Tallpaul69

Hi All, So far, so good, here is the first of my monthly updates:- I have managed to locate a couple of people who can do maintenance/re motor/chipping of my Lima locos and units. I have one back after treatment and while there is still some noise from the gears, it does seem to run quite well. I am about to send off a HST pair for treatment including TTS sound modules. I will post how I get on. I had been debating whether to change the "modern" version of my layout from running c2007 to c2016. The original decision was made some 10 years ago in 2009. However I really like the new 800 series sets and the new GWR livery. So I have taken the plunge! This means some of my locos and units bought over the last ten years or so are in obsolete liveries. So I have been going through these planning which to sell and which to have re painted (Spray painting is not one of my skills!). I have managed to find someone who can do the work at a rate I can live with and whose results look good. The first loco, a class 58 in Virgin livery will be sent off this week to return in DRS Large Compass colours. Again, I will post the results on it s return. Regarding my questions in the above post, it seems that the only Lima locos that did not get the standard pancake motor apart from the Class 67s were later class 20s. I found someone who put a class 31 TTS in a class 105 DMU, and the posted video sounded reasonable. I am considering whether the difference between seamless sound of a loco with electric transmission and the gear changes of the DMU is an acceptable compromise given that my layout will not have a station so the DMUs will mainly pass through and would not have needed to do gear changes. The jury is still out on this! Now I need to get down to trying to decide between two alternative layout plans, each with their own pros and cons but of all the ones I have considered closes meet the sort of WTT I seek to run. I also need to keep my eye out for Hornby sneaking out TTS chips and change my chipping plans accordingly. Cheers for now Paul

Hi Phil and other watchers of this thread. Is it really six moths since Phil wrote the above comments? Doesn't time fly in the summer? I have quoted Phil's last post partly to ease us all back into the subject at hand and partly to say that I do agree with his logic as expressed in the post. So to move things on I now have to finish composing my working time table for the layout from the real 1960s one and then see what compromises are needed to run it on Lower Thames Yard. I then have to look at the fit to my alternative plan. Just to remind other readers, I also have another plan which answers my brief, but views things from the opposite side of the tracks. Unfortunately I do not own that plan, so I can't share it at present. Both plans have their pros and cons, so it will come down to which needs the least compromises on the timetable, and which I feel answers the brief best. I hope to update further in a couple of weeks, but I am also wrestling with plans to sound chip locos plus the need to get paint jobs on some locos, (not one of my skills), and the best way forward to chip/ re motor my Lima fleet, (also not one of my skills!). Cheers for now Paul

Hi Ian, Phil and all other followers of this thread. Now that the summer is over and outdoor visits are reduced, I shall be getting back to layout build planning. So Phil's drawing above is still very much under consideration. I have to decide between it and another plan which has the scenic area all on the flat, with an incline off the fiddle yard to a set of lower level holding sidings. I can't share the other plan at present as it is not my property Both plans use curved points to increase fiddle yard or lower siding length, and I believe, provided you take note of the cautions others have highlighted in their responses, that curved points do work. Most likely Phil is right when he suggests his running problem is due to some wrong back to back settings. What will probably clinch my decision between the two plans is which enables me to most accurately portray the working timetable on which the layout idea is based. So I have to set to finalizing my version of the WTT and seeing how well the two layouts might work it! Both will no doubt involve compromises, so it will come down to which set of compromises I can best live with. Best regards Paul

Hi All, Trying to decide whether there is a base of fact to allow me to keep my fleet of HSTs from operators other than First Great Western/GWR to run on my WR Main line layout in its 2015/6 version? I know in the early 2000s Midland Mainline and GNER sets or power cars were used in times of poor fleet availability or peak demand, so I wondered if this practice still happened in 2015 or 2016? Details of observations/links to other relevant posts or magazine articles would be appreciated. Many thanks Paul

Great idea! Got an exhibition to go to tomorrow, but after that I'll give Charlie a shout. Cheers Paul

