cromptonnut

Following on from my points in my first post about why O gauge was a good idea for me to try something new, I'm also wanting to try a number of new techniques that I haven't done before. My first part - albeit bizarrely - is to attempt a brass kit, something I've never done before. Having grown up near Chard Junction, and having fond memories of the Ruston 165 shunter pottering around the yard moving milk tanks around, it seemed a good place to start. I contacted Mike Edge, and after a few phone calls, the kit, some wheels and a motor/gearbox were all in the post on their way to me. A few years before this project was even an idea, I managed to track down the Chard Junction shunter. As a replacement for the Ruston 48 they had, the 165 was sold on in the mid 80's when the dairy abandoned milk by rail. Some enquiries later tracked it to the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway, who had then sold it on to the Mid Suffolk Light Railway, where it had been restored to working order. A few phone calls later resulted in a day out at the MSLR, armed with camera, where I took a number of shots "just for old times sake". When I knew the shunter, it was in all over bright (but grubby) yellow, with a flashing amber beacon on the cab roof for working in the concreted yard. But, she was still running, and although I regret not being able to video her in action and capture the sound, the 30 year old memories came rushing back. So, here I am, about to embark on recreating those childhood memories with some bits of brass. This evening, I made a start on the kit. I assembled the motor and gearbox (Mashima 1833 plus Branchlines 40:1 gearbox) - which I have never done before. One or two minor glitches, but it basically went together first time and ran sweetly. I'm quite pleased with it, although it's very basic. Next challenge is the chassis, and once I have got the chassis together and running sweetly, I'll be installing a German DCC sound chip I picked up from a trip to Digitrains in Lincolnshire. It's not perfect for a Ruston, but being a generic "small diesel" I reckon will sound about right when it's installed. It's been tested in a OO gauge loco and sounds fine to me. There's few people out there that'll be able to tell me it's wrong, and let's be honest, it's my layout so nyah! More to come. No burnt fingers yet with my nice new 60 watt soldering iron.

I've been modelling for about 30 years. Started in OO gauge with a surprise layout straight out the Cyril Freezer trackplan book for Christmas 1976 - being an hour from the Peco factory I guess it wasn't too surprising. Over the years the layout grew, taking over a spare room, until the usual teenage years when other, less wholesome interests take over your life. All packed up, put in a box in the back of a cupboard, and forgotten about for about 10 years. One day, having a clearout of junk, I found the box. Curious to see if it still worked, I assembled a circle of setrack on the kitchen table, gave the track a quick scrape with some sandpaper to clear the rust off, and put my Lima '37' on it. Dusting off and reconnecting an H&M "Rocket" controller, I turned the knob and after a few stutters the '37' shot off round the loop as if it was 1976 all over again. Bite. A trip to Hendford Halt in Yeovil and a long conversation with Pete bought me up to date on all the latest offerings in the world of model railways. Armed with a copy of Railway Modeller, it was the first of many visits there that saw a number of projects start, and be abandoned, over the next few years. But I enjoyed myself, even when part of the layout collapsed as I was underneath it trying to make a hole for a point motor. Fast forward a couple of years, and living near the Waterloo/Exeter line, I was taken with the new Class 159 units that were running by, although I still had a soft spot for the older stuff such as the 50's, and as you may have guessed from my username, Class 33's. I found out that Bachmann were planning to bring out a model of the 159, so I asked Pete when it was due out. Every time I went in, there was "no more news" until, eventually, two years later, I noticed that Farish had bought out an N gauge version. I left the shop that day with two N gauge 159's, half a box of flexitrack, and some points. The OO layout was finally consigned to the scrapheap, track and stock put back into storage, and N gauge was going to be the way forward. Unfortunately for me, the usual story of N gauge being the same layout in a smaller space translated to a larger layout in the same space, with many ideas coming to mind but all being abandoned as being far more than I would be able to cope with operating on my own. About that time, the local model club had organised an exhibition, and I decided to go along, and having chatted with a few of the members on the day, decided to join up with them. I received a lot of encouragement over the next year or so, culminating in my first "exhibitable" layout, 8ft x 2ft, of a ficticious mainline station with 4 platforms, a goods yard and a small depot. This was shown at the club's next layout - just - as I was still painting the platforms 10 minutes before the show opened! It was a great day and I did receive a lot of favourable comments, although in comparison with many of the other layouts on show it was very basic. After the show I decided that setrack points really only belonged in a fiddle yard, and I started work on "version 2" which would be a little larger. Part way into that, a house move scuppered those plans, and although I wanted to start a new layout various circumstances just got in the way, and I was content simply pottering about with a few bits of track on the kitchen table. After a few years (and a divorce) later, I found myself in a new property with a spare room. About this time, DCC sound fitted locos were just starting to become available. A trip to Abingdon got me hooked, so having come away with a sound fitted '47' and a Lenz Compact, the N gauge was boxed up and a new layout planned. History began to repeat itself as all the plans I came up with either wouldn't work, were too big, or too complicated. I have skills (several articles have appeared in ModelRail over the years), the interest, but for one reason or another, I just could not seem to 'get' what I wanted. I'd tried N, I'd tried OO... and came to the conclusion that I really needed to work with other people to be able to build a layout that I'd be content operating, in a space that would suit it. My local club isn't terribly active as far as layout building goes so I couldn't do much there - although my sound fitted stock did have a good run operating a club layout at a show 2 years ago. A few weeks ago, I was at an exhibition and saw a lovely O gauge modern image layout. The penny finally dropped. You've tried everything else, why not give O a go? So I have. A couple of points, a brass shunter kit, a resin wagon kit, and a few buildings, and I'm ready to start work on building my first O gauge project. So why do I think I'm going to manage something this time? First of all, it's a fresh start. I have no choice but to be selective about what I buy, as it's all new to me. Secondly, it's much more expensive. That might sound odd but in fact it makes me focus - what do I want to achieve? It's very easy to pop into a model shop and walk out with another carriage for £20 - then get annoyed as I can't run a 10 carriage train on my 8ft x 4ft layout - whereas when you're paying £40 for a wagon kit, and £250 for a ready-to-run carriage, you have to think "do I really, really need this item". Thirdly, space is just as limited as it always was, so I have to be more creative. I also can't end up with a mega-project that's too big for me to cope with operating alone. Fourthly, DCC sound is much easier when you have more space to play with inside. You also have more options. I think all of the above is going to make an interesting challenge which I hope, through the format of an RMWEB blog, some of you may find helpful, or in fact be able to help me.

