wilks

Looks to me if Hornby have done a great job in developing these coaches, with great attention to detail. The appear to have a wow factor. 

Now Hornby have worked this hard in developing the Coronation set will they rework their Gresley 61'6'' coaches to have the correct profile?

Suggest 7.3m between kerbs. This is the standard width used for modern single carriageway roads. If it was an old access road it could be less e.g 6.0m or 6.5m - any less and trucks have trouble passing, especially if it is not straight.

Design Manual for Roads and Bridges specifies the widths for new roads.

Congratulations to the MRJ team for publishing the 300th edition of MRJ. I have managed and kept a copy of the 301 editions as an inspiration. I was 19 when 0 was first published and certainly inspired me to improve my modelling. It introduced a whole new world of suppliers (small) whose products could greatly enhance a model. It took many years before the main rtr manufacturers realised there was a market for something better. 

In the letters of MRJ300 there is correspondence on who now supplies materials sold by Eileens Emporium - back in the early days of MRJ the go to supplier of fine metal sections was "Flack" . All the best to Cambrian models for taking on the Eileens stock and all the best to MRJ and its team - looking forward to being inspired further in the future.

On 17/11/2023 at 12:20, 61661 said:

Understand your situation. As someone who joined Heljan after those models were designed/released, I'm also determined to avoid similar issues and we have made great strides to do so in recent years. In that regard we are being helped by the fact that we now use different factories as one of our previous suppliers ceased production. The first running sample of the U1 is expected in January, so we'll see how it performs in the real world and it will not go into production until it does everything we ask of it to the required standard. I have a 1-in-25 gradient on my layout so I'm very much looking forward to seeing it tackle that with a big train. 

What I can promise is that the LNER U1 will be a VERY different animal to its LMS cousin, which was designed to Hattons' specification and price point. Also worth noting that the problems that arose with the first batch of LMS B-Gs were addressed for the second batch, which did not have any issues. 

With regard to loco choices, we listen to what people are asking for and make our own judgements on what is likely to sell enough to justify the investment. Over the last 15 years or so we've done numerous one-offs and obscure prototypes and generally they've been successful. We get numerous requests for prototype and other locos, but I can honestly say that I've never had a single request at a show or online for a Fowler 3MT, Maunsell U or similar 'missing links'. I'll leave it to RMwebbers to discuss why that might be. 

A J6 would be good. Heljan already have GN tender behind the O2.

Fantastic news - I have placed an order for 1247 and look forward to receiving the model in due course to recreate the specials of the 1960. Hope that Rapido learn from the J52 and go onto to produce a J6.

On 11/08/2023 at 18:35, RHF9019 said:

For me a LNER J6. Fills a large gap in the rtr market and with careful design can be used for other GNR based 0-6-0 engines.

I support RHF9019 nomination for a J6. Most of the pre-grouping railways have an 0-6-0 modelled. The J6 were used all over GNR network from London to Manchester, Halifax, Leeds across to Lincolnshire and into  East Anglia via the M&GN. They worked a variety of services freight and passenger trains and had a long life span. They were a classic British 0-6-0 with a very clean balanced appearance. There were a few variations and liveries. 

7 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

I was wondering about this and also the ease of conversion of others, especially the Hunslet 0-6-0ST.

 

I suspect it will depend on whether one can easily separate the chassis from the body and whether 1/8" axles are used (or at least 3mm ones).

 

After my experience with the Model Rail/Rapido 16XX pannier (a loco which I was very, very much looking forward to, but which I ended up selling on to someone else), I have some reasonable doubts about this, but we'll have to see.

 

I would prefer the axle size to be a whole number 2mm or 3mm as you can easily buy steel rod of this size of the shelf. Also the axle needs to be full length for ease of conversion.

I think this a really great choice of loco to model. I will be looking to purchase one but not sure which livery. I quite like the NCB version with the stove pipe chimney and the wooden weather protection on the back of the cab.

My question to Rapido is whether it will be easy to convert to EM? e.g drop in wheelsets for instance.

I have built a Connoiseur kit Y7 - it makes up a lovely model. 

On 31/10/2022 at 21:25, Tim123 said:

J39 retool please.Not being greedy, that's all I'm asking for.

