A Resurrection!
921 - 937 of 937 Posts
Joined
·
1,294 Posts
Cheers, Reddo. I have become quite a collector of wagons either relating to the area where I grew up or liveried from breweries which have resonance for me. These have frequently been commissioned from Dapol by Model Railway Societies or Preservation groups.
However I have found the couplings on them to be a nightmare! I appreciate I have some trainset curves and I'm using code 100, but I wouldn't expect coupling hooks to fall out all the time and for wagons to separate themselves constantly.
None of my Bachmann stuff does this, nor the Hornby, Lima or Mainline albeit that the latter have old-style couplings except one or two more modern Hornby items. I therefore hit on the idea of using the Bachmann replacements and as I said these worked but only after removing the vertical part of the bottom of the coupling hook. Although the Dapol spine wagons have NEM pockets they are considerably lower than any of my other stock.
Finally I was a little disappointed that despite making the coupling change I couldn;t add my Bachmann intermodals to the train without derailment issues. However that was almost certainly to do with too much weight on tight curves!
I go back to saying I was just delighted to get the things to go repeatedly round the track with no problems. In the past I was lucky to get a quarter of a circuit without something falling off, and with such beautiful and delicate models (the only ones The Small Controller isn't allowed to touch) I was in the past really worried about damage!
However I have found the couplings on them to be a nightmare! I appreciate I have some trainset curves and I'm using code 100, but I wouldn't expect coupling hooks to fall out all the time and for wagons to separate themselves constantly.
None of my Bachmann stuff does this, nor the Hornby, Lima or Mainline albeit that the latter have old-style couplings except one or two more modern Hornby items. I therefore hit on the idea of using the Bachmann replacements and as I said these worked but only after removing the vertical part of the bottom of the coupling hook. Although the Dapol spine wagons have NEM pockets they are considerably lower than any of my other stock.
Finally I was a little disappointed that despite making the coupling change I couldn;t add my Bachmann intermodals to the train without derailment issues. However that was almost certainly to do with too much weight on tight curves!
I go back to saying I was just delighted to get the things to go repeatedly round the track with no problems. In the past I was lucky to get a quarter of a circuit without something falling off, and with such beautiful and delicate models (the only ones The Small Controller isn't allowed to touch) I was in the past really worried about damage!
Indeed. I do seem to recall that when they were released, the review in MR magazine did mention something about their lightness and low position close to the track which I guess was prototypical. I also see new version of the pocket wagons are now out from Rails but with containers so they should have some weight in them.
Joined
·
1,294 Posts
Thanks, reddo. My first set of these came without containers, but I bought soem and a tanktainer. The second set did have containers, and the Bachmann continer trucks had containers one of which the previous owner had prised open & filled with gravel!
Another long break from any modelling at all. The end of last year was very stressful indeed, and once it got to the holidays all the projects I had in hand went by the wayside as I just collapsed and did very little, only moving from the armchair to get a new book or cook for the family.
However I was cheered up on Christmas day by finding this under the tree:
![]()
My family had clubbed together and bought it, knowing I really didn't want or need anything else! It's such a lovely model:
![]()
They had also splashed out on the lighting and sound kit. That's birthday accounted for as well. I had some major trials and tribulations fitting the lights in one driving car as the screws were very reluctant to release. Cannot say how pleased I am with this:
![]()
I also made a film:
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vp5ikDGUYG4?rel=0
The next project will be to start on a layout in my new home. This will be inspired by the area round Borough Market with trains above the streets. I'm going to take some liberties and have the Underground running near National Rail lines, and as I want a canal or some water of some sort move Deptford Creek about three-and-a-half miles West...
Another long break from any modelling at all. The end of last year was very stressful indeed, and once it got to the holidays all the projects I had in hand went by the wayside as I just collapsed and did very little, only moving from the armchair to get a new book or cook for the family.
However I was cheered up on Christmas day by finding this under the tree:
My family had clubbed together and bought it, knowing I really didn't want or need anything else! It's such a lovely model:
They had also splashed out on the lighting and sound kit. That's birthday accounted for as well. I had some major trials and tribulations fitting the lights in one driving car as the screws were very reluctant to release. Cannot say how pleased I am with this:
I also made a film:
http://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/vp5ikDGUYG4?rel=0
The next project will be to start on a layout in my new home. This will be inspired by the area round Borough Market with trains above the streets. I'm going to take some liberties and have the Underground running near National Rail lines, and as I want a canal or some water of some sort move Deptford Creek about three-and-a-half miles West...
Joined
·
1,294 Posts
Oh, and I did do some modelling. When painting my road surfaces I had managed to splash paint up over the paved area outside my main station. Repair work looked awful and it really needed a proper pavement just above the road level.
