zero

Lovely work, stunning weathering. I'm working on a n gauge layout myself hope it looks half as stunning as your work so far. Dave

For a grand, you can have a very impress 00 or N gauge railways Most part works like these are beyond the average builder, so I wonder who the hell they sell these model part works too. I bought the illustrated History of Aircraft, it was originally 12 volumes, extended to 18, the duration of the print run lasted longer than my first marriage. I'll stick to my N Gauge layout, Which grows weekly too Dave

Thanks SevernYep it is going to be quite a size, looking at allocating track soon, my problem at present is points, I need lots. So far I have 9 sets and 3 in the post (Coming from Japan!) Thing I'm going to need another 5 sets even with 2 x over duel track pieces. This is due to having a large fiddlers yards, six tracks leading out on two the main track loops, and then a large sort of marshalling industrial area in the centre, with coal and oil depots this i hope will also have siding and two through tracks back on to the loops. Got a few ideas in my head, it's just making it work. DCC was the way to go, due to the size and number of trains on the track, I'm just making it easy for myself, ie the idea is each loop /area, will be it's own sort of DMZ where trains can be left to run with out fear of hitting another, ie points and cross overs will be used to change in to different areas, the idea is for 9 locos in the end, four running 4 in the yards, and 1 working ie shunting, moving stuff about. And as I said above four trains will be older era, and 4 later, ie steam and then diesels. It works in my head, just need to transfer it to a board. Theres will also be two elevated section two. Thank for your comments Dave

Some good News today. My Car, that was the issue of a 10 month court case, has finally been removed. Court paperwork arrived today, and the damned thing was collected from my drive about mid day. I'm just waiting for the cheque now, and then I can go and buy a decent car for the family. Also Hattons Came through, a class 66 is now winging it way to me, bit later loco than I wanted but it will fit the later remi, one way or another. so that now makes 2 x class 24's, a Class 47, a Class 66 and Bittern in the engine shed at present. I'm failing to save for Mallard badly, but it's the next loco on the list, along with a shunter. in total my controller can run Nine Loco, so they will come over time. Got 4 different peco wagon in the post also, they will make up a bit more rolling stock, but my next job, ie buying some magnetic coupling and the Kato track parts to release them and then get them fitted to my rolling stock. also got to start think about building the frame to take the layout too. Dave

Thanks for the info Chris Well Sunday afternoon, what Shall I do? Well I decided to build my trackside oil depot kit. taken me about 3 to 4 hours, and I've really enjoyed it Still had nothing back from Hattons regarding my Loco Exchange, but I go onwards from here! Better buy another Kit! Dave

Yesterday, I won my court case. It's been 14 months of worry, and 14 months of not having a suitable car for family use. I can now put it all behind me, get a decent car, and now start living again, and stop worrying. Also means I can now get my railway built and what models that are going move, sold to fund other bits, I've got two more track packs to buy, my second V3 is on route, I need a third, for the points. Also want another raised section pack so I can build a double bridge section on the track, there are many smaller parts I need too. I'm up to five loco's when Hattons send the replacement back, I'm saving for Dapols Mallard, and I also want a shunter, not sure what marking. After that it's on to rolling stock and track kits, which I will be building and painting over buying of the shelf ready stock. Long way to go yet, but it will start coming together faster now, I don't have a court case to worry over, and I'm looking forward to being able to buy a decent car, and having a few days at the seaside, worry free. Dave

NOT AT ALL TONY. ie I'm amazes at the response so far, and the amount of Helpful replies, so please fire away with any questions you have, clearly some people on here are well in advance of my knowledge, so it's helping all, with there informative answers. My reason for going to N gauge was the size, ie the models actually (IMHO) don't look as clunky as they do at 00. I when for Kato track as I read some good reviews, but you have to remember you have to build up your trackside stuff to match the extra height. ie platforms, track side building etc. (I'm plaining to actully sink my track!) Real steam and Real sound are not far away at N gauge (yes you can buy them now) but I'm pretty sure prices will tumble a lot in a short space of time, ie I think N gauge is starting to be preferred over 00 for newer users, as the layout size is dramatically reduced, and if you go to a big size baseboard, you can get a lot on at the smaller scale. ie everything you could ever want is available at this scale, but some times it does take a little finding. Lastly the steam locos I think look better at this scale, my Dapol Bittern is stunning, I'm saving again for Mallard when she is released, (yes I did say again! A certain person offered me some more track!) so the funds went that a way but I'm grateful, quite amazed that Tom had about every thing I wanted left on my list, bar magnetic coupling rails, which are next on my list! I plan to run anything I like, so with a large siding (yard) area, I can have the later trains out on the track, and the early ones off layout, then at the flick of a few switches the new ones can come back to the yard, and the older ones can run. be sort of like a museum of preserved trains. Dave

