Dagworth

Put code 100 joiners on the code 100 track, put the finescale track above the joiners - packing under sleepers to match railhead height - and solder the rail to the top of the joiners.

Andi

Bind Their Kings In Chains - Blyth Power

A more descriptive title would be better, for example "Stolen ON30 locos and stock" than just "Stolen"

7 minutes ago, SouthernBlue80s said:

An earlier map of the rail network, for any that are interested

http://www.lowestofthistory.com/pic/carousel_a0041_b.jpg

or https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/side-by-side/#zoom=17.8&lat=52.47414&lon=1.74454&layers=168&right=ESRIWorld

Andi

13 minutes ago, SouthernBlue80s said:

 

Thanks Andi.

Does it show the track layout as it was in 1980? I am not sure. I will look into it.

it looks very similar to what was there in the black and white photo with the Cravens unit

Edit: the important bit though, if a train leaves Lowestoft on your layout will it arrive at Ipswich on mine and hour or so later?

Andi

Does the Google Earth imagery from 2006 help?

Andi

Some Kind Of Stranger - Sisters of Mercy

1 hour ago, Peak said:

I forgot about that. I have never made a layout before.

In which case I would seriously advise starting with something a LOT smaller, a little layout that you can learn the skills of woodwork, track laying, ballasting, wiring, scenics, all the things that go together to build a layout. Even just an 8ftx4ft single board with a couple of ovals and some sidings, something to play trains on!

The reason I suggest this is that if you've not built a layout before then something very large and ambitious has a good chance of being too much, and you may find you've bitten off more than you can chew and you may get ten percent of the way into it and lose the motivation as it's such a long journey. It also gives you a good chance to explore what parts of model railways really appeal, are you a layout builder, an operator, a wiring and electrics enthusiast, a main line driver, a shunter, a signaller?

For layout planning you really can't beat trying things out on a computer first before you commit to timber and track, it's well worth the small (relatively) amount of time it takes to learn your way around one of the computer layout planning programmes. There are several free programmes out there, Ravensclyffe was planned on XtrackCAD https://sourceforge.net/projects/xtrkcad-fork/

It may also be worth investigating whether there are any model railway clubs where you are, they can be great places to learn the basic skills you will need.

Good Luck!

Andi

Vision Thing - Sisters of Mercy

7 hours ago, pH said:

…and conductresses! Some of ours could wield a mean Setright, if required. 
 

(Drivers used the fire extinguisher if necessary.)

Or a Bardic 

(BTP told us that where we had raised our arm in self defence - the one holding the bardic - we got one free hit. So make it count! 
If you clouted the oik a second time then they may charge you with assault) 

Edit:Replied before I’d seen the other comments 

Andi

2 hours ago, spamcan61 said:

That's the Hattons customer details database presumably, rather than the Directory, although that is back as well.

The email I've had from Rails today welcoming me to their mailing list would seem to confirm that they have taken the Hattons customer database.

Andi

Bear in mind that a crossover to scale may be 5ft long whereas if made from Peco points will be around 2ft long

Andi

Make me Smile (Come Up And See Me) - Steve Harley and Cockney Rebel

RIP Steve

5 hours ago, Dungrange said:

 

Which of course adds substantially to the cost of building such a large station (and the time taken to build it).

 

 

Which obviously raises the question - why Salisbury?  Unless @Peak is a music mogul with a very large property and a few million in the bank, bits of the prototype will have to be missed out.  Defining the appeal of Salisbury would help to determine where the compromises should be made.

 

 Building a huge layout doesn’t have to be the sole domain of music moguls. Yes I work in the same industry but have nowhere near that kind of income but I’m still building an insane layout, a scale model of Ipswich. I live in a modest rented terraced house (albeit with a reasonably large garage) and now have three large (!) layouts and three small ones. 
 

Ipswich is built with no compression at all, the only major alteration is to straighten it slightly so that it all fits on a 4ft width  straight set of boards. As someone said above, this does entail hand building the points to get them correct. 
 

It all comes down to choices, I live alone (edit: that's actually not true, I share the space with three gorgeous felines!), I don’t drink very often, I have no children, and my house is pretty much a workshop! 

Andi 

I’ve only ever had problems when using the Trix/Gaugemaster brushes where the pick ups have been less than perfect in the first place. 
 

On locos with really dirty wheels then a slight wiggle backwards and forwards will usually make contact and a hand on the loco helps to keep the contact until the wheels have made a couple of rotations.

Andi

9 minutes ago, Michael Hodgson said:

 

Serves her right!   But don't worry, cats can eat coconut safely.

Why would they want to though remains a mystery!

Andi

1 minute ago, franciswilliamwebb said:

 

Yesterday SWMBO was of the opinion these Bakery at Asda containers were cat-proof.  Today she's re-assessing that and, no doubt, shopping for more Jammies 😉

 

The irony is she buys things with a covering of the Devil's own coconut because she knows I won't eat them when her back is turned 🤣

Oh no, poor Bagpuss!

39 minutes ago, Sidecar Racer said:

I wake up to find Jessica has brought me her toys, and then when she's brought all them she'll bring me some cable ties, or a screw, a bit of wire... all deposited IN my bed!

Andi

8 minutes ago, Pmorgancym said:

If it's for exhibition rather than personal use you will have to purchase a license off the original.modeller or you could find yourself in serious legal trouble.

If someone tries to sue me for copying their model of Ipswich I'd tell them where to go as I'm copying the GER, the LNER and BR, not anyone else's model of it.

Andi

I think the big acquisition was revealed in this morning's Hattons email, the Hattons email database has now passed to Rails

Andi 

24 minutes ago, BoD said:

My brain fog may well be kicking in but, at one time,  wasn’t there a competition organised for ‘Minories layouts’.

DEMU ran a Minories competition a few years back.

Andi

I hope that if someone else is building a model of Ipswich they will be willing to share their research.

Andi

9 minutes ago, Dunsignalling said:

 

No, their subjects have generally been "manipulated" before the pics are taken...😇

 

An Cat Dubh - U2