CloggyDog

The Jub currently achieves 30tph in both directions for c2½ hours in each peak Mon-Fri. Even Sat/Sun has 24tph for the bulk of the traffic day. The method of working at Stratford was changed a while back to utilize just the island platform (14/15) during the peaks and interpeak with train operators 'stepping back' and the single face platform (13) only used off peak (pre-am and post-pm) for trains entering/exiting service.

Guess who I'm off to see at the Dublin Castle in Camden Taaahn this evening

Thanks John. Yes, the 33 will become a 26, the 21 may become a 29, simply because they lasted 3 years longer than the 21. Regarding the width, I've seen both 2mm and 3mm mentioned in the various articles (possibly also 2.5mm!), I'll dig out the H0 scale rule and do some measuring and comparison with the drawings before I glue the sacrificial strip along the roof. Now that I have acquired the next pair of BSKs, I can do TSOs in both maroon and blue grey and have BGs in plain blue and maroon.

I did and I still would and am a tad envious that you've made and clearly enjoy a proto-inspired trainset that allows you to run decent length trains (perhaps the one and only thing I do miss with micros)

Not just travelled...

I'm getting 'unable to connect to the database', but the title and 4 'headers' appearing okay (Contents/Index/Search/Forums, but each just returns the 'unable to connect to the database' error when clicked on) which implies that there something awry with the coding, rather than the url not being renewed. ISTR the late Jack 'Shortliner' Trollope being involved somehow with the MTI website (as Chris E was notably not a 'techie'), so perhaps Shortliner's demise has left MTI with no one to run/fix/access the website coding?

Never heard the term 'in-cab signalling' used in my 30+ years with LU. ATO yes for the Vic and then the Central and CBTC for the Jub and Nothern and, more recently, the SSL.

This. Very much this. I like the variety, cheapness, portability and simplicity of micro layouts - I'm working my way through a series of them, mostly based on the Ikea Lack 110cm x 26cm floating shelf (so they can be stored out of harms way on the wall brackets when not being played with). 2 complete, 2 under build and another 3 or 4 in the planning stage, covering potentially 009, TT, H0, OO, EM and possibly O and featuring Welsh, Czech, BR, East German and American prototypes. Stock requirements nice and low, operationally fun, quick to build/finish, plus they take moments to set-up ready for some play and moments to pack down (also very useful traits for exhibiting - the 2 completed layouts have travelled to exhibitions by bike, bus or train!) I guess also, given the spectre of mortality looming over everyone, my micros and their stock will be easier for my partner to dispose of (assuming she outlives me!) rather than some huge permanent trainset permanently affixed to the structure of the house.

Ooops... browsing a well known auction site at lunch and a listing of 2 H0 BSKs on BIN just fell into my basket... *whistles innocently*

Cheers Clive. I do have some previous, making all sorts of 4mm Mk1s out of the old Triang ones with separate sides - much easier to work on than these Lima H0 coaches where the sides/floor/ends are all one piece requiring 3 separate but carefully aligned cuts per 'cut'. Luckily, I don't need much stock for the layout, so I will stop after the next TSO/BG pair, (unless a extra BSK and CK drops into my lap to do a BCK but only if that happens) The other option I could have used were the Worsley Works etched sides which would have corrected the window size and avoided the cut & shut approach, but more than doubled the cost of each coach. I am hoping to get a pair of their CCT etches though to use with a couple of modified Playcraft long-wheelbase chassis I picked up recently. I should also have mentioned above that a coast of primer is the next stage (along with the CK and BSK, both currently in blood & custard) followed by a repaint into maroon or blue/grey, the BG will be all-over blue. And you should see the fun and games narrowing the 21 and 33 by 3mm to get them to scale width - I'll post more on those in due course.

I've done a bit of 'proper old school' modelling recently to create some required stock for my H0 micro layout Dounreay (see the thread in Boxfiles/Micro layouts) Lima only did 3 Mk1 types in their range - a BSK, a CK and a RB, all mounted on a short B4. The basic overall dimensions are right, though the windows are underwidth by a scale 6" or so, which does make them look odd (as well as making spacing of cut & shut sides 'fun') Needing at least one each of TSO/SK and BG, the logical thing (recalling my hacking of Tri-ang Mk1s back in the dim and distant past) would be to cut & shut 2 BSKs to make a TSO/SK and a BG. The Lima H0 Mk1s comprise plug-in B4 bogies, the underframe, body (sides/ends), plug-in gangways of Mk2 type, glazing insert, interior and roof, all clipped together quite securely, but easy to dismantle once you know where to prise! I started with the BG, using a H0 drawing in the sadly defunct Model Trains International mag (they always included H0 versions of all their drawings - which covered many BR Mk1 and Mk2 types as well as assorted wagonry) and cut a section out of both the roof and the underframe to reduce to a scale 57'. The 2 BSK bodies were then measured, marked using a square and cut using my very fine JLC razor saw, resulting in very little cleaning up to do. The 2 van ends offered up and adjusted for length, then simply glued together with MEK and allowed to set. The join went through half of one 'Guards' door, requiring the remnant handles to be sanded smooth and the half-window infilled with Squadron White filler over an internal plasticard blank. A smidge of filler also took care of the unwanted door seams and the join itself. Once the filler was set, it was sanded smooth with an assortment of sanding sticks . Lots of useful tools crossing over from the aircraft and AFV modeling world. The TSO/SK required slightly more butchery to swap the toilet window/end door round (TSOs and SKs have both bogs at one end of the coach) and the 2nd toilet window cut into the black side. I salvaged the window vent from the offcut from the 2nd compo end. The narrow windows gave rise to a small measuring error on my part, requiring a small infill piece next to the centre door, cut from another offcut.. At the moment it's being an SK with the 2 compo-end interiors slotted in place, but a TSO would be more appropriate (I think), so I'll maybe bodge something from the Mk2 interior or master a pair of seats and cast a bunch up. Again, a smidge of filler and some work with the sanding sticks smoothed the joins down. Chassis and roof untouched on the TSO/SK, though I do need to smooth both roofs down and replace the vents in the correct locations. Bogies remain an issue - for my era, most ScR Mk1s retained their BR1 bogies, however there isn't an accurate H0 BR1 available. The Playcraft one (from their shorty Mk1s) are also about a scale foot too short and that's too noticeable for my eyes. I may seek out an old, old Tri-Ang shorty Mk1 to see if that bogie is usable, otherwise I'll have to investigate making a decent master and casting some up in resin to go around an 8'6" etched bogie inner. I also need to address/correct the gangways, again most likely making a master and resin casting. I do need to get another 2 BSKs to repeat the exercise, so if anyone sees Lima H0 BSKs (any livery), please do get in touch. If I can get more, I'll consider doing a BCK as well. So far the pass stock for the layout comprises a BSK, CK, TSO and BG, with a Mk2b TSO also available, even though they were very rare on the FNoS at that time! A couple of pics, including a closer view of the TSO bog end. IMG_20190708_193542 by Alan Monk, on Flickr IMG_20190708_193527 by Alan Monk, on Flickr

Smiths or Ambis ones for me - look fine enough yet still useable under exhibition conditions. Cheaper to buy Smiths unassembled, takes maybe 5 minutes max to make up each coupling using a set of fine round-nosed pliers.

Some interesting post rock... 55Deltic's track 'Didcot Newbury And Southampton Railway' And they are playing in Reading a week Saturday (13th). Sadly/annoyingly, I'm already at a gig that evening, otherwise I'd go (in either an Eastfield or ILikeTrains tee o/ ) Oooh... you could have bought a limited edition vinyl album pressed in BR Banger Blue! Sold out, sadly

I now have enough Lima Ho coaches, but surplus H0 12t vans are still most welcome! http://www.limabritishho.co.uk/LBHO-Wagons1.htm

Whilst waiting for the building kits and scenic details for Nove Mesto to arrive from the Czech Republic, rather than twiddle my thumbs my thoughts turned to the next project in the ongoing 'Lack' series of micro layouts, all based on using an Ikea 110cm x 26cm LACK floating shelf as the main baseboard. This will be a Far North, former Highland Railway terminus, an amalgamation of Wick and Thurso and stealing a good portion of inspiration from Ken Gibbon's lovely little Port Pennan micro. The premise is that an additional branch came off the Thurso line, retained initially to serve Coastal Command's RAF Dounreay, which was later used by the MoD and UKAEA to site nuclear power plant testing facilities for both military (Naval) and civilian use, hence it's survival to at least the late-1960s/early-1970s, when the layout is set. A simple, single platform terminus with passing loop and siding, a short overall roof at the stops end, with short trains (loco +2 coaches) for facility staff and locals, plus coal and van traffic, possibly fish. While I might yet include flask traffic, I doubt that would use the stations' run-round, so Flatrol MJs are merely a very low-priority option at this stage. Maroon and blue/grey Mk1s will be hauled by grubby NBL and BRCW Type 2s. Track will be Peco Code 75, medium radius points (4 in total) with an off-scene fiddle stick/sector plate. Simplicity is the key, so the usual wire-in-tube point control and my battery-powered controller and lighting. Simple folding supports will raise it off the table it will be exhibited on. And to round it all off, this will be modeled in H0 scale (3.5mm:ft on 16.5mm track). Don't expect too much progress until the summer, though locos and stock are being acquired/modified now, with plenty of reference to the British 1:87 Scale Society's website and egroup, where an archive of their Satellite magazine can be found. 2 Lima Mk1 BSKs have already been cut and shut into a TSO and BG while a Lima 33 and Playcraft 21 are stripped down and awaiting narrowing to scale width.

GAHHHH!!!! Had a call from the venue about an hour ago - due to a monumental cawk-up their end, we've lost one of our rooms (the long back room, for those that know the venue) due to a double booking. So I'm afraid I've had no choice but to reduce the content of the show in order to fit into the remaining space: Layouts Central Environment (inc) (US H0) – Myles Munsey Dietrichsdorf (German H0) – Stephen Davies Dobríš (Czech H0) – Ian Lampkin Edelweiss (Swiss H0) – Kevin Player Ferrocarril San Maria Gandia (Spanish H0) – Ian Milroy Gakunan Tetsudo (Japanese N) - Steve Nicholls Gügligen (German H0) – Alan Peacock Koln Draußen (German H0) – Andrew Knights Marmagne (French H0) – Tony Durose Neu-Isenheim Gbf (German N micro-layout) – Paul Smith Oberdorf (German Nm) – Piers Milne Polcome Depot (UK O) – Mark Pollard Nippon Tetsudo (Japanese Z) – Peter McConnell Santa Agueda (Portugese H0) – Martin & Tom Petch Tenac (French N) – Tim Hills Tyskie-Wielkopolska (Polish H0) – Alan Wardman Demonstrations Australian Modelling - Iain Hunter Bonsai RhB - Paul Steadmann & Jon Hall Trade Chris Roberts (new locos and stock) Continental Modeller magazine David Smith (2nd hand books and paperwork) Elaine’s Trains (pre-owned models) JB’s Modelworld (stock storage and tools) Mainline & Maritime (books and magazines) Model Mania & co (new & pre-owned, display cases, etc) Mount Tabor Models (new locos and stock) Minitrains (RTR narrow gauge) Societies/Other Benelux Railway Society British 1:87 Scale Society British Overseas Railways Historic Trust European Railway Association French Railways Society Swiss Railways Society Austrian Railway Group Scandinavian Railway Society Italian Railway Society The German Railway Society stand The GRS stand will include sales of our own souvenirs, books and pamphlets, plus second-hand sales. Whether you are a member or not, we can answer your membership queries. Why not come and say hello! http://grs-uk.org/shows/2019-globalrail-2019/2019-globalrail-2019.html Remind me why we do this again....