No pictures, but I ripped out the bike rack, phone box and pillar box (and also a model couple who seem to have gone missing
![]()
) and made a template of the area I needed to pave. I then covered this in Scalescenes platform top slabs and edged it with some random stones for the kerb, then glued it in place before replacing the street furniture.
Looks so much better now!
No pictures, but I ripped out the bike rack, phone box and pillar box (and also a model couple who seem to have gone missing
Looks so much better now!
Joined
·
1,419 Posts
Hi Stranger - Looks Great - No Pressure eh !
Cheers, Norm
Cheers, Norm
Joined
·
1,294 Posts
Thanks all! I won't be putting third and fourth rails on Wallington, but am making plans for a test for my Borough project where I will build a photo plank/trial run.
I retrieved some chunks of 12mm plywood from some building which happened at work so have the makings of a simple baseboard. What I envisage is a twin track railway running along one of the Scalescenes viaducts. I'll then bung some of the workshops/shops underneath and am deciding between the Scalescenes flats or some kind of industrial building for the backscene.
Whether I can then incorporate this as a module into another larger layout is another issue, but it will be good practice to lay track peoperly & add the third & fourth rails. It may just be a bit boring for operating interest, and indeed as the bit of board I am thinking of using is about 200 x 1250mm may not even allow the train to do much more than move backwards and forwards just a little bit!
I retrieved some chunks of 12mm plywood from some building which happened at work so have the makings of a simple baseboard. What I envisage is a twin track railway running along one of the Scalescenes viaducts. I'll then bung some of the workshops/shops underneath and am deciding between the Scalescenes flats or some kind of industrial building for the backscene.
Whether I can then incorporate this as a module into another larger layout is another issue, but it will be good practice to lay track peoperly & add the third & fourth rails. It may just be a bit boring for operating interest, and indeed as the bit of board I am thinking of using is about 200 x 1250mm may not even allow the train to do much more than move backwards and forwards just a little bit!
Joined
·
4,843 Posts
Hi Iarn and, first of all, many congratulations on your nuptials.
Notwithstanding that, you've made some great progress on the layout in the last few months and the new train looks superb.
I know what you mean about the relief of getting trains to go all round the layout. After having not run trains for about 8 months it took a lot of track cleaning and point unsticking (not to mention a motor replacement) before I could get trains running reliably again. New Year's resolution is to run trains at least once a week now.
Notwithstanding that, you've made some great progress on the layout in the last few months and the new train looks superb.
I know what you mean about the relief of getting trains to go all round the layout. After having not run trains for about 8 months it took a lot of track cleaning and point unsticking (not to mention a motor replacement) before I could get trains running reliably again. New Year's resolution is to run trains at least once a week now.
Joined
·
1,294 Posts
Thanks, Trevor. I've been lucky enough to be able to run trains round the railway since very soon after I brought it back down again as a lot of my aim was to entertain TSC. Therefore a lot is scenery built round the railway rather than vice-versa!
I think I've solved the problem of how to finish the end away from the seaside, the issue there was that there was limited clearance between the track and the protective side walls. I also have a broad idea of how to finish off the village at the end of the branch line, although plans may have to be scaled back a bit as buildings which are of a vaguely realistic size take up much more space than I anticipated, despite having drawn a ground template and measured everything!
Now need to focus on that project rather than the new one - the warehouse just needs a bit of interior and lighting, the cottages the same plus doors and maybe some window boxes or climbing plants, and the platform wiring up and the ramp finished. TLHC & TSC away on Saturday s while I may go to the Maidenhead show I should have some free time to get these done so I can plant them on my next trip back to Wallington.
I think I've solved the problem of how to finish the end away from the seaside, the issue there was that there was limited clearance between the track and the protective side walls. I also have a broad idea of how to finish off the village at the end of the branch line, although plans may have to be scaled back a bit as buildings which are of a vaguely realistic size take up much more space than I anticipated, despite having drawn a ground template and measured everything!
Now need to focus on that project rather than the new one - the warehouse just needs a bit of interior and lighting, the cottages the same plus doors and maybe some window boxes or climbing plants, and the platform wiring up and the ramp finished. TLHC & TSC away on Saturday s while I may go to the Maidenhead show I should have some free time to get these done so I can plant them on my next trip back to Wallington.
Joined
·
2,688 Posts
QUOTE (Iarnrod @ 8 Jan 2016, 08:46) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thanks all! I won't be putting third and fourth rails on Wallington, but am making plans for a test for my Borough project where I will build a photo plank/trial run.
