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bmthtrains - David

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Blog Entries posted by bmthtrains - David

  1. bmthtrains - David
    The start of the upgrade for next year's exhibitions has started - this will include a new wooden facia, a lighting pelmet, and a re-worked storage yard that will allow me to increase from 8 to 15 trains, without the need for any baseboard extensions. I will also be adding a few tiny details - more shopping trolleys etc.
     
    First up however, was to finally get the tram running on both boards! This now works well, although I am running in at high speed as it helps force a path between the card roadway inserts in the track.
     
    With my Virgin relief set having a run in as well, a couple of shots showing it all in operation for the first time!
     
    David
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OfjkJ8dmzng
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irT10CTb9k8
  2. bmthtrains - David
    I set up the layout this evening in order to give the stock a run-in before the photo shoot on Thursday, and guess what - my Dapol stock is playing up, again!
     
    Over the past 2 months I have spent over ??250 on Dapol stock - the 156, 153 and 67. The 153 arrived on Saturday and seems happy - for now. The 156 is less than 1 month old and now judders, jolts, and sparks when it (occasionally) moves. My 67 now does the same thing - hardly 'super-creep', more like 'super-creepy'!
     
    This infuriates me. I will send both of them back as is my right as a consumer, but I am so annoyed with this. I know this does not affect everyone, and there are glowing reports of Dapol stock from some quarters, but I have yet to purchase one of their locos that doesn't grind to a halt.
     
    This is all the more annoying as they are rapidly releasing some exceptionally detailed, much needed modern image releases. Trouble is, in my experience, they don't work!
     
    My first Dapol purchase - Class 73, wobbled like crazy and the lights only worked when the wind blew north-easterly and the neighbour's cat put its paw behind its ear (or so it seemed given the randomness of it)
     
    220 Voyager - had to have all its wheels replaced as they weren't round (I kid you not), then lacked the power to pull the Dummy unit (because 220s and 221s never run together in real life, so Dapol told me).
     
    So that is only the 153 out of 5 purchases that works properly (and given it has been running for 1 day, how long before this gives up?) (I am not even counting the TWO dummy 156s I had to send back before giving up and buying a Farish 158 instead)
     
    Am I extremely unlucky? Am I mistreating these models? (They are run in and lubricated exactly as per instruction).
     
    Yes I can return them and get them repaired, but that's not the point. When you spend over ??80 on a locomotive, you expect it to work. Enough is enough now, and having supported their entry into N gauge and welcomed their products, that is it for me - only where the release is so overwhelmingly tempting (such as the Pendolino if it ever comes out) will I dare to buy a loco from them.
     
    In the 15 years I've been modelling in N gauge, I have had cause to return 8 locos/DMUs, 4 Dapol and 4 Farish/Bachmann. That equates to 80% of my Dapol purchases and 8% of my Farish/Bachmann ones.
     
    With statistics like that, you can see why I am so annoyed!
     
    David
  3. bmthtrains - David
    I've worked up a quick concept sketch for the proposed new layout (see entry below) to get a feel of the similarities/differences to Ring Road. Very heavily influenced by Coventry, my aim with this layout would be to keep the overall style and architectural/urban elements of Ring Road, but arrange them in a different way, with the layout in a slight cutting, roads going over the top, and the station adding operational interest.

    Still a year or so off even starting this dedicated exhibition layout, but this gives me a better idea of what to aim for.
     
    David
  4. bmthtrains - David
    A few shots of some newer stock having a run in, including the Dapol 58
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O3FRokJf2A
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI9G6QsLF-g
     
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9L9bBxf7FB8
     
    David
  5. bmthtrains - David
    One half of Ring Road is down today (convincing me even further I need a 'quick' single board layout to play trains on without disrupting entire dining room!), mainly to give the 350 a run in, but also a quick look at some other recent train formations:
     

     
    David
  6. bmthtrains - David
    Getting grumpy lately with not much modellig to do has helped make my mind up to finaly commit to building a new layout - same size as Ring Road, and in as many ways alike as different.
     
    Planning will be ongoing for the next few months, and once finalised, I will be able, as with Ring Road, to begin building construction well before the baseboards are started, which won't be until next spring at the earliest.
     
    So what are the plans?
     