Richard, There can be no argument that the facts are as you state above, but if you listen to the YouTube of the Craven 105 fitted with a Class 31 TTS, it does not sound too bad. So here is my logic:- I ask myself, whether it might be a workable idea, given a saving of c£60 per DMU. They will be running at the same time as steamers or mainline Diesels on an open main line where there is not a station prominently in the layout scene so that the absence of the gearchanges could be acceptable. The layout will not be exhibited, the observers, apart from myself, will be my family members, none of whom are diesel loco or DMU experts! I also think that a full sound picture is better than a number of trains running without any sound. If at a later date, I find that the sound is not good enough, then I will have the option to gradually update the DMUs to full sound chips. However, it is no good following this plan if the sound is too far removed from the real sound, so I have to satisfy myself that I can live with the compromise. To do so I need to listen to sound files of DMUs and of chips for DMU models. Thus I will be interested in others thoughts once they have listened to the YouTube file, and their experience of DMU sounds and Chip suppliers DMU sample sound files. Cheers and thanks everyone, Paul

Just got round to listening to this and I agree that it sounds quite good. Might give it a try, but not in a 105 So i need to understand how the class 105 sound compares with other DMUs such as Class 108, Class 117 and Class121 which are more of interest to me for my layout? Anyone able to offer thoughts on the differences in engine sound and horn sound between the 105 and the 108, the 117 and the 121? And of course how these compare with the Class31! Many thanks Paul

Have you got any recordings of this available? Thanks Paul

Hi Paul from a namesake! Sorry it has taken so long to reply, but I have not previously looked at this area of RM Web! What form does your addiction take? Are you a modeler, or interested in full size railways, or like me both? My interests in UK railways span from c1960s through to modern day and my layout (when built) will focus on Western Region, with c1960, c1990 and c2016 sets of rolling stock. Don't worry if you are advanced in years, I am myself 70, just remember you are never too old to learn!! Best regards Paul

Why do you want to replace the power bogie on a class 60? is it a poorly performing Lima one? If so, you might do better looking at replacing just the motor with a CD drive type. But first I would look at the pickups and the wheels Best regards Paul

Has anyone put Hornby TTS in an 00 classes 68 or 70? I am considering putting something like a Hornby Class 60 TTS chip in a Dapol Class 68 or Bachmann Class 70? Alternatively I might wait until the Class 66 TTS are available. I think if I do this then I will upgrade the speaker, so has anyone experience of the improvements to a class 60 of TTS with a better speaker? Many thanks Paul

This plan is developing nicely, but I agree with the comments about the point on the access hatch, the radius of the top left corner curves, and the connection from the incline to the lower level. I also think you should try to reduce the gradient to the lower level, 1/50 is quite steep, particularly on a curve in the top right corner. You may have to reduce the radius on the right hand mainline curves slightly so that the incline does not have to get below the level of the main tracks until you reach the far side of the layout. 1/30 would be much better for your locos. You can hide the incline being beside the mainlines with a cutting on the outside of the main tracks. Keep at it! Cheers Paul

Thanks for referring me to Ben, but I had already been pointed in his direction! Still better referred twice than not at all and I am in conversation with him. Best regards Paul

Hi Lee, Does the above mean that you are not in a position to take on any extra customers? Also, if you have capacity for say a full repaint, weather and renumber once a month for the next twelve months or so, on a mixture of classes? Are you up for modern stuff such as DRS and GWR or just blue era? If what I am saying is of interest please post your email or PM me it? Many thanks Paul

I meant when were GWR type Toads last used , not Toads bearing painted GWR (they were not repainted overnight!), (nor did I mean those owned by the GWR)!!! From most of the replies I think most readers understood what I meant! Cheers Paul

Hi All, Not sure if this is the best place to post this thread, but it doesn't seem to fit anywhere. I am sure you administrator types will move it if you think it should be somewhere else!? I am looking for someone in the UK to carry out a repaint renumber and weathering on a couple of un weathered Bachmann 00 Class 57s that due to a change in era modelled are no longer correctly painted. It is not something I am competent to do myself (I know my limitations!). I am hoping that this work can be done for less than the difference between the cost of new locos (one livery is currently available) and the proceeds from selling the current ones? As a bonus I will get two individual locos (different degree of weathering and different numbers) to the standard offering! Many thanks for any help Best regards Paul

Hi All, I am thinking about using the J36 TTS chip for sound in other locos. I have the following locos which are not in my regular timetable so I can live with a measure of deviation from the original sound, but I can't justify the cost of a full cost chip. I am taking into account the size of the loco, its wheel size, and likely whistle type:- Ivatt 2-6-2 Ivatt 2-6-0 (large and small) Standard 76000 2-6-0 Standard 82000 2-6-2 Southern C, and Q1 both 0-6-0 I have not included any Eastern locos because I do not have them and my layout is Western Region, west of London. I have not included any Western Region locos because I think the J36 whistle too different to WR whistles. Other candidates such as the Midland 3F and 4F are also not on my fleet. I would be interested in other folks experiments in this direction, or thoughts on how accurate (or not) the sound would be, remembering that the use of these locos will be limited to purely running locos I like from time to time, as variation to the main WR diet of locos! Cheers Paul

