cromptonnut

1 hour ago, AY Mod said:

I would have been happy to launch yesterday but Steve correctly prophecied that someone would think it was an April Fool if we did it on my first day back; so we parked it until today. And that's why I get p'd off; countless hours of work shot down by 30 seconds on the keyboard.

First post: 23 hours ago, that makes it still 1st April. 

PS that took 12 seconds to type.

I'm trying to build a Southern Pride 2-HAP kit which will be an unpowered "brake runner" to go with my MLV during the short drivers dispute of the mid 80s over braking issues when they ran solo.

I seem to be struggling somewhat with the bogie arrangements.  It's my first SP kit, and probably the most complex kit that so far I've tried.  Apologies if, therefore, this is a stupid question.

I'm trying to figure out how to attach the unpowered bogies to the bottom of the chassis.  I can see there's a hole for a small bolt which goes through the chassis, but the "fish" shaped hole on the bogie must have something that it attaches to that goes around the bolt which would be glued to the bogie and then secured with the nut - and I've read the instructions several times and looked at all the bits and can't seem to locate what I think I'm looking for.  Without some sort of spacer then the wheels are rubbing the bottom of the chassis.

I am guessing that this is a fairly universal arrangement on most Southern Pride kits so has anyone got past this stage that can help me find the solution please?  The rest of the kit seems to be "attach this bit to this bit" and I am fairly sure that I can get through that, but this fundamental thing seems to be stumping me completely.

I'm not even sure where to begin with this Frankenloco.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Plastic-OO-gauge-model-locomotive-body-with-a-difference/273784179978?hash=item3fbecf0d0a:g:XFYAAOSwhY9cTtWM

** HEADS UP - WE MAY HAVE A PROBLEM **

Hi all

This week I received an email from our contact at the museum.  As some of you may have known, last year they received a large grant enabling them to do a much needed shuffle round, refit and upgrade of many of the display items and add some new ones over the winter closed period.  It now becomes apparent that the original plan we were basing our space on last year has somewhat changed between then and now, and the big space made for us where they were going to wheel that plane outside for the day is now no longer available.  At the moment he is not quite sure where we are going to go, certainly a space as big as 50ft x 50ft as we had originally discussed just isn't there.  Great for the museum of course but a bit of a nightmare for us, and nobody in the exhibition team thought to mention it to the events team in the meantime (as presumably they were unaware of our booking).

They reopen at the end of the month for the new season, so I'll be heading over at my first convenient opportunity (work pattern permitting) to have a look at the "new arrangement" and see whether it's still practical for our meet.  If it's a complete no-hoper then we have no choice but to cancel, if it's a smaller space but practical then I'll take some images and put it to the vote as to what we do, options may include a new venue (although at this late stage it may be difficult), squeezing into the space we have by reducing some of the modules where people are bringing multiples, and abandoning the May date completely with looking towards rescheduling something later in the year.

Knowing that some of you are travelling quite the distance to be with us, I wanted to alert you now just in case you were about to book accommodation, vans, flights and whatever.  

I'll keep you updated as soon as I have more information.

'Nut

16 hours ago, ikks said:

Joke of the Week

Back in the 1980s, Spanish singer Julio Iglesias was on UK television with British TV host Anne Diamond. He used the word mañana. Diamond asked him to explain what it meant. He said the term means: “Maybe the job will be done tomorrow; maybe the next day; maybe the day after that, or perhaps next week, next month, next year. Who really cares?” The host turned to other guest on the show, Australian country singer, Mudruck Flatlands. She asked him if there was an equivalent term in his home country. “Nah,” he replied. “In Australia, we don't have a word to describe that degree of urgency.”

 

Mike

Drekly.

Do you know why so many Vicars and other religious people are railway fans?  It's in the Bible. Isaiah 6v1

I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His train filled the temple.

14 hours ago, Joseph_Pestell said:

Please can someone send me a link for purchasing the right connector plugs.

As Paul's link above, however I always bring along a selection of spare plugs, sockets, and ready made leads just in case people leave them behind, or it's their first time and haven't quite understood what goes where

Hello all

For the last few months, various issues going on in life (including it being -3 in the shed) have made progress on my modelling for the May meet slow to the point of non existance.  Thus many of the modules that I had planned to bring along in May haven't even been started yet, I can probably get the station terminus module and a couple of scenic only filler modules ready but that's about it.

Can people please report in with progress on the modules they are committing to have ready by May (not just planned but actually in progress and functional - scenery mostly irrelevant) as I'm beginning to get concerned that we aren't going to have enough bits ready to make a functional arrangement, particularly as in this case it's in a venue open to the public who will have an opportunity to observe and interact with us.  Otherwise If not I'd rather cancel sooner rather than later, so as to avoid embarrassment and reduce stress, and give the October meet as something to look forward to.

