Steven B

Yes, I believe it is. It's part built (soldered) and unlikely to ever be finished as my 009 itch is being scratched by Bachmann's Thomas range! Steven B

The sentimentality aspect has already lead me to having three charter rakes - all of which I travelled on with my Dad in the 1980s. It also goes some way to explaining why I have a Foster Yeoman class 59 operating around Greater Manchester as one of those trips was to the quarry not long long after they were first introduced. Correct train formations was something I got into during the first Covid lock-down. Unfortunately it lead to more trains. Well, if you have several coaches left over after switching from the train set FK RMB SK SK BSK to something more prototypical you start looking for trains to use them in... Then there's the planed trains based on models that might get released - I already have Mk2b/c and Mk2d/e rakes planed even though they don't yet exist in N! Steven B

I'm not saying that the tasks involved in organising a show isn't hard work, particularly when juggled with family life. What I am saying is that as part of the invitation process, you know which layouts you're inviting to the show. You know what scale/gauge they are. You know roughly what era and location they are. How else do show organisers keep a show balanced? I'd imagine it would be very rare that someone is invited to bring a layout to a show without the organisers knowing nothing about it apart from the size. The information is already there and would be another couple of columns in a spreadsheet. Steven B

Nothing stopping you having folded up and folded down on the same end at the same time: (David Christie on Flickr) Manchester Piccadilly by Paul Townsend, on Flickr Steven B

Thanks for the comments. It's interesting to read other people's perspectives on the problem. I'm fortunate that my reasons for downsizing are purely because there will be less space. 90% of my rolling stock is already in stock trays rather than a manufacturer's boxes (many of these are stored in the loft). There's not much room in the loft, and as mentioned in my original post we don't have space to build a shed. I've already got two boxes of stock on top of my wardrobe and spreading out into other rooms won't go down too well! I need to see what's possible as I start putting furniture into the box room, although I've already identified around 10% of my passenger trains that could be found new homes. Looking at freight trains, do I really two cement trains? One V-Tank, the other Metalair, when what I really want is just a single train of the V-tank PCAs to current standards. Do I need two rakes of BDA? One kit built, the other RTR? Probably not as neither were actually that common along the Calder Valley line! Do I really need a prototypical MoD train of 25 VGA when my class 47s won't haul it alone? Reducing the length of some trains will reduce storage requirements. I suspect I'll sell a good few models with others being put in the loft for longer term storage. Then there's the unfinished projects. Does anyone want a part built Backwoods Miniatures Fowler and some freelance 009 wagons? Steven B

There's an assumption being made throughout this thread that the class 325s are running jam-packed full. Does anyone know if this is the case? Not much point running a 4 car EMU if there's only enough traffic to fill half of it (particularly if that EMU is approaching the point that it's life expired. It'd also be interesting to see how the Royal Mail network evolves as a result. Whilst a train is great at getting post from A to B over a long distance, if it then needs to go onwards to C and D then it might actually be more efficient to send the lorry from A to C, whilst also exchanging mail at E and F en-route. Steven B

Reallocation of rooms at home means that my modelling space (also know as the spare bedroom) will be swapped with the box room currently being enjoyed as a bedroom by my 8 year old. No major grumbles (apart from the redecorating!) but the reduction in space is causing some headaches - namely I've got far more stock than I'm ever likely to need or will have room to store. The question is can I bear to part with some of it? There's no doubt that the relatively high prices we pay for models today compared to 15-20 years ago has curtailed my purchases to my core interests meaning fewer Rule One purchases. Even so, I'm still left with much more than I regularly run so some of it will have to go. The problem is what to sell on. There are trains that don't fit with my main modelling era & location but I really enjoy watching going around a layout. With current batch production some stuff is unlike to be re-run any time soon and there's only so much space in the loft. There's plenty of stuff already there just in case it's needed. Do I keep the stuff destined for my grand-plan layout or simply accept that if it ever gets built that years will have passed, standards will have changed and most of what I have now will be replaced. Answers on a post card... Philosophic replies welcome - suggestions to build a shed (no room), convert the loft (not an option) or change scales (I already model in N Gauge, switching to T not really practical!), less so. Steven B

Exhibition organisers know what they're booking so I don't think publishing a list of layouts with scale, gauge, location and approximate era too much to ask for. Some of the comments here make me wonder if there are sport fans who will only watch their own team play, or only if they know their team will win. Or if a classical music fan will only listen to certain composers music played by a select few orchestras. As a film fan would you only ever see films staring a certain actor or by a particular director. Me? I'm only going if I know there's a trader with an Blue/grey Mk1 BG with B4 bogies on sale for less than £25... Steven B

Can't help with the approx weight, but the density of iron is roughly 90% that of brass so the steel iron one would be lighter. Steven B,

I've been unable to find pictures of either of these with Intercity liveried coaches in the condition being modelled by Dapol - i.e. without TDM cables. If anyone else knows of some I'd be interested in seeing them. This is the closest I can find, '012 but with no name plate and with TDM cables. Steven B

Is there a currently announced 87 that would have worked with I/C Exec' Mk3s? The combinations of pantograph, liveries and TDM cables leave a big gap within the classes lifespan (approx. mid 1980s-1993). As an example, '017 Iron Duke didn't get the proposed version of Swallow until 1993. 87 002 Royal Sovereign received the livery three years earlier. Steven B

I used the chassis from Dapol's outside framed Siphon (2A-000-020 - approx £6). From memory, no modifications were made to the body or the chassis to make them fit. I did removed some of the underframe detail from the chassis. Steven B

It's certainly a BIG landscape! A LAST BLAST OF W.H.R. RAIL MONO # 15 by Bill Watson, on Flickr

Surely you can save yourself the hassle and just cancel the order and get a refund?

Peco's N Gauge set-track does have holes for pinning down with track-pins. Holes can be added to code 80 and code 55 track as long as you're careful - I'd suggest a pin-vice or mini archimedes drill and a stock of 0.5mm drill bits! Personally I'd opt for drawing or even better, map pins between sleepers whilst waiting for the glue to dry. +1 vote for copydex. +1 for taking a look at Kato's Unitrack too (or Tomix's equivalent). Unitrack based T-TRAK modules would give you the option to take parts of the layout between home and the mobile home. It could also give you the option of joining in with some other modellers whilst you're away from home. Steven B