irishthump

Thanks for the reply, Blarney. I dont use Digitrax myself but I've heard of that issue affecting some brands of controller.

Great news. Nothing more frustrating than having a new loco act up! What exactly was the issue?

So I removed the bogie mounted NEM pocket and built a bracket and new pocket to fit to the back of the buffer beam…. I used brass angle strip and box section tube to create the bracket. After cleaning up my dodgy soldering it was fixed to the buffer beam. A quick test proved it was at the correct height. Although the couple now protrudes further past the buffer than o would like some black paint should make it far less noticeable.

So I’m stuck at home now for the next week or so. Both my youngest sons have tested positive for Covid! I seem to have escaped it for the moment so that leaves modelling as just about the only thing I can do right now. A flurry of activity has been the result! First up some US freight cars got hit with the weathering stick… Next was something I have been pondering for a while. I prefer to fit Kadee draft box couplers to my all my locos but my Heljan Class 26 was proving to be a pain. As you can see there is no room to fit a draft box on the underframe because it would interfere with the bogies…

Have to say I never saw it coming! One of my sons noticed me watching Youtube videos of the real loco then found the model on Modellbahne Lippe. Even ordered the correct decoder for it!

Yeah this is the Taigatrommel.

OK you're gonna have to explain that one.......

A present from the wife and kids, a Piko M62 in DB livery. Fitted with a Loksound V5. Still some tweaking to be done with the various sound levels, but overall delighted with it. Can’t wait to detail and weather it as these locos got pretty grubby in real life.

Yeah my eldest son was crazy about the Tomy stuff, he amassed quite a collection. It's still sitting in the attic!

Have a look at the Tomy Tomica range of trains. Battery powered, very robust, easy to place back on the track. Smyths usually stock them.

True. I would like to try 21mm, but the amount of extra work it would give me just rules it out. But then again, I'm type of person who happily runs US and German HO stock alongside the Irish OO gauge. So what would I know?!!! Yes, those same rivet counters will demand every detail be accurate then run all their stock with dirty great tension lock couplers sticking it of them.

Probably not much difference, unless you’re running over a long crossover or yard ladder with insulfrog points. But it’s surprising there isn’t 6 wheel pick up. Many European HO models have unpowered centre axles but still pickup from all 6 wheel sets. Probably more to do with with them usually having friction tyres…..

That’s the only niggle I ever had with the 201’s, the fact that they only pick-up power from 4 axles. The middle ones have no contact strips.

Same to you guys from a delighted customer.

Thanks man. Yours set the bar!

Yeah I found these hard work! Like yourself, I though they only looked convincing when they are really filthy with layer upon layer of grime and cement. The only way to get that effect was to apply layer upon layer of weathering! I ended using every technique I could think of.... I found the streaking effects particularly hard to get right. Removing the paint with a fibre pencil was way too aggressive. I ended up letting the Tamiya paint dry for several days before scrubbing at it with a stiff brush moistened with isopropyl. The effect is quite convincing. The chipping cement was done using Maskol before the paint was airbrushed on. The cement dust is REAL cement. It's as fine as any weathering powder and looks great when sealed with varnish.

Fantastic space for a layout! Looking forward to see how the helix works with the various levels planned. Personally I wouldn't be brave enough to try a helix and I think I'd just do a round the room with long gradients to any upper level(s).

Finally finished the rake of 12 cement bubbles. I wasn’t entirely happy with how thy looked; I’d deliberately tried to make each wagon unique but it didn’t quite work. So I gave the whole rake an overall coat of grey with the airbrush and it seems to be a better look.

So the 8 Taras are now finished…. IMG_8329.MOV

I’ll take it!

Wonderful work, just perfect!

Seriously? The 201 is a very high-spec and a wonderful runner. I'd love to hear a full list of these "obvious inaccuracies". The 201 is the only MM loco that I don't have more than one of, and I always regretted it!

Des can be a little slow replying sometimes, but he’ll get back to you.

Lovely work there Adrian! The baseboards and woodwork look very sharp and the concrete hardstanding on the engine shed looks spot on. really looking forward to seeing this layout progress.