Christmas comes a bit late in Perth, you lucky man :lol:


Ed

Yeah, nearly a month late Ed. But I've been patient…

The 3 N Gauge Society Collett BGs I pre-ordered years ago arrived this week too.
Lots of presents!

You might spot them at the end of the train in this picture…. And I FINALLY have trains running again on the layout. So, so happy to be able to do some testing!







More soon…  A long weekend this weekend.


Marty

I've been raiding fleabay for coaches I can now run 8 or 9 coach rakes of Maunsells Staniers and Gresley teaks, plus full brakes; I have locos for the LMS and SR rakes, but the only LNER loco I have is a Farish B1 which is about 10 years too new for the rest of the layout which is well embedded in the mid 1930s.

Should be able to give them an airing at the Bournemouth show Feb 6/7. I'm currently spending my days slaving over a hot test track (cough cough) Occasional breaks to touch up paintwork or transfers, I even allow meself breaks for food and liquid sustenance!

Nice Mike, probably a lot cheaper than my new purchases. How are you finding the quality of the stock you get from fleabay, generally good?

Keep slaving, you don't need food, just water! Whose layout are you planning on running your stock on at the show?

Marty

Fleabay stock generally good, often very good, I think my best was a Fleischmann 4-6-0 "spares or repair" non runner for £25, (£185 new)  fault was short circuit bulb, removed bulb - runs fine. Why do I want a German outline 4-6-0? Langley S15 kit uses it, also the tender drive works fine with a Drummond Watercart tender body for a UM T9 or other Drummond 4-4-0 or 0-6-0 classes!

One Ebay seller to avoid like the plague lists under the name "Antique toys" sells what he claims are "RARE" repaints by CJM and similar cottage industries or lists Graham Farish Kit Built xxxx xxxx, I've even seen a Peco Jubilee listed as KIt Built, nearly everything of his is "RARE" most are at prices between £180 and £350, I've also seen him list a pair of coaches for £85. I did a search for N gauge loco kits, nearly 300 listed of which maybe a dozen were actual kits, over 250 were his misrepresented cr@p

Mostly I go for spares or repair, or coaches unless I see something that I want at a good price. It's also worth looking at Rails of Sheffield and Hattons used stock; currently there are "RARE" Dapol Gresley teak Buffet cars on Ebay for around £35, Rails have them new for £20, only difference is the running number!

The Bournemouth show is organised by our local N Gauge society area group, of which I am a member, our layout, a 20' long  "work in progress", will be running (fingers crossed) also one of the members will have a smaller layout there, so I have two options at least! Maybe have the Brighton Belle occasionally running a shuttle on the branch (OK no 3rd rail laid - yet! Invoke Rule 1!)

Ha, yes, I've got a second hand model railway dealer on the other side of the railway line from me. I don't buy from him anymore. Despite the downturn and the loss of several hobby stores from the city centre this guy still seems to be making a living. Got to admire their nerve!

Nice to have the N Gauge Society area group to model with. Maybe a photo or two if you get the chance?

All the best.

Marty

With the layout now operational 6820 Kingstone Grange was unpacked and oiled as per the manufacturer's instructions. Then run in for 30 mins in forward and 30 mins in reverse. Seems to be a sweet runner and crawls quite happily around the layout after the run.

I didn't realise that it had traction tyres on the rear drivers, I don't like them as, at some time in the future, they will need replacing. Never done it and I envisage a bunch of cursing during overhaul, that's if they are available in 10 years time.

As always with a new loco she has highlighted the poor track laying still here and there around the layout, partially, the blame of which, I will lay firmly at the door of the warm weather here in Perth today. But I will cop the overly large rail gaps on one particular set of points and call on the ganger to see what he can do about it.

Anyway, as promised, a couple of photos of Kingstone Grange hauling a rake of new Hawksworth coaches under the Alltycefan bridge (off scene to the left) and past the mill on a late down train from Carmathen to Newcastle Emlyn.






Here is the other end of the train, tailed by a new N Gauge Society Collet BG full brake in Chocolate, as it snakes down the valley over the Afon Teifi past Pentrecourt Halt.






I'm working on a video but it'll take a while yet.

Cheers

Marty

Looking good Marty :thumbs


Ed

Looking good Marty. Just wish Christmas was late for me… Then again, I have just come back from Tasmania with the family for a holiday/get away. ;-)

Cheers, Gary.

Lovely shots Marty…….belated congratulations on getting trains running again, I would imagine you must be delighted despite the odd track problem.

 I would be very wealthy If I had a dollar for every time I tut tut (or similar) when I am visibly reminded of my track laying errors:twisted::oops:…….and I cant blame the heat!

You are right to be disturbed about traction tyres…..not conducive to good running.

