SRman

Thanks.

It was most likely Liverpool Street but i would have to check the book when I get the chance - I don't have it to hand right now.

That does look better with the cut down axle width on the Bedford. Lovely pics, as usual, Pete. There are a few minor tweaks you can do to the Leyland National too. I usually widen the axles (use the front axle for the rear - it may need a little trimming - and a new front axle from brass rod) and paint the inside rims of the wheelarches black or dirty grey (I use Humbrol 66 or 67). This gets the typical National appearance of the wheels filling the wheel arches with no overhang for the rear whels and aonly a small one for the front wheels. The other easy tweaks involve the windscreen. This can be released from the model with a slim knife or small, fine screwdriver to release the lower clips. Paint the edges of the screen black (this hides the prismatic effect), the centre pillar silver and the wipers either silver or black - I cheat and use a silver gel pen. Finally, paint the insides of the windscreen aperture black as this disguises the thickness of the body coloured side pillars and inward projection of the door mouldings. While you have the black or greys out, do the door centre rubbers too. I know you have heaps of other modelling projects to do and I also know you have the exceptional skills with a paint brush to easily cope with these tweaks. You'll be surprised at just how much these little things add up to improving the National's appearance. (Sorry for hijacking the thread - again - just see my tag line!) These two show what I mean although I grafted mark 2 fronts on to them and filled the gaps around the interchangeable panels on the EFE models. I also used the silver gel pen on the window vents. See you on Saturday.

Using Word, select the block of text, then in the font size box (in the toolbar) you need to click in it and actually type the size you want (e.g. 4) then press enter.

Cor. look at that third pic of yours, Peter. The mixed scales for the engines and that totally unrealistic upward deflection of the container wagon (probably uses cheap plastics!)!! I spoke to Doug today (after a running session on his layout yesterday) and he thinks he won't be able to go on May 1st but it looks like I will be able to so will organise to pick up Neil as well.

Interesting you should mention that about the signals, Rick, as it has always worried me too. Drivers may get inured to passing red aspects, with consequences too horrible to imagine. I had the VR signalling explained to me by a fellow BRMA member who is also a train traffic controller and invited me to visit the Metrol centre one evening after work. The controls themselves looked very similar to some Sim Sig train control games I have!! Great shots, Peter. Lovely and clear. Â

God! Is it that soon? Still hoping to get there for Saturday.

I recognise Corinda - that brings back memories of regularly commuting in the 1970s and '80s, both before and after electrification. Nice photos.

Hi Peter. I print up my own number plates on the computer using Word and text boxes. Set the font to about 3 or 4 points. For reflective plates, print in black on white and bright yellow paper. For older plates, set the font to white and the text box background to black. Poor old Doug. I'm sure he didn't know what he was letting himself in for when he volunteered to do the carpentry for me - woodwork being my weakest area! He may yet chuck it all back at me and say "Redesign it". I'll be juggling gradients a bit but I have worked out that the steepest will be between 1 in 70 and 1 in 80, while the shallower bits will be around 1 in 100 - the same as Brian's Exeter Central running up to St James Halt. I won't be running more than six or seven coach expresses anyway, so most modern locos should cope. Minimum radius will be approximately 20".

Peter, I fully intend infringing Llanbourne's copyright and I'm not even going to tell you!!!!

Funnily enough, I tore up my railway and am starting again! Coincidence or what? Seriously, I have mentally noted a few ideas from Llanbourne to incorporate in my new one.

Four discs all open is a Royal train headcode. Even so, there is a photo in one of Brian Haresnape's Fleet Survey series of a class 15 "immodestly" displaying such a headcode while on station pilot duties.

Nice!

 Locomotive cab rear? Or tender front?  Â

I think that's what "makes" Peter's layout; everything is understated yet there is some incredibly fine and carefully manufactured detail there if you look for it. B)

Notice that those four NSW locos are all to different scales!! Great pics there, David. :icon_thumbsup2:

I put a Lenz decoder in mine but also removed the capacitor from the top of the PCB. Mine has not yet been run-in as I now have no continuous run (layout recently dismantled). I tested briefly on DC first and found it ran sweetly from the word "go". It growls a little at speed but the lenz decoder seemed to actually quieten this a bit. It will get a good running-in turn soon on DougN's layout but in the meantime, I have had to content myself trundling it up and down a short bit of track on one of my branch line boards that is still intact. I did lower the cab slightly so it sits flush with the short hood - a very easy modification. My only gripe with the Lenz decoder is it "forgets" the state of the lights if the power gets interrupted at all. There may be a CV setting on this decoder to fix this problem but I haven't studied the manual ... yet. I'll also see about dimming them a bit while I'm at it.

Now he can't count either!! Jon, Gary, Doug ... and me! Any other takers??

Stirrer!!!

A quick question without notice: were the 12-wheelers on the Bournemouth belle repanelled? I have not found a clear enough picture to tell whether they had matchboarded or smooth sides.

What can I say but "WOW!" If you start mass-producing them I'll take a couple! That looks superb, Dave. :icon_thumbsup2:

Fingers crossed behind back! It wasn't me!!!!! Â B) Â

The 207s also had completely different internal layouts for each coach. EDIT: Sorry: essentially I duplicated gillinghamgus' contribution. I'll go and sit in my corner now! Â

Well, Gary, I have just this minute finished placing an order with Trains on Time for a class 150/1 with Howes' sound fitted. But, if you want something a little different to the usual, perhaps the 86 might be the go. Personally, I love the small to medium Sulzer sounds, and would love a 26 but can't justify one. The 26 would give you something slightly different from the Bachmann 24/25, especially if you bring it over to run on Peter's Llanbourne! Â Â Even so, all of your options would sound good! Pssst! Let's keep "ganging up" on Peter! We've already got the thin end of the wedge in ... Â Â Â :icon_wave: