2mmMark

If you've got a nice closed box to hide a mechanism, there's a lot more scope. Perhaps the North Somerset might have found passenger numbers lacking and converted one of the pair to parcels/goods use? You might not need to board up the windows, just surround the mechanism with a pile of parcels and baskets etc. To give you an idea, here's a couple of photos of Tom Knapp's Nn3 railtruck. The rear axle is driven via a motor angled at about 45 degrees, attached to which is a simple worm/wormwheel gearbox. Wheels are home made and I think the body is from some home-produced etchings.

Looking and sounding good. If you need some inspiration for clay dries, have a delve around Iain Robinson's web site. Here's a starter http://iainrobinsonmodels.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/the-clay-driesfinished-at-lastor-are.html Mark

What sort of person would do a mad thing like that, eh? Seriously, I think you could work up a small van or wagon over the very small Tsugawa chassis like this one www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Super-Mini-Size-Motorized-Chassis-TU-7T-Tsugawa-Yokou-14008-N-scale-/201396032572 I've acquired one to fit under a BH Enterprises Ruston 48DS etching. The chassis is split-frame so re-profiling the wheels doesn't appear to be difficult. Mark

I believe the station mistress at Scratchy Bottom was Betty Swuttocks.

Oh yes, I still go back to the late 70s/early 80s Model Railways articles on the NCMR for inspiration from time to time. In an era of the "British Standard GWR/LMS Branch Line" they stood out as something very different. Iain also did a retrospective on the layout candidly discussing what went wrong. The loco mechanisms were very much on the bleeding edge of what was possible at the time. Anyone remember the ECM type 1 motor and it's foibles...?! Nowadays, the availability of excellent motors and gearboxes makes a 4mm project like Tregarrick quite feasible. Even in 2mm, a "Tregarrick Reduced" is possible, as Jerry is proving. Mark

Wonderfully subtle colouring John. Great to see you back in the groove again! Mark

What a lovely setup for the Unimat 3! The stand with all the drawers shows someone has put a lot of thought into it. First stop I suggest would be to look at eBay's completed listings to get prices for the basic items. What will hold the price down is the weight of the item for postage/carriage. On the other hand, they look like cherished well-treated lathes which counts for a lot. I'll run the post by someone I know who might be able to advise. Both are very workmanlike machines that will continue to give many years of service. Mark

A fair point Don, I'll see what I can do. Mark

No indeed, I for one can't "balk" at the pictures of Modbury.

If anyone does have a pentroller going cheep... ...unplug it quick, it's not supposed to make that noise.

I've been experimenting with inexpensive PWM controllers available from eBay and Amazon. A basic unit costs three or four pounds for something that offers high frequency 21khz PWM which appears to be kind to motors, while giving a very fine level of control. Here's a link to one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00GX6YDOO?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00 and the other http://www.amazon.co.uk/Adjustable-Motor-Speed-Controller-Switch/dp/B00Y2AV4G8/ref=sr_1_11?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1435143421&sr=1-11&keywords=pwm+speed+controller Adding on a direction switch, case and any necessary connecting plugs won't break the bank. The controllers need a DC feed, so I've got one with a 9v block battery and one with a 5.5x2.1mm socket to accept a low cost switch mode plug-in power supply. These will also fit in a 16mm battery loco... ;-) The cheap PWMs don't quite handle my Marklin narrow gauge chassis as well as the Pentroller or other feedback controllers, the main issue is a rather abrupt start. Once moving, slow running can be achieved. I think this is down to the characteristics of the Marklin motor rather than the controller. They do work well with my 2mm locos. Overall, I think the Pentroller still has the edge. Top tip for the coast & brake Pentroller, don't over-use the brake control, it's a rotary switch which can suffer a bit if heavily used. I tend to keep it set on a light brake setting and use the speed control instead. Stewart did make a unit with a variable pot instead of the switch but it was tricky to find the right brake setting. The hand-held unit you have from Phil is one that was made for a Nn3 modeller in the US and has a Z scale setting for Marklin mechs. Phil repatriated it when the previous owner went DCC. Mark

Might be worth contacting Nick Tilston at N Brass Locos. He had some surplus etched kits for sale at the recent Epson show. I think I saw a G2 amongst them.

2mm Aveling & Porter? I've been down that road! Getting one to work proved challenging! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1345/entry-11886-a-long-standing-project-revived/ http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1345/entry-15025-aveling-porter-the-twiddly-bits/ http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1345/entry-15052-the-aveling-porter-steps-out/ Mark

Fascinating Gareth. I've been looking at your locos in the N Gauge Society magazine and it's nice to see how they come together. I know exactly what you mean about singed fingers, I've been working on a Letterkenny & Burtonport extension loco in Nn3 which is about the same size as your 2-4-0. The problem with brass is the fast heat transfer through the metal. Nickel-silver is much better in this regard. It's easier to hold the parts while soldering with nickel components as they take longer to become painfully hot. I made up a few German Nm kits which are nickel/silver etchings and they were delightfully easy to solder. The N Brass range is a really useful source of fittings. My LBER loco uses the dome, safety valve, chimney and smokebox door for a C class. Mark

Yes I saw that and boggled slightly at the price. According to the description it only had "miner" wear. Reassuring if one ever considers coal fired locos. Mark

A DCC loco should respond to a DC controller, whereas the end result of placing a DC loco on a DCC energised track will possibly not have a happy ending. A few years ago, I was at the Narrow Gauge Convention in Rhode island and the Nn3 modular layout was operating in DCC mode and a non-DCC loco using a Marklin Z chassis was placed on the track. The armature wire became a fuse, I think because it was one of the 5-pole versions with very fine wire windings. I can foresee this happening with some of the small motors we're now using in 2mm. By contrast, I have a N scale Bachmann 44 tonner which has the factory DCC chip and it works well on a normal controller. As mentioned earlier I've got a couple of Varipulse controllers and got the chance to try one out in anger on Lambourn yesterday. Richard & I were very pleased with how it performed. It was happy driving a variety of motor types. Mark

Noooo - what about visiting locos! You might want to try the Varipulse controller: http://www3.sympatico.ca/kstapleton3/851.HTM I bought a couple from ebay. Tom Knapp made one from the kit and put in an extra switch to allow for varying the PGM resistor. The site publishes the circuit for anyone wishing to scratchbuild. I know people eschew PWM controllers but used appropriately, I've found them to be no problem. For the foreseeable future, I'm staying firmly analogue. I do see and accept the advantages of DCC but good analogue controllers suit my needs. It's looking like I won't make Taunton tomorrow but I can bring a Varipulse to Railex. Mark

I'm a sucker for vans too, which is why I've got a semi-Wisbech & Upwell themed layout. Hasn't modern N gauge stock got good? I've still got several 2mm van kits to finish off so need to avoid temptations like these!

This is my current glue of choice: http://www.bostik.co.uk/diy/product/evo-stik/Serious-Glue/16 It's got the strength of epoxy with the convenience of superglue. Very good for glueing DGs to rolling stock. Takes about 10 minutes to go off and then full hardness after 24 hours. In practice, you can use the glued joint in about 20-30 minutes if it's something like DG to chassis joint. I believe it's an acrylic formulation. No noticeable smell. Easily available, I get mine in my local Tesco.

A very promising start. I shall follow this with interest. For inspiration how about: http://www.scalefour.org/shows/S4um2011/croft.html http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/c/croft_spa/index0.shtml I know it's NE rather than GE, but the theme is similar. Mark