Revolution Ben

Hello Mick, Nice modelling. A slightly tangential question: Do you happen to know why it's felt necessary or desirable to paint the ends of the vehicles adjacent to the optical car black? cheers Ben A.

Hi Edwin, That may be true, but I still think the idea is worth some experimentation, if David is so minded. After all, the tilt doesn't have to be that pronounced to be visually effective (and authentic) and my recollection is the APT tilted more (certainly on the first runs) than the Pendolinos do in any event. I'm not so sure that David needs to be worried about being "gazzumped" by one of the manufacturers either; Hornby have the Pretendolino market in OO, so Bachmann/Farish seem unlikely to produce it, while Dapol, having announced it, then said they were putting it on the "back-burner" as it would require a very high level of investment in all the necessary bodyshells. cheers Ben A.

Hi David That's looking really good, but as you have rightly identified, it's the driving cab ends that will make or break the model. Having said that, from the progress you've made so far I have every confidence you will succeed! On another note, I wouldn't be too quick to dismiss the possibility of a leaning model. I don't know if you ever had a look at the Hornby APT but that tilted via a very simple mechanism where the body (or maybe the bogies) had sloping ramps that rested on pips either side of each bogie and raised the model on one side as the bogie swivelled. If I could do sketch up I would do you a drawing showing what I mean! cheers Ben A

Hello Simon In another thread I noticed you made a comment about having lots of space to fill in the middle of the layout. If that is still the case, don't overlook the possibility of depicting derelict land. If carefully observed and modelled (as the rest of your layout is) then a boarded up unit, or even a cleared area where a factory once stood, now overgrown with just the hardstanding and a little rubble visible, can be very effective. cheers Ben A.

Hello Ian It was great to finally see "Banbury" in the flesh at the N Gauge International show today, and to meet you! You've captured the area brilliantly, and I was particularly taken by the rows of Chiltern units all parked up next to each other - very authentic. Not sure why you had problems with your couplers, on Horseley Fields today we had a few electrical glitches but all our couplers (rapido on most rakes, Dapol buckeye on coach rakes and Dapol easi-shunt on the steel trains) worked with approaching 100% reliability.... cheers Ben A.

Hi all, Looking at the webcam, and satellite images of the location, what are the sheds over the mainline for? They don't seem to be tunnels... cheers Ben A.

Hi Robert The latest Farish powered model I have seen closely (Desiro) has the power pick-ups in free rolling axle cups collecting via the pin points. I had assumed they would standardise on this system. Is that not the case? Has the 20 reverted to wiper pick ups? Shame! cheers Ben A.

No problem, I didn't review the Class 20, so haven't had one in my hands yet to examine, but if it follows current "best practice" with electrical pick ups in the axle cups then the model should run smoothly if the motor is simply removed. In the past the Farish argument is that it is not cost effective to produce dummy models because the cost of creating a new process to manufacture them, and retooling bogies etc to accept undriven but free-rolling axles. However, I would have thought that a pair of Class 20s - identical except one does not have the motor - in a box for, say, 150% of the cost of a single unpowered model, might be an attractive proposition. cheers Ben A.

Hello Mr Deediesel, In the past when we have asked about the possibility of dummy locos we have always been told that Farish are not interested. However, next week's N Gauge show at Leamington would give most modellers an opportunity to discuss this with Farish's representatives for themselves. Maybe if enough people echo the request...? cheers Ben A. NGS Vice President

Hello all, Layouts that have inspired me... "Acton Mainline" by Croydon MRC - saw it at a Model Railway engineering show in 1995 (I think) and totally renewed my interest in railway modelling - also convinced me that N was the scale for me... "Shaw Port" - Steve Farmer's layout. I remember chatting to Steve for ages at St Neots one year and admiring his scratchbuilt N Gauge engineer's stock - inspired me to have a go myself at scratchbuilding, something I now enjoy. And finally... the one that started it all "D Bowe's London Midland in 4mm" - this was in Railway Modeller in 1977 - the first issue I bought. It was a huge loft-based depiction of the WCML with blue diesels and electrics depicting the (then) current scene. Having only ever seen 8x4 layouts or trackplans this was a revelation and got me totally hooked! cheers Ben A.

