Binky

13 hours ago, RJS1977 said:

Are you thinking of something that gets put out in the morning of a nice day, and put away later in the day (effectively an indoor layout set up outdoors?), or something a little more weatherproof that can be left out for days or even weeks at a time but isn't a permanent fixture?

 

I'm thinking of something that can be put out on the morning of a nice day and maybe left out during good weather, but rather than an indoor layout that can be moved and set up outdoors (like an exhibition layout) I was thinking of maybe a series of planks/scaffold boards or similarly shaped baseboards with track on them which can be joined together to make a large circuit around the courtyard. Not as scenic and complex as an exhibition style modular layout, just lengths of track on 6" wide planks or similar, some straight sections and some angled at the ends to make curves for each corner.

My main concerns are the robustness of OO gauge track and fishplates on a system that might be assembled and put away again several times over a summer, and how it may work on a ground surface that I can't guarantee is 100% flat to the millimetre. These would both probably be less of an issue in a larger scale and gauge but as I already have stock in OO, O-16.5 and Gn15 I'd like to build something I can run my current collection on rather than starting from scratch in another gauge.

I'm considering building something in OO gauge for my rear courtyard and due to the shape of the courtyard, location of doors and shrubs, and the fact that most of it is concreted I'm thinking some kind of modular system that can be laid on the concrete and packed away in the garage could be the answer.

Has anyone done something similar to this? Any ideas or advice?

Thanks

Would the Southern built CCTs have been used with Maunsell coaching stock? And if so were they usually added to the front or rear end of a formation?

Thanks

I recently modified an old Lima Siphon G with more prototypical bogies and correct size wheels and had to cut away some of the floor to allow the wheels to turn whilst maintaining a ride height that matched my rolling stock from other manufacturers. I'm happy with the result but it took a bit of work chopping up pieces of chassis.

My question is, is this an issue with all the old Lima models, especially coaching stock and NPCCS? (I know they used HO scale wheels that were usually undersize)

I could be tempted to buy more Lima stuff when I see it at the right price but it would be nice to know if the same amount of work is involved if I wanted to swap wheels and/or bogies.

Thanks

An interesting mix of wagons in that Conwy photo, especially what looks like a diagram 1/100 on the end?

People reading the newspaper on the toilet with the door open!

I read a post on another forum from a user who said he saw an outside braced GWR Siphon in newspaper traffic in the 1970s on a journey from Reading.

Does anyone know how long these vehicles lasted in newspaper traffic and if they ever appeared in parcels traffic this late on? Were any repainted into BR blue and are there any photos of them from this era?

Thanks

On 17/02/2023 at 13:30, Mark Laidlay said:

I see all sorts of things advertised as "00 gauge" even if they won't be going on the track being a building or a motor car.

Why not just call these things "4mm Scale"?

OO is the most popular scale/gauge in the UK and so historically the majority of a manufacturer's potential customers are going to be thinking "is this suitable for my OO gauge layout?".

Someone who has made the decision to model in EM/P4/OO9 will probably know the difference between scale and gauge and will know they model in 4mm scale, however the more casual "train set" owner (of which there used to be many) may just know their layout is "OO gauge".

Does anyone have experience of having a stall at a model railway exhibition as an "average joe"? (not a professional trader) or of booking sales stalls like this for their exhibition?

Do exhibitions only accept professional/established traders or is it possible for someone with a table's worth of second hand railway models and books to get a one off sales table at an event?

Many thanks for any advice.

On 27/01/2023 at 18:40, montyburns56 said:

Do you remember how in the 80s virtually every model shop would have the LIma model of this in it's bargain bin?

 

Tartan Arrow CCT Lostock Hall 1970 

 

 

I had one as a youngster!

Interesting photo, did the Tartan Arrow vans appear in regular parcels traffic before presumably getting repainted?

On 05/01/2023 at 15:36, F-UnitMad said:

Can't recall where - probably Model Railroader magazine - I once saw an article where the chap heated the sides of his cars with a bulb, to soften the plastic enough to ease it outwards, but not lose details or damage it with too much heat.

I remember reading an article like this in one of the American magazines. Part of me wants to say it was by Lou Sassi who wrote many great articles on detailing. He used a small lightbulb to heat the panels between each rib on metal gondolas to get the effect of bent metal from years of heavy loads and careless loading/unloading.

I'm using a similar tactic to the OP on a resin O-16.5 open wagon I'd picked up on an auction site and turned out to be warped inwards. I cut and trimmed a wooden block which I've jammed inside and will cover with a load.

I wonder if my neighbour would agree to a system like this in our shared driveway!

