well filled baps The Sheep Chronicles. The adventures of a Sheep, the Works Forecat and the Works Apprentice, George.

[NHY 581]

1 minute ago, MrWolf said:

 

That's a new word for the lexicon, thanks!

 

You're welcome, Rob ! 

 

Predictably......

 

 

 

 

 

[Oldddudders]

"B4 before all else!"

[St Enodoc]

5 hours ago, John Besley said:

Just to return to the DCC powercab questions of a few pages ago (sorry to butt in) how do others go about setting up a dedicated programing track, I can use a short board on the work bench untill Exhill MK2 is planned.

 

At this point I will wire up the panel connection under the existing facia ... wondering if a separate track feed plug is available to swop over ... 

Worth a trawl here, John:

 

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/forums/forum/178-dcc-help-questions/

 

Even if you don't find the answer, that would be a better place to ask.

[SteveyDee68]

I blame @NHY 581 posting pictures of his gorgeous collection of “P” class locos…

 

I called in at my local model shop as my drive home had been a bit horrible and I had this idea that he might have a Hattons “P” class in one of his display cases, ripe to be purchased and buddied up with my existing example. In any case, he definitely had a Hattons Andrews Barclay, a black one if my memory was right…

 

Ah… no, he had a “P” class but someone else bought it a while ago. And the Andrew Barclay 0-4-0? Well, it turned out that a certain RMWeb member with a penchant for small shunting locos bought that off him not that long ago, as it happens …

 

Oops! 🙄

 

The thing is, I looked in the cabinet where I had seen said locos and they weren’t there, but what was there got me all palpitating and sweaty-palmed…

 

An Ixion Models Fowler 0-4-0 diesel and - even more adrenaline inducing - two (2) Ixion Manning Wardles Hudswell Clark saddle tanks, one in plain black and the second in a gorgeous lined green livery.

 

Now, that Fowler loco is an odd looking beast and for some reason just doesn’t do it for me, but the Manning Wardles Hudswell Clarks… before you knew it, both had been placed on a length of hastily arranged and not-that-clean track and put through their respective paces. Both ran super smoothly, silently, with crazy slow crawl speeds. Both were priced just south of the £200 mark. Pay day is a week away.

 

M’lud, I know not what came over me. I am a self confessed shunting locomotive addict and, despite it being a month (oh, okay, 37 days) since I last succumbed, I believed I could go into a place where I knew I could purchase such items and still be able to resist. Alas, that was not the case, and my resistance rapidly crumbled.

 

See, Rob, it’s definitely all your fault, posting pictures of your gorgeous collection of “P” class locos …

 

Steve S

 

PS

Just to be absolutely clear, I model in OO. The loco that came home with me is O gauge. I honestly don’t know what came over me…

 

PPS

The lined green one is back on the shelf. For now. It looks lonely. It needs a home. Its stablemate keeps giving me dirty looks as if to say how could you split us up? That’s my sister, Alice, you left behind. Stop thinking about your bank balance and go rescue her, you fiend!

 

PPPS

If I had any sense I’d say which shop I visited and next time I call in (to pay the balance on my new O gauge loco - I did say pay day was a week off!) then Alice will have been snapped up and I’ll simply have to live with the reproachful looks of her sister. But then, where’s the fun in being sensible?! 🤣

 

Steve S

Self confessed and hopelessly addicted small shunting loco aficionado 

 

 

 

Edited January 10 by SteveyDee68
Actual loco make corrected after contacting Minerva Models for info!

[Fishplate]

19 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Yep. Intentional embuggerance. 

 

Its your railway. But . .  . .

 

As a Pway Engr, that is just shouting out for a half scissors* to make two sidings leading off in opposite directions  . . . . .

 

 

*two.points and a diamond for the uninitiated

[NHY 581]

5 minutes ago, Fishplate said:

 

Its your railway. But . .  . .

 

As a Pway Engr, that is just shouting out for a half scissors* to make two sidings leading off in opposite directions  . . . . .

 

 

*two.points and a diamond for the uninitiated

 

Mange Tout, F.P. 

 

Sounds very straight forward.....but........I like the awkwardness of the kick back...

 

S.B

[Fishplate]

44 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

Sounds very straight forward.....but........I like the awkwardness of the kick back...

 

Enjoy.

 

I just like complicated trackwork Doctor. . . .

[Gilbert]

47 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

Mange Tout, F.P. 

 

Sounds very straight forward.....but........I like the awkwardness of the kick back...

 

S.B

Pervert....

[Schooner]

20 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

The loco that came home with me is O gauge.

 

[LBSC123]

20 hours ago, SteveyDee68 said:

I blame @NHY 581 posting pictures of his gorgeous collection of “P” class locos…

 

I called in at my local model shop as my drive home had been a bit horrible and I had this idea that he might have a Hattons “P” class in one of his display cases, ripe to be purchased and buddied up with my existing example. In any case, he definitely had a Hattons Andrews Barclay, a black one if my memory was right…

 

Ah… no, he had a “P” class but someone else bought it a while ago. And the Andrew Barclay 0-4-0? Well, it turned out that a certain RMWeb member with a penchant for small shunting locos bought that off him not that long ago, as it happens …

 

Oops! 🙄

 

The thing is, I looked in the cabinet where I had seen said locos and they weren’t there, but what was there got me all palpitating and sweaty-palmed…

 

An Ixion Models Fowler 0-4-0 diesel and - even more adrenaline inducing - two (2) Ixion Manning Wardles Hudswell Clark saddle tanks, one in plain black and the second in a gorgeous lined green livery.

