andi4x4

Ha ! The heavy box is the one with all my 00 gauge locos in it ! I know where that one is ! In 7mm I only have (at present!) a Dapol 08, Lima 33, Triang Hymek (both awaiting conversion) and a Steve Beattie resin bodied 25, plus a few wagons suitable for a PW/Engineers train. I picked up a good few Markway points before Xmas and a box of Peco flexi - All I need now, is baseboards - and time !

I do like this plan and the story behind it. Looking forward to seeing this develop, Andy ! Starting to think about my own O gauge layout now that I have finally moved house - that will be some time off yet though - far too much decorating to get done, and I need to find which box I packed all my 7mm stuff into !

I recently bought a new helmet. Having been a Shoei customer for 15 years, I changed direction this time and went for an Xlite X-803 Ultra Carbon at £330. As the name suggests, it is carbon fibre composite and is incredibly light - around 1100 grammes compared to the almost 1800 grammes of my old Shoei. Fits me nicely, feels much lighter when worn, and is slightly higher cut up the sides which allows easier 'over the shoulder' lifesaver checks. it also has a quick release visor mechanism with pinlocks for fitting an inner anti-fog visor (or tear-offs, if you are so inclined). Plenty of vents for those hot summer days (what are they then !?) and the new style removable cheek pads that can be removed by the emergency services before removing the helmet, which makes helmet removal in an emergency much easier - as an employee of an ambulance service, that was a big selling point for me, coupled with the fact that the carbon fibre weave looks so cool ! ! For those not aware, Xlite is the race division of Nolan Helmets, so plenty of experience in helmet construction, and they are a firm favourite with top class racers on the world circuit.

It can be just as much an issue with the larger scales too. I had a 16mm scale garden railway when I lived in the Midlands, but, still used to get stock blown off the track. I used to build my own stock from lightweight materials for the bodies, and use steel wheelsets and cast whitemetal parts for everything below the solebar to try to keep the c.o.g as low as possible, and the overall weight as high as possible. Even then, I often found extra weight was needed below the floor.

Sorry to hear of your setback, plenty of rest required again by the sound of it. Are they saying it's 'Cardiac' or 'Musculo-skeletal' ? Or both ? Rest up, follow the advice you were given, pain relief when required, etc, etc, KM and P-Y-B will be there when you are fit to return !

If you are still looking for cheap coaches, keep your eyes on ebay for the Hachette coaches that were part of the Model Railway Village partwork they did. I have half a dozen waiting to be detailed, however, they are good just as they are so long as you don't try to propel them - they don't like that ! I bought some of the Bachman rigid couplings to connect the rake together which improves thing a fair bit. I paid an average of £6 per coach for my six, but, they sell for quite a bit less occasionally - last one I was watching went for £3.50 ! This is one - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BR-Mk-1-Coach-Maroon-OO-Gauge/192499501896?hash=item2cd1dd4b48:g:7qIAAOSwsTdawdXQ

Yes, I could see the enjoyment being had ! My issue is more to do with still not having a house to put it in ! All my available space is taken up with boxes full of railway and house contents, awaiting a house move still ! We are investigating property number 3 now, having been let down twice ! Plenty of MoJo - most of it being deployed on my slot car building exploits at the mo, as those are all I can get to !

Very nice ! Pair of those with a 64xx sandwiched between would look lovely ! The more I follow this thread,(and Pauls ELJ) the more I am hankering to get on with my own 0 gauge project ! Got stuff to to get going with but nowhere to put it at the mo !

I do like this layout - simple, but very effective ! Nice job, Scoob ! (the voice of Shaggy came into my head whilst typing that last line and now I can't get rid of it !! )

Lots of good advice on here and some good tutorials on YouTube worth watching, Bob ! Looking good so far,

Moderation is the key, Andy ! Good to see you getting up and about and back at it though !

Those extractor/filter things are great - I picked up a second hand one, along with a 2 ltr reservoir compressor, three good quality airbrushes and a shed load of accessories, all virtually unused, for £90 last christmas from a chap who tried to get into airbrushing but decided it wasn't for him ! Bargain of the century !

