hartleymartin

I'll watch the carriage build with interest. It might finally give me the kick I need to get cutting that stock-pile of styrene sheet into a coach.

I have found even in OO scale, that trimming RTR points slightly often lets you squeeze a bit of extra length or helps give you better track geometry without having to completely hand-build everything.

The placement reflects what happens when you trim about 80mm off the diverging road and a similar amount on the curved set-track piece, as noted in my post. Unfortunately, my track-planning software doesn't allow me to do the trimming digitally.

The pelmet is a bit on the low side, but if you were to have the layout reasonably high up, you could work it like a proscenium arch picture-frame style.

A bit of a squeeze on 90cm x 40cm baseboards, but you can certainly manage it. On this plan the left-hand point on the top-left will need the curved diverging road trimmed by about 80mm, and a peace set-track curve trimmed a similar amount, or flex-track used. Of course, the top-right left-handed point can also be trimmed, but I think that the little extra length may prove useful in this scenario. I cannot help but think that a wye-point of matching radius would be a useful addition to the range (hint, hint, Peco!)

The close-coupling you can get with Kadee couplers on British wagons looks fantastic compared to the usual wide gaps you get with tension-lock couplers.

The other day I came home with a Gaugemaster model W controller. I used the Hornby controller's AC output to power it and I am currently using crocodile clip leads to power the track. With the Easter weekend, a lot of shops will be closed, so I will have to wait until next week to head to an electronics shop for the required DIN socket and plug. The train control is greatly improved. Although, for some reason the old Bachmann J72 seems to perform exactly the same. The Hornby J94 is only slightly improved, but the new Hornby Terrier is now at last controllable. I suspect that the Hornby Terrier has some issues with the wheel pick-ups as it sometimes stalls on the points. I think one of the centre-axle pick-ups is not making proper contact on one side, since when I turn the loco around it seems to have far less issues. I also started looking into motorising the points. I could just do it mechanically with DPDT slide switches and wire-in-the-tube, but I kind of like the idea of a control panel and not touching the layout at all. After investigating the Peco point motors, PL-15 switches, etc, I found that it would be practically the same cost to just buy a couple of Cobalt Analogue point motors. The plan is to surface-mount these, hide them in buildings and use wire-in-the-tube to form the linkage to the points.

The lamp placement is what was used during the TV series. In the early days they were using small incandescent globes, which must have proved a headache when they eventually burned out in the middle of filming. And yes, I am aware that the Reverend Awdry himself got a letter from a boy indicating that in one illustration, James was carrying the incorrect lamp code.

I saw a youtube video where a person explained and demonstrated the Gaugemaster controllers against pure, smoothed DC. It seems that the key for Gaugemaster is that they don't have smoothing which effectively gives a 100Hz pulsing which significantly improves slow-speed running. I am sure that my old Hornby Controller would be just fine for a tail-chaser at moderate speed, but not for slow, precise control needed for shunting - especially since I use 20mm long magnets under the track for my Kadee couplers.

I bet that just as the layout is getting finished, Peco will do something useful like release a Y point in the set-track range. I am guessing that this is roughly the arrangement of the layout, though my software doesn't draw trimmed points. (Also ignore the dimensions in the diagram)

A few comments in the Hornby section of this forum seems to indicate that the motors used in the newer Hornby locos don't like the old Hornby Controller I have (It is well over 15 years old). It seems that an investment in a good Gaugemaster controller is next in line. I was going to get myself a new controller, but the new Hornby Terriers arrived and I just had to have Rolvenden in KESR Blue. LBSC Improved Engine Green "Stepney" would have been the only one to trump that for me, but was not on display at the time. I also discovered that my usual no. 18 Kadee couplers foul on the coupling hooks of the terrier so I'll have to obtain some no. 19s tomorrow. No worries though, since the no. 18 give me a nice close-coupling on the wagons. Only disappointment was the lack of sprung buffers on the new terrier model. New set of axles for the Bachmann J72 arrived today. Strangely, that particular loco seems to run just fine on the old Hornby Controller.

