Early Risers.

[The Stationmaster]

Morning all,

 

Glad to hear that those who provided entertainment and information us at Warley are all safely returned to normal life (or thereabouts).  As far as Christmas and its decorative aspects are concerned it's almost a month away sp plenty of time to go without such intrusions into the household (our indoor decorations are limited to a couple of trees and a decorated living room mantelpiece in any case.

 

Now - hoping 'she' isn't watching too closely - a word in Andy B's ear, a crossover formed with Mr Peco's new baldheaded points comes out at 1' 8" long (without trimming or six foot way narrowing).  Best advice is to download some of Mr Peco's point templates and printed at 100% they will exactly match his bits of pointwork, the baldheaded points precisely match the existing large radius template and this has caused me to drasticallly revise my ideal aspiration to something I can actually hopefully fit in a room 17 feet long.  I shall now put a clove of garlic on a string round my neck in the hope it will ward off any retribution from 'you know who'.

 

This morning use of the vacuum cleaning machine has been tasked - as this is about the fourth such day out of the last five that this command has been issued I am running short of excuses and may be out of the tent room for sometime.

 

Enjoy your day one and all.

[Simon G]

Morning (just) all,

 

Pretty carp day weather wise today with strong winds and heavy showers, one of which I just got caught in. I was rushing to fill the waste bin prior to collection, and was demolishing some old windows. Not only did I get wet, but the bin men turned up an hour earlier than usual, so I was unable to get everything done before they arrived.

 

All the OO and HO stock from our recent loft clearance has now been catalogued, and now I am trying to find realistic prices for American HO stock, which I know nothing about, so quite a lot of items are being watched on eBay, without any intention to purchase them. I have kept a very nice Bachmann 08shunter for myself, as the wife wanted to get me something for Christmas. I am not complaining as I had been looking for one. I might just have a matching 04 shunter as well! Next we need to go back and start to sort the G gauge stock still in the loft.

[chrisf]

I forgot a couple of things earlier.  The first is that I can report a sighting of Torr Giffard at Warley.  I understand that his network connection to a boat on the Broads is a bit flaky but he does hope to be back in touch soon.

 

The other, of course, is that I do know the difference between a 14xx and a Grange.

 

Chris

[81C]

pecoboo flat bottom thread has had some spanners thrown at it from Spain...

 

Baz

Looks as if the Pompous Pr@tt has had his posts removed.

 

 

I opened the mail today to find my winter fuel allowance has been paid, an hour late the biggest storage heater in the house decided to die £370 later + the allowance, 

 it was not expected this time of year still the old thing has done sterling service for the past 15 years and was due renewal in the spring when we decorate. 

[Happy Hippo]

pecoboo flat bottom thread has had some spanners thrown at it from Spain...

 

Baz

This reinforces my argument that Dai Woodham should have taken his gas axe to 71000 pdq.

[TheQ]

I forgot a couple of things earlier.  The first is that I can report a sighting of Torr Giffard at Warley.  I understand that his network connection to a boat on the Broads is a bit flaky but he does hope to be back in touch soon.

 

The other, of course, is that I do know the difference between a 14xx and a Grange.

 

Chris

What!   another ER in my territory how dare they!!!

 

Mobiles and the like have always been a problem on the broads. if we want a signal at home we go stand in the bathroom upstairs..

 

Recently there have been some improvements, Vodaphone mounted a repeater on the back of my sailing clubs starting box, and two other places in Horning...

[Horsetan]

.....I am trying to find realistic prices for American HO stock, which I know nothing about,....

 

American HO stock tends to be quite lowly-priced compared to Continental HO - a shadow of the values of the latter. Thing is, despite the low prices, US HO tended to be quite highly-specified and robustly-built - some of the diesel mechs such as Athearn and LifeLike used to be recycled for use in British and Irish outline.

 

I still have some US HO to sell at some point, but the last time I tried offloading some it rarely went over £40 a loco, unless it was DCC-fitted.

[BoD]

I forgot a couple of things earlier.  The first is that I can report a sighting of Torr Giffard at Warley.  I understand that his network connection to a boat on the Broads is a bit flaky but he does hope to be back in touch soon.

 

Chris

That is good to hear.

I used to enjoy the photographs from his regular cycle rides.

[roundhouse]

I had a brief look at the Peco bullhead turnouts thread this morning and it was getting a bit heated. Whatever compromise Peco have made its still way better than anything before and despite having built plenty of turnouts on copper clad sleepers I know what I will be using on my next OO layout. .

 

Finally paid off the mortgage today after finally working through all the options and waiting in the queue.

 

I think that means me and my other half will be going for a celebratry drink after work.