Tim

Good shout but a LNER Gresley J6 would be fill a gap. Most of the other pre grouping railway have a rtr 0-6-0 tender loco but the GNR does not. They were used over a wide area of the GNR, LNER, BR(e) system.

A Gresley J6 would be great addition to the rtr steam fleet. Does it have to be in the NRM collection.

On 09/10/2022 at 20:53, That Model Railway Guy said:

Spotted this tucked away on the Dapol stand at GETS yesterday. Looking good - to my untrained eyes at least!

 

 

 

 

Thanks for posting the photos. The wheels don't appear to pushed home on their axles. Does that mean it could be an easy conversion to EM?

An LNER J6 0-6-0  - long lasting and wide ranging from London to Yorkshire and across to Manchester. A classic Edwardian design - used on the mainline, secondary routes and branches hauling freight trains and passenger trains and a favourite on engineers trains. 

This is an excellent choice by Dapol. Hopefully it will easy to convert to EM with sufficient space behind the slidebars and crosshead and wheels and axles that can be swapped easily.

I look forward to purchasing Finetrax turnouts and double slip in EM.

Has anyone tried to interlace two turnouts?

On 13/03/2022 at 14:33, Wayne Kinney said:

Hi Guys,

 

OK, I promised some eye candy to get this topic back on track. Below are some pictures of the EM Gauge 1in7 Diamond and 1in7 Double Slip kits:

 

 

These should both be released this week, with 00 Gauge and 00-SF versions to follow the following week.

 

Price of the Diamond kit is the same as a standard turnout at £22.99, the Double Slip kit is £39.

 

I'm also wanting to get an A5 standard turnout kit released in all 3 gauges by the end of the month. I go on holiday beginning of April so want all this done before I leave

 

What formations would you like to see next? I believe an A5 & B7 crossover would be sensible, but I'm looking for input! Maybe a single slip?

 

Following the A5 turnout I think a single slip of the same geometry  as the double slip would be a very useful addition.  Continue the great work.

9 hours ago, Wayne Kinney said:

Hi Guys,

 

OK, I promised some eye candy to get this topic back on track. Below are some pictures of the EM Gauge 1in7 Diamond and 1in7 Double Slip kits:

 

 

These should both be released this week, with 00 Gauge and 00-SF versions to follow the following week.

 

Price of the Diamond kit is the same as a standard turnout at £22.99, the Double Slip kit is £39.

 

I'm also wanting to get an A5 standard turnout kit released in all 3 gauges by the end of the month. I go on holiday beginning of April so want all this done before I leave

 

What formations would you like to see next? I believe an A5 & B7 crossover would be sensible, but I'm looking for input! Maybe a single slip?

 

Brilliant - now that the double slip is available I will get on and order a double slip and a number of turnouts. 

9 hours ago, bradfordbuffer said:

Track spacers with queen's head on....cool

 

Didn't some on in a railway modeler article use some 2p coins as balance weights for under baseboard signal mechanism but got into trouble for drilling coin! Mid eighties I think or was it just a urban tall story? 

Wasn't it on Chris Pendlenton's excellent North Shields layout in P4. I was lucky enough to see it at the Central Hall MRJ show and spent ages absorbing the layout, its operation and details - brilliant.

On 28/02/2022 at 14:07, 31A said:

Well I think the signal box is just about finished now.  The weathering turned out a bit more extreme than I intended!  Still, steam age buildings couldn't have always been clean.

 

The excellent laser engraved name boards from Scale Model Scenery finish it off nicely, much neater than I could have made myself.

 

https://www.scalemodelscenery.co.uk/lx093-oo-laser-engraved-signal-box-nameplates-oo4mm176-1081-p.asp

 

And I even managed to find a "PRIVATE" sign for the door on a sheet of printed notices.  The chimney pots still haven't turned up though so I'll have to deal with that later.

 

 

 

This is more the view that will normally be seen on the layout.  It will need a bit of scenic 'bedding in' obviously, but I suppose I ought to have a go at some point rodding first - such fun!

 

 

It could probably do with some 'stuff' around it like a coal bunker, for a start.

 

I wonder whether anyone's got any details of old-style location cabinets / relay / battery boxes - the sort that were made of wood and stood on concrete legs, for example?

