2E Sub Shed

1 hour ago, John M Upton said:

Some of the older legacy models are more tricky to convert, usually carving the whole coupling assembly off and replacing with a complete box is the only viable option.  Fortunately, Athearn Blue Box ones tend to have the metal spring clip version which is a lot easier as long as the spring cover has not got too badly bent or the plastic tabs worn off.

If you have issues with the coupler box on US outline, the following is of use A-Line Bulls Eye Jig which enables screw mounting of the coupler.

Also the metal spring covers are available as a spare.

2 hours ago, martin_wynne said:

 

Surely it will take 10 minutes longer, allowing for the walk from New Street to Curzon Street? 🙂

 

 

For West of England and South Wales starting points.

If making the assumption that to get to Birmingham from Bristol I would go Bristol Temple Meads - London (either changing at Old Oak Common or transferring Paddington to Euston if it ever gets that far), to enjoy a journey to Birmingham on HS2 they are in another place.

HS2 will make no difference, will still go via Cheltenham to Birmingham,  Onward travel will not be via HS2, except for few who have a Birmingham meeting followed by a London meeting or vice versa.

5 hours ago, ColinK said:

Hi,  one of my friends has asked me to help him with the wiring on his layout. While track power is DCC,  points control is by Peco solenids powered by 16v AC using a probe and stud.

 

To avoid damaging the points in use, ideally the two point motors would be switched in the correct order so that the one furthest from the toe end can only change when the first set of blades are facing the correct direction.  

Had a similar situation and used switches connected to the point solenoids so if  one set of blades was not set to middle track, then the feed to the other solenoid was broken, so it could not be thrown until the other set of blades was set to the middle track.

Assume you will wire both sides of the point solenoid to the central road stud, so remembering to "normalise" the point blades before every selection may be an easy option without above. 

In my case was a simple situation as point is visible from control position and is only point on layout.

Otherwise (which I assume the DCC instructions quoted provide) a means of sequencing the throw of the point blades,  so that when you set for the left track, the right track is set to the middle road first, then a short delay and the blades move to the left track. and vice versa. for the two diverging route studs, and wire central as above.

18 hours ago, kevinlms said:

The wagons I had (blue and yellow box) didn't go to well either. The axles were held in by a clip similar to the NEM sockets and basically clamped the axle! They rolled with a strong push, about a wagon length!

Had some of those in the long distant past, could not get the axles to move at all.

Northampton had them and the light on the one I passed regularly was white.

20 minutes ago, Hacksworth_Sidings said:

Surfing the 'bay and I find this monstrosity...

 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256345564423

 

Seller isn't actually selling that particular model, but it was shown in the listing photographs!

He is selling it, as powered & dummy versions, (and some Blue Pullman freight wagons ! )

10 minutes ago, Hacksworth_Sidings said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256345564423

 

 

I'm sorry, WHAT? I know this isn't the item listed, but the seller put it in the photographs, so I just had to share!

Seller has listed it as both a Dummy & Powered item

Unpowered.

Powered

Castle Ashby was "Castle Ashby and Earls Barton"

The Earls Barton Iron Ore Company was formed under the joint ownership of Stanton Ironworks Co Ltd, Shelton Iron, Steel & Coal Co Ltd, Newton Chambers & Co Ltd and Midland Coal,Coke & Iron Co Ltd in 1913, The extraction ceased at the same time Stanton Ironworks furnaces were damped down in 1921, hence may be assumed that some output went there and possibly to the other partners.

There were also some other leases at Earls Barton. 

See  P140 onwards of "The Ironstone Quarries of the Midlands, History, Operation and Railways  Part 3 The Northampton Area" by Eric Tonks, published by Book Law Publications 2009. ISBN 978-1-907094-026 (Originally published 1989 by Runpast Publishing)

1 hour ago, Rich Uncle Skeleton said:

 Looks like Hornby are working on a new 0-4-0, a B4.

Restarted project ?

This looks similar to what I have done to one of these Insulfrog points  to overcome dependency on using the switch blade to rail contact to supply power. (looked ok on voltmeter, however was high enough resistance to stall loco's.  In my case fitted after the point was laid).

As Grovenor states, you will need to link A to B & C to D, switching as required, either by switches linked to each point motor or frog juicers if DCC..

Fit insulating fishplates to all the rails at the 3-Way end except the rails you have the red and black wires attached to, and these will be fed from the toe of the point. You need to fit these to prevent a short as you will not be using the point blades for power routing.

You will need to carry power past the point  either just wiring for DCC or if you are using DC via isolating section switches if this is more than a one-engine in steam layout.

