ozzyo

Hello Mike, thanks for the help the layout is going to be set in B.R. blue days around 1982 - 1986 give or take a bit. I think that by that time the signalling practice would have been pure L.M.S. / B.R. ATB OzzyO. PS. what does a shunt ahead arm look like on the L.M.S. / B.R.?

Hello George, one of the main problems with the DJH Fairburn is that it uses the same valve gear as the BR 2-6-4T IIRC and this puts all of the valve gear geometry out. OzzyO. PS. the bodywork is not to bad apart from having a BR standard back head.

Hello both, we are modelling Lochmaben in B.R. blue days nothing to do with Haverthwaite It's just that I had a signal box diagram for it. To save me drawing it all out. To the left of the bridge is the fiddle yard, so the train going onto P2 has arrived with the token and has to wait for the passenger to arrive at P1. So that he can shunt the yard. Point 10 at the end of P1 doesn't require a FPL as it will not be used in that direction by a passenger train. Signal 17 is the home signal for P1. So 4s can be a ground signal or a subsidiary signal (calling on arm). 15 is the signal for the yard exit. 5 is the signal to use the crossover, if he has the token from the Bobby will he be able to carry on along the up line? To try and give an idea of the place of Lochmaben I hope that this map helps. We are modelling most of the station area apart from some of the track below the yellow line as we recon that the yard would have been rehashed and had some trackwork removed. The signal box on the top platform looks to have gone very early. TFAH OzzyO.

Hello all, as the title says I'm after some advice on some of the signals for Lochmaben, I'm using a signal box diagram for Haverthwaite as the base for our signals. Any thing to the left of the bridge is not being modelled. Now to the questions. Signal 4 is the platform starter with co-acting arms, I'm OK with that. Signal 4s is used for the train to draw ahead to clear points 10 and the FPL 9 and set back into the second platform to then draw ahead using signal 6. So should signal 4s be a subsidiary arm or a ground signal. also should we have a ground signal by FPL 9? Coming back out of the yard we draw ahead until passed point 11and wait for ground signal 15 to be pulled off and set back into the platform, change points and wait for signal 5 to be pulled off. Then it either off up the line or set back onto the rest of the train in the platform. Signal 17 is going be a bracket just to add something to the station area. There is another way this area could be signalled. You would have a ground signal before the point that is off scene to the left and run straight on to the head shunt (so signal 6 would not be needed). But you could not split your train in the platform as this would block the platform road on the wrong line, and the line is not signalled for that type of running. Thanks for any help, OzzyO.

More so when your 13 and 4'8" tall. Worked on both of them 2073 & 2085. OzzyO.

not on these babies, you have to drop the pipes and then refit them to the loco part of the train, then blow up to get vac. or add air to the system. Don't forget the buffers could have to be extended, and lamps added ETC. ETC. ATB OzzyO.

Chris, how do we uncouple them? ATB OzzyO.

Or you could just use the Slaters dummy drophead buckeye coupling numbered M7027 at £9.80 a pair. OzzyO.

Hello all, I've been banging on about these couplings and I'm very glad that they are now so close that I've ordered 5 pairs to start with. OzzyO.

Thanks for the update Chris. I must sit on my hands and wait. Yours OzzyO.

Hello Chris, Ellis, do you have any updates on the drop head buck eye couplings? Cost, release date Etc. Yours, OzzyO.

Nothing wrong with my padded cell, I think that you should come and have a look on Wednesday night and see what you have missed since you took that old photo. Nice to see you doing an up date for a change. OzzyO.

Kevo, it looks like Peco are using the normal rail for the set track types of track that they would use normally. So for bull head to bull head the SL_10 should work. For the flat bottom to flat bottom it looks like you have to use SL_710FB. For connecting the set track to the flat bottom track they do sell some translator bits of track SL_713 at about £20 for four. ATB OzzyO.

What no updates yet! See you on Monday, OzzyO.

Hello Down_Under, as your going to use a single fluted cutter run it at about 900 rpm and feel how it's cutting. Looking at the job you look to have two options for cutting it, mount it in a vice and cut across the ends and drop the cutter by about a millimetre at a time, BUT take it easy. Or you could clamp it down onto the M/C table and side cut the metal off, you can do both end at the same time this way. But you will have to make sure that you get both sides in register. For milling the sides not a big problem clamp it down to the M/C table and have the cutter running towards any open edges, you should be able to do it in two or three full depth passes starting at the open end ( bottom of you photos). HTH OzzyO. Having had a better look at the photos you only have got only one real option for milling the step opening and that is to clamp the casting to the M/C table.

Mazac is nothing like copper or aluminium to machine. Copper will rip and stick to the cutter and is a sod because of this if you have your feeds and speeds out. Tapping fluid is about the best you can use with this metal when milling. Aluminium is is very good metal for machining, a bit of lub. is always good keep the cutting speed up a good rate of feed. Mazac is totally different to both of them in that it will machine dry and not stick to the cutter but you want to run your cutter at slower revs. and a slower feed rate. You will notice that it takes the edge off the cutter faster than a lot of metals eg. free cutting steel ETC. Let us know what you are wanting to do with a photo or two could also help. HTH OzzyO.

Use about the biggest cutter that you can. I would not use the first cutter that you shown us, these are more bures than milling cutters. The second set of cutters look good but are a bit on the pricey side. If you can find a model engineering tool company you may find better prices. For cutting the metal it's a bit odd, in that it's on the soft side but tough and takes a bit of cutting. Depending what you want to do, will also show what will be the best way with your machine. Plunge cutting on a Unimat 3 is not something I would recommend in Mazak if you have to, drill a pilot hole first. HTH OzzyO.

I like fitting the keys into 7mm rail chairs and watching them ping off. OzzyO. PS. I am doing it on some of the point work on Lochmaben.

I am and that looks like part of my starting order for one train. It looks like my pension could go very quickly when they come out. OzzyO.

Hello Chris, that's good to hear, now another question. Do you have any idea about the cost per pair or for multiple buys? ATB OzzyO.

Hello all, this is the stuff that I'm using to stick down Exactoscale chairs to plywood sleepers that have been stained using a spirit based stain. I've not had any problems, apart from when I was doing some tests and that was due to me not putting enough of the stuff on the joint. This was bought from the bay of e for abought £10. The link below should help? SHL 500ml pure Methyl Ethyl Ketone MEK Butanone 5055341004557 | eBay This is what it says on my bottle. And a close up of the small print. ATB OzzyO.

Hello Elis, Chris, do you have any updates on the buckeye coupling yet? ATB OzzyO.

As you say that your running 19 coach trains and only at exhibitions in HO most if not all will be running on pin points in a plastic bearing so I wouldn't lubricate them. OzzyO.

Hello all, using these could have something to do do with slowing me down even more. The checkrail chairs and the switch chairs both of which came from Off the Rails. A close up of the switch chairs yes you do have the keys to fit as well, and they are tapered as is the prototype. The chairs for the crossing nose (common crossing), I can see a bit of fun with these as these are made for a 1:6 crossing with a 1.02mm check rail gap, and we are using a 1:8 crossing and a 1.5mm check rail gap. So a bit of cutting and shutting should work! Back to Kev ATB OzzyO.

The vee will be the same but the relationship between the vee and the wing rails and the check rails and the running rails is better, as we're making the track to 31.5mm the check and wing rail gaps are 1.5mm, if you were to do the same at 32mm gauge I think that the wing and check rail gaps would be 1.75mm, if these were made to 33mm track gauge the wing and check rail gaps would be 1.02mm? Also using 31.5 you don't get the wheel drop over the point vee that you get with Peco points. OzzyO.