Chrislock

Andy, is that Easitrac? If so, it looks fantastic when laid and painted well. Chris

That is amazing and I wonder at your patience! If you used solder Missy, then I see no trace of it! How did you clean it up so brilliantly - just a glassfibre pen? It will look great when its detailed, painted and sitting on Highclere. How will you glaze it and how will you detail the interior? Regards Chris

That's reaslly interesting thanks for posting. I have a couple of Worsley 2mm Midland 6 wheelers to build and have been thinking about chassis. There is food for thought there. Cheers, Chris

Hi Missy. I love the light on the signal. fantastic stuff! Have you arranged a blackout room for expo? Regards, Chris

Not necessarily so. Those detailed engines and rolling stock are usually given a prototypical, if fictitious, location to run in, with correct signalling and lineside features, are they not? Probably the only exception , apart from train sets, is narrow gauge? However, it might be an idea worth considering for the 2011 challenge - create a snapshot of a completely imaginary railway which might-have-been. Must include at least one free designed loco, carriage and truck; which could be modified kits, RTR or scratchbuilt...

Hi Missy. How much have you done on this particular board? I had a similar situation once but found repeated washes of light grey/ brown just about saved the day. Though I doubt you will get it quite as nice looking as the top picture, you don't lose anything by trying first, if you are taking it off anyway. I know you are something of a perfectionist, but to chip off all that ballast would surely be a spirit draining task? Regards, Chris

I have just spent some of my weekend threading up 3 metres of easitrac ( using the straight 500mm lengths of bullhead) and I did get quicker as I developed techniques - about 30 mins a 500mm length. I have also had a go at an easitrac turnout, and yes threading those tiny chairs ( and working out where the different ones go) is a bit of a pain. My first effort is not fantastic but it works and I have learned from it. I wonder whether I should try soldering one up, as it can't take any longer? Are the association's copper sleepers the same depth as easitrac? Sorry Rich, didn't mean to hijack your thread!! Look forward to seeing your layout develop. Regards, Chris

I also picked up a section of easitrac at the AP and am surprised at how delicate it is. In fact, even though I prepared the rail ends as described and the rail went through the chairs quite easily, I still ended up with slight kinks and a bit of vertical lift. I don't think I am especially heavy-handed, but clearly you need to be very gentle with this stuff. In a way, i think it is a pity that the sleepers are not a tad thicker - 0.37mm doesn't leave much for ballasting without a cork riser or summat - and it would make it a bit more robust? Working in such small scales does need a compromise sometimes. Code 55 by comparison is 1.75mm or thereabouts. You can't deny that easitrac does look good - that extra .42 makes a difference. Then you come onto point building... I have matched the easitrac with a code 55 point, and the differences are huge. Filing away the rail ends as has been suggested and raising the easitrac would seem to render its use pointless, if you'll excuse the pun! Grahame's idea of regauging to 9mm is a good one, but what wheels would traverse the points without modification - the stumbling block for many of us?

Hi Missy. Putting anything of yourself into the public arena can be nerve wracking - try performing your own songs for instance! Operating such a good layout as yours is not likely to draw anything but praise, so I wouldn't worry. I'm looking forward to seeing Highclere in the flesh - it may even tempt me to the Golden Jubilee you mentioned on Saturday, when I dropped by the stall! Chris

http://store.modelpower.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=1671 Yes and they look pretty good in HO as I would expect given the standard of the 2mil ones. Chris

Great work as ever, Missy! Pardon my ignorence but what coupling are you using? Regards, Chris

pardon my ebay ignorance, but what exactly is a snipe program?

Mikkel, Second comment this evening from me on your work, but i really enjoy your approach to modelling,of which this video is just another example, so thankyou. I don't know if you have seen this but i was sent it today and it is really very interesting... http://www.flixxy.com/san-francisco-1905-historical-footage.htm Cheers Chris

Mikkel, I am a frequent visitor to The Farthings and an admirer of your creativity. Can I first join with the other poster in thanking you for a clear account of using Sprat and Winkle couplings. I have recently converted a number of my N gauge wagons to S&W. I have gone for the business each end, with just a loop on either end of my shunter. The hooks unfortunately look much more overscale ( in N thats nothing new!) but visually still preferable in my opinion to the Arnold Rapido style of knuckleduster, and they do seem to work - well, at about 90% of the time, and then you have to adapt a particular shunting motion to get them to release! The problem with 2mm comes more in clearance to fit the base and paddle beneath the end of the wagon, particularly so on shorter wheelbase vehicles. The compromise for me is in the distance between wagons which is slightly more than with the stock coupling, though with the decided advantage of being able to shunt a yard without the Hand of God appearing all the time. Cheers Chris

Welcome to the World of Dapol.... I am not a big fan. I have the M7 and 2MT neither of which are great runners, though they are very detailed models. The M7 arrived with its bogie askew. Luckily I knew what to do and sorted it without damage. The drivers on Dapol steamers do have a tendency to slip as soon as you apply any kind of load, in my experience anyway. Compared to Union Mills, which are simply adorned, but fantastic performers under all conditions and trackwork; and even to my GF Jinty and 4F, the Dapol are the poorest. They are also easily damaged when separating body and chassis; conversely being made of plastic they are the easiest to convert/modify. Standing in a siding or idlingin a bay platform they look brilliant though. oldtrent

That's great modelling Missy. Might seem a dumb question, but why have you camouflaged it? Were the Q1's used by the army? . . . . . . ' ' ' I'm teasing of course That is a serious bit of weathering.