martin.a.ball

Really interesting. I'm working on a similar baseboard with 6mm ply beams sandwiched on 18mm softwood blocks. I hadn't considered using foam in the gaps but I can see how it would add rigidity to the beams.

Chaz and his team are at Romsey Model Rail Show today and tomorrow (March 3rd). Well worth a visit if you are in the area.

This is my 2nd chance to see Dock Green and I've just spent a couple of hours watching the arrival and departures. Very entertaining chaps, great job by Roy to cheap things moving as Chaz is extremely popular and spends most of his time chatting with the crowd.

Hi Chas

Thanks for the pictures on walls and bridges which is very much in my planning at the moment.

You mentioned in a previous post that stringers, caps and bases are made from mount board then covered in brick. How do you avoid this looking like brick glued on white card glued on to brick. In the most recent photos of Peter's bridge the base detail looks like it has a brick course at the joint with the wall, is this scribed on later? Same question for how you formed the arch caps on the retaining wall.

Martin

Hi  John

I'm also building the same kit and have just reached the stage of adding weight, pipes and sending to the paint shop. Excellent photos and very useful to help me finish off.

Martin

as others have commented, where you see compromises what I remember most when I saw Dock Green at the Wilton show was a feeling that the railway was hemmed in by the surroundings. The sort of feeling you get with inner city sidings where space is a premium. Whilst not really part of the topic you have planned for how the layout is operated, it would be nice if you could revisit the retaining wall and bridge construction at some point in the future.

Martin

First attempt at a Parkside Dundas wagon kit which was enjoyable to put together. The brake gear was fiddly but I'm guessing that gets easier with practice.

Still need to add some weight, then the roof can be glued down. Also need to buy something to blacken the couplings and add the vacuum pipes. Then she'll be off to the paint shop.

Whilst I'm still figuring out how to use the traverser I was gifted, I discovered by happy coincidence that a old traverser I had built for a 4mm project was a perfect fit at the left hand end of the garage. Peco rail glued direct to the ply deck, with joints soldered to brass screws. I'll use a dremmel cutter to release the rails and then I have some brass bolts to fit to manage alignment.

@Rich

Thanks for the comments. I'm very much of the same opinion, whilst I'm most likely to do pointwork and signals as wire in tube, I am intrigued by digital sound. I'm considering putting a sound chip and stay alive in the Peckett and getting a cheap controller, then as I add more locos I can upgrade if needed.

Running as a guest on the garden railway isn't an issue as it is wired for both DC and DCC (Digitrax).

Martin

Good friend of mine with the garden railway gifted me a traverser. It was used on his first layout, 20 plus years ago, and since then has languished in his garage.

Not quite sure how this fits in the plan yet.

@Paul. I'm at a loss with google photos. The images look ok to me and a few others, but not for all. I'll try posting a few more but if it continues I'll go back to uploading images.

Managed to see Much Murkle yesterday at the Salisbury MR show. Easily the most atmospheric layout on show and you can almost hear the rural wildlife chirping away in the background. Thanks to Nick and Mick for chatting about the scenics and their constructions methods.

Finally got to see Dock Green at the Salisbury MR show yesterday with Chaz and his team doing an excellent job of keeping us public entertained. Having read large parts of this thread it was good to see features like the warehouse staircase, illuminated office, platform trollies and the cobbles.

As someone starting out in 7mm it was great to chat with Chaz about kit building wagons. He reckons brass kits are a lot easier than most people think and was encouraging me to have a go.

No photos I'm afraid. I'm sure others took some and there are plenty earlier in this thread.

As a guest operator at a friend's garden railway, one of the reason's I wanted to get into 7mm was to be able to bring my own stock to running sessions. So at the most recent event the Peckett got to stretch its legs with a few wagons in tow, picked up from second hand stalls at various shows. The following picture shows the entirety of my 7mm collection but we all have to start somewhere. The Peckett still requires number, shed plate, etc...

thanks Martin. I had got as far as working out the issue was the expectation of the RMweb forum software that the image would end in .jpg but hadn't considered using a different BBcode. I experimented with trying to add height="xx" and width="yy" but float doesn't appear to accept those additional parameters which is a shame as I tend to prefer smaller images as I find them easier to view in a topic.

There is always a risk that google will change the format again in the future. Youtube changes on a regular basis.

Martin

Hi Folks

Has anyone figured out how to use the img tag to include an image from google photos?  Trying to include something like https://goo.gl/photos/GnyVq6KeH2yqQv4p7 results in an error.

I can download, resize and upload the image to RMweb but this shouldn't really be required. Searching for google / photos / images within RMweb hasn't thrown up a fix for this annoyance just yet.

