Edge

Pleased to be able to say that all of the dolgoch parts are no longer ‘first to print’ in at least one of their materials. This means that all of the parts have passed their manual checks with Shapeways and can be processed much faster than before. Also happy to reveal on here the newest model that I’ve created - the WHR ‘Gowrie’. https://www.shapeways.com/product/XETTH5CCA/whr-fairlie-locomotive-gowrie?optionId=64511550 Designed to fit on the minitrix 2-6-2 or 2-6-0 chassis, it can be adapted to accept others instead. The loco is designed to be printed in one part and will simply drop in place. I’m rather proud of ‘Gowrie’, and it’s caused me to look at my earlier models for River Irt again. I can’t say that I’m happy with them any more, so back to the drawing board we go Please watch this space as there should be a lot of stuff coming from the store in the not too distant future And once again, thank you for everyone who has ordered items from me. I’m immensely grateful

Dave has been honest since the beginning that the N and O gauge J94s would have to wait a while until funding came on stream for them - to my knowledge he’s made no announcement that he’s abandoning the idea for either scale

Grab some photos of places like the Penhryn railway - they will give you some idea of what the landscape looks like. Buldings were also generally made with local materials and so yes, slate was used to build and roof them. In terms of track, N gauge will work mechanically, but it may be worth getting Peco's 009 range. They do both light rail (crazy track) with wonky sleepers and 'Main Line' track with straight ones, and both types work just as well as N gauge and look a whole lot better.

Yup Like coal models coal, the best thing to model slate with is slate. Shale can also be used and doesn't shatter quite so easily so may be worth looking into.

Hi everyone, I've had a look at a couple of test prints and there is a visible difference on occasion between Fine Ultra Detail and fine Extreme Detail. I'm therefore going to be putting a F.E.D. option on all of the kits for those who want to give it a go. I'll also undertake to 'cap' my mark up cost at the exact amount as the F.U.D. so any price difference will be solely down to the cost of the material. I'm doing it now, and so the new material should be showing in the very near future. I'm also informed that Tootally Thomas have a few Rheneas models back in stock at £90 each https://www.tootallythomas.co.uk/ourshop/prod_6257504-Rheneas-Bachmann.html Once again, I'm extremely grateful to everyone who has bought already, I hope you enjoy your items https://www.shapeways.com/shops/blue-models

3d printing hits its stride where an alterable engineering prototype is required, so is generally used in the engineering protoype stage of things where clearances and dimensions are being checked. However, injection moulding still has a better finish to it, so that is uused for the final manufacture of RTR models from the main manufacturers. I myself use shapeways because it means that I don't have to buy a close to £10K printer to make my models

Quarry Hunslets! http://www.hattons.co.uk/stocklist/cataloguelist.aspx?EraID=0&ScID=1000592&prTyID=1000640&supCatID=218

Ookay guys, Apparently this could be some sort of teaser announcement. Fireworks due to begin at 12. I suppose we should all have listened to Andy, he did say somewhere yesterday that 12 was the magic time

Hmm, someone in the know on another forum has said (and I quote) "thats not all folks, stay tuned". I repeat. Hmmmm

I was hoping for more 009. There may still be some new announcements in the rolling stock, but nothing there really grabs my attention and I was hoping for at least one more engine. New V2 is nice though, and I do note that with the Blue Pullman they say that they’ve altered the tooling to produce the new models, so don’t be expecting new releases of the first models any more

That’s what’s on the site no idea how complete it might or might not be exactly

http://news.Bachmann.co.uk All ranges on here - locomotives /moving things only at the moment. New stuff for rolling stock, train packs and scenery to be announced in due course methinks

No problem I've tried to include a few options myself but I'll freely admit that I'm one guy sitting in front of a computer and nothing on the level of Narrow Planet. My aim was to provide bits that could be used to create a convincing and good looking model that didnt require a lot of money or a lot of skill to install. Horses for courses kind of thing

