Silver Sidelines

If it was mine I would put a drop of Butanol / MEK in the hole and then screw the parts back together. Some types of liquid super glue should work the same way, softening the plastic and allowing the screw to make a new thread. With care you should be able to remediate the situation. Good luck Ray

Yes - I am very disappointed with Rapido. My 15xx is a permanent reminder of Rapido's poor quality control. Regards Ray

I suggest that you view my recent video. https://youtu.be/hhqwsRLo_ts?si=vV3jTUDwJB1gnu3A This was a replacement model sent direct from Rapido. Cheers Ray

Thanks No Decoram. I do believe it is a growing problem where manufacturers mix and match metal and plastic. There are similar issues with Rapido's 15xx and 16xx pannier tanks which are metal and the cab is plastic. Cheers Ray

Yes - you might be right. I have re-entered the coding and I am not now seeing the message. Sorry about that - not sure what happened. Cheers Ray

Hello Budgie - apologies, I missed this message coming in! All my track is relatively clean and only gets 'spot' cleaned if there is a local issue. As regards cleaning inside the tunnel I can get my hand and wrist a good way inside. If it was to be a big issue a cloth and a stick would probably sort the problem. Now finding a track plan is a big problem. The layout as now extended is too big for A4 at 1/2 inch to the foot. There have been subtle changes with time but the diagram below and the links should give you an insight to how it is laid out. Thanks Ray

For those who have still to make their minds up and buy one of these super little models, here is a video of mine with sound on analogue. Yes, the gear change is not quite perfect, needs a bit more tweaking! https://live.staticflickr.com/video/53506725940/61bf3b3cae/1080p.mp4?s=eyJpIjo1MzUwNjcyNTk0MCwiZSI6MTcwNjk5MzA1OSwicyI6IjlmNzAwN2YyZTBkNWU2ZDU0ZWU5Nzg1NWVkOTEyOTIxYTJlNDNlYzkiLCJ2IjoxfQ Regards Ray

Just a thought, Bachmann cranks had a key so that they fitted at the correct angle. I think you have said the Rapido crank plugs in. Is it possible that it an be plugged in say at 180 degrees out of phase? Cheers Ray

One is tempted to say that Rapido UK should get full marks for trying. However it might be a case of silk purses and sows ears. One of my first models went back and to, to Rapido but I thought was still a poor runner. After further correspondence it has been replaced. The box was opened with trepidation. It has been tested by Rapido and went nicely backwards and forwards. However after half a lap running in reverse on my layout it slowed down, started limping and overheating. Turned it round and would run forwards again - no issues. I repeated this behaviour two or three times. My wife who has been taking an interest in the comings and goings of these models said "So, it will be going back!" I noticed when I lifted the model off the track that there was a click from the front wheels. I investigated further and to cut a long story short, I removed the bottom keeper plate and inspected the sprung pickup. It would jam in the extended position restricting the movement of the front wheel set. I know not how the sliding mechanism works but even after exercising it there was still a tendancy for it to fully extend and jam. As a last resort I would lubricate it (and the wheel bearings) with some sewing machine oil. Success - the model has now behaved perfectly for over a week. There are some video clips below of my two models, one a 'better' replacement from the retailer. The other a replacement from Rapido. They are not smooth runners and the mix of metal and plastic body parts I think makes them look as if they are wearing Joseph's coat of many colours. Video updated later in the day

Thanks Fran, I must have missed that. Regards Ray

Thanks Fran....Could you explain how you are helping out? Cheers Ray

So come on Accurascale - what is different on the Torquay Manor PCB - you must have an idea 'Fran'. Do share it with us because at them moment Torquay Manor is a constant reminder of something not quite right.....

I would appear not to be alone in receiving a box with 'bits' loose in the bottom. The bits are mostly plastic and easily identifiable. Steps, Safety Valve, etc. However i and others have been faced with a tiny piece of broken metal. Maybe the vacuum packaging is a tight fit but it appears that the tiny guard irons at the front of the pony truck are prone to damage. I like a challenge and at £170.00 it is excellent play value to spend an afternoon with the super glue. I will add a couple of pictures showing my fettled model. You can just see that the guard iron on the right of the picture has been reattached and given a coat of new paint.

