dj_crisp

Thanks! Is that military modelling? A good idea which I'll look into. Cheers Will

Tbh I can't remember if I've written about them. Anyway its very straight forward. Just remove the bogies and the file the bogie bearing plate so it's only about 0.5mm high... then fit 12mm wheels from Branchlines and it's done. It will reduce the radius of curves that the loco will go round but i think anything other than set track will be ok. If you model P4 I've got a few spare sets. Cheers Will

Thanks! I think lowering them and fitting scale wheels makes a massive difference. Definitely my favourite project I've done... I'm sure you'll enjoy it too! The only bit I hated was the glazing... I must try and convince Brian @ Shawplan to produce a laser glaze set

Hi Andy Thanks! If it helps the kit I used was supposed to be for a 158. I'm away from my soldering iron for a few weeks but hopefully I'll be get it working soon so I can post a few pictures. I'm getting a bit enthused with this project.... i've ordered some disc brake etches this morning & took a quick photo of the exhaust area at paddington. Its amazing how far apart the space is between coaches are in the flesh. I might be making them too close... doh! Not sure what to do with the centre coach power car and hiding the motor. Cheers Will

They could do - I'm going to have a look around and see whats available. Also I'm now convinced I'm going to have a go at trying to do something a bit better and I reckon 2mm tubing might do the trick. cheers Will

My 47 experiment has progressed a little.... and now has some glazing. Front windscreens are a Heljan 47 set which needed adjusting and tbh the size is not quite right so I'm going to make my own for other 47s. A rare event for me... The sun has been out and I've had a few hours with an airbrush. Base chassis weathering applied to St Vin... I'm aiming for a heavy look; And Sir Ed is getting close to being finished too. Nameplates, steps, a few small details added and a dose of light chassis weathering. Just things like oil stains etc to add now.... the finishing sight is getting closer! cheers Will

I'm very tempted....! The exhaust seems to have a protective shield which will be the tricky bit as I doubt I'd be able to drill that many holes and keep it neat. Unless anyone knows a good source? Link to an excellent set of photos (not mine) which shows what I'm on about https://www.flickr.com/photos/transrail/15404926197/in/album-72157626872637150/ cheers Will

Thanks Jack. The 325 sounds a fantastic project! The rubber gangways were already fitted so I assume these are factory fitted... I'm sorry I'm not sure they're available as spares. The sprung gangway inserts I use are keen which I buy in their bulk packs. I've noticed the springing helps take the slop of couplings like kadees so I quite like them... even if they are not quite right. I tend to not bother with the full ends but there might be a set suitable for you. Cheers Will

As my 50 project is now just waiting for some final weathering my attention has moved to projects that I started years ago and not finished.... A particularly unloved Bachmann 166 came my way many moons ago. It has been converted to EM, but the plastic clipping on the bogies on has perished in parts so it just falls to bits. Lighting is non existent and seems a good challenge so the other day I've decided to resurrect it! One unpowered front car has been started.... In amongst the wires is an Express Models kit that i found in a bargain bin at a show (result), and I've modified it slightly so that it doesn't need an extra function for the marker lights. All the wires are nicely hidden under the interior when it's fitted. I have a number of "spare" DCC concepts decoders, (they're spare as many have failed on me). I have one where the drive has failed so I'm hoping to use it as a 4 function decoder. Along with a second working decoder for the power car I'm ending up with 8 functions. Plan is to have separate tail, day and night lights using 6 functions, leaving one for interior lights, and one for door lock lights. Extra pickups have also been added. I've spent a while trying to work out how to connect all this up but then the other day I realised I have a fair few 8 pin DCC Sockets and plugs that I don't need as I tend to hard wire these in.... so I'm experimenting by chopping one in half which will allow me to use two decoders for the project and this will be located in the centre power car. Hopefully this works!! There will be wires on display between the carriages but I'm hoping they look ok and are not too noticeable. We shall see!! The Body has had a rectangle hole opened for the marker light which is improved by sticking a Shawplan wipac etch over the top. When this is painted I think this'll look ok. I'm also going to attempt to close the gap between carriages to something closer to the prototype. The rubber corridor connector has been hacked in half and re-stuck on, and then holes drilled for a Keen systems MK2 corridor connector. This probably isn't right but I'm hoping it looks ok when it's all put back together. Removing the gap is the main aim. Bachmanns couplings have been hacked off and I now trying to decide on whether to use Kadees like my coaches or a simple brass bar. There are lots of things I'd like to do with the 166 to improve it's detailing although I suspect I'll treat this as a "layout" DMU and accept it how it is... however the exhaust just doesn't look that good.... but I have no idea how to replace them with anything better! Happy Modelling and roll on summer Will

I've been using 0.5mm lexan sheet but 0.5mm perspex is probably better. One sheet will do alot of locos! A black marker pen around the edges gives a pleasing effect. I've got a lima 101 in pieces at the moment so I'll check I haven't binned the front windows and get back to you. Will

I totally agree with you on DCC.... although I almost gave up on it as I found programming really hard. Now I have a sprog 3 and life is great. I can totally recommend one if you want to do things like remapping, speed control etc. Cheers Will

Some great installations and i particularly loke you Vitrains installation. My pair of 20s sound so rough that they don't need sound!

