jukebox

Jeff - I don't disagree. That's probably why the third revision seems, for the present, to be a fair compromise. Brian - yes, I have that as a reference (and the Eastern region volume as well), as well has some of the BR-ills that deal with NE sheds that have been handy to see "how it was done" as it were. Robert - I'll attach a version of the LNER shed plan below. The issue is that I don't quite have the length needed to use larger turnouts and still get the shed to the left of the space I have. Using a large radius turnout off the mainline to access the yard, and the curving viaduct on the left end up restricting the site quit signifigantly. The driver for the larger radius turnouts even in the shed is accesibility for kit-built locos, and also to try and eliminate some of the toy-like aspects of some shed models. The compromise may well be to try and plan access to just two or three roads of the shed using either larger turnouts or the straight leg of smaller turnouts, and then incorporate medium and small turnouts to get the geometry to make the rest fir. Or possiblly rotate the MPD clockwise though about 15 degrees and not have it strictly parallel to the mainlnes. I shall plot a couple of these out at 1:1 and see how they shape up before I make any more revisions. Thanks everyone. Cheers Scott Stockton MPD trackplan in LNER days; red bars are 500mm at 4mm scale, same scale as my SCARM outputs

Okay - still no floor boards down in my room... but that's okay, as the rest of upstairs and the stairs have been boarded and varnished. Just the laminate to lay, which is due this week. Had some pretty ugly storm weather here for four days this week - 110km/h wind gusts, plenty of driving rain that started from the North and by day three was coming from the South, and - thankfully - none of it ended up inside. This time. So with all that down time, I spent a few hours tinkering with the Northmoor MPD plan on SCARM. I started with this: Six road NE style shed, plus another 4 road shed for foreign/D/E locos I don't mind this plan - locos arrive, and coal up, shunt through the ash disposal, and then onto the turntable for shedding. But is doesn't resemble any prototype, and after looking at it for a while, despite wanting a second building to shed locos that did not fit the theme I am trying to anchor to, I just felt it looked like trying to fit too much onto the space I had. So I tried to shuffle things around a little. The coaling stage stays put - it is fed from a trailing turnout off the ramp that comes up from the storage tracks (that is the line shown in blue). The MPD location is constrained by the viaduct that curves around to the right from the bottom of the page, and the doorway (which is the blue line to the right). I have added 500mm bars in red on the revisions, to give a sense of scale. For SCARM purposes, most turnouts were Large Radius Peco Code 75's - in reality I plan to cut and shut turnouts a bit, so this really is just a planning guide, not a tracklaying plan. Eight road NE style shed, simplified trackwork For this next incarnation, I removed the four road shed, increased the main structure to match Stockton's eight roads, but tried to keep the coal and ash roads intact. I don't like how the shed must be accessed via the turntable - although joining the track next to the bottom of the shed with the track next to the ash road - or even combining them - would be a work around to this. So I tinkered some more: Eight road NE style shed, using double slips to try and decrease restrictions to movements Adding a pair of double slips increases the flexibility of movements a lot. But I fear that by getting to this point, I am more or less back to where I started: loads of tracks, and no character or discernable heritage. Eight road NE style shed, trying to follow the track plan for Stockton as close as possible So I then went back to first principles. I don't have the length to get a full Stockton plan to fit, but if I keep the basics there, I can see an arrival side and a departure side to the MPD, and the whole plan, whilst not a carbon copy, has a more open feel to it, that I think may work out. The compromise is that I probably need to now develop a small "stabling point" for the diesel locos I plan to keep. This may be worked into one of the corners of the room up near the station - or possibly in the no-mans land between the approach to the two bridges just to the north of Northmoor (to the left of the views above). I have not spent a huge amount of time troubleshooting these - so if anyone sees obvious flaws, or would like to suggest improvements, I'm of an open mind! N.B. Clicking on the images above will open them out to a more readable size. Cheers Scott

Thats a very valid point, Jeff, and I know it's something I felt during my Duke build, and I suspect anyone who posts a "modelling in progress" thread has to face. I think you just have to crash through that feeling at some point, and remember that the modelling itself is the goal, and the reporting of same, whilst enjoyable, is a tool to help, and a record of progress, not the raison d'être for modelling in the first place. Consider the forum the sauce that makes the meal taste so good; eating a whole bowl full wouldn't be anywhere near as nice! Now get back in the bunker - it's been six posts since you made any progress and dinner is getting cold! Cheers Scott

There's somthing about seeing an empty railway room... the potential it has for modelling, and the blank canvas that it is. It teminds me of the feeling you get when you get in the car/taxi as you take the first part of a journey on a long busines trip or holiday. Looking forward to watching your progress, Dave!

