Taigatrommel

Yes, but you don't need a MAC any longer to do so. Your new ISP takes care of it.

Those haven't been needed since 2015, and Orange give clear instructions for users on switching email provider.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zds9HZ719gU I don't know how much to say about this. TT scale, about 4'x2'6 overall, a single line through the scenic section. It's inspired by a halt on the Prenzlauer Kreisbahn in Brandenburg. A real backwater of the German rail system, it closed in the mid 1990s. Have a look at http://www.rbd-erfurt.de/Kilometrierung/Tabelle12/PrenzlauLoecknitz/PrenzlauLoecknitz.htm and see the first image for the photo which kicked off this mini project. Cars have their locomotion provided by a loop of magnorail.

Like the hobby in Britain, I think each model must be taken on its individual merits. Some time ago I was very excited about Brawa's release of Halberstadt coaches in H0, and when they arrived, yes, they were finely detailed and well finished, but there was a very visible dimensional error on the solebar. Without wishing to be hyperbolic, it ruined their appearance in traffic red to the point that I sold the ones I had bought. Another example would be the DR 119 diesel, now available from Gützold, Brawa and Piko. The Brawa one was my choice up until the Piko model appeared, even though the Piko one was nominally a mid-range model I found it had the visual edge. Gützold won hands down for running qualities though! Piko's classic range wagons, which offer much for your era, are absolutely superb, but have price tags to match. For modern coaching stock you'll find many smaller brands offering superb products at comparable prices to Roco. Hobbytrade's double deck stock for instance, and just about anything from ACME or LS Models. Watch British secondhand markets for bargains, I missed out on a LS Models SNCB 13 a couple of days ago, which sold for just £62. This would fetch around €200 on the continent. I'm sorry this doesn't help a great deal, I'd simply say that when you want a given type, search for which makes offer it and pore over photos to make your mind up as to which choice you'd make.

Wow, there's an old thread to resurrect! My experiments have continued slowly, and lately have turned to Rocrail, which once set up seems to work- at least as far as having made trains work with simulated detection goes. I'm trying to get a PIC programmer to work for use with actual train detection, but the one I bought doesn't want to play so far. There's also relatively easy integration with RFID in Rocrail.

In spite of much searching, I'm at a loss as to what Paul describes as MTC Compatible or non compatible actually means, unless it's a reference to logic level outputs on decoders. Either way, I've been curious enough to look at non-sound 21 pin decoders to see which have enough functions with enough oomph for lights. Already mentioned has been a TCS decoder. Lenz Silver 21 - five functions, 1 amp motor drive Scrap that, wrong info on the shop I was browsing. The manual says four functions. Kuehn T65-21 - six functions, 1.1 amp motor drive Uhlenbrock 75330 - six functions, 1 amp motor drive Zimo MX634D - six functions, 1.2 amp motor drive I've only tried one Kuehn decoder so far, and I'm entirely happy with it, and of course Lenz and Zimo can be recommended without hesitation. I'd go for the Zimo, but if cost was a factor the Kuehn is cheaper. So is the Uhlenbrock, but I have no experience of their decoders to know whether to recommend it or not.

The castings certainly exist in Southern Pride's range, as they offer complete kits for mk2Cs with them. My email enquiring about whether they're available separately has gone unanswered. I'll put a note in my next order from them asking too. I don't actually enjoy CAD work that much, but my modelling desires drive intermittent progress!

Further to cantrail observations, I found a picture which appears to show white gutter along the bodyside with red or orange around the ends. It's not the trickiest thing to repaint, but I'll wait until I have a definitive answer before doing so. I'm having a bit of trouble getting transfers to adhere to the doors, I normally get away without gloss varnishing before transfer application by using micro-set and -sol. Not this time. Can anyone recommend an enamel gloss varnish? I'd use Klear, but I'm worried about how it would respond to my weathering methods, which use enamel paints.

I thought I'd resurrect this thread rather than start a new one, as I'm interested in the Weymouth TPO as well, albeit in the 1980s. I've found a couple of pictures of the train, and would like help identifying the TPO types in the formation. 33031 Southampton by British Rail 1980s and 1990s, on Flickr https://flic.kr/p/poo8Wx I'm taking a guess that the TPO vehicles dia. 727 stowage van and some sort of sorting coach, but I can't tell which from the side visible. Any suggestions will be most welcome! Thanks

Hi Joseph, Cantrails haven't always been orange on IC executive livery, when initially introduced they were just the colour of whatever the upper stripe was, ie white on second, red on catering and yellow on FC. Owing to copyright I can't share my source image, but I might even hazard a guess that orange was applied over white and weathered back towards the colour beneath.

