Andrew F

Decent decoders have the right dimming qualities.

For many modellers, modifications to make things more realistic is enjoyable and personalises a loco or piece of stock. I always think as an enthusiast, I must do better than the mass production in China. There's so many facets that make up a realistic model, even if the base model is as good as the SLW 24. There's the paint finish and body panel rippling to make a model really look like it was built in a works rather than just being a nice plastic model. Sometimes these points are forgotten about as absolute detail accuracy take president.

Micro drill bits in that small flat plastic box where you slide the clear lid to align the hole with the channel of your selected drill bit then tilt to release it. All the drill bits drop except the one you selected which stays at the top for some reason meaning you have to remove the clear sliding lid which disengages with such a jolt that all the drill bits that were in size order are now on the floor.

Did anyone ever receive anything by post from him? ; even items he has/had in stock. He didn't supply me the items he told me he definitely (for what that's worth) held.

Or warp as God intended it.

Hello. I'm after just 1 set of these wheels. The axle is not important as the wheels will be put on other axles. Cheers Andy

I think when you list a BIN item the "Or best offer" bit comes on your listing by default and you have to remove this option or it did last time I sold something this way. Maybe the people who counter offer you the same BIN price just aren't aware that the best offer bit needs deleting from the listing.

Cheers 298. I've already learnt a lot about these loco's; I suppose that is one benefit of having a go at older models but the downside is where to draw the line at compromise. I guess if you accept the shorter wheelbase bogies then you can make other compromises and at the end of the day they will still be attractive models. Rheo brake vents and ABCB are which parts? Are these the stepped square panels with the three bars over them? I measured the Bachmann 85 Faiveley pan and it was 23mm between insulators and that would fit the horizontal mounting bars of the Hornby 86. I guess the GEC cross-arm pan must be the same as 86's were fitted with these too. I'll have to build a Judith Edge cross arm really before knowing where to put the mounting bars on the 87.

Roofs in the modern spelling and rooves is the old spelling. Both are correct, unlike my old models it seems.

Cheers Pete. I know what you mean. I could always wait until there's a better picture of the new Hornby 87 roof as they've probably got it right and I want my loco's to look as good as the new ones albeit with the too short wheelbases. I had a look on the AC locomotive group's gallery and it does seem that their 87002 and 86101 are basically the same in this area. I don't know if the links will work 87002 https://www.aclocogroup.co.uk/gallery.php?mode=p&pic=76|22 86101 https://www.aclocogroup.co.uk/gallery.php?mode=p&pic=63|2 There's also 87001 in the museum at York and if I remember it's got a platfrom next to it so I may take my tripod and get some images of what's up there

That is truly a work of art David, and one of the greatest feats in landscape modelling I've seen. It's also nice to see the town yard clear for once. Ballasting next?

Hello there. I'm detailing some Hornby 86's and some Lima 87's (70's/80's) and I'd like to know if the rooves of the prototypes are basically the same (mainly in the pan well areas) I've gathered some pictures of the 86 and think I've got the basics right but can't find anything online of the 87 roof. I've lowered and ridged the left and right panels of the pan wells of the 86's. There are double sets of horizontal strips (pan mounts?) just before the vertical cab roof end which I believe is correct but is the 87 the same? Here's a picture to show them (86 on left/87 on right)

Go for it. You may have a "flash in the pan" there.

It depends what you call easy. The NEM pocket slots into the bogie frame but if I remember right you have to slightly seperate the two parts of the bogie. Firstly remove the body shell (4 easy clips) then prise off the bogie tower clip on the top of the bogie you want to carry the NEM. You can put a blade or a screwdriver between the two parts of the bogie frame but don't open it too much or you may dislodge the drive/gears etc. Alternatively you can remove the keeper plate, The NEM posts should just push into the socket on the bogie frame now. Picture of NEM showing locating posts: Picture of where it goes: PM me your address and you can have an NEM.

Sorry if it's already been explained but Is it the case that this cross-arm panto will not be in contact with the wire and will not move up and down with it? One of the attractions to OHLE modelling is watching the sprung effect of a panto as the loco moves along under bridges and such. The Lima diamond jobbie has a lovely springing effect. Has anyone here built the Judith Edge cross-arm and if so how tricky is it?

Thanks Keefer. I like the last comment on the page in that link. I think the style is excellent; orange went so well with blue/grey.

Hello. Does anyone know the original colour of the Mk3a RUB seats; whether they were blue or yellow? I have two Jouef models with 2+1 seating and one has blue and the other has yellow so I suppose Jouef didn't know either. Cheers Andy

I'm going to have to work fast here (there are still some lines I require for "splattage") before the government has us all sealed up for good.

Modelling a certain loco or piece of stock and looking on the web for images and all the photo's are of the side that you don't need to see. Then you find the side that you need and that detail you're searching for is obscured by a bush or something or the photo is taken with the loco at a platform and you needed to see the chassis. Also looking for a specific loco on a Flikr search and just getting pictures of loads of fit Japanese girls........ooof!

What gets me about all these overpriced layouts where the sellers don't seem no know a lot about railways and the value of models is that they never have anything that is actually worth anything on them. Even the recently built layouts just have worthless tat and Railroad. Couldn't they have bought a bulk lot a Bachmann Polybulks or TEA tanks from Hattons when they were cheap and include them with their job lot if they don't seem to know the worth of models.

That Lima mk3 does look great. Like you Andy, I've been collecting Jouefs for a late 70's early 80's WCML rake and even without the EE frames they are a lot of work, taking off the mould lines etc and they can be quite brittle. I actually took the whole end off one just by removing one of the paint guide lines. One bonus with them if using the original frames is that they can be glazed easily as panes can be stuck behind the frame as it is thin. I think they actually look better than the OR coach in this respect and I don't know if I'm alone when I say it's really nice to have models that actually come your childhood, from the same era as the prototype and weren't made in China. Modelling and detailing older coaches can be a cheaper option and is often pleasurable but even though I've payed as little as 2 quid for a Jouef, the cost soon stacks up with wheels/transfers/laserglaze if used etc. There is the benefit of having all the livery shades standardised. I'd say the price of the OR mk3 gives a little scope for some extra work for those that feel a bit dodgy about some aspects of it. Personally there's nothing about them that would put me off.

The air/paint mix has to travel through 90 degrees. Why would anyone design a nozzle with a right angle in it as opposed to a curve?

Don't forget that these will have a close coupling mech; a big selling point I'd have thought and they do look the best mark 3's to date. Sure enough there appears to be a few bad points as mentioned and I reckon the bogies look too narrow or the gap between the body and bogies too small but which rtr coaches are perfect? Folks seem happy with Bachy mk1's (modern era) which don't even have any window frames, have massive roof ribs, poor glazing, brake shoes far from the wheels and steps up the back yet that's acceptable. Anyhow, we'll see.

Would the battery charge on the Tesla last a bit longer if it had less than 700 bhp?