 

The signal box looks fantastic. There was a series of articles by Peter Kay in London Railway Record on the signalling of the southern end of Great Northern Mainline - the last article I saw was upto Wood Green/Bowes Park where the Hertford Loop diverged. There are some really useful detail photos in the articles.

I managed to obtain from ebay the D&S GNR signal box kit, unfortunately it did have any instructions. I can work out where most of the items go but do you have a set of instructions that you could copy and send me?

9 hours ago, Wayne Kinney said:

Hi Guys,

 

Hope everyone is doing well!

 

The British Finescale webstore will be reopening tomorrow (1st) so I can start taking orders of the 4mm kits again.

 

I've used most of February to catch up with N Gauge, 2FS and 3mm stuff.

 

I've also been looking into the design and I have made a change on the switch blades. After much thought into this, I have decided to change the design so that the kit builder solders the switch blades onto the tie bar pins themselves 'in situ'. I did propose this method back in October when I first announced the change to 'All Rail' design, but didn't actually change.

 

A few things have developed since then, and there are 2 main reasons why I am changing this. Firstly, it does take much of my time up soldering 100's of switch blades. But more importantly, I am now testing the double slip kit and it's not working out accurately enough.

 

The issue is, there are too many errors introduced with soldering switch blades to chair plates in a jig and then hoping that all 4 blades on the double slip will all line up where they should. It results in 1 blade being aligned but a gap still on the other, for example.

 

Changing to soldering 'in situ' completely solves this, as any inaccuracies are taken up when soldering.

 

I know many of you won't welcome the change, but I didn't make the decision lightly, believe me. Having said that, the process is actually very easy indeed! It's easier than soldering electrical feeds to the rail, in my honest opinion. It also looks better visually.

 

I have updated the instructions, so below is an extract of these showing the process of installing the switch blades and soldering them to the tie bar pins:

 

Tie Bar Assembly

The kit contains a small bag that includes the main Tie Bar, 2 metal ‘headed’ pins and a Switch Blade ‘Spacer’. The ‘Spacer’ is used to maintain the correct gap between Switch Blade and Stock Rail when soldering the Switch Blades to the pins.

 

The 2 metal pins are inserted through the pre drilled 0.4mm holes in the tie base.

Make sure that the headed 2 pins are pushed all the way through until the heads of the pins are flush with the bottom of the tie bar. Then bend both pins by 90 degrees so that they face forward as shown above.

 

The pins can then be cut short leaving about 2 – 3mm of length as shown above.

 

 

Fitting Tie Bar and Stock Rails

The assembled Tie Bar can now be placed on the Turnout Base between the last 2 Slide Chairs. It will locate into the slots as shown in the picture below:

Once the Tie Bar is in place, both Stock Rails can then be inserted from either end of the turnout. Care must be taken so each Stock Rail slides over the Tie Bar. The Tie Bar must be free to slide under the Stock Rails when operating the Switch Blades.

Fitting Switch Blades

The Switch Blades are packaged with a plastic protector fitted to the end to prevent damage to the fine edges at each tip. Carefully slide each Switch Blade out of the protective clip.

 

Each Switch Blade can be offered-up to the base and cut to length. When the tip of the Switch Blade is lined up over the last Slide Chair, there needs to be an ‘isolating gap’ between the Switch Blade Rail and the Closure Rail. Once cut to size and the rail end filed and chamfered, each Switch Blade can be slid into the chairs and into place.

 

Soldering Switch Blades to Tie Bar Pins

A small Switch Blade ‘Spacer’ is provided. This ‘Spacer’ is used to maintain the correct gap between Switch Blade and Stock Rail when soldering the Switch Blades to the pins. It has a slot in the middle which clips onto the Stock Rail. One end is raised to give clearance for the Slide Chair (the ‘Spacer’ pictured is for EM/00-SF).

 

The Spacer can be clipped onto one stock rail while its adjacent Switch Blade is held open.

Once in position, the Spacer holds the Switch Blade open at the correct gap. The other Switch Blade remains against its Stock Rail.

Soldering is done while the Switch Blade sits flush against the Stock Rail as this ensures best alignment. If you notice a gap between Switch Blade and Stock Rail, this can be taken up by squeezing them together at the top of the rail head with a small pair of tweezers, whilst soldering.

