26power

Peco?!

Having not heard of these I searched online and found: https://westhillwagonworks.co.uk/hunt-couplings-new-c-2/ Not sure how I have not been aware of these before, or the range of 3D printed parts they supply! Maybe I missed reference to them in the small suppliers sub topic?

I remembered that Nbrasslocos do a fine chain. See: https://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/fitall.html £2.80 for 300mm. At 48 links per inch seems too fine for chaining down loads, given information in earlier posts, but might have some other uses? I also see that they do load securing chains in both 2mm and 4mm scales. For latter see: https://www.nbrasslocos.co.uk/oovaried.html#other. £2.80 for two sets. No connection but I probably have both in the “that might be useful” collection.

You are taking this into a far wider area than my query and the response. My point was simply with regard to this new use of gearing between all driven axles which, presumably, makes conversion (to EM or P4, I never mentioned just one) more complicated. Modern models of steam locos driven on one axle seem to run fine, so why this recent change? I would have thought driving all axles with gears was something that added to cost and time of development! Finally, where do you get your idea that “many” that want to use a more accurate gauge are opposed to plastic centred wheels? Indeed what wheels do they use if not plastic centred ones?!

I think I read that Peco will still sell individual Parkside kit sprues, although I also seem to recall that it was at a more expensive price than from Parkside.

Ah, right. It is the use of connecting gears to all axles that is possibly an issue. Just a general query, I have no specific interest in this model, but I would like to see models being easily convertible to more accurate gauges.

What does that mean then, for those who haven’t followed other Rapido releases?

Viewing the new 3P listings on iPad, something seems to have gone a bit wrong with the details of which items are in set LDB01B? i.e. the “curly vent pipes (left and right handed)” looks to be part of LDB01C (opening bracket also missing!) Would it maybe also be possible to make the pictures clickable to enlarge them so your handy work can be seen better? Or to have separate, close up pictures? Thinking about it, clickable images, to enable them to be seen at a larger size, might also be worth considering for other items? Would then let folk see the details incorporated more easily! I must look out my Nu-cast 3P and see what parts come with that and whether they are suitable for one of the Dumfries based ones. Hope some of this helps or is worth consideration.

No problem, thought it worthwhile mentioning, just in case you were not aware of them!

I think Judith Edge kits supply/used to supply etched parts for these? Not specifically listed on their website but mentioned as an option for their kit for a Clayton. https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/catalogue/judithedge.html Maybe it was something just available at exhibitions? There is a thread for them on here, if it is of interest and you were perhaps not aware of that option.

Nice idea to have a brake van tour! With regard to image size restrictions, Faststone Photo Resizer is free and I find it easy to use. Might be worth considering? No connection, just a satisfied user. Link: https://www.faststone.org/FSResizerDetail.htm

There is a chassis kit listed in the price list as well, but think it might be an older style? Particularly given that there are chassis kits which are listed separately and which, I think, are etched. I’m aware of Wills as a manufacturer but the website isn’t exactly promoting their products! And don’t think I’ve previously heard of/been aware of Scalelink loco wheels, or am I just not paying enough attention?!

Good article and ambitious project. Another vote for a thread on it!

The parts you are making look the business to me, but difficult to grasp the scale. Could you maybe include something to help viewers? Perhaps a coin - maybe a 20p piece as it is fairly distinctive. Of course, that might be too small, or too big! Regarding the wall, the first thing that caught my eye was the fairly continuous “horizontal” course, just above the bench. There are no doubt walls like this somewhere, but it doesn’t seem very “coursed” and therefore not much like a building wall, to me. As you suggest it does look rather “crazy paving”/patio.

In a recent email of 31/10/20 entitled "Good news - NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY Class A (N15) 0-6-2T" there is the following brief information: "The 4mm Scale ex North British Kit for the Class A (LNER & BR) N15 0-6-2T has been sent for etching & moulding and should be ready in early February." The web page for this range is here: https://modelmaster.uk/876-catalogues-price-lists-modelmaster-locomotive-kits Unfortunately, still no illustrations or images of the proposed models, or even of the planned manufacturer's other work to give an idea what to expect. Extract from website information: "... manufactured by one of Britain's leading specialist Resin Casters ...". I would love to see these do well and would be particularly interested in the Y9 but cannot help but feel that the lack of information isn't encouraging hands to go in to pockets! In passing, the Caley 812 I had mentioned in my last post was here: https://www.shapeways.com/shops/sparkshotcustomcreationsscc?section=4mm+Caledonian+Railways&s=0 Thread on here here:

Just checked that I had the supplement. Still available new, at a reduced price it seems. (My copy has a £9.95 price label on the rear but I do not recall if I got it new or secondhand): https://hmrs.org.uk/publications/books/books-in-print/british-railways-mark-1-coaches-supplement.html

Looks far enough on for a thread!