The Mk2C BFK has been through the spray shops. I'm not sure about the cantrail colour, in my source image I can't tell whether it's dirty white or faded orange! There are tweaks to make and the bump stops need painting, plus of course transfers and interior work.

The REP edges closer to completion... the non-driving cars have all the undergubbins except steps. These bits were sourced from whatever looked closest in my parts drawer (mostly Southern Pride) and scrapbox (Mainline, Bachmann and Lima), plus a little bit of plasticard abuse.

You can get sprung end plates for coaches from Keen Systems, it wouldn't be a leap in the dark to add some body to them for gangways which remain in contact. Plus, Colin Parkes, the EMU maestro, has made sprung gangways on his 4-CIG. I've ordered some 1mm diameter springs to have a go at sprung buffing plates, but their position relative to the chassis floor adds complications.

With REPs and TCs, it won't surprise anyone to know I have a 33/1. I've made a simple modification to get the buffing plate and buffers sitting correctly relative to each other for use with buckeye fitted stock. The buffing plate had to come off, holes drilled in the bufferbeam and brass rod used to extend the buffing plate's reach. The buffers were pulled out, springs removed and then put back in and glued in the retracted position. Easy as that. I'm toying with the idea of sprung buffing plates, but this will do for now.

I've pulled my finger out and started CAD work on undergear components. First, the item that Mk2B/Cs have that Mk2As don't, and thus can't be robbed from a Bachmann model!

I've painted the REP but haven't got any lining transfers at present. Rats. Well, here's a DMS, warts and all after glazing. I've managed to knock it about a bit while matching up the glazing for some of the windows that I couldn't use SE Finescast for, these have been made from acrylic (an old CD case) cut to near size and then filed to fit. I managed to make most a good tight fit, with any gaps filled with Micro Kristal Klear. There's a fair bit of touching up to do, as well as wiping down the excess Klear with a cotton bud dipped in thinners. I've also got a Mk2C BFK conversion (ex Bachmann Mk2A) ready for painting in IC executive. GM vents from Southern Pride, as is the air-con roof hatch. Everything else is just plasticard and cutting and filing of the original.

73 nearing completion... The other side isn't so good. On anything else, I'd use transfers for the stripes, but I didn't feel it was an option with the 73 because of the grilles. Maybe I'll have to reconsider, as there's only one grille on the side I messed up I could use transfer for the bulk and then just touch up the grille. The REP is also currently in the process of being painted, but I've run out of mixing jars so I'll have to get some later.

Shoebox progress...

A spot of refinishing... A Kernow NSE 205 has had its numbers, cantrail stripes, triangles and OH flashes removed with a cocktail sticks dipped in white spirit. This has left far less of a mark than other methods I have tried, such as a cotton bud with thinners or a curved blade. I'll be sticking with this method of print removal in future! The unit will become 205 009. Though 009 was a Selhurst unit in my era, I have found pictures of it running on SW division metals on various occasions. The only Eastleigh 205 which carried NSE in my era was 029, which has smaller headcode boxes. I'll be making it into a 3H with a Replica mk1 suburban body on a Bachmann CIG trailer chassis. I've got to paint over the now-removed headlight, and change the solitary 2nd class compartment at the cab end of the DTC into a 1st class one, which means cutting a portion of seat and wall away then adding the corridor side to the middle compartment, and externally extending the yellow stripe. This picture on flickr shows the external differences. I'll probably ignore the unpainted cab window surround for my own convenience!

Not much later... That'll do.

More Southern items are getting molested... I bought a Dapol 73 which was on offer a while back. Though the detail is first class, it didn't take me long to decide that I wanted to repaint it. Having stripped the factory paint off (using slightly diluted IPA), I decided I might have a bash at removing the roof dimples, as they weren't so prevalent in my era. After Humbrol filler and a rub down with wet and dry, the remaining filler clearly shows where the dimples were. I'll prime it later and see how it looks.

The (D)MS isn't so interesting, really it's just the roof and undergear that have been altered. Here you go though:

Here's the completed DTC. I say complete, it needs passengers and EM wheels. The toilet window glazing is made from a CD jewel case, cut close to size and then filed to fit, attached with Micro Kristal Klear.

I was going back through the thread and saw I'd posted this before. This time the additions are clearer though! I'm hoping to have half the 4-CAP pretty finished tomorrow, ie a 2-HAP. Only the power car interior remains to be made as far as I can think right now, so I might as well assemble it and make up the seats when I feel like doing something tedious. The rooves need me to get the airbrush out, then I can get the glazing in.