Thanks Methuselah for the comments. If Bachmann had offered a maroon livery coach at the start I may well have chosen to buy that one. However rereading my potted history above suggests that the coach was withdrawn in Decemeber 1954 so I am thinking to myself why was it painted in all over maroon - and when., since blood and custard would have been the standard coach livery up until 1956 or more. As to your questions I am sorry but I know not the anwers. I wrote the Post in 2018, so five or more years ago. There will probably be more information on the web. You might find that the LNER Coach association can help https://www.lnerca.org/home/about-us/ They have a list of drawing sources. They should have someone more knowledgeable than myself. Regards Ray

Here is another view, 1962, Late Crest. Photo FG Steinle Ray

Cheers - it is a concern. Definitley don't leave the railway unattended. The older lengths of track 'behind the scenes' have cardboard upstands on the outside of the curves. I am not sure where I am going scenery wise on this latest section and whether to add upstands or some scenery. Regards Ray

Hello, as just suggested above to Tall Paul - it might educational to stick the engine on a glass plate and check that all the driving wheels are in contact. Not sure how important the 1m radius is - isn't haulage also about gradient? Good luck Ray

Sorry abou that Paul, I had in mind something wrong with the tender to engine coupling or the arrangment of the front bogie pivot. Many years ago in one of my Blogs I suggested standing an engine (Hornby) on a sheet of glass and pushing bits of paper under the wheels to see which ones were not in contact with the glass. The Accurascle Manor does not have any springing and I am just wondering if there is an issue with one wheel set where the bearings are not sitting in the chassis correctly - a possible manufacturing issue. If you do find the driving wheels are not all level then that is more information when returning the model for repair. Good luck Regards Ray

You could look and see and then you might better understand the problem. You might even see an obvious solution. Regards Ray

It sounds as if the engine is propped up either by the bogie or by the tender - meaning that perhaps only one of the driving wheels is in contact with the rails. Cheers Ray

After some twelve months or more I have got round to completing the writing up of the construction of The Great Way Round. https://www.rmweb.co.uk/blogs/entry/26158-gwr-the-great-way-round-–-the-construction/ As part of the write up there is a YouTube link to a video made with the Camtruck - pushed by a Rapido 15xx. To complement the Camtruck video there is birds eye view of the 15xx travelling around the layout - behind the scenes and all. The 15xx runs very slowly and smoothly if you don't watch the chimney too long!

