Waverley47708

Just going back to the query about when the stonework and Waverley Bridge were cleaned up or modified.  I found these on Flickr.  The first shows the bridge being modified before the North British stonework was cleaned.  I assume the walls and tunnels of the station were cleaned up around the same time as the modifications to the bridge.  Tantalisingly the first photo was undated, but as its IKB in blue with no high intensity light I went for pre 85.  Looks like on a Dundee service. Then found a second photo later in the album, it has a date of July 1984.  Both photos are in an Edinburgh Area album which is full of gems and well worth a look.

8 hours ago, Jaggzuk said:

Waverley47708, what I know is this, given I asked the same question on dimesnsions.

 

The dimension from the face of the magnet to the NEM pocket front are: 

 

Ultra Close: 7.85mm

Close: 9.67mm

Standard: 12.65mm

 

From my own measurements (+-0.05mm) of the ones I have also bought :

 

Plumman: 10.5mm

Screw: 11.0mm (face of magnet to center of screw hole)

Thanks for that, much appreciated. 

My Bachmann Mk2a rakes tend to run in fixed formation so have got the Bachmann fixed connections for them for the time being. 

For the Bachmann Mk1 coaches they tend to get mixed around more so the Hunt Couplings would be ideal for them.  I am keen to get the right size (as close as possible without derailing) given I have a few small radius curved point in the fidle yard etc I need to be careful.  The sizes will also help regarding the Lima wagons.  

I think the Bachmann fixed  connection seems to draw the Mk2a coaches closer than the Mk1s. The TPO Mk1s are definitely further apart than the other Mk1s, TSOs etc with my Bachmann fixed couplings.  The TPOs and the Lima may benefit from the ultra close whilst the other Mk may benefit from the close version.

Anyone got a cunning plan for Lima Mk3s yet?   I'm still toying with removing the metal coupling hook and adding a magnet to the coupling bar.  Either cutting a slot in the bar and adding a 3mm square magnet or gluing a thin disc one to the outside of the bar.  When the bars touch they are ok (477 pushing ScotRail set), it is only when being pulled they look far too wide. I could modify the bogie to take a Hunt coupling version but would rather not do something terminal to the Lima bogies.  I could fit NEM sockets somehow and add Hunt Couplings.  If it didn't work out I could then fit a std NEM coupling hook.

22 hours ago, Mooresby said:

Hi @Westhillwagonworks I'm slowly converting all of my rolling stock over to these couplings as in my humble opinion they are superb and well worth selling a kidney to fund!

One suggestion, whilst it will be a bit of a pain to put together, would it be possible to publish some sort of overview of what coupling are recommended for what rolling stock - obviously the majority will be either standard or close but it would be helpful to know and would help immensly with ordering.

I agree that would be useful as would the dimensions of the different types.  I recently converted my Lima Grainflow wagons to a NEM socket using a conversion I got on eBay.  As I didn't have Hunt Couplings at the time I put tension hooks in them and found when pulled the gap was even wider (hard to  believe I know) than the original Lima hooks.  Before buying Hunt Couplings it would be good to know how close the different variations would bring them.   

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Lima-NEM-Coupling-Converter-Sample-1x-4-pockets-/202772112519

My Hornby non NEM fitted Mk3s dont like small radius Peco points.  I have three on the non scenic section and while I can get rid of two of them removing the third would be a big pain.  I've over come this by fitting one 2mm thick circular magnets between the Hunt Couplings which gives enough clearance.  I will try 1mm versions  which should be ok.

Final thoughts for now, as I like to run my HST with the powered power car leading and as I change power cars to alternate the livery I would have prefered the power car coupling to be the same type of magnet and the outmost TGS and TF the be the same type of magnet with opposite polarity to the power cars.  I see they are now selling pairs of power car couplings on there own which is helpful but assume they are different polarities.  Packs of the same polarity power car couplings and a spare alternative coach one would be brilliant. That way your outer coaches could all be A for example and the power car and dummy could be Bs.

That said on my first pack a few magnets fell out of the sockets, I am now kicking myself for super glueing them in so quickly as I could have turn two round to achieve both power cars having the same polarity.

Even though I live and model far away from NSE land I rather like 47s and esp 50s in original NSE.  I'm not so keen on the later version of NSE. This may be because I never quite got over the ScotRail 47/7s being taken from me and repainted into the later version of NSE!

Same applies to Intercity livery, I liked the original version with yellow cab roof and yellow round the bottom the cab front and side but I didn't like later versions where the livery extended full length with no yellow on the cab sides.  Cant really explain why but there you go.

On the latest video about weathering I have long thought that weathering is very time period specific.  For me late 70s early 80s stock was grubbier than the period I model 85/86.  By the mid 80s while there were exceptions, as Richard points out sides cleanish, roof and undergrames grubby.  By the 90s the thing that I notice is faded rather than necessarily grubby or dirty stock.

