Tony57

Hi It is sad news about Hattons closing I sort of wondered if they expanded to much, like buying pre loved collections, having looked at the number of newish locomotives with missing / broken parts, rough running motors and wobbly running gear that were not moving of the shelves, must have put a strain on the cash flow. Who knows they may reopen as a much smaller venture.

There are a couple of bits I might look to buy. It reminds me of the old days of Hornby 1970s - 2000, when there only a few new items each year, much better for the wallet.

Hi How about the First Great Train Robbery The General (Buster Keyton) and /or Cannonball Express

Hi I found in one of my reference books on GWR Coaches part 2 1903 - 1948 by JH Russell that there several different mail coaches. It appears in 1929 mail trains consisted of 6 mail coaches the first three coaches had extending traducter arms for delivery of mail two were fitted with extending nets one was fitted with a net on the offside Paddington to Penzance and Penzance to Paddington There are other mail coaches without the fitted equipment for the South Wales run from Bristol Diagrams L18, L19. L20, L21, L22 L24 all are mail coaches

Hi If it is any help the Atlas Feltham tram is 64mm high The Atlas Blackpool Balloon tram is 65mm high Both are in the 1:76 scale range. The atlas version may be the better conversion job as the base is plastic in a metal shell The Corgi Richard Kerr enclosed top deck models are 74mm high and are more like 1:72 scale. I ask some time ago about motorising trams in a thread. I am only just now getting a Atlas Blackpool Balloon tram finished.

Whilst understanding your frustration why not ask does anyone know where I can I get ? part from for locomotive Rxxx. Some of us may have contacts who may be able to supply the parts needed. From someone who loves older models it is easier to get parts for a 40 year old locomotive than brand new one made last year.

Hi Out of interest what is your board made out of? is it on a frame with cross bracing? What type of railway are you planning, is it end to end (Terminus to fiddle yard) or a tail chaser? Is the village at the side of the railway or does the railway go through it or does the railway terminate in or by the village? The factory does it have a feed from the railway, raw materials in, finished goods out. Once clear in your mind what type of layout you would like to make dry lay the track first, try pushing a few trucks or a coach around on the track to see if the track layout works. Once happy with the track layout, think where the building will sit and plan where the roads go also where and how they cross the railway tracks (if they do) Only then start to think of the integration of the landscaping work.

Hi Do you have the Hornby track plan book no 6? If you have pages 38 and 39 give what is required not just the numbers the names of the parts i.e. R 600 straight. You may need to think of some modifications as the plan contains 10 radius 1 double curves modern locos radius 2 is now the first radius curve for tightness, also the elevated crossover section rising section will need to be at a slighter angle as modern locos can not climb like the older locos.

Hi What a lovely layout, well done to all that took part in its construction. Could the moderators make it a live link to the video please

Hi Welcome back to this great hobby Just out of interest is you plan to use 1, 2, 3 or all 4 walls for your shelf layout as there all sorts of options of what you can do depending of which option you pick as well as the width of the shelf?

Hi Bee Have you taken into consideration that cattle breeds then were larger than todays modern breeds.

Question you say you are planning to have two levels is that two shelves one above the other or it that a raised area off the main board? If its two shelves you may want to consider a 12 - 15 inch background behind each shelf, rather than one large sheet and the upper shelf cutting across it. I have a couple of books on shelf railways (American authors) and that's what they do. If the later you need to think how does the background blend in with the foreground and the insertion of the track so it looks realistic to the eye. Does the background landscape height rise with the change in level or fall.

Hi Check the link wire between the motor and rear bogie, Check the wheels in the rear bogie are the right way round the insulated side should be on the left hand side

Hi What you have is a Hornby Dublo 3 rail electric operating system not a 2 rail, is was more advanced than the current system. You can active the system to drop or pick up the mail bag or de-active to leave alone, The Tri-ang / Later Hornby system used 2 rub rails laid in the track which would operate the underslung levers on the TPO. The early versions the right hand lever operated the catch door on the right hand side, the left hand lever would operate the left hand drop door, the newer versions the left hand lever would operate the top catch door the left hand lever would operate the lower drop door both doors being on the left hand side.

Hi Bee I did buy a FreeCAD Design 2D and 3D Modelling Suite DVD it only cost 7 pounds, in needs to be on a DVD as it is for a stand alone non internet connected computer running Vista which if Farther Christmas is nice to me could be connected to a small 3D printer. ( which I am currently watching on ebay at present)

Well I have just bit the bullet and ordered a free cad software DVD. Having seen both 81F and Bee's work over the last few months, I thought I might as well give it ago, I have not got any experience with cad or a lot of computer programs, being a gardener by trade, computers are not a lot of help in doing my type of work. It will give me something to do over Christmas trying to learn something new.

Personally I think you need to add an extra power terminal rail so each loop has it own power source as Hornby / Wrenn motors are power hungry.

Whilst sort of understanding the OPs frustration one thing I have noticed is Bachmann and others are now only announcing in advance what it is bring brought to market in the next quarter ( 3 months). That way there is no disappointments because of planned releases falling behind schedule due any number of issues, including missing the production slot. When you sit down and think about bring a new locomotive to the marketplace, you have the measuring and photographing of the subject if possible, then CAD, the initial 3D print, checking every detail make changes if necessary, 3D print again, recheck again, then tooling, the assembly of Airfix type kit from tooling , recheck details then modify tooling if required then reprint and assemble kit, recheck, then first livery paint trial, check and amend if required, paint again then recheck to make sure it is right, then work out how many of each DCC ready, DCC, DCC sound or Sound and smoke which livery and signage you want your production company to produce , then production of item, then shipped to UK then sold. No wonder production timing slips.

Being in the hobby for a large number of years, how many times has Hornby changed owners, and it is still around. As a hobby it must be healthy in the UK as there are so many new manufacturers entering the market place challenging the likes of Hornby, However what is effecting this great hobby is the price now being charged it will restrict the amount that one can afford to buy at both ends of the age range As well as the high end super detailed stuff, there is a market for a cheaper entry level system that is robust enough for youngsters to handle, which parents need to be able to afford to buy, which will keep this hobby going. There needs to be a decent selection of stock for people to be able to buy from. The real issue that is having a detrimental effect on the company is it's lack of a high standard of quality control, the poorer the QC the more unhappy modeler's are the less product sold as they go to other manufacturers. Sorry to say Hornby's QC standards are slipping going by the amount of complaints posted on this site.

I have stopped buying trains for now, I am currently buying road transport stuff to help populate my planned layout. Its surprising just how cheap you can buy new and secondhand stuff online.

Hi Bee, I wonder it the same artists were painting Gods Wonderful Railway during the same time period, as the GWR under Brunel was built as a 7foot Broad Gauge track with Locos and rolling stock at the same track size, it could explain the size difference. It sort of asks the question how many other tracks laid were of a broader gauge during the early period of the railways in the UK.

When was the last time you serviced the motor, it could be dry bearings, motion gear, axels, or combination of all three, a build up of muck on moving parts, it could be you have run out of brushes in the motor, when was the last time you replaced the brushes?, the vast majority of locos have a pencil lead style brush which would keep going for years then suddenly run out and last bit fall out. Not knowing which loco it is I can not advise further.

Hi Love the pictures, not sure if it's my eyes or not but several of the pictures the locos look they are on a broad gauge track whilst others look to be on a narrower gauge track which became the national standard width.

How about a celeb interviewing Pete on his O gauge layout? Or on all three layouts he has done connected together?

Hi Think we have to wait for the next series as James May episode was 4/4. The whole series was an easy watch without being to serious.