Still in progress woth nothing to report.... my 50s and other projects have provided too many many distractions for my HSTs. Funny thing was I had a looking at the project the other day as I'd just seen a photo of Oxford MK3s which look pretty smart. Thanks for getting in touch! Will

I'm really liking these.... the NSE versions look excellent and I'm going to find it very hard to resist!! I think these will make a superb model. Minor stuff but didn't the GWR150 121 have a silver grey... almost white roof? And maybe it's the lighting but the colours look a little washed out. Other than the heavy looking windscreen wipers these look the business.... A pity there isn't a bogof offer

Hi Lee Look like you're keeping yourself nice and busy Some very nice blue duffs!! Will

Steps! Not a great photo...! Enough to drive me slightly insane. Eight sets soldered up, primed and sprayed black. To be fair these were not the hardest P&H designs to put together but even so the number did try my patience. I had an excellent trip to Ally Pally seeing some great layouts providing inspiration. Brian @ Shawplan made my day however; Redrawn to scale these are simply superb. I almost don't want to fit them but tbh I can't wait to see them on Sir Ed. One for a few weeks time when i have a spare morning and feeling nice and relaxed And it's Sunny! But sadly no time to weather anything today as life is a bit too busy. Happy Modelling!!

I'm not really into Deltics.... and will probably never model one but bought this edition anyway. Actually really enjoyed reading it.

They looked good in the showcase and I'm hoping Dapol don't mess up the liveries in production.... at least there are no name plates for them to stick on

A great show as always with some inspirational layouts

Excellent! I'm right looking forward to it ☺

Hi Nick. Many thanks! They're just 3mm LEDS directly wired to functions 3 & 4 of the decoder. A bit of black plastikard with two holes drilled for the legs keeps them in place using Hornbys light guide. The yellow led and support is removed. Hope that helps Will

Funny should ask that..... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/109841-diesel-loco-tail-lights/ I now spend most of my time looking at tail lights in photos to see how many are illuminated. LOL. Although I also have a feeling that two maybe lit in preservation, (but i could be easily wrong). As you're doing Vanguard then I would definitely snip one side. Totally agree on independent lights... and I wish manufacturers would sort that out as it's sure;y straight forward to do right. Would save me tons of time!

Thanks - I know what you mean about the grilles! I found them incredibly tricky to remove without majorly damaging them. The moulded grilles from Lima 50s are so much easier I've made a promise to myself not to do another 50 ever again.... although I have Defiance to finish off and that will be my last one. Saying that this is the only project that I've started and not been distracted with others and have really enjoyed it. Just got those steps to do.... and a few speedos to make.... and probably something else to fit that I've missed etc. cheers Will

Thanks for your kind comments! My lighting mods are a bit of a bodge it/ hacking it approach!! I hope below helps and I'm sure there are better ways of doing it! Headlight/Marker Lights: I've used the original light guides and wired in 1k resistors to functions 3 & 4 of the decoder. The top marker light is a 3mm warm white LED, and the headlight is a 1.8mm warm white LED. If you're keen and have more function outputs then you could have separate circuits for these. The top marker light is fixed into place with a bit of plasticard with two holes drilled for the LED legs... before fitting to the body I also glued in some tin foil on the light gulde to prevent light bleed (basically the same approach as Hornby has done but i ruined mine by removing the light guide. For the headlight I carefully removed Hornby's LED and drilled two holes in the circuit board to accept the legs of the replacement LED. I was really careful to make sure the holes were drilled so the LED legs are isolated and that i didn't break the light guide. I took a few photos for my own notes which aren't great but might help..Any light bleed is stopped by using small amounts of Homeseal bath sealant stretched into place. Tail Lights: I left the original circuit alone but have remapped the function outputs to my preferred function number and so these operate independently. Interestingly a couple of locos will only illuminate one end at a time but others allow me to illuminate both. I guess the circuits must be different on different locos. The red light guide in the cab was snipped so only one taillight will be illuminated and then glued in place. I then used a bit of Homeseal bath sealant to prevent any light bleed in between the snipped gaps. Cabs: Hornbys marker light and plastic support at the back of cab is simply removed... a bit of Homeseal secures everything in place. Reuniting the chassis and the body has been a right pain... as the body has a tendency to ride a little high. Two mods need doing. One is to open the rear cab fixed to the chasis to allow the wires from the marker light to pass though. The other is that i find the cab doesn't fit over Hornby's front circuit board, so I've hacked away at the base of the cabs to allow more space. Before you put it all back together check that the cab will fit flat to the chassis over the circuit board. It's a tight fit and each loco provided resistance! I think I also had problems as I've been doing a batch of seven and have mixed up circuit boards... keeper plates etc. The metal keeper plates are definitely different between locos, and I've had two with mazak rot which was so bad they crumbled apart. I was lucky in that i have a few spares but all are now gone so hopefully the rest survive. Thankfully the chassis block currently seems ok. Wires are painted grey and pushed to the side so you can't see them through the door windows. I hope this helps.... to be honest it sounds more effort than it really is. The hardest part is reuniting the body - i think made harder as there is one locating groove around the side grille area. Cheers Will

Thanks Andy Next up to try my sanity is soldering steps. Cheers Will