Dave John

Well, a similar 4-4-0. 

Fixed rear axle, beam from second driver to bogie. Split frame bogie for pickups, 3 point compensated bogie. Ok,  I'm not a painter, but it never stalls and handles 8 coaches with ease.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/2091/entry-18429-some-maintenance/

There is something very satisfying about soldering brass etches up to make small things. I made that langley one up years ago.  Ok, the benches are a bit odd, but I model Partick. They would nick a GWR bench for the back close on the way home from holidays.  Justifiable load for any CR cct ...... 

Many years ago I was asked to have a look at a Z train set that a friend of a friend had bought while stationed in Germany. The usual, bad running after being boxed up too long. I managed to get it all cleaned and working but it was a bit of a nightmare, tiny bits of cotton bud held in tweezers to clean the mechanisms and much peering though glass to see it all. 

Maybe modern tech would enable it all to make it all work. I am constantly amazed by what some folk manage in 2FS. 

Either way, it sounds like a fun thing to have a go at. 

Many years ago I played with N, when most British outline was Lima or minitrix. Anyway I was digging through some old envelopes of transfers today and found this, 70s vintage I think. 

If I get really stuck for something to do I might build it.......... 

Hmm, If I need a plain axle I just pull the wheels off and rebuild with a 2mm silver steel axle. I accept there might be a bit more drag with an inside bearing compensated unit . 

Aye, all the best for your retirement. 

Its always the same compound. Have a good tidy up so that everything is in its place, afterwards you can't find a thing ...... 

I have always had good results from Gibson wheels. ( And, it must be said, from all their other parts) 

I appreciate that an order to them requires a letter and a clear accurate list with an enclosed cheque, but really when you send it off the stuff comes back quite promptly. 

Call me old fashioned, but I find the process rather satisfying. 

Just adding my support, I would agree with all the other posters. 

 I hope it all comes off without too much damage to the livery. 

Hmm, all of The Johnsters advice is good, but the wheel has turned full circle. The early model railways had power on board; the energy to run them was stored in a wound up spring. Then along came various forms of electric power and control with finally DCC. But quite a few folk are experimenting with power on board systems which use rechargeable batteries and radio control. 

Have a read at Corbs thread, you can see that it does work and has enormous potential. 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/82465-corbs-cobbling-something-fishy/page-10

If you search online you will see that not only individuals but some companies are working on this, but it is in its early stages.

So I would hesitate to give advice, but if I was starting out from new I would ask myself whether the investment in DCC with the potential for power on board to replace both DC and DCC in the coming years was a good idea, or whether to stay with DC in the meantime and see how things develop. 

I sympathise BoD, I too decided that using 3 link on a day to day basis was becoming impractical. 

I ended up using 3 link within coaching stock or short 4 wagon rakes and Alex Jackson couplings modified for use with moving magnets under the board as a working alternative. I now find I can do the majority of coupling /uncoupling without the hand going anywhere near.

I don't want to hijack your thread with my stuff; I have documented my experiences on my blog, together with some rough video.

Ok, its a singular beast. Later on 141 was a Dunalastair IV, but the original 141 became No. 516. 

With thanks to the CRA forum ( really thats the place to ask for all things Caley, they keep sorting me out )   : 

http://www.crassoc.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=801&p=4781&hilit=141+class#p4781

I have no idea if anyone has ever modelled it. That said, if anyone made an etch, even a vague scratch aid, I might have a go despite the valve gear. 

Please leave your eyebrows in a neat pile at the top of the page........... 

I do like the stark lines of the Ivatt 4. Is it a kitbuild? 

Point rodding I have done, but that photo reminds me I must tackle signal wires. 

I wish you all the best with the project. 

As the other posters suggest help from a local model railway club would get the whole thing going. thinking sideways , simple and reliable would be the key. 

Hope it works out. 

Heh, cheers John. I have just spent a nostalgic hour pottering about the net looking at pictures of clockwork toys. You know, you are right, when we were young toyboxes were full of clockwork toys. Indeed, the first "model railway" I had was clockwork, I guess that goes for quite a few folk on here. Now they seem to be a complete rarity. There are a few meccano clockwork motors out there but they are a bit bigger than you are looking for. 

Anyway, I had a sideways thought and googled "music box mechanisms pics" . I was surprised to find there are quite a few still being made worldwide and some are available fairly cheaply. Not only that , it reminded me that I have a couple, one day I'll find a use for them. 

I don't know whether that is of any use to you, but it jolted my memory and made me think about how much of toymaking is now history. 

I think the smoke you see is from gas fired limekilns used to reduce Limestone to quicklime for industrial or construction use. 

The fixed site machinery will be powered from a grid connection, but I expect a sizeable site would also have some diesel generation as a backup, perhaps even mixed CHP these days. 

Hmm, looks like that Iron mink will be heavy enough to batter the wonkiness out of the track..... 

Mind you the track looks rather neat to start with. 

It is indeed a very atmospheric Photo. 

I note that the steel bodied mineral wagon in the foreground has the axlebox cover hanging loose. I will now just say its based on a prototype pic if any axleboxes fall off my stock...... 

The actual exchange of wagon models might pose a problem. However the above posts have started me thinking, a photographic exchange of models would be easy. 

There are lots of pics of my wagons about on the net, I consider them all to be free in the public domain. So if anyone who is good with photoshop like software wanted to copy one and stitch it into a pic of their own layout I would be happy to see the results. 

I might even have a go myself ....... 

Och, ye can send yer pre group EM stock up here, The Caley would haul it for a few bob. Ken if its OO nae matter, what the spanish can do with Talgos we can do wi' a big hammer...... 

There are some pics of the Caley D11A CCTs I am currently working in Camden yard , they could have got to london via , er , Farthing. Dual brake fitted way back. 

Really the oddest things turn up north of the Clyde.......... 

Hmm, but look at those spindly spokes, the mirror polished dome  and the collection of hats. 

Great pic. 

I have had a go at making CR wagon number plates on the silhouette. So far I have not been successful. The knife blade can't turn enough in a short distance to create letters that small, and overcutting just chops the whole lot to bits. It may well need a refinement of my cutting technique or a different material, I might have another go at some point. 

Then again there are now a lot of silhouette users amongst us ; someone might have cracked the method.

Oh, keep quibbleing chaps , I'm learning a lot from all this detailed stuff. 

The thread started as "signalling for modellers who don't know much about signalling" and has ended up as a highly technical discussion amongst folk that do it for a living and know a fair bit about it. This is actually a good thing, it means the rest of us might get a decent amount of our model signalling right. Then again I am still wondering how the caley managed to signal a main line as a headshunt in a tunnel. A calling back stevens pattern tunnel signal with a purple glass? Really if anyone knows I'd be interested. 

Mind you if I ever sign a letter "I have the honour to be Sir, your obedient servant ", feel free to shoot me. 

Aye, clingfilm. I have used it a few times for removable structures. 

Here are some pics. 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/2091/entry-18957-knock-down-columns/

Excellent modelmaking. 

Magnets ? who would have though of using them ;-)