Buz

Hi Lyctus It was just a fun project and a lets see if I can do this right. Thank you for your kind words. I am thinking your use idea could be a good one as their are veiled references to there being other magical towns than those referred to in the books. I have since learned a couple of things regarding US stations so MkII is planned for this years Christmas project. The first being to correct the annoying error of omition I made when I built it which was forgetting the window sills for which I had bought the tiny plastic strip GRR!!. I have also learned recently that a thin strip of card should have been put under the edge of the first row of tiles for a more realistic roof profile and appearance. Lastly I learned a lot of US stations have a wainscot on the exterior walls. I am thinking the simple expedient of a suitable dark grey stripe of paint with a micro strip for the top of the wainscot, will make it look like it has one and it will look a little more detailed in a 1950's early 60's kind of way. regards John

Hi Brew Man You need a good art and craft shop. You will also find the kitchen cupboard and medicine cupboard handy places to look for usable modeling card. As are post cards and Christmas cards not to mention the card that is on the back of note pads is also useful. Below a load of Christmas card graph paper printer paper medicine box card and mince pie packaging the platform is balsa wood and the door step a match. Never got around to getting the platform seats, lighting and suitable figures from Langley miniatures. Not sure they still do the Halloween OO scale figure set. The glazing doesn't show well because it was painted with Tamiya clear green for hopefully a spooky effect if I ever get round to lighting it, and yes they are mostly individual 4mm X 8mm roof tiles it was the only way I could get the roof to look like that. regards John

Hi Lairdy On a technical level it makes no difference it will work either way around. On a practical level put the switch side, on the side the operator can get to without being over the track and getting in the way of trains. If using more than one of these tracks try and keep them all the same way round. For multiple insulated sections it may also be worth considering insulated rail joiners that can be cut in where ever they are needed and running wiring to where the control panel is located and having the on off switches on the control panel Multiple insulated sections may also require more track feeds to work as you wish them to. regards John

Hi Aussie Fred I would hope the name plate would be noticed as it is a nice little detail, and some diesels in your chosen era did have names. Although it would be best to leave Bob Hawk in it's box LOL Given the designed life span of railway equipment and the fact that a good general overhaul and certain upgrades can extend that life considerably so it passes through more than one era. My question goes "and the problem is???" I run a train and have a bus for my layout that you as a muggle should not be able to see but you can. So my advice is have a sign up that politely informs visitors it is your railway built to please only you and you will be only to happy to show them the door if they don't like it. I have one I found on the internet that I plan on getting made into a proper sign to go on the train room wall. If at the end of the day you have a model railway that gives you pleasure then you got it right. Rule one always applies Rule 1) it is my model railway I will have, run and build what I want too. Appendix to the rules i) In the event something appears to conflict with the stated rules refer to and apply rule one. regards John

Hi Christopher The track radius is measured from the center line of the track. You will also need to know the overall width of the track so you cut your base big enough. Unfortunately I don't have a piece of track handy to measure the over all width. regards John

Hi Dylans Grandad I have just checked the service sheet on the web site and there is no indication of what it is or where it goes. This surprised me a bit. All I can suggest is to contact the service department and see if they can shed any light on which way and where it goes. They may not be aware it is not on the service sheet and it is clearly needed other wise it would not be in the replacement kit, or have dropped out before you could see where it came from regards John

Hi all As long time forum members will be aware my OO layout is very small at 4'6" square. So consequently every thing on the layout needs to be relatively small and carefully chosen with size being a major consideration. Does any one have any bright ideas for a freight shed. That could be built on top of or over the top of one of those little platform blocks that are normally used in terminal stations. I have come to the conclusion my current Wills freight shed is too big and I need something a little smaller so the small goods yard looks a little less crowded and packed in. I won't be able to completely remove the packed in look but hopefully can lessen it a little bit regards John

Hi Mark The locomotive will need a thorough clean to remove the old probably dried up lubricant. And will also need to be checked for any fluff or muck that might be in the works. Then be re lubricated. I would also have the coach wheels out to clean and remove any muck from the axle boxes. A tiny drip of Teflon lube in the coach axle boxes may be beneficial give the age of the coaches. 20 or so years ago locomotives had to be slowly run in you will have to do the same again once the loco is clean lubed and fit for service. regards John

Hi TVR The rough rule of thumb is that rolling stock can be a maximum width of three times the gauge. There are a few rare exceptions in the real world but not that big a variation. O gauge is 32mm at least modern O gauge is. So that means a maximum width of 96 mm after that it can start to get very unstable. You also need to watch the height to keep the center of gravity right. My memory of tinplate track is its curves are quite sharp more than likely this will restrict wagon length so it can get round the curves. Even if building a narrow gauge toy railway rather than scale models, have a look at the 2' and 2'6" railways around the world past and present lots of ideas for rolling stock and locomotives out there. I would suggest center buffer and chain couplings or link and pin as used by the Garden Railway fraternity would be your best option for couplings. Oh and just in case the scale beast raises its head on the project 16mm or four times Hornby OO scale will work well on the 32mm gauge for narrow gauge trains

