mwrosebury2000

Rebar can have an iron oxide coating making it look rusty even though it isn't. M

Yes, I have had issues after using them for years. The issues appear to be hit and miss so I don't know if it is an issue with a particular batch of if its a wider problem. I have also had issues with it warping when glued to other surfaces recently. Mark

Thanks for the replies, I have a few DMU's made by both Hornby and Bachmann so I will have a check in the boxes. TOC websites here I come. Mark

Does anybody know where I can get drawings of sprinters that would allow for them to be used as colouring in projects. I'm after 150's, 153's, 155's, 156's & 158's front, side and interior drawings would be useful. The idea is a design your own livery type project. Failing that any DMU class could be used. Mark

looking at the bike I would guess accident and given the position of the legs I'm going to say serious lifechanging injury if not fatal. If they are fixing it then they are a bit slimmer than me, I would struggle to fit under that without a jack never mind work on it. I think the guy sitting on the bonnet is an ass too. M

A quick question if I may. Is the concrete foundation on the metal towers one piece connected under the ground or is it different block under each foot? I would imagine that they would need quite a bit of concrete due to the weight of the cables and wind loads etc. Mark

I have a number of smoke detectors in the house and a ABC powder extinguisher in the cellar near to the door (this is where the layout is). Yes powder extinguishers make a mess but nothing in comparison to a fire. Don't forget paints, glue and of course the plastics used on model railways can give off toxic fumes which can take effect VERY quickly. If aerosols have been in a fire then you have a bomb, don't take risks always get the professionals out. They have thermal cameras that can show hot spots that might reignite or fires in voids etc. Mark

To decide on clearances I have used the pencil on stock, the thickness of the pencil acts as a safety margin, beware if you get larger stock it might not fit. For the platform itself I have used Dapol kits, Hornby clip together stuff and wood in the past. The Dapol kits are cheap and easy to build. The last time I used the Hornby stuff I clipped it all together and added filler in the joins / holes for the canopies before giving it a coat of tarmac coloured paint & then reapplied a thinner white line. I also used a Hornby canopy repainted to make it suite what I wanted. I also added some plasticard brick over the Hornby ones. I have also used timber boards, just get the right thickness for your scale. I covered these with plasticard brick on the edges and flags on the top. I then cut out some stone flags from the next scale up to represent the bigger stones found at the edges before adding the white lines. I have found that some of the brick has warped, not sure if it is the glue, the wood and plastic combo or something else. Mark

A couple of pictures of the A4 undergoing a repaint and a few modifications. This is a Hornby TTS model, I have added a twin chimney, lamps on the front and back, new name plates and numbers. I also removed the coal that came with it and put a false bottom in the tender before replacing it with real coal. Driver & fireman still to go on the footplate and then it all needs putting back together. This is my first loco repaint and although not 100% it's good enough for me. Mark

You wont get much after the goats have finished. The seasons vary from location to location as well, my mum is an hour drive further south than me and is a good couple of weeks ahead in the garden. Don't forget the large round silage bails are a modern thing. At 33 I can't remember many round bails as a kid as hay bails were the much smaller square (rectangle) bails stored in the barn. The time of year that fields are cut have changed over the years too, some fields today are just mono grass rather than a mix of grasses and wild flowers. This is starting to change due to various environmental schemes. Mark

The problem with reducing our net carbon to zero is we need a joined up approach to using resources. We would need all political parties to agree on a long term position (which would be almost impossible when you look at the infighting for starters), then we would break the push pull effect of the political cycle. We need to reduce the population of the UK (not even going to open that debate). Improve transport infrastructure to reduce internal air demand and have better freight distribution. Think about internet shopping I order now for delivery tomorrow, next door orders next day delivery tomorrow and so on... your post code area gets online deliveries 2 / 3 times a week and how much more efficient could the system be? All factories required to have south facing roofs with windows and PV panels. Maximum width on pavements determined by foot traffic with the rest turned over to wild flowers, I have roads near me with a footpath on both sides and no houses, why when they are rarely used. 24 hr use of offices / hot desk / home working. We cant ring payroll we have to email them, they could use the sales desks at night and cut down on the office floor space. Tax none working horses due to the amount of farm land they take up that could be used to grow food / plant trees. Ban plastic lawns, they don't look good and are bad for the environment. A few ideas, but then ideas are cheep. As for the amount of animal feed grown in the UK I have not looked at the figures but it could well be that we produce more animal feed than human food per year by weight but a lot of animal feed is waste. eg. from the grains used in the brewing industry or straw from cereal crops. I think I will still fly once every 2-5 years, eat what I like, drive my car and use plastic on my layout for now but I will also support local farmers, use public transport / walk to the shop and do little things to reduce my impact on the environment.

