RedGemAlchemist

22 minutes ago, Ruston said:

My ultimate pugbash so far. It's not quite finished yet but it's gone from this out-of-the-box Hattons 0-4-0ST Barclay.

To this Grant,Ritchie & Co. 0-4-2ST

Wow. Fantastic work Ruston!

I think it's about time for another instalment of "Weird Stuff I Found in Online Stores" with Red.

First off I found this American style warehouse made entirely out of wood, which honestly looks kind of like the house one of my friends lives in. I really like this. O Gauge (not totally sure if there is any difference between that and O Gauge here in the UK, but whatever.)

On 12/05/2022 at 18:59, Annie said:

Various snaps taken along the Tenpenny Branch while playing trains doing important timetable schedule testing. This is the 9.30am passenger train to Lockes Soak leaving from Tenpenny Wharf station. (Snaps are in order of being taken unless I've horribly messed up)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I do adore your little 2-4-2Ts, Annie. I just wish I could work out a way to replicate one physically.

On 06/05/2022 at 17:37, tythatguy1312 said:

hey, the theory was sound. Well "sound" to the kind of person Holman was aiming to swindle with this thing

The Holman Locomotive con is an entirely different kettle of fish.

On 06/05/2022 at 17:55, Flying Pig said:

Neither Terry Pratchett nor Douglas Adams invented the joke.  This Limerick by Ronald Knox is from 1924 when the work of Bohr and Heisenberg about which it comments was cutting edge:

 

There was a young man who said "God 

Must find it exceedingly odd 

To think that the tree 

Should continue to be 

When there's no one about in the quad." 

Both Adams and Pratchett were very well-read and intelligent people, especially Adams when it came to philosophical and scientific concepts, so I would be kind of surprised if either of them hadn't read anything about thought experiments like the work of Schrodinger or the concept of mental manifestation. Hell, Adams quotes or paraphrases Descartes several times in the Hitchhiker's Guide series.

On 06/05/2022 at 17:39, Johnson044 said:

The German Diesel Pneumatic loco could be Anglicised, maybe using a BR standard as a basis...

Hmm...

On 29/04/2022 at 12:09, rocor said:

a British Fail blue liveried, dismal hauling a train of nuclear flask on their local line? (this was the least cheerful peacetime railway related imagining that I could come with).

A line of steam engines being pulled to the breakers by a diesel.
 

On 03/05/2022 at 11:50, Edwardian said:

Welcome to the Dark Side .....

 

Funny you mentioned this, I recently got @Paleopotato09 to have a crack at one of these.

10 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

Let's hope the amazing Didcot carriage restoration team can do more for it than the NRM has - but at least NRM kept it dry.

Knowing the quality of their work I suspect it will look spectacular once complete.

On 30/04/2022 at 19:59, Compound2632 said:

... but only on the mainest of main lines, like the monster pacifics of the next generation. The 0-6-0 goods engine remained the most typical locomotive from 1860 to 1960.

Indeed. Our little local line was run by J15s and J69s for most of its life.

On 02/05/2022 at 15:46, Johnson044 said:

Not sure which thread to post this. Imaginary Locomotives possibly not quite right because it actually existed - but it's pretty wild - this is a new one on me. I've seen an image of an American friction drive loco before but never come across one tried in the UK. Is it just me or is this completely bonkers? I completely see the logic and the difficulty of using gears but rather thought that friction was something to be avoided.

It was a concept, and you won't know if it works if you don't at least test it.

On 02/05/2022 at 18:53, rockershovel said:

As ever, Mr Self appears to have something to offer on the subject 

 

http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/friction/friction.htm

 

I've also seen another loco using the "friction wheel to provide occasional extra drive" but I'm unable to find any details. 

I swear that Douglas Self wills these things into existence by writing about them. There can't be that many bonkers ideas out there.

On 24/04/2022 at 19:52, russ p said:

Decided to extend the board 2with the yards about 18 inches over the stairwell.  This has enabled me to extend the engineers sidings and have another small fan of four sidings.  I could have extended it a bot more but didn't want to block more of the stairwell as this would limit the size of items I could get up the stairs 

Unfortunately they haven’t uploaded in chronological order

 

 

*frantically taking down notes for when I get to making Telham Yard*

Fantastic work as always Russ. You've really made a good representation of the average Eastern Region terminus. I absolutely adore how good this looks. 
How much space do all the lines require depth-wise?

Been a while since I've been on this thread. Nice to see you have things moving again James. The station looks very nice, as does that Single!

On 24/04/2022 at 00:35, 33C said:

That's my kind of modelling!

Same. The cut and shut is so clean, I wish I could get joins that smooth.

