Noel

Cheers. Source? - who ever has the lowest prices at the time. The last few orders were from Hatton's and gaugemaster in the UK. Hattons tend to only have the NEM kadees, but gaugemaster have all the other stuff inc draft gearbox whisker couplings for converting older non NEM stock, magnets etc. Fitting Between the rails magnets on code 75 track? I am just about to find out as I am laying code 75 track at the moment. I may have to recess the magnet slightly into the sleepers. Will report back in due course.

Words fail. So real and reeks of atmosphere. You should be the new set designer for LucasFilm or ION productions next Bond movie. You could out do Ken Adam's famous sets.

Pals at WMRC gently hinted that a change of back scene might look better when photographing models off the workbench or out of the paintshop so here are one or two updates. Thank you WMRC pals for the present of a roll of back scene.

Spend the last few days tearing the hair out of my head in immense frustration with a new Z21 system. There is nothing wrong with the Z21, it actually seems a very good system just totally unsuitable for my needs on a new shunting layout. Totally my own mistake for choosing the wrong system. Easy peasey to hook it all up and get it working, but the first main problem was attempting to drive trains using a touch screen phone cab user interface for shunting and uncoupling stock using kadee uncoupling magnets which require a degree of precision that touch screen throttle just does not give compared to the tactile feedback of a physical cab with either throttle buttons or knobs. Normally I can hold a physical cab in one hand without having to look at it, but using a smartphone a) needed more eyes on the display distracting me from watching what the train was doing, and b) my fingers found it difficult to routinely and reliably control throttle one speed step at a time. When shunting I like to stare at the train, just think what I want it to do and let my hands make it happen via the tactile feedback from a cab in hand but out of eye line. I repeat my gripe was with the 'Z21 Mobile' apps touch screen user interface for precise throttle control, not the Z21 hardware which seems a good DCC controller and a flexible system. Luckily I managed to buy an inexpensive Multimaus cab on eBay which saved the day as soon as I plugged it in to the Z21's X-Bus port. Not very intuitive cab (ie you have to read the manual to get started with the basics), but with the physical buttons and throttle knob at least I was able to shunt precisely enough to reliably uncouple kadees, which I could not do reliably with the daft phone throttle app. Relief that I was not going to have to put the heap on eBay tomorrow and replace with a system that has physical cab controls for throttle. Two big advantages of the 'Z21 mobile' app are a) its an inexpensive wireless cab that will work on most smartphones and tablets and b) you can custom label each function with mnemonic description and symbol which is great for sound locos instead of remembering function numbers. Another advantage on a club layout would be members using their own phones as cabs and same for visitors to a home layout. Most the guys in WMRC love the Z21 system. Anyway the sledge hammer did not come out late last night and Multimaus saved the day for my shunting layout (under construction). At least now I can drive the locos. Lesson learned for a shunting layout one really needs some form of physical throttle control that gives tactile feedback to the operator allowing eyes only on loco and single handed use. The Multimaus does this albeit not as quite well as an NCE PowerCab but well enough. Had been tempted to try the Piko Smart control or another NCE. If not shunting using kadee magnets I'm sure many folk would love the Z21 system and its touch screen cab apps, especially for sound locos with personalised function buttons. One weird little funny us the Z21 cannot easily drive locos in the address range 120-127 which is why I could not get it to drive any of my 121 locos. Found a convoluted technical solution to it anyway and managed to get the 121s moving and shunting with their correct addresses.

Indeed And yet they managed to fit a knuckle coupling while retaining all the buffer beam detailing. PS: Curious what function does the catch point serve other than killing somebody in the car park? Is it back to front?

Rich 1) I posted a link not the images 2) you seem to only post negative or sarcastic responses to my contributions on here and 3) please get off my back. It is getting tiresome, I’m sure face to face we would probable get on well. Noel

RMweb MM 121 https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/106996-murphy-models-to-produce-121s/&tab=comments#comment-3487664

Here's a CIE golden oldie from Cork. We'll not that old as pallets and fork lifts are in evidence as well as modern bogie fertiliser wagons, but wonderful atmosphere watching the shunters marshall wagons. A train going through the streets of a city with a flag man walking ahead of it to keep traffic on a one way street out of the way is a sight to behold. Pure nostalgia gold. A short clip out west steam era 1950s. On a poignant note few people in the clip are probably still living except the younger children.