Jeff - can you humour me and take a quick look at the links below: http://www.foscl.org.uk/sites/foscl.org.uk/files/scrca/img-720/ph/249270_2012-03-24_MRH_Masons-Hut_Context%20from%20south.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-adxDOor17aI/T5R5BKZ6UyI/AAAAAAAAAjk/5qdWxfc_e50/s1600/March%2B2012%2B038.JPG http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/51/Blea_Moor_Tunnel_-_Southern_Portal_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1152943.jpg I know they aren't all the North portal, but to my eye the bottom 20mm or so of your portal drawing is too vertical. Try ignoring the dimensions for a minute, and place a piece of paper over the bottom of your sketch so it cuts off everything below the box on the right that has "78" in it. To my eye, that's the Blea Moor portal shape. Of course, I'm 12,000 miles away, so my vision could be a smidge off! Regards Scott

When all else fails, Rule #1 is the most important thing to remember! The lighting question is a vexxed one: having accquired a brace of Bachmann Mk.1 Pullmans to emulate the Tees-Tyne Pullman, I was more than happy to be a guinea pig test subject for Richard from DCCconcepts new Lighted Dining Tables - it helped me upgrade a pair of Railroad Brake Third's to lighted status. The (relative) downside is 1) now the Hornby's look better then the Bachmanns and 2) I have one lighted coaching set - but three our four other trains worth that aren't. I think Jason's theory is very sound - to do lighting properly would take a lot of skill, time, and money. But I also think there's room for it from a "play value" perspective - so, for instance, I wouldn't remove the pick ups from my lighted coaches just to derogate them down to the standard of the rest of my fleet. Cheers Scott

I'm rather proud to say to those of you who noticed a pimp-my-Pullman Hornby Brake Third on the Gaugemaster stand at Warley, that said model was mine! Richard Johnson from DCCconcepts asked if anyone would like to do a test install of his Lighted Dining Car and Pullman Tables, and I put my hand up. Great fun it was too. So I managed to upgrade my Railroad Pullman Brake 3rd to match the Bachman Mk.1's I will run it with, and Richard got himself a sample to show the world what even a cack handed modeller like me can do. First attempt - with 5k ohm resisitors, the lamps are a bit too bright. Paper curtains were added later... Well while my coach was sitting on the stand at Warley, I had a second car to do, so set about having another go. This time out, I painted the curtains onto the window glazing, and upped the resistors from 5K ohms to 10k ohms per table, to dim the lights. As pleased as I was the first time, the second coach looks even better! Pools of light cast on each table Side View You can see the carriage interior is not lit, just the tables... A close up - pink lamp shades, and china with crimson trim So with two lighted Brake Thirds to bookend the Bachman Mk.1 Pullmans, I'm set for my own incarnation of the Master Cutler.

It shouldn't be too expensive Rob - I'll let you in on a little secret: even with airfreight from NZ to Perth, not only was Paul able to supply me C+L by the box for less than what I could get it for ex-the UK, but it ended up about the same cost per length as what I would have paid if I had bought Peco Code 70 from the local model shops here in Perth. You are right - Paul may not have it in stock (although he many now carry some - he was rather taken with the look of mine when he checked one of the boxes to make sure it was all okay) - but he'll have no trouble getting some in for you, I'm sure. Regards Scott

Rob; Just some thoughts to (hopefully) help you along - you do such a great job with your artwork, I know there's many of us here that would like to do whatever we can to solve the track problems you are having. I'm not quite sure what you want to achieve with the hand built track that you won't with off-the-shelf C+L bullhead flex? If you give Paul another call, I'm sure that he can supply you some OO steel C+L flex either ex-stock or just a few weeks delivery. Jeff is right - Woodworks is the supplier I ended up using to buy all my bullhead flex for Stockrington - and I had first class service from him, and cannot recommend him highly enough. If it's sleeper spacing that is bothering you, I think cutting the webs between sleepers underneath the rail with a scalpel to re-space them may be a whole lot easier than trying to start with the raw materials. If it is specific length track panels you needed, if you explain your circumstances, from the sounds of it, Paul might even be able to nip it into the lengths you need (I'm not sure if you have, or can comfortably use, a Xuron type rail cutter?). 12 lengths of 250mm is only 3m of track, so it isn't a king's ransom if you have to start from scratch - you could even use the stuff you've had your first attempt at as "perway materials" left beside the track? Keep perservering with it - I'm sure we can help you get there in the end. Regards Scott