Showguide is now available, see the website: http://grs-uk.org/shows/2019-globalrail-2019/2019-globalrail-2019.html (I'd upload here, but am having problems doing so, will try again from home later) Look forward to seeing some of you on Saturday! Globalrail 2019 Showguide.pdf

Utterly captivated by the series - I'd say I 'enjoyed' it, but it's not an enjoyable subject. High drama, some properly intense and heart stopping moments. And some less-than subtle digs and comparisons with today's 'fake news'/'spin' culture and it's impact on real lives. They played a little fast and lose with one or two specific incidents*, but at the same time cleared up a number of long-standing erroneous myths and urban legends about the accident and clean-up. Can't say I'd rush to re-watch it, but I'd certainly buy the DVD/BR for the collection. *the helicopter crash occurred much later, during the 'Sarcophagus' build. A friend of mine recently spent a day on a Pripyat guided tour - they were warned to pay attention to radiation signage and to not pick-up things from the ground without the guide checking them first with a geiger counter!

Progress has been slow of late, awaiting delivery of the KB Models laser-cut main structures (Station and freight shed), plus platform facings and assorted scenic details from the Czech Republic - just had an email to say they should definitely be on their way next week In the meantime I've (finally) glued the track in place with the wire-in-tube point mechanisms inset into the eva foam and made sure the points still throw (a nasty moment when I realised I'd spread the pva too liberally and included the area under the point tiebars... simple strips of paper resolved that one!) and that trains still run. The 5mm ply for the fascia, backscene and endplates is sourced, cut to size and ready to fit and a few more wagon kits have been built, some have even had paint applied! Nove Mesto has it's first public outing, very much as a WIP, at Maidenhead Club's summer show at Knowl Hill village hall tomorrow, Sat 8th June. http://www.mmdmrc.org.uk/2019-summer-exhibition.htmlPP63

A couple of minor changes to the line-up: Sadly the Darjeeling & Himalayan Society cannot now attend, their slot has been filled by the Scandinavian Railway Society and Peter McConnell informs me that he'll be bringing Nippon Tetsudo in place of Sankei Valley as the Japanese Z gauge exhibit. Just over a week to go!

Just wondering if there was any possibility of British H0 joining the other niche/minority scales in having a dedicated sub-forum in the 'Scale Specific' area?

I'm planning a British H0 micro layout and am seeking a couple of items of stock: Lima H0 Mk1 BSKs (I'm after 3 or 4) Lima H0 Mk2 TSO Lima H0 12t vans (again, after maybe half-a dozen) Livery is unimportant (these are conversion/detailing fodder), likewise wheels and couplings can be missing/broken. TIA!

Hi Chris, I have a part used Fox decal sheet covering brake tenders, will dig it out tomorrow and let you know whats still on it. (I did one blue tender, might need some lettering for a 2nd, but the green era lettering should be untouched and available)

A couple of content updates: 2 modelling demonstrations: Australian H0 by Iain Hunter Bonsai RhB (Nm) by Paul Steadman & Jon Hall And 2 more societies have confirmed attendance: Italian Railway Society Austrian Railway Group Just 5 weeks away!

The layouts which really prompted me to look beyond the 6x4 train set of my pre-teen years were In Print Kidlington Diesel Depot (Railway Modeller circa 1979-81-ish - Junior Modeller section) - simple fiddle to shed yard in about 6 x 1. Ian Futer's Lochside, fiddle to station/yard but P4 and weathered - I did my first Freedom of Scotland a year or two after I read the article and was very happy to see that the real thing looked exactly like his models! At Exhibition A 5 x 2 (ish) shunting yard/puzzle at the Chelmsford show around the early-80s. Can't remember it's name, but it enthralled me for much of my visit watching a tank loco simply shuffling wagons around. I think it had 3-links, so certainly opened my eyes to proper shunting without tension locks. In later years, it's generally been the small/micro/shunting layouts that have captured me in print or at shows - Carron Road (EM by Nigel Bowyer - and his US waterfront H0 layout a few years later), The assorted EM layouts from the Hull and Gloucester groups - Kyle of Tongue, Rushenden Metals, Villiers Street, Easington Lane, Canada Road, etc. Peter North's sublime Rock Island H0 layouts 'Hope, Illinois' and 'Florence, Illinois' really pressed my 'model the US' button in the early-1990s, which has happily stayed pressed