5050

My Manor is in the same condition.  It's a Black one.  Original intention was to build a new P4 chassis for it but (so far!) that hasn't happened.  It's in my Round Tuit pile along with a Mogul (which I do have a chassis kit for!).

One day perhaps................................

Thank you very much Bruce.  For the first 15-20 minutes of the show I was ready to take it outside and set fire to it 🤬 !  However, things gradually improved and by the end it was working a lot more acceptably.  I still can't understand why my 2 'primary' locos were stalling (even though wheels were cleaned, pickups tweaked etc.) and the 2 'reserve' locos worked almost faultlessly - even the Ruston 48DS which hardly faltered at all.  The layout will be in hibernation for a short while so I can get on with a few unfinished projects that have been bugging me for some time.  Currently, the next outing will be Expo Summer/North here in Wakefield in August and then possibly Scaleforum end of September in High Wycombe.

BTW, which 'layout viewer' were you?  Did we talk?

Looks good to me - but I'm easy to please.......................😇  Seriously though you've done an excellent job.

Loving the well used lumps of wood.  I'vce got a few of those as well.  Come in useful for all sorts of things.

I've rather fancied a fireless loco for a while and would readily grab an Impetus kit if I found one.  However, Ruston and I did consider building a pair a year or 2 back (or 3 or 4!) based on the one at Locomotion Shildon and I turned a dome as a master for casting.  Some suitable diameter tube for the boiler and we'd have been on our way.  I'll have to have a quiet word and see if there's been any progress of late.

Last minute jobs almost finished (mainly a dead track length now sorted and some minor scenic details).  Stock has had wheels cleaned and track will get a going over on Friday.  Checked that it will fit (minus FY) across the car back seat to give it a cushioned ride to the venue.  Still not operated it with a 'purpose' so Saturday will be a (steep?) learning curve for me and my mate.  Just hope it doesn't go all pear shaped on me!

See you there!

Some tarting up being done prior to DEFine.  Photos taken a week or so back and more work has been done since. Come to DEFine and find out what!

On 13/12/2023 at 08:32, Barclay said:

Last year with the imminent ban on sales of domestic coal I saved an ice cream tub of it for future loco and wagon projects, just to be on the safe side.

Whilst tarting up Braynerts Sidings for DEFine show in January (look it up!) I've found several jars, tubs etc. of coal in various gradings - plus a large lump that came from trackside at Foxfield. I didn't pick it up but it came my way in due course.  I'm treating it as an investment and potential useful addition to my pension😇

On 05/11/2023 at 15:29, Pete Haitch said:

My on-going resto project - 1947 Waller hill climb bike all the way from exotic Hackney. Currently mulling over whether to put a coat of clear over the remaining original paint, use neutral polish to preserve it, or even the proverbial oily rag.

Very nice.  Major Taylor stem as well.  Don't respray it, a good clean and polish will be perfect.  After all, it only has its original paintwork once!  Saying that, some of mine were resprayed but they didn't have original paint anyway.  I have bikes from 70's onwards.  I time trialled on some earlier this century.  The look on some of the younger riders with their tri-bars and pointy helmets was worth seeing.

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Please don't go to RiPley, it's actually RiSley.

 

Mike.

Oh dear, sorry!   I've edited it.

Sorry to say I didn't make it to Wakefield show at the end of September.  I was having problems with aspects of the layout and my health wasn't to good.  Since then I have been struggling with fitting Dinghams to a selection of wagons (10), a brake van and 2 locos.  I have to say this was not an enjoyable experience as I find them very fiddly to assemble in the 'approved' manner.  Eventually I did my own thing and I do now have them fitted.  Because of the tight curves I have found that I needed to make adaptations to avoid derailments due to sideways forces on the hooks from the loops.  This has been the addition of the replacement loop 'end' with a shaped length of 0.45 brass wire soldered onto the loop with the original 'end bar' removed.  I'll take a photo or two soon.  Getting the height of loops and hooks is a bit of a faff as well and I will still need do some tweeking.  I don't expect 100% reliability but something close to that would be good!  I am not using the magnetic uncoupling system but have a long brass pin with a very small bead (Thanks to Mrs 5050) at the head end.  This is held in a small pin chuck and is used to flip up the loop by hand.