The time away from modelling has been a lot longer than I would have liked but I am back now. All the people have been added to the platform and the track has been weathered, I just need to finish cleaning the rail head. I have repainted the A4 that was in previous shots and I hope to add loco lamps and a train crew to it before its return to the layout. I have put some more bushes in and have screwed a block of wood at each end of the layout, these will receive the wires from the pylons. I have also started construction on the signals that will control trains entering the station from the north. I hope to have more updates and pictures soon. Mark

I use passing contact switches on Dapol signals and I have fund that the trick is to throw the switch nice and slow. If it gets out of sync then I just throw it fast. I don't think it gives it enough time to energise if you do it quick. Hope that helps. Mark

Blue cones are used on the motorway and A roads during bigger upgrades and similar work to advise crews of overhead structures such as bridges, when they are used for power lines they tend to have a yellow sleeve with the danger of death sign on them. Green cones are used for access points. Red cone lamps are now in use for motorway closures, often with a big truck parked across the road behind them to enforce the message, always funny when you get a driver go through cones and hit an impact protection vehicle... then say I didn't see it. Mark

I spotted this rare pylon whilst on my travels… It makes up part of the Bury in bloom and it just made me smile and think of this thread. Mark

The orange pipe carries cable, point rodding isn't protected as far as i'm aware, I think red is to do with OLE. Mark

Yeah I bought some of these and I am more than happy with them, I think it's a really good idea to support such a good cause. Mark

Using a tyre valve and a compressor, you can research it online at your own risk. I've had a spray can where the valve in the can was damaged and discharged the contents like a fountain due to this. Also too much pressure in the can and you will be painting Mr Bean style. Mark

I've had good use out of rail match spray cans. I give it a good shake prior to use and sometimes during use (between sprays). I always turn them upside down and clear the head at the end of the session. I then store them upright. If the pressure drops in the can you can re pressure them (at your own risk). Not finished a can yet as they appear to go on for ever. No connection to the company, just a happy customer. Mark

I have put a hedge along the road next to the field and have put the telegraph poles in for the farm and signal box. My latest mini project was converting an old power supply from a PC to provide power for signals, lighting and points on the layout. This turned out to be a lot easier than I thought and now provides me with 5v & 12v DC. The point motor took ages for me to get it right but I have tested it over and over again and it is finally reliable (until I come to run trains that is). I have painted a few people to go on the platform and have a few more to finish before I place them. Next on the to do list is finish the people and wiring before giving the track some more weathering and a clean. Mark

Some pictures showing the progress from the weekend. I think I will add some bushes along the railway line and maybe some track marks in the pig field. I have also made all the plants for the vegetable plot, they just need planting in the raised beds. I feel that this part of the layout is missing something but I just cant put my finger on it… Mark

The plants have arrived, I have built the green house and the cucumber plants are growing nicely, tomatoes are taking a bit longer but it should be worth it. I have started to paint the pigs, I wanted large blacks but couldn’t find any so the ears aren’t quite right. I am also after modelling my dog but as a rare breed again I cant get an off the shelf model and don’t know how to go about getting one 3D printed. My plan for the weekend is to get some serious work done on the layout but I'm unsure if this will be cosmetic work, wiring or a bit of both. Mark

I use off cuts of wire used for droppers, signals etc, I paint them with a bit of orange paint. Put them in bore ballasting, guess how I know... Mark

Some resent progress on the layout. This is my first attempt at building a signal gantry with semaphore signals and it’s not quite up to scratch with others on here but as a first attempt I don't think that its too bad. It is made from a gantry kit, MSE components and brass rod with the lamps being some loco lamps that have had the handle removed. On the left of the signal the main arm works and the smaller arm on the right of the signal works. All 4 have working lamps behind them although the small arm on the right lost a lens during assembly. I still need to add the rod from the gantry to the servos under the baseboards and box the cables in. The fixed signals have the option of being made operational in the future. The raised beds are made from sleepers with cotton wool pads with a bit of earth colour scatter. The path is fine ballast. I have ordered some plants and a green house. Tools and compost bins will also be added. The fields between the wall and track will be tackled next and then this part of the layout will be looking a bit more like finished. Mark

I ordered some cars from Germany, I also ordered some paint for one of them. Well it has all turned up and a Ford has been pulled apart, rubbed down and has the first coat of paint applied. It will soon look like my wife’s old KA. I have made some raised beds for the garden out of some sleepers, these have been painted along with some of the out buildings. Hopefully I will get some more modelling done tomorrow. Mark