Cheshire001

mdvle, Yes that's the one! I noticed that our local branch of WH Smiths recently stocked an earlier issue of "Fallen Flags" about a different road. (Can't remember which one.) F-UnitMad. Yes I have a baseball cap as well. Also a WC SD45 shirt :-)

Thanks Martin. Sad news indeed. I'm not on Facebook, but might be worth looking. Somebody just sent info. about "Classic Train Fallen Flags: Wisconsin Central Remembered". I'll have to console myself with that! Roy.

Hi, I have used WC2Scale extensively for researching Wisconsin Central rolling stock. However I tried last night and got a blank screen with the address bar reading "https://wc2scale.org/cgi-sys/suspendedpage.cgi". Does anybody know what's going on, please? Cheers, Roy.

Hi, Could somebody please say which way we get to Legends since Bentley took over the local roads? I am assuming via Sunnybank Road over the Chester line railway bridge? Thanks,

You are looking for Model Rail April 2006 with a class 50 on the cover. Page 37, under "Top Tips". For those without access, the method consists of: Remove the glazing strip from the short Mk3. Remove the underframe moulding. Sand down the roof ridges until smooth. Cut two strips of clear glazing, same size as the original glazing strip. Paint white leaving the windows clear. Cut a new floor from plasticard and scratchbuild the underframe equipment. Fit the roof access panel from plasticard. Paint body blue and roof silver. Apply transfers. Fit new glazing bar. Obviously this is cut down from the original text but should be enough to go on.

Hornby Railroad LNER P2 R3171 On Amazon at £82.99 with free P&P on standard delivery. Do not use Amazon's own search box; it comes up with all Hornby products and a set of cotton sheets! If you get stuck, do a Google search for "Amazon Hornby R3171". It's much more reliable. Beware of the usual Amazon bombardment of additional charges for express delivery and trials for Prime etc. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Hornby-Gauge-R3171-RailRoad-Locomotive/dp/B00EE8RSAE/ref=asc_df_B00EE8RSAE/?tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=314355776281&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=2325258527412407772&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=1006663&hvtargid=pla-600700536928&psc=1&th=1&psc=1

I have only just found your thread, so you may have already found a solution. If not try searching for "Sub-miniature D-plug". These used to be common for computer printer leads etc. and came with between 9 and 25 pins. I used to get them from Maplins and buy the plastic covers which screwed/clipped on. You have to be quite good with a soldering iron as there are so many pins in close proximity. Alternatively you might be able to buy a ready made male-female cable and cut it in two - strip the severed ends and attach to your switches etc on each board or control panel. Be careful as some cables reversed the wires attached between the plugs. I started WC modelling just like you. The WC diesel was the cheapest on the stall and the unlikely collection of freight cars was what the local model shop happened to have (pre-Ebay!). The WC color scheme being the same as our EWS was a good talking point at exhibitions.

Rails are offering one version of the Heljan O-gauge class 05 shunter for £159.50 this weekend: https://railsofsheffield.com/products/31007/Heljan-2590-o-gauge-hunslet-class-05-br-green-no-wasp-stripes-shunter-locomotive (The advert in the Gauge O Guild virtual exhibition says quote "OGG20".) A couple of other versions still at £175.

I had never placed an order with this trader before, so was a little apprehensive after reading some of the comments above. I need not have worried. Placed my order yesterday morning and it came through the letter box this morning on the 48-hour service(!)

I have Bachmann 37-537C, No. B950358. BR Wagons: First Half Million gives this as Lot 2051, vac braked. Built at Faverdale in 1949 to an LNER design. Diagram 1/500. The model correctly has short running boards. It is fitted with grab handles above the weights outboard of the running boards. I can find no photos with this configuration and of course it would not make sense to hold a handrail where there was nowhere to put one's feet! Checking the Paul Bartlett site give above, I found two photos of this van. It it not fitted with vac. pipes. The site gives Darlington as it's birthplace. Bachmann have followed this if you get a strong magnifier on their wagon plate. Hard to tell on a B&W photo, but I would say it is painted bauxite. I'm going with the idea above that it was originally fitted, but the gear has been removed but the body left in bauxite. The prototype photo shows two lamp brackets on the veranda end boards, but the model has only one.

