Rallymatt

Ahh so a DCC communication issue rather than a mechanical one.

I think it’s worth hunting out various Matchbox models, I always loved them, but the scales were all over the place which means there are a few gems for us to discover 😁

Checking to make sure axles run smoothly in the bogie casting, running a 1.5mm drill bit through (manually) to ensure there are no burrs and a tiny drop of lubricant is a good idea. You might need to alter the ‘crank’ in the bogie bracket to ensure the bogie is far enough forwards to not foul the driving wheels.

I hope we are going to be treated to your Trade Mark buildings 😁Your approach to the scenic details is very original and I think an absolute winner 😁

The Hornby track seems to be a little more forgiving on B2B than Peco.

@RB51 you were reading the vernier gauge correctly however to be accurate (hard to tell on picture as angle could distort it, looking again after Fishy’s post, I could say it could be 10.28) all measurements are made on the work piece (don’t use the small lock screw to hold the slider) You put the jaws between/either side of the part to be measured, using the thumb grip you apply pressure and keep the pressure on and read simultaneously. As @Silver Fox 17 says, bracket perfectly straight and fixed. Pull the bogie forwards to gain as much clearance between leading edge of driving wheels and trailing edge of rear bogie wheels, when the bracket is not at correct angle or position they can interfere. I have found anything 10.35-10.45 eliminates almost all the running and shorting issues on Peco track. Some of the axle sets don’t allow much more than 10.35 on the B2B before you run out of engagement between axle and the wheel hub. Plus make sure the wheels are fitted square on the axle. This can all sound a bit of a faff but once set up these run silky smooth and reliably 😁

Is that why there is a range of ‘Lok sound’ decoders?

Tim, great start and it’s all about having some fun so never be apologetic about your own layout, it’s yours to enjoy 😁 Over budget? I don’t think that’s ever happened before in the hobby………

Don’t get me on backscene sticking! All the ‘special glues’ are absolutely awful! The paper is so thin and the glues so water laden it’s a nightmare of a job

One of the problems of precision measuring is the equipment and techniques used. In engineering we use calibrated equipment that is hardened and ground to certified tolerances, that equipment is expensive. Equipment is used within certain temperature ranges to guarantee accuracy. The problem with cheap digital calipers and plastic gauges is that it has a wildly varying level of accuracy and is highly susceptible to changes in ambient temperature. All that said, the level of consistency in model railway track gauge from Hornby and Peco is well within an acceptable range and nothing I would worry about. Back to back measurements in wheel sets are more prone to be variable and cause issues 😁

Track measures up accurately at 12.1mm between the inner edges of the rail with a vernier caliper. A 3D printed item is not likely to be that accurate.

@Charlie 66 Interested you say the points are temperamental, I did have a couple of point tie bar failures on the very first ones Peco released but with Twistloc motors driven through DCC Concepts ADSXs and Dynamis DCC controller, they have been absolutely reliable, but noisy 😁

Nothing morbid at all, it’s part of life. There is a fantastic layout at The Model Railway (of Great Britain?) in London with a full on Horse with white plume and procession. I got some 3D printed gravestones, wasn’t so impressed with names on but that’s what craft knife is for! Graveyards are fascinating places for history research. I think your idea of a funeral would be a great little cameo and what better way to go than in a Princess Hearse!

10 done and 4 left to go, I like to leave a break in between doing them so they all look different. It’s all easy stuff but would people like a video on how I do it, very similar to the way it’s done in club magazine and no airbrush or expensive bits needed and very simple skills 😁

Excellent work, anyone who fits a reverse loop (and at high level) is a winner 😁 The best thing you have said though is how much you have enjoyed doing it and it shows with the attention to detail. Onwards and Upwards 😁

Recent Club Magazine reminded me of job that I have been meaning to do for a while. A light weathering job on the fabulous TTA Tankers 😀

This is when tea saves the day 😁

You could make a continuity tester with a bit of wire and a bulb, pennies.

Ahhh that’s a common thing with the Chinese cheap figures, they can be any size except the one you want 🤣

Ohh 😳

Another invaluable tool to add to the collection is a multimeter. A decent one can be as cheap as £15, Screwfix/Tool Station/Amazon etc. this really helps diagnose and locate so many electrical issues, being confident where and what the issue is is half way to fixing it. As suggested wire can bridge the possible faulty joint to prove it but more fiddly process. Remember it might only be 1 join that’s iffy. While the Nickle Silver Rail is highly resistant to corrosion and so are stainless steel fishplates, when you put the two together in the presence of an electrolyte (water) you will get Galvanic Corrosion, apply a current and it accelerates. The effect of the corrosion is not sufficient to cause one metal to be eaten away in front of your eyes (some metals it can quite literally do that) but a layer of non conducting material is produced, a greenish fur. That’s what causes the issues. You can use a pin/fine needle, to scrape the contact surface between the rail and fishplate (without lifting the track or removing the fishplate) Then you can use ‘electrical contact cleaner’ (widely available- WD-40 Brand do one but make sure it’s Electrical Contact Cleaner, NOT WD-40) It only needs a tiny amount to soak through the joint, you can work it a bit with pin. Dab up any excess with tissue. The problem of Galvanic Corrosion is why you will see some of us not in favour of, Droppers on fishplates or Point Clips, they are more likely to fail.

That’s a nice design with lots of potential for scenic developments and operational entertainment. One of those compromises us modellers have to always make is due to space (lack of) The temptation is always cram as much track into the available space where as in full size, everything is spread over many miles. If you can capture some of the beautiful Rutland scenery that would be fantastic, love round Oakham and Rutland Water, great for cars and bicycles 😁

Morse is completely unbelievable, he always got a parking space in Oxford… 🤣

Although technically that’s mainly filmed in Oxfordshire. It’s a very dangerous place, usually 3 people die in bizarre circumstances each week. 😳

Credit to the builder and obviously highly motivated to get as many details spot on as possible. However, never let anything anyone else is doing stop you from having your layout your way.