Recapping from my last Post, some fifteen years ago when the layout was conceived there was a Mainline Terminus and a high level Branch Terminus, both constructed up against the plasterboard enclosure housing the Aga flue. It was not long before the Mainline Terminus was converted to a through station with the running lines skirting the outside of the plasterboard enclosure. This provided for a dumbbell shaped layout with reversing loops and storage sidings at both ends. Most importantly it allowed continuous running. I do like to watch trains running. How could the single track branch line be made into a continuous run? Life moves on, the Aga is now electric and the flu no longer carries hot gases. I mused about a tunnel through the plaster board enclosure with a new connection back down to the through station (the Mainline Terminus that was). The Plaster Board Box The catalyst for this work was the appearance of some off cuts of ¾ inch plywood. By stint of good fortune these were a perfect height and width to form a box for a tunnel. All that was necessary was to glue and screw the bits together to form a solid box (almost square) which was just long enough to bridge the plasterboard enclosure. The Plywood Tunnel Box Forming the tunnel was the easy part. Installing the wooden box was the first tricky bit. Just a reminder, the tunnel had to pick up the running line from the buffer stops at the Branch line Terminus. The Buffer Stops before the Tunnel To minimise damage and disruption to the existing trackwork and platform the wooden tunnel box would have to be pushed in and across the plasterboard box from the side opposite towards the station. First the position of the track at the buffer stops was transferred to the opposite side of the plasterboard box and the centreline of the tunnel box marked on both plaster walls. The outline of the wooden tunnel box was then drawn on the walls and four drill holes made at the corners. These holes were used to start cuts into both the plasterboard and insulation board. The plasterboard was cut from the outside with a Stanley knife. The insulation board was cut from inside the loft space with a keyhole blade. Both tunnel mouths were made in essentially the same way, the opening by the station being the trickiest because of the presence of the existing baseboard across the bottom of the required opening. With holes formed in the wall the wooden tunnel box could be pushed into place supported at the correct level by cross members at each end within the loft space. Inside the Roof Space More Roof Space The Tunnel Box fitted - Jump? As with a lot of my ‘do-it-yourself’ works the gaps were filled with all purpose filler. (What will we do without Wilkinsons?) Almost Level With the tunnel in place all I had to do was construct a ramp up to it (the second tricky bit). As discussed in the previous Post there appeared to be a route around the reversing loop and up over the hidden sidings. The Plan The alignment was marked out and measured. The length from the tunnel mouth down to the connection with the reversing loop was exactly 25feet (300inches)! The height of the entrance to the tunnel mouth above the track bed for the hidden sidings was 5¾ inches. This gave an average gradient of 1 in 52. Experience indicated that whilst not ideal it would be acceptable. Various ‘nay sayers’ have said I should have designed the layout with a flatter gradient. Hindsight is wonderful but sadly as in the real world you have to make do with things as they are. I put together quite a complicated little spread sheet to enable me to calculate the height of the intermediate supports measured from the start of the gradient taking account of the thickness of the fibre board track bed on the curve and the ¾ inch plywood for the straight section. Out with the jigsaw. For the curved section I used the existing fibre board for the trackbed. For the straight section above the hidden sidings I raided my stash of 3/4inch plywood. Halfway round the curved section I realised that there was sufficient clearance above the lower reversing loop to ease the curve radius. On our Way Up and Around The hidden sidings had been arranged in pairs and in order to make space for supports for the overhead trackwork the last pair of sidings had to be shifted about half an inch outwards. This done holes were cut through the fibre board surface to locate the cross members and attach new vertical supports. Up and Over the Hidden Sidings PVA is wonderful stuff Track Ready Completed – well first time round Some pictures of the completed works. As with most real projects it is always better to have a second go. As planned the lines through the tunnel would simply connect up with the existing station track and attached with nylon rail joiners. Well there is a problem – the nylon joiners offer no support and create a nasty step in the track. The solution second time around was to run a complete yard length of track across the joint and up to the existing station turnout. The nylon joiners were moved to the other end of the yard length and ended up inside the tunnel – not ideal but workable. The Nylon Rail Joiners as planned Moving the Rail Joints away from the Tunnel Mouth – a better Solution Another issue was the connection with the existing trackwork. As planned this would be a single turnout which would require a short section of wrong line running. After an initial play I decided how much better to have a proper junction and the single turnout was replaced with a three points arrangement, negating the need for any wrong line running. The Single Turnout as first planned Three Turnouts – no Wrong Line Running Most of this work was completed in 2021. Since then two tunnel mouths have been created and a halt has appeared. There is a video on YouTube – just hope the driver and fireman have heads for heights. Postscript Early summer and it was hot. The track through the tunnel is not fixed and expanded and moved sideways. The tunnel is quite close to the slates and I would not be surprised if temperatures rose to 40C or more. The track was relaid with larger gaps between individual track lengths. The perils of ultra hot weather.

Hello again, I have been searching out my old models and I am still not impressed. I am guessing that they were put safely away because they don't actually haul very much. I have put together a video which starts with Rapido's 15xx. You can see the chimney waving from side to side as it emerges from the tunnel but it is super smooth and hugely powerful. In contrast the only way I could get Hornby's 2-8-0T / 2-8-2T tank engines to haul my train of ICI tank wagons up the hill was to double head them. Other wise they just sat at the bottom of the incline with their wheels rotating. Finally I have added a clip of a decent Heavy Goods Engine - a Bachmann 9F. These are not without their issues but they can be made to be very good. All the clips were made with the controller on essentially the same setting (Gaugemaster DS). Enjoy - and yes I need to see how to add more weight. Cheers Ray

Hornby or is it history has a habit of repeating itself. I remember when I first wrote this post being amazed at how plastic the model was - very flimsy. A marked contrast to the latest 78xxx offering. Regards Ray

I too would say just like mine! I would say that The Wobble is the elephant in the room. If this had been Bachmann or Hornby a couple of years ago there would heve been howls of critism. At least both Bachmann and Hornby make their wheel sets available to purchase as spares. I had my retailer test my second model and he says: We did check the running against others of this model on our stock, and I can confirm that these models do exhibit a slight wobble due to the mechanism. We have checked and tested a brand-new replacement, and we are satisfied that this is functioning as it should and has no imperfections. I also attach an image of the report received from Rapido when they returned my first model. All working within tollerances. - whatever that means. Are there tests and measurements that can be carried out and what are the limits? The proof of the pudding is in the eating and I am thinking that Rapido have some work to do to convince people like me to buy more of their products.