CloggyDog

Another option would be to scratchbuild a plasticard body for the Branchlines chassis - Clive of this parish has done one (which I now own for my Reading Signal works project) and I have previously built one in 7mm from plasticard - the MRC drawings will certainly help. Plasticard is a cheap option, so you could give it a go and see how you get on? This may inspire: http://www.emgauge70s.co.uk/project_class06-13.html If you do go down the Hornby route, it's probably worth getting just the cab/bonnet/footplate moulding, rather than a complete loco. Clive's scratchbuilt body on an MTK chassis DSC_0018 by Alan Monk, on Flickr

Tony Wood did a very good reworking of the Hornby shell, powered using the Branchlines chassis. He wrote the process up for the DEMU magazine Update (Issue 22) and possibly also for the EMGS magazine - talking about 15-20 years ago now. The Hornby bonnet and cab are around 7mm too wide, so need a fair bit of cutting and shutting. Tony split the bonnet (having removed the front grille) lenthways and removed the 7mm from the middle while the cab needs 2 slices taking out lenthways (cut between the rear windows) The relevant MRC issue thaddeus mentioned is November 1986.

A very enjoyable show today - lots of interesting layouts and a great selection of traders and supporting societies. Well done to all concerned with the organisation!

The opposite is certainly doable - the cab lights on my SLW 24 are on when stationary, but go off as soon as it starts moving (as well as being switchable on/off when stationary via a function key). That's with a Zimo 644, iirc.

https://github.com/DccPlusPlus/BaseStation/wiki/What-is-DCC--Plus-Plus https://gregw66.files.wordpress.com/2017/05/dcc_pp.pdf Interesting concept for those with the desire to DIY it for little financial outlay.

Colony of termites and lasercut bicycles, chain driving each axle?? BR class 47 should be close for the bogie wheelbase - 7'3"+7'3" in 1:148 would be pretty close to 15mm+15mm for your 1500 in 1:160. EDIT - yup, assuming Farish did their sums right, the 47 bogie in 1:148 would be 14.93mm+14.93mm, 29.86 total bogie wheelbase, within the proverbial gnat's crotchet of 15+15. PetersSpares has a complete Farish Spoon bogie for under a tenner: https://www.petersspares.com/graham-farish-gf32-class-47-complete-bogie-coupling-Bachmann-n-gauge.ir Central can motor, plasticard chassis frame + lead weights might do the job??

What power supply are you using for the sprog?? I encountered a possibly similar issue with my sprog 2 which was seemingly cured by using a 'beefier' power supply (was 12v dc/1A, now 15v dc/2A)

That's the incline which dives under the GW mainline and links to the Southern - on the 1934 map there is connection to the yard and goods shed north of the GW main line - when I first moved to Reading in 1996 there were certainly some tracks still in situ (along with the 3 long-derelict grounded Iron Minks, which are still there!), but I think any connection had been removed before then. The other access to the yard and goods shed was via the level crossing over Vastern Road just before the bridge under the GW main. Interestingly, there was a very short spur off immediately before the level crossing on the west side which is often were the Signal Works shunter was oft photographed (when it wasn't hiding under the bridge!).

The latest large scale OS map of the area on the NLS website is the 1931/4 revision - annoyingly the Signal Works and Vastern Road Coal Yard straddle two sheets, but this link should give an idea: https://maps.nls.uk/view/104197867#zoom=4&lat=9294&lon=8848&layers=BT The bit I've modelled is just under the 'Great Western Railway Works' label, though the layout pre-dates the post-war rebuild of the works. It does show how extensive the Vastern Road yard was though, and further east wards, there's also the H&P network, interchange sidings and link. Shows the old Southern termini quite nicely too. Head to the south west of the sheet and there's Reading Central Goods. On the next map sheet east, there's a rather widely-spaced set of sidings where CEGB Earley power station would be built in the early years of WW2 (and closed late-1970s). Also of interest on the next sheet eastwards is the layout serving Reading Gasworks, fed from the Southern. The 2 big 'gassos' went only a few years ago. I really must trawl 'Big Library' in town and see if they have more recent (1960/70s) issues of the '25 inch' maps.

There was a sizeable yard pretty much the full length of Vastern Road I'm assuming this is taken from the then new Reading Bridge building, looking West along Vastern Road. Reading Bridge would be to the right and that's the Signal Works on the top left side of the photo, the mainline and station out of sight to the left. The last remnants of the yard were lifted in the 1980s, initially becoming a car park. Eventually the the road itself was widenend and the station multi-storey car park and small retail park (Range, Aldi, etc) now sit where the tracks once were. Photos linked from the GetReading website.

The annual summer gathering of the STORMeX crew (trains, beers, bbq, cricket) saw RSW displayed on it's wall bracket for the first time, up at eye-level (5'6" ish). Obviously I'd not considered how a fiddle-stick might be used in this format as I was only planning to store the layout out of the way on the bracket in due course, but it did look pretty damn good, almost like a piece of art! DSC_0014 by Alan Monk, on Flickr DSC_0016 by Alan Monk, on Flickr DSC_0018 by Alan Monk, on Flickr DSC_0015 by Alan Monk, on Flickr Young Pixie of this parish had his new Japanese N scale plank, also based on a Ikea Lack shelf and similarly mounted adjacent to RSW and at the same height. DSC_0019 by Alan Monk, on Flickr

There should only be 4 lifting rings (check those prototype photos) - there are 2 identical roof panels over the power unit, each with 2 diagonally opposite rings (so looking from the front of the loco) front right/rear left - so it looks like there are 2 in the middle, but they are actually the rear left ring of the front panel and front right ring of the rear panel! Class 08: 08445 South Gosforth Metro Station by emdjt42, on Flickr Other missing details are guard irons and windscreen wipers, both of which were kindly made available by a member on here, check further up the thread.

