that was almost as tall as four year old me ! It was my 50th birthday on 30th November - so my memories are of the very late '70's, but, for my birthday, my sister gifted me a coffee mug with photos from about 1974 of me sporting a similarly horizontally striped tank top and brown shorts - no beard though ! As for steel rules - 6", 8", 12" & 24" and a folding, wooden, 3 foot rule that was my grandfathers ! Andi

All noted, Thanks Chris, and Goldfish ! I only need to create an extra 1/4 - 1/2 inch in the front of the boiler, or back towards the cab area, so, it may be a job for the Dremmel ! Andi

Aaaannd....... Track laying has been taking place ! Most of the twin circuits are down, a couple of small 'infill' pieces are needed here and there and some longer pieces need swapping out for a couple of shorter lengths. I will need to cut the four curved sections where they pass over the joints of the lift out section and figure out a secure way to fix the ends at the board edges to that they don't get knocked when fitting and removing the lift out section and to ensure they line up reliably each time. Oh, and I need to find alternative storage for the rolls of carpet and lino ! Andi

So, quite a bit of progress to report today - Finished off the lift out section - might have to have a rethink on the locating dowels as it is a little awkward fitting and removing as the dowels have been fitted horizontally at both ends. This means that I have to spread the static boards apart slightly to fit or release the lift out section. It may be better to have the dowels vertically ....... we'll see. Anyhow, Piccies ! Andi

These are the parts collected so far for the 0-8-0 tender loco project. Surprisingly, all three items came to me in the same 'job lot' I bought on ebay a couple of years ago. The chassis doesn't quite fit into the body as yet, I need to either trim the inside of the body slightly, or, remove one of the motors from the chassis. I have a selection of tender undercarriage parts to cobble together with the tender body shown, or, I have a spare Hornby ex Royal Scot tender in poor condition that could be repurposed. Andi

I like that 0-6-0 for a shunter. The 0-4-0 looks like a Dock Tank to me - especially for those tight bends. I have an 0-8-0 ETS chassis here waiting to go under an older No2 tender loco, must get on and do something about that ! Andi