Many thanks

'Nut

one on Ebay, although full price, if all else fails https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hornby-R4664-All-Steel-K-Type-Pullman-1st-Class-Parlour-Car-Agatha-NEW/142994778615?hash=item214b2729f7:g:I-QAAOSwrAFb2En5:rk:1:pf:1

I put a load of dogging equipment up on Ebay a couple of days ago.

No bids yet but 14 people are watching.

I just saw a homeless man dressed as Henry the Eighth.

So wrong.  Everyone knows that beggars can't be Tudors.

I came home the other day to find a note from the wife taped to the fridge, "It's not working, I'm leaving".

I have no idea what she's talking about.  I opened the door, the light came on, I checked the beer and it's still cold.

45 minutes ago, manna said:

I live in ' Booborowie, everyone shortens it to Boob's, I know last time I tried it, I ended up with 5 *****'s

Let's hope we don't get anyone from Scunthorpe here then.

The worst thing about driving a lorry for a cake manufacturer?

Parkin,

 

Aim to do the simple modules first and get them up and running before moving onto the 4-module station boards. As originally proposed, the station is straight tracks through but I do think it would look much better on a slight curve (like Pulborough which it is based on). I wonder if that would create too many problems in setting out the hall?

Straight or curved boards are fine, as long as I know the accurate measurements I can make it all fit nicely into the arrangement - although in a tight space the few inches of the curve might make a difference, in the area we have it's a section of a much larger hall so a few inches (or feet) beyond our actual boundary shouldn't cause any issues.

Also, a reminder please, are double track sections wired as two zones or just one? This will be first real acquaintance with DCC apart from operating other folks' layouts. I may wire it conventionally anyway with a changeover switch for DCC.

Normally all tracks are wired together on DCC, but if you want to wire it in a "conventional manner" that's fine as you can just turn all sections on and fed from the DCC power feed at a meet.  As long as we can plug in the banana plugs from the DCC power bus along the "layout" into your control panel then all is well, theoretically

The only reason I've yet to order anything from SP is not because of a lack of quality or anything like that. But a lack of ability to pay other than seemingly by cheque. A lot of bank accounts don't come with cheque books, especially if you have a more basic account. 

Do you not have a friend or family member with an account with a chequebook, that you could ask to write a cheque for you if you gave them the money?

Scenery is secondary, the main thing is track down and powered, even if points are still "poke to change"

Gentlemen,

We are soon approaching the point where we need to be sure that we have sufficient progress made to have enough boards ready to make the meet a success.

I know my progress has been somewhat lacking, to the point of embarrassment, so I was wondering how everyone else is doing.

'Nut

Another vote to say the only thing wrong with Tim is that he is very good at what he does, and his products (which I have ordered several in the past) are top notch, therefore he is very busy and sometimes it can take a while to get response - which, if you had an order already in the queue I'm sure you'd rather he dealt with rather than what could be another speculative enquiry that turns to nothing - which if it's a non standard request may take a few hours of his time to design and quote for.  But whenever I've not had a response, a quick follow up email usually does get a response.

I would however love to know where he put that he's too busy and important to respond to emails - looked the site over several times and can't see that anywhere.

Unfortunately after 20+ years, Scale Rail in Horley is having to close down. One of the owners will be unable to work for a few months, meaning the business is no longer viable.

 

EVERYTHING in the shop is 50% off in an effort to liquidate the stock quickly.

 

There is very little RTR left, but as of this morning they still have good stocks of Metcalfe, Wills/Ratio kits, Peco track/accessories and a full range of scenics.

 

In many cases items are being sold at less than cost price, if you are able to help by buying something, go quickly!

I was in there last week on the first day of the sale, a guy from a club up north somewhere that happened to be in the area bought up almost every loco and coach in the cabinets for the club layouts, which was a little frustrating but fair game I guess.

Also to mention, it's cash only now but there are two cashpoints within a 5 minutes walk.

Sad to see another local independent shop closing down   Bought many boxes of walletemptium from there over the years.

Just popped into HMV and asked the young assistant if they had anything by The Doors.

She looked puzzled and said only their Christmas display of DVD's and a fire extinguisher.

Well any progress is good - and even if it's a straight, single track that's better than nothing as it increases the space between other things.

For bus wire, I simply use mains rated wire as you might find on an extension lead.  I've got a roll of 2 core with outer which I picked up from an electrical shop, or stripped out 3 core (or ignore the third wire) is just as good.  I've used that for some longer runs of cable to "boost" along 20ft or so so if there are 4 or 5 modules all with connectors then you can bypass those and avoid any voltage drop, although I seem to recall at meeting 1 with our 50ft end to end fed from one end there was minimum voltage drop over the entire length.

One day the Zookeeper noticed the Orang-Utan was reading two books--The Bible and Darwin's Origin of Species.

In surprise he asked the ape,"Why are you reading both books"

" Well," said the ape, I just wanted to know if I was my brother's keeper or my keepers brother.