Taigatrommel

Sea Moss is good looking stuff, if a little fragile. I've also been very happy with The Model Tree Shop's products, which give a good appearance for a decent price.

I would regard Märklin as akin to Apple products. A higher price for better perceived quality, though often actually similar build quality to their competitors. Where they do win out is in usability, again, rather like Apple. They're reliable, simple to use with an ecosystem of own brand products and certain third party compatbile items, perhaps not as flexible as other products but generally easier to achieve impressive things (eg automation) with. The Märklin digital system is actually very capable, I think more so than DCC. There are more basic offerings in the range at reasonable prices. There's a choice of track available, I would say the C-Track in both its stud contact and Trix two rail form is the best train set track out there. Although convention is for studs lifting the pickup skate over the switch rails on points, with fairly simple wiring the switch rail on Peco track can be made to switch to common with the centre studs when appropriate and eliminate this one uglier element of the tracks. However, you won't want to use code 75 owinng to deeper flanges- I assume this standard has been kept to ensure good road holding on train sets. I have seen impressive models made using Märklin's system, for the average modeller I think the achievable realism is generally as good as two rail.

I guess I'd better take up P4. The only time I run my trains is at exhibitions, going finescale could save me that effort.

I remember the Model Rail review laying into it saying it was badly put together, so that's pretty funny to me.

It's been a long time since their release, but my memory is that Southern Pride's mk2s are somewhat misproportioned, worse than Hornby mk2Es anyway. That said, I can't fault the value of their kits when compared to current RTR!

Jon, Working on a Mk2D BFK, I realised that mk2F BSOs (and thus, DBSOs) have shallower door droplights than Mk2Ds - ie their height matches the main saloon windows. Somehow I doubt you've failed to notice this, seeing your attention to detail on the chassis, but I thought I'd mention it anyway! Nice work, I'm enjoying this thread so far.

As far as I can see, it's one box, what I think is a heat exchanger. It sits roughly at the point indicated on this Bachmann mk2.

I think Trix C Track is very good, with a robust clip together mechanism and no fishplates to lose. http://www.gaugemaster.com/search_results.asp?searchstring=c-tracks%20brand~~563~~brand%20%20scale~~%ACho%AC~~scale%20category~~1262~~category&currentpage=1

Well, I have made some progress on undergear. The first piece I tackled is one that can't be copied off a Bachmann mk2a, what I think is the heat exchanger. Now, these 3d models are full of compromises to fit Shapeways printing guidlines and to be simple to take a mould off. Don't look too closely... I'm not sure what this is, but I realised that the simplest way of tackling it was to make the box then fabricate the surrounding framework from rod/section. Now I have to work out how to get them connected on a sprue for economy when Shapeways print them. Both could be printed as is, but it'd be £7 a piece! I'm not sure it's worth tackling the other bits as they're fairly straightforward to build out of styrene. Like I say, I do find CAD work tedious!

I just use old CD cases! Filed to shape for the doors, placed behind the etch on the other windows.

A salve for grouchiness... user settings.

Low prices tempted me to make another BFK, this time a Mk2D. As many folks have done with the ex-Airfix Mk2D, it's a cut and shut. I cut out a bodyside portion from the donor FO to keep a clean roof. I used the chassis from the FO as cleaning up footsteps from the undergear of the BSO chassis looked challenging. This means that I had to replace the two air conditioning fans of the FO chassis with the single one from the BSO. There was another box of some sort that got changed too.

I've still got a few etched sides left if you want some!

Some touchup required and the window frames suffered some damage during its time lying dormant in my projects box, but I'm feeling happy so far. I must work out numbers for my cross country coaches and make an order from Railtec! The other big task is to grit my teeth and put up with the tedium of drawing up undergear for 3d printing. I enjoy CAD work somewhat less than applying white lines even... Donor coach is a Hornby mk2E. The sides are my own design etches. GM roof vents are Southern Pride.

Although the 2nd class air conitioned mark 2s in ScotRail's push-pull pool were mark 2Ds, there was one outlier... mk2E 5813. It would seem that this wasn't actually in the push-pull pool, but actually was used on cross country workings and as such by 1988 had its blue stripe repainted red, and was presumably rebranded. Anyway, getting to my question, Lima released one of their mk 2Fs as 5813, and it had small SC next to the number... like this: SC 5813 I'd simply like to know if this is correct, as I'm modelling this coach from the basis of Hornby's mk2E (other mk2 air cons are available, debate their merits in other threads please!) and the photos I have of the prototype aren't good enough to make out such detail! Cheers!

I have been astounded by the level of attention my little layout got at the show. I'm feeling quite proud to be honest. Naturally the road vehicles rolling along drew the most comments, but the automation got a fair level of interest too. I'd built Grünow to try out both the magnorail and automation rather than specifically with exhibition in mind, and I will certainly be incorporating the lessons learned into future exhibition projects. I had a couple of failures through the weekend (a point motor stopping working and a period when after trying to change locos on the fly the automation getting thoroughly confused), but overall I'm happy with the reliability. The continual movement of the road vehicles even when trains stopped for a couple of minutes saved face considerably!

Crikey, that makes my TT micro look big, and has more operational interest!

Grünow's in the car ready to go in the morning. Hopefully I'll have a new vehicle running, the faeces lorry. I like having romanticism in my hobbies.

I'll be there flying a very small flag for continental outline modelling.

Breaking wind makes them deeply unpopular with their colleagues.

Bad news from Modellbahnshop Sebnitz... Roco are dropping TT (Auto translated) "As the company Modellisenbahn München GmbH announced on Friday, Friday, 05.10.2018, this will no longer offer TT models under the brand Roco. All announced projects (for example 3-axle Rekowagen) will not be delivered! The TT assortment disappears except for the turntable (article number: 47-35900 & 47-35901) from the assortment of the Roco brand. Not only for us, this message was very surprising and has caused astonishment. Likewise, there has been no official written notice for the retailer by the supplier so far. Only a short verbal communication due to our demand during the three days of the fair in Leipzig." I know continental TT is a niche interest here in the UK and Roco are far from the biggest player in that market, but it does sadden me. Some of their models (significantly the BR132/232) are not duplicated by other brands. In the past, certain products made by Roco were sold branded as Tillig, so I have my fingers cautiously crossed. Modellisenbahn München are quite ruthlessly streamling, eg Fleischmann only producing N now. Unfortunately it's a reflection of their financial situation and a competetive market - German models now generally seem better value than in the past.

The locos are Swedish T44s (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SJ_T44). I'm afraid I don't know the location.

https://www.menzels-lokschuppen.de/Modellbahnen/Personenwagen/ACME-52740-PKP-Speisewagen-Ep-6.html From what I can tell this is the type.

I hope Kelly doesn't mind me asking a supplementary question about these locos: What is the wheel diameter and wheelbase of the 44/48DL? I have a Wrightlines 7mm scale kit (very nice it is too) I've partly built and I'm trying to work out my options for motorising it in 14mm gauge.

https://www.roco.cc/en/product/22679-0-0-0-0-0-0-005002003-0/products.html Could that be any good? It certainly looks longer than a Peco long radisu point to me.