Artisan

I am modelling a WWII scene and want some model fire appliances in N gauge from 1939 to 1944 that are in the grey livery of the NFS. The models can be either ready made, 3D printed, plastic or white metal kits. Does anyone know of any companies manufacturing these models?

Greg

2 hours ago, mikeg said:

You could try photo mount spray can adhesive as you appear to be fixing to the cobblestone paper that you have used so the photo mount will stick to it and as it is only on the underneath of the track won’t be visible.

 

 Regards mike 

Good idea. Thanks for that. 

Greg

14 hours ago, wasdavetheroad said:

coating screws with copydex and screwing into foam board? sticks like the proverbial to a blanket. use long thin screws. or do I mean extruded polystyrene?

Hello. Thanks for the tip. A great idea.

Greg

17 hours ago, Andy Hayter said:

I am not quite sure the effect you are trying to achieve.  Normally cobbles would be laid to the top of the rail, not underneath sleepers.

 

However from what you are describing and my experience with foam.  I would paint the underside of the sleepers with a very thin layer of PVA and use this to stick the track down.  To keep things in place while the glue sets, PECO track pins work well and can be removed if required afterwards.  If any glue does smear out from under the track a quick spray with a rattle can of matt varnish will do the job of hiding things but you will need to clean the top surface of the rail off - preferably while the varnish is still wet.

Thank you for the advice. I thought that I would get someone query why I am laying the track on top of the cobbles. The layout I am creating is a small shelf layout that I am calling my 'Winter Project'. I know that the cobbles should be just about level with the top of the rails but for this exercises  it is, to me, of no matter. This shelf layout is in N gauge will be a dockside scene. It's construction is more of an exercise in modelling a dockside/harbour as I plan in the new year to model a much larger OO gauge dockside in my garage along with with my other two layouts.

Anyway, thanks again for the tips.

Greg

I have used 10mm foamboard topped off with 3mm cork to form a raised area on my layout. On top of this raised area I have laid some card mounted paper printed cobble stones that I want the track to pass over. Under normal circumstances I fix my track to the baseboard using track screws but knowing that the screws will not grip sufficiently to the foamboard and cork I want to use an adhesive as well as the screws. As I won't be using ballast on the track I won't be able to disguise the small dabs of glue that I will use to help secure the track so can anyone recommend a glue that will strong enough to fix the track but dries clear?

Greg

3 hours ago, njee20 said:

The biggest you can conceivably fit into your space for your desired track plan!

 

Turnouts are hugely compressed in model form, even the largest “off the shelf” items would be very tight in real life. That said, if you need set track geometry then they serve a purpose.  

Thank you.

Greg

17 hours ago, Kris said:

It is quite possible to join the 2 together. As has been said the code 55 track will need minor packing to bring it up to the same height as the set track track. The Code 55 pointwork will look much better than the set track pointwork and being electrofrog it will allow your locos to pass over it much better than any set track pointwork. 

 

I personally would not consider using set track pointwork but I would combine code 55 point work and standard set track track.  

Thank you. A great help.

Greg

47 minutes ago, njee20 said:

The code 55 points will need packing to sit level with the set track ones. It’s not catastrophic, but something to consider.

 

The set track points, being 9” radius are very abrupt too, and they give much wider spacing than the code 55 points. Unless you have huge space constraints I wouldn’t use them. 

Thank you for the reply. As a project I am creating a small shelf layout. The layout is 4 feet by one foot. So which points would you recommend I use?

Greg

34 minutes ago, John M Upton said:

I have a mixture of setrack and code 55 and generally speaking have not had any problems with the two together.  The only issue I seem to have is the poor quality of the fishplates lately which seem to have all the gripping power of a wet haddock and keep slipping apart!!

Thank you for your response. That's good to know that you have not had any trouble with the compatibility. But I do know what you mean by the fishplates not gripping. I have the same problem. 

Thanks again. 

Greg

Being relatively new to railway modelling I need some advice. I have some sets of Peco's Streamline N gauge Universal Fine turnouts (Electrofrog) and have the opportunity of get some sections of Peco's Setrack. Although I have read that the two are compatible has anyone experienced any problems joining and using Setrack sections with Streamline code 55 turnouts?

Greg

2 hours ago, Dave John said:

Thats what I did Artisan. If you cut strips 40 mm wide and stuck them upright at about 50 mm intervals it would come to 45mm when the top surface goes on. I stuck it all together with pound shop superglue but needs to be used in a well vented room if there is a lot being splashed about. 

Thank you.  That is what I will do then. 

Thanks again.

Greg

4 minutes ago, Dave John said:

Well, anything relatively stiff and light. Really depends on what you have available. By polystyrene sheet material I assume you mean a plasticard rather than expanded polystyrene, that can turn into a sticky mess with the wrong adhesive. Thin ply or similar if you have it. I used 3mm foamboard since I had loads of it. 

 

 

That may give you some ideas . Many other methods available but that one worked ok for me. 

 

 

Thank you for the reply. I had not thought about using foamboard. I have sheets of A4 5mm thick foamboard which I could use. Could I build a frame also using the foamboard to support the quayside surface?