They say a layout is never finished. I wonder if, as this masterpiece develops scenically, you don't eventually get vexxed enough to go back and detail there? Just as with kit built locos, and weathering factory fresh 9F's, I'd say to you "never say never" ! Scott

Yes, indeed! The Wall had always been on of those "wish I was born 20 years earlier" tours... true "bucket list" stuff. Then Rog re-visited it, and was kind enough to bring it to Perth (we are a long way from anywhere, so many overseas acts just fly over us to Sydney...). I lashed out on "silver" seats - but snagged one at the end of an angled row, so was actually in the front row. Best. Concert. Ever. Then, the next day, the 2nd show hadn't sold out, so at 2pm they flogged the remaining seats for GBP50... my 10 year old (only just 10, too!) had a bit of a Wall fixation, so I asked him if he'd like to go. By 4pm we had two tix for that night's show, and were driving back into the city. Just as good the 2nd time - and quite a different experience being halfway back to being up the front. Not better or worse, just different. Scott

With all this Wall talk, I hope you won't mind a thread hijack: 27th Jan this year - 10 years old - 1st concert ever... I've warned him that it is all downhill from there. He'll never see anything as spectacular. Cheers Scott

Hi Robert, and welcome to Stockrington. We've spoken already over at Grantham - I rather like your modified Peco trackwork! It's my intention to do some similar surgery here - especially in terms of cutting back turnouts behind the frog in yards so that I can make things more (prototypically) compact. I'd recognise that shedcode anywhere BTW! Edited to include the following, which I originally missed: As for my trackwork, I've chosen C+L steel Code 70 for the scenic areas, and am using Peco code 70 on the storage sidings (to save a little cost). The turnouts on the storage fans are curved Peco Code 70's for the same reason, whilst I have two job lots of Shinohara Code 70 turnouts of various sizes that I picked up on eBay that I will use in the MPD. There's also a smattering of Tillig that I have acquired in the last year when I have seen them for the right price, that are destined for the mainline. I appreciate your experiences with gradients, and don't disagree with your thoughts - curves exacerbate the gradient problem, as do Pullmans, and RTR steam locomotives! Once I get a little way down the build, I'd enjoy a discussion on track planning with you - hopefully finding a compromise between what I need operationally, and what the real railway might have done. Michael - you have absoloutely nailed the concept of the bridges: luckily, the precedent is set with the road bridge do close to the rail bridge at Monwearmouth, but also through the seven spans across the Tyne in Newcastle... if I ever get around to adding sound, I can see the need for a fixed speaker, and a recording of that deep rumble a train makes crossing a large steel bridge. Anyone who has ever been to Dawes Point in Sydney (or done Bridgeclimb there) will know that sound, as the trains cross the Harbour Bridge. (I did try to find a Youtube clip of this, but no joy) I'm not sure about DCC sound, but I know that a good speaker under the layout with that as an effect woud be something very special Hi Brian - and welcome to you, too. Glad to see you here - love your signature! I see Tornado comes out in blue this weekend? That will be special. Yes, summer is almost here - we had a 34C day yesterday, and it was unusually humid (it's normally a very dry heat in Perth) but the forecast thunderstorms didn't reach us. The real heat is not fully on here yet - lows this week will drop back to mid teens overnight, so the days will be very nice. Come February, it will be at its worst. Cheers Scott

Michael, I'm sure Jeff will agree with me that it doesn't matter how much space one has, our aspirations always seem to need "a little bit more". When I first saw the Outon Road layout layout here on RMWeb, I thought it was a room filler, but it is quite compact: that led me to start to think of my own layout as series of cameos - and that is how I need to approach detailing them, or I risk being overhwelmed. Grass:Fence:Grass Smaller can have its own advantages, too. LOL! I'm going to save that comment in the archives Jeff: Given your abilities with viaducts, I have no doubt that with a little practice and the right equipment and materials, you will end up not just dipping your toes, but diving headlong into the weathering pool. Shiny black 9F's won't look right on K/L... you'll want lime-scaled, sooted, oily, work stained realism. And there's no reason you won't get there by doing it yourself. Regards Scott