I think this is the same location on the National Library of Scotland (NLS) online mapping?: https://maps.nls.uk/geo/explore/#zoom=17.2221857006185&lat=51.40143&lon=-0.17656&layers=170&b=1 Note the “change transparency” slider that allows you to see the mapping overplayed on another layer, by default current/recent aerial photography. You can also select various ages and scales of mapping. Don’t blame me if you end up spending hours looking at this site!

Am I right in recalling a write up of the Hobby Holidays chassis jig in MRJ? If so is anybody easily able to advise what issue it is was in, before I start ploughing through back numbers?

As said, a slippery slope although quite a few of the Parkside range are also now available RTR. I don’t recall seeing pictures of fish trains or vans at Stranraer and I don’t think it has a history of being a fishing port, although I have’t researched it. However, it is your layout! I wonder if Portpatrick might have been more for fishing, I think it still has a bit today? If you are imagining the line from there to Stranraer still being open for your layout then perhaps an option would be to have a fish van or two from there being brought down to your harbour station to be added to a passenger train, rather than having a specific fish train? These presumably only really ran from major fishing ports. Regardless of above ramblings, another Parkside one to maybe consider for such a train is the LMS 6T fish van: https://peco-uk.com/products/lms-6ton-fish-wagon?_pos=79&_sid=1fd6e7c0f&_ss=r Although this is for a slightly earlier era in fish movement I think - before white painted vans. Or there is the Five79 range ( was Chivers Finelines). There is a topic on this forum for it. The LMS 6 wheel fish van, when it is available again might be of interest, see: https://five79.co.uk/4mm-Standard-Gauge-Kits/. More generally, there is the Cambrian range, see: https://www.cambrianmodelrail.co.uk. Plenty to choose from and some of the more recent ones have one piece underframes or bogies which should make getting a running vehicle easier. Another specifically relevant one for your trains and layout might be the LMS cattle van from Parkside: https://peco-uk.com/products/lms-cattle-wagon?_pos=55&_sid=1fd6e7c0f&_ss=r. Ben Alder on here had posts about building them and altering them to represent different builds. Hope this helps! Happy kit building.

Good spot, but shouldn’t it be a bus on the bridge?!

I don't think this has been mentioned so far? (A wee bit much "off topic" stuff for my liking at present!) TMC exclusive Bachmann Plate and Double Bolster wagons (OO). Some of the non weathered ones are £19.96 instead of £24.95. Best I can do seems to be this page: https://www.themodelcentre.com/searchanise/result?q=plate+wagon&page=1&rb_finish=Pristine&rb_scale=OO+Gauge+(1%3A76+Scale)&tab=products&sort_by=price&sort_order=asc Or list with their weathered ones: https://www.themodelcentre.com/searchanise/result?q=plate+wagon&page=1&rb_scale=OO+Gauge+(1%3A76+Scale)&tab=products&sort_by=price&sort_order=asc Also one of the twin packs of the Double Bolsters weathered at the same price as the unweathered ones: https://www.themodelcentre.com/38-826z-Bachmann-oo-gauge-double-bolster-wagons-twin-pack-freight-grey-livery-m726282-e286444-weathered-by-tmc Care though needed as some of the listings and titles seem jumbled? I was given a few for my birthday earlier this year. They are good, if expensive.

Not counting your own vote then?! Might it be worth you experimenting on some pieces of, say, thick plywood acting as a couple of pseudo baseboards and see how you get on? I.e. two bits of ply that meet neatly and something to keep them in alignment between repeated separations?

I would suggest the brass screws approach for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the screws can be right at the edge of the board and therefore support the rail at the most vulnerable location. Secondly, you can adjust the height of the screws before soldering the rails across them and then cutting them. Thirdly, if you use cosmetic sleepers around the join the screws can be fairly invisible. The use of copperclad sleepers would seem to mean that support right at the baseboard edge cannot be achieved because of the sleeper spacing, even if the tracks are square to the baseboard join. And possibly be even further away from the join if the tracks cross it at an angle. Views perhaps coloured by the brass screw approach on the few layouts I’ve been involved in! Hope this helps though.

Wonder if this range is of any use? They seem to do Rail blue and grey, as well as other basic, “steam age” railway colours: https://mm1models.co.uk/index.php?route=product/category&path=123 I have no experience of them nor do I readily recall reading about their use. Says they are toluene, but not if that is suitable for use on plastic, or not. Also says they are on sale at £7.95 each, but not how much they were before being on sale!