Being the new boy, I'll stick with the E-Z controller for now, 9 loco's is plenty to start (I only have 5, including the one I'm sending back for replacement!) I have my eye on a Dapol Mallard, when released, also want a little shunter, and I've got to get to grips with magnetic couplings too. I'm sure I will end up with more, but even then they can sit on the layout, (in a unpowered area of track) ie used as statics and changed and programed at will when need or mood takes me. Thanks for the info so far, all help, Dave

Agree. you can never have enough trains (or points it seems!) well I thought my luck had changed. however my Farish Diesel fuel set arrived today, but sadly it's not DCC. Sadly it was wrongly listed by Hattons, so I'm now in the process of hopefully exchanging the loco, but I have to say Hattons have been very helpful and accepted the item was wrongly listed. Time will tell as to what they offer as an exchange, i'm pretty open on any replacement so long as it is DCC ready and not a class 24, or class 47. a replacement 37 would fit the bill nicely, especially if ie was British Railway marked, over BR. Other than that, here's to a nice weekend, my thanks to Charley420 for his offer of track for sale, which has meant both of us have ended up with items we wanted, Have a good Weekend Dave

Tony, as above, Digital, DCC, the chip controls the motor voltage, on DC to slow the train you reduce the voltage. Hence under dcc, you can have one loco running fast and one running really slow, but both using the same controller. On you tube, search for bachmann EZ Command control, there are a series of videos 4 or 5 and they are very infomative. Bachmanntrains videos http://m.youtube.com/results?q=bachmann%20ez%20command&sm=1 The bachmann controller I have will run 9 loco's ( do not run DC locos, on Dcc it will burn ot the motor, some controllers can run 40 trains, but 9 will be plenty for me. Dave

I've tried using SCARM but it was a slow process. As unitrack assembles easy, I will try a few things on top of the freeze and take some pictures of actual laid track. I didn't find SCRAM that easy to use, maybe it was the Kato track library, and not knowing the best parts for outer and inner curves . That layout design looks well planned out, which software did you use? Sort of simular to what I'm looking to do, but I plan to do two elevations, so one can loop in the oposite direction. I want to try to get 4 or more loops, but it will all come down to what works visually ie I'm not trying to cram track on to every inch of the board. Dave

DOH, TYPO ALERT, 18 feet is not 3 metre! The correct size is nearly 6 metres not 3.

Very interested charley, PM sent. From the sounds of your list, you have just about everything that is still on my wanted list covered, Cheers for the offer, I'm sure we can work something out, of interest to both parties. Dave

Firstly thank you for all the positive comments, much bigger amount of replies / reads than I ever expected, and good to see I'm not alone here, in my desire to build a layout. Hit really lucky last night, was browsing the net and checked out Hatton's,and the stats of the Dapol Mallard.(which is currently is pre order only at present!) I then had a quick look at the pre owned section and found this: Graham Farish 370-251-LN Diesel fuel freight complete train set with Class 37 in Railfreight Distribution The loco is DCC ready (that 3 six pin chips I need now!) But I paid the same price for the whole set as I would have paid for just the loco new. I could not work out if the set had 3 or 4 fuel wagons but they where the type I wanted as well. The track and DC controller can go back on ebay as it was only the loco, and rolling stock I was interested in. It will be here Saturday so I will post some pictures when it arrives ( I got to start saving again for mallard again too) More soon Dave

Thanks for that heads up Nick, first time I have heard of that, so thank you. What I have seems to work together so far, looking to add Dapol's Mallard shortly and a shunter too. Cheers Dave.