I retrieved some chunks of 12mm plywood from some building which happened at work so have the makings of a simple baseboard. What I envisage is a twin track railway running along one of the Scalescenes viaducts. I'll then bung some of the workshops/shops underneath and am deciding between the Scalescenes flats or some kind of industrial building for the backscene.
Whether I can then incorporate this as a module into another larger layout is another issue, but it will be good practice to lay track peoperly & add the third & fourth rails. It may just be a bit boring for operating interest, and indeed as the bit of board I am thinking of using is about 200 x 1250mm may not even allow the train to do much more than move backwards and forwards just a little bit!
Hi Iarnrod,
Given the scenery you are proposing, the limited space may allow for some shunting. The Sandwich Plank is 200mm x 1230 and has 3 sidings off a head shunt, so there is a little room for movement. It can sit pretty much anywhere too; window ledge, table; you can even put it on an ironing board and pretend you are being domestic ...
![]()
Regards
J
I retrieved some chunks of 12mm plywood from some building which happened at work so have the makings of a simple baseboard. What I envisage is a twin track railway running along one of the Scalescenes viaducts. I'll then bung some of the workshops/shops underneath and am deciding between the Scalescenes flats or some kind of industrial building for the backscene.
Whether I can then incorporate this as a module into another larger layout is another issue, but it will be good practice to lay track peoperly & add the third & fourth rails. It may just be a bit boring for operating interest, and indeed as the bit of board I am thinking of using is about 200 x 1250mm may not even allow the train to do much more than move backwards and forwards just a little bit!
Hi Iarnrod,
Given the scenery you are proposing, the limited space may allow for some shunting. The Sandwich Plank is 200mm x 1230 and has 3 sidings off a head shunt, so there is a little room for movement. It can sit pretty much anywhere too; window ledge, table; you can even put it on an ironing board and pretend you are being domestic ...
Regards
J
Joined
·
1,294 Posts
I must admit I thought of the sandwich, Julian. The only thing is that I wanted the Underground line elevated on the viaduct!
I suppose with a bit of juggling I could add a shunting area on NR metals below and make the surroundings industrial, I just liked the idea of railway arches with shops & so on in them! It would be rather hard to have these and a shunting yard.
I suppose with a bit of juggling I could add a shunting area on NR metals below and make the surroundings industrial, I just liked the idea of railway arches with shops & so on in them! It would be rather hard to have these and a shunting yard.
Joined
·
1,294 Posts
Another great break from modelling if not from the site where I have been keeping up with others' news. However Easter meant I got home to the railway, and filthy weather that I got to play with it. First thing was some track cleaning as I had noticed some of my older locomotives were struggling in recent visits - presume it's because they have fewer pickups. As I've mislaid my track rubber I used the grain end of a bit of timber which seemed to work, especially after some light-engine running to get the locomotives turned over again.
First of all a couple of purchases. As I've mentioned before I collect wagons which have a certain geographical significance to me, and this from High Wycombe & District model Railway Society did the trick, finally marking my new home on the railway:
![]()
This was an absolute bargain on eBay. I've always been a fan of the Palitoy Mainline stuff I ahd in my childhood - not sure if dimensions are any good but the printing all seems lovely. I didn't really need a restaurant for my maroon set, but:
![]()
A busy little scene at the station. The renewed paving and kerb outside the entrance can just be seen and makes a world of difference in the flesh:
![]()
As mentioned on the brake vans thread I have been using my Bachmann maroon BSK as a barrier vehicle between my ancient Lima locomotives and the Hachette Mk1s by changing the coupling at the locomotive end for a larger Hornby one. Strangely enough the Mainline and Hachette couplings work well together:
![]()
Also added the free Hornby Mag lamp hut which I had toned down by rubbing it with an emery board then giving it a touch of neutral tint watercolour and some rust weatherign powder:
![]()
Still loving the parcels train too, even if the ex-GWR Fruit D did start to derail a bit. I solved this by remarshalling the train a bit. I also had the Modelzone special Bachmann ex-LMS (?) Full Brake on the back of this, again with one changed coupling, but it was a bit twitchy, need to experiment:
![]()
An awful photo as I was in a hurry and the camera battery failing, but there's the beginning of the solution to the scenic break at the far end of the railway from the sea, a modelrailwayscenery.com low relief 1930s factory bashed to make it ultra low relief by removing the side walls and roof:
![]()
Also added some more fencing at the city gate corner:
![]()
The weekend also involved some heritage railways. A trip on the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway was enlivened by the double heading of a train by a class 08 shunter and an industrial 0-4-0 saddle tank after a vacuuum brake problem. I also managed a trip to the Great Wester Society where the Black Python Bar was open and footplate rides available on Tornado:
![]()
Well worth the tenner and the queue!
First of all a couple of purchases. As I've mentioned before I collect wagons which have a certain geographical significance to me, and this from High Wycombe & District model Railway Society did the trick, finally marking my new home on the railway:
This was an absolute bargain on eBay. I've always been a fan of the Palitoy Mainline stuff I ahd in my childhood - not sure if dimensions are any good but the printing all seems lovely. I didn't really need a restaurant for my maroon set, but:
A busy little scene at the station. The renewed paving and kerb outside the entrance can just be seen and makes a world of difference in the flesh:
As mentioned on the brake vans thread I have been using my Bachmann maroon BSK as a barrier vehicle between my ancient Lima locomotives and the Hachette Mk1s by changing the coupling at the locomotive end for a larger Hornby one. Strangely enough the Mainline and Hachette couplings work well together:
Also added the free Hornby Mag lamp hut which I had toned down by rubbing it with an emery board then giving it a touch of neutral tint watercolour and some rust weatherign powder:
Still loving the parcels train too, even if the ex-GWR Fruit D did start to derail a bit. I solved this by remarshalling the train a bit. I also had the Modelzone special Bachmann ex-LMS (?) Full Brake on the back of this, again with one changed coupling, but it was a bit twitchy, need to experiment:
An awful photo as I was in a hurry and the camera battery failing, but there's the beginning of the solution to the scenic break at the far end of the railway from the sea, a modelrailwayscenery.com low relief 1930s factory bashed to make it ultra low relief by removing the side walls and roof:
Also added some more fencing at the city gate corner:
The weekend also involved some heritage railways. A trip on the Cholsey and Wallingford Railway was enlivened by the double heading of a train by a class 08 shunter and an industrial 0-4-0 saddle tank after a vacuuum brake problem. I also managed a trip to the Great Wester Society where the Black Python Bar was open and footplate rides available on Tornado:
Well worth the tenner and the queue!
Still admiring the CCT van you did!
Glad to see you got back to the railway. Since I got engaged it's been all go for wedding planning rather than modelling. Painting a few bits and finished my wagon kit. The Doom Bar regularly stops at the station for offloading now!
Glad to see you got back to the railway. Since I got engaged it's been all go for wedding planning rather than modelling. Painting a few bits and finished my wagon kit. The Doom Bar regularly stops at the station for offloading now!
Joined
·
1,294 Posts
Thanks, chaps, much appreciated!
I've really enjoyed making the Parkside kits, djfix. I'd been dreading them because of the minimal locating tabs & the need to keep them so very square to run, but in fact with the help of a few reference photos they're pretty straightforward. I'm not brave enough for a brass kit like your splendid van, though!
Good luck with the wedding. I finally made an honest woman of The Long Haired Controller last September & thankfully she wasn't Bridezilla. Luckily we both have similar & rather simple tastes, & as we had met a bit later in life didn't feel the need to impress, although I was lucky enough to be able to book St Martin in the Fields for the service & a vintage Routmaster to the reception!
I'm very pleased with the factory, reddo. Awful picture is because it is situated at the window end of the room & as I said the camera battery was nearly dead, so it was a case of taking the quick snap rather than quality.
What I like about Justin's designs apart from how good they look is that they're done to work on cardboard packaging so no need for different weights of card stock. I'm now thinking of a further kit bash where I add either two whole factories or two sets of the end bays to the current build to fill the whole problematic break at that end of the railway. Should be straightforward with a bit of trimming of the roof coping & some artistic licence!
I've really enjoyed making the Parkside kits, djfix. I'd been dreading them because of the minimal locating tabs & the need to keep them so very square to run, but in fact with the help of a few reference photos they're pretty straightforward. I'm not brave enough for a brass kit like your splendid van, though!
Good luck with the wedding. I finally made an honest woman of The Long Haired Controller last September & thankfully she wasn't Bridezilla. Luckily we both have similar & rather simple tastes, & as we had met a bit later in life didn't feel the need to impress, although I was lucky enough to be able to book St Martin in the Fields for the service & a vintage Routmaster to the reception!
I'm very pleased with the factory, reddo. Awful picture is because it is situated at the window end of the room & as I said the camera battery was nearly dead, so it was a case of taking the quick snap rather than quality.
What I like about Justin's designs apart from how good they look is that they're done to work on cardboard packaging so no need for different weights of card stock. I'm now thinking of a further kit bash where I add either two whole factories or two sets of the end bays to the current build to fill the whole problematic break at that end of the railway. Should be straightforward with a bit of trimming of the roof coping & some artistic licence!
921 - 937 of 937 Posts
