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I detect a hint of scarasm. So, what do people really think of them?

I really would like to know because as much as I like to hear what I like to hear, it won't help me improve them which is the main reason why I posted them on here.

:please:

Jon

Jon,

Only just revisited this thread - please trust me when I say there was no sarcasm at all in my comment. There may have been a hint of jealousy, but I love N-gauge railways, and was quite taken with this :wub:

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Jon,

Only just revisited this thread - please trust me when I say there was no sarcasm at all in my comment. There may have been a hint of jealousy, but I love N-gauge railways, and was quite taken with this :wub:

It wasn't aimed at you personally. Its just I sensed that some of the comments weren't quite right but it appears I got that wrong :banghead:

Jon

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Love the Terrier!! I actually drove "Bodiam" back in 2006........I have a couple (Dapol/Hornby) in OO gauge and will treat myself to its tinier cousin. Plan is for an "N" gauge layout based on (probably very vaguely!!) on the Swanage line - maybe as a preserved line....a bit more scope....I have a Dapol M7 and a GraFar "Jinty" already......and theres a Standard 3MT due soon.........................

I've got 3 in 00 including Bodiam :) The N gauge one is stronger, MUCH stronger than it looks (not that I've tried it with all 4 of my coaches on that layout).

Good luck with your own Project :)

Hi Jon,

That's a very nice “N” gauge layout. If you are extending you layout have you checked out any of the books that are available on layout designs? They are pitched at all levels and minimise the risk of producing a layout that lacks operational potential,just because a layout is small and detailed, doesn't mean it has to be boring to operate,an example being Cyril Freezer's Minories,you could also try Rmweb.com for ideas.

I know this might seem to be jumping the gun but have you considered DCC? Although it may seem expensive it has many benefits I would seriously consider it before expanding your locomotive stock, it simplifies wiring,gives you the ability to add sound and lights and as a bonus it improves running. I don't have a layout but all the locomotives I now build are DCC fitted.

Once again I appear to be the only one on this board that carries the flag for the true Premier Line and it's descendants I am sorry but Maunsell and Bullied don't quite cut the mustard when compared to Bowen Cooke,Hughes Stanier, Ivatt and Riddles,I rest my case. :tease:

Malcolm

I do have that book ironcially and a couple of others by Cyril Freezer. DCC is something that I looked into before I started but ruled it out due to costs (higher for N gauge than for 00 :o).

The ONLY good engine the LMS produced are the Ivatt Class 2 2-6-2Ts. That's it!!!!!!!!! And I only say that cause loads of them may have appeared on the southern region...............

Jon

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O.K trainfan5,

You want some criticism ? How about adding some real crushed granite (or substitute) ballast. Hell some falls off on layouts that have to be moved and stood on end as mine is, but once fully stuck down with 50% PVA and 50% water it should take the stick and always looks so much better than grey painted track beds. Remember to use the finest, but this will really need a wetting spray before you dropper the PVA mix onto it, otherwise the ballast roll around the drop of adhesive leaving a hollow at best or simply a hole with no ballast.

I also tend to agree that 'N' comes out more expensive when having DCC, on something as small as this layout there's no point in spending silly money that would allow you to run 3 trains in that space !!

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V

I can see your point about DCC but aren't you using DCC on your layout. The problem may arise when trainfan5 decides he wants a more prototypical and possibly larger layout by which time having a dozen or more locomotives it becomes expensive to chip each one in a single hit. Even so a small layout with just a couple of locomotives can benefit from DCC by the simplification of wiring (in not having to wire sections) and more realistic operation by allowing more than one engine in steam OK this can be archived by cab control but the wiring is even more complicated than just having simple sections and also not very realistic, other benefits are improved running due to the higher track voltage and the additional functions giving greater realism. I don't have a layout but build 4mm locomotives even so over the past couple of years I've started to chip them. Not having modelled in 'n' I am not sure of the costs but surely the cost comes down to that of the chip,are the smaller chips that much more expensive? I give you though a Terrier might cause problems in "n".

Trainfan5

To say the only good engine the LMS produced was the Ivatt class 2. shows your limited knowledge of all things relating to the finer points of locomotive design. :thumbsup: Have you not heard of Black 5's Duchess's Re-built Scots,8F's I could continue but to prove the point the LMR never had to borrow engines from the SR. Finally remember O.V. Bullied's crowning glory the “Leader” on that I rest my case,sorry I know that one was below the belt. :wicked:

All the best

Malcolm

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O.K Mal you're right, I am DCC on Two Short Planks and in fact have used two controllers daisy chained together allowing two drivers to operate not only individually chosen locos, but also pass an individual locomotive/train between drivers. We tend to leave one sound loco ticking over while having 8 to 10 in total live ready to call up as required. I don't even have analogue, having decided that DCC was the future, as you say the simplified wiring and for me the ability to change points down the same single track power lead. I have 14 point motors and after memorising all the switching I can clear any route from terminus station to fiddleyard without even looking at the track (although that is asking for occasional accidents)

My thoughts for Trainfan5 was that it's a small layout, each point easily reached for hand changing, no bus wires needed underneath the board and finally no chipping of miniture 'N' locomotives many of which are not DCC ready, all that and no higher expense for a DCC control set. However IF Trainfan5 was looking at immediate future enlargement, or a new more complex layout then I say bin analogue and go DCC. As you can guess I do count the pennies - just blow the £'s !!