I've only really been behind a layout at a 'proper' exhibition a couple of times (I've helped out mates for ten minutes at random shows, but that's a little different) and I always try and present a good face to the paying public, and so always try to stand at the side and front of the layout so I'm obviously there to answer questions and help out. In the case of Cliffhanger (when I was lucky enough to be on the crew for it) it also served to prevent little tykes from sticking their hands through the roof of the Glenthorne Lido . As Joe or Jane Public has paid their money to get in, I consider it only polite to engage with them directly about the layout, its history, construction, what loco is running etc. I do acknowledge that the largely automated systems at play on Cliffhanger, Bratton Flemming and County Gate allowed me to do that without having to worry too much about the actual running of the trains, but people did seem to enjoy being spoken to about the model as well as the chance to ask questions about it. However, I do think that it should also be appreciated that people who exhibit model railways are not paid professionals, so as a regular exhibition goer myself I don't have a problem with layout operators chatting amongst themselves as long as they aren't doing it to actively ignore their viewers, which would be rude, I agree

Hi, thanks for buying I've made the decision to leave some things out of FED because im not sure an actual increase of detail would be achieved with these models as theya re for the most part, rather simple. I am looking at putting everything in place with FED, but I've ordered a couple of comparison prints for FED and FUD before I start charging people extra cash for models that aren't actually any different. Incidentally, I'd be happy to see pictures of any models that people have made with my bits

Well hello all, First of all, thank you for the wonderful response to my recent 3D efforts, they are greatly appreciated and have contributed to more sales in the last 24 hours than in the previous six months! So cheers for that folks I thought it might be helpful for me to list what I've actually done for the purposes of clarity - as I'm constantly adding new stuff as requests come in from people: First off, the smokebox door: https://www.shapeways.com/product/PVJU3W2YP/dolgoch-smokebox-door?optionId=64461306 This is a direct plug in replacement for the Rheneas face - to be slightly brutal if you chop off his face by running a scalpel along the outside then this will fit nicely in the resulting space with the gap 2. The brake pump https://www.shapeways.com/product/A5W6CXNEH/dolgoch-brake-pump?optionId=64461325 A representation of the brake pump that was present on Dolgoch's footplate for many years. The flat and curved planes attached to the pump are to ensure a firm fit once the pump is mounted on the footplate and ensure that the fit is appropriately 'snug' in between the bunker and the boiler 3. Backhead detail https://www.shapeways.com/product/S5NQU7GNW/dolgoch-backhead-detail?optionId=64461328 A representation of the firebox, pipework and pipework within the cab - the detail has been left deliberately robust to ensure that the model prints correctly and can be easily detailed further by those who would like to take things one step further whilst giving a decent impression of the real engine's arrangements. Designed to simply fit over the semicircular weight in the cab. 4. New chimney https://www.shapeways.com/product/QJFV66GAW/dolgoch-chimney?optionId=64462050 The most requested item, this is both fatter and slightly shorter than the one supplied on the Bachmann model. Please beware that fitting this item will require the previous chimney to be removed and the top of the smokebox to be filed down smoothly. 5. Conversion set https://www.shapeways.com/product/PM8KNEV2X/rheneas-to-dolgoch-conversion-set-009?optionId=64461295 Contains the brake pump, smokebox door and backhead detail items at a discount over buying them individually. Allows for the conversion of Rheneas to Dolgoch without any major surgery on the model. 6. Conversion set with chimney https://www.shapeways.com/product/DX6ST46NC/rheneas-to-dolgoch-conversion-chimney?optionId=64462290 As above, but including a chimney as well. Will require more extensive modelling than the ordinary conversion set but will allow a more accurate model to be produced 7. 1950s Conversion set https://www.shapeways.com/product/E2TRJJASZ/rheneas-to-dolgoch-conversion-1950s?optionId=64462708 Contains the smokebox door, backhead and chimney pieces for those looking to backdate the model to early preservation condition before the installation of the brake pump or (conversely) portray the engine in its modern appearance, where the pump has been concealed. 8. Cab doors https://www.shapeways.com/product/UX4PB2LAK/dolgoch-cab-doors?optionId=64480188 Contains two wooden cab doors, which were fitted to Dolgoch in the early years of the 20th century. Most photos showing these doors are undated so it's a little tricky to pin down an exact time where the engine had them. However, it seems likely that the doors were removed in the very early preservation era and had been on the engine for several years before that. Here they are detailed as being folded back towards the front of the engine for running. 9. New Cab https://www.shapeways.com/product/8KLHSTY6W/dolgoch-cab?optionId=64480448 The more that I measured the Bachmann model, the less satisfied I was that the cab was a good model of the real thing. The windows were too small, positioned incorrectly, the reversing lever cover was missing and the top of the doorway was a semicircular shape rather than square with rounded edges. To correct this, I've created this moel which should be a better representation of the cab (although more emphasis was given to making it fit on the Bachmann model than absolute perfect dimensional accuracy), but will require the moulded coal load to be removed from the right hand bunker (when looking towards the chimney) Well, I think I've pretty much finished off all of the possibilities for Dolgoch, but if the Tal-y-llyn isn't your thing, I've got L&B bogies wagons (brake vans and bogie goods vans) and Corris Railway coaches as well as some more plans in the near future. watch this space All the best, C