Yes prior to pallets&fork lift trucks and containers it was very inefficient, but very alive and nostalgic. I remember as a child watching stock being shunted and handled like this albeit on a smaller scale in places like Galway station, Limerick, Newbridge, etc, two axle goods wagons were the backbone of the railways back then but despite the labour intensive element, they had highly efficient systems for arranging formations so wagons could be dropped off and picked up with minimal movements, and systems that ensured a single carton of tomatoes got to a specific destination grocer. This had died off here around 1974 when modern era bogie stock started to dominate along with containers. CIE tried various interim hybrid crossover wagons such as pal vans, etc, but they were short lived. There are some good YouTube of goods merchandise being transferred to trains at Cork docks.

Hi Doctor Gerbil-Fritters. The problem with wobbling Cravens in the past was not wheels but the way the bogie connected with the body. This caused a serious wobbling occilation when running. The newest release of the Snack Bar had this problem as well as the RPSI Cravens all made by the same factory. I replaced the wheels on one of my wobbling RPSI BLue’n’cream livery Craven but it made no difference. Murphy models released a fix through retailers which was a sprung brass shim that fitted between the bogie and the coach body underfloor. Marks Models have a stock of these shims. I made my own spacer washers out of very thin plastic card (ie like thin washers). The original production batches of MM Cravens did not have this problem. It should be an easy and inexpensive fix. FYI, I popped the bogies off my wobbling RPSI Coaches and rolled them along straight track sections but the wheels ran true without wobbling the bogie. If wheels needed for any project I’d recommend Alan Gibson wheels Nice photos BTW. I really like my MM Craven set. Noel ps. Looking forward to more posts as your layout develops.

Glory days of manually handled goods traffic 1957 two axle goods traffic handling .

Fabulous story telling as ever. Love it. Jeepers when you see scale sized LPP standing beside the bogies you realise just how massive TLCs can be out of scale (ie the pic of the white and the orange LPP standing beside the removed bogie). Great photo scenes Noel, love these visual stories.

It must be interesting and extra work keeping the many board joins free through the extra layers of scenic landscaping. Looking good.

Oh I totally understand the need for a full engineering inspection and speed limits post strike. The Clogh Road Bridge strike in 1975 had tragic consequences.

Holy Moly, how did he manage do that? Driving a HGV one is usually very self conscious about a vehicles height. The tops of those trailers have little strength nor weight so should not structurally damage a bridge, and just crush like tissue paper, more likely damage cabling under the structure.

Cheers. Keep your heads down, you don't want Simon lurking around in the car park. Sweep the office for bugs regularly and darken the windows. He doesn't seem to take prisoners but since the Deltic announcement you must now be well on their radar. The sheer specs must have set off alarm bells also in Bachmann's bunker. If you get to ship the Deltic before either of the other two do refreshes, it should be game over in that niche.

Yip when I first saw it I too wondered if it was a model Great photo. This is the typical birds eye view operators get when running trains on a layout.

Web browser link to BBC "James Mays Big Trouble in Model Britain". You'll need VPN active to watch from Ireland. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00037sz/james-mays-big-trouble-in-model-britain-episode-2 Good to see the AS stand in the programmes footage.

Concluding episode two last night was interesting. Watching the process where samples were reviewed and sent back for changes was fascinating. At one stage the Accurascale stand at warley was clearly visible. The CEOs of both Rails and Hattons were not happy bunnies. But that’s just business. Hornby though weakened are still big enough to compete by whatever means is necessary. Was most impressed by the lady who did the CAD design for a scalextric car, and the in-house film team making an advert. The Hornby Terrier looked exquisite. Pricing their class 66 at under £100 including sound was a statement. Love these fly on the wall behind the scenes programmes. Wonder how much production they really will move back to the Margate site despite the declared intent. Link to programme below but you’ll need a UK VPN to view it from Ireland (James May's Big Trouble in Model Britain, Episode 2: ) http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m00037sz via @bbciplayer

