cromptonnut

Found​ a "small" container ship, 3ft long and £299.99. http://www.deansmarine.co.uk/shop/product_info.php/cPath/10_20/products_id/366 There's a big one at 1.6m long and I'll let you sit down before you click through to find the price http://deansmarine.co.uk/shop/product_info.php/cPath/10_20/products_id/379 Actually under the 'merchant ships' range there are a few that might fit what you want nicely. http://deansmarine.co.uk/shop/index.php/cPath/10_20 ​Although it may not exactly be to the scale you require, being as you're doing it in P4 I know the standards are much more tighter than for people like me who just model in OO - it looks lovely though.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/183166020918 "Unusual. Modified." I'll say so. Edited to add... "Oh god, there's more" https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/00-Hornby-Thomas-the-tank-engine-Duck-and-empty-box/183164313201

Same thing happened with my friend, Pancake.

Google​ Maps will likely give you some good aerial shots of track arrangements and you should be able to figure out from the lorries etc how things move from ship to lorry.

I think we can just see how things pan out. If we get 20 participants with modules we will be fine. If we get 10 people with modules and 10 people that just want to bring along a train to show off, then that's something that those of us going can decide at a later date. ​Although I'm the organiser on this occasion (again...), I'm not a dictator and thus any decisions like that will go around "the membership" (which is defined as those coming along with a module) nearer the time.

I do, but it's outside my period of interest.

Scenic sections are just as useful, and in many cases we can overlook the scenery not being "completely British", it may even simply be that your removable buildings could be replaced by someone bringing along a 'ready to place' Scaledale or similar building. Once we have enough people confirmed for a particular date, we can work between ourselves to fill in any gaps, ie I have a couple of warehouses that may fit your empty buildings space and with a lorry or two looks perfectly within plan. Failing that, if it's a whole US high street section, well we can always get a couple of BBC branded vans and pretend it's Pinewood Studios or something...

Anyone​ can build a module as part of a larger section - that's the whole point of modular ​What we do need, based on the last meet, are several junctions as invariably we have one long single track section that you can only have one train working at a time, although I do have plans for a passing loop module on a curve which, if nothing else, gives an option for more trains running.

Hi​ all ​Date poll now open here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/133565-rmweb-modular-meet-2-hampshire-pick-a-date/ 'Nut

*** NOW CANCELLED DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND OUR CONTROL *** Hi all Now that we have established that there is a small amount of interest still going in the modular project, I'm now putting out some dates for April and May 2019, the hall is available on all dates, and I have avoided the bank holiday/Easter weekends for obvious reasons. For full details of the plans for the meet read this thread then come here and vote for dates that are convenient. The poll will run until 20 May then the most popular date will be chosen; if there are several most popular dates then I will choose one. As a reminder, we can accept modules to the "Dave" RMWeb modular standard, narrower scenic only boards of minimum 10" (single track) or 12" (double track) as long as end profiles, electrics etc meet the standard, and Freemo modules that can pass for UK if you don't look too hard. The most important two things are track height/positioning and DCC wiring as per Dave standard - the rest we can probably bodge as long as it isn't too wacky. 'Nut

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Ok​ have checked with the hall for availability for Saturdays and sundays in April and May 2019 and will report back with a poll in due course. We can then vote on our availability and once we have a date set I can start registering interest. Now what was the password for that email address..?

I wonder if they are all aware that they are named as effectively "endorsing" the project, based on any advice that they may have knowingly or unknowingly given?

I couldn't agree more. I don't know why it didn't take off in the same way that modular has with those that model the US. I guess most of us are either "lone modellers" or "small groups within a local club arrangement" and just can't get our heads round building something that we can't "play with" on a regular basis... although I'm building my new layout to "modular standards" so it can be enjoyed at home or as part of a larger modular meetup. As long as the ends meet modular standards, you have legs for it at the right height and you go DCC using a set of banana plugs and sockets... the rest is really up to you. I guess it's just British stubbornness again.

Unfortunately the geography is not something I can do much about, I wish someone else would organise another meet somewhere a bit further up north to get some interest there too. It's a lonely furrow down here...