Hi Jo I use Corel Draw for etch artwork and once you get used to the basic ideas of minimum line thicknesses, and get the hang of creating basic shapes, it's pretty straightforward. I think that the quality of the models you are producing almost demands finishing with etched details - certainly handrails, walkways and ladders are almost impossible to produce in any other way to give a sufficiently fine appearance - and I'm sure learning the basics of etch artwork will be a valuable addition to your modelling "skill-set." cheers Ben A.

Hi Jo, Again - well done on your latest work on what is a fascinating thread. I don't know if you'd considered etched brass for the walkway, but you might be surprised how affordable an etched sheet from someone like PDD is, especially if you're doing several wagons. Bernard TPM's suggestion about using styrene rid to create very subtle raised panels is an excellent one. BTW as you probably know the TPM/ATM Gloucester bogies aren't quite right for these wagons (representing the 1.8m GPS 22.5 rather than the 2m heavier duty GP 22.5) but they're certainly the closest currently available, and correct for some very similar tanker wagons. Cheers Ben A.

Ian Could those wagons be a candidate for a 3D printing project? Just a body, maybe etched ladder and wire for the brake rigging? Y25 fabricated bogies (now with NEM coupler sockets) are available from N Train and others... If you want to progress this I would certainly be interested in assisting... feel free to drop me PM if you wish to discuss further... cheers Ben A.

Hello Ian Thanks for posting the latest show images. I am really looking forward to seeing your layout at Leamington. If you have any more photos please don't hold back!! We've been using Dapol Easi-shunt couplers on our club layout and have lost a spring too. The spring does seem vulnerable; though I see the new short and long couplers come with spare springs in a tiny bag, so it seems Dapol have responded quickly and positively to the issue. cheers Ben A.

Hi Jo Excellent progress - keep us posted! I had a look at the TDAs on the Shapeways page and there's one thing I'm confused about - the images on the website appear to show the ladder as pre-fabricated in, while your posting suggests they are supplied separately. Are they? cheers Ben A.

Hi Dave, Thanks for keeping us informed as best you can within the usual commercially sensitive issues that apply in all areas of business. Cheers Ben A.

Hi Simon Where are those wheelie bins from, and did you paint them? cheers Ben A.

Hi Jo Nice progress. CJM had a run of Farish freightliners done as National Power liveried JMAs - now the bogies have been swapped out on the prototype Chris's ones are more prototypical than when he commissioned them! If you are going for the large box wagon I think that batch of JNAs are a great choice. I have been banging on to Chivers and Bernard Taylor that these, or the ex Railtrack VTG ones, would make excellent and fairly simple subjects! cheers Ben A.

Hello, I think a discussion on the accuracy/fairness of the specific phrase "toy land" is relevant to the thread. And any review topic is likely to have some opinionated postings. However, I accept that some of these were getting a little bit polarised so yes, let's let it lie. Cheers Ben A.

Hello Coachmann, Yes, that's fair up to a point but I would still content that this hobby is, at heart, a play activity done for enjoyment. But I do question why those at the self-appointed "top end" of the hobby feel the need to denigrate those who have simpler tastes. Phrases like "toy-land" (and, I might add, "infantile", "dumbed down" and "lowest common denominator") strike me as unnecessarily sniffy and reflect poorly on those whose skills we admire! cheers Ben A.

This made me chuckle. Aren't we all just playing with trains? Some might be made of plastic for pennies, others carefully put together from brass and wire and with a price to match. But they're all toys! Cheers Ben A.

Hi Ian Aha! The steel wagons you want for modern day operations are the shorter French built ones coded IHA and seen here: http://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailRollingstock/I/IHA/16165744_nLqp2L#!i=1881154041&k=xf2sQv5&lb=1&s=A In case you haven't seen it, there is a pretty decent model of a similar type available from Modelbahnunion. It's actually of a larger prototype but scaled to 1:160 so doesn't look too bad, though it does benefit from having 1:148 scale bogies fitted. cheers Ben A.

Hi Ian As you appear to be doing the longer wagons: http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/tiphooksteel/h20F50EAE#h2758d66a then you can probably use the decal set from the N Gauge Society's kit 35a KPA hopper wagon. I suspect the shop will sell you the decals on their own if you don't want the whole kit. The decal sheets contain both the older "stripey" lettering, and the newer TIPHOOK RAIL in block caps. This is a great thread - thanks for keeping the updates coming! cheers Ben A.

Hi Jo Looking very good indeed! Great work! Thanks for keeping us posted. cheers Ben A.

Hi Philip Great to see progress - and it's looking really good! cheers Ben A.