Richie, in fairness I did not compare the Silverfox version to your weed spray coach, I simply stated the SF GSV "is not bad" as a GSV. I never compared it to your weed spray version which I have seen in the flesh and it was mighty impressive with the extra details such as the CCTV cameras, etc. I have never even seen an SF weed spray coach, didn't even know they had one, the only other one I was aware of was IFM (I'm stopping now lest I cause indigestion at the mere mention and resultant bowel movements). Yes the SF GSV is not remotely on the same page as the MM cravens and most likely nowhere remotely near anything IRM may or may not produce in the future should the numbers stack up (btw I hope they do and would love to have an IRM quality GSV or two). Unfortunately any time SF or IFM stuff is mentioned by me in any form of positive light, it seems to be like a red rag to a bull, which is not intended btw. You seem to be the creative technical genius behind IRM, the Steve Wozniak as such, but you have to accept not every other product will meet your nor IRM's exceptionally high standards, and that some folk may be content with them for what they are or were at a point in time. Lots of folk are content with SF GSVs in the absence of anything better. I kit bashed a few myself but it was a lot of work, so I can appreciate for many an RTR SF may be more convenient and bring contentment despite their limited scale detailing. I won't mention aquatic birds. As a customer of IRM I feel I am still entitled to express opinions or my personal preferences, enthusiasm or lack of enthusiasm for some prototypes. This is no reflection on any models that IRM have or may produce of same. Purely personally I have no interest in yellow PW stock because it does not fit into my preferred era, nor my nostalgia memory, its just a personal opinion and a personal preference. My personal preference that I like CIE open beet wagons and H-Vans is merely one persons opinion, it doesn't make it right or wrong. Anybody can take it or leave it. I have been delighted with the IRM models I have bought so far and have praised them. The likes of SF and IFM are not really competitors of IRM, they are in a different market space and clearly not of the same standard until something better comes along. But should they become 'unmentionables'? Once this forum used to be a great community space where folk could openly and freely discuss all matters concerning model railways including trade matters and to discuss and share information about various products on the market. It would be a great shame if you felt "prevented from sharing 'your' experiences, thoughts, findings from elsewhere, as a modeller", or indeed if this forum could not discuss products without risking bun fights, , and for that I apologise if you find my mere opinions that upsetting. It is a broad church, from maestros like Eoin's brass master pieces, to folks who enjoy operating 'Thomas' table top layouts. No hard feelings!

Rolling that roof to its precise profile and shape was some achievement and makes all the difference.

Something like a brass laminate coach would go superbly with those two Park Royals.

Enjoy. Lovely looking coaches nicely weathered. I have a few IFM park royals, and two kits ready to start. They are very fine resin body’s. A few little tweaks such as keen systems suspended gangways, few seated passengers, Kadee couplings, sprung buffers, door handles and vacuum pipes, help lift them to an even higher level. The mix really well with Cravens and laminate coaches behind B&T locos or even a grey 121. And yes mix’n’match green livery with CIE Black’n’Tan with perhaps a sole silver tin van is typical of the period.

Mk1 GSV might sell in CIE single strip B&T livery and IE/IR dual strike tippex livery as a GSV, but I cannot see any significant volume selling in yellow PW livery as a weed spray control coach. I never understood the interest in PW stuff like weed spray train, and auto ballasters, etc. Railways were primarily to move people or goods. PW kit may be of eclectic interest for those with an interest with engineering vehicles, I don’t understand why but yellow stuff never blew my skirt up, nor does the contents of our broom cupboard, unseen yet functional. Given the silver fox model is not bad, and most folk already have a few to go with their MM Craven stock and laminates from multiple sources (brass kits, overlays, JMD, WW, SF and IFM), it’s difficult to see how the demand numbers might make a high quality RTR model viable economically, compared to stock that could sell for rakes like mk3, mk4, laminates, etc. But by now IRM know their numbers and customer base we’ll and anything might be possible.

Absolutely Eoin'esque model engineering. Stunning outcome. Agree it is the best brass work I have ever seen. Not an air gap, warp nor bend, nor a solder blob in sight. Stunningly precise and ultra neat work in a difficult medium. The home that coach is going to is going to be a very lucky bunny to have such a master piece and also one of Eoin's pieces of art. Looking forward to the painted end result although it almost seems a shame to paint it.