On30

8703 Views 24 Replies 11 Participants Last post by john woodall, Aug 6, 2008

cefnbryn

Discussion Starter · Mar 22, 2008

Hi - I'm new to this forum.........

I model OO GWR/LMS in the main but a year or so ago, having seen On30 in my club, I've started modelling this too. I've got a Bachmann Consolidation, a weathered and detailed Bachmann Mogul [Banta cab, brass pilot with working coupler on the front, scale handrails, coal and tools, etc] and a soon-to-be weathered and detailed Porter.

Rolling stock is Bachmann and Chivers. I really enjoy modifying the Bachmann rolling stock - especially the flat cars, which can be hacked-about to carry interesting loads or changed to represent different vehicles. Chivers stock is good too, but a little expensive ? Has anyone out there done anything interesting with the passenger cars - they are just a little too toy-like out-of-the-box.

My biggest complaint is availability : Bachmann stock is just so hard to find - often out of stock, and the prices vary so much too [I have seen flat cars at £19 !!!]. Has anyone experience of ordering from the States ? Locos look far cheaper for a start...............

Finally, I log into two other fora also [RMweb and New Railway Modellers Forum] : I'm surprised at the limited coverage that On30 gets, given some of the other quite esoteric threads that do arise.

Oh, before I forget, has anyone attempted to raise the tender of the Bachmann Mogul up to a more prototypical height ?

Thanks - if only for reading this !!!

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Doug

· #2 · Mar 22, 2008 (Edited by Moderator)

One of our long standing members - MMaD - models in On30.

I think that the best place to get On30 is the USA. Models are cheap and shipping is easy.

I buy from this shop - The Favourite Spot - on eBay quite a bit and sometimes this shop - Steam in the Bush - and they have plenty of On30 items at good prices.

cefnbryn

Discussion Starter · #3 · Mar 22, 2008

Thanks - I'll try them.

Mike Bellamy

· #4 · Mar 22, 2008

Hi Orpheus

You mention Bachmann, Chivers and Banta and so I guess that you already know Paul Martin from York who runs EDM Models and has the NGTrains web site http://www.ngtrains.com/ . Part of the problem with availability from all of these manufacturers is that they build in batches and sometimes certain models are more popular than others and go out of stock - flat cars at £19 is however 'over the top' and makes them more expensive than the rest of the freight stock!

I don't know where you are based but EDM Models will be at Narrow Gauge South at Sparsholt (Winchester) next weekend, Portmadoc May Bank Holiday, 7mm Narrow Gauge Association Burton upon Trent 10 May and Slim Gauge Circle (American NG in all scales) at Bilton (Rugby) 11 May.

I would also recommend that you look at the web site of Harold Minkwitz http://www.pacificcoastairlinerr.com/on30/main_page/ where you will find a lot of information about Bachmann modifications.

Hope this helps

Mike

PS I help Paul at exhibitions - he answers the questions and I take the money!!

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Makemineadouble

· #5 · Mar 23, 2008 (Edited by Moderator)

2

Yes I have quite a large investment in On30. All my On30 loco's are steam and all apart from a Bachmann rail truck have sound as well. I currently have 12
4 x 2 moduals as the basis for my future layout, but as I'm moving house next week nothing is running at the moment. As Doug stated I bought a large portion of my stock from various sources on Ebay, and The Favourate Spot, their prices are really keen delivery is brilliant. I also buy bits and bobs from Steam in the Bush, Wiseman model services. Narrow Gauge and short line Gazette is the magazine I take regularly and there are a number of forums devoted to our gauge.
Try:
AMR and the archive has some great inspiration. Silver Creek is worth while reading from it's inception.
Railroad line forums has some great tips and it's a very friendly bunch of guys.
I've also bought quite a bit from EDM at various shows, although Winchester is quite local from me I don't think the day after a house move it quite the right time to attend a show !.
On30 is the fun gauge, but I've regularly raided 0 gauge shows for little trinkets, I'm currently looking for a Stage Coach in 1:48.
Micro Mart is well worth a visit, but beware due to their method of shipping it will go through HMCE and you will pay duty unless you keep your orders below 40$
which can be difficult with so many tempting goodies.
Micro-Mart

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mikeg

· #6 · Mar 23, 2008

Try Tower models in blackpool they do a large range of On30 as they are mainly O gauge and their prices are very good. They have a web site and you can order from them AM to arrive next day I am just a satisfied customer for O gauge bits and pieces and get their mailing list twicw a year so can say that they have a good stock of models.

regards

mike g

Makemineadouble

· #7 · Mar 23, 2008

QUOTE ry Tower models in blackpool they do a large range of On30 as they are mainly O gauge and their prices are very good. They have a web site and you can order from them AM to arrive next day I am just a satisfied customer for O gauge bits and pieces and get their mailing list twicw a year so can say that they have a good stock of models.

Yes I have purchased from Tower but I don't find them to be the cheapest my advise is shop around, and use E Bay a lot.

cefnbryn

Discussion Starter · #8 · Mar 24, 2008

Thanks all for the contacts - they should be useful. Whe I have mastered [don't hold your breath] installing my camera software and then getting pictures from wherever they go [!] to here, I'll post some of my flat car conversions......