    A couple of screen grabs (copyright belonging to Google) give you an idea of my inspiration:

     
    These are of course photos of the line to the west of Deansgate and Oxford Rd stations in Manchester. While I am not going to build an exact model of this location, it does lend itself remarkably well to N gauge, as this outline on an OS map shows, it fits nicely onto a baseboard:
     
    Anyway, Canal Street will be a model very heavily based on this location, suggesting an approach to Manchester (though more ill-defined, as was the case with Ring Road being 'in the midlands'). A two track line will cross on a viaduct, with a separate route for the old terminus line now part of the tram network:

     
    You can see the attraction for me here - railways raised off the ground, lots of buildings and urban scenes to be modelled, but this time a nice mix of the run down, the regenerated, and the brand spanking new. The far right of the layout will be more a kin to Oxford Road with a more city centre feel, and a scaled down skycraper will dominate that end. To the left, the huge girder bridges and abandoned sections of viaduct will mix with new housing and of course the canal.
     
    I am planning a massive 16 road storage yard, and the whole layout will be 2 boards again, this time constructed to be meaty enough to be taken on the road. This is why Canal Street is similar in many ways to Ring Road, as it will be able to be exhibited properly thanks to its better construction, while RR really won't be able to travel very often.
     
    That's all for now, a much slower rate of progress on this project than on RR, and a far higher level of detail and quality of modelling (a lot of weathering skills to be learned for this one!) are my aims!
     
    David
  7. bmthtrains - David
    I've been getting restless lately (in a modelling sense that is), as having sworn not to start a new layout until next year (after Ring Road has done a couple of exhibitions), I've had nothing new to get stuck into.
     
    Fanciful ideas pop up, such as making a small single board layout just to run the locos round (seemed too much effort for small return due to limitations of layout size), deciding what to do with my stalled entry into OO DDC Sound, and ideas for the next large N gauge layout...but other than my 350, I've not done that much modelling at all this year.
     
    With Ring Road only needing a new facia in the autumn ready for its shows, magazine coverage and DVD both due out this summer, there's a sense of completion there, and so I've been looking at my rolling stock collection for missing items I'd quite like to have as the modelling fund isn't currently being spent...and have found none!
     
    I suddenly seem to have found my self 'up to date' with rolling stock, and pending new releases, there's nothing left I want to buy. A strange and unnatural situation to be in, I can tell you!
     
    My own fault, yes, for sticking to 'current' liveries and operations, and avoiding liveries I don't much favour (First GB for one), but its not something that happens very often that I have money to spend....and nothing to spend it on. This is a dangerous situation, as you start looking at 'big things' in OO, steam engines, new layouts (NO!) to run your existing stock on...
     
    Roll on the new releases, as I'm starting to get withdrawl symptoms from not buying!
  8. bmthtrains - David
    Ring Road had a very extensive run last night, as it was set up for filming for the next volume of MSIM's Modern Image Layouts DVD series.
     
    It was a great fun evening, which has hopefully produced some good shots for the DVD, including some interesting angles that will certainly show the layout in new ways.

    What I got out of it most though (apart from a good chat with Nigel!), was a real sense of what being on show at an exhibition is like. When running a continuous and varying stream of traffic (single handedly for extra pressure!), suddenly every droopy coupling or minor derailment becomes almost an embarassment as what would be a lovely image is disrupted by a train leaving half its wagons behind, or worse.
     
    Ring Road isnt booked for any shows until next Spring, but I will certainly give some thought now to whether I want to pursue this further, as I never built it to take on the road, it is simply because so many people have requested to see it that it is. Now I have a better feel for what exhibiting is like, I will have to decide if its something I actually enjoy.
     
    Until then, the DVD will be out, so at least if I do only go for the shows I'm already booked into, there will at least be a filmed record of the layout available!
     
    David
  9. bmthtrains - David
    Another item on the to do list is insure all my stock for travel to exhibitons, so I've been doing a bit of cataloguing today (and terrified myself with the total cost of my fleet!), and looking at my multiple units, I thought how great it was to have so many different types available in N. When I first started out, there was the Farish 101 and that was it. What a change over time though!
     
    The workhorses of the railway network, MUs were always neglected in model form while there were the more exciting locomotives to produce (and of course a Loco can haul carriages and wagons - at extra cost, while an MU is a one-off purchase), but now we seem to be blessed with a huge choice of modern units. Here are mine, including my 3 scratchbuilt efforts:

    Class 153 - Dapol
    Class 150 - Farish
    Class 156 - Dapol
    Class 158 - Farish
    Class 170 - Farish
    Class 220 - Farish
    Class 221 - Dapol
    Class 350
    Class 321
    Class 395
     
    If you also include my 373 Eurostar, thats a good range of MUs!
     
    You can also get Farish's 159 and 168, and by the end of the year the 222, and Dapol's 121 and 142. Realistically, that only leaves the 165/6 to come for diesel units (that I would say are commercially viable), Dapol's supposed 390 in overhead units, and who knows what in third rail units!
     
    If Dapol's Pendolino doesn't appear in next year's catalogue, I will have a go at making one of my own - its vital for running on Ring Road - but if I wanted to make another scratchbuilt unit, there's not that many left to choose from now that I actually need - perhaps a 323?
     
    Anyway, random waffle over, but its reminded me how good the time is to be modelling in N!
     
    David
  10. bmthtrains - David
    With no major (announced) N gauge locos/units on my shopping list due for some time (222 due November, and although the Dapol Pacer and 86 would be nice, I'm still not buying given my experiences), and Ring Road only needing some new facias ready for show next year, my 'what to do' list is getting rather long.
     
    I've got ideas in play for various layouts - from the DLR to HS2, OO depots, OO model of Weymouth, and on it goes. What is certainly appealing for me at the moment is layout that is much smaller, and on 1 board.
     
    Why? Well, Ring Road takes up a lot of room, and I'd like something 'instant' that can just be put on the dining table, and left there without filling up the entire room! I would definately 'play trains' more often on a smaller layout, but it would obviously not be as satisfying from a scenic point of view.
     
    So, my thoughts...

    Here is a decent size board - 5 feet by 2 feet 9. By using the 'siding' storage yard approach, I can get 8 trains (admitedly far shorter than on Ring Road!) stored up, with a decent sized scenic section. While I can fit a 5 coach train (say a 66 with some intermodal wagons) in the longer sidings, to reverse back into its siding, the nose of the train would have to run onto the scenic section, which means if I don't want this visible, the actual visible track area would have to be defined by the two red lines.
     
    This does reduce the visible running area, but would hide some tight curves. I'm not sure which I would go for, but if I think about it, if I'm running a train back into its siding, I'm going to be watching the storage yard anyway, so if it runs onto the scenic side, it won't matter!
     
    Now I know its possible to fit all this in, I need to think what I would model! There's plenty of room for a depot, or a station, or a yard...or all of them! As I don't have a station on Ring Road, I'm leaning towards having one here, so I need to look at photos for inspiration.
     
    David
  11. bmthtrains - David
    With the Delner couplers now added, this is complete! The base is lazer cut, a chance to experiment with some of the advanced CAD/CAM machines at the Arts Uni. There are two slots cut for the wheel sets to sit in (an inverse rail kind of thing), while the text was engraved.
     
    Overall I'm pretty pleased with how the 350 has come out in the end, its pretty rough in places, and the bodyshells have slight mis-forms in places, but with the strong livery, this definately 'looks' like a Desiro, and will add a much needed item of rolling stock to Ring Road
     
    David

  14. bmthtrains - David
    After some feedback from a couple of people, I've made a few tweaks to the 350 - most notably thining down the roof-top air con pods, and adding a shadow effect to the bottom of the coach side to represent the slight curve that should be there. This image is a bit deceptive as it is sat on very short bogies (until the 'correct' ones arrive), giving the appearance of the whole body being too deep, but once on the final set of wheels it looks okay to me.

     
    Ive also been making my list of things to do to Ring Road this year to get it ready for a short exhibition tour in 2011. Most importantly, this means replacing the frontage with a hardboard one (currently card), creating a lighting pelmet, and expanding the storage yard to 12 tracks (from 8).
     
    This will allow me to have an operating stack as follows:
     
    4 Express trains
    6 'Slow Line' passenger trains
    5 full 'long' freight trains (coal/intermodals etc)
     
    and
     
    2 'short' freights (autoballasters, chemical hoppers, yeoman wagons etc) that can be swapped out to allow for 'specials' to run : the tamper, 395, Eurostar, etc.
     
    This gives me 17 sets that can run without any stock changes, making the operation much less hassle.
     
    Next step is to decide what other unsual trains I want to build up ready for showing - I have plenty of prototypical trains (minus the Pendolino - any chance ready for Warley, Dapol??), and will get the Farish 70 when released, and hopefully a DB 37 (which I would give hard money on being in the 2010 catalogue). I'm going to hold off getting any more NGS autoballasters to complete my set, as I have a feeling there might be some N ones in the catalogue too, given the OO ones are almost ready.
     
    What I do need though, are a few extra trains to operate as specials - unusual runnings that will catch people's attention and make Ring Road more than just a 'ready to run' layout (apart from the 350 and 321, which although scratchbuilt, will be pretty regular runners on the layout - I'm after more 'cameo' appearances!)
     
