leavesontheline

I tried this feature for the first time over the weekend and was very impressed. 'Spoke' to ('chatted' with?) Paul Hill who couldn't have been more helpful. The little 'chat now' tab popped up just as I was wondering about the longevity of one of the 'bargain' item's offer period. Thirty seconds later I was chatting (I'd call it 'messaging' based on other social network platforms including Skype!) with Paul and my query was answered very efficiently. It was quicker than picking up the phone, and more personal than firing emails back and forth. I'd certainly use it again if I had a query. If you are browsing the site anyway, its so quick and simple to use - recommended.

Very nice looking buildings, but will your version have a six-wheel Landrover, similar to the six-wheel Freelander in the Google image? Must be one of those spy shots of new model in development!!

Thanks for the link Nick, very useful. Also, your 'ballasting' is soooo neat! It is also interesting to see how you gently sculpted the landscape in the early days of build. Looking at the magazine shots above its hard to associate the finished product with the photos on your archived thread! Personally, I think some of the shots with photoshopped fields and hills in the back ground look more convincing than the sky-only shots. I particularly like the second to last one - fantastic! Thanks again.

How d'ya like them apples?! Did you go around a supermarket with a vernier or micrometer trying to find something to represent a 1:76 apple? Very inventive! I'm interested in how you weathered your track, particularly the sides of the rails - it is one of the most realistic representations of the combination of weathered rust and dirt I've seen. You've got the colour just right. You see so many that are bright orange and it just looks too much.

My favourite piece in the current (just!) Hornby mag issue by far. Really well done! I often think its a shame that there is a perception that GWR layouts and BLT's in particular have been 'overdone' over the years. Maybe they were once and maybe every show one went to had several such layouts, but not so any more! This 'perception' (I assume that is all it is now?) has had the counterproductive effect of making modellers think twice about doing 'yet another' GWR BLT resulting in a dearth of such models! As your excellent modelling demonstrates the modern tools, materials, kits and even RTR models available these days offer much more scope than 10, 15 or 20 years ago, so why not go back to a 'well trodden' format, but making full use of what is now available to a skilled railway modeller such as yourself! I like your video too. It's nice to see it come alive as 'moving pictures' in magazines are a little way off yet! Yes, a good quality video too, birds tweeting in the background adding to the atmosphere, very professional ...... right up to the point (about 6:26) where you burped right next to the camera microphone!! The illusion was completely shattered for me right there!! Made me laugh anyway! Thankyou for sharing and to echo the above posts - more photos and more information on how you put it all together will be most welcome!

Some great stuff coming out here guys, so thankyou all for your input. Thanks for the links 57XX - particularly for the connectors. At the moment I only have a packet of Bachmann 36-026 couplings which I fear would not offer enough lateral movement. As you point out Il Grifone, the Hornby wheels I have, have a 26mm point to point axle. Interested to know what you mean by 'open spoke' though? I have a packet or two of Hornby R8098 which seem to be pretty much the same as all my RTR PO wagons come fitted with ...... is there another type I don't know about? I have some Romford flanged and flangeless bearings about to go on order, along with one or two other bits and pieces. I can get the required washers from my local shop thanks halfwit (re: post #15 above, in case anyone thought I was calling them a halfwit!), so if I need them I can get them easily, he just didn't have the bearings in stock. So as soon as I get everything together, I'll start posting some piccies of my attempts ..... which hopefully will be 'right first time' thanks to all the lessons learnt on here!! It would be gratifying for me to 'put something back' into RMWeb after lurking on here for so long!

Thanks all for the feedback. Bruce - they are all just bog standard 5, 6 and 7 plank private owner wagons. On a dry run they all seem to go together quite well. As soon as I find a supplier of bearings I'll post a photo-build, warts and all!

Thanks for the information chaps. I have a granite kitchen worktop-saver which is pretty flat. I guess I was just wondering if it is best to build the sides and then drop the underframe in per the instructions or is there a more cunning way to ensure it all ends up square? As for wheels, unfortunately mine have no bearings! I bought a couple of packets of Hornby wheels a while ago to re-wheel old Hornby, Lima, Airfix and Mainline RTR models I had from childhood, where they still had the original plastic wheels fitted (much quieter mind!) and had quite a few of the spoked wagon wheels left over. I was wondering what to do with them when I saw one of the Slaters kits at a show, packaged minus wheels and ballast weight. I bought a packet of the ballast weights, then a few months later I bought another kit, then a bit later a couple more ..... and now it would be ironic if I can't easily use the Hornby wheels! I'm assuming that I can get a packet of the brass bearings (Romford pinpoint bearings? Is that the type of thing I need.....?) and thats it? It just looks like the hole in the back of the axle box is too big and sloppy to take the point on the Hornby wheelset axle as it is, hence the need for the bearings? I'm just surprised when I bought the first couple of kits, the chap didn't point this out? Maybe I looked like I knew what I was doing? I certainly remember asking quite basic questions about the kits, which led me to getting the ballast weights. I had a look at the Parkside Dundas website, and because for most of the coupling parts they don't show pictures, I can't be sure of what I want/need! I just want to be able to fit an NEM pocket, with a 'float' mechanism if possible, and for the time being one of the Bachmann/Dapol style small NEM couplings at each end. I suppose I'll just have to wait until I'm next in a suitable shop/show so I can see and handle the relevant parts! Maybe when I get all the bits together I'll do my own photographic build - I won't call it a 'master class', more like a 'what not to do' lessons learnt type exercise! Thanks again!

Hello all, I'm just wondering if there are any useful hints and tips from experienced builders of Slater's wagon kits in OO? I have a few now, bought at local shows and am about to start building them. I have quite alot of past experience of building plastic kits (non-rail) but i was just wondering if there is anything special i should know before starting. I searched on here expectng to find someone had already done a 'masterclass' photographic build type thread but couldn't find anything remotely close which surprised me! Some specific questions: 1. What is the best build sequence? 2. What is the recommended method/tooling for keeping everything square and true? 3. What are the 'bearings' mentioned in the instructions (I thought the only additional items needed were paint, wheels and couplings?). Can anyone advise where i can find such bearings? 4. What would be a suitable aftermarket NEM pocket for me to fit underneath to take the couplings? I'd appreciate any help and advice you may be able to provide as I'm sure there must be literally 1000's of hours of collective experience of these kits on this forum! i could just take a risk and learn the hard way but why 're-invent the wheel'! Thanks and apologies for such a basic query! Seems a bit lame to be asking for advice on kit building when I look at some of the amazing scratchbuilding going on on here!