Martin

Every shunting plank needs a cute shunting locomotive. I know the Dapol Class 08 is very popular right now but my choice is the Peckett E Class by Minerva. The reason why was a chance meeting with Chris Klein at the Eurotrack exhibition in 2016 where he had a bag full of Pecketts prior to their launch. He reckoned they would make a great start in O Gauge and the idea wouldn't go away so I'm now the proud owner of this.

The Pecketts on Parade thread has some great examples of other people's work and I'm looking to finish this one in BR condition near the end of steam. Does anyone have any references for photos for Peckett's in that era?

HI Martin and let me join the others in welcoming you to the Dark Side, I've been here before in 2009 / 11 and now I'm back, a BLT is possible, my Trebudoc was only 9ft, (see link below) and that worked well, or you can go for a Yard, and that's an excuse to go for one of the 08's and maybe one of Paul Chetters Sound files Pauliebaby on here / Soundsloco, and a Jintyman Speaker.

 

@Andy - As a prolific poster on rmweb you'll not be surprised that I've come across you work down the shed. I remember seeing St Buduc in the the Railway Modeller a few years ago and I've read through Trebudoc and a number of others since then. Currently I'm keeping a close eye on Beale Street as I think our needs are very similar, somewhere to push some wagons up and down with a small industrial loco.

Martin

since joining the guild 2 years ago, ive found the best thing for me are the cheap secondhand stock and parts at the guild shows, but having experienced and knowldgable people to get advice from is invaluable

@Deffors - I made it to the Reading show just before Xmas and picked a few bits to get started. Telford, Bristol and Reading appear to be the 3 shows in the south that I've seen people recommending.

Martin

Do you have experience of building your own points in 4mm scale? If so, building them in 0 gauge will give you more flexibility in planning and most likely enable you to save space with shorter points, as well as saving money. Most of the smaller RTR 0 gauge locos will traverse 36" radius curves, but 48" to 54" can be very effective on light or industrial railway settings.

@Chris - Cwm Bach was one of the first 7mm threads I started to follow a year or so ago and one of the reason I started to consider what might fit into 10ft. No, I've not built points before but I read a lot about the benefits and seen your approach using peco components and handplot. I have a couple of peco points to play with as a start and if I needed to I might consider building something to fit the situation.

I think you'll approve of my first 7mm purchase, but I need to figure out how to post photos to RM Web first.

Martin

My layout Ramchester has received much praise and when I needed help it has always been given.

Hi Rod. Thanks for the welcome I've added Ramchester to my list to follow.

Martin

If you have not already done so, consider joining the O Gauge Guild.  They are generally a friendly, helpful bunch of people.  Have a look at the Guild's website - there is a members' forum that is great for getting and sharing ideas and projects, an archive of all the past issues of the Guild magazine and something that may interest you - an online version of the Guild publication "Small Layouts Vol 1".  I think that can be accessed by non-members - it's under the Publications tab on the home page.

Hi Bill

Thanks for the track plan, very much what I had in mind, although if possible I want to try and get the run around loop on the scenic section. I've previously had a look round the Gauge O Guild web site and you are right the Gauge O Guild - Small Layouts Volume 1 is free to access and also full of good ideas.

Regards

Martin 

You get going the DCC route? , it would make sense if you are just starting out and the sound projects do make the locomotives come alive and it's easy in 7mm. 

As Gismorail says, you are at the start, so a few choices to make as to what system you will use to run your trains, and lots of help from all directions on here!

Hi Jinty - I've followed Talyllyn Junction for a while now, lots of useful tips.

I'm coming from a DC background and have an Ontrack O gauge controller with walkabout by chance. DCC is probably yes although I've plenty of research to do. There are a lot of small locomotives with sound that are tempting.

Martin

Welcome to the 'Darkside 'Martin....

 

Hi Gismo.

I've dabbled in 4mm without finishing anything and may continue to dabble in both scales. One reason for starting a thread was to give me a bit more incentive to do some modelling. There is something different about 7mm, the size and detail does make it appealing.

Martin

Hi Folks

Long time lurker, first time I've started a thread so be gentle.

I've decided to start a project in 7mm. A friend of mine has a garden railway and I like the size and weight of the locos and stock. It would be nice to have some of my own stock to take to the running sessions and a short shunting plank to occupy myself at home.

Available space is down one side of a 10ft x 6ft garden shed, so something quite short and narrow. Period will be late steam / early diesel using small industrial locos.

Lots to learn and I really am a complete novice when it comes to 7mm,