I suppose I'm a lost cause as I don't even have a steam locomotive ....... 4 DMUs; 5 Shunters; 8 other assorted diesels and I only started last July !!

'V'

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O.K trainfan5,

You want some criticism ? How about adding some real crushed granite (or substitute) ballast. Hell some falls off on layouts that have to be moved and stood on end as mine is, but once fully stuck down with 50% PVA and 50% water it should take the stick and always looks so much better than grey painted track beds. Remember to use the finest, but this will really need a wetting spray before you dropper the PVA mix onto it, otherwise the ballast roll around the drop of adhesive leaving a hollow at best or simply a hole with no ballast.

I also tend to agree that 'N' comes out more expensive when having DCC, on something as small as this layout there's no point in spending silly money that would allow you to run 3 trains in that space !!

In answer to that V, It is what you describe only that I've used (I think) ;) So way ahead of you there.

I doubt my N will get any bigger otherwise I argee re the DCC!

Trainfan5

To say the only good engine the LMS produced was the Ivatt class 2. shows your limited knowledge of all things relating to the finer points of locomotive design. :thumbsup: Have you not heard of Black 5's Duchess's Re-built Scots,8F's I could continue but to prove the point the LMR never had to borrow engines from the SR. Finally remember O.V. Bullied's crowning glory the “Leader” on that I rest my case,sorry I know that one was below the belt. :wicked:

SIR! I am very aware of 8Fs, Jubilies, Duchesses etc however only two LMS designs appeared on the southern and only one was the best ;) and Sorry, Bulliuids were the best machines ever built, all they needed was prefecting. And Leader is a bit like Duke of Gloucester, they both never allowed to be prefected in BR days. ALSO, if the Duchesses were so good, why were they unstreamlined............ I rest MY point

Jon

Edited by trainfan5
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In answer to that V, It is what you describe only that I've used (I think) ;) So way ahead of you there.

I doubt my N will get any bigger otherwise I argee re the DCC!

SIR! I am very aware of 8Fs, Jubilies, Duchesses etc however only two LMS designs appeared on the southern and only one was the best ;) and Sorry, Bulliuids were the best machines ever built, all they needed was prefecting. And Leader is a bit like Duke of Gloucester, they both never allowed to be prefected in BR days. ALSO, if the Duchesses were so good, why were they unstreamlined............ I rest MY point

Jon

..of course it could be argued that the Duchesses were only initially stream-lined as a PR exercise - to compete with Gresley's A4's!

Regarding the LMS, it took an ex-GWR man in Stanier to really sort them out......

AND Bullied's Pacific's - remember that most of them had their "Air-Smoothed" casings removed.......

So having lit blue touch paper........ :popcorn:

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..of course it could be argued that the Duchesses were only initially stream-lined as a PR exercise - to compete with Gresley's A4's!

Regarding the LMS, it took an ex-GWR man in Stanier to really sort them out......

AND Bullied's Pacific's - remember that most of them had their "Air-Smoothed" casings removed.......

So having lit blue touch paper........ :popcorn:

You've lit the blue touch paper alright! However, I can't comment cause I own a Duchess (Duchess of Sunderland) and a Princess Royal (Princess Elizabeth) :wicked: ..............Plus I have a Air Smoothed cased Bullied Pacific (Blackmoor Vale), an LNER A3 (Scotsman) and a GWR Castle (came with the Harry Potter 1 train set) so I've got the best of all four of the Big Four. And I've just ordered a LNER/BR Peppercorn A1 Pacific (Only cause its called Tornado :thumbsup: ) .................. All for my OO :thumbsup:

Speaking of my OO, I'm having to redesign my layout to include a lot of 2nd radius curves so I can run my Bigger engines. The final design's below and yes it looks crowded but its a 3ft by 4ft board! :yikes:

MynewOO.png

And no, Its not DCC. I can only afford one expensive addition each year and this year its Tornado (£130 RRP! :wacko: ). Thats for next year or christmas along with Colour Light Signalling ;) .