As someone who has just "taken the plunge" to try O gauge, in what may well turn out a fairly similar sort of project, I shall follow this with interest. Currently have 3 points, 6 lengths of flexi, a Ruston 165 kit, a VDA wagon kit, a footbridge kit and a station building kit - but haven't quite figured out the track plan as yet...

Perhaps it's the comparative lack of ready-to-run O gauge that's why so many people have bought it? I saw one for sale at the weekend but resisted buying it as it doesn't really suit my intended time period or geographical location (hence my interest in the 33). I will almost definitely buy a blue TOPS numbered '33' unless it really is an awful model and I'm prepared to wait, rather than buying a kit (assuming one exists? I've not looked yet) or modifying the old Lima one. My biggest struggle with the O gauge layout I'm making is that I have to build most of what I want from kits, or do without. It'd be great to have some modern image wagons rtr now we're getting Mk 1's rtr, and a small but increasing selection of locos. I hope some modern DMU's are coming out rtr soon too - I can't see the '121' anywhere at the moment (although I can't afford it at present anyway). Found a bargain one, just need to repaint it now from green to blue... why are there about 300 screws holding the body on???

Well what started on Tuesday as a plan for a single platform terminus gained a passing loop (so that's two points at £40), has now been extended with the addition of a level crossing to make an 'end to end' with a short fiddle plank at each end. Originally my plan was to have a 'preservation site' (hence the Ruston shunter kit, with a Lima Mk1 I acquired cheaply) but that could be a private shunter at a small freight facility adjacent to the station if it's a proper branch rather than a preservation site (which would require another point or two). Now, if I'm going to make it a proper branch and have 'straight through' running on my layout I need some variety so perhaps the Bachmann 121 would be a nice addition (that's £350) to give a passenger service - and perhaps 4 or 5 wagons (£200). I'd need something to pull the freight wagons - and with a name like mine, the '33' has to be the obvious solution (another £425) I can't run non-sound stock in O gauge, can I? Especially given the space for some quality speakers inside the locos. Another £180 or so per loco. Methinks I might just have to look at thinning down my OO and N collections to fund this if the bug bites me hard. I've been trying to figure out how I have space for O gauge but not OO or N... I think it's because I have so much stock I want to run 10 carriage expresses, but I won't be in O unless I happen to have a garden railway. Living in a second floor flat with no garden (just communal grass) at least stops me thinking of those possibilities for now... Remind me again, how did picking up an O gauge Lima Mk 1 for £15 at a show turn into a £2000 project again?

£425 each... I suppose that's not bad for O gauge and I'd desperately love a blue '33' (I bet you can't think why...) but how on earth am I going to a) justify it on a short layout, and B) justify it to SWMBO? I had a feeling getting interested in O gauge was going to be painful...

Those trees are amazing! I look forward to giving it a try in OO and see if I can get anything remotely as good.

Lovely little layout, and so tempting to give a larger scale a go - I just need to persuade SWMBO which may be difficult...

Clapham Junction on a 4x2?

Please don't think for one minute I was downplaying the seriousness or unpleasantness of the Taunton Sleeper Fire - I was merely responding with a link relating to the original question. Perhaps "inspiration" wasn't the best of terms to use, and I apologise if I offended anyone.

Inspiration? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taunton_sleeping_car_fire

So we should expect £250 for a 3 car blue/grey with sound fitted, if it becomes available? I guess I need to start saving up...

Is this going to be an end-to-end, or a roundy-roundy? I ask because I like what you've done, and it's only a bit more than the space I have available lengthwise (12-14ft) but I'd need 180 degree circles each end for storage at the rear (unless I make it a terminus of course) which then cuts down on the pointwork. I like the "Walmington on Sea" layout but I don't want to make it a copy of that, if you know what I mean.

Does anyone know when repaints from blue to blue/grey commenced, and the last one done?

Average loco plus a DCC sound chip isn't far off £200, but people using DCC sound is still very much a minority (of which I am a part). You're right, size is probably more an issue than cost, but I guess you never know what developments are around the corner - just go back a few years to the days of magnetic wheels to aid traction and something as simple as getting a bag of detailing parts with a loco just wasn't on the radar.

As much as I'd fancy a Hastings Unit, realistically you're probably looking at about £200 for the 6-car set, and then compare it to how many people run full length HST sets on their layouts, that does limit possible sales I guess.

Just checked and it seems that NSE repaints didn't start till the late 80's so I can't really get an NSE one, and will have to wait for the blue/grey one to come out. I do hope it's on the radar for a couple of years time...

I see the NSE one appears to have been quietly dropped from the first batch of releases? Did anyone manage to find out when the first one was repainted into NSE? If I can justify running it, and the time fits the rest of my layout, and there is a sound fitted NSE one announced, then I quite likely will end up getting one. It would help if the sound chip was available separately, so instead of having to offer standard and DCC sound versions of everything, those of us comfortable with DCC installation (or knowing a friend/club member/shop that will for us) could get the variant they want and add sound - which, I guess, is almost a certainty with this particular distinctive unit. Unless, of course, someone like SWD is working with Bachmann again and is going to offer it as part of their normal range so we can just get the chip and stick it in ourselves. I hope there's room for a smoke unit too -

I don't suppose anyone happens to know when the first 2 car was painted into Network SouthEast? I might just be able to use a bit of modellers license...

I would guess so - but the blue/grey era is certainly a big "gap" that really does need to be filled, although of course if there is no 2 car prototype it'll certainly be difficult to fill. I will almost definitely buy the 3 car in blue/grey - but have no real excuse to buy the 2 car, as my only two options, "all blue" is too early, and "NSE" is too late, for my layout's set period.

Well if the 2EPB and 4CEP are anything to go by then I'd have thought a 3 carriage unit would be a nice "fit in the middle"? I hope they look at the price too - £149 for a 2 car unit does seem a bit hefty compared to Bachmann's 4-CEP which, presumably, would also have been made from new moulds, drawings etc? If they do make a 3 car, then that would give the blue/grey - which matches the 4-CEP too - a possibility. I seem to recall Mr Kernow saying somewhere that they couldn't find proof of a 2 car blue/grey in that particular variant ever running, and presumably they weren't prepared to market an 'inaccurate model'?

I'll have a blue/grey one, when it's finally released. I'm sure there must be some good reason they aren't doing blue/grey in their first run. I hope someone is going to do a sound chip for it as well - it's just crying out for one with several bass reflex speakers in it... The Kernow website on "search" still mentions Dapol 205, though.

Very nice work. Whose backdrop is that, please?

Is it the Bachmann 39-321 one?