keefr2

I believe most pizza's have now become environmentally friendly and use cardboard. However I think the previously used plastic is known as Depron, sheets of which can be bought from flea bay and the like. There was an article in MRJ a few years back with some magnificent buildings made out of the stuff. Unfortunately my MRJ's have been banished to the loft so possibly somebody more organised might be able to find out the relevant issue.... Keith

I can barely stay awake from 9 till midnight these days.... Keith

I really like how the vegetation in that shot looks totally natural and not just like some static grass stuck into a bed of PVA . Great work Rob! Keith

HI Rob, That's why I mentioned not sealing it. I've often fully removed weathering powders from coc...er, mucked up weathering jobs on aircraft and armour kits by gently rubbing them off with cotton buds soaked in soapy water. But I do have to say I've never actually used white powders so they might be more difficult.... Keith

I wonder if you could maybe use small blobs of white tac, possibly coated in micro balloons to simulate the remnants of snow on bogies etc in a non permanent way? I don't see the lack of snow on vehicle roofs as a major distraction - most of it might have blown off as the train moved along. Some suggestion of remaining snow could be done with non sealed weathering powders which could again be removed later if required....? Keith

Thanks Rob K

Apologies in advance Rob as I know you'll have mentioned it, but can I ask what Ikea baseboard this latest epic is taking shape on, and what are the dimensions please? Keith

With apologies to Rob for continuing this off topic Mumbles Railway strand, my wife's 99 year old aunt passed away recently, and 'er indoors brought home a couple of books that she thought I might like - one of which is 'Rocking Rolling Riding - A pictorial tribute to the Mumbles Railway' by David Beynon, Bryngold Books 2007, ISBN 978-1-905900-01-5. Given the age of the pics, they aren't digital quality, but there are some fascinating pictures from the start with the horse drawn carriages, through steam from 1878 to 1929, then the electric trams till the end in 1960. The changes in infrastructure to today are also fascinating to see. What a tourism asset it would be today had it survived.... Keith

No apologies needed Rob, I've been trying to escape for nearly 60 years....!! Glad to see young George has found his place in the thread title! K

I think a new update to the thread title is needed Rob, to include the works forecat's new young apprentice in the adventures! And what a dashing young whippersnapper young George looks! Good luck getting whatever recalcitrant loco is currently residing on your bench to work properly - there's been so many lately I've lost track (no pun intended) of what variety of model it is! Other projects have meant I've done no more on my embryonic OO layout and I'm now seriously thinking of scrapping it (again!) and sticking with the N gauge diesels I have....!! Keith

Looks like he got fleeced by the salesman who sold him that thing....

But what a faff to do so, and tbh it's something I wouldn't have a clue of how to go about. So I just have to hope my Class 14 and Pannier continue to work as I don't see me buying anything new for the forseeable future. And sorry to hear about your loss of sense of smell Rob, I often wish I could go deaf when the neighbours start off with their damn "music", but then I realise how stupid that is when I then couldn't hear the blackbirds singing in the morning, the bees in the pyrocanthia bush (hundreds of them every day!), the cat purring.... I guess Joni was right, 'you don't know what you've got till it's gone'.... ATB Keith

That's a superb rendition of an early misty morning Rob, can almost feel the damp and chill....lovely stuff! Keith

I'm so glad it's gone to a new home Marc, really sorry I couldn't take it on myself. It's good that it's being converted to P4, I remember when John was planning it, he and Brian had many discussions over whether to do it in EM or go the whole hog to P4....

Do the two ERN's (I honestly don't know what they really are!) work well Rob? Keith

Bit of both I imagine...!!

Thanks Rob, no plans for Clapham Junction, tbh all my failed layouts in the past have been due to me wanting to be too ambitious. The track plan will stay as is, I need to lay the track better (and clean it!), wire it properly and then i can get onto the scenic work - which is probably what I enjoy most. Keith

Thanks Rob, tbh it wasn't really your experiences alone, I've read of so many other problems from other threads and forums I was just starting to think it just wasn't worth bothering with. However your comment had a more positive effect as I thought seeing as I have a working Pannier (or at least did have when I bought it!!) and as I had a couple of shelves ready for a baseboard why not just see if I can do something with what I have. So I disappeared up to the model room to dig out said Pannier - and found a Heljan Class 14 I'd completely forgotten about and which is also a great runner! So I put together a simple track plan of a run-around with a siding off the loop, bodged together the wiring and to my surprise the diesel ran up and down, through the loop and onto the siding and back again! So, my enthusiasm has returned - hope yours does soon too! Keith

I don't expect perfection, just that something that is sold as a working model does just that - work, and works properly, if not perfectly. Is that really too much to expect? We've just had a new washing machine delivered. Plug it in and it worked. Some of these locos are getting close to the same price as said domestic appliance - why are they not plug and play out of the box too? Keith

I had exactly the same experience. I'd always been into static aircraft and car modelling so went back to concentrating on those. I'm now disposing of a lot of the models accumulated over the last umpteen decades and having followed Rob's (& others) threads really fancy trying to actually finish a small layout for the first time. I do have a Bachmann Pannier that runs nicely but fancied investing some of the funds into some of the really nice looking new locos that have been produced in recent years. But I have to say that if someone as experienced in the art as Rob has trouble making the things run I'll have no chance. So it's really making me wonder why bother as I really couldn't be bothered with the hassle of returning things that are just supposed to work.... Keith

I've replied to your message Marc, Keith

I'd love to take it on Marc, John was a good friend of mine in Swansea MRC days but we'd lost touch and it was a terrible shock when I learnt of his passing in the MRJ obituary. Unfortunately I fear I wouldn't have the skills to make anything run reliably in EM..... Keith

They must have had trouble raisin the dough then....

I just asked the missus what are the wooly bits of lavender like - she looked at me daft. Re-reading it I realised why. It's all the damn sheep in this thread..... Keith

Lovely work again Tom, I like them all, but really like the Grange and Class 24! Keith