Thinking about the 47/7s again. 84 to 87 whilst at Haymarket they were generally well turned out, from laye 87 whilst at Eastfield it was a different story.  So grubby the yellow cab roof often looked yellow.  I can usually tell without seeing the HA castle or ED dog on the side where they were based simply on grubbiness of their appearance.

Thanks for another excellent video. I have some Humbrol washes somewhere, hopefully I have black in my wee collection.

11 hours ago, brushman47544 said:

HA locos had Scottish regiment names on square-cornered nameplates with large letters. Originally they had crests above the names but many lost them in later years. GD engines had English regiment names on rounded-corner nameplates with letters in a different more curved font. FP racehorses had nameplates of the same design as the HA ones but obviously much shorter so easily distinguished.

Thanks for that, was aware of the Scottish / English Regiment and Racehorse name difference but was unaware of the different style of nameplate or thought about the shortness of the racehorse nameplate.

Pretty sure I've seen them at places that sell spares.  Although Peter Spares are out of stock.  You could also phone Bachmann Spares dept themselves.

https://www.petersspares.com/Bachmann-36-060-branchline-coach-pipe-coupling-pk4-oo-gauge.ir

May be worth considering the new Hunt Couplings.

16 hours ago, brushman47544 said:

Hi Dave,

J4001 is not 55008. The nameplate is too high and has no crest. It’s a HA loco and the only one with single line of text to have lost it’s crest so early was 55013.

Brilliant, when I saw the photo I thought I bet there is a query over the identity!

Out of interest what gives away it was a HA loco?

Maybe David is just having fun and deliberately miss identifying the Deltics.

I'm always amazed at the people's ability to ID photos of Deltics.  Perhaps that's because 47s are my favourites and it's not always so easy to pick out which is which since there was more than 22 of them.  Mind you there was only 16 or possibly 17 47/7s, so I may have a fighting chance with them.

Keep up the good work David and the Deltic fans.

Cracking job, any chance you can give us an idea of the colours you used.

The wall, the hedge in Princess Street Gardens, the North British Hotel and the face of the bridge over the station all changed by the mid 80s!

As you say the wall got lighter as did the hotel.

The hedge is more complicated, in some photos it is big and fairly continuous, in others it is bitty and has been chopped right back.

Although the sides of the bridge are complex enough to scratch build, the solid version of the second half of the 80s is easier to scratch built than the earlier version with the gaps and more intricate features.

I have seen photos of the modifications to the bridge with a 27 on the Dundee services underneath it.  At a guess I'd go for pre 84 for the modifications to the bridge.  If I can find the photo I'll see if the walls were cleaned before or after the bridge was modified.

Always enjoy an update from Waverley West.

On 27/03/2020 at 14:26, iands said:

In today's photos from Dave, I wonder if the plank through the hedge and resting on top of the wall adjacent to the signal that 47715 has just passed is a makeshift "access point" used by the person walking towards the camera in the 6ft?

Good spot.

From memory on the opposite side there used to be a structure built on top of the wall.  I'm sure I read some where it was to allow crew changes possibly pre BR days.

Always enjoy seeing photos from Waverley in the mid 80s.

Great photos, the Class 26s look rather shiny and new.

Thanks Bruce. 

Perth Exhibition 2020 - Cancelled

Today 16 March 2020 with a heavy heart but knowing it is the right thing to do, the Trustees of Scottish Model Engineering Trust along with the Exhibition Manager decided that it was no longer viable to run the Perth exhibition this year. The continued uncertainty and with peoples' health and well being in mind meant that only one decision could be made. We will be back in 2021 however and have been planning a great show which we can all enjoy once the virus crisis has been resolved

Andy.

Perth Model Railway Exhibition contacts would be  SEM63A and myself.

Thanks.

On 21/10/2019 at 17:39, Mel_H said:

What to do with that new Warwell you just bought? Load it with a wagon! [Salisbury 1988, grab from video, 7mins in, here 

]

Good news a prototype for a badly done renumbering job.  The 33 and the 111 look like they are a different size and the 111 are very close together.  As an aside these videos are brilliant.

.

Important information regarding advanced ticket option.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will not now be able to offer the sale of advance tickets for our exhibition this year. We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

Part 2 of Andrew Gebbie's (SMET) video of Model Rail Scotland.  2 down 4 to go!

https://smet.org.uk

I think this are a great idea and having seen a video on You Tube I got a set of non NEM HST for my Blue Grey Hornby set.  I run fixed rakes and whilst I use the Bachmann fixed bar they are a pain if you want to alter a fixed rake or take them to run at the club or at an exhibition.

On unpacking 4 of the magnets had come out of their sockets and I immediately glued them back in place.  In hindsight that was a mistake. The two magnets for the power cars are different types.  This means if you want to swap power cars to have the powered power car at the front when you change direction and want to keep the correct coach formation you can't.  It would have been better for the two power car magnets to  be the same polarity and the outermost bogies on the coaches to have the same polarity.  Had I thought about it I could have managed this by glueing in the the loose magnets to achieve that.

