sjp23480

I recently received an Isinglass Sleeper 3rd body which I am planning to marry up with a Hornby 61'6" underframe from their Sleeper 1st. Does anyone have any experience of using this combination and any tips/tricks before I start? I saw that @John Tomlinson experienced some bowing with the Isinglass Sleeper 3rd he built, so I am thinking about reinforcing the sides with some brass strip to reinforce it. Many thanks, Steve

Thanks Mike, buffer stop will be duly removed!

For me, perfection is the enemy of progress, if I can get something 90% the way I want it - it's good enough. I also found inspiration in @ianathompson AFK Altonian Complementary Railways thread which exudes charm and a brilliant back story. I can thoroughly recommend it:

I have reached my first major milestone: all the track is laid! I have run some stock through most of the track by hand, but it does need to be tested properly. Next up, point motors, wiring and control panels! South end of the storage lines North end of the storage lines, with just a glimpse of Dandry Mire top right South end of Garsdale station. The crossover will have the Coal Road running underneath, cattle dock will be on the left. Baeseler slip courtesy of Roco! This will be Garsdale station, looking north - complete with finger! The cross over from the station to the turntable and the Hawes branch snaking away to the right of the exchange sidings Turntable well, awaiting the London Road 50ft kit still in pieces in its box, exchange sidings and the start of Dandry Mire viaduct Dandry Mire viaduct is almost 2m long with 12 arches, although still around 25% smaller than it should be (2.7m) Looking south back from the turntable to the crossover and station beyond

There is also some quite nice footage of the line in the first half of this BTF film: https://youtu.be/gCfDQvrBGRw

As others have said, be very careful. I remember Allan Downes posting here when he used it to fix the ballast on one of his last projects. He was already very ill with lung cancer but reported some serious side effects from breathing the fumes. I always suspected it accelerated his demise. ☹️ Personally, I try to avoid it.

I used to visit the shop all the time. Found myself in the vicinity at the weekend and decided to pay a visit, only to find the shop closed and a sign indicating they only operate online and via mail order. Can't help with contacting them, but the shop was a bit of an Aladdin's cave with lots of hard to find stuff. Pity. Steve

Jeff, Spot on - Moorcock/Dandry Mire Steve

Thank you Jeff @Physicsman for your encouragement and appreciation. I think we both agree that the motivation for building anything comes from within; we do it to satisfy ourselves. If I was only doing it for the Likes I would have stopped a long time ago!!! :-) I am still adjusting to memorialising my work on RMWeb, but in some respects I am also doing that for myself as well as sharing with others. If I receive favourable comments, advice, likes or any other reaction - that is a bonus and very much appreciated. Even criticism is a gift. Over the years I have been inspired by and learnt a lot from you, @peach james, Mike @67A, @gordon s, @allan downes and many others too numerous to mention. Bottom line for me is that it is great to be part of a diverse community of people with a shared interest in a (sometimes) maligned hobby. Likes or no likes, I will keep going and updates will follow. Steve

Dragonboy, The boards are 3' deep, and intended as storage roads rather than a fiddle yard. Most trains will be fixed formations. Any reaching across will be greatly aided by the steps which are in some of the pictures! Steve

Jeff, Thanks for all your inspiration - yes Slaters plastikard is my preferred choice. Thanks for the recommendation. Steve

On the scenic boards, the viaduct is taken shape courtesy of inspiration from @Physicsman. Track is mounted on 4mm foam underlay for hard floors. 95% of the track is in position and secured with map pins. Track is a mixture of Peco code 75 bullhead plain track, Peco code 75 Streamline points and Roco Geoline points (primarily the slips and adjacent points). Next job is to drill holes for point motors and cut the underlay to the track. Track will then need testing and then the wiring can start! PLease excuse the detritus!

After a period of radio silence, I have reconfigured the boards and laid the storage roads. Storage roads consist of 18 X 8' and 4 X 6' long. There is over 40' of storage for motive power plus two turntables at each end of the storage rounds. Most motors are fitted to points, either clipped directly underneath or surface mounted. A few Conrad motors left to mount under the Roco slips. No wiring done yet, but I need to test all the track first. More to follow.....

Ian, I have only just "discovered" your thread, it is brilliant and compulsive reading. Yet I am not sure why. The chosen setting and gauge do not appeal to me; I am normally drawn to LIttle Bytham, Low GIll, Retford and Dent type threads which satisfy my yearning for perfection. I realise it is work in progress, but nothing seems out of place, including the exposed wiring, angle brackets, bare screw heads, even the cheap ready to plant fir trees! Your thread is totally compelling and fascinating to read. Additionally, I am intrigued as to how to pronounce all the place names. ALLEZ AFK!!! Steve

Looks nice, I would explore their options for better roofing. My cabin had normal felt, but 8 years on and it started to deteriorate where the felt is folded over at the bottom of the roof. It now needs replacing. Steve

So sorry to hear this news, condolences to Gordon's family.

Totally flabbergasted at this news. :-( I never met Gordon but followed Eastwood Town for many years and always felt a connection as we are both golfers. Golf and model railways seem to be uncommon bedfellows? Wishing Gordon and his family well during this very difficult time. Steve

It wouldn't be quite the same!

Looks like R868 to me, I have 1972/3 (19th ed) and 1974/5 (20th ed) catalogues - and it appears in both in the same guise: as No.245 - dark green, magnadhesion and opening smokebox door. I must say, going through the old catalogues made me feel quite nostalgic! Only thing I have left from those days is a Dock Authority shunter that I can't bring myself to part with - even though it doesn't like Peco Code 75 bullhead rail! For all the advances and high fidelity of modern RTR, these old models had lots of charm and something of a long lost innocence. Steve

Tony, Just an idea, but you could try an auction house that use www.the-saleroom.com to reach a wider audience. They often feature model railway lots and can fetch good prices - possibly better than you might get with a trader? I presume they will take care of the pictures and listings? There are a few auctioneers in the surrounding area (including Bourne, Stamford and Grantham) Steve

Richard, As someone once said: "Perfection is the enemy of progress". I would crack on with some of the bigger stuff, make some meaningful progress and not let this become a distraction. Its too easy to sweat the small stuff. You can still use the building you have in hand and redo it later - at least you will have some return on your investment. Don't ask me how I know this! Steve

Ignore them Jeff:

I've been rumbled, it is looking the wrong way but I am not sure it would have been any more panoramic in the other direction! The trick will be to introduce some perspective in the foreground:

Shouldn't be too difficult: