Tay Bridge

hi Chris Your Sunbeam Rapier was built the year I was born. Funnily enough I owned a 1964 mini until my ex brother in law wrote it off. Quite liked that wee car too! Mutter mumble.... Perhaps I shall find a space for it too. Bet your Sunbeam would be great to have today also. Chris (Pasted a picture of this at top of page-not sure this copy worked-You can also just see the corner of the other Mk 1 Escort I had-it just didn't feel the same -mind you another one to add to layout!!)

Well... Weather been poor, stuck in the house with one currently useless arm so when the parcel arrived from Hattons with a Ford Escort with the correct base colour it was time to jump in the Tardis. Back to Monifieth in 1983 and my mode of Transport was my cherished first car. My Ford Escort 1300 XL reg BUP 356L. I wanted to have this somewhere on my layout to complete the memories. I had my bronze coloured car two toned by one of my customers (worked in a Bank) by adding Reliant (no laughs please it was the exact shade required!) Sand Gold. I trully wish I still had this fantastic car. No computers, ECUs, mysterious under bonnet components. Spanner, screwdriver WD40 and a spare plug was all you needed........ Anyway I think it looks rather good! Any of you other bods created your own car?? Post any pics here... Chris

Hi Change of locos on Station siding. Class 47 712 has been replaced with 27 105 on the siding adjacent to platform 7 on the static part of the layout. And...fine she looks too I reckon!

The latest addition to the fleet 40 013 which was bought via this site has arrived. It will be off to the works for new lights shortly.

Hi Jon Don't quite see why it would need two chips (one for each engine) as the Bachmann one has only one chip. You can quite clearly hear the two engines at start up on it. It is the sound that is not quite right. Perhaps they are wiser than me and that is exactly why it doesn't sound right but I am not sure about that. I am sure that even if they replicated it with their functions etc it would be a lot better than the Bachmann or Olivia's one. I have had both. The Olivia's one (Which I sold to fund Bachmann one and a half..! ) kept tripping out the sound at slow running over points etc. I think it is only good for tail chasing large layouts at full tilt. no use on my depot. The Bachmann one which to me sounds and performs better (with reflex speaker added)than my Olivia's one is just not quite there. (Perhaps Olivia's have improved it since I had mine -think I will e mail and see) However, I think Howes should be encouraged to have a go. Will write to them I think when I send my Bachmann 37 for re blow. To me the jury is still out on the Deltic. There must be a better way of doing it even with one chip. On the cost front I know exactly what you mean. They are certainly not cheap are they?? Don't think I will be getting another one for a while. Unless santa is feeling very generous.... Chris

Hi Returned from holiday in Greece and fired up all the sound locos today. Fair' takes you back so it does!! So far I now have Class 20 Bachmann DCC sound re blown by Howes. Improvement spectacular! Class 25 Bachmann DCC sound re blown with Howes Sound. Now excellent. Class 37 Bachmann DCC sound, will be off to be re blown by Howes. Class 40 fitted with 21 pin bachie DCC Sound chip re blown by Howes. Also superb Class 47 035 Bachmann DCC sound re blown by Howes. Now unbelievably real! Class 50 with Howes DCC chip and sounds with bass reflex. Excellent Hoover!! Class 55 Bachmann DCC chip. it's not bad but not quite there despite fitting bass reflex. Better but not quite I'm afraid. Come on Howes.... I have to say having listened to the sound/ non sound debate, in my opinion, if you have DCC you are missing something if you don't gradually (for non lottery winners like me)go down the sound route. I have particular memories of my train days circa 1980 of locos light or on freight sitting alongside platfrom 4 on the passing loop at Dundee Taybridge awaiting a passenger working before thrashing up the hill into the tunnel. It is backed by tall retaining walls and the sound was terrific. On my depot layout I have a 'very' loosely based similar section. With a sound loco I am right back there. Even without moving just a Class 40, 47 or 25 sitting there idling just hits the spot. So for me sound it is folks! If you are thinking about it don't judge factory fitted sound but get along and listen to someone's re blows. You tube does not do it justice. It makes your locos....real! Next steps are to get my remaining sound locos re blown and then work through the fleet. One sound chip loco per class will be my aim. Not looking forward to tackling that Hornby 08 mind!! Will have to be sent off to the works somewhere as it is beyond me! and... at some point .....an A4 in Union of South Africa, BR Green guise with both sound and smoke generator! Not that I am departing from my like of diesels but I have fond memories of visiting it at RAF Leuchars air displays with my father and brother (the other taybridge). It was always a static but steamed exhibit. You got up onto the footplate to sound the whistle etc. There was, I admit, (just!) something special about that loco. It was owned and stored locally by it's owner Mr Cameron. It was kept in a shed in Markinch in those days. Now an occasional visit to Glasburgh TMD would therefore be quite within the realms of possibilty! Other two will be my 108 and soon (I hope santa!!) a bachie Craven in Blue which will of course have to be sound fitted....and the lights doctored ....and... Chris

Hi Andrew Yes I am planning to do that. The 37 sound is not bad but like you I am sure Howe's version will be better. Their shunt function is much better for my TMD layout than any manufacturer's stuff I have heard so far. Everything will be off to be re blown by Howe's in time. cheers Chris

Hi Looks pretty good to me. Excellent work! Chris

Hi 40 sound loco now complete and re assembled. The heat shrink arrived this morning and I was busy doing that when I 'should have been packing' apparently....... Packing now done still 2 hours to departure.... Looks and now sounds great indeed. Had to turn the volume down a bit as 'the loco bashers' at Dundee were getting excited ! chris

hi Between painkillers and using the workbench to hold the chassis block I managed to cut it down to size with an angle grinder. It's amazing what you can mange with a bit of non modelling help even with one functioning arm! I have to admit I have never been brave enough to take apart completely a working Bachmann loco before. Never mind taking an angle grinder to it.! I have had my spare Bachmann Deltic sound chip re blown by Howes. There is now room for the speaker under the grill (fan to be stuck in) and room at the other end for the 21 pin sound chip and it's break out chip. Just waiting for some heatshrink to arrive to finish off wires. Decided to put sound chip into my existing 40 and not the new disc fronted arrival basically because I am impatient I have tested the sound and it sounds pretty good. In fact very good! May not get this finished tomorrow before my weeks break as we rarely get packets/parcels delivered on a Saturday! Must find a way to video these things properly for you tube links. Glasburgh TMD now has Bachmann Class 37 with DCC sound (Bachmann) Bachmann Class 25 with DCC sound (Howes re blow) Bachmann Class 47 with DCC sound (Howes re blow) Bachmann Class 55 with DCC sound (Bachmann) Hornby Class 50 with DCC sound (Howes) Bachmann Class 20 with DCC sound (Howes re blow) Well pleased with all the Howes re blows but will probably get my Bachmann sounds re blown too!

Hi Jon If you decided to re do your earlier Deltics you would be better selling them. I am totally convinced you would get more than enough for a new one, all the parts required and some cash to spare. You could sell them one at a time although to be honest I am not sure how much better you could make them. They look pretty perfect to me mate! Chris

Hi Wow! First time I have looked at your layout in detail. Excellent stuff indeed. I particularly like the realistic grass and trackbed.Proper scaled track looks excellent too. Well done indeed Chris

Hi Superb water. Very realistic indeed. Often water lets down otherwise excellent models but this looks very good indeed! Now for some ships....?

Hi Long shot. Have you considered Dundee Tay Bridge. Excellent through station with two bay platforms for traffic going south. All traffic between Edinburgh and Glasgow to Aberdeen goes through here. There are also two freight passing loops in the station, A tunnel and signal box at east end and a signal box. Variety of traffic superb. Not many models around of this at all! Depending period lots of different interesting things outwith station too. Good excuse for modelling buses as there are often (and always have been) line closures that require a fleet of buses. Chris

Hi You must have more patience than I have. I think it will look very good when completed. keep posting photos. Chris

Now that the planning department have approved the new site for the electricity sub station it has been installed with security fencing to keep the workers safe. Class 08 419 takes on fuel before heading down to Glasburgh Station 55 013 The Black Watch and 37 254 await their next duty

Hi Having spent a few hours putting together the Knightwing security fence for my electricity substation on the depot, i stood back to admire and realised I had put it next to a fuelling point AAAAARGH! Needless to say the planning department would not issue completion certificate until it was moved! The trials of modelling:lol:

Don't listen to Jon mate, he pretends the real ones he photographs are models! Seriously, have a look at his pictures of his much improved Bachmann Deltics they are awsome. His weathering is just how we all remember them. You certainly have a busy workdesk! Keep up the good work Chris:)

Yip The cab lights etc make a real difference. I have got Jason slowly (every pay day) working his way through my fleet. The night running with lights, signals and \DCC sound really is good to watch. Must find a way of properly photographing and videoing it! They never seem to quite catch it! Cheers for kind words B)

Despite several warnings from my better half about the dangers of superglue (not to me of course but to her suffering the indignity of a second visit to casualty with a...well.... daft partner!) I had a superglue disaster. Not to myself fortunately but to one of my points. I stuck a junction box beside it with superglue and the excess ran through the ballast and stuck the point..FAST! All well that ends well I suppose and after donating another £10 to my local model shop (Gus at Invergowrie-very good) we are just about back in action. Strange how it happened to one of the most critical ones!!! Moral Listen to.........well........ you get what I mean just can't quite say it!

Some early autumn evening views of Glasburgh TMD. Showing some of Jason's handiwork to my Class 40, 20 and 08 all with cab lighting.

Whilst partially disabled on my right hand it has been over to the left hand to add some detail to Glasburgh MPD! Much trickier than anticipated however a start has been made to adding little bits of detail to the sheds and track. Another couple of locos are off to Jason for fitting of lights. They are due back from his 'works' soon. here are a couple of shots taken today

Hi Sure you have but remember to take the buffers off (lets bufferbeam fall off) before trying to get body off or it will not move Chris

What a busy day for the depot staff. The postman delivered a Class 50 037 in blue (purchased second hand from one of our RM members through classified) and my Class 40 169 back from Jason's with its directional lighting and cab lighting fitted. What a difference that makes! Class 50 was fitted with a chip stolen from a Heljan 47 which can either get replaced later or sold and anothe Bachmann 47 bought. The Class 40 awaits buffer beam detail fitting but the charge hand is in plaster (literally-i have a very sore wrist and arm in plaster!)

Hi There. How about some photos?? I Used to love bashing back and foward between Waverley and Haymarket on the Class 47 push pulls. Standing at the loco end looking through the small connecting door windows at the buffers moving up and down as we were pushed to Haymarket. Then hanging out same end window when pulled back. All done with some of my pals from Dundee area on £6.50 7 day rover ticket that covered Edinburgh, Perth, Dundee and Arbroath. great for Deltics too! Ah when life was simple and locos aplenty... Chris