All depends on what you're making. If you're talking a brand new tank loco RTR at the moment would be somewhere in the region of £100,000 if covering a single tooling variant, but add several thousand each time you need to create a new tooling (e.g. certain members of the class had square windows). Medium tender locos would be somewhere around £130,000 and large tender locos could be up to £200,000 depending on spec. These are extreme ballpark figures, but they give some idea of the scope. These apply to both OO and N incidentally. If your commission is a wagon or new livery on a loco then the cost will be much lower. A few hundred to a few thousand for the wagons (depending on prototype and amount bought) and a few thousand for a special liveried locomotive. In terms of who does it, Dave Jones at DJ Models appears to be the go to guy at the moment - he is dealing with a large number of commissions for various clients for both new toolings (O2, Beattie Will tank, Hattons 14xx, Steam Railmotor, Gate stock) and reliveries of his own stuff (Hattons' Austerity tanks)

And another here: https://www.shopstarhobby.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1071_258_259_972&products_id=5898

Moderately priced example here: https://www.trainz.com/products/Bachmann-58602-hon3-diecast-narrow-gauge-rheneas-thomas-locomotive I've checked and they do ship internationally, so about £100 - £110 depending on shipping charges and possible import tax

The two greatest limitations on the speed of a PC are the Processor speed and the RAM (Random Access Memory). the former is the heart of the computer where all of the operating processes and calculations take place, and the latter is a sort of reservoir of memory that the processor can dip into at any time in order to temporarily store information and speed everything up. Essentially the higher the Hertz (Hz) performance of the processor and the higher the storage of then RAM (measured in megabytes and gigabytes) then the faster the PC will go (subject to a lot of other nerdy restrictions that are too convoluted to get into here without one or the other of us losing the will to live ) It's perfectly feasible that a simple 3D programme (such as the online-based tinkercad - my personal preference) could be run on a fairly basic computer without a hyper fast processor. If, however, you would like a more demanding CAD programme then it may be worth investing in a reasonably quick processor (I recommend at least an Intel i5 if this is your route) and maybe a dedicated graphics card as well (this is a supplementary processor which is dedicated to a computer's graphics performance). Essentially do your research with this subject - there are many PC magazines on the shelf at newsagents and I'd heartily recommend buying them. A good number of them even focus on the requirements of a CAD PC. Processors and graphics cards get expensive very quickly so the biggest tip I can give is that you should do a lot of research before investing. Also don't water cool the PC its tempting and looks cool, but its a pain in the proverbial

Had a chat with people on the Bachmann stand at Warley - even pre-locos-on-sale they're delighted with how the sales have gone

I'm glad to hear that people are happy with what I've produced. Apologies to those who have ordered and have had some of their products returned - the designs are now fully updated and printable. All designs had been checked and approved by shapeways when I uploaded them, but a close manual check during printing spotted a couple of points where the dimensions were too slender (and in my own defence, the difference between printable and not was 0.2mm!). However, as I said, all is corrected now so there should be no further issues.

It really does vary from person to person. Some people adore the roundy roundy that Hornby 3 rail is usually made into, wheras others like sleepy branchlines where pretty much nothing happens. My personal thing is that I like a layout to be presented as a coherent 'world' to me. E.g. There are plenty of layouts out there which had a greater level of detail on the locos and buildings than Tetley's Mills, County Gate, Hull MRC's 'Stealth Bomber' and Cliffhanger (to name a few favourites) , but the landscapes, worlds and overall feel of each of those layouts went together so well that they were each nothing short of superb.

Fraid not. Tootally thomas now out of stock as well. there will be some kicking about - after all theyre hardly going to stop making Thomas & Friends models anytime soon, and some will make their way over from the USA to the UK

Thanks everyone for the response to my kit going up. A lot of you have contacted me about doing a chimney to improve on the Bachmann one. Well, I'm always up for a challenge so this afternoon, I've drawn this up: https://www.shapeways.com/product/QJFV66GAW/dolgoch-chimney?optionId=64462050