The Night Mail

[Happy Hippo]

5 hours ago, Darlington_Shed said:

Agreed! There's something so distinctive about the colours, particularly of the brickwork that tends to a rather glaring shade of pink.

 

On a related subject, has anyone built a GWR "pagoda" shed? The basic walls and associated details look easily doable, but that droopy roof seems potentially troublesome. For info, I'll be modelling in N Gauge 😟

I can't help you  in N, but probably the best on the market is Intentio's 7mm version.

 

I did have a bash at running the roof form up as a CAD drawing, but it wasn't as good as Philip's.

 

[Happy Hippo]

Nyda is off to the wilds of Llandudno for the second time this week.

 

Gordon is coming over this morning for a Trayne Klubb session, and the garden contractors are in as well.

 

I suspect I will have a very busy day manning the kettle!

 

Pantmawr North was erected within the garage yesterday afternoon in it's terminus configuration, and whilst doing this I put down the new magnetic shunter's pole in a 'safe' place....

 

So safe I now can't find it!

 

I suppose I'll have to make some more and attach metre long yellow flags.

[br2975]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

Pantmawr North was erected within the garage yesterday afternoon in it's terminus configuration, and whilst doing this I put down the new magnetic shunter's pole in a 'safe' place....

 

So safe I now can't find it!

 

.

We've all been there Hippo, and can all sympathise with your plight.

[Winslow Boy]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

Nyda is off to the wilds of Llandudno for the second time this week.

 

Gordon is coming over this morning for a Trayne Klubb session, and the garden contractors are in as well.

 

I suspect I will have a very busy day manning the kettle!

 

Pantmawr North was erected within the garage yesterday afternoon in it's terminus configuration, and whilst doing this I put down the new magnetic shunter's pole in a 'safe' place....

 

So safe I now can't find it!

 

I suppose I'll have to make some more and attach metre long yellow flags.

 

Such a pity that hippos don't wear clothes then you could have slipped it into a pocket.

 

How about a magnetic utility belt or better yet a bridle.

[Compound2632]

9 hours ago, monkeysarefun said:

without any traditional modelling skills.

 

That, it seems to me, is your key phrase. It's modelling, using a new set of modelling skills. What matters is whether the practitioner derives pleasure from using those skills.

[Tony_S]

4 hours ago, Compound2632 said:

What matters is whether the practitioner derives pleasure from using those skills.

I am quite keen to start having a go at using some design software. Not sure how useful my O level Geometrical and Engineering Drawing from 1969 will be. I did have a go at TinkerCad on my iPad. I was able to create what looked like a pile of doughnuts on top of a cube. This was quite pleasing but I think next time I will use a mouse on the pc rather than a touchscreen device.  One thing about even trying to produce some simple shapes shows how proficient some of the people who supply 3D printed model railway items must be. 
Tony
 

Edited June 29, 2023 by Tony_S
Missed word from o level subject.

[Hroth]

1 hour ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

Such a pity that hippos don't wear clothes then you could have slipped it into a pocket.

 

How about a magnetic utility belt or better yet a bridle.

 

HH could always tuck it behind one ear, in the manner of a carpenters pencil!

 

[iL Dottore]

I think with making a model railway layout you have to be aware of your limitations and your strengths (which is true for practically any endeavour, I would argue).

For me, I find that the "ready to plonk" buildings available from most manufacturers are at best a mere palimpsest of the original, but mostly are unconvincing. Constructing buildings is one of my strengths (elephant memoried readers may recall I did some of the buildings for Black Country Blues and a few other bagatelles) and I am pretty happy to build and paint wagons (using a painting technique stolen from military modelling, I can get a pretty much pristine airbrush quality finish on my wagons – not that they remain ex-works for long). But I won't even begin to think about trying to match the locomotive and coach finishes now being produced for the RTR manufacturers.

 

Another factor to consider is whether or not you have the willingness to embrace new technology: when that technology can make your life easier and/or the output better. It always amuses me that some people still consider DCC as "newfangled technology", even though the computer technology behind DCC is - by computer terms – prehistoric.

 

Ultimately, building a model railway is all about the "suspension of disbelief" and that is not always by being meticulous and pedantic with the tiny details. Like with some of the work by famous Japanese master artists sometimes a few brush strokes is all that is needed to create a huge impression.