[Simon G]

American HO stock tends to be quite lowly-priced compared to Continental HO - a shadow of the values of the latter. Thing is, despite the low prices, US HO tended to be quite highly-specified and robustly-built - some of the diesel mechs such as Athearn and LifeLike used to be recycled for use in British and Irish outline.

 

I still have some US HO to sell at some point, but the last time I tried offloading some it rarely went over £40 a loco, unless it was DCC-fitted.

Having briefly test run all the American HO locos (most of which were Bachmann), the quality of the build and running did not seem to be as good as the Bachmann UK OO models. Some of them are pretty heavy though, so should have good pulling power. My favourite from the batch is an 80ton Shay loco. I hadn’t actually seen one of these running up close before and it is quite fascinating to watch.

[Horsetan]

Having briefly test run all the American HO locos (most of which were Bachmann), the quality of the build and running did not seem to be as good as the Bachmann UK OO models. Some of them are pretty heavy though, so should have good pulling power. My favourite from the batch is an 80ton Shay loco. I hadn’t actually seen one of these running up close before and it is quite fascinating to watch.

The Proto2000 range (LifeLike) tends to be quite strong. And cheap. Edited November 27, 2017 by Horsetan

[AndrewC]

Having briefly test run all the American HO locos (most of which were Bachmann), the quality of the build and running did not seem to be as good as the Bachmann UK OO models. Some of them are pretty heavy though, so should have good pulling power. My favourite from the batch is an 80ton Shay loco. I hadn’t actually seen one of these running up close before and it is quite fascinating to watch.

Apart from the Spectrum series, Bachmann's North American HO stuff is generally poor. It's one step above Tyco or Model Power's entry level toy quality. 

 

Ivan, Lifelike hasn't existed in years. The non toy Proto range was picked up by Walthers. 

[tetsudofan]

Think I know who The Duke 71000 is.....and have met him once on a stand at a local show a few years ago after which he disappeared..

 

He has had a habit of appearing here and there over the last few years. Many moons ago, if its the guy I think it is , he had a shop in the UK selling Japanese models and caused quite a bit of friction in the Japanese Railway Society.

 

Keith

[Happy Hippo]

Those with wallets of a nervous disposition should read no further.

 

My trip to Warley continued with the occasional look at model railways, but the majority of time seemed to be spent talking to various traders and demonstrators.

 

First there was the Black Dwarf Lightmoor crowd.  Neil Parkhouse had kindly offered to sign my copies of his tomes on Gloucestershire at a previous show, so I was able to get this done, and the invitation to store my belongings under LGA gratefully taken up.  Lugging a load of books around all day is not my idea of fun.  Whilst with BDL I was able to add to my collection of RA Cooke's track plans. (On getting home and thumbing through the Central Wales edition, I think I have found a date error on the Torpantau diagram! I am getting picky in my dotage)

 

Alan on the Modellu stand took the time out to chat about machines for 3D printing as well as pointing me in the direction of some useful books on the subject, and PMP who was also at the stand had a long chat about his FoD project line.

 

It was whilst perusing the Aminster Machine Tools stand that things started to go wrong.  I had gone there to enquire about getting my Proxxonn FET table saw repaired (Only been out of use for about 3 years now!)

 

A gentleman was being shown the upgraded successor to my saw; this example being about half price as it had neither a box nor an allen key to release the blade.  the gentleman saiid, 'I'll have a think about it I'll be back in ten minutes'.

 

An hour later and the saw was still on the stand/  so I decided that if it was there in the way out I'd buy it........................my thinking being that surely someone would snap it up at the offer price.

 

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your point of view it was still there at 1500, with a further price reduction, so the decision to purchase was made.

 

Lugging it home on the train was another matter.

 

Fortunately I was being collected by the PH so it stayed in the boot of the car for my triumphant arrival back at the Hippodrome.

 

The Customs declaration to the Obergrumpenfuhrer saw the books confiscated as Chrisfmas (sic) presents whilst the saw remained undetected.

 

Later the PH was able to sidle up to me and whisper that the saw was safely ensconced in the garage.

 

Since the Obergrumpenfuhrer knows I have a number of the green and yellow products, when it appears it will not raise a second glance.....At least as long as they both don't appear at the same time as double vision is not an eye condition known in the hippodrome.

Edited November 27, 2017 by Happy Hippo

[grandadbob]

Hooray - my new mobile phone is "out for delivery." 

 

Also - on checking my credit card balance earlier it appears to have been debited to the tune of 2 birdcage coaches. This could only be the start of things to come in the next few weeks!  

Management has been informed that I am expecting several parcels and also knows what they may contain so there is no need for her to call up her friends:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sAn7baRbhx4

Edited November 27, 2017 by grandadbob

[BoD]

Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on your point of view it was still there at 1500, with a further price reduction, so the decision to purchase was made.

 

 

One and  half grand for a saw?