This was sad news when I heard it on tonight's news here in Aus. I have no time for the pomp and circumstance I will leave that to the various dignitaries around the world. Her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Elisabeth II. RIP Her most important attribute was first and foremost her humanity and the quite dignity with which she did everything. She had the respect of the world she earned it, she did not demand it. She kept her word to serve all of her days and did this not just out of duty but because she believed that is what every monarch should be doing. The world is a very much poorer place for her loss. My sincere condolences to all of the Royal Family. regards John

I use an old triang track cleaning wagon with methylated spirit. regards John

Hi Out of Puff Once track is down get it all wired up properly and neatly including feeds for any planned electrical accessories you plan on having. Then thoroughly test everything to make sure you have not missed anything like a track feed somewhere or a signal or point is wired wrong. Make sure you run every possible train movement and play trains for a while do nothing until you are sure everything is working as it should, and that there are no track issues to deal with. Don't ask how I know this. Once everything is as it should be then and only then you can start your scenery. I usually start with the railway stuff stations huts loco signal boxes signage and so on. If you are going to paint and detail the track now is the time to add that but still don't ballast anything yet your rails will have to be cleaned and further testing done. Remember your track as well as being an operating essential wire and something to guide the train round it is also a scenic item in its own right as well. Ballasting is pretty much the last thing around the track to do as it needs to cover the edge of other ground treatments. Remember to protect the track from plaster etc as you do other scenic work. The order you do and where you start with scenery doesn't really matter that much. Just try and do it in a sensible order so your not risking damadge to anything previously done. But getting it working properly first does matter. regards John

HI all Before any one comments on the picture of my last piece of bench work looking a bit odd. Well that's wholly and soley due to it being a bit odd. Which brings us to another point your bench work does not have to be all nice neat squares and rectangles. If you need an odd shape and it can be made to the same high standard as the rest of your bench work, there is no reason not to do it. Just be aware that odd shapes take longer. My odd piece is the smallest piece of this particular layout and it took twice as long to make as the two larger rectangular sections. Where ever possible make the bench work to suit the layout Not the layout to suit bench work. regards John

:- and simple feet regards John

Hi 37 lover I have not mentioned timber size because it would get too confusing, as all of the four different construction methods I mentioned have different timber size and quantity requirements. The method I use on my model railway is slightly different again in being a hybrid construction that the main support beams are made of aluminum to cut a lot of weight out so I can man handle the different sections on my own.

Hi Nigel There are many publications that give the basics on model railway bench, work also a lot on Youtube. The first question you need to answer is what type do you want traditional table, open grid, L girder ( Popular in the USA ) or the more modern EPF foam. All have different construction and there own advantages and disadvantages. And you can use more than one type on a larger layout. Regardless of the kind you choose. Do not take short cuts take the time to do the job properly the success of your model railway depends on having a good foundation. and more model railways have failed due to badly done bench work than any other reason. Do not forget to drill a series of wire holes through your cross beams. Put adjustable feet on your bench work legs so you can get it level. If more than one section is being made put pattern makers dowels or similar at the joins to keep things aligned bolts and wing nuts only hold the sections together. Use good quality ply wood for the top or track bed as the case may be. I use 12" 300mm spacing for cross members and 1/2" 12mm ply wood any thicker ply just is over kill and to heavy. The finished bench work needs to be able to support the full weight of the builder if it can't it is not strong enough. The reason for that is that you will be adding more weight at every stage of construction thereafter and may well at times be leaning on the bench work. It is quite surprising how much extra weight all those little bits add over time. Try and keep any individual sections as manageable a size as possible it may be a permanent layout, but you might move house one day and you will want to take the railway with you so it needs to be movable. Not to mention these things change and evolve over time so might need bits moved to accommodate that evolution. I think that's enough for now regards John

Hi wapples This might help. regards John

Hi all Thanks for your thoughts and ideas. Now for the hard bit make it happen. regards John

Hi Fazy Ah the great dilemma of the modern world. Where what is appropriate on a model railway at time frame XXXX is not appropriate for a given modern situation. However given the product in question and children may be purchasing Hornby's product and reading this site. I think a little caution is in order. Thomas can get controversial enough in some circles without giving an open invitation for trouble. regards John

Hi all I was recently looking at my copy of :- the Hornby companion series Hornby Dublo Trains 1938 -1964. On one of the pages is the Meccano Ltd drawing for the pre-war wooden city station. I don't think there would be any copyright issues now, but there should not be any as it is being made for my personal use NOT commercial purpose I am thinking something similar could be made out of some 4mm thick plastic I have. Platform height will probably need adjusting. I do have a question there are two commercial outlets on the platform side one is W H Smith the well known station book shop the other is Finlay and Co. (This does mean the building will have to be a tiny bit deeper to take those outlets into consideration). What did or does Finlay and Co sell and does any one know if this is /was a real company?? Does any one know who it is that does replica Dublo windows??. I know some one does but cannot remember who. As obviously my building is going to be a little tiny bit more 3 dimentional and detailed, than the original pretty flat paper covered wood pre-war building. I am also thinking that if I can find one with something like the right diameter clock face putting a battery powered watch in where the station clock decal would have to be good idea or not??. Thoughts or suggestions welcome as the original is more or less flat and I would like just a little bit more three dimensionality in the project but not too much. I think the original building is meant to be art-deco very crudely done but meant to be art-deco none the less. regards John