 

A small amount of Soldering Flux can then be applied to the Pin and Switch Blade. With a small amount of solder applied to the tip of the soldering iron, touch the pin with the tip of the iron and then up against the Switch Blade. The solder will flow with the help of the flux and a soldered joint with be created.

 

NOTE: Please only use a small amount of solder, otherwise there is a risk of solder flowing under the Switch Blade and bonding the Switch Blade to the Stock Rail.

 

The same can then be repeated for the other Switch Blade. Move the ‘Spacer’ to the other Stock Rail which will hold the Switch Blade you just soldered open at the correct gap.

 

 

 

I feel the above method is clean and tidy and results in a better looking and more accurate turnout!

P.S - Go easy on me, guys! 

 

 

The proposal to for the builder to solder the blades to improve accuracy is sound. I used a similar arrangement on OO turnouts I built for a club layout, using N gauge copper clad sleeper strip for tie bars and 0.55mm lace pins. 

To avoid soldering the blade to the stock rail I would cut a thin strip of rizla paper, feed it under the stock rail over the top of the tie bar and trap the end up between the stock rail and the blade.  Seem to work fine and closure was not an issue.

Looking forward to the EM Gauge double slip.

A GNR/LNER J6 would be good. Most of the other pre-grouping companies now have a model of 0-6-0 tender freight loco.

Through the LNER Modellers Group I have been alerted to the D&S signal box kit on ebay, which I have purchased.

Thank you for your help.

On 25/02/2022 at 23:15, 31A said:

 

Thank you; glad you like it!

 

Not as far as I know.  I had an idea that it had passed to another supplier; many items from the D&S signal parts range are under the Model Signal Engineering brand from Wizard Models, but I don't think the signal box is part of that.  I thought it might have gone to Churchward Models who do (did?) several other brass signal box kits, but I can't see it there either, unfortunately.

 

Thanks for the response. I couldn't see it in the Wizard, MSE or the Precision Paints range of kits.

Happy modelling.

On 02/02/2022 at 21:41, 31A said:

But it hasn't all been retail therapy - there has been some modelling as well!

 

After over 20 years I thought it was time Finsbury Square had a proper signalbox.  Up to now, the signalling has been controlled from a very old Heljan kit.  It's still available today and now part of the Gaugemaster range, but they persist in describing it as a Great Western signalbox, whereas in reality it's quite a decent model of a Great NORTHERN Railway 'box; in fact it's probably based on the drawing of Biggleswade (South) 'box that was printed in the Augsut 1975 MRC.  The 'box at Finsbury Square is at the front of the layout with its back to the viewer so the plastic kit wasn't too much of an issue, although the roof slates are a bit chunky.  It looks a bit worse for wear now though!

 

 

Anyway, in 1992 D&S Models brought out an etched kit for a very similar 'box (or at least the top part of one), and I bought two.  I used one to make a smaller 'box (two thirds of the length) and put the other one away.  I decided its time had come, and I still had the spare 'third' from the first kit, so I would be able to make a longer, and suitably imposing, box for this layout.  As Finsbury Square is not a real place, the signalbox has an element of 'freelance' about it, but the overall dimensions come out very similar to those of Leeds 'A' box at Leeds Central station.

 

Here are the main parts set out.  Obviously one end had to be separated from the front.

 

 

And spliced and basically assembled:

 

 

With this kit you're on your own for the brick base, and the roof.  Hoping to make a solid base, I decided to use 1.5mm ply with Slater's brick embossed Plasticard laminated to it.  So here's the kit of parts for the brick base.

 

 

And braced on the inside with square stripwood.

 

 

And here is the woodwork finished, and the soldering likewise.  All the windows, the door, barge boards and finials.  Also the handrail round the front and sides.  Unfortunately there is one sliding window frame missing!  I'd nicked this when I built the first kit to make an extra window in the back.  I'll come back to that later!  The brass bit isn't fixed to the wooden bit yet, and won't be for a long time.

 

 

Great piece of modelling, Can you still get the D&S kit?

On 27/11/2021 at 15:00, Wayne Kinney said:

Hi Guys,

 

I did some CAD work last night on the middle section of an EM double slip, I really wanted to see what it looked like!

 

Not bad for a first CAD revision, I think!

 

This looks fantastic.

A brilliant set of books. Have got to the Isle of Wight which is towards the end of volume 7. Will have to start again until the next set.