Edited November 27, 2017 by BoD

[Tony_S]

As long as she isn't required to attend model railway exhibitions Aditi is more than happy to look at my purchases when I return. She even seemed disappointed that the big bag I had after the Southend exhibition was the potatoes I had purchased at the nearby Waitrose.

She had noted that many of the tools or adhesives allegedly purchased for toy train use seen to get used for household anyway.

Aditi is outside doing something with plants (her hobby/interest). She did mutter something in the early hours of the morning about her pelargoniums but had no recollection of the event.

Tony

Edited November 27, 2017 by Tony_S

[Horsetan]

....Ivan, Lifelike hasn't existed in years. The non toy Proto range was picked up by Walthers. 

 

It may not have existed in years, but I still have some in the attic! There's some Kato US and Atlas to get rid of as well.

 

A lot of things seem to have sheltered under the Walthers brand.

[Ian Abel]

Morning all <yawn>

Yesterday the 100th birthday party went exceedingly well, although the Mrs and I were exhausted at the end of it, having stood and mingled for the entire time with barely and food or "necessary" liquid passing our lips.

 

We had 100 "family" pictures taken with various combinations of family groupings, here's "my" part of the family.

 

You'll notice Whitney managed to sneak in, bottom right even though she was on a leash in an attempt to be "hidden" - didn't realize she made the picture until later

 

There were about 70 guests in all, including various extended family and Mary (the birthday "girl") loved every minute of it!

 

 

On seasonal decorations/lights - in the US there's generally rather a rush on to have lights and even trees decorated by Thanksgiving, since it's overall a larger holiday than C********s and many folks have bigger family gatherings over Thanksgiving and want the decorated splendor in sight for all to see!

 

For "us" personally, the exterior lights are up a day or so before Thanksgiving to get us seasonally correct  , but we wait for inside decorations/tree/lights until at least the first weekend in December, or later, depending on our schedule.

 

With that, and a slow getting out of bed this morning, I'm back to work <sigh>

 

Still above average here at 2 this AM, and 9 for a high.

 

Hope the week starts out well for everyone.

Edited November 27, 2017 by Ian Abel

[bbishop]

 

The other, of course, is that I do know the difference between a 14xx and a Grange.

 

Chris

 

I don't! 

 

Spent the weekend with Jamie, left Warley at 17:10 and got home at 23:10.  The London Midland train may have trundled gently to Euston, but at least one could get a seat, unlike in the woolly jumpered capitalist's Boeing 707 look alike that preceded it.  And my ticket was a mere £3-90. 

 

Met some ERs: John, Baz.....  Missed others, and no chance whatever of a lunchtime pint.

 

Bill

[Tony_S]

Our decorations are not up yet but I visited the excellent local tyre emporium and got them to put our winter tyres on the Fiesta. We didn't bother last year as Aditi didn't drive during the cold spell last year having broken her wrist. I remember when tyre establishments were draughty sheds, not now, comfy sofa, hot drinks, and for those that haven't taken a book, daytime television. I know in other parts of Europe the winter tyres go on earlier but it hasn't been cold enough here until this last week.

Tony

[newbryford]

Think I know who The Duke 71000 is.....and have met him once on a stand at a local show a few years ago after which he disappeared..

 

He has had a habit of appearing here and there over the last few years. Many moons ago, if its the guy I think it is , he had a shop in the UK selling Japanese models and caused quite a bit of friction in the Japanese Railway Society.

 

Keith

 

I had to go and look at the thread.

Reading his profile - that's the guy.

 

Seems like he's put his whole railway CV on there. Bit of a journeyman with clubs - some of with are near each other - which seems to indicate a bit of "falling out and moving on".

 

I love his comment "Martin Wynne - I don't know who you are....."

 

Priceless.

 

Cheers,

Mick

[81C]

my lawn jungle doesn't stop growing in the winter, but finding a day when it's dry enough to cut is a problem.

My lawn doesn't grow anymore it went into a skip years ago I have a court yard garden with pots etc at the back and the front is block paved so the mower which is still in the garage

does a small bit of verge outside the front of the house I pinched most of it for a wider drive onto the garden so all the leaves blow off down the close and onto Reg's garden across the road.

 

I noticed Reg's new car is a Peugeot SUV thingy cheap as chips makes a good second to the Belingo I'll ask him what flavour the windscreen is when I see him.

[laurenceb]

Think I know who The Duke 71000 is.....and have met him once on a stand at a local show a few years ago after which he disappeared..

 

He has had a habit of appearing here and there over the last few years. Many moons ago, if its the guy I think it is , he had a shop in the UK selling Japanese models and caused quite a bit of friction in the Japanese Railway Society.

 

Keith

And modest with it

[Happy Hippo]

One and  half grand for a saw?

Could be:

 

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/record-power-ts250rs-10-cast-iron-cabinet-mak/