Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Looking forward to Warley

Warley is usually a treat, but this year I have much to be excited about. Enough to even take my mind off a routine visit to the dentist tomorrow. The narrow gauge layouts at this year's show include two of my top 10 - County Gate and Dinas 1869.

The other narrow gauge layouts are not bad either such as Sand Hutton Central by Peter Kazerand Calstock (Cotehele). In 4mm we'll also have the treat of seeing Briding Noora, Nettlecombe and Willesden Junction.

There are also rumours that a certain WHR layout may appear on the FR/WHR stand... and not forgotting the centrepiece...K1! In 12 inches to the foot scale!

The trade stands beat all other shows - check this list:http://www.thewarleyshow.co.uk/trade.htm

and of course there are various standard gauge layouts too.

Can't wait.

Colin

Posted by Colin Lea at 4:31 PM 0 comments
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Friday, November 13, 2009

Clean me!








I need a decent track cleaner if I want to operate my DCC sound chip at anything like a sensible level of reliability. Choices choices...
From the top we have the tomix cleaner then the roco clean and finally the CMX cleaner.
The Tomix/atlas cleaner uses the track supply (needs a decoder for DCC) to power either a small vacuum, a spinning light burnishing disc or a wet disc with your cleaning solution on it.
see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JECLq7vZJgE&feature=related It costs about £45. JdF of County Gate uses this but claims the wet disc is poor.
The Roco clean is pretty simple really - a wagon with a track rubber attached to the bottom by springs. Pull it along and it cleans. About £20 ish. County Gate use this (masked in an L&B bogie van) during exhibitions.

The CMX (about £80) see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0nhCp9zxhFc is a brass container that holds your favourite cleaning solution and a wet cloth pulled along under the wagon. The cloth can be replaced by wet/dry paper too. Passes the white glove test apparently, but us expensive!
So, what do you think I should go for....?
Colin
Posted by Colin Lea at 4:58 PM 0 comments
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Thursday, November 12, 2009

sleeper grime and bullfrog snot

Last night I managed to finish off the coating of sleeper grime on the last board. Now it's time to get testing that board after the final hoovering and clearance of ballast in the point blades.

In other news I have also been wondering about bullfrog snot as per this Nigel Burkin post:


This could well be the answer to pulling power of smaller engines on Rhyd Ddu.


Let me know if you have had experience with it...
Posted by Colin Lea at 10:08 AM 2 comments
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Tuesday, November 10, 2009

Layout work recommences

The house move is nearly over and although there is much yet to do at the new house (picture hanging etc), I managed to get 30 mins to add sleeper grime to the last board. I did the whole of one side and turned the board round so I can do the other side tonight. I then plan to connect this up to DCC power and test the points decoder.
Posted by Colin Lea at 10:53 AM 0 comments
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Monday, November 09, 2009

New look

the blog has a new look. Let me know if you like it - this is also easy now - there are three check boxes - cool, interesting or boring - at the bottom of each post.

Colin
Posted by Colin Lea at 4:07 PM 5 comments
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Brilliant - 16mm slate splitting!


Find more videos like this on Garden Railway TV

Crazy or relastic? You decide.

Colin
Posted by Colin Lea at 3:41 PM 0 comments
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Thursday, November 05, 2009

Loksound oh yes

My loksound decoder has arrived and it's absolutely fantastic.

I've only used it on my decoder tester so far, but I love the startup and shutdown sequences, the horn, guard's whistle, compressors, coupling sounds and everything basically. Just brilliant.

I will be installing it in the warship chassis asap and then testing without a body for a while, before I add the etched brass Funkey body (due to the short circuit risk).

I will post a youtube video on here when I get a moment.

Cool! Oh yes.
Posted by Colin Lea at 10:17 AM 1 comments
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Wednesday, November 04, 2009

ummm, cheeky

Noted from expong, by my online friend fairlight works:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/fairlightworks/4065264795/sizes/l/in/set-72157622588263769/

Available soon from Parkside for the princely sum of £125 (source: parkside dundas) - an RTR chassis with outside frames(!) and an amended body kit to go with it. nice! I expect you can get 10% with a 009 membership.

But then you can get a backwoods kit of the same (not an RTR chassis though) for £79!

Choices, choices.
Posted by Colin Lea at 1:31 PM 2 comments
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Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Moving home

This weekend we have been mainly moving home, as have Tal and ME - From Boston Lodge to Dinas. Cool - this means I can run Tal and ME on my layout! see below...


Posted by Colin Lea at 9:22 AM 2 comments
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Wednesday, October 28, 2009

various

Last night I gave 143’s front tank and roof another coat of satin black, painted the cab side number plates blue and added the cradle side plates too. I also patched up some areas where handling had caused paint to come off and weathered the smokebox slightly with thinned black paint. It is fair to say, that although it still requires conversion to DCC and the reattachment of its roof and top of its oil tank in the bunker, plus a final coat of satin varnish to blend the blacks together, the loco is pretty much ready to go.

I have taken some shots, but these are on my SLR and will take some time to download as I’m in Newcastle for the next 2 days and then will be moving house.

I also painted my FR hearse waggon’s body black and added black strapping to another FR covered van.

87’s front tank also had its wooden tank top boarding repainted in humbrol acrylic ‘natural wood’. I will mask this off before repainting these in what I expect to be a blue livery, if Boston Lodge rumours prove to be correct.

On the layout, I added some filler to one of the baseboard sides, where after planning, parts of the plywood had come away. This has tidied it up nicely ready for the house move.

PS I still can’t get the smokebox door off 87’s somkebox, ready for the smoke unit’s installation – it protests and I don't want to snap or damage the white metal casting!
Posted by Colin Lea at 9:37 AM 0 comments
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