mike lee

One of the next items on the agenda is 3 link couplings. For uncoupling, I have made an uncoupling hook using some very small neodyme magnets, 1mm x 4mm glued inside a length of plastic tube, with about 1mm protruding out the end, this actually works a treat, it is just strong enough to comfortably lift the 3 link coupling and pull away afterwards easily. The 3 link coupling comprises of the two top links being non magnetic, and only the bottom link being a magnetic link. That way the magnet on the end of the uncoupling hook will only pick up the last link and will not try and connect to any of the other links, if all the links were magnetic. Hope that makes sense. Using a magnet is a lot easier than trying to use a hook, honestly. All the links I have, or I have found are magnetic, i.e. the Peco/Parkside 3 link coupling packs PS50 etc and the Peco 3 link coupling packs and hooks RO4 are all magnetic. I just happened to have half a dozen from 'I know not where' to carry out my initial experiments. My question is: does anybody know, please, where I can get some correct scale, non magnetic, brass etc, links/chain from. I need them for all my wagons. Regards Mike Lee

Thanks everybody for there help, I am getting there slowly but surely (or not). Re info above about Dapol and Lionheart wheels, I have checked some of the wagons that I have. On the Dapol wagons, I have some are fitted with 'Slaters/Peco type wheels' and some are fitted with 'Hornby type pin point' wheels. I have only one Lionheart wagon, a 16t mineral and this is fitted with 'Hornby style pin point' wheels. I tried the Lionheart 'Hornby style pin point' wheels in the Lima 16T wagon and they are far to short. Consequently I will modifying the axle boxes and be putting Slaters/Peco wheels in! As I said above, no big deal just a bit extra work, it would have been nice to have been able to just drop some replacement wheels in. This mod is not high on my list and may not go ahead. It was part of the learning curve for me getting into 7mm modelling. FYI, assuming the Lionheart wagon body is the correct size? the Lima body is about 4mm longer, the same width and about 1.5mm less in height and a lot coarser in representation. Just as an aside, I have this week made four wagons of various manufacture. I must admit although I had all the correct instructions with each one I am not generally impressed compared to instructions with 4mm scale wagons I have built in the past: Instructions like: 'Put the floor in at the correct height' (when there are no recesses or marks to put it to and no diagram) and 'Build one end and side first, build the second end and side, join both sides and ends together to form a box before adding the floor' (only trouble is when you do that the floor won't fit in). Ah well, another learning curve, and we wont go down that route! Thanks everybody for spending their time to try and help. I think this one is done now. Regards Mike Lee

Hal Sorry, Ignorance on my part, and bad use of words. The Wheels in the Lima 16 Mineral are like a 7mm version of the Hornby type wagon wheel. Where in its basic form, the end of the axle is ground to a pin point and just fits into a matching recess in the chassis moulding, no fancy brass cup etc. Whereas on the Slaters and Peco wheels, the shaft diameter is reduced, then the end ground to a pin point which fits into a long brass sleeve. I am just getting into 7mm and in my ignorance am using the terminology I used in 4mm which was pin point bearings as the Hornby type. i.e what I am after is a 7mm version of the Hornby style 4mm wheel. Looking at it now, the reason I cannot find what I am after is, they probably don't exist? I will just have to modify the axle boxes to accept the brass sleeve of the Slaters/Peco wheels, no big deal just a bit extra work. Thanks anyway, Regards Mike Lee

Thanks for the replies everybody. Hal, I will be glad just to be able to get any 7mm pin point bearings, like the ones that are 'standard' in 4mm modelling. I will make them fit no problem. It will be easier than trying to adapt the standard Peco or Slaters wheels. Brossard, I already have them, they cost nowt, don't want to buy anymore. What I have in mind, if I can get the wheels, will take half an hour to do a reasonable mod to tag them onto the end of a train. Simond, Peco or Slaters wheels will not 'just' fit in, different end of axle fixing. Pin point axles, like the ones that are 'standard' in 4mm modelling are needed, for a quick fix anyway. If necessary I can adapt Peco or Slaters wheels to fit it will just take a bit longer. Please, does anybody know if you can get 7mm replacement metal wheels with pin point axle ends??? Regards Mike Lee

