Sam Moss

Poor to say the least. The 70hp Baguley is fine but most people who wanted one will have already purchased the 3d printed kit like I did. Waiting to see my post deleted because my opinion isn't the same as a mod!

One of the variants fitted into a Hornby tender drive black 5. Yet to be tested under power as the araldite has been setting. Using bevel gears would probably have been the better option space wise as I had to do a lot of carving with a rotary burr. Won't get chance to fit pick ups until next week so will have to wait and see how it performs.

Ruddington Model Railway Clubs contribution includes: 'Ruddington' - OO gauge layout of how Ruddington was in the 1950's/60's 'Millhouse Lane' - O gauge GWR terminus. 'Thomas' - OO gauge Thomas layout 'Barry's Island' - Outdoor circuit of O gauge x 3 and 1 x G scale. In the extension will be a Hornby Dublo set up utilising our baseboard built for the new N gauge layout. Outside will be a gazebo with sales stand and also a members work in progress colliery layout.

I wonder whether rather than taking out a drive shaft completely, keep both in place but instead disconnect the drive to the outer axles on each bogie. If gives the same result then it also mimics the prototypes drive arrangement.

This is one of the major issues for me with the DJ range (don't know about the 71 as I don't have one). The motors are completely gutless to the point were even wheel cleaning is a pain. Its all well and good boasting how accurate they are but if they're so lightweight and gutless in the case of the Austerities then what's the point. I bought two of the original batches and felt for the RRP price they were not worth the money. Now the likes of Hattons have reduced them they're somewhere nearer the right price for something that is nice but a long way from perfect.

With our club building extension now being finished apart from a lick of paint, attention has now turned to designing layouts to go inside. This has also spurred us on to have a push on increasing membership. We currently have around 20 members with the same 6/7 regularly running the layouts for the benefit of our visitors. We need this to increase to ensure the survival of the club in the long term. We have three layouts in the main building, plus one outdoor: Ruddington - OO gauge, Thomas - OO gauge Millhouse Lane - O gauge Outdoor 4 track circuit - O gauge In the extension there will be a end to end OO and a N gauge roundy roundy, loosely based on the GCR route. We don't have a regular club night due to members living some distance from the railway but we do meeting every Saturday and Sunday for public running and carry out maintenance to the layouts during closed periods or on pre arranged mid week meetings. Membership is £20 per year for adults, half price for children (12-18 years, with parental supervision) Inclusive of this, you will also be issued with a GCR-N staff badge which entitles you to members rate on the full size trains. https://www.facebook.com/ruddingtonmodelrailwayclub/

I wonder if they have intentionally removed it or the factory simply forgot to fit it! From memory, as its been a while since I've had one of these on the workbench, its just a flat strip of metal bearing on the middle axle isn't it? Held in place with a self tapper. Very similar to the Dapol/Hornby J94.

The mechanism, unless it's been improved since the last production run, is as Dapol designed.

The PowerBase concept is interesting and could be done quite cheaply using thin mild steel strip (something like biscuit tin) and Neo Magnets bought cheap off ebay. Would be a fraction of the price of the legit stuff.

Judging that you can't get the Austerities back in the boxes with the couplings on I'd say there is.

The tender I've used is off a Super D. I did look at the shorter B12 tender but it just looked too bulky without major hacking. Will be getting a squirt of primer this weekend so I imagine it'll blend in a bit better. Not over decided on livery yet.......anything except black I think!

My current work in progress........

Hi, Can anyone reccomend a paint stripper that won't affect clear glazing? I've bought a 7mm scale Heljan railbus off Facebook that has issues with the paint work. A simple roof respray due to the paint being loose has turned into a full body repaint at the masking tape pulled off loads of paint. Obviously Heljan's original paint didn't adhere to the clear roof section in places. Heljan have modelled from the waistband up in clear plastic which gives a great flush glazing effect but worries be about repainting it. I need to get all of the old paint off and there are big chunks missing but whatever I use, it can't cloud clear plastic other wise the whole top half would be written off. Thanks in advance.

I doubt it's a Mirlees. Nothing in preservation is fitted with the correct power unit to replicate the Mirlees sound. I know one of the other DCC sound suppliers, from memory I think it was Howes, provided a "as close as possible" sound set by slowing down and remixing a class 60 power unit sound but I haven't heard one myself.

I have to admit, I do have a bit of a soft spot for the golden ochre livery.

That's a nice little mark up! £20 price difference for the sake of pulling out the chip and popping in a 8 pin blanking plug. Then selling the chip on for £49.50. I'm obviously in the wrong full time job!

Its a shame Hornby have used the chassis mould of the refurbed 31's and not of the as built with the buffer beam cowls.

I made a plasticard bung for the boiler on mine and mounted it just forward of the motor and then filled the boiler full of liquid lead via the chimney. I then capped the chimney using a bit of tissue soaked in super glue finished off with a blob of black paint. Weighed a ton and increased haulage capacity no end.

Mine arrived yesterday so took it along to the club to give it a test run today. Ran it around the club layout for half hour but it sounded like it had a mobile phone vibration motor running all the time. Plucked up the courage to remove the seating area to reveal the motor etc and oiled all UJ's, bearings etc and it now runs fine. The only slight grumble I've got is the head code box. Mine fell out and split into its two sections (clear lens and green frame) before I'd even got it out of the box. Not overly bothered and two spares are provided and it will end up getting glued in place.

Who said GC trains were short.....

We have this on the club layout when running on DCC. DC doesn't really show the issue. Have wired it to only switch the power in the direction of travel. At the moment this is being done by the surrounding points using peco switches but tis not reliable. The plan is to use double pole latching relays instead.

Ruddington MRC will also be home to OO Gauge layout 'Myton' for the model event, kindly exhibited by club member Garth. Another 00 Gauge Layout 'Lockoford Yard' should also be in attendance.

I found when running Hornby's newer type of motor bogie which the 73's are fitted with on DCC, quite a bit of tweeking of the back EMF needs to take place. Once this happens they run quite sweet.

Not just DCC, if using DC it is also the best way to go. As I keep telling our clubs visitors when they ask the "Is it wired for DCC?" question, there is no difference if both are wired properly.