Greg

Being relatively new to railway modelling I need some advice. I am about to build a small harbour scene on a baseboard that is 4 feet by 2 feet. What I would like to know is tips and advice on how to build the raised quayside above the water level. I would like the quay wall to be around 45mm high from the water surface to the surface of the quayside. Should I add a timber framework with thinner baseboard material on top to represent the quayside or could the quay be created using polystyrene sheet material? Anyone who has created a harbour scene could they please let me know how they built their quaysides?

16 hours ago, jpendle said:

Select flex track, drag your mouse to the place where you want the track to end and then right click/press the right mouse button.

 

Regards,

 

John P

John, thank you very much. That is just great! The dog can come out of hiding now.

Thanks again.

All the best,

Greg

I am creating a plan using Scarm. I have created my required size baseboard and I want to use Peco Streamline Code 80 track as I already have some flexible track in various lengths. The plan will be a small shelf layout just four feet long by one foot wide which I'm calling my 'Winter Project' and will be modelled as a shunting yard. There will be no curved track just straight track from end to end with plenty of points. I have a basic knowledge of scarm but what is driving me demented is how I can put a section of flexible track into my plan and shorten it to my required length. Using the program I have tried various ways and also tried to find an explanation/instruction online but without success. Before I do something nasty to the dog (only joking!) could someone please explain how it's done?

A Scarm user who is far from Calm!

Greg

17 minutes ago, Dickon said:

 His seller ID is starboc1.

 

 

Thank you. I'll take a look.

Greg

7 minutes ago, Dickon said:

I've bought some excellent cobblestones embossed on thick paper from an eBay seller in Greece. He is not expensive and dispatches within a couple of days.  He also has a good range of embossed brick and stone wall papers.

 

 

 

Are you able to give me the eBay seller's ID or a link to his eBay listings?

Greg

7 minutes ago, CloggyDog said:

Artisan,

 

try a google image search for 'cobbles texture'

 

This should give you a range of images to pick from.

 

My usual technique is to copy your favoured image and paste it into a blank word document. Re-size the pic as required, then copy the resized pic and paste multiple times until the page is full (you might need to adjust the margins to get the most on the sheet). Then print and use. I've done this successfully with cobbles, concrete slab paving, etc.

 

I usually do a test-print (b/w, normal paper) to check the size and overall look, adjust if required. The final good prints are done on a higher quality card and printed using a laser printer preferably - inkjet colours may be affected by moisture and certain adhesives (PVA, etc). If required, I'll build up the areas between the tracks with 2mm eva foam and/or card  to support the print to just below railhead level (to avoid issues with track cleaning and lifting wheels off rails)

 

The slab paving on my boxfile micro was simply a suitable texture pic used as described above.

 

Thank you for the helpful  advice.

Greg

2 minutes ago, PMP said:

Wills SSMP204 Stone setts will give you the look you’re after. This is how they look fitted.

https://albionyard.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/b6o5344-cr2.jpg

Thank you very much. Now that is the look I am after. I will have a look at Will's website.

Greg 

1 minute ago, LU Standard Stock said:

Fair enough, understandable.

Would you know of any manufacturers or download providers that produce this sort of material? I have seen the likes of ballast mats and grass mats but not cobbles. I would even consider rolls or sheets of old style paving. 

17 minutes ago, 5 C said:

@Graham_Muz 's rather excellent Canute Road Quay layout may provide some inspiration.

 

It was exhibited at the Great Electric Train Show in MK at the weekend. Have a look at the various YouTube videos for the event if you want tosee the finished result.

 

Thank you.

14 minutes ago, LU Standard Stock said:

I've had this one bookmarked for some time, by Chris Nevard: http://nevardmedia.blogspot.com/2012/11/quick-cobbles.html Not tried it myself yet but it looks like a good technique.

Thank you. But as I am fairly new to modelling, at this stage I would prefer to use sheet material that comes a roll or on A4 sheets or a suitable surface that I can download from the internet and print.

Greg

I am just starting to build a OO gauge harbour side layout and would like some advice on what sheet material I could use to represent the quayside and quayside track bed surface. I know that the track rails should be at the same level as the quayside surface but  for this layout that is not important. What I want to achieve is a surface let's say like cobblestones covering an area as shown in the plan below. Please could anyone suggest a way to cover the surface or a scenics manufacturer specializing in surface covering materials?  

On 11/10/2019 at 18:05, MalcT said:

Hi Greg,

 

I don't know how to draw a line, I select a rectangle and try to keep it as thin as possible.

On the left just below the ribbon of icons, there is a drop down box where it says the track type you have used (PECO 100), select figures at the bottom, then rectangle. Place the cursor on the layout where you want the line to start and move cursor to where it ends. A pop up box allows you to choose a colour. Selecting a rectangle allow you to fill in colour. If you right click on the rectangle a pop up box opens and you can select rotate and select any angle you want- maybe creating several of these would work.

 

MalcT

 Hello Malc,

Thanks for the advice. I will give it a try.

Greg

Does anyone know to how to draw lines in Scarm? I have created a track plan of a freight and shunting yard on a harbour quayside but I want to draw one straight and two angled lines on the plan to represent the harbour wall. I also want to then colour in the lined-in area to represent the water.  If anyone can help me I would be very grateful.

Greg