This may explain why my J94 isn't running well, but my Bachmann J72 (Split-chassis) just loves my old Hornby Controller.

Just want to ask if anyone is getting rough running out of their terriers. I've picked one up and either it needs running-in or it doesn't like my old Hornby Controller much. Mine also came with the cab steps floating around the box. My last bottle of Zap-A-Gap has gone off in the bottle too! The only other issue I have had is that my usual No. 18 Kadees foul on the coupling hooks, so I'll have to pick up a set of slightly longer No. 19s.

Sure does. That said, the quality of the kits is such that you can produce a virtually museum-quality model from any given kit. About 15-20 years ago most Australian O gauge kits were a bit on the crude side, more scratch-aids at times than what you would think of as a "kit" in the UK. Certainly, no shake-the-box kind of kits. Early kits did not have locating tabs and tended to require a fair bit of fettling, filling and filing on the part of the builder. One one of these earlier kits I had to join two pieces of polyurethane casting for the roof, which sat between the wagon ends. This required a fair amount of filler, then shaping starting with a warding bastard file and eventually working my way down to 400-grit sandpaper. The latest kits are much better-designed and the TRC bogie van (too modern for this layout) was reviewed as requiring no filler or sanding at all. The one good side to the older style of kits were that manufacturers would often sell 2nds of various castings for those wanting to do scratch-building. I turned a BHG into a 2-compartment HG body and I was able to buy up a lot of spare or rejected components which I could hack up into various bodies for things. Those days are gone, but I still have some of those components left (doors, windows, louvred panels, etc).

In later steam days, a 2 or 3-car end-platform set hauled variously by the 13, 20 or 30 class tank engines was a common sight. Much of that is available RTR in HO these days and as kits in O gauge now.

Hi Everyone. I have one each of a Mainline and Bachmann J72 both suffering the problem of split axles. I have in my possession a set of replacement axles for both from Peters Spares, but I have no instructions as to how the replacement should be carried out. Any help, advice or previous experience in doing this repair?

There is also a good potential to modify a number of slaters wagon kits, primarily the Midland Railway ones to resemble NSWGR prototypes. I have already used a 3-plank drop-side kit to represent one early variety of D wagon, and a Parkside Dundas 4-plank wagon kit to represent another variety of D-truck.

There is a surprising amount available for NSW prototypes in 7mm scale. Emulated the problems the colonies had with break-of-gauge, Australia has a break-of-scale in O gauge, with 1:48 scale being used for Victorian Railways (5'3" broad gauge" with 32mm gauge track, 1:43 scale for NSWR standard gauge on 32mm gauge again, with the 2'6" Narrow gauge on 16.5mm track for the "Puffing Billy". Narrow gauge gets tricky what with On30/O-16.5 being a bit of a "rubber gauge" with 1:48, 1:43 or even 1:45 being used to variously represent 2'0" prototypes. There are a small number modelling On42, 1:48 scale 3'6" gauge prototypes. At one stage there was even a push for O-24.5 representing the same! The main issue for modelling Australian O Gauge in modern fine-scale is that whilst there are a number of kits available, they tend to be small production runs, which means that they tend to be expensive when compared to British and American O gauge. Our main supplier is now ModelOKits: https://modelokits.com which started out doing mostly line side, but bought the former Century Models, Waratah Models and O-Aust kits ranges. Bergs Hobbies does have some offerings in O gauge as well. Most O gauge tends to represent the NSWR in the transitional era at the end of steam, circa 1950s-1970s. That said, there was a lot running around in the 1960s that had its origins in the 1890s, and many models can be back-dated. This LV Louvred Van (we were really creative with wagon codes) kit represents the final form of the 4-wheel wagon as it would have appeared in the 1950s. However, the body design does date to circa 1900, and there have been articles on how to convert the HO model to represent an earlier iteration with a composite under frame. Again, it is one of those things where I need the goods wagon book to figure it out exactly:

That was probably 1803. When it was stored out in "Rotten Row" around the back of Thirlmere it was wearing a 50 class chimney. Seeing the proportions of this chimney makes me doubt that old no. 18 wore a 50 class chimney, but it could just be a matter of perspective. http://australiansteam.com/1803.htm

I cannot seem to get a clear image of the station building. This is the closest I have managed this far: This image came from http://jamesrusepioneers.homestead.com/Steam-Train-.html As you can see from this picture, the original platform ended in line with the catch-points. I suspect I may obtain drawings either from the Australian Railway Historical Society archive or the former State Rail Archives. Image is definitely post-1959 with the presence of the extended platform and the overhead wiring for working electric car sets.

There are some pictures on NSWrail.net of Carlingford, though most are from much later than the era I intend to model. https://www.nswrail.net/locations/show.php?name=NSW:Carlingford The picture shows a view somewhat comparable to the first post in this thread. The bridge is now a steel frame type, though in the same location. The brick portion of the platform I believe is the original length, though the early photos show what appears to be a timber platform front. The platform was extended at some time in the 1950s to accomodate 4-car electric sets. The line was electrified in 1959. This view from1968 shows the extended platform. the platform originally ended in line with the two catch-points protecting the main. Note the original station building on the right, and how the Farmer's Co-op store has expanded considerably since its early days. I don't have any images showing the original co-op building from ca 1902-1910, but I would love to get my hands on some. This image is taken from the foot-path on the road bridge which conveniently forms a nice scenic break. Copyright for this image belongs to Richard Felstead:

This picture shows loading of fruit at Carlingford, believed to be from 1923. The locomotive and carriages are certainly from about this era. I am uncertain of the type of louvred van used here. It is probably converted from another type. The Goods rolling stock book should give me the answers in a couple of months when I can obtain a copy. The open truck appears to be a 4-plank D wagon. D wagons were a rather eclectic collection of designs, ranging from a 3-plank drop-side wagon from the 1850s to 3, 4 and 5-plank open trucks with side-doors. Most had timber under frames, but in later days many had composite under frame construction with metal sole bars and timber buffer-beams. I have adapted a 4-plank open wagon from a Parkside Dundas kit to represent one of this type, and I have used a 3-plank drop-side wagon from slaters as well, though the brake rigging is not correct. Again, something I will only be able to correct once I have access to the Goods rolling stock book. It is worth taking note of the back-ground. Low hills with lines of very European-looking trees (conifers, pines?) Considerably more rural than today with suburban housing and now a number of medium-rise buildings in the area. Whilst the motive power for the line from 1901-1904 was the K-class Manning Wardle locomotives, I also have under way a project to build an N67 class "Australian Terrier" This was a class of 8 locomotives built to the same general arrangement drawings as the A1 Stroudley Terrier class, but differed in a number of features. The tanks were longer, the cab was very different (larger and open-sided) and the bunker was larger. Comparing a Dapol RTR model to the diagrams that I have, it also appears that the footplate was slightly longer, and much deeper plate frames were used. These locomotives are actually older than the Manning Wardles, and I sometimes wonder why they were not used at Carlingford. The 4'0" driving wheels were found to give an insufficient top speed on suburban service, so the class were relegated to shunting duties. Similarly, the R285 Class (later Z18) had the same problem with an insufficient top speed. I also have one of those under construction.

There is a little wire that runs to the tip of the unifrog. Wire that up the same way you would an electrofrog point. If it is the same as the Unifrog points I have had in OO gauge, you don't need to use insulated rail joiners, but the points are no longer self-isolating. You will need insulated rail joiners to created isolating sections.

I'd like to know exactly how much you trimmed the points. Working from the plans, I've estimated that about 80-85mm off the diverging end should just about do the trick.

I bet that just as the layout is getting finished, Peco will do something useful like release a Y point in the set-track range.