 

Now, that Fowler loco is an odd looking beast and for some reason just doesn’t do it for me, but the Manning Wardles Hudswell Clarks… before you knew it, both had been placed on a length of hastily arranged and not-that-clean track and put through their respective paces. Both ran super smoothly, silently, with crazy slow crawl speeds. Both were priced just south of the £200 mark. Pay day is a week away.

 

M’lud, I know not what came over me. I am a self confessed shunting locomotive addict and, despite it being a month (oh, okay, 37 days) since I last succumbed, I believed I could go into a place where I knew I could purchase such items and still be able to resist. Alas, that was not the case, and my resistance rapidly crumbled.

 

See, Rob, it’s definitely all your fault, posting pictures of your gorgeous collection of “P” class locos …

 

Steve S

 

PS

Just to be absolutely clear, I model in OO. The loco that came home with me is O gauge. I honestly don’t know what came over me…

 

PPS

The lined green one is back on the shelf. For now. It looks lonely. It needs a home. Its stablemate keeps giving me dirty looks as if to say how could you split us up? That’s my sister, Alice, you left behind. Stop thinking about your bank balance and go rescue her, you fiend!

 

PPPS

If I had any sense I’d say which shop I visited and next time I call in (to pay the balance on my new O gauge loco - I did say pay day was a week off!) then Alice will have been snapped up and I’ll simply have to live with the reproachful looks of her sister. But then, where’s the fun in being sensible?! 🤣

 

Steve S

Self confessed and hopelessly addicted small shunting loco aficionado 

 

 

 

Which shop and which colour lined green? I’m on the hunt for one in Apple green

[SteveyDee68]

16 hours ago, LBSC123 said:

Which shop and which colour lined green? I’m on the hunt for one in Apple green

Ah well, it would be in my interests to reveal that…

 

It is with The Locoshed model shop in Manchester - ring Jim on 0161 772 0103 if you are interested. (It is very nicely lined out, but has had some “weathering” applied which you might not appreciate. However, it runs like a Swiss watch. The nameplate has been glued on a little heavy handedly, but nothing a modeller can’t sort!)

 

Princely sum of £195 - yes, an absolute bargain! 
 

Perhaps get Jim to send you photos if you are a way off.

 

He may say that someone else has already expressed an interest in it - tell him you got his number from Steve! 😉

 

Good luck - I shall be sad to see it depart, but my bank card will rejoice!

 

Steve S

[NHY 581]

Morning all, 

 

Pretty much all the wiring is done and tested. Seems okay. 

A minor issue was however found when the right hand point leading into the kick back siding was found to be faulty so there'll be a short delay to completion until I can collect a new one from the shop on Saturday. C'est la vie. 

 

Another larger drama was entirely of my own making. I'm very clumsy at times, never used to be but I find now with my wonky hooves, I am. It's the way it is at present. I frequently knock something over when I'm simply trying to pick it up. Such was the case with one of the B4s which I was using for track testing. Guernsey, one of the cut away cab jobs, stalled ( later found to be due to a missed sliver of plastic on the track). As I went to poke it, I knocked it clean off the layout. Fortunately, it fell into an open drawer but managed to damage the lip on the chimney and sever a guard iron on the way South. It could have been worse but certainly was not welcome. 

 

One thing I wanted to see was what impact the current state of my hands would have on building this little quicky and it's clear certain things are proving a bit trickier that is the norm, when compared to building Ewe.  Trimming chairs on the ends of lengths of flexi track, holding small objects in general ( screwdrivers, craft knives )  and soldering were all more difficult. Not insurmountable,  just difficult. Picking up tiny stuff like track pins now need tweezers as I don't really feel them. 

Soldering in particular was fun. Sitting, looking down at the wires as I soldered them caused pins and needles in my right hand so I had to either be quick or pause to restore some life to the digits as I had trouble holding the soldering iron, let alone the wire/fishplate I was soldering ! A combination of looking down and using my hands at desk height brought on p&n in my hands and right arm throughout the evening. Well, thought it would but now we know and now I can work on making things easier. 

 

So, far from doom and gloom ( I do after all now have the basis of a working layout after two evenings work ! ) with lots of good learning coming out of last nights rather eventful modelling activity and all very timely as I'm meeting with Dr. a week today to catch up, post-op. 

 

Updates will follow..

 

Rob

 

 

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

I understand fully - despite being well controlled, diabetes is taking its toll on my dexterity in a similar fashion, not the p&n though, just numbness.  Even in O gauge I'm struggling with things like lamp brackets and small parts, I have a helpful RMWeb mate making up Dingham couplings for me as an example.  Pah!  But we do what we can, and continue to play with our trains.

 

[NHY 581]

10 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

I understand fully - despite being well controlled, diabetes is taking its toll on my dexterity in a similar fashion, not the p&n though, just numbness.  Even in O gauge I'm struggling with things like lamp brackets and small parts, I have a helpful RMWeb mate making up Dingham couplings for me as an example.  Pah!  But we