Buz

I know exactly how you feel Uhm I was trying to get a Decauville 0-4-0 but that went to. Where ever that person is send the padded van round type prices it went for, are you siting down about 130 pounds, Thats just plain madness a good one is generaly about the 50 pound mark don't know what made that one so special Some what in anger and discust I threw so to speak, a very low bid at that one and went for a calming cup of tea, Thinking no way are you going to get that at that stupidly low bid 20 pounds Then low and behold enjoy your railcar. I am still looking at it thinking OK whats wrong I don't have this kind of luck. I guess it really is all just the luck of the day and who wants what and why. The sillyist thing I have come across is I bought a brand new little narrow gauge halt the new blue box mobs one. The poor hobby shop owner ?/ staff member? was just about in tears as I was told the postage cost was going to be 12 pounds something near enough to three pounds more than the building price and its a tiny little thing. Nice but tiny regards John

/media/tinymce_upload/b8820d643eaa5e49d49c0283f48f328e.jpg-resized.jpg Hi all Not Hornby but Egger Bahn For those that don't know Egger Bahn was around in the 1960's they went down the gurgler like many companies did, around about the same time as Triang I think. One of these for a small narrow gauge line that will feed into my Hornby line thats the passenger service taken care of when I can afford another one. regards John

/media/tinymce_upload/de008160ef03e97b07347e2fda3f7d0e.jpg This is the best shot I have to demonstrate how small the layout is, the road at the bottom of the hill is more or less the centre of the board. It may be small but its entertained me no end for years and will for a few more. Big isn't nesasarily best ;-) regards John

/media/tinymce_upload/bc87f5a040afeaef44e100dea5e90133.jpg/media/tinymce_upload/37e654c5cb44e0d4085c2f77ce91599f.JPG/media/tinymce_upload/a36c18a4d058a33f906d99fc6aa0e11f.jpg Hi guys Well can't do much modeling at the moment wish the health system would get iit's act together and get the last eye surgery done. any way Here we have acouple more pictures of my tiny empire Top Badgers Drift (you have no idea how hard I tried to avoid that name) station throat with signal box and per-way hut Middle The MSLR loco depot with attempted wet ground under water tank Bottom Badgers Drift station regards John

Hi jimbopuff The loco will need a very good overhaul including fitting a neodine magnet and replacing the knurled drive wheels to get it running A1 Then after that have fun fitting the DCC card. Its a constant reocuring furphy that older loco's can't be fitted with DCC They can they just need a lot more work and higher cost to do it. regards John

Hi LC&DR Thanks for that. regards John

Hi LC&DR Thank you for the pictures. Would you be so kind as to give the cat no for the late model blue dome obsevation and dinning car as I can't read them on the picture you kindly put up. I want those to finish the blue train not a very original train name but it will do. The number of the red and silver dome observation would be handy to. regards John

Hi Tony57 Train "no other words required" Mind you Hiawatha is my personal favorite. Just like the other ranges diesles are just coloured boxes on wheels. I will grab my coat on the way out. regards John

hi all mine is a late model Jouef / Egger Bahn Decauvile ( spelling) 0-4-0 If it runs OK it will be the brick works loco on the planned big layout regards John

That is just so simple a class of locomotives ;-) it's even in Australian railway books ;-) regards John

Hi walkingthedog Your not mainlining locomotives again are you?? ;-) regards John

Hi all I just ordered some point capstans (ye olde point levers) Tthese are decorative rather than working one I think. regards John

Hi all From the blue box mob 2 X GN & SR brake composites and 1 X GN & SR composite coaches Brand new seperated from train pack. regards John

Hi LC & DR Well concidering I have only lost One TC coach due to bogie disintigration and One made in England 4wh flat top Just the axle box disintigrated, if large quantities are involved I see it as being worth the risk. And something could have been done with the coach if I had the eylet things and the right tool to flare them out. As some suitable Hornby bogies all be it different modern ones could have been had for just a couple of dollars. they would have saved the coach. Just goes to show make sure you have the right tools handy for those OOP'S!! moments. I might add if it was just one or two items I had needed to do I would just have checked the second hand market for later models of the same items. regards John