The TGS is a different model to the SO and FO and the gap between the TGS and the adjacent SO is slightly wider than the gap between the other coaches.  Pretty sure this is an issue with the  coach as the couplings all appeared the same length to me.

On my layout the all the  coaches except thecTGS derailed at two locations.  Both included Peco small radius points immediately after a curve in the non scenic part of the layout. This was caused by the closeness of the coaches.

I have ordered 2mm thick x 2mm diameter magnets to place between the Hunt Coupling magnets to widen that gap.  I think this will solve that problem.

I played around with the couplings before fitting them to see how I could use or adapt them for my 30+ Lima Mk3s.  Cutting a notch out of the front coupling bar and attaching the coupling to the underside of the square section between the coupling ring and the bogie is a possibility.  However I am also going to try using the 2mm thick by 2mm diameter magnets either glueing then to the front of the Lima coupling bar or drilling a 2mm hole and inserting and gluing them into it.  I went for 2mm thick to ensure they were sufficiently strong.  Thinking about it the Hunt Couplings are not even 2mm thick so maybe the better option for my Lima would be to glue thinner 2mm or even 3mm diameter magnets to the outside of the Lima coupling bar rather than trying to line up holes to insert the 2mm thick by 2mm diameter magnets.

I doubt a Lima version will appear in their range or doubt an easy fit version anyway so I suspect I will go DIY for my Lima MK3s but buy the Hunt Couplings for my Bachmann Mk1 and Mk2 rakes.

The latest video from Andrew Gebbie of SMET.

Model Rail Scotland 2020, Part 1.

More videos.

Model Rail 2020 Part 1 by Andrew Gebbie of Scottish Model Engineering Trust, SMET.

https://smet.org.uk

On 19/02/2020 at 17:07, tigerburnie said:

Looking forward to this show, can you arrange for it to be a bit cooler than last year, I nearly melted  lol

Ironic really as the venue is an ice rink for some of the year!  Hopefully we can avoid a lightning strike this year which put some of the lights out last years for a minute or two

On 16/02/2020 at 16:29, MJI said:

Will need to invade Brian at Shawplan as phone unanswered and emails not acted on since just before Christmas

 

Got a roughly £200 order for him for enough bits to finish 2 whole aircon sets and do half of the 3rd.

Brian was at ModelRail Scotland yesterday and will be there over the rest of the weekend.  

I spoke to him about the frames for the Mk2b and c.  My interest is for a couple of Lima Mk2bs or cs.  They are available but I'm  struggling to understand what to do about the glazing to go behind them.  There is no point in fitting the frames if the original Lima glazing is still set back.  I did ask if he had any plans to do a glazing unit to fit behind the frames as per the current glazing for the Mk3s etc.  I got the impression it may be a possibility but not anytime soon.

Had a great day at the show today,  lots  of excellent layouts to see.

Shap looked great with it's full length trains climbing or descending the gradient.

One of our members has posted a preview of the show and will no doubt be posting a review later.

On 08/02/2020 at 16:19, New Haven Neil said:

I'd love some details about which layouts are to be here for 2020 - I intend coming a long way to see this show as it is the only opportunity for me to be in the UK thid year.

Apologies for the delay in responding.

Please see our current list of layouts that will be attending the show.  I expect it will  be added to as we get nearer to June.

Looking forward to being there next Friday, always enjoy seeing Alloa and Law Junction.

After a bit of thought I am going to send the Blue Grey power cars back and swap them for the GWR set which is the same price.  I had wanted the Blue Grey power cars primarily for the new motor for my Lima HSTs, the livery was a bonus.  Having looked on line the costs for a new motor, chassis, front bogie, lighting etc would come to around £50 (none of which are currently available). For around the same price again I had hoped to get two HST power cars that matched my rake of blue grey Hornby Mk3 coaches.  The poor application of the livery and then the realisation that the logo was too low was enough to get my looking again at the Lima body shells I already have.  They actually have lettering the new Hornby bodies don't have at the guards compartment.  The Lima blue and grey doesn't match the coaches as well as the Hornby power cars did and I think the grey at the rear of the power car is slightly too wide on the Lima bodies.  However with a bit of weathering and possibly even new Intercity 125 lettering they come up well.

Looking on line and at other photos on RMWEB it looks like the poor livery application was not restricted to my power cars.  As a resut there was little point in swapping them and hoping for a better pair.

As a result I've decided to go for the GWR set.  I'll just swap the bodies with two of my dozen Lima power cars and try to sell the GWR coach and power car bodies if anyone is interested.

I am disappointed with the livery application, something has gone wrong with them.  If a second batch or future release come out I may look again.  In the meantime I'll go with plan B.