pauln

I wasn't going to get one until I saw them in the cabinet at Howes Models and thought it would look excellent next to my collection of LT panniers.  As a result, I decided to splurge on a Sherlock Holmes.  Mine also arrived from Hattons the other day. I've only just got around to running a camera over it today, and thought people might like to see the photos.

Thanks. I like the grey roof better than the reddish one on the one I got; John Hampden.

I gave mine a test run today. Fine in DC but on two different DCC chips it only runs properly in one direction. In the other direction it runs for a second, stops, runs for a second, stops, repeats this about half a dozen times then refuses to move at all. Same on rolling road so not a pickup issue.  Also had one of the gear cogs clicking and jumping occasionally. 

It will be on its way back to the shop on Monday for an exchange.

ISTR a tv sketch of the chef emerging from the kitchen with the pizza, and calling "Pizza!" to the waiting staff. He then sneezed on it "With extra mozzarella!"

That was Not The Nine o Clock News.

The new 4 VEPs are far superior runners. The gearing has been changed and they are much smoother right from the start, and the one I have fully run-in so far, is superior to an order of magnitude to the original model (of which I only purchased one). I have had no de-railment problems, in either direction. I use Peco Code 75 track and large and medium radii points plus some Tillig points and about 5m of C&L code 83 track.

That's good news. After buying and sending back two terrible runners I swore I'd not get another but at £99 it was just too hard to resist having another try. I'm hoping it will be worth the money.

Edit : I've just had the despatch note for the VEP and a BIL from Kernow so they must have had more in stock. Their web site now says "Please note we will have more stock available very shortly when we have collected it from our secure storage - we did not expect to get through the stock at the shop so quickly!"

Assuming you have kids (rather than having a worrying interest in Peppa Pig) make sure they realise how important the thing under the duvet is. 

Bring it down south and I'll bring along my EPBs, CEPs and MLV !

You may already be aware of this, but just in case you aren't,  "St Simon" of this parish has a fair few 3D printed NSE type station fitments in OO that you may find of use.

 

https://www.shapeways.com/designer/SJPModels

Thanks I hadn't seen those. They could be useful but, unless I am doing something wrong, the shipping is extortionate (9 euros for one little plastic item).

Thanks pauln. Wherabouts in Wallington? I was in Osmond Gardens, just off Demesne Rd. Mellows Park was the closest green space when I was a kid but we used to go down to Beddington Park simply because it was huge and more fun. I used to hang around by the ponds at the Hackbridge end of the pedestrian path that led from Croydon Rd down past the grammar school. Happy days.

I used the Scalescenes tarmac sheets a couple of times on N gauge layouts but I was never happy disguising the joins either! For this I've used cut vinyl markings:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Realistic-looking-A4-Cut-Vinyl-Road-Markings-for-OO-HO-Gauge-Hornby-Layouts-/281485280591?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item4189d4854f

...they're good quality and a doddle to apply. A bit shiny, but they can be weathered with powders once in place. A pet hate of mine is visible joins in roads and car parks etc. I've got in the habit of using copier paper to make a template and then cutting a piece of 3mm MDF. The road surface is weathered, then the vinyls applied, then weathered again.

Thanks for the link to the Scenecraft station pack. I'll have a go at making them myself but it's nice to know there's a lazy option if it all goes wrong! I do remember there used to be an ebay seller "dustylionflower" that supplied pre-painted NSE red metal benches, station clocks etc. Wonder what happened to him?

 

Woodcote Road. But grew up in Battersea looking over the line to Stewarts Lane (why on earth didn't I have a decent camera when great stuff like the Brighton Belle used to go past?).

Those vinyls are the same ones I ended up buying - probably from the same seller in OO.  I've laid some of the yellow lines and they look good. Need to get the bus stop done now.

Dustylionflower was the seller I was thinking of too.

Superb work. The speed of your progress puts me (and most others I'd guess) to shame.  I still live in Wallington (but down the leafier green end).

You've done much better with the Scalescenes road markings on your various layouts than I managed - could never get the tarmac sections to match.

There's a Bachmann Scenecraft pack 44-502 that contains a couple of ticket machines  (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Bachmann-44-502-Train-Station-Modernisation-Pack-OO-Gauge-/231378655982?pt=UK_Trains_Railway_Models&hash=item35df3e1aee) and several ebay sellers sell card ticket machines but I would have thought you'd be perfectly capable of a great DIY job anyway.

Hi all,

I was about to order the large logo blue version but a quick search for a suitable decoder first only showed up a few PluX22 examples. Is there any other choice in the UK apart from Uhlenbrock or Zimo and is there a sound chip with 73 sounds and a PluX22 interface (paging Legomanbiffo ?)

Edit : found a Lokpilot at Digitrains which seems to be the cheapest at £27.

Thanks

Paul

Very interesting start. You work a lot quicker than I do.

I'd check each bogie (both sides) with a straight edge across the 3 wheel treads to ensure the centre wheel/tread is not slightly lower than the outer 2, which normally causes the bogie to rock/chatter on the centre wheel set, which can result in extra noise and de-railing. If you find the centre axle/wheels are slightly lower, remove the axle and gently file out the bottom of the brass bearing recess by a SMALL amount allowing the axle to sit slightly lower.

