lincolnshiremodeller

On 27/04/2024 at 08:28, 5BarVT said:

It’s an 08, not a Tardis!

If you can find room, it’s a good idea.

Paul.

Both the Hornby and Bachmann 08 have sufficient room for decoder, speaker, and stay alive. The cab roof is a good useful space. 

On 25/04/2024 at 15:38, 61656 said:

We probably all have a favourite and a least favourite loco. Rarely does reality align in such a way that your favourite loco is also your best runner!

 

My current favourite model is my 45/0. I’ve always liked the real ones and the Bachmann offering is pretty convincing to my eye. 45022 jarred a little as the Bachmann blue is a bit pale for my liking, but in its new heavy weathering I really like it. Despite having wheels everywhere, they run superbly too. Haulage fans will be delighted to see the usually freight-only, no heat loco waiting in the holding sidings. Will it be Coast or Pennine bound?

 

 

It’s been a while since we had a view down the station throat. I’ve no idea what makes the sleepers shine like it’s just been raining, but I do like it. 

 

 

A little GPL is really needed on the holding line to show the loco is in and clear.  
 

At the other end of the spectrum is my Hornby 08. I want to love this as it’s the only class of loco that I’m actually qualified to drive. But it’s hard. The original pick ups are abysmal and the wheels don’t quite run true. It’s forever stalling and runs too poorly to enjoy. 
 

I have tried on several occasions to sort it out and never succeeded. Time for one more go…

 

I decided to go back to basics, remove the chip and run it on DC. This has firstly enabled me to improve the pick ups. I had replaced the Hornby ones some time ago, but the new ones weren’t making consistent contact. With that resolved, I looked at the lumpy running. When I first got it I thought it might be a poor runner due to inaccurate quartering, so I got a full replacement wheelset. It seems inconceivable that two sets might be wrong… but it looks like a distinct possibility. Fortunately I kept the originals and I have managed to get 3 good axles to fit. There is certainly one axle (either front or middle) in each set that is slightly out. The Hornby wheels are nearly impossible to adjust, so if they’re wrong they need changing. 
 

With the loco running on DC, improved pick ups, and quartered wheels, the running is transformed. Time then to reinsert a chip… and the running is stuttering and lumpy! Fortunately I have plenty of spare 8 pin chips, so I tried another one and finally the running seems to be about right. I’m not sure what can be wrong with the chip, but something’s not right. 
 

Sadly this means I probably need a new sound chip, so I’ll run the 08 for a while on mute, and see if it’s really fixed before stumping up for a new noisy chip. 

Hopefully this is the start of a new chapter for the 08…. which is good, because the trip workings need it!

 

Have you tried installing a stay alive for good measure? I recently improved my father's terribly running Hornby 08 by adding new pickups and a stay alive. It did the trick...though needed to disable DC capability in the chip CV settings as well.

Cheers

Simon

8 hours ago, P.C.M said:

Hi Simon, I didn't use a kit I just filled and sanded the area. One part of the boiler can be removed. I filled it with plasticard and finished off with filler.

Thanks that's useful to know. Did you need to respray the front to accommodate the headlight or was it already a match?

Great modelling as usual.

Cheers

Simon

On 03/02/2024 at 04:22, P.C.M said:

So the last few months i have been working on some Bachmann Peaks, as with most things it's taken a lot longer to get them finished but I am happy with how they have come out.

45110 45128 had a bit more work too make them a 45/1roof mods side steps removed centre headlights fitted. 

My original plan was to do a few Heljan Peaks. I thought I could live with the shape issues but I just wasn't happy with the build quality on the one I bought and it just didn't run that well either.

Anyway a few pics.

Did you use a kit as such for your 45/0 to 45/1 conversion or your own made up parts (for the roof). I'm planning on doing something similar with my Bachmann 45/0. 

Looking good.

Simon

On 02/04/2024 at 15:28, RBE said:

We are planning a new batch next year, the factory is pretty backed up with our stuff for the rest of this year.

Thanks for the heads up.

On 24/02/2023 at 20:24, RBE said:

Yes, we are planning a 2nd batch. 

Any word on when further stock of TEAs are planned?