In the recent batch of ready built 7mm wagons I bought were a couple of Lima 16T Minerals. I thought I would do a quick makeover to make them reasonably presentable, add new wheels and three link coupling and rework the brake gear etc, when I hit the first hurdle? The course plastic wheels are pin point. Can you get 7mm pin point replacement metal wheels, I have had a search and cannot locate any. Does anybody know please, if any manufacturer makes them and if so who and where can you get them from? Regards Mike Lee

BTW have should have said that the wagon is plastic, and it does look like the Slaters Kit apart from the sides, wonder if they ever did two versions, though the present kit does say it is to Dia 307 and that is what it looks like? Regards Mike Lee

Help Please. I recently bought a batch of ready built 7mm wagons (Slaters, Parkside, Connoisseur) and have identified all of them, i.e. whose kits they were, wagon type, etc apart from one of them. I have identified the wagon as a Midland Railway Sleeper Wagon Dia 306, from the Wagons book. However I cannot find out whose kit it was? Slaters do a Midland Railways Sleeper Wagon but to Diagram 307 which is their item #7015. Diagram 307 had drop sides whereas Diagram 306 has fixed sides, which my wagon has. It has not been modified of part scratch built, the mouldings are all the original manufacturers mouldings. Can anybody help me identifying the kit manufacturer of the wagon please. Regards Mike Lee

Thanks for the replies so far, keep them coming, the more variations the better? There must be dozens of large club layouts with storage sidings, having lots of different variations on how they operate? I am away from home at the moment so will have a look in detail when I get back. Thanks once again, Mike

Before I finalize my layout, and start track laying and wiring, I thought I would seek out other peoples ideas for 'storage siding' wiring and control? Although I have put this in Electrics Non-DCC section, the design I have worked out 'on paper' is basically a DC system that is switchable so that it can also be used for DCC (Note, it has not been built yet). It is the standard design using Peco solenoids and CDU's via a diode matrix using a single push button to select each route. What I would like is other peoples ideas using Stall Motors (Tortoise) or servo's, I would much prefer the soft action of them rather than the 'smack' of a solenoid? My layout will be a through 'roundy roundy' layout with one up and one down line. The basic storage yard will have six through storage sidings on the up line and six through storage sidings on the down line. I would be pleased to hear of other peoples designs for storage yards, there must be hundreds out there. The main criterion is that it is primary a DC system, but it could also be me made into a DCC system. It should also be fairly simple!! and cheap using standard components if possible, not using Rasberry Pi's, Arduino's, MegaPoints Controllers or the like, although I know servo's etc do need some form of control device? Hoping somebody can oblige, Regards Mike Lee

Thanks everybody for all the replies. I am specifically after the article! The title 'Train Advance/Shuttle Circuit' is only the name I have put to it to describe what happens. The article may be called something totally different. I thought it was from a series in the 'Railway Modeller' but could be from elsewhere? I know of a few ways to achieve what I want, but I can remember thinking what a simple idea it was, in the article! I also contacted Railway Modeller at same time as I put the request on the RMweb and they have said that it is not in the RME Partwork as you state Kevin, thanks. If anybody has any further thoughts as to what or where the article was from please let me know. Regards Mike Lee

Train Advance/Shuttle Circuit I wonder if you could help me please, I am looking for an article from the 'Railway Modeller'. Quite a few years ago 'Railway Modeller' included a series of technical articles, sort of a supplement in the magazine. I have a few, but unfortunately they were not dated. The ones I have to hand are 'A home for your Railway' numbered 3.13 to 3.18, and 'Controlling your Railway' numbered 7.5, 7.6. Unfortunately I have recently moved house and most of the articles I had have disappeared. I am trying to find an article, probably from the series 'Controlling your Railway', this showed what I would call 'a train advance/shuttle circuit'. Where if you have a long section of track in the fiddle yard, split into two sections, say A and B, you can store two long trains one in each section, when the first train leaves section A, you press a button/switch and the train from section B moves up into section A allowing the first train to complete a circuit of the layout and run into the vacant section B. Could anybody possibly please tell me which issue of 'Railway Modeller' the article was in? Regards Mike Lee

Thanks Griff + Martin, Martin, I am aware of Paul's site but particularly wanted the modelling articles. Griff, if you come across the BRM articles could you let me have the issue numbers. In the meanwhile I will see if I can lay my hands on the Model Rail magazine? Regards Mike