Hi jimbopuff Be prepared to loose some of your bogies or wagon frames ocasionaly the frames will disintigrate even with gentle treatment. Because of a bad batch of the metal alloy they are made of I can't remember what wheels and bearings where used on mine But once the bearings and wheels are in running properly and secured do take the extra time to fill the axle box hole on the outside and paint black it gives a better quality of finish to the job It is worth doing if you can get it right and have a lot of the old axle through box stock, its stuff you dont need to buy to get your railway running. Locomotives are a whole different ball game I would pay some one to do those. regards John

Once I started ballasting track from one layout to the next I never bothered to salvage the track I tried and failed once so don't bother now its not worth it unless old rail is needed for a scenic item. Point motors buildings trees wire switches any little bits and pieces I can salvage from last layout are. they are then cleaned up sorted and what ever can be re used is, if not and its worth keeping it is kept Where posible the wood and alluminum that the bench work is made of is also salaged and where posible reused The aluminium under this layout has been on three prior layouts the platform on my main station was on a previous layout as part of the board now cut to shape as a platform. Never waste anything you can reuse it helps keep the cost down however track is not something I would buy second hand nor is power equipment. Don't worry to much we have all made our fair share of mistakes all you can do is not make te same one twice. The next layout is always, better than the last one and the one currently being worked on should in the opinion of the builder be the greatest layout ever built. regards John

Hi Mr Beef it's quality not quantity that makes a good model railway. Oh one small point a model railway is never finished ;-) Is there any reason the old cannot become part the new biger better railway? If size was rely a big issue my second station would never have been built and its even loosely based on a WC&PR real one see atatched picture and infact my whole layout would never have been built if size was a real issuie regards John

Hi rodney hodge Now you should know that excuse just won't work Built it for the childeren is the oldest excuse in the book ;-) Very nice effort by the way the little ones should love it. If I have the right Quorn don't forget the obligitory coffee pot picture :-) regards John

Perhaps limitied was the wrong choice of word. Perhaps I should have said that DCC is (should be) easier to setup your layout without thought of isolating bits of track by accident (As with DCC all the track is powered). No matter which system you ultimatly choose to use you must make sure you understand it and how it operates and any limitations the system has. As a novice remember the only stupid question is the one you should have asked and did not. You are going to make mistakes just try and make them small ones and you will learn from them Us so called expert's have been there sometimes we forget that must be the rose coloured glasses we sometimes wear ;-) No matter what model railway you build it will require planning covering the track plan operating system how the benchwork is to be built what you want in the scenery needs to be thought about stations towns etc what kind of railway you want. Sounds a pain but actualy the planning can be just as much fun as building and running the railway.Thats the beauty of the hobby so many different areas to be able to try something interesting and new. regards John

Use the left over bit for the branch line extension :-) regards John

/media/tinymce_upload/DSC00245_copy.jpg Hi all The other station on my layout the whole thing.occupies not much more space than a credit card. Note the luxurious passenger accommodation and fully air conditioned signal box :-0 The scene still needs a milk churn or two, trains cross here signs on the crossing as yet have not been able to find any iether signs or sign art work for them. This scene is actualy loosely based on what was once a real station The shelter is a slightly modified and painted Hornby fog mans shelter from the accessories pack regards John

Welcome to the forums. Lots of help on here if and when you need it. Analogue, etc - Oh dear - that's red rag to a bull... Certainly is concidering I am a member of the Royal and Ancient order of analogue users, and after 49 years it still faithfully serves my every need Sorry got to go and chase that red rag ;-) Nothing limiting about analogue at all its all pretty simple to do you just have to make the CCT that does what you want. Every body wants you to belive Analogue users and set ups are limited nothing could be further from the truth. Now if you said spring power was limited that would be close to the truth but even today it still has its followers that swear by it. What you need to do is research all methods of train control then decide which one serves both your wallet and needs and knowledge the best regards John

Hi We will forget the funny forigne language you are speaking ;-) if your layout is boring then you built the wrong one,.remember rule 1 my layout I will do it my way rule 2 if you don't like it refer to rule one and so on it goes. When it comes to wiring you say without a main bus well I am strictly DC which is more forgiving of power fluctuations and I have a main bus for my track with multiple feeds to the track. it is my understanding the same should be done with DCC to make sure the digital information gets where its needed one dodgy fish plate and you have a problem multiple feeds will help overcome that problem before it happens Relying on a single track feed very bad idea. regards John