Hi All, I have around 20 Lima 00 diesels which would seem to be candidates for sale unless I can get their motors changed as I am going DCC and Sound. Unfortunately I am at the age where I do not have nimble enough fingers or good enough eyesight to do this myself. So I am looking for experiences/ recommendations on who is out there and can do this work? I would prefer to go to someone who can do the motors and install chips so that when I get a loco back that doesn't work I am not caught between the "its your motor install" and "its your chip install" shouting match! Many thanks Cheers Paul

Has anyone experience of using Train Tech Sound Effect Capsules? In particular, do they function as advertised? Does the built in motion sensor deliver appropriate sounds for speeds? Are they really easy to fit to locomotives? How long do the batteries last? Many thanks Best regards Paul

Has anyone tried a TTS Diesel Chip in a DMU model? If so, what chip did you fit to what model? Were you happy with the sound? If not what was wrong with it? Many thanks Paul

Hi All, It is over 2 months since my last update, apologies for the long silence! Currently working on chipping locos, and finalizing layout plan. Since starting on sound chip fitting I have concluded that I will sound fit more locos than I first thought which increases the cost. So I am looking at using the Hornby TTS rather than £100 sound chips in a number of locos that they were not originally aimed for, such as fitting them to other manufacturers locos and to different types of loco than they were designated for. There are some nonos in this. Not a good idea to fit 2 cylinder sound in three cylinder locos or Great Western loco chips in other company locos (or vise versa!!). I have managed to find some Hornby chassis for my Lima bodies although sometimes I have had to buy a whole loco, but some liveries are quite cheap. I have also replaced a couple of Hornby and Bachmann locos that were not capable of being chipped with more modern versions of them that are capable of being chipped. There are two things I would appreciate info on:- 1) Did Lima fit the 5 pole motor from their 00 class 67 to any other UK outline 00 loco? 2) Is there any Hornby TTS diesel loco chip that sounds right in an 00 first or second generation DMU? I will try to keep you informed of how I get on. I will aim not to be too ambitious in this after failing to keep info flowing in the past. So I hope to do a monthly update. Best regards Paul

Looks good Matt, Hope you have plenty of loops in your fiddle yard to feed train variety to the model? Or are you queueing trains one behind the other. If the later, how do you move them up without spending all your time with the fiddle yard? Anyway, you are ahead of me. I do not yet have a main layout, just a round and round test track with an NCE for control, but I am moving forward on sound chipping locos. Cheers Paul

Meanwhile, back on the modelling thread, after the "Tea Break", what new items have folks on their benches? I have a number of Locos that have been DCC Sound fitted over the summer that need running in and their CVs sorting. Trouble is after "tuning " one, I have to give it an extensive test on my test circuit, and then I often decide I have to dig out an earlier conversion and compare them...….and so time marches on! Happy Modelling Paul

Chris, Two bits of advice:- 1) You must curb the urge to buy bargains until you have tied down an area for your model. Remember a bargain is only a bargain if you get benefit out of it and the bargains are the ones you don't get much for when you have to sell them as they don't fit with your eventual choice of area for the model! 2) You will find it difficult to get to a plan without some sort of close location (maybe just:- somewhere on the line between x and y) because different lines were built or expanded for different reasons and still exist today for different reasons. So some lines started 2 track became 4 track, were rationalized to 2 track , and now are expanded to 3 or 4 track again! But the 4 track traffic now is a lot different in mix (express/local/parcels/freight ) to what it was 50 years ago before the contraction! Hope this helps, but keep at it!! Cheers Paul

Agreed Phil! Come on Tony where's your plan!! However, I do agree with Tony's earlier comment about the position of the bay. If you move it to the same side of the layout as the branch, then you can use its original position for a down bay as per Newbury. This increases the number and variety of trains you can run by copying the short trains to Southampton, (even though they had stopped running by your chosen era?) Keep planning, also you ought to be thinking in terms of a first attempt at a time table? Then you will have an idea of the capacity you need in the loops and what stock you need. Keep up the good work Cheers Paul