We attempted all possible moves. Left to right, and right to left. But the point was to test compatibility, and even on a "less than perfect surface" we managed to get everything to line up and work adequately. I'd call it a success. So hopefully that means anyone with a Freemo module that looks "British enough" and wants to come along for the fun, can.

Helpful, thanks... the offer remains though, we've just this afternoon proven compatibility with "Dave" and Freemo modules - at least on single track modules - which may allow further modules if they work scenically on a UK based meet.

Wel​l, after arranging to meet PaulRhB (above) for a separate issue this afternoon at 3.30pm, I was slightly surprised to see the message above at 3.00pm! ​A hasty rummage through a pile of bits in the spare room (pending shed arrival) I unearthed "Brockhole Curve" and its legs. I assembled this on our front patio (somewhat uneven paving slabs) and dug out my Kernow 205 and DCC setup from other boxes, and about 10 minutes later Paul arrived clutching a small curved module. Five minutes later the two boards were clamped together and the train ran between the two quite happily (the only problem being dirty track - couldn't find the track rubber - and not a 'standards' issue) so it proves that "Dave" and "Freemo" modules will work. Interestingly, although his board was typically American in scenery, as we both used Woodland Scenics scatter they didn't look too silly next to each other (the addition of a few items of construction machinery, and overlook the fact there's no fence wouldn't have been an issue at a meet), he used code 83 track whereas I used code 75 track. Obviously anything 'too American' might look a bit silly, however it does at least prove that there is potential for interoperability. Unfortunately we didn't get to test much further given that the weather looked as if it was going to rain any moment so a hastily "unassembled" and within 30 minutes we had finished the test.

I think the Peco tool is the settings we should use, after all for 20p it's hardly a deal braker and something most of us should have anyway.

Don't forget Crewkerne too... http://www.semgonline.com/location/crewk_01.html

Greetings​ from across the border in SECAG. ​Some of you may know that I organised a modular meet a couple of years ago in Surrey. I've subsequently moved to Hampshire near Andover, and am looking at organising another modular meet for Spring 2019. ​I wondered whether any of you may be interested in bringing something along and joining in the fun? The discussion so far is here: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/133238-modular-meet-2-hampshire-date-tba-but-early-2019 where we are at the early stages of discussion. I'm not entirely sure where the borders of SWAG are so I hope I haven't trodden on anyone's toes... ​Many thanks ​'Nut

Hi​ all ​For those of you who haven't realised I've moved and am now living in Hampshire, I'm looking at organising another modular meetup for April or May 2019. Please wander over here for discussion if you are interested: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/133238-modular-meet-2-hampshire-date-tba-but-early-2019/#entry3128214 ​Many thanks ​'Nut

Give​ how close geographically we are, it would be interesting for us to meet up at some point with one of my Dave modules, and one of your Freemo modules, and just see how easy they go together without modifications to run a train between them. I'm not 100% sure what the differences are between the two standards and how had they would be to overcome. I guess the larger profile of US trains in HO v the smaller profile of UK trains in OO would mostly cancel each other out in order to avoid any issues with clearances?

I've​ asked the hall to provide availability for Saturdays in April and May 2019, so will then seek opinions on a couple of dates. Depending on numbers we are looking at £10-£15 a head, and if there's any left over due to more attendants then a refund will be given on the day of any split up surplus. I've also mentioned in the main standard discussion thread a suggested change which removes the uniformity of board widths with a minimum of 5" each side of the track allowing longer runs of narrow scenic boards between stations, junctions etc taking up less space for transportation; a single track can fit in 10" and double track 12". One thing seriously lacking last time was double track running so I'm building two halves of a 180 degree curved passing loop (using narrower boards) that allow other double track modules inbetween to extend if necessary (and for practical reasons to make it fit in a proposed home layout, a 5" long river bridge board to go in the middle, or elsewhere). Nobody seems to have any opinion positive or negative so far (despite it being a 57 page thread and loads of people would have had the notification) so... I guess it's up to us little group of intrepid trailblazers to make it all work again

The 'Dave' standard is pinned at the top of the section, I don't think the differences are much. You'd be very welcome to join in! The only query would be to make sure clearances are OO not HO!