On 08/04/2022 at 23:50, BlueLightning said:

Well what a time it was while RMWeb was down, I had to actually do stuff instead of sitting reading about everyone else's modelling (quite a nice change actually, having been forced to sit and read recently after another bout of illness, and another hospital trip)

 

There hasn't been a huge amount of modelling not covered on my livestream, however the section of my living room that houses Oak Hill did get a bit of a revamp with some display cabinets, and some other bits

 

I am very happy with how it is looking (and consider myself rather lucky that I can do that to my living room without objection!)

 

I also built a rather large wooden model of Rocket, which I am now trying to find room for, and it's a lot bigger than I expected!

 

And to finish off this post, I promised that I had exciting news, and I hope I don't disappoint as I announce a brand new range of wagon kits which will soon be available under the Oak Hill Works brand

 

I intend on these kits including everything except the paint, but to achieve this I still need to draw up lots of transfers. The initial kits are all LBSCR and SECR in 4mm, although the plan is to extend this with other scales and companies as time goes on, I will soon be making available a small number of "test kits" for free for people to try out, and provide feedback. So watch this space to see how you can nab one!

 

Until next time,

 

Thanks for looking, hope you enjoyed,

 

Gary

Interesting, I'll be keeping an eye on your progress with this side-project, Gary. If you do any particularly unusual wagon types let me know.

On 22/04/2022 at 08:47, Johnson044 said:

I saw the brass A4. Rather beautifully made.

 

Here's a jolly thing....

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224949890832?hash=item34600eef10:g:l1wAAOSwPuxiYbpi

 

Indeed, that is a very smart 0-8-0. I really like that. 

Obviously we can't finish a batch of posting without at least one low-effort Thomas custom.

Flippy here has seen some things...

Right. It's been a while since I updated this.
Will admit I am a little annoyed at the permanent loss of nearly all the images from this thread. Most of them were copy/pasted from the respective pages so they're gone forever as the listings are also now long gone. 
Still onward and upward. New starts and all that. As always, pictures are linked if you yourselves are interested in bidding or buying any of these.

To begin with is this adorable US-style sanding tower in N scale.
Completely scratchbuilt from wood by all accounts. Certainly looks it. It also looks very nice, though the paint could use the odd touch-up. 

Next up is this pair of scratchbuilt pubs being sold by the same person. Genuinely tempted myself by these.
The second one actually looks a lot like a pub that's local to me. It's called the White Lodge and it's outside Attleborough just off the A11, anyone here from mid-Norfolk might be somewhat familiar with it.  

Item No.3 for my finds today is this handmade brass 4mm scale LNER A4, complete with chassis.

Not motorised according to the listing so if you go for it keep that in mind.

And finally for this post is this interesting 009 0-4-4-0T. Reminds me a little of a creation by my good friend @Adam FW. 

Might post up some more in a follow up post on here. It'd be a good way to make up for my prolonged absence.

On 07/04/2022 at 09:30, Johnson044 said:

This little beastie followed me home from Alexandra Palace a couple of weeks ago. Couldn't resist it. Everything lines up with a Hornby Nr 2 mechanism and I did wonder about finishing it off but I think I'll leave it exactly as it is.

See, part of me would want to restore it and bring it "back to life" as it were but at the same time I can see why you'd want to leave it as-is.

On 04/04/2022 at 16:34, The Johnster said:

The 9F is sometimes touted as the ultimate UK locomotive design, and there is a good bit of justification for this; it was simply built and scrapped a decade too early.

Personally Duke of Gloucester is more impressive but the 9F is a beast in its own right too.

On 02/04/2022 at 21:08, tythatguy1312 said:

courtesy of the guy who compiled seemingly all the commonly known info on that thing,
http://www.douglas-self.com/MUSEUM/LOCOLOCO/francocrosti/francocrosti.htm#b

I swear Douglas Self's site wills these locomotives into existence. There's so much stuff on there that prior to him writing about them I didn't even know existed.

On 14/03/2022 at 23:35, LNWR18901910 said:

Interesting 4-4-0! Did you make it yourself?

2-4-0. And no, it was a modified eBay rescue.

On 24/02/2022 at 17:31, sem34090 said:

They bought it in a model shop, but I'd rather keep it a little bit quiet which one as there were a lot of very nice, unique, models that we want to buy!! I know it sounds silly, but I'm hoping I might be able to go back for a few other things.

 

I don't know what kit it was built from I'm afraid. It's a gorgeous thing though!

Rats. Ah well. At least you'll get some interesting new stock. 

5 hours ago, sem34090 said:

Another interesting project may be on the horizon following my partner's acquisition of a Garstang & Knott End Railway 0-6-0T the other day...

Wow, you have been busy recently.

Also where did they get that 0-6-0T? I love it and now want one!