Hate to break it to you, but 45036 went to the scrappy retaining it's split centre headcode boxes - it was pretty much the last peak with them when withdrawn in the mid-80s. 45036 Vic Berrys by surfacestock, on Flickr IIRC, the sealed beam markers are available from the aftermarket sector (A1 and Shawplan) and it's one of the easier modelling jobs to fill redundant centre or split-centre headcode boxes and remove the detail to create a flush front. If you also want to add the high-intensity headlight, the Replica plastic moulding is spot-on.

Those two lines, in particular the bits I've bolded, are the key fundamental things for any hobby. I wouldn't try to analyse it too deeply (even if I had a good try in my previous post...!) if you enjoy it, get pleasure and a sense of achievement from it, it's clearly working for you. Personally, I still enjoy the building/bashing bit more than the playing trains bit, so will continue to enjoy my hobby that way. Dublo/Wrenn Type 1... yeah I had one briefly. Initial thoughts were to 'do a Monty' and tart the thing up, saved by the Lima one coming out. So I ended up trying to turn it into a BTH, following that chap's article in the Todeller in 198coughcough. I might even still have the thing somewhere, possibly my longest started/uncompleted project!

Personally, I think the amount of 'modelling', particularly loco modelling, done is largely down to whether the individual enjoys the modelling/building bit (i.e. the journey) or the running/operation (destination) more. In days of yore, there was limited RTR choice if you were an operator and so you either had to model or you put up with a limited loco fleet. If you were a builder, then you could happily enjoy the hobby by, for example, turning Messrs Slaters sheets of plastic into 3d models of locomotives I've sat next to you watching, with no small amount of awe at your skill in, doing just that. I guess you need to ask yourself if that activity was borne out of a desire to have a better variety of engines to play with, or for the enjoyment of building (with the variety as an added bonus?) As for comparison with RTR models, that's a trickier one. I still have a number of my earlier detailing/conversion attempts, a couple of which are still in the active Shirebeck fleet, simply because I enjoyed the work I put into them and they still function and look decent enough to my eyes - frankly that's all that should matter, no? Nowadays, as your list illustrates, the operators of the world no longer have to suffer a limited variety fleet or the enforced modelling, unless they want to (in which case I'd say they were more builders than operators) And it may be that, with the space now available to build that Trainset Of your Dreams , the realisation that you're more an operator than a builder has maybe come as a wee shock? Are my ramblings making sense...? Probably not. At some point we'll have to rekindle this over a beer or three

Looks more like one of the Whitings (GWR lwb 2 plank low) to me, Mike. Not sure if 20 had to have a match wagon for it's occasional forays to/from the depot as there are quite a few photos around of it running light engine, so I'd assume generally not?

In recent weeks, I've been completing the scenic works and structures, adding the LED lighting and painting the fascia. The paving was finished (after some experimentation) with an old, old tin of Humbrol's RAF Hemp over a base coat of 'textured grime'. I've even knocked up a new battery handheld controller (6 x rechargeable AAs, a cheap pwm module and dpdt switch all fitting in a 0.2l Really Useful Box)

Don't forget most (all?) DMU types ran on 3' disc wheels, so you'll need 12mm discs (most 'coach' wheels being 14mm or 3'6") And Lima axles are 2.5mm diameter whereas most replacement wheels are on the otherwise standard 2mm axle. I think Alan Gibson does a suitable 2.5mm/2mm stepped axle? The non-motored cars will also need shorter, 25mm pinpoint axles - Alan Gibson does these with the correct 12mm DMU disc wheels to order. Not saying it can't be done, indeed I've converted a fair few in my time using the method Mike states in post #3, just be aware of the requirements.

See post #4 - there was a power-operated derailer to protect P1.

Chiltern Court has been mentioned before: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/63309-micro-layout-ideas-rapid-transit/&do=findComment&comment=865110 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/47295-a-slightly-au-minories/&do=findComment&comment=534594 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/74892-steam-electric-traction-changeover-on-the-metropolitan-query/&do=findComment&comment=1127798

The Harsig signalling diag is dated 1933, which I think is before Baker Street was re-signalled and the new signal box opened (in 1935??) Did the arrangements re: Chiltern Court/Hotel Siding alter after that - was the opportunity taken to bring the movements covered by the GF into the main box? I could equally be wrong and the GF continued in use until the end of loco operation in 1961/2.

Clockwork...?? *dives into bunker*

A simple google search gives me a list of firms/places that will lasercut wood in my area (Reading), including my local 'hackspace'. You'd need to make sure their kit is compatible with your CAD output and they can handle the size and sheet thickness (and material) you want.

Define 'cheap' and 'quick'. Personally, I'd recommend (as a very satisfied customer) Tim Horn's well designed range of laser cut boards: https://www.timhorn.co.uk

A couple of photos from yesterday's show, showing the display stand (one of Tim Horn's excellent lasercut ply products) in use as the fiddlestick support. In due course, some form of support for the main board will be added to raise the viewing height up some 12" to align with the top 'shelf' of the display stand.