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I agree with you Rob, I do not mind doing some scratch work with some scrap etch but theres not a lot you can do with over size w/metal castings. Martyn.

Yep thats the one, I try and get there every year and it is more like an exhibition this year as there are a few layouts on show. The show is actually run by the ALSRM : - Association of Larger Scale Railway Modellersbut it seems to be mainly based around the 7mm chaps which is fine by me,. . ATB Martyn.

Or if you do not mind traveling, there's one of the better trade shows at Reading on May 11th. Martyn. P.S. You could make a day of it and pop down to Didcot for some real steam or there's always the famous Pendon layout a couple of miles away.

Hi Phil, The photo of the loco leaving the colliery does it for me, the top of the rails look rusty ? Is that another photoshop touch up or just a trick of the light. ATB, Martyn.

Always found what I use fairly easy to use, http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/50279-o-gauge-auto-couplings/&do=findComment&comment=579380. Martyn.

Yeah come on Chris, these old water carts are one of my favourites. Here's a piccy of my 42xx for starters. ATB, Martyn. Sorry for the hijack Chaz, especially being a GWR theme.

Hi Bob, Thank you for your advice you have put my mind at rest, because anything electrical is my weak point I'm afraid. I model in 7mm and although I am lucky to have a room of 19' x 16' at my disposal, I find myself still at the planning stage. A good friend of mine who is a wizz at Templot has been helping me design my proposed layout, and Templot has been a godsend as otherwise there would of been a lot of false starts so far. Hopefully by Autumn I will be in a better position to go ahead with the DCC, so thanks for the offer of help as I will certainly need it !! ATB, Martyn.

Morning Bob, I'm afraid I cannot help you on how to sync the devices but I am interested in the whole Touch cab application, I have yet to buy my DCC system but so far I am looking to go with Lenz. The only thing that was putting me off Lenz was their hand controllers, but now with the choice of Touch cab I think it's a done deal. ATB, Martyn.

Evening Ken, When you say you had to trim the length of the boiler, how did you go about it bearing in mind that you only took 1.5mm off. ATB, Martyn.

Hi Tony, The bogie bolster has turned out well, and it has reminded me to try and source some nickel sprung buffers for the one's I have built. I have a couple of bogie bolster C's and the larger bogie bolster A from Jim, and apart from the white metal buffers his kits are great. It looks like you have also replaced the split pins for hand rail knobs on the tie rings fitted to the solebars, and from what I remember my bending bars had a good workout, especially on the bolster A. I could do with a couple more really as I hope to form part of a p/way train I have planned . ATB, Martyn.

Ahhh is that why we don't see so much of you on here anymore . Martyn.

Hi Guys, Being that I model in 7mm and to some extent blinkered to the outside world, I happened to stumble across your topic here. And I would just like to say how grateful I am to you all for a most enjoyable afternoon reading all 18 pages of your topic, and which has saved me from a boring trip round the local garden centre by SWMBO on such a dull grey afternoon. Keep up the good work and thanks for the ray of sunshine. Martyn.

Hi Rob, Your have made a good job of the wagon, so your not going to carry on and build a fleet of them . To be honest I think I will put mine up for sale as well, I have never sold any of my stock up to now so can you tell me where is the best place to sell them ? And is it best to sell them in brass, primer or fully painted ? ATB, Martyn.

Hi Chaz, It might have not been a quick job but it certainly looks the business, and it's these small additions that are making your layout come to life. Regards, Martyn.

Looking forward to seeing this come together, nothing better than the industrial atmosphere of a steam shed. All dirt and grime but still running like a Swiss watch. Martyn.

Hi Rob, Not wanting to be the bearer of bad news but the end is not yet in sight wait till you offer up the door closers for fitting . I think all white metal parts should be melted down into something more useful like fishing weights . Martyn.

Hi Justin, Just to say I find this topic very interesting especially the amount of info you have manage to unearth, I tried as you know to find some info about the dia 042 and still managed to get that wrong !! Being that I'm one of the 7mm brigade you may or may not of come across a thread that gets aired from time on the 7mm part of the forum, see here : - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/49795-slaters-6-wheeled-milk-tank-wagons/ there are quite a lot of us that share an interest in milk tankers like yourself, so maybe once you have sorted out the etches for yourself it might be feasible to have them scaled up . With Steve's interest in certain diagrams, would the 7mm Slaters milk tanks be a good starting point, as the chassis/running gear is fairly " standard " and covers quite a few diagrams " I think " ? ATB, Martyn.

I do not know if it's of any help but there is a " open " prison about 10 miles from where I live and I have noticed that the fence posts slope inwards towards the interior of the prison, obviously to help keep the lodgers in, although they seem to come and go as they please anyway . Martyn.

Hi Rob, I also had to replace the brake safety loops, tie bars, and brake cross rod. The one other thing I did replace was the solid cast buffers which is a pet hate of mine, and put on some spare sprung Peco ones I had laying around. I also had the same problem with the cast brake linkage and the fact the shoes are to far away from the wheels, what I did was to cut the brake rods where they join together and then use low melt solder to fix them closer to the wheels using a piece of card between the shoes and wheels to keep a uniform gap, a bit fiddly but can be done. I think this problem is caused mainly because there are no markings to accurately set the W iron/axle boxes apart, except for some vague rivet detail on the solebars. Hope this is of some help. ATB, Martyn.

Hi Brian, Yes the vac/steam pipes are fitted on a pivot permanently fitted to one coach, and the other side has a flat plate with a cut out which slots in to a locating pin on the other coach. Hope that makes sense, it's a bit like a fifth wheel coupling on a lorry but floating not locked. ATB, Martyn.

Evening Justin, Thanks for all the info it is much appreciated, and I must admit I do like to get things right. So the lots you have listed below were all Express Dairies ? Lot 1561 built 9/35 2561-2563 Lot 1607 built 8/37 2593-2594 Lot 1613 built 8/37 2595-2598 Sorry for all the questions, it's nice to talk too someone who knows what they are talking about. ATB, Martyn.