Chrislock

Rich - I can only expect the 25 to hold its beer as well as I can...I discovered the cause of the wobble though - one of the drop in wheels is not true on its axle. Whether I caused this or not I cannot say. I'll just have to send off for another. I am no less frustrated than anyone else Mikkel, but am still a little impulsive when the urge grabs me. I am determined to learn though! My modelling times seem quite sporadic and truncated just recently though which doesn't really help. Nor does having several things on the go...

They look a lot worse on steamers than diesels I think, but I am happy to have got rid on this locomotive! Trouble is, now I've got to do the 24 and some GF coaches. At the moment I don't own any wagons newer than 1920, so I have been shunting those, which are already DG equipped!!

Photo added though with usual disclaimers for close ups etc.... I put it down more to a slight heavihandidness and ignorance of diesel models myself, as usually I can handle a couple of beers and still function!! At least I now know what involved if I want to install a decoder - it doesn't look as obvious to install as with my steamers....

Had the most odd thing happen.... Feeling suitably enthused by a couple of beers, I decided to remove the rapidos from my class 25, in the process of which I somehow managed to break those little tags at the front of the bogie frame ( which hold it on!) and loosen one of the bogies from the chassis block... I managed to find an exploded drawing and so it was not a difficult job to separate the two halves and return the bogie to its previous connected state. That is, until I applied power back to the wheels. Nowt. I remember reading somewhere that the p/u contacts needed to be outside of the block and resting on the underneath. Yep. They were ok. Still nowt. I took the chassis apart again, and applied two wires directly to motor. Hooray, it turned! I then noticed that the two contacts at either side of the motor casing were not making contact with the chassis halves. Aha. By teasing these out a tad, suddenly everything was magically working again. Two hours of work resulting from one rather careless moment... Modelling is indeed an up and down business! I ran the gamut tonight from frustration to eventually delight and satisfaction. I had to apply a spot of Araldite to the front of the bogue frame to keep it in place though. The DGs are now Araldited in place and a few pipes added to the front of the diesel - oh, and it works fine.... er, or do I detect a slight wobble that wasn't there originally....!!!

Photo 5 - it has a warmth to it, though it is only very subtly different to the others - on my computer screen anyway. But to be honest, they will all work so it's you choice in the end - only you can see it as it really is!

Nope, I have to lie down and say yous the boss in that respect!

Aha - it's your handwriting mate!! I've just enlarged the sketch and what I took to be a 3 is in fact a 9!! Well, it could be my eyesight.... All now makes sense! I'm looking forward to seeing what you do with this idea as it's so intriguing. It's certainly inspired me to reconsider a micro layout in a box!!

I have never had the fortune of visiting KofL but if you make the background too hazy it might not work. So I agree number two.

Yes Pete, agree that is frustrating, as it stops you being able to contribute more effectively to posts. To reply to one of Mikkels as I wanted to, I had to post a picture on my own blog. Bizarre!

Wow, that is looking great Pete. There is a lifelike precision to your work which I can only wish to emulate. You have now made me wonder whether a boxfile layou might be a possibility for those blue diesels of mine.... Chris

For comparison with those exquisite figures on Mikkel's blog.. What 2mm modellers have..!! L to R: Dart castings, Pendraken wargame figure (WW1), Langley x2 ( funeral set!) The painted chap on the end has a top hat turned down to a bowler.

Hi Mikkel, you are lucky to have access to figures with so much detail. One distinct disadvantage of 2mm!! I will do a similar comparison of some 2mm figures I have on my blog, so you can see just how lucky you are!!! I can see you doing great things with some of these figures. Btw I assume it wouldn't be too difficult to swap arms around for the driver of the train crew? Chris

HI Pete, I've probably missed something here, but some of your dimensions puzzle me.. On your sketch above you show the overall length of the layout as 1300mm - which I get because that's twice the length of a boxfiles interior ( 700mm) plus 2 x 300mm fiddle yards. But in your first post you described the layout as coming in at just under 2m, and show this on the plan view as 1900mm. Do you mean that your FY are going to be 600mm each, which makes sense in terms of holding a 4 car EMU? if so, how do you propose to fit them into the boxfile? Regards, Chris

Ok then I'll admit it - they all look a bit the same to me - like coaches with power...