Thanks

Simon

Thanks @Lemmy282 and @LMSfan72 for your replies. I knew about P16/20 but didn't want to make the leap of faith without knowing for sure (it's not my loco).

Much obliged

Simon

Hi

I'm looking to fit a Lais Stay Alive to a Bachmann factory sound fitted class 40.  I've done a trawl online for either a instruction/video of somebody doing similar or a wiring diagram of said decoder but have drawn a blank.

Would any kind soul know which are the +Ve and GND pins of the decoder used as per attached photos, to which I can solder a Stay Alive unit? First picture with circular sticker is obviously the top of the decoder and the second picture the bottom.

Many thanks

Simon

4 hours ago, 61656 said:

I have a problem with the Cavalex BBA steel wagons….  I don’t seem to be able to get them to run with anything other than standard hook and loop couplings. The supplied screw couplings are beautiful, and could be functional, but not on my relatively small radius curves (450mm in the storage yards). I think I’ll have the same problem with any chassis mounted coupling on such a long framed vehicle. The NEM pockets are set too far back for Hornby / Roco couplers and the Bachmann fixed pipes are too rigid. Kadees throughout might work, but they don’t look the best. Any other suggestions?

Have you tried the Hunt magnetic couplings from Westhill Wagon Works? I've used the buckeye variants on coaching stock ad am about to try out a different variant on freight stock. 

I prefer Kadee couplings but they are just becoming so darn expensive to roll out to every loco, coach, and wagon. So I'm in the process of swapping some out with the Hunt couplings on fixed wagon rakes that don't get shunted.

SJ

On 13/01/2024 at 13:48, 61656 said:

I don’t even mind the £65 for a coach. I just wish you could buy one. If you go to any model shop it’s incredibly rare to be able to buy some 1980’s period stock, unless you want really obscure things. 
 

As far as I can work out there must be a lot of people hauling cement trucks and inspection saloons with 8 car DC EMUs 

The Hornby class 31 is a prime example of this. Its a great model that runs exceptionally well, but trying to buy one in a BR blue or sector livery was always overly difficult. Most of my locos are resprays of DCRail liveried examples which were heavily discounted....not surprisingly there wasn't a demand and retailers needed to move them on. Its not a surprise Accurascale have jumped in and claimed the 31, and Cavalex are doing the same with the 56 and 60. Hornby produced great models just not in the quantity or style that people wanted and  now they'll  likely loose the market altogether.

On 12/01/2024 at 21:50, 61656 said:

Sanding them down is a bit of a pain, but I think it’s worth the effort. Probably more important is getting the roof to be matt instead of the out of the box satin. 

Running a flat bladed scalpel across the roof cuts down on the amount of sanding required. The ribs do come away quite easily.

On 22/12/2023 at 02:07, tjf4375 said:

Just a quick update this evening with a few more progress pics of the footbridge, and the new addition to the layout!  

 

And here's a shot of the new arrival which turned up a few days ago. It's a lovely model and I'm really pleased Bachmann have finally released these after so long. Badly needs weathering though!
 

Oh now yer talkin! 

On 22/11/2023 at 22:49, 61656 said:

 

I have also glued a length of track to some spare mdf to test uncoupling magnets. I didn’t originally envisage using Kadees, so retrofitting magnets is going to be an issue. I’ve seen a neat solution using two rows of cylindrical neodymium magnets that could be my saviour. We will see. 

I use the cylindrical magnets inserted into a hole drilled right through the baseboard which means the magnet can be pushed out if it's to be removed. It  works very well but does involve some trial and error in terms of the strength of the magnets. I use two stacked one above the other in the same hole. I also paint the top of the magnet and also the Kadee itself (frame dirt) to slightly weaken the pull. If it's too strong then the Kadee will simply stick to the magnet.

Once working you just need to add a scenic marker of some sort to remind yourself where the magnet is!

17 hours ago, Rich Papper said:

 

Hello

Yes, DC kits with the bogies and motor from a Bachmann 108. I do miss DC Kits DMUs, they were great to build and detail. Occasionally one turns up unbuilt on ebay.

Rich

Yes agreed a great range of kits. I have a 114 which uses a Bachmann 108 chassis extended to fit. I'm on the look out on ebay for another one to convert into a parcels unit.