[iL Dottore]

A few posts back, the TNM crowd were ruminating upon viewing layouts and commenting thereupon.

 

One of the most impressive layouts I've ever seen (I think at Warley) was a "roundy-roundy" featuring RTR and RTP locomotives, rolling stock and buildings. It was impressive because it was built- apparently single handedly - by a young man with Trisomy 21 (Down's Syndrome). The passion and the care that that young man put into to that layout really shone through. And the obvious pride and delight of the young man in exhibiting the layout was a joy to behold!

[Darlington_Shed]

5 hours ago, AndyID said:

I'll send you a STL file

 

A kind offer, Andy, but one I'll hold in reserve if you don't mind. The object of the exercise is to get me back into old-fashioned model-making and see if I can't revive some dormant skills.

 

I have a dimensioned drawing so the plan at the mo' is to build the basic box and then craft a roof template using flexible card that can be encouraged into shape before trimming to size. Said template will then be reproduced in thicker material for covering with something like this stuff:

 

If the roof was flat planes it would be trivial, but the extreme curvature is the thing:

7mm kit from Skytrex

 

It's stirring the old grey cells which is a good thing.

[Canal Digger]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Nyda is off to the wilds of Llandudno for the second time this week.

 

Gordon is coming over this morning for a Trayne Klubb session, and the garden contractors are in as well.

 

I suspect I will have a very busy day manning the kettle!

 

Pantmawr North was erected within the garage yesterday afternoon in it's terminus configuration, and whilst doing this I put down the new magnetic shunter's pole in a 'safe' place....

 

So safe I now can't find it!

 

I suppose I'll have to make some more and attach metre long yellow flags.

A few weeks ago I towed a boat to it's launching site, in a field, picked the hitchlock keys out from under the armrest of the truck, ah I need to do something else first, so carefully put the keys in a back pocket. Can you see this coming yet? Went back to hitchlock, keys not in pocket(!), checked other pockets, searched the grass that I had just walked across, checked pockets again, checked various places where I could have put the keys, raked the grass. Had to ask someone else to unlock the hitchlock, I wasn't to be trusted! Next day a friend used his Magnet Fishing magnet to search the area. Keys still not found and my reputation is way low. Hey ho.  

[SM42]

3 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

 

 

Pantmawr North was erected within the garage yesterday afternoon in it's terminus configuration, and whilst doing this I put down the new magnetic shunter's pole in a 'safe' place....

 

So safe I now can't find it!

 

I suppose I'll have to make some more and attach metre long yellow flags.

 

Keep them on the fridge door. 

 

Andy

[Canal Digger]

6 hours ago, pH said:

A busy scene on the Joint Line (BNSF and UP) between Denver and Pueblo in Colorado:
 

https://www.railpictures.net/photo/834729/

 

The scene includes a US ‘Thunderbird’!

Many thanks for posting such a nice photo, can see why it's the Photo of the Week. Your handiwork?

 

 

[Happy Hippo]

3 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

Such a pity that hippos don't wear clothes then you could have slipped it into a pocket.

 

How about a magnetic utility belt or better yet a bridle.

It might be in one of the sheds.

[Winslow Boy]

2 hours ago, Hroth said:

 

HH could always tuck it behind one ear, in the manner of a carpenters pencil!

 

 

Have you seen a hippos ears. There like rader receivers. Suppose he could always use a piece of string and tie it to one. Or better yet if he had a nose ring it could just daggle down in front of him.

[Winslow Boy]

36 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

It might be in one of the sheds.

 

Yah boo sucks.

[J. S. Bach]

1 hour ago, Canal Digger said:

A few weeks ago I towed a boat to it's launching site, in a field, picked the hitchlock keys out from under the armrest of the truck, ah I need to do something else first, so carefully put the keys in a back pocket. Can you see this coming yet? Went back to hitchlock, keys not in pocket(!), checked other pockets, searched the grass that I had just walked across, checked pockets again, checked various places where I could have put the keys, raked the grass. Had to ask someone else to unlock the hitchlock, I wasn't to be trusted! Next day a friend used his Magnet Fishing magnet to search the area. Keys still not found and my reputation is way low. Hey ho.  