Help wanted please There was an article/series of articles maybe 20 years or so ago in one of the railway modelling magazines, I think it might have been 'British Railways Modelling?' but not sure, on modelling the different variations of handrails that are fitted to the BR 21T hopper wagons. Can anybody please point me in the right direction as to where the articles were, which magazine or better still if they were reproduced on the internet anywhere? I have had a search around but have not found anything. Regards Mike Lee

Andy. As editor is it not possible please to contact the reader, George Willetts, and ask him what the layout is called, or pass on my request? Regards Mike Lee

Re March 2018 issue, I have just been going through the magazine again, I keep older issues of magazines in my car, to read whilst I wait for ?????????? to return from shopping. Could anybody tell me please the name of the layout/layouts on page 35 under the title 'Changing Era's'? I am particularly interested in the top layout with the lighthouse. Hoping somebody can oblige, regards Mike Lee

Sorry for no update but I had to finish a layout that was booked at a show and this took up a lot of my time. I received the motors OK plus I found a couple more I had stored away. Have also bought and acquired a load of cogs and gears. However an imminent house move has now got in the way, so by the time I build my railway room in the spare bedroom of the new bungalow it will probably be after Christmas before I can get round to doing some proper modelling. Will update when I have something to write about! In the meantime if anybody has any further suggestions just keep them coming. Regards Mike

Thanks for all the replies everybody. Neil, I have a couple of the Bachmann 0n30 streetcars, that is certainly an option. A similar approach I was thinking about was to use a Hornby chassis with a better motor and extending the axels. There was also an article in Railway Modeller, June 2104, on improving the gear ratio, called ‘Taming ‘Smokey Joe’. Jim, thanks for the PDF’s files and the info on the motors you emailed me. I am certainly considering this idea for the chassis although I will probably use plasticard. Nothing against card, I used it for the buildings on my OO gauge layout and was amazed at how strong they were, for me I just think working with plasticard will be better, though I will probably have a go at making one with card. I also think I might have a go at an LNER Y8 side tank, that’s a lovely model you made. Also that’s a lovely model of the Y6 Tram. I have sent for the following motors, from tinternet, from ‘surever9’, a few people sell them but ‘surever9’ were the cheapest. Jim gave me the type he had used #1 below, plus details on another #2 below, I added #3 the Mabuchi, these are so that I can have a good ‘mess about’ for this project and other things, can’t fall off, three motors for £8.15 including postage. #1, Carbon Brush High Speed DC12-24V 5 Pole Rotor Compensates Mini Micro Motor #2, DC 12V 24V Strong NdFeB Magnetic 5-Pole Rotor Micro Mini Carbon Brush Motor #3, DC 6V-12V Mabuchi RS-385SA Carbon Brush Motor Now I just have to wait until the motors come. Not come across this before, but, one site sold all three motors, was cheaper, showed the prices in £ sterling, then when I went to pay using Paypal they then showed the price in dollars, they then did a dollar conversion on my credit card and came out more expensive, 0.70p on £8.15. (0.70p not much, but why should I have to pay it?) Regards Mike

I have just purchased a Skytrex Y6 'Tram' engine body shell SMR401K. I know they recommend the ETS r-t-r power bogie 247 but I have read that this has coarse wheels? I have emailed ETS a couple of times asking what the gear ratio is and also the shaft diameter of the bogie, to see if the wheels could be changed, I have not had any reply? I have had a search on the RMWeb to see if this topic has come up before but have not located anything, if something exists could you please point me in the right direction. If not, my questions are, please: - has anybody built the Skytrex Y6 using the ETS 247, if so, was it OK? - has anybody used the ETS 247, and modified it? If so, do you have any details please. - has anybody used a different chassis and if so, which, and do you have any details please. - has anybody scratch-built a chassis, and if so, do you have any details please. Whilst searching for information I did come across the article by Jim Read: "Making a 7mm O Gauge LNER Y8 side tank loco from card for about £30" which I found very interesting and has certainly given me food for thought. Hope somebody can help, Regards Mike Lee

Hi Chris Thanks for that. Mike

Hi, Can anybody tell me what the Car Parking arrangements are? Is there on site Parking? Nothing mentioned other than the 'Parking Options' link which shows the nearest is Morrisons, 2 hours free, 7 mins away, after that its about 20 mins?

kes Enjoyed your layout at Goathland today. Many thanks for letting me look behind the layout, and for all the info you gave me about the sector plate and its operation, very clever idea. Have quickly looked through info on the web here but will have an in depth look later. Regards Mike Lee (Sorry for spilling your tea!)