daifly

You might want to take a look at Duncan Models under 'Assorted Detailing Items'. There are a couple of similar but not identical cranes there which may have the 'look' that you want.http://www.duncanmodels.co.uk/assorted_detailing_items_price_list_main.htm Dave

David That's exactly why my proposed layout Aldbourne is stalled at the moment. Having created and printed the plan at full size in Templot, I found that what seemed like a good idea on a sheet of A4 was not what I wanted when expanded to 12' x 3'. I find myself removing track to allow more space for scenic work to give a sense of place and of why the railway was there at all. Less is certainly more. East Dean, Penhydd and others all illustrate that so well. Dave

Youtube video (my first attempt so be gentle, please). The sequence starts with the Diesel engine running which is then shut down. Next is the starting of the donkey engine which, in turn, starts the main diesel. A couple of toots and we're off with a clumsy gear change en route to the end of the track for a demo of the keep alive! There are lots of other sound functions but far too many to show whilst traversing a metre of C&L track! Cheers Dave

Try http://www.flickr.com/photos/blue-diesels/3730999855/ Dave

Hope the layout is less vulgar than its name Dai Fly

Having seen the pre-production models and subsequently the production version, I was quite sure that I would have no use for or excuse to buy one of these for my layout. That was until I read Paul Martin and Paul Chetter's contributions to this thread. I promptly ordered a plain green one with the fully-fitted DCC sound package from NGTrains in early December and it arrived today. 'Chuffed to bits' doesn't come close to describing my verdict! It runs very slowly and sweetly, and the sounds are excellent. The 'stay alive' function is most impressive too. The loco was allowed to run off the end of my short test track and continued for several seconds (and thus some distance!) across the wooden top of the baseboards. Care will be therefore be needed to properly drive the loco to avoid a mishap! The motion needs attention to lose the bright chrome finish but that should be a straightforward painting job. Highly recommended. Dave

I think that you are mathematically correct, but the answer is somewhat irrelevant. The critical dimensions in a layout such as this will be: 1. the clear length of the headsunt between bufferstops and the toe end of the turnout blades as this will dictate the longest locomotive that can use the loop. 2. the length of the clear track in the platform road between the fouling points at each end of the loop as this will determine the longest rake of coaches or wagons that can be run around. The length of the fiddle yard roads should not be greater than the sum of 1 & 2 otherwise the excess length is wasted space since the station cannot possibly handle longer trains without employing a pilot loco - unlikely in this layout's scenario. Dave

If you want to see the station drawn on an old OS map, go to http://www.old-maps.co.uk/index.html and enter the coordinates 538300 in the first box and 177400 in the second and click 'GO'. After a few moments, select the '1895 Town Plans - London LONDON 1:1,056' map option on the right. Greenwich Park Station should then be shown. Moving the magnifying glass cursor around and clicking on various parts of the map allows you to zoom in on any part of it. How much width for two platforms with three operating faces and the associated tracks as on the map? My best estimate would be 18" but that allows nothing for scenic context. You would need the house-backs and cutting slopes to give it that squeezed-in look and feel. You would also need a reasonable length to accommodate the loco release turnouts and a typical carriage rake length. I suspect that you might get a bit bored with it as there's not much to alleviate the constant pattern of train arrives, loco runs around, train departs, but, as ever, rule 1 applies! Dave

It looks OK on paper but first measure the distance into the FY corners and then measure your 'reach'. I suspect that you'll find it a struggle to get close enough to be able to uncouple or re-rail something that's 4ft or more away from you.Dave

I think that you'll find that only the V4 XL has the built-in stay alive. The V4 requires the add-on Powerpack module or a suitable capacitor. Dave Edit to say that I may have misread your comment! I.e. you have 'V4XL stay alive and V4' on your fleet.

True, but the post (#1219) in which you raised the topic referred to the 3.5XL and my response did likewise although the quote that I added referred to the '3.5'. Apologies to anyone who was confused or misled. Dave

Steph Dale (one of the aforementioned wizards) said:"There is no facility for keep alive on ESU Loksound v3.5. I've had a good look for it (as have others) in the hardware; I suspect the power distribution is done on one of the centre layers of the circuit board, so it can't be got at. There is also no mention of keep alive being available when referring to the manual for the v3.5 decoder family." Apparently, there is an expensive power module available for the Loksound v4.0XL Cheers Dave

Don't hold your breath for a solution. A thread on the Yahoo 7mm Forum back in August discussed this very topic and several electronic wizards were unable to come up with a solution other than switching to a different decoder! Sorry. Dave

If you want smaller radii, then Lasercraft might be worth investigating: http://lasercraftuk.com/index.php?p=1_30 Cheers Dave

Ian What you are probably noticing is that we are simply referring to prototype dimensions and scaling them, in this case, to 7mm scale. We are doing in this scale the same as you would have done in 4mm scale - built a model of something prototypical. Whether it's a platform, a wagon or trackwork, the principle is the same. Look at the prototype and scale it. There are inevitably compromises when it comes to a model. Minimum radii, flangeways etc. 7mm suffers like most other scales in having several sets of standards but 0-F is the most commonly used and is well-supported by the trade. You asked for the recommended width of an island platform. Again, 7mm scale standards, like the prototype recommend minimum width. The 6ft figure quoted above is for a trackside platform. An island platform should be double this - i.e. 12ft or about 85mm in 7mm scale, but this will depend on the period that you are modelling. The RGS standard above is, I believe, for new construction. 'Grandfather rights' seem to permit the continued use of much narrower platforms where they have been in use for a long time. As I said above, just keep looking at the prototype and do what that does for your chosen location and period. Dave

I think you'll find that the recommended figure is 80mm (>3") for plain, straight track and 90mm for sidings. This needs to be increased on curves. Dave

Perfect answer, thanks. I had either missed (possible) or forgotten (most likely) this particular post. For the benefit of others, this is what Mike posted on FC's thread: The inlaid track on Reely Grate was constructed by soldering one rail on its side into the web of the running rail:- Cheers Dave

I'm obviously not explaining myself here! I am endeavouring to find out how the grooved 'tram' rails were made.

Thanks, but I mean the rail not the cobbles!

Hi Mike Can you tell me how you have built the inset track please. I'm particularly interested in how the flangeway was achieved - or have I missed an explanatory post somewhere? Cheers Dave

Is this some sort of game involving the bereaved? Dave

Thanks Martin.

Hi Martin Can you at least give us a clue what the 'special grease' should be, please? (For those of us who have bought secondhand locos without any!) Thanks Dave

So this is now the B4 and the after! Nice work. Dave

In his Lordship's defence, a wagon with half a load of coal is hardly an empty wagon! That does not detract from the value of your comment about sweeping though.