81F

I've not used a cardboard kit for decades but if you use acrylic as Rallymatt suggests I would think Humbrol RM2306 BR Maroon would be the most appropriate for barge-boards, drain pipes, guttering and any frame work. Window frames ought to be white or cream while canopy valences should be left cream, although supports would be maroon

Chapel Lane Halt

Blacksmith Lane Halt

Good idea Threelink. I may consider doing this but as a 3D print especially if I need to change the front pony truck (it might stick out too much at the front) but IU won't know that until I have tried the latest body.

If changing wheels to any other make it may not be just the diameter that could be the problem. Romfords for example have a square hole in the wheel to assist quartering, while some others are shouldered where the wheel fits on.

After some initial reservations it is beginning to grow on me However the text does seem a little light and therefore difficult to see.

Also working on the GVT Managers Trolley and a GVT open wagon, both awaiting a final test print print

I was also trying to ilustrate that if you got a link from the 3 link version you could cut the NEM shaft off the magnetic ones and thread the link through the end of the chain then hook that over the hook. Having said that I have actually fixed NEM pockets to my LMR coaches using the mounting blocks as supplied by Parkside models.

Funny you should mention that, I have a Bachmann Ivatt 2-6-2T inb bits waiting to receive such a chip, although I am using a harness with a 6 pin socket rather than a Pecket PCB.

Two more views showing the other side of the second test print. The second image showing the dilemma i have with the current chassis extension although the are will be covered over eventually.

(continued from above) However, when I take the screw out the body levels up (see below). The only thing is the B12 chassis extension is a little too long and the crank in it raises it up the body locating slot a little too high for my liking. Consequently I am toying with the idea of replacing the chassis extension with a straight one of my own making. In the meantime I will perservere with the original as I would like to keep the cost down as much as I can.

Many thanks for your encouraging comments and complements. Below are two pictures of the aforementioned second test print Although the original Triang legacy regarding height is only an issue in that it fixed the top of the motor. Thankfully I do have some control over the height of the bearing surfaces and the body fixing screw hole. Unfortunately I over compensated and put the latter up too high on the body which has pulled the back down making the body pivot on the top of the motor raising the front (see first picture below).

A company called smiths make 3 link couplings for OO rolling stock and Cambrian used to though not seen these for a while. Although it looks like these links are larger than the ones on the magnetic coupling, they are preformed and just need squeezing together to close the gap when threaded through the next link. This should take most of the hard work out. Also being larger you would probably have to loose a couple of links on the magnetic coupling so that they close coupled. Hooking these up however will be a bit fiddly. Sadly I no longer have any examples of the 3 link coupling to show you what I mean but I did loop one of their screw link couplings over the Hook of an LMR 3rd class coach (sadly the buffers are too long to allow the two vehicles to run together so I cannot test how secure the combination would be, but hope this is of some help.

Just to let you know I have used 4 pin decoders to hard wire non DCC ready locos (but not a Merchant Navy). Indeed I actually prefer them as most of my locos do not have lights (being steam) as there are less no unused wires coming from the decoder which can take up valuable space within the locos body.

The second test print is back but I made an error with the hole for the body fixing screw so the body slopes backwards! I have now corrected the error but I've decided to add some more detail before the next test print. Below is a digital preview so far.

My latest print is a GVT 1T slate wagon which I have been working on for about 3 years on an off. My initial attempts in various plastics were too light and/or fragile. However, I eventually made some minor changes so that it could be printed in bronze. The image below is that digital preview but is actually very accurate although the finish is a bit shinier. Unfortunately it took three attempts in bronze before I could get the wheels (PECO N gauge and 009 couplings to clip into the body. However, the move to bronze has resulted in a nice heavy wagon that does not derail at the slightest provocation. However, I still need to test it through my 9" points in the coal yard! Currently it is sat in a solution of "Liver of Sulfur" which is turning it a nice dark brown. I also have a flat wagon and a 1T open wagon based on the same chassis ready to order once I have enough to make postage and handling viable. Other items based on the same chassis will be a tar tank wagon and a bolster wagon. Perhaps I should also add that the length of the casting is fractionally under 1 inch.

Only thing is that the Bluebell Railway was part of the London Brighton and South Coast Railway (LB&SCR) and not the SECR. There is a SECR society with a website but I haven't had chance to see if there is anything useful there but there may be contact details for someone that might know.

I seem to remember 08 123 had a small Belling - I would imagine it would have been a replacement for that fire-box thing that was used to make tea and fry-ups on steam locos which was also handy for heating water in the loco boiler!

Bachmann also make 14.1mm disks wheels for coaches which so fit Hornby and Mainline coaches. However, I have found that they are usually a little more expensive but not always. The last set I bought do have a slightly heavier feel to them when compared to Hornby wheels but I have never actually weight one to know if this is true. I am not sure if they do anything other than a plain disc. Also I think the axels might be a fraction longer as they can be a bit harder to fit and I have found that I needed to ream out the bogies on some of my coaches to get them to run as smoothly as the Hornby version. This was certainly the case with ex-Airfix Centenaries, whereas the Hornby wheels ran smoothly first off. However, I do find that they run better in Dapol (ex LMS) coaches and Graham Farrish OO coaches than the Hornby wheels that seem a little loose in these coaches. So for my Mainline, Airfix coaches, I tend to go for Hornby. One bit of advice I would suggest is getting a bearing reamer as this should solve any stiffens.

Now that is a very interesting match truck, Quite a doable build using a set of Hornby Gresly Bogies

From a visually impaired point of view the Old forum layout was excellent, but I am not sure about this one. The text seems fainter and the various tick boxes for the different subjects is smaller and not so easy to read. However, I'll give it a chance as it is still clearer than RM web.

I often use Brasso to remove transfers etc to remove numbers and company insignia when I need to change them. This invariably leaves the shiny patch described above. However, this can be remedied by lightly spraying with a varnish appropriate to the original finish. As the sprayed area will look slightly different from the original, I would copy a trick used by car body repair shops, who tend to spray an entire panel as any change in patina will be less obvious than if you stop mid panel.

@SOT, could the same (a duff capacitor) also cause similar effect to Lima ringfields or any other motor for that matter?

Just found out that my Hattons pre-orders are to be transferred to other suppliers. The Genisis coaches going to Rails of Sheffield. I am Quite happy with this as I have had good dealings with Rails on the most part but I find that I am unable to place pre-orders via their website and have needed to phone through the following day - a slight inconvenience. However, I will need to check how Rails will deal with my existing account with them and the former Hattons one - how will they distinguish between the two when I try to log on?

Many thanks for the info above. I have to confess to a terrible secret in that I am mostly a Railway Modeler in 00 ;-) hence my interest in 1/76 scale and most of my posts are actually on the Hornby Forum. However, 00 kits for military vehicles are likely to provide a good source of wagon loads for a rake of Warflat tank transporter wagons and the forward command post looks just the thing for a ruined cottage at the back of a Welsh slate mine. The idea art putting the 00 models at the back is a good idea if you model 1/72 as I do the same with HO gauge road vehicles and 1/72 aircraft flying over the model railway do not look too bad - just a bit lower than they should be.