    So far I have the following that would fit this catagory:
    Autoballasters
    Class 395
    Tamper
    HST in Grand Central
    Scotrail/EWS 90 Sleeper set
     
    My thoughts are to look into either/all of the following:
    HST New Measurement Train
    MPV
    Steam special (with a 66 at the rear?) - please Farish bring out Tornado!
     
    If anyone had any thoughts on good 'cameo' trains that I could look into, please do let me know!
     
    David
  15. bmthtrains - David

    3 out of 4!

    By bmthtrains - David,

    3 of the 4 cars are complete now (ignore the bogies however, waiting for 'correct' ones to arrive). I have now just the powered car to do, this is outwardly identical to the other driving car, however the inside has to be constructed slightly differenly to sit neatly onto the Tomix chassis.
     
    David
     

  17. bmthtrains - David
    My 37 with sound arrived today, and after having to work out what all the functions did - why no instructions??? - its been hauling my short engineering train around a circle of track on the kitchen floor!
     
    Its been a really interesting afternoon, learning how to use the Dynamis controller, and the sounds themselves. As both new into OO and DCC, here's a short review of each:
     
    The loco itself is a beautiful model, very heavy (I'm used to N gauge!), solidly made, and highly detailed. Bachmann have even put in a driver and opening cab doors which are nice touches. As for the sounds themselves, they sound pretty convincing to me, although there is no obvious 'volume' option, and might give me a bit of a headache after a while! It took some time to work out how to operate all the sounds to their best effect - if you start it up and let it run, it really just ticks over, building up with the F5 button gives it a nice good belly drawl as it pulls away!
     
    Dynamis is a very nice system. I've only the one loco at the moment, so I will be interested to have a go at trying consists, and switching between locos on the controller. Its a lot smaller than I imagined, but I am very impressed by the ease of use - the throttle behaves far more realistically than on DC, and the inertia of the loco certainly has to be factored in when shunting!
     
    DCC sound will only be a minor 'side' for me, as I will certainly continue to model in N - its benefits scream even louder when planning what kind of layout I could actually have in OO - but I can definately see me having a small OO gauge collection. Not just sound locos - though the Hornby 08 will be tempting! - but a few older loco types that are just nice to have as models to appreciate.
     
    Overall I'm really pleased with this - a lovely Christmas present to myself - and will enjoy building the little shunting layout for the 37 to run on, but no matter how lovely it is, I still cannot understand why so many people with space limitations haven't switched to N. If you want to be able to run anything longer than a DMU, as I was hoping for with the third rail EMUs, you just cant do it! OO really must be about the locos themselves to modellers, as really, in a typical house, a short running plank or depot is all you can achieve.
     
    My challenge to OO modellers would be to do what I've done in reverse - get one N gauge loco and see where it leads you! B)
     
    Off to make more loco noises now!
     
    David
  18. bmthtrains - David
    As I'm having trouble uploading images at the mo, here's a quick quiz to see if anyone can guess what I am currently having a go at scratchbuilding from the 'ingredients' alone:
     
    3x Farish Mk1 coach chassis
    8x Farish class 158 bogies
    2x Farish 158 air dams
    2x Farish dummy class 150 couplings
    1x Farish pantograph
    1x pack BHE third rail shoes
    1x Tomix '20m' motor chassis
    1mm styrene sheet
     
    Pictures to follow when I can upload them!
     
    David
  19. bmthtrains - David
    I've come up with 2 versions of a small 6ft by 1ft shunting plank (with a 3ft run off board), just so I'll have somewhere to run what will be a very small range of OO stock. At the moment, from what is available or has been announced, the stock line up will eventually become thus:
     
    Class 37 Railfreight - Sound
    Class 08 EWS - Sound
    MPV
    Class 31 Sound
     
    I may possibly add something like a 121 bubble car or a 108 on NSE livery.
     
    Rolling stock will be a couple Autoballasters, some Seacows and some general civils liveried wagons.
     
    Plan a)

    This has one line coming in, a couple of sidings and a 2 road shed
     
    Plan b)

    This version is as above, but one of the shed roads is now another through road, with an extra siding leading into a single road shef through a washing plant.
     
    Neither will be especially prototypical, and not very heavily modelled, as its more to have options to run the locos backwards and forwards.
     
    (EDIT: thought up a hybrid version that might work better?)

    I like version b as it has more track, but possibly a looks better?
     
    Any thoughts much appreciated!
     
    David
  20. bmthtrains - David
    I will model in N gauge for life - it the ideal scale for my principle interest, that is modelling realistic urban scenes, but recently I've been thinking more about having a go in OO.
     