Did you check back under the armrest??

[Happy Hippo]

The DMU hutch being constructed at the Northern  end of PN.

 

Although it appears strong enough to support the single car unit, a cross brace between the end legs will be made to support  a cantilever, which will support the end of the hutch.  It also will have a side and end plates to protect the loco from wandering fingers.

 

These parts will all bolt together so it can be transported flat.

[J. S. Bach]

32 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I have one of those but in maroon and cream as it reminded me of a Philadelphia & Western 200 class "Bullet" car:

 

 

Edited June 29, 2023 by J. S. Bach

[Tony_S]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

The DMU hutch being constructed at the Northern  end of PN.

Does the DMU have one of those Zimo sound chips that the loco only stops if you press the brake button?

[polybear]

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

The DMU hutch being constructed at the Northern  end of PN.

 

Is it just Bear, or is that track plan an accident just waiting to happen......

[Happy Hippo]

29 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Does the DMU have one of those Zimo sound chips that the loco only stops if you press the brake button?

No, normally I will opt for a zimo chip, but this one has a Loksound decoder fitted.

 

As is my usual ploy with small end to end layouts, I have used the NCE Powercab Momentum switch, to drop the momentum to 0.  This means I have direct drive off the throttle wheel.

26 minutes ago, polybear said:

 

Is it just Bear, or is that track plan an accident just waiting to happen......

In it's double fiddle yard mode, it runs from the scenic section onto a 6 foot long cassette table.

 

In it's northern terminal mode, there is a plate that fits over the hole in the end scene plate.

 

The hutch arrangement allows a vestigal passenger service to run on up the valley.

 

These are constructional pictures and in my original post I did say:

 

1 hour ago, Happy Hippo said:

It also will have a side and end plates

To  prevent any leaps of faith!

[Hroth]

2 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

Have you seen a hippos ears. There like rader receivers. Suppose he could always use a piece of string and tie it to one. Or better yet if he had a nose ring it could just daggle down in front of him.

 

Or ear piercings with a hook and loop, though it could sting if the ears are active....

 

[jamie92208]

23 minutes ago, Hroth said:

 

Or ear piercings with a hook and loop, though it could sting if the ears are active....

 

As long as they're not tied to his tail..... 

 

Jamie

[monkeysarefun]

4 hours ago, Darlington_Shed said:

 

A kind offer, Andy, but one I'll hold in reserve if you don't mind. The object of the exercise is to get me back into old-fashioned model-making and see if I can't revive some dormant skills.

 

I have a dimensioned drawing so the plan at the mo' is to build the basic box and then craft a roof template using flexible card that can be encouraged into shape before trimming to size. Said template will then be reproduced in thicker material for covering with something like this stuff:

 

If the roof was flat planes it would be trivial, but the extreme curvature is the thing:

7mm kit from Skytrex

 

It's stirring the old grey cells which is a good thing.

 

 

 

It looks like a slight variation on cutting ceiling cornice (coping there? - this stuff) to create right angle corners.

 

 

 

Assuming you are using card/plasticard I'd be getting a former such as a dowel that matched the curvature of the roof and cutting a 45 degree mitre  on one end,  then cutting a length of the card/plasticard that is to be used for the roof so that it spans a 90 degree quadrant of the dowel, like this:

 

The length of card/plasticard should be long enough that all 4 roof sections can be made from it.Rubber bands or masking tape can be used to hold the roof material tight against the former. The end of the former which has  the 45 degree angle is used as a  guide to  cut the 45 degree  mitre angle in each end of the 4 pieces of the card/plasticard with a knife or saw:

 

 

You may need an opposing 45 degree angle on the other end of the former to form the complimentary mitre corners, or maybe you can just flip the former upside down, I can never remember -  but whatever, you should be able to cut the material  to give 4 pieces, all  with 45 degree ends. You can use some cuts to create two pieces of roof by again, flipping one upside down after its been cut.

 

The pieces will probably flatten out but if you have rolled them or steamed them/heated them while on the former they should retain at least some shape, and you can use formers inside the roof to recreate the correct curve to fix the pieces to, which can then be glued together..

 

 

Now 10 minutes of cricket before bed!