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If you plan to keep and run your Dad's legacy collection - you will have problems with code 75 track. 70/80s wheel standards were not designed for code 75. You will find plenty of advice here on making Code 100 track more realistic.

Thanks Jol, I have struggled (and given up) with Comet gearboxes in the past. I should add, more a reflection on my limited skills rather than the product. I have a few High Level gearboxes to pair with a couple of Brassmasters kits - so I will give them a go, once I have worked my way through a couple of DJH kits (and gearboxes) that are a little less daunting!

Charlie, If you haven't seen them already, check out Chris Walsh's YouTube channel, which includes loads of clips of Tony walking through some of his techniques: https://www.youtube.com/@chriswalsh9962. I have the original DVDs and found these tutorials invaluable in helping me improve my kit building. As others have suggested, buy something cheap and just get started. To be honest, the biggest challenge for me has been motorising the engines and I favour Tony's approach of using DJH gearboxes - but they are not cheap! Good luck

https://www.modellbahnunion.com/ still have some really keen UK outline bargains (all prices quoted ex German VAT (19%?): Dapol BR B4 - €59.00 - £52 Dapol Moguls - €93.00 - £81 Bachmann 9F - €117.56 - £102 Accurascale siphons (BR Blue) - €37.25 - £32 Lots more on their site P&P is now €21/£18. Import duty should be applied over £135 (ex P&P) - I think? So be careful.

MOdel Railways Direct - latest flash sales with a few bargains: https://modelrailwaysdirect.co.uk/special-offers.html

Thanks Gents - every days is a school day. Having built DJH, Comet and K's kits - I hadn't come across a fold up chassis. Seems to make a lot of sense as I imagine it helps to build a square chassis.

What an interesting build. I wonder, has anyone come across an etched fold up chassis in 4mm? Or is it a factor of scale, in that 3mm scale allows this method of construction?

We have a ESE/WNW orientation and the panels are partially shaded by dormers on the ESE aspect of the house. Production is great in the morning, but falls away substantially in the afternoon. When we had ours fitted the surveyor told me that the optimisers were a game changer when they came along. Previously, the output of the whole array of panels was limited to the least efficient panel, so if one panel was in shade production of each of the other panels was limited to the output of the shaded one. Apparently. The optimisers (one per panel) mitigates this limitation and makes partially shaded arrays more viable. Happy to be corrected on this.

KESR were running a BR Blue class 20 last weekend? Depending on where you are in the south east, this might be worth a look?

Welcome back Mike, its great to hear from you. As a fellow S&C enthusiast I always enjoyed your posts on Dent and your YouTube episodes - all very inspirational for an quasi-armchair modeller like me. Your new project sounds interesting and will be a fitting tribute to your friend - I am sure he will be watching and smiling!!! Good luck! Steve

Please share some pics and any top tips. 🙂

I like them

Just had one of these pass through my hands for repair, it was the SECR liveried R3648 - which seem to command quite a premium on ebay, if you can find a buyer. The motor was playing up - stoppong/starting and smoking quite badly after stalling. Suggested over lubrication, but the owner confirmed that he had never been near it with the 3in1! Opening it up, I found the gear train had been basted with the white grease (silicone) that Hornby use during manufacture. So much grease had been used it had found its way into the motor and onto the brushes and commutator. Judicious removel of the excess, followed by a slosh of IPA and an extended period of running in saw the motor back to smooth running and a relieved owner.

I think I got mine from the National archives. I paid for the service but it was very good. Certainly worth searching via their website

Hi Martin, I have been struggling to hone my bow pen, but recent saw a YouTube by @MikeTrice that helped me to at least get it working. So will give that a go I also tried Rotring drawing pens - I think they are black lines you can see in the photo, which are okay. Halfords do a paint pack (damask red) with a fine tip applicator for stone chips and scratches - see below. But the paint flows too quickly for this application Otherwise, I used a very fine (000) brush, but it is really slow and keeps drying out so has to be cleaned after a few minutes. Where the mouldings are crisp it is possible to get okay results. I shall keep persevering!

Thanks Mike, I haven't used either product so I will need to investigate

Apologies for the bump, but do RMWebbers have any suggestions on these questions - I am especially frustrated with the issue of trying to paint the frames on the windows - see below Many thanks (in advance) for any suggestions!

Hi Tony, Can you update us on what is left of Peter's collection? Thanks Steve

Would that make them "Min-dacious chiselers"?

So March turned out to be a good one, month on month overall production doubled to 224KWH, which was 10% more than March 2023. :-) But, the financial benefit was marginal as prices have come down. :-|

Try https://www.wizardmodels.ltd/ for both =- they do steps and sandboxes for a few £

Eau dear!

Hi @Tony Wright EKM had a bunc h of them at AllyPally at the weekend. ~£10 for BR Black loco body and tender I think! You can reach them at ekmx23@gmail.com or 07922 403608 (Mon-Thurs 10am-4pm)

I agree - they are an pain. I ended up pushing them out of the way whilst saying "excuse me", got some filthy looks but it was ridiculous. I will confess that I also had a small backback, but I carry it by my side so as not to inconvenience others.

TMC also have Bachmann BR BLack compounds for <£100 - the cheapest I have seen these for a very long time: https://www.themodelcentre.com/31-933a or https://www.themodelcentre.com/31-932