Brian, The mlgtraffic link is another excellent source, thank you. These references have given me a good basic understanding of the topic. Referring to Fred's picture illustrating the mixture of coaches in one train, I came across Marklin set 87549 which looks like a close match for those who may wish to model this train.

Many thanks for you replies. Just the sort of info. I was looking for. Fred - Yes I must look up how to post pictures. I used to use PhotoBucket and have been too lazy to look up replacement methods. [As I type this I see the big yellow button that says "Insert other media"; maybe a clue.] Nevertheless, your schematic perfectly illustrates my coaches with the overall green and blue ones top left and the various coloured window bands on the others. The link is very helpful. I think the train in your photo has got three different coaches. John - More great info., a really helpful intro. to the colour schemes. Justin - I know what you mean about slippery slopes. I was just going to have one US loco with a handful of freight cars to see what it was like. Then I found I had enough rolling stock to populate our NMRA exhibition layout! Will look into your idea about blackening the wheels, they are very prominent aren't they? Thanks again, Roy.

I model mainly British and US, but have also acquired a small collection of Marklin Z-gauge. Time permitting I intend to make a small scenic layout for it to run on. It's nothing too serious with purchase policy dictated by what "looks nice" or is at a good price rather than historical accuracy. I recently bought a collection of coaches off a well-known auction site. They are all in different colours which started me thinking about the significance of the different paint schemes. I tried reading up about it. Unfortunately most of the web pages I can find list colours and then their uses. Not knowing the (German) name of the colour on my coaches this is a bit problematic. Not understanding the German jargon doesn't help! So can anyone give me a quick idea of the significance of the colours ? Obviously it changes over time, so which schemes go together? Do they indicate 1st/2nd class accommodation, class of train or what? The collection is as follows. All carry the [DB] logo: -An all-over blue 1st class coach and an all-over green 2nd which I'm guessing belong to an earlier period than the others. -A baggage car with cream top-half and blue lower half. Looks quite nice behind my BR151 in same livery but haven't any other coaches in this scheme. The next 3 have similar schemes but different colours. -Baggage car as above but green top, beige lower half. -A Speisewagen (dining car?) wine red top, beige lower half. -A 1st class coach with orange top and beige lower half. And a single Silberlinge which I gather is a commuter coach and possibly the odd man out? Any help appreciated, thanks.

A bit off-topic, but probably nearer topic than some items in the last couple of posts If you fancy some bargain rail travel, look for the 09:16 and 10:16 departures from Crewe to Liverpool Lime St. via Manchester Picc. Northern service stopping at all (?) stations. Advance ticket £3 or £4 single for over 2 hours of travel. Sometimes National Rail Enquiries doesn't return this train - try asking Crewe-Liverpool via Man. Picc. on Northern. Definitely run Mon-Fri. Don't know about the weekend, but of course Northern have been on strike on Sat. anyway. Oddly enough the return journey via the same route is more expensive - £6.80. Maybe it's uphill??

An enjoyable day out. Massive queue about 10:15 dealt with quite quickly. Seemed more space to move about than previous years. Best bits: Arun Quay, Woodhead, Burdale Colliery, Kyle of Lochalsh, Albion Estates, End of the Spur, Arcadia PA, Axmouth, Hartburn, Little Aller, Treskilling. Many other enjoyable layouts. Disappointments: Deepcar, Netherwood Sidings. Looking forward to seeing both of these. Visited in the morning and just before I went home at 4pm and nothing moved either time. The minute print for the bus timetable on your website. More seating would always be welcome.