58 minutes ago, Moxy said:

 

I would suggest it started life as a Triang R659 http://www.hornbyguide.com/item_details.asp?itemid=1141

Thank you for your response.

Was looking for a chassis for other uses, but I think this loco is safe from the breakers yard.

Found hiding in a box along with the GWR 101's, Nellie's, and Smoky Joe's, and other assorted 0-4-0's at a Toy Fair on Saturday, this representation of a B4.

Has an "old style" Triang/Hornby chassis with X04 motor.

Google brings up no clues as to it's origins. 

Does the panel have any ideas ?

While we are in sheep country

Devon trains resume after flock of sheep invade tracks

See this thread for mention of a terminus in 5ft x 1ft - https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/179326-minor-points-annies-layout-projects/page/9/#comment-5342746

A number of variations on the "piano line".

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

As a result of much clearing in the attic,  

I'm somewhat surprised that the house hasn't collapsed under the weight of all the junk.

At least we'll be able to remove the pit props now🤣.

I did know someone who claimed that after all her daughter's stuff had been removed from their attic, they could now shut the doors upstairs without using brute force.

1 hour ago, Tony_S said:

At one time, until quite recently here, a car owner could deposit £500000 to avoid the need for third party insurance. I suppose this would have been of benefit to a very rich person otherwise uninsurable for some reason. Not allowed now,  

Drove Government vehicles in the 1980's, No insurance, after any collision, instructed to handover a slip with vehicle reg no and date, suggesting  they contact an internal claims dept. Also no MOT required if maintained in a Govt Workshop.

6 hours ago, SM42 said:

What about the interest? How  much will they make on it in the  interim.?

 

Seems to me that there is an incentive  for the companies not to settle up quickly so they can all add hundreds to a premium for an interest free short term loan

 

I believe I read somewhere that they make no money on the insurance, but generate the profits on interest from monies held.

There are a number of topics on RMWeb covering aspects of the Leek & Manifold.

There is one giving details of a possible route of the proposed extension towards Buxton.

Given the limestone quarries in that area, possibly an extension to one would have given rise to some bogie hoppers for the traffic with a cross loading facility to standard gauge like the Ravenglass and Eskdale, 

With such investment, the LMS may have purchased/produced some other motive power, for the traffic. 

"Musty Smell"

Hattons have started smelling their wares.

1 hour ago, Nick C said:

It would,  I'd have thought. Our local Smith's has the tills in the normal place though, by the doors. It's the clothing stores round here that tend to have them in strange places.

I was thinking of London Termini branches, e.g. Paddington, Victoria as examples, even in Exeter they have moved away from doors at some point.

22 hours ago, Nick C said:

I suspect with the supermarkets there's a much more prosaic reason for going back from self-service to more manned tills - it's a lot harder to shoplift past a person than a machine...

Does not explain why WH Smith put the tills at the back of the shop, would have thought it increased opportunity for theft.  

On 25/10/2023 at 07:12, rodent279 said:

One imaginary railway that is rationally possible is a line from somewhere on the Far North line to Ullapool. I believe a line was planned, but never got beyond the planning stage.

On 25/10/2023 at 21:52, DCB said:

It's in one of the histories of the Highland Railway, as was a line on the Isle of Skye  circa 1898, I will try go find it and edit this to give the title.

Garve to Ullapool          GNSR first mooted in 1890 and the scheme resurrected in 1919 as a possible light railway or narrow gauge line using WW1 surplus equipment- see Pages 261 -3 of "A Regional History of the Railways pf Great Britain Vol 15 North of Scotland"  

Skye    This has had 5 railways, all industry related, one a steam worked 3ft line, however not all existed at same time, and one is recorded as still operational - described in  "Scotland's Island Railways" by James Carron 

2 hours ago, DavidB-AU said:

 

1970s: A logger exchanges a set "L" of lumber for a set "M" of money. The cardinality of set "M" is 100. Each element is worth one dollar. Make 100 dots representing the elements of the set "M". The set "C", the cost of production, contains 20 fewer points than set "M." Represent the set "C" as a subset of set "M" and answer the following question: What is the cardinality of the set "P" for profits?

Is that by any chance SMP Maths ?   Taught to a select few at my grammar school, who went on to fail Pure and Applied Maths at A level.

The Rock Island used de-engined RDC's as coaches in trains, so your RDC could fit in being powered by one of your loco's, 

10 hours ago, melmerby said:

However any computer software designer worth their metal would've compensated for that, the majority AFAIK had done

Well I spent part of 1998 taking a reference system of a mobile phone network, through midnight 31st December 1999 and several other key dates post 2000 to prove it would not fall over.  Also some staff got paid an outrageous standby allowance for 31st December 1999 / 1st January 2000