Jon

Edited by trainfan5
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After 3 days works, the work is done :thumbsup:

I even had enough money to invest in two of the cheap Gaugemaster Hornby Style Colour light Signals which I'm going to trail out before buying more :)

So here it is:

STA60042small.jpg

STA60044small.jpg

STA60045small.jpg

STA60047small.jpg

Comments please :) There's about another 5 colour light signals to be installed as and when funds allow. Its a southern region preservation line (therefore loads of southern stuff with anything else I feel like :thumbsup: )

Jon

Edited by trainfan5
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Wow, you do get loads into your available space !! Here's me thinking of adding a 3 ft x 6 ft board for a few sidings and warehouses on a quay area. Boy the costs start adding up with the required 12 turnouts so I admire your economic use of cash and space.

'V'

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Wow, you do get loads into your available space !! Here's me thinking of adding a 3 ft x 6 ft board for a few sidings and warehouses on a quay area. Boy the costs start adding up with the required 12 turnouts so I admire your economic use of cash and space.

'V'

Thanks :D

Specially designed in Hornby Virtual Railway 2 (best purchase I ever made :) ) to make use of the available space so I can run all my stock and so that I have lots of operating potenial so I don't get bored while making sure it didn't get too crowded. Belief it or not, I can still fit more onto it if I tried but not even I need that many sidings. I didn't need to buy much for this as I had all the track parts already except the two colour light signals therefore making it very very cheap.

To completely relay it though with brand new hornby track is about £120+ which I just couldn't afford so I just reused what I could from my old layout and bits from my spare track box. I've still got to blow loads of cash on more signals (about 5 @ £8.99 each) and a load on scatter, fencing etc to complete the green areas. The costs really do start adding up if you intend to get something even slightly complicated :(

Ah well, tis good fun and lets me be creative enough if its costs a fortune :D

Jon

Edited by trainfan5
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Wow, that is busy, one small point, how about a bridge for the bus etc. to get in to the station area.

its something I've been thinking about or a level crossing (I think Peco make second radius curved extensions.............)

Jon

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its something I've been thinking about or a level crossing (I think Peco make second radius curved extensions.............)

Jon

It needs something, otherwise you are left wondering how did the bus etc. get there.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Evening gents,

A small update on this, no pictures I'm afraid but I'll have some on sunday.

After being persuded to buy more of the Gaugemaster Signals and a pair of point motors by a 'friend' and after finding out that peco sell what I would need for a double track curved level crossing I've started a phrase 2 of the revamp of me OO. The first part has been done (no photos due to how the board's currently) which involved installing all power lines for the new point motors and colour light signals allong with adding a socket on the board and a adaptor to the controller allowing it to be removed easiler for storage while giving me more room for my switches :)

Pics will follow later

Jon

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  • 3 weeks later...

Fine Trainfan5, take a little time ......

Hey man 3 weeks have gone by .......... c'mon Jon get that moving !

Not that I'm doing much as away on Saturday morning for a week.

'V'

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  • 2 weeks later...
Fine Trainfan5, take a little time ......

Hey man 3 weeks have gone by .......... c'mon Jon get that moving !

Not that I'm doing much as away on Saturday morning for a week.

'V'

Hi,

Sorry, I have done stuff but I've posted it over on 'The Permanent Way' Forums. Plans include DCC :analintruder: , grass, ballast, scene-breaks and maybe a youtube series based on it.....................

Well, here's some recent shots of it:

7406c336.jpg

e12c1835.jpg

39bd9c7f.jpg

Jon

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This weekend, I've started a major scenic overhaul (aka Phrase 3 of the revamp) based on the current (and Final) track plan. This also includes the final stages of Phrase 2 to speed things up. This includes: Ballast, Grass, Point Motors on ALL points (2/6 done), full colour light signalling (completed) and a Scene Break.

Also, there is to be DCC complatibily built into the set which will ease any transfer to DCC (this has yet to be designed).

Anyway, here's where I'm at at the moment.

1107bcd1.jpg

Comments and Advice always and more than welcome :)

Jon

Edited by trainfan5
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Evening,

As I'm having to wait for some parts to arrive before I can continue work on the Layout itself :(. I have done some detailing work on the engines, namely adding headcodes to the front and rear of the engines I use the most :D.

The Fronts:

21c7be5b.jpg

The Rears:

54627455.jpg

Jon ;)

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Well, after a couple of evenings work: here's Doveston at present. Just the main power feeds to the Track then we're ready to go again :D

STA60007.jpg

STA60008.jpg

Now its looking like a proper Model Railway and is now perfect for filming use on Bullied Country. Well, once the Buildings are back on. For once, its a railway I can be proud of.

Jon

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Doing a great job there Jon,

And you're working in such a limited space - Heck what a collection of Locos.

I've just managed to get back into anything like modelling mode, but now have to back off again getting ready for the IPMS Telford show.

'V'

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