Your painting has come along in leaps and bounds, it's wonderful to see!

13 hours ago, 33C said:

Remember these...........add Xmas present, you get this! Rear wheels are a push fit on the wind up "motor" and then slots in fairly easily under the firebox. Careful with the glue as there is a tiny shaft running across the unit......   Real coal and wire stays. The livery is post Rainhill trials and looks more workaday! Will run for about a yard so, could be used in a "Cakebox" or Boxfile layout.  An enjoyable, quick and easy project! (and i still have 2 sets left....)                                                                                                 

That is very nicely done. Great work.

1 hour ago, TurboSnail said:

A Pack of Pecketts!

 

 

W4: Hornby W4 with replacement cab in plasticard, larger buffer heads, repainted

B1: Hornby B2 with 3D printed replacement cab, replacement bufferbeam and buffers, repainted

Y: 3D printed on custom chassis

X: 3D printed on a modified Hattons P Class chassis

Shouldn't that make it a Packett?

3 hours ago, ikcdab said:

Great thread.  To me, this is the essence of the hobby. I like to make or repair things and I like doing things my way. Buying the latest loco is good, but I don't get the same satisfaction. 

I do have several of the latest Bachmann/Hornby coaches, but I also have a rake of triang mk1s.  These have all been repainted and relettered, they have had better wheels added, replacement buffers and gangway ends. The end result is not as good as the latest Bachmann, but for me it is perfectly passable and much more satisfying because i did it myself. The basic triang coaches cost me £4 each. When I go into a model shop, my first rummage is always in the spares or second hand box.

To me, modeling is modeling, not just buying latest thing.

Ian

You sound like a man after my own heart there. 

My advice is don't be afraid to cut up a cheap model to get the look you want or to experiment with unorthodox materials. My models are often absolute Frankenstein's monsters made of all sorts of odds and ends, including but not limited to plastic sink pipes, wooden dowel, paperclips, duct tape, parcel labels, glue lids, offcuts of plywood and plasterboard (drywall for you guys overseas) from bins at my work, foam insulation, broken toys, guitar strings and all sorts of stuff. That's not even mentioning the dozens of non-runner or otherwise damaged Hornby starter locos that have given their body shells to the cause. Necessity is the mother of invention, so don't be afraid to get clever with it to keep the budget down.

On 04/01/2022 at 10:32, andyman7 said:

With the latest price increases announced by a manufacturer have come more cries that railway modelling is a rich man's hobby; that people are being priced out; etc. 

 

More than 40 years ago, as a youngster who desperately wanted to have a model railway, I was 'priced out' of the hobby because we had no spare money as a family. I never got the shiny Hornby train set; instead at the age of 11, I slowly and painfully started to assemble the bits and pieces needed through secondhand and rummage bins, the cheapest imaginable used items, and attempts to build things myself. Fast forward to now and I am lucky enough to generally be able to buy the things I really want; but actually what gives me the most satisfaction is the ability to find or make great items for next to nothing. 

 

So I thought as an antidote to the narrative that the hobby is too expensive I would start a general thread where we can post our ideas and efforts for budget modelling activity. This is not to be confused with bargain hunters which has it's own thread, or for lucky finds; it's about helping frustrated fellow modellers find ways to enjoy a satisfying hobby without access to brand new out-of-the-box superdetail stuff.

 

To kick things off, I have listed a few fairly basic things that I have picked up over the years:

 

1) It doesn't have to be DCC. DCC adds costs to every loco; DC is still a workable alternative that is cheaper, less prone to 'complex' failure, satisfying in it's simplicity

2) It doesn't have to be new or new spec; every time a new model comes out there are people that discard the superceded models that are often nearly as good. The new Bachmann 158 is a fabulous model; but the old one is pretty good too and is a fraction of the price excepting certain 'collectable' liveries

3) Ebay, shops, fairs - all have their share of overpriced tat; but there are bargains to be had if you are willing to look, search, put in some work. The more you do, the better you will get at finding things

4) Wanting something guaranteed, tested and working costs a premium. Build the confidence to buy 'sold as seen', and learn your way around some basic mechanisms and you don't need to worry.

5) Spares have value. Even if you end up with stuff that doesn't work, learn how to take it apart and sell the bits on ebay.

6) If you do come across a real bargain you can afford that isn't your era, consider buying it and sell/trade it on for the correct value to help fund something you do want. This is not 'profiteering', it's helping you afford the hobby.

7) Learn basic soldering of electrical connections. You can buy a soldering kit for under a tenner that will let you do this, and is the single most useful repair you can do

 

Hopefully this is just a starter, but the message is that if you really want a model railway, it can be a lot more affordable than it might look.

Nice to see someone who also follows the same ethos as I do when it comes to buying stuff.