Simon

Great looking selection of DMUs. Especially liking the 114 which is something on my long term radar. What's its origin? Modified DC kits?

1 hour ago, Rich Papper said:

 

Feels like it! He's just turned 8. He started it about 6 months ago having picked up a C J Freezer track plans books from the BRM lucky dip at the Bristol show in April. Just a small shunting puzzle style thing. Good for him to learn some techniques. He's probably already better at most of them than me!

 

 

He's probably safer with the tools than I am too.

Rich

 

 

Good for him. The longer it keeps him away from the dreaded X box the better!

I sense you're itching to get started but have you insulated the garage and thought about heating the space before you start building baseboards?

A cold garage over the winter and a sauna in the summer may temper your enthusiasm! 

On 06/08/2023 at 13:23, 61656 said:

...Solari split flap board (if you don't know Google is your friend, but you will lose an hour of your life).

I did...and I did!

Took me back to Birmingham New St circa 1985 waiting with my parents for a train back home to Lincoln. At a major hub like BNS the board just emphasised the vast array of destinations to an an awe struck 10 year old who lived in the middle of nowhere.

12 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Thanks Tony

 

My approach is simply 'do something each day'.

 

Even if it's just a basic 20min task, like ... size up, measure and saw a piece of wood to length(!) It only needs doing once (in theory!). I did read in a mag somewhere this approach described as 'the inevitability of gradualness' and I think that sums it up quite well. You will get somewhere if you just plug away at it.

 

Obviously, the preceding week was somewhat different as I gave myself a week off and had something to aim for ... but even that was building on work done previously using the above principle.

Hear hear. My philosophy as well. As the old saying goes, how do you eat an elephant? One mouthful at a time...

On 28/06/2023 at 20:17, 61656 said:

I’m hand painting the yellow, as I have yellow enamel in a jar and not in a rattle can. It took many many coats to do the nose on the 40, which was on white primer… I’m in for the long haul!

I'd echo the white primer first, followed by a spray of Halfords yellow (can't remember which one but there can't be many in this day and age), followed by Railmatch yellow.

Whether spraying or brushing the warning panel yellow is awful stuff in my opinion. Seems overly thin with an annoying green in tinge which always seems to come to the fore. 

On one of my models after applying the umpteenth coat of yellow I added a tiny drop of Tamiya orange and found it had a thickening affect which took to the model much better.

Good luck. The 304 looks great.

On 09/06/2023 at 20:10, 61656 said:

The 308’s in West Yorkshire were my first real introduction to EMUs - after the 309’s (?) that briefly preceded them. 

They were preceded by class 307s, also second hand from NSE as a stop gap. They were used on the Doncaster route as the Aire Valley was not electrified at this point.

Simon

Removing the blanking plate switches off all lights on the vehicle so suspect this makes the lighting circuit open circuit. 

Looks like the answer lies in a wiring diagram around the dcc socket and what needs connected just for the lights to be enabled.

Thanks

Simon

I have installed a decoder into a Bachmann class 108 and all is well with the running. The brake vehicle has directional lighting working as expected. But the non brake vehicle has both red and white lights illuminated regardless of direction of travel.

In order to improve the running and not need a second decoder for the non brake vehicle, I have through wired them. However even when through wired the red and white lights are still illuminated at the same time in the non brake vehicle. The lights in the brake vehicle work fine with the change in direction.

My question is whether the dcc blanking plate in the non brake vehicle is causing the red and white lights to be on all the time? I don't remember this being the case in dc mode.

Any ideas?

Another good show with some great layouts but I'd reiterate some previous views that the the absence of Squires and other small traders was a big loss in terms of what materials were available at the show. I went with a shopping list that included paint, glue, and electrical switches but gave up on the majority of it. I bought it online after the show, a somewhat odd situation on reflection. Do the traders pay to attend the show? I guess they do? Perhaps the rent on a venue like the SEC means that the profit margins of glue and paint don't add up, but they do when selling a brand new loco for several hundred pounds? It would explain the dozen or so box shifters selling the same stock at pretty much the same price. 

Looking good. Is the concrete sleeper load a bought item or did you put it together yourself by stripping sleepers off a piece of track for example?

Simon