    What is tempting me to play with the big trains? Well the catalyst is the Bachmann VEP, and the forthcoming CEP from Honrby. The detail on the Bachmann model is so impressive, and living in a third rail area, its something I've long been tempted to model. This is a new addition to my modelling interests - the models themselves becoming the focus.
     
    N is perfect for modelling modern image in my view as you can get full length trains in a reasonable space, and a layout can have more than just track on it - you can model the landscape around the railway as well. For me, even with the staggering improvements in the detail in N gauge locos over the past few years, its never been about the rivets for me - if it looks like the right train running through the landscape, thats what I want.
     
    I am now finding myself being attracted to models themselves, as objects of manufactured beauty to admire, if you will - the VEP in particular. This means I'm tempted to have a go at building a small layout in OO that would allow me to build up a small collection of models that I admire.
     
    But what could I achieve?
     
    There are several things drawing me to OO:
    1. Larger scale models that are works of art to be appreciated
    2. The challenge of modelling in a different scale
    3. OO better suiting a small terminus or depot layout than N (just as to me N better suits main lines!)
    4. The possibility of toying with DCC sound
    (That last point is very exciting actually, the idea of playing with a lovely model that chugs up and down!)
     
    Equally, however, I have concerns:
    1. OO is HUGE compared to N, so your modelling space is tiny in comparison
    2. Would I be able to fit in or even work to such a small space?
    3. DCC sound is hideously expensive!
    4. Third rail EMUS are about 4 feet long in OO - so how can I fit a decent layout in that take them?
     
    What I would like to do is stick a toe in the water and get a model that will hopfeully convince me to take the plunge, but where to start?
     
    I'd love a DCC sound loco, but to spend ??200 to test the waters is a bit mad, and could I really get a small layout that would take 4 car units in the space I have, and still be pleased with the outcome?
     
    For me, there are a huge number of compromises modelling in OO rather than N - the greatest being the constriction of space ad how it impacts on the scenic scope of the layout. I would need something I can shunt about on - perhaps an OO version of my 4 day layout? - and nothing too vast, as this would be an occasional venture into OO purely to collect the models that really appeal (I will continue to build huge swathes of urban Britain in N alongside!)
     
    If anyone has any thoughts, suggestions for a first step, I'd be very appreciative of your views!
     
    David
  21. bmthtrains - David
    Well my replacement Dapol 156 arrived over Christmas, so I have been running it in today, and so far so good - but then the last one started okay and went nuts shortly after! The 67 however, I am giving up on - I am no mechanic, and whatever is wrong with it is probably easily fixable if you know how, but as I don't its incredibly frustrating. I've taken the body off and guessing the pick ups aren't working right, have bend the strips downwards so they make better contact, and its improved slightly, but there is no sign of the 'super creep' (super creepy is my new name for it) motor that it seemed to have when I first ran it. There is now slow speed running, and its still jittery at a decent pace.
     
    Given that I am now so disatisfied with Dapol's motors, I am not going to send this back to Hattons as I will just get another one in replacement, so I may sell it - anyone with good mechanical skills will be able to fix it I am sure, but the point is THEY SOULDN'T HAVE TO! When you pay 80 quid for a model, it should work!
     
    If anyone wants to make me an offer for the 67, PM me, or I might add it to my list of stock I'm going to put up for sale in the new year.
     
    Anyway, grumble over, once I've given the 156 a good run in, I'm going to get out some stock that DOES work, and have an afternoon playing trains - photo updates to follow!
  22. bmthtrains - David
    A nice afternoon running trains today, so here are some images and videos!
     
    The Javelin (or is it now Blue Rapier as Hornby are calling it?) has finally been reliveried into the correct service livery for Southeastern. You can also see the finished OHLE in this image

     
    Here's a vid of it too:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yqAE6M5kSR4
     
    Some Christmas presents - the start of a train of new hoppers!

     
    Dapol 153 with lightbar installed#
     
    My second 156 having a run in
     
    David
  24. bmthtrains - David
    My London Midland 153 arrived today, and I've added the light bar to see what its like, and actually very effective. I was extremely annoyed that my 156 has now started flying sparks when (if) it moves. So far only the 67 from Dapol has worked without a hitch (I may regret saying that...)

    Anyway, as well as the 153, my order of shopping trolleys turned up in the post as well, so I now have a few added to the Ikea scene. Grahame mentioned these on his blog, and I was jumping with joy when I saw them as I have been after some for ages!

    David
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