Grasslands

Hi RJS1977 - I hope that the gearing on this one should be geared down low, but there is only one way to find out! So the next stage is to try and understand what is in the box. I recognise a few of the parts in the box from previous radio control cars I have built (granted they were far, far bigger). I recognise a servo (and it is only 1.5 x 1.5cm!!!!). The receiver is also shockingly small. The largest thing about the pack is the radio controller, which will easily squash the car. It seems that radio control has come on since I last dabbled. This new controller sends out a signal in Ghz rather than Mhz and seems able to be 'programmed' to the radio control receiver. No more of that band 1-4 crystal nonsense. This sounds like a step in the right direction. It apparently also means that you do not need such long aerials on the models, which I suppose has helped push miniaturisation forward. My immediate concern is the wheel sets. This kit is designed to convert a lorry. I didn't realise that it is designed for a lorry with a double tyre axle on the rear wheels, this might limit what I can convert. I have three vehicles that may become the final RC prototype. The ground clearance is really good on the pick-up truck, but the wheels that come with the pack are much smaller than it's current tyres. They are a much better fit to the NCB lorry, but that might be more tricky to convert. Anyone one know if the die-cast models below have friction fit wheels? It would be nice to retain the original wheels if possible. The next step is to decipher the german component list. Let's put google-translate to the test.

I was looking at some videos of mini gear produced ones last night. I thought there were some RTR ones around, but many of the You Tube videos show high geared examples, I am hoping that the gear reduction on my kit is sufficient for some scale speeds.

My conversion kit was bought from here: http://www.sol-expert-group.de/1-87-model-building:::48.html?XTCsid=tnbq8b2g43ik0kgm6pr3t55en5 It wasn't cheap to say the least, but my thinking is that once I understand all the components required I can significantly drop the price of the next one. I will add some pictures of the kit in a bit. As for N-gauge - at the end of the second video there is an N-gauge lorry wizzing around.

This story starts with the O gauge layout ‘The End Of The Line’ and Giles work on developing a 16mm Radio Control Truck (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/18108-radio-controlled-road-vehicle-and-powered-gantry-crane/) When I first saw this truck I was fascinated. Searching the net indicates that the Germans have managed to make radio control vehicles in HO (1:87), thus it should be possible to create a radio control truck in OO (1:76). As our UK model market generally lags behind our German and American cousins, I thought it best that I take the plunge and see if I can construct one. I have purchased a complete starter conversion kit (which arrived from Germany today) and I now need to start preparing to construct the vehicle. The first steps will be trying to understand the German instructions (a challenge!!!!); understanding all the components; and finding a suitable OO truck for the conversion. Any thoughts or experience from anyone who has gone down the same path are very, very welcome. Tom

Had a look at the samples at the Swindon Railway Festival. It looks lovely. Happy to see that the hand rails are seperate fittings.

Hi all Just received my x2 Class 16s, and what beautiful models they are. Wonderful detailing and so weighty. Really pleased.

Looking really nice that is

Two weeks ago me and my Dad visited the Festival of British Railway Modelling in Doncaster. It was our first visit and we both really enjoyed the day. The best thing about the show was the number of big layouts (in a UK context), which allowed some good length trains to be run. Wisbech and Upwell Trams My interests in the Wisbech and Upwell Railway were well catered for with some interesting discussions about how to model the tramway version of the Drewry tram (see separate post). The highlight for me was the Y10 ‘super sentinel’ shunting around Happisburgh Goods. This was an odd coincidence as I recently begun development of this loco using a 3D modelling programme, thus I took the opportunity to take pictures from all angles (the pictures of the top being a God-send). Grasslands I was also interested in the disturbed grassland and ephemeral vegetation modelled on Kensal Green (sorry… went all ‘ecologist’ there). Their grassland just seem to have something that my current efforts don’t seem to have. I think it is do with the thicker layer of decayed vegetation beneath the current growing stems (closer to the buildings). I think I will experiment and see if I can improve mine. Black Country Blues was also looking impressive with some great modelling of recently disturbed vegetation, very much the colours, structures and ‘feel’ of the surrounds of home ‘back when’ (Me and Dad thought we recognised the view from Barr Beacon). Purchases I was in a wallet-burning mood and was quite set on buying a D11 Director, which I managed to acquire from one of the cheaper vendors. Unfortunately for said wallet, I then came across another subject I am interested in: a T9 in Southern Green with ‘British Railways’ on the tender. Opening the box I was quite surprised to find a colonial star on the front (apparently this was the designate royal train). This wasn’t evidently clear from the box and it would be nice if Hornby considered expanding beyond the traditional ‘side profile’ photos on their model-boxes. I also find them not the most flattering images, but that’s me. The colonial star didn’t of course amount to the surprise of finding an elephant on the side of my Heljan BR Blue Falcon when I bought it a couple of years ago! Video Below is my video from the show, hope you like it:

Finally managed to upload my video and pictures from last Sunday. I was hoping to put them up on Monday morning, but just didn't have the time. So to catch up with my Wisbech & Upwell Class 04 conversion: The video below includes modifications to the 04s body to take the new Bachmann Class 03 chassis. On reflection the axle doors on the side skirts are a bit big, but I was modelling at speed at the time and didn’t think to double check. Check out grasslandsModels.wordpress for more projects/videos

Looking forward to the 05. I wonder when Heljan will release pre-orders?

Thanks, i'm glad I got as far as I did, but I would like to get the left-hand skirts on tomorrow.

Today we answer the question: ‘How much modelling can be done in a day?’ At the Doncaster show a nice chap told me that one of Craftsman Models conversion kits includes the older style cab for an 04 shunter. So a quick purchase of a Bachmann 04 (and said conversion kit) and I was off. I decided to see how far I could get through the conversion in a weekend. Below is a time-lapse video of the first day of the conversion, enjoy! http://youtu.be/XuRcH2-5k1E Visit GrasslandsModels.wordpress for further projects

I briefly managed a small section of the former L&B route so, for that alone I will be pre-ordering these.

Wow, that is the best news i have heard all day, finally the beginning of RTR 009 is upon us.

I had forgotten about the gloss black. It would have looked very attractive in this colour.