I am very envious of your N Gauge PBV ………the only one available RTR in 00 is the Hawksworth which I am told , unlike the coaches, never even existed in Chocolate Brown livery……so needs must I hold my nose and run that……yours looks so much better:thumbs

Kind Regards

John

Hi Marty,

I've today returned from a UK visit and am catching up with YMR news. Wow the Grange hauled train is indeed beauty to behold and must also be poetry in motion for your eyes only. Enough of song and film titles and I hope the video works out sometime.

When I was web ordering some stuff recently, I came across a bottle of paint-on traction tyres and I'm fairly certain it was available in N gauge, so there may possibly be an antidote for ten years of cursing, or should that be cursing in ten years? Anyway, it could be a useful option.

Congrats too on finding that short and getting the locos in motion :thumbs

Bill :)  

Hi Marty, I,m with Bill, the train formations look excellent, ( rare praise from an LNER man ), I think the paint on stuff for traction tyres is called Bullfrog Snot, I don,t know where you get it from, a Google search should tell you.


Pete.

Correct Pete,
Bullfrog Snot is the product. There are video tutorials on how to apply it and I think your local hobby shop may have it or at least they could order it for you.
Marty it is liquid and applied with a toothpick whilst the wheels are turning. It dries quickly but the wheels must be kept rotating whilst it dries. Once dry it can be trimmed, again with the wheels rotating.
Here is an Aussie supplier………http://www.casulahobbies.com.au/catalog/index.php?cPath=108_947
And here is a link to the Bullfrog site. Videos at the bottom of their page.
http://www.bullfrogsnot.com/howtoinstall.asp
Cheers
Gormo

cheers fellas,
When the time comes… you'll know…. I'll be the one stalking frogs… with a handkerchief :lol:


Still testing at the moment, well, it has been a while since trains ran. Videoing as I go along though.


Came to a screeching halt actually… I've been working on this Llandyfriog Junction connection for so long, with a to do list and time frame that when it finally all came together and the last tick was made on the list I had to stop and think… OK… what's next?


Little bits and pieces are ticking over in the background… some 5m of black fabric has been purchased to create drapes around the underside of the layout and Tracy has been engaged as chief drape maker. (Experienced, equipment, capability… tick, tick, tick…. time? Enthusiasm?… Ooer!).


A little bit more (400mm) of the facia has been added and some more paint purchased to give a consistent colour to the whole affair. (I've lost the original paint!)


Settled on the final Signal Box control panel diagram for Llandyfriog Junction and have sent the final print off to be laminated. (Tracy again.) Now have to redo the Henllan Signal Box to match.


Ran a local pickup goods from the cassette storage out to the Llandyfriog Junction sidings and back (dropping off and picking up at Henllan and the Green Grove Milk Factory along the way),  Big grins and a happy heart…. This train proved the concept of the Junction for operations purposes and also because the loco in charge was a Peco Collett Goods 2251 class. The Collett Goods had been stalling on the points of the old Teifi Sidings and had driven the change to switched polarity frogs on the new plank. Very pleased to report that performance was as smooth as silk over the new points.


All of the above is well and good and progresses the layout along but… what is the next major goal.


It can only be building the main Newcastle Emlyn station plank. I'm sick of seeing the empty open frame base board waiting for track and scenery.
Out with Anyrail and into planning.


cheers
Marty

Looking forward to see how you go about Newcastle Emlyn plank.

Cheers, Gary.

Ditto !!!

:)

Good to see trains running, Marty, and like the others look forward to seeing the final bit develop.

Jon

Don,t you just love it when a plan comes together :).


Pete.

assaid Marty,that tapered boiler is a beaut,(and me a full blown L.N.E.R man ):oops::oops:
:thumbs;-):cool:
Owen

Thanks lads.

Still pottering and doing little jobs around the layout at the moment.

The Llandyfiog Junction Box control panel is complete as far as it goes until the signalling project is started. Laser printed track diagram drawn up in PowerPoint, cut to size and laminated. Stuck onto the 3mm control panel fascia with double sided sticky tape and framed with stained and varnished 6mm quarter round.






All point levers have been replaced by black ones, tested and operational (now I have a shortage of red levers). Label maker numbers needed on the frame to make life easier.

With visitors due for a family get together last night the Lllandyfriog Junction plank got a quick make over with a ground covering of Agnew's Water Putty and Diggers "chocolate" Oxide colouring mixed with water to a watery yoghurt consistency.






Brushed on, it dried rapidly and the yard area was darkened with black powder to simulate the soot and cinders used in such areas. Quite pleased with it actually, enough texture in N scale without looking chunky and I was sparing enough of the black, which is really BLACK, so as not to over do it. A bit of scatter was thrown about for vegetation and it looks a lot better to me.






More as it happens.

Marty