Don't know of any model railway show, but, if you into your bikes, you got the Manx Grand Prix at the end of August !

Just spent nearly 4 hours reading this thread from start to finish ! Superb !

I have been working on something similar in design myself, although not with the intention of scenery. Have a look at my ideas here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/118704-an-un-named-layout-with-a-nod-to-cj-freezer/ The whole ethos of my design was that I can connect any board to any other board, in any orientation - just like pieces of standard set-track - very similar idea to that which Bill Williamson/Lacathedrale has suggested above.

Would that gauge be spreading from '00' to '0' by any chance ?! Good to see you back home Andy, Take it easy !

Great to see you back home again, Andy ! Take it easy, do as you are told (by the docs, etc !) and slide gently back into things !

As I posted on Penybont - Please pass on my good wishes for a speedy recovery. I have never met him in person, but I follow his threads avidly and have gleaned much inspiration and spent many happy hours doing so ! Get well soon Andy !

Blimey George, Please pass on my good wishes for a speedy recovery. I have never met him in person, but I follow his threads avidly and have gleaned much inspiration and spent many happy hours doing so ! Get well soon Andy !

so, I posted the above on 30th November. Just delivered and installed it over the course of the weekend, with the "Big Reveal" happening yesterday evening. The entire railway was built assembled and tested at home in the Isle of Man, then disassembled, transported the 8 hours or so journey by car and ferry all the way to Daventry, reassembled and installed in grandsons bedroom whilst he was away for the weekend. He had no idea it was happening, so he was "pleasantly surprised" when he saw it on Sunday evening ! All buildings are loose fitted so they can be removed prior to folding away, however, the platforms and fencing and the buffer stops are fixed in place so remain on the board when folded away. Track is a mix of Hornby, Peco and Bachmann, with exclusively Hornby points - I did have a mix of points but discovered that the surface mount Hornby point motors would only fit Hornby points and not the others ! Peco switch levers for for remote operation of points, and a couple of spare slots for expansion with extra points or lighting switches. Pics below - I have not attached a track plan as the first image is basically that ! Happy New Year to one and all !

This same conversion can be done to the Hornby Ringfield motors too. I have done a class 29 with some success. Finding a pinion which fits both the motor shaft and is a match for the Hornby gear teeth was a challenge. The motor I used was acquired from ebay and was rated at 9v, but, as I use DCC, I just adjusted the start-up and max voltage CV settings on the loco decoder. Plenty on YouTube showing this conversion to both Hornby and Lima motors.

As an Ambulance Service employee of 21 years, I have to agree with Clive's comments - no-one will consider you a time waster and, (god forbid) if it is a heart-related problem, the ambulance services can pick it up early and start treatment on the spot these days, thereby reducing the long-term damage that can be done. All the best, Andy, hope the chest clears up soon !

Oh No ! Glad to hear is nothing more serious than a chest infection, but, bothersome all the same. Get well soon, and best wishes for 2018 !

I, too, have an interest in motorcycles, (well, I live on the Isle of Man for a reason !) owning both a rare 1996 official import Kawasaki ZZR250 and a 2000 reg'd Honda VTR1000 SP1 - one of the first 800 built. I also have a collection of guitars, both electrics and acoustics, although, I am not very good at playing them ! I can't read music but do read TAB, although, I tend to learn new tunes by ear or simply watching others. I have also been involved in Radio Controlled models of all disciplins over the years, having raced off road buggies at club level and, on occasion, 1/10 scale touring cars at national level events. This RC experience has come in useful over the years with my excursions into 16mm scale garden railways, too. I also have a big interest in Slot Car racing (Scalextric and other brands) and I am Treasurer of the only slot car club on the island. Oh, Playstation ! Takes up many an hour of my time with on-line motor racing championship events ! Not sure where I find the time to go to work ! I have noticed, there seems to be quite a lot of railway modellers involved with guitars and motorcycles - is it possible that the link maybe due to all three pastimes can equally be enjoyed as individual or group activities ?

Thanks Bob, it's been something of a trial, but, we are starting again afresh in the new year - just need to find a suitable house ! And garden !