The layout is booked to appear at the DEFine Open Day at the beginning of January at Ripley (🙄) Risley near Derby.  More details to follow!

41 minutes ago, RJS1977 said:

 I naturally read them in the characters' voices.

Well, of course you would Moriarty.

Attaching Slaters etc. sheets to ply or card.  Coat the ply/card with a film of Evostik, let it dry thoroughly and then attach the brick sheet with Limonene which takes much longer than Mek or similar to dry and gives a chance to get it positioned accurately.  I have some buildings I built in the late 70's with this method (pre Limonene, I used Mek) and they are still perfectly OK.

What a pity the UK didn't follow the US in making OO gauge 19mm.  There would have been no need for EM or possibly even P4 and all UK outline modellers would be part of a nationwide happy band of brothers.

Possibly....................😇

On 29/10/2023 at 17:01, Ruston said:

Apologies for the rubbish photos, taken on mobile phone.

 

 

This would be my dream home. No neighbours, dogs free to roam, a drive full of knackered classic cars and and industrial railway right on the doorstep. 😁

And no gas, no flush toilet, no double glazing, no insulation.  A real home from home.......................🙃

My late father-in-law was in Bexhill with Spike Milligan before they were all posted to North Africa.  Mrs 5050 has Spike's autograph on a regimental re-union dinner menu, held each year in Bexhill.

Anyone remember the Goon's episode - 'The Phantom Batter Pudding Hurler of Bexhill-on-Sea'?  All relating back to their time in Bexhill.

That looks like hours of fun!  Keep us posted please.😁

I was going to suggest Enigma (I am rather biased after all!) and can confirm that the concept will probably work with Setrack small radius points.

That was my first port of call!  Very useful, thanks.

Thanks Paul.  I've got the basic principles of the design but there are a couple of little nuances that I was hoping to clear before I start.  I'm going to have to make a set up and test them on Braynerts before I go into fullscale production.  If you've seen any posts on here or elsewhere about the layout you will see that the trackwork is rather atypical for a P4 layout and the curves may well be much to tight for Dinghams in their standard format.  I will also make up a 'super loop' version to see if this will accomodate the curves and pointwork.  Come to Wakefield Show  Sept 30/Oct1 and find out if I've succeeded!

I was wondering if anyone has a set of these or a copy.  I've got an etch of the originals and one for the Flippem version and I'm trying to get my head around the various settings.  I've also got the Flippem height gauge and various downloaded instructions for 'homemade' versions.  The online Flippem videos I don't find very helpful I'm afraid.  I'm hoping to fit the couplings to stock for Braynerts Sidings where a couple of the 'spotting' locations are rather awkward to get to with 3-links.  My own fault for trying to be clever with the track layout!

Fascinating.  I wonder if they were the inspiration for the Dinky Toys A4 train?

PS - loved the music, an excellent Tango (which I never really mastered!)

So, does anyone know what the OP's motor is?  Personally I don't have a clue and I do have several motor adverts etc. from the time.  Perhaps it was a very short lived HP2M replacement as the 'gearbox' looks very similar.

On 25/07/2023 at 18:20, Ruston said:

I don't use the number 13.

I didn't know you were triscadecaphobic!  I think you can get an ointment for it these days...................🙂

On 19/07/2023 at 19:31, Ruston said:

I don't like these BR/Paxman 650HP diesels at all. They are one of the ugliest diesels ever built but as British Oak had a pair of them at one time, I felt that Blacker Lane really ought to have one when this as-new Heljan model came my way at a very reasonable price.

Heathen!  Is it 'cos they was built at Swindon?  Ugliness is in the eye of the beholder and I like 'em!  A bit of 'character' unlike most diesel powered boxes.🙂

Definitely a Cornard one.  A couple of Wakefield clubmates had them BITD ('70's) and they performed well for that era.  I do however have a nagging suspicion that they might be a tad underscale?  Or is it that they use an HO chassis and I'm getting confused (as usual....)