On 09/01/2023 at 20:45, woodenhead said:

Having spent some time collecting too many parcels vans, I can now command 6 quite mixed trains for my modest layout

 

 

 

 

 

 

And I have some more coming to me in the post to add some Maroon BGs to the mix.  Five of the rakes have mid point easi-shunts so I can easily re-marshall them in the station.

A very nice collection, looks like you've achieved my modelling ambition! :D

On 03/08/2022 at 11:02, Coach bogie said:

Mine has 247 Developments bogies on it but the same will apply to rtr bogies. The main challenge is Lima had undersized wheels. I had to drill out the floor to prevent the 14mm wheels rubbing on the floor. I have one with bogies from an Airfix Auto coach. I had to drill out floor as mentioned. Glue a bolt into the bogie mount hold and modify the Airfix bogie to take the smaller bolt with plasticard.

 

Mike Wiltshire

 

Thanks for the advice and the photo. I presume this sort of issue occurs with most Lima coaching stock/NPCCS? I've been looking at their Mk1 BGs too.

On 28/06/2022 at 16:17, DCB said:

What sort of controller?     I made an emergency extra one years ago from a 12 way rotary switch a DPDT reversing switch, and a bunch of diodes.  It has off and 11 notches, that's about 3 more than real diesels have...  it  works well better than a Duette but really needs a 16 way switch and a few more diodes for modern post 1980 locos with low starting voltages.

Just one simple adjustable volt speed controller unit with a direction switch. basically the same as this one but I've sourced my own components and am using a recycled case.

Budget Model Railway Controller

Not sure if it makes a difference but I plan on using it with a modified inglenook layout design, with a 4th siding and a 2nd headshunt coming back from it.

I grew up around model railways as my dad and uncle were both into them, we had a OO layout in the "train shed" in the garden and I can remember copies of Railway Modeller and Hornby catalogues always being around for me to flick through for inspiration. When I showed an interest as a kid I had my own locos and stock bought for me so I could run them on the railway in the shed and on the O-16.5 layout that would later be built in the garden.

Fast forward to 2020 and during lockdown model railways was one of the things I researched again whilst looking online at things I'd once had an interest in.

It seems almost every hobby has someone making a living from it by being a social media celebrity these days, like the people who play computer games online and people pay money to watch them!

Those of you who have put Mainline/Airfix bogies on the Lima Siphon, did this modification alter the ride height at all or is it a straightforward swap?

Thanks

On 30/06/2022 at 14:37, 26power said:

 

Class 25/0 D5152 at Heap Bridge, 10/6/70.

 

Looks like a tight squeeze there between the loco and the wagon on the next siding!

On 23/06/2022 at 21:29, Fat Controller said:

If you drive around the Dungeness area, you'll find a lot of former railway vehicles incorporated into larger structures.

BTW, I don't think the Vanwide in the photo was rebuilt into a VEA; the 'B'-prefixed number is still visible on the LH door.

Well spotted!

Yes I believe the practice of turning coaches into bungalows was quite popular on the South coast. I stayed in a property like this near Selsey many years ago. There's an interesting article here: https://www.shorehambysea.com/last-bungalow-town-railway-carriages/

A re-roofed VEA spotted at Dungeness on the South coast.

I'm building my own DC controller to use with OO gauge/O-16.5 and am wondering what connections to use between the controller and the track. I'd like to be able to disconnect the 2 for storage purposes. From memory my father's layouts used some kind of male/female "banana" connectors, with panel mounted sockets on the side of the baseboard.

Is there any kind of accepted standard fitting that people use? Or something that is popular and recommended?

Thanks

I started watching oval racing as a kid in the 1980s at the original Aldershot stadium which was sadly demolished to make way for the Blackwater relief road. After that I'd ask my dad to take me to Wimbledon stadium and Smallfield raceway, the dirt track that could be seen from the M23 near Gatwick airport.

Once I'd got my driving license I started travelling to lots of different tracks, mostly following the banger formula, took lots of photos, collected programmes and even wrote and published a fanzine with a few others. I gave it a go a few times, racing bangers and 1450 production rods (which were "supposed" to be non contact!) and also raced the 1/12 radio control version which I was a lot more successful at!

I found a large amount of railway books in an animal shelter charity shop on Didcot Broadway recently too, worth popping in if anyone's in the area.

This might sound like a strange request but does anyone have a OO scale modern style minbus they could measure for me please? Something like the EFE Mercedes minibus or similar shape.

https://www.hattons.co.uk/15813/efe_24903_mercedes_minibus_b_with_low_roofbox_metrobus_minimetro_/stockdetail.aspx

Many thanks in advance.