Good Morning, guys; Michael - I had a short play with SCARM last night - am getting Northmoor MPD looking a lot more Stockton/Haverton Hill-like, which is good. I shall post specifically on this once I've advanced it enough to be worthy of review. I agree with your thoughts of townscape - the terraces being mass produced over at Bacup are rather inspiring! - time will tell. Barry - hello and welcome. The idea of marking the datum (discretely) on the walls is certainly a smart one that I will put to good use. *** It’s been an interesting six months or so as I have started to marshal thoughts and plans for Stockrington together in an organised fashion. Using the High Level Bridge as the basis of a structure has always been something I wanted to do, ever since I first set eyes on it in 1988. Then, as I started to tweak Brian MacD’s Model Rail track plan, I realised that even though I would be placing rail tracks on the upper and lower decks of the HLB, I would still need another river crossing*. The Victoria Viaduct in Washington was one of the candidates I looked at, as was Knaresborough, but something kept bringing me back to Monkwearmouth – it had a similar industrial grittiness to the HLB, remembering that I was not thinking of a chocolate box river valley here – more a grimy, coaly, working river. As I set about drawing things up, I had envisaged my modified HLB to be the major focus at that end of the layout, and be the structure closest to the operating well. That was until I scaled down the 300ft main span from Sunderland: 1200mm. That is a serious distance to cross unsupported (each of the six HLB spans scale down to 500mm, but reducing the span length would, I fear, alter the arch geometry unacceptably, so I suspect my version may use just four of these). But what did become very apparent was that with a >1m span, I could bring the Monkwearmouth model to the front, and still have good sight lines through to the mHLB at the rear. So as I started to weave the track levels, that was how it played out – the front bridge having the highest and widest span, and the mHLB having the mid and lower level tracks. If anyone is taking any advice away from this thread (…heaven help you for starters. Don’t follow me, I might be lost , too!), I guess as nothing has been built yet, the one nugget you may be able to glean is the amount of planning that deserves to go into an exercise of this scale and timeframe. Planning the order of construction; planning the materials to use; finding suitable reference material; making sure that I do not paint myself into a corner by completing something that then restricts access to distant parts of the layout; thinking about what the end result will look like... And I hasten to add that most of what has been written about so far is just that – plans. They need to be tested and truthed and proven as workable. Much like Jeff’s experiences with viaducts, I have no doubt I will need to shift goal posts and make changes when I find things are not quite as simple as they seem. But I think that’s all part of the fun of a layout build - not being frightened to make mistakes, learn from them, and do better. That's the reason I would never build the Sunderland bridge first - I need to "cut my chops" on the support act (the mHLB) that is further away from the normal viewing position. And as that structure can be built as four independent spans on my workbench, I can learn and improve as I progress, so that the best four sides of that model end up facing the viewer. Cheers Scott *The sharp eyed amongst you will look at my trackplan and say “But what about the single track that runs down to the storage sidings at this end of the layout?”. Well I looked at the plan, and felt that a third structure here would overpower the scene, and did not make a lot of sense from an engineering perspective. So the plan is to have the back scene 50-75mm off the wall, and run that single track behind the backscene here, so it will not be visible when looking down the river.

Oh, that's right, I didn't mention the viaducts, did I... I'm rather taken with the ECML crossing of the River Idle at Retford, but photos of it are rather scarce online. I'm going to have to put out a plea for help from the locals down there when the time comes. Not sure I will emulate your viaduct-in-a-jiffy rate of progress, though!!!!! The staircase has come up wonderfully. It's jarrah framed for strength, but the carcass is just MDF. Then the guy who laid the timber floorboards upstairs clad it in Marri to match the floors (we did suggest building the whole lot in Marri, but the stair builder vetoed it as it's not an easy timber to make structurally sound components from). To his amusement, I've retained all the offcuts - I'm sure I can use 12mm hardwood somewhere! When we first contemplated a 2nd floor extension, we were told to allow 10% of the budget for the stairs. I thought that sounded outrageous, but by the time we went self supporting (no column underneath) and glass ballustrade, that number was frighteningly accurate. The void area was already 44 courses high, and is now 67 or so, and you can just see in the reflection, it has northlight windows like a railway shed! (not deliberately) They make the space beautifully light and bright. The house was single story double brick - built by us 15 years ago; the 2nd floor extension is timber frame with a brick veneer, to make it match the original externally. Here in Western Australia we seem to use double brick construction for the majority of our homes - maybe because timber is relatively scarce/expensive - but where I originally hail from, Sydney, timber frame and brick veneer is much more common.

You make it look quite effortless - which I am sure comes from the amount of practice you have had. Another vote from me for a "how to" tutorial. Regards Scott

Gordon - Wow, I am very glad you made that point. Thank you. Did you know that even with all the dramas of uneven floors, and knowing I have a fall along my room - albiet less of a one now than before - if you hadn't said it, I am sure I would have gone ahead and used the floor as my datum? At least know it is there, it is easy to manage: I plan to use L-girder benchwork, so it is a relatively simple matter to make sure when I set the base pair of girders, I use a spirit level, not take an elevation off the floor. Then of course, everything else can be referenced off the main beams. Hi Andy! Stockrington will live in a second floor room, so I'm afraid unless I plan to do a run out and along the ground floor guttering, it will inside play for me. Which will not preclude the consumption of cold beverages on a hot day, I assure you! In fact bottles of Crabbies (from Glasgow) have been going down rather nicely at the home of Stockrington since the start of November. We had our stairs clad in Marri last week - still to be sanded and varnished, but this is what the stairway to my heaven looks like: The house never normally looks this empty - but everything has been moved out in anticipation of the (saw)dust storm that floor sanding will bring... Over on Ron Heggs Points Bridge build thread there is some discussion about the lack of NE-themed layouts, and bridges in particular. As a bit of a teaser for everyone following Stockrington, this is what I am contemplating for the river crossings on the left hand end of the layout: Jeff - I think the Duchess can be improved upon - some lead sheet squirreled into the nooks of the body should give her better legs. Certainly plenty of room in the streamlined version, but not quite so much in the standard one. Nothing will help the split framed Bachmann B1, I'm afraid: I am sure that as Stockrington evolves, a program of loco replacement or upgrading will be inevitable - and that will eventually help thin out some of the "foreigners", too. Cheers Scott

Morning Jeff! The SCARM output seems to me to be a little ropey - the 3D model doesn't quite display in the correct ratios I think, but it's just there to help me imagine the plan - the 2D output is fine, and to scale, and usable to print 1:1, to check on track laying logic. The gradients are something very much in the forefront of my mind. Gordon (Eastwood Town) has been very sage about avoiding them, and I certainly have reservations that need to be tested. Come build time, the first thing I will do is build the storage tracks, the ramps up and down from them, and the piece of mainline that connects, so I have an operational loop. I will use that to comprehensively test the haulage situation, and only then stake out the track plan as firm. I did some haulage trials a few months back with a Prototype Deltic, a Bachmann split chassis A4, and a Hornby loco drive Duchess on a 4m ski jump. At 1:40 The Deltic romped away with an 8 car pullman*, the A4 could do so if driven carefully, but the Duchess was woeful, not even managing 4 pullmans. That was with Peco track though, and I understand that steel rails will help traction, as will additional weight. I do need to test the real track, and real radii, and only then will know for sure. If I do find that I'm having issues, the remedy may well be to have two completely seperate double track circuits at different levels, connected by a third pair of tracks - hidden for the most part - that use a whole lap of the room to change levels. That could bring the grade down to 1-in-80 or even 1-in-100 if I use a change-of-grade on the circuits as well as the connector ramp. It will alter the "look" of the long wall section, as the four-track mainline would be sacrificed, and would erode my goal of "a long continuous run", but would still allow multiple trains in motion, and iconic NE engineering. However, on the plus side, it would then make Stockrington station a true junction, which could result in some interesting trackwork there. *And that result was the driver for keeping my storage tracks at a low level - the concept being the Deltic - and other diesel stablemates - would be able to bring stock up and down from the storage yard that the steam locomtives may not. My Duke of Gloucester has yet to be tested, and I am very curious to see how the heavy bodied kit loco performs off the level. (and yes, I'm very pleased with how the thread has matured in such a short time - you know I had my reservations, as I knew i was still quite a few weeks away from breaking ground - but it's been good to have a focus, and be able to present the story as it matures. I appreciate the prodding you did to get me to commit to it, and for the RWwebbers for coming to visit and supporting my toe-dipping!) Cheers Scott

Thanks for stopping by Michael - yes, I'm lucky on so many levels to be able to dedicate the space I have. The real trick is now to find a balance between integrating the time I spend there with my family, rather than it being a place I hide... I have three children, 13,11, and 6 and none have the rail bug... but all are definitely curious about the railway things Dad does, which is a good start. The plan I posted on the first page was simplified for clarity. The area you mention is set aside for Northmoor MPD - you can see some rough plans based on the old NER shed at Stockton-on-Tees that I started with - but ultimately am not happy about - and need to rework. SCARM 3D output Revised plotter printout - too much track, me thinks. Thanks very much for the kind words. It was not insanely hard to do, once I got the hang of the different brush techniques needed to get the right amount of paint on. Using the spare half tables to practice was a great way to get confident. The temperature extremes are still a concern for me, Jeff - just the other way to yours. Whilst the room is insulated, when it's 42C outside and there's no sea breeze, I am expecting the room to be not overly pleasant... and how that affects track remains to be seen. But it is East-facing, so is spared thr worst of our afternoon sun, so it should not be insurmountable. As for builders... I'm a Civil Engineer/Project Manager by profession, so I was his worst nightmare - a customer who knew contracts, and knew construction. But I couldnt be here 12 hours a day, and you don't get to check on the shortcuts they take until it's too late sometimes. And in the end, contract terms and conditions are never set in the customer's favour, and the laws are woeful at protecting consumers here. I think it's his total lack of honesty and failure to admit his guilt that makes it so bad. The stress it causes is incredible, and has certainly made it anything but enjoyable. Hopefully we are over the worst of it. I did find two brilliant trades for the things I arranged myself - the stairs and the floorboards. Both the guys doing those jobs have been first class craftsmen that "get it" when it comes to delivering what a customer wants. Especially this customer! No problem with discussing the trackplan, Jeff - now is the time for suggestions and thought - before I break out the jigsaw and timber. As I mentioned above, I've got a six (eight?) road shed planned for there. What I want to do at some point is take the output from the plotter, lay it on the dining table, and move some locomotives around on top of it, so see how much space I have. I'd like to lose some tracks... but the space is a little wider and shorter than I really would like, so getting things to "fit" isn't simple. I've got some other self imposed constraints in that I want to have at least some of the shed roads accessed by medium-large radius turnouts so that the kit built locos I have do not come to grief. But the detail planning for the MPD is probably something for a later post, when I am into a building groove.... however the key point is, that space on the left as you walk into the room has been assigned. Curiously, the space on the right of the doorway has not been planned out - an industry served by rail? Housing to justify the station? Honestly, I have no idea yet...

Thanks for stopping by David - hopefully when I get cracking in the New Year there will be plenty to see and talk about. My Marri floorboards have been going down this week - the stairs are next, and then the railway room gets done last. I will take some photos of the blank canvas before the real work begins. In the meantime, as I hinted at in the photo above, I completed an upgrade to a bog standard Hornby Pullman Brake 3rd, using some DCCconcepts lighted tables. Despite the need to do 90% of the work under an anglepoise magnifier lamp, it was a relaxing and rewarding effort. Wedgwood for the Pullman? Cruel extreme close-up: those wires are 0.1mm Richard's shop is just up the road from me, so I offered to take it up and show him the result (he spends a lot of time shipping stuff in boxes, but not seeing how they get used, I think!). He mentioned he was off to China and the UK, and so I offered to loan the coach to him, which means whilst I'm not able to get to Warley, my coach will. I need to add another resistor to the circuit - with individual 5Kohms fitted, the lamps are still a little too bright for me. I did remember to fit some simple curtains before I packed her up, though. The biggest problem with these lamps is that if I use these cars to make up a Master Cutler-esque set, they make the Bachmann MK.1 Pullman lamps look rather ordinary: It's a rather neat demonstration of the need to try and set a consistant standard to your modelling - improve just one part, and it shows up the deficiencies elsewhere...

Jeff - have you tried using a little Blutak (literally a 1mm sliver) in the head of the screwdriver to hold your screws where they need to be held? Just a thought that could be of help to you. Scott

Will do, as he's just up the road from me (40km away in Aussie-speak) - but you are more likely to see him before I do: he's in China right now, and then off to Warley (possibly with my Car No.79 in tow. I'll be rather chuffed if he does take her along as a sample!) Scott

Going to watch the eclipse, Jeff? http://www.ustream.tv/channel/12015298 Scott

Jeff - I'll give you a heads up: Richard at DCCconcepts is about to release some rather special "switches" that can be used for turnouts and/or signals (and just about anything else). I'm assuming they will be on display at the Gaugemaster stand at Warley - they are spectacularly good looking! Scott