Oops. Typo - corrected now!! : blushy thing:

Pete - I expected you to say more a revelation than a crisis!! I am loving this project though. I have been contemplating a boxfile layout myself,for those blue box thingies, but screwed up a number of sheets of paper out of frustration. You seem to have balanced the simplicity of size with operational interest. I shall watch your developments with interest. I totally agree that for exhibition purposes a through line is probably a must. That EMU is actually quite nice by the way! Regards, Chris

Hi Pete. An intriguing solution and well rendered as ever. 2014 seems a long time ahead though I know it will come quickly. Look forward to seeing this develop. Chris

Hi Mikkel, There is a photo of the chassis in the blog title "Contrast" below . It is lacking some details, some of which will now be difficult to add, without some disassembly eg sandboxes, brakes. I'm not worrying about this though, I am going to get on with the loco body and see what the overall look is like. The body itself looks quite fiddly in places - some of the pieces to bend up and solder ( like the small splasher cover) wlll be quite taxing. Anyway I will give occasional reports in- once I start that is! Regards, Chris

Hi Alan. I have only been there once myself, in 2008, but it certainly leaves a lasting impression. Some folk on here are regular visitors and I wouldn't mind a return trip myself this summer. Its a pity that locomotives, stock and track is so limited and so expensive ( HRF for instance), as it means a fair bit of conversion and scratchbuilding to achieve a Swiss mountain railway at a realistic price for most modellers. Chris

Good stuff Pete. Even better if the track joined up though I do like the length of Combe - it is longer than I imagined and the better for it. That's a good run in 2mm. Although I have a reasonably sized house, I am also juggling what and where I can set up permanently - the ladies just don't seem to appreciate them running around lounge walls, do they? Keep at it! Chris

Rich - if anyone would have said that I'd have a couple of diesels on my test track a year ago I would have thought them deluded.... However, I confess I have always liked the class 25s having lived next to them (near Toton sidings for a good few years) and having heard that particular sound which a Sulzer has. Unfortunately,once I had one and offered power to it and saw how easily it runs in contrast to my steamers, my interest was well and truly aroused! Fortunately, the 0-4-4T chassis arrived this week as well, so my next thing has to be start work on that lovely little tank engine, one of Mr Johnson's finest imo. That should restore some normality. The blue boxes will be boxed at that point for the time being, though I'm sure they will come out for a run around the test track from time to time, while I ponder on exactly how to use them in a model railway context. Ex Midland in Gloucestershire perhaps? Pete - photos of diesels on Glenfield? Hmmm. I realise you are trying to get me to commit sacrilege... but, ok then, here's one! I have to tell you though that Lady Muxloe is not a happy woman. Cheers Chris

There is something about a double headed train..... Perhaps its a Midland thing? The 25 and 24 were common partners I believe, and I think look good together. I suppose I ought to get on with some proper modelling again soon. I seem to have lost impetus since November, and I've quite a bit to do still on Little Midland before I can indulge in a blue period layout. . More has gone into the work box than has been done during the past year- I kid myself I'm saving it up for early retirement, as I intend to dedicate one whole day a week purely to modelling - when I'm not travelling that is. Regards, Chris

I thought it might appeal to you Pete!! (You are partly to blame with those lovely shots of your viaduct!!) The blue stuff does look good though, I have always liked it since I used to ride them in the seventies and eighties. And they run so much more smoothly than the steamers. I am also impressed with the close coupling of the Farish coaches. I was intending to swap the couplings, but now I'm not so sure. Nor does it look particularly out of place on the diesel. I wonder if these new Dapol auto couplings fit the coupling boxes on these models? Don - the 25 has already been running on Glenfield - first thing I did after dropping in the wheels! No problem with loading gauges as the tunnel mouth had to be constructed slightly bigger to accomodate the Union Mills tenders; and the platform a tad further back from the rail to accomodate the outside motion of the 700 class! There were upraised eyebrows from the cab driver at the level crossing though, when it went past...and Lady Muxloe appeared a little startled.. Chris

Greetings, Two very different offerings tonight. Firstly, the completed chassis for my Johnson 0-4-4T kit, kindly built for me by Damien at 2mm Locomotives. I will attempt to blacken this by brush, as I don't intend taking anything apart as its all working well enough. Now I have no excuse for not soldering the rest of the locomotive together.. Secondly, dearie dearie me. The arrival of a couple of GF blue and greys to keep my class 25 company... well it doesn't look right running round the Kato test track pulling maroon coaches. There is also a class 24 on its way I... First proper shunting has taken place on Glenfield, though I don't how to load a video clip onto RMWeb - it tells me I am not allowed to. How will I reconcile these two wildly contrasting interests? Should I be allowing myself this blue diesel distraction? Worried of Bedford.

Mikkel, as you can see I'm catching up on your Farthing thread! I am very interested in your approach to weathering walls and wood, and looking forward to seeing the shed assembled. Inspiring work as ever. Regards, Chris