It's also worth checking the bogies can move/tilt fore and aft, if not slacken off the bogie tower retaining screws slightly. 

HTH

Hmm. I have just started running mine and it is a bit noisy and derails the rear bogie on one set of points every two or three circuits. I'll have a closer look using your suggestion, thanks.

Here's a few more shot's...nowhere near the high standards set on this forum but it's a start!! Hopefully, the roof will look better when it's glued down!

 

On the contrary I think it is a great layout. The long shot looking along the length of the layout is very impressive and you've done a great job with those scratchbuilt station buildings.

Paul

I think what you may be seeing on that particular site is evidence that Bachmann produced proportionally too many FK and BSO coaches compared with their initial run of TSO's. The TSO's sold out quite quickly, as you might expect when you consider that customers may well have bought enough for a rake (or rakes), but fewer brake and first class coaches were needed for the aforementioned rakes, hence the over-supply that is now being sold at heavily discounted prices.

I'd agree with that. No point in buying the BSO and FK if you can't buy the rest of the rake. That said some new TSOs have now been released so maybe that will change (or maybe not if the shades of blue and grey aren't quite the same - I think there are some differences between the batches ?)

Slightly off topic from working patterns but on topic for Lima Mk2s - is there an easy way to swap the extra large couplings for something smaller and at the right height for current Bachmann / Hornby locos.

Thanks

Paul

That looks pretty good grass for a first go. Will need mowing soon.

I was drawn to this thread by your "other post". I don't know how I've missed this before. Lovely work on the footbridge and on the track lifting cameo. Some great ideas for me.

The model press can only speak as they find. We had no problems with the running of our sample VEP. To launch into print based on anything other than one's own experience can potentially be a very expensive business. Apart from the prospect of replacement interior partitions, we have not been advised of any other changes.

CHRIS LEIGH

Chris,

I did send Ben some videos which I took of my defective units and he did discuss this with Simon Kolher. Now, as per earlier posts, I can't fault Mr Kohler's efforts to check the poor running on my models and to send me one which had the traction tyres swapped and some adjustments to the DCC chip CVs which largely resolved my running issues. What none of us know is how widespread the running problems were - somewhere between "only a small number of people on a web forum found the issue" and "quite a lot of customers returned their models" and this could certainly have been explored a bit by the model rail press with the manufacturer.

That ratio fencing does look pretty good as do the yard lights

Few more shots of the exchange sidings at Chilmark ... sorry this is a bit off the original topic of Dinton but I thought you might find them interesting.

The tops are just card - easier to trim and adjust. With proper support, card can be very strong. The photos don't show all of the extra cross supports I have been adding under the card surfaces.

 

Even so, I did consider using plasticard for the tops. If I change my mind (it's not too late!) I will use the card ones as templates.

Thanks. I shall be getting onto installing platforms and fitting 3rd rail shortly on my layout so will watch your efforts with interest.

Interesting because on mine (as shown previously in this thread) the model as purchased had the traction tyres on the same axle.

 

Thank you Steve for your continued updates, I am glad that the problems in your model appear to have been resolved satisfactorily.

The one that Hornby sent me to try out also had the traction tyres on the diagonally opposite axles - this helped with better running for me. Not sure how easy they are to swap for those that have one at home ?

 

If you have not already done so, I think it would probably be beneficial for you to drop Hornby a short email simply requesting how you should obtain the replacement interior parts, and when they will be available. I would suggest allowing several working days for a response too. It is implicit in the article that the tooling will be addressed rather than mass replacements sitting in Hornby's warehouse at present.

 

I am sure it is frustrating not having received a response from your initial correspondence. There is the possibility Hornby did not receive it. I would be interested to see the final text of what you posted. I'm just curios to see what you requested from Hornby.

 

Regards

 

Tom

S A C Martin's letter can be found earlier in the thread - around page 30 something I believe. I wrote direct to Simon Kohler by letter / email and had several exchanges of email within a reasonable timescale. My concerns (see also earlier in the thread) were about the noise generated by the motor and the poor traction and I certainly had the feeling that Mr Kohler was keen to resolve this problem for me. Whether this results in a permanent change to future production is down to Hornby. In my case it feels like I had some of a batch of dud motors which explains the noise - my replacement does not have this issue - and a swap round of the traction tyres, a new DCC chip and some changes to CVs (all of which Hornby did for me) have resulted in a 4 VEP which is much closer to a Bachmann CEP in performance. So, personally I can't fault Hornby's response about the mechanical problem but personally also I didn't have any concern about the bodywork issues others have commented on.

I do wonder, though, how many people actually contacted Hornby direct rather than just post comments on forums. In this thread I'd estimate only 4 or 5 people have mentioned writing direct. I don't know what the production run is but I would guess this is only a tiny percentage and I can see why Hornby might be reluctant to take this as evidence of a major issue. If it is true that retailers are sitting on large stocks that might also be an indicator - but whether this because of the model's design, market saturation, price or a number of other reasons Hornby will have to judge.

Looking good. Are the platform surfaces card or plasticard ?

Try http://www.kernowmod...ive_number_6326

 

or

 

http://www.ehattons....tockDetail.aspx

 

for starters

Thanks. I am sure they weren't there a few days ago when I last checked. Should have checked again before posting.

Are there any photos of the blue one (in model form) yet please. I can't see on this thread.

Thanks

Paul