devondynosoar118

Not sure, none of my layouts are big enough to need one. A search on here might lead to some reviews.

That's a lot of work to do to get sensible running at the price of the model!

You could use a track cleaning wagon, numerous ones in brass are supposed to be good, there is even a Dapol one with Hoover on board.

Only Americans call them "frogs" so a PW engineer told me! I use either SEEPs with switches or a mechanical rod with a switch on the end to change the polarity. All my points are modified with cross bonding as well. Glad the bulldog got finished.

You can also fit switches to the bottom of gem or MSE lever frames, either to switch polarity or activate solenoids, I have not tried this but have seen some very neat lever frames done this way on here. The method of operation above sounded very sociable too. Look forward to the next entry! Wish my blog was behind my actual modelling progress, just have not had a block of time lately to do much needed finishing.

You don't actually have to decide dc or dcc, I wire exactly the same for both, with live common crossings on the points and traditional point control. When I want to run dcc I can simply throw the section switches and plug in my DCC controller.

For a layout that is more about operations I would go DCC without question, you can still have proper lever frames for the points, most moderately priced DCC controllers are clunky for this anyway. Also don't use those short radius points on running lines, it is not money saved if you like operating and intend to use some kit built stock.

Sounds like a real cracker to run too, good luck with the interlocking, just the thought of it makes my brain hurt!

As for the dukedog, look at Franks blog, he is doing one too, maybe this will help stop yours being put away unfinished?

Allways keen to see more of the western! What track standards will you use?

It already looks like what it's ment to be!

Seconded, you would never know it came from a slightly "compromised" kit. I bet at this scale it has some real prototypical "presence" too!

Nice grass dude.....

On a more serious note where did you get it from? Results look excellent.

Great work, this is going to be a real beauty when complete! As the paint colours were usually mixed on site and as we can see different people see colour differently some variation is more realistic.

As Pete says above! I have a bit of mesh left over from SBL that might work, PM me if you want it.

Sorry to hear the pain in Spain has brought you back to the rain.

On the plus side you will be able to exhibit your layouts more easily, we will all come to see them as well (not necessarily a positive!) and the beer is better.

I always find work/life balance has depended more on my personal discipline in actually leaving work at a reasonable time and keeping bits of work where they belong, in the office!

Pity you decided to come back a bit late to buy Dads practice, 5 mins walk from the S&C!

Well done! It's the start of a long slippery slope you know......

I have a copy of the Hornby catalog for 1975, I will have a look at it more closely. Looking forward to a road vehicles blog entry!

I suspect your 4mt is also designed for larger radii than some parts of your layout. Lots of track and sidings in a small space, what era do you operate it in?

Great stuff! Really looking forward to this one too.

It is a bit zen. I only did about a quarter of that area on SBL and was glad when it was done. Both straight and angled dental picks may be used for scribing, the pin vice solution does allow for point replacement if it goes a bit blunt. IMHO scribing is really the only accurate way to reproduce setts or cobbles as none of the sheets account for edging, gutters or curves.

Did you use the K's chassis but with scale link motor and wheels?

He's certainly done an excellent "nose job" without a single "boob" on this build...

Looks fantastic! Like the rust streaks too. All it needs is a few swarthy deck hands and a fag smoking, coffee sipping skipper in the wheelhouse and you'd struggle to spot it was a model. Wonderful work. Do you intend to return to railways and the adventures of pointy man soon?

We look forward to hearing about your baptism of fire as a show organiser!

MK 2 looks ok, if you put some strips of tile over the edges of the roof where it meets the wall and colour in the visible card on the corners it could look even better. Well done for showing the warts and all version too, I have made 2 attempts at my station building now and neither made better models than shed 1!

Good luck with the show too.

I always liked annekas beach buggy more than the rest of the show, sad case that I am!

I use Fairy Power Spray for all sorts of paint removal, i have also used the Phoenix one and the fairy is generally better, plus it costs less. I have not encountered the reaction you got before though.

Results look very good. I suspect that if the whole rake is the same brown and cream it will look "right" anyway, regardless of tonal variation in the original. Plus photos are not 100% reliable as the camera will produce different colour interpretation to the eye anyway.

That is a clever idea for darkening the scatter. The new mix is definitely better on camera.

A heart warming tale after a near disaster! Just the thing to cheer up a cold, dark evening. You can get the smoke units to work off DCC so leave it in disconnected if it is still alive then wire it up at your leisure.

Excellent choice of van in the background of the first photo too.