I picked up a box of broken pocket watch parts yesterday - 15 watches that have not been disturbed for 50+ years : think of all the the lovely uses for those cogs ! I thought I'd start with a steam winch........

Just need to source a couple of flat cars to put the loads on now.

PaulRhB

· #9 · Mar 25, 2008

2

QUOTE (Orpheus @ 22 Mar 2008, 16:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Oh, before I forget, has anyone attempted to raise the tender of the Bachmann Mogul up to a more prototypical height ?
Yes, I think it was about 4mm I raised it by. I turned up two bosses on the lathe and glued them over the bachmann boss and then drilled a hole into the new boss and use the bachmann self tapping screws to refix the bogies.

I use Paul Martins EDM models for sheer variety of stuff
http://www.ngtrains.com/

and I now planning to use micro engineering track rather than peco

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Makemineadouble

· #10 · Mar 25, 2008 (Edited by Moderator)

2

Nice loco K27 ? does your's have sound ?, nice turnout as well, much better than the second rate stuff on offer from Peco.
Thats a very nice Bagnall Kit on Paul Martin's site.
Bagnall

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Mike Bellamy

· #11 · Mar 25, 2008

Had an email from Paul today as I'll be helping him at NG South at Winchester on Saturday. He took another couple of orders for the Bagnall at York last weekend and so that's at least a dozen which means the kit will be produced as the manufacturer in South Africa wanted a guarantee of at least 10 before getting started. Paul also tells me that he has had another delivery of Micro Engineering Track and Turnouts. Code 83 turnouts have been out of stock for some time due to delays in manufacture in USA. Priced at £14 each they are also available in Code 70 and although they do track in code 100 (same as Peco) they don't do the turnouts so you either use Peco or make your own.

http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/Track/track.htm#ME

Mike

PaulRhB

· #12 · Mar 26, 2008

QUOTE (Makemineadouble @ 25 Mar 2008, 18:22) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Nice loco K27 ? does your's have sound ?, nice turnout as well, much better than the second rate stuff on offer from Peco.
Yep a K27 with it's original sound replaced with a Tsunami K27 chip which for an extra £65 to 70 is superb.

tolpuddleman

· #13 · Jul 15, 2008

Is this still an active thread ? I'm a newbie to this site and have been browsing the index / search buttons to see what's around.

I have a single modular board of 4' x 2' which I have experimented as a mountain logging diorama.

As well as RTR Bachmann, I've bought via Ebay so I have enough stuff for the size of the layout.

Be interesting to see what else goes on in On 30 here.

PaulRhB

· #14 · Jul 16, 2008

QUOTE (tolpuddleman @ 15 Jul 2008, 08:22) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Is this still an active thread ? I'm a newbie to this site and have been browsing the index / search buttons to see what's around.
Welcome
Yes it's still active but just nowt new recently so feel free to add anything

, do you have any pictures or plans ?

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Mike Bellamy

· #15 · Jul 18, 2008

Bachmann have just announced a new larger 4-4-0 loco, a different 4-6-0 loco and a Railbus and Trailer. http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/boa...pic,6102.0.html Other message boards have reported that the Railbus was already for sale in Japanese shops before it had been announced last week by Bachmann

Also Dapol/Ixion are to introduce an Australian "Coffee Pot" Steam Railmotor see http://www.dapol.co.uk/index.php?option=co...1&Itemid=66 and http://www.ixionmodels.com/news.htm

Mike

Makemineadouble

· #16 · Jul 18, 2008

2

Yes I can see a lot of activity just before Christmas particularly for the 4-6-0. I like the Bachmann stuff, but I'll wait to see what the Dapol quality is like before buying.

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tolpuddleman

· #17 · Jul 21, 2008

QUOTE (PaulRhB @ 16 Jul 2008, 13:33) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Welcome
Yes it's still active but just nowt new recently so feel free to add anything

, do you have any pictures or plans ?

I have some digi pics somewhere which I'll try and sort out - may take some effort to upload or attach, I don't know.

What's the best way of doing it on a forum like this ?

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PaulRhB

· #18 · Jul 22, 2008

QUOTE (tolpuddleman @ 21 Jul 2008, 13:14) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>What's the best way of doing it on a forum like this ?
I use photobucket, it's free to register and store pics, you just click on the link it gives you when you've uploaded some pictures and paste the link for the picture in with the text. Believe me it is very simple and there are plenty of free photo hosting sites to choose from.

PaulRhB

· #19 · Jul 22, 2008

DRGW boxcar 4 packs from EDM!

http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/AMS/box_cars.htm

and tank cars

http://www.ngtrains.com/Pages/AMS/tank_cars.htm

I know what I'll be saving for after the holiday!

tolpuddleman

· #20 · Jul 23, 2008

QUOTE (PaulRhB @ 22 Jul 2008, 06:28) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I use photobucket, it's free to register and store pics, you just click on the link it gives you when you've uploaded some pictures and paste the link for the picture in with the text. Believe me it is very simple and there are plenty of free photo hosting sites to choose from.

Thanks Paul

When the mood strikes, I'll look into it...at the moment, I've got a few other things on the go, like outdoor work which needs to be done whilst it's warm and dry etc.

Will post something here later...

Cheers

1 - 20 of 25 Posts

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