Melly

Great timing - that 'kick-back' into the fiddle yard has cleared a creative block for me on my plank. Cheers Rob ;-)

Rob. . . . .it's been an area attracting my interest recently. . . . . .bookmarked this : https://www.flickr.com/photos/71592768@N08/albums/72157636877739706

If you pass without popping in to take the **** I'll set that Northern Monkey on you :-)

Carflats, Sherpas and landrovers . . . . . . .right up your street :-) https://www.flickr.com/photos/knozza55006/4598525425/

As sure as I can be Pete. I saluted enough of them Green Cavaliers with pennants on when in RAFG :-) Never saw a Staff Cortina (joined in 87). Metros were common for Junior staff and hated driving them when Duty Officer :-) Vauxhall cars were common as staff vehicles late 80's and into the 90's. The Mk 2 Cavalier was 81-88 and the Mk 4 Cortina was 76 - 81 and the Mk5 until 82. Taking into consideration that the photo is taken in 84 and the cars are new I'm 100 % confident that they are Cavaliers; Also the boot rakes downward - Cortina was flat. Also train has aircraft tug on it - yellow thing. All Rob needs is for Oxford to add the Cavalier to it's military range. Now off to find some more MOD trains and drink in the nostalgia. Thanks all

Definitely Cavaliers. . . . it's what the RAF Station Commanders used to drive. MOD discount for Vauxhall products; most of the 'normal' vehicles were horrid Astra Diesel estates. . . . press the accelerator wait 5 seconds and off you go :-). . . . . . :-)

Rob. . . . a bit of Military Mk2 Cavalier action. . . . . https://www.flickr.com/photos/johndedman/25711995820/in/dateposted/

Don't worry about the point work - code 75 electrofrog with standard peco point motors and switch will work just fine. Fox cantrail works fine cut in smaller sections (small overlap) with plenty of micro-seal. good stuff

I wouldn't dismiss it that readily Rob. Code 75 points with Exactoscale BH and FB works fine for me. Flexi-track is flexi-track. For sidings the BH is a must for that worn-out look. http://www.finescale.org.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=911_346_375_383 Rgds M

I sense a increase the general frustration against and a malaise amongst the modellers about the manufacturers. The fine detail models are great but at what cost for ££££££ and longevity. Can't get my Hornby 56 / 60's to run well on Lenz system and decoders and the rubber O-rings on the sprung buffers have all perished and the buffers are now glued. Bachy sprung buffers may be crude but have longevity. That said having ordered some spare wheelsets from Barwell for Locos that, despite countless attempts to reset the back-to-back wobble like crazy, they sent 47 instead of 37 wheels and then when the alleged correct ones arrived they were a significantly smaller diameter (14.2 not 15mm !!) Well at least I could use them for centre-axles and ameliorate the pivoting effect of said centre axle being too low. But at least I got the spares; there are so many parts on models these days that when things get broken often the only option is to buy another loco to used as a source of spares - now that's just bananas. Now not for one minute am I saying we go back to the basics of Lima but for value for money something better detailed but without so many bits that can and do fall off (and that doesn't include when in transit via mail order) would suit me just fine. Then I don't mind the few quid I spend on laser glaze etc. Personally, I've been let down by too many Red box products so no longer buy and wistfully hope that other manufacturers eventually pick up some of the classes I want. Or maybe I've just had 10 lemons :-(

Phil can you remember where you go the fertiliser bags from - look great loaded on those Bachmann OBAs Thanks.

Looks good Rob. . . . . .needs dirt, dirt and more dirt and a visiting Gazelle helicopter :-)

The scenic SMP track, have you cut some of the sleepers to allow the track to flex? It looks like it needs a track-setter or something to give it some flow. Sorry it just looks like a set of short straights poorly laid end to end. Time spent now before ballasting will produce more satisfying results. I use a long 1metre metal ruler as a guide for straight sections. Best wishes M

It's a sad place to visit - after so many years of being a Modelling Mecca for railway items it looks like they are not even going to stock plasticard etc all those items that you would normal 'pop into' your local shop for. Just paints and Heljan stock / spares/ but s**t loads on RC Tanks, Boats and Quad copters (The scourge of modern day aviation!). Looks like mail order from now on or stocking up at shows :-(

47348 : https://www.flickr.com/photos/yorkshires-finest/5643936619/ Or go full on with 47145. . . . https://www.flickr.com/photos/yorkshires-finest/5393398965/ Make a great Christmas Present :-)

Just about to cut my teeth on some Parside VEA's having just done 3 HTVs to run on someone's plank in a couple of weeks. Do you need a few? Happy to batch build. M Regretting not paying attention to the Military Railways at Gutersloh and Bruggen when I was there :-(

Sorry Budgie no offence - put that's probably the most pointless post I've seen. . . . Best wishes. M

Great work Lee - always great to see your techniques. However perhaps a bit of mindfulness by some posters; 16 unnecessary pictures reposted in posts 1770 & 1772 just for simple likes and questions. No effort to edit the reply before submitting. thanks all ;-)

Martin with my 47's I replaced just one powered wheel set per bogie - thus a replacement pack of 47 wheels allowed me to do do three loco's (I changed the centre set to a powered set by easing off the small cog of an old powered set). Has significantly improved the running and reliability and significantly less cost.

Jesus I wouldn't buy anything based upon the quality of those Kernow photo's !!!

Hi Scott . . . .great work, really captured well the look of a railway works. You maybe aware of this site, but I'll link it anyway. A pictorial diary of the routine activities at Eastleigh Arlington Works. Regards Melly www.carlwatson.com/trains.html

Hi BigAndy yeah I noticed it to - mainly a BG within a Mk2 rake. There is some more on this thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/7502-Bachmann-mk2-coaches/. I even noticed differing ride heights within Mk2s see this picture for the differing height of the bogie mounting!! Unfortunately this issue not on my to do list in the immediate future but uniformity looking down a rake of combined Mk1s and 2s is something I aspire to. Regards Melly

Hi Lee - I have to be honest and when I saw the Blue doors on the 20's, like Dave, I thought it just didn't look right. I had a go at this on one of my 20's ages ago and opted for railmatch faded BR Blue. I tried various methods but eventually settled on dry-brushing the faded blue on in vertical strokes. It was left to go almost dry before I addedd MIG weathering powders to further highlight the faded / distressed nature of the paint but also to add some dirt. Can't find the picture on my HD but linked here the one that was on my WB thread. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?app=core&module=attach&section=attach&attach_rel_module=post&attach_id=25848 Cheers Melly

Excellent work as ever Lee . . . . ..BUT . . . . . .your gonna have to explain this one !!! http://www.flickr.com/photos/br_blue/8594028726/

Thanks for sharing your experiences Lee - much appreciated.