Hi Wapples I would argue disposable income is not the big bug bear it's made out to be unless engaged in some very serious cheque book modelling. What is the real bug bear is, is available time the more you make yourself the further the available spendy stuff can be stretched it is also a question of the skills and ingenuity that can be bought to bear on the model. The big questions are what you wish to portray in the model and the space available for The area to be built. The other consideration would be if it works leave it alone. When a model railway plan is first conceived it often has to much track and to much of everything else on it the proverbial trying to fit a quart or a gallon into a pint pot situation. Overly complicated point work is never a good idea unless you are modelling a specific location that has it and that will often mean making your own track instead of a simpler arrangement using commercially available track. Reliable running should always be the end goal to that end I am not a fan of the USA 1960's 1970's spaghetti bowl layouts they make scenery harder than it needs to be and often look far to track over crowded and can be difficult to to get track laid smoothly. The guiding principles should be KISS and Less Is More these two can go a very long way to make the railway look realistic and believable. I can't find the progressive plans for my grand retirement empire but the first one should be eaten with a fork and spoon, it looked like a bowl of spagetti It took quite a bit of discipline to start pairing it down to something that was not only big by British standards but also build-able and should run reliably, with enough operating interest. Once the realization sank in that I needed simpler more train set like stations and goods yards for such a large space or it would not be a workable layout and hard to get to up and running, It then became easy to start cutting superfluous over done track work out. but ant rack plan is only any good until that first bit is laid The number of scenes you can have is very much a space dictated thing and if you can't have the number of scenes you want. This can to some degree can be compensated for by some well chosen cameo scenes. If a layout is more operations orientated the parameters of the design change and scenery becomes less important but yards and factory sidings etc become more important and form follows function. The less real looking layouts often have a more operations orientation so be carefull before making comment on some one else's layout. The whole Model Railway thing comes down to personal preferences with eventually the acceptance of a large dose of common sense to make the collective whole work. and as long as you have a life time to spend on it. It will grow and adapt to suit your changing perspective. That's how the grand nasters of the hobby became the grand masters and where they grand. A model railway is almost a living thing that changes and evolves over time with the odd that's it folks time for a new one moments. regards John

Hi Hornby Hugo Excellent work. But I am not convinced having it up that high is the best solution for OO scale trains. I think I would have built a more conventional shelf layout on a slightly wider shelf. Down at a more user friendly height. The pipes could be hidden with scenery and going past the windows you could have a back-scene across the window at the back of the shelf in fact that could be done all round the shelf back as it goes round the wall. The only problem I can see is getting across the door but even that has a solution. But none the less excellent work. regards John

HI OO gauge Aussie First up its a 13 ton wagon Imperial not metric tonne. I can't see your image so can't comment on the ballasting. Well the most common wagons where open wagons and they carried may things as others have said. You could also tarp the wagon it then could have anything in it and its not hard to do. I would suggest a trip into your state capital or go to the local Govt Railway office they may have a 1960's book of rules and general appendix to the book of rules of the same year or there abouts floating around. One of them should have the instructions for various loads in various wagons and how to secure them to the wagon. regards John

Hi GWR & LNER fan 4472 firstly some one does replacement wheels that will fit the Pullman power bogie axles. Once the wheels and bearings have been fitted to the rolling stock and lubed with Teflon lubricant they run very well. I had some Caley coaches done and the loco will now haul more of them than the real thing did. I can't remember who did the wheels an bearings that went into mine probably Jacksons or Romfords. But the modern Hornby coach wheels may be usable as well. Wheels and bearings you will need to go to a proper hobby shop to source these are getting hard to find these days proper hobby shops that is. Peters Spares may be able to help with some of the necessary spare parts, also check the state of the magnet magnetism if that goes it won't run very well at all. Keep an eye on evil bay that often will yield Triang parts even sometimes at very reasonable prices. They may not be up to the detail levels of today but it is not noticeable when they are moving and it can be a good way of bulking up trains with coaches or wagons that are not made today regards John

Hi Brew Man These are just like location cases, Switch=locks, Little-Davids, Cheese-Knobs and small lever frames, ATP grids etc they are all scenic items. Far from looking daft when positioned painted and decaled correctly they enhance the scene, and improve the look of the immediate track environment an area that is often ignored other than a bit of ballast and a signal or two. It is often forgotten that the track environment is a scenic area, in adition to being some what important if you plan on running trains. Leaving these things out is like building the village of East Farthing without the local watering hole, church and leaving out all the little bits and pieces that make it look a believable scene. Given the small size of the point machines the simple expedient of painting flat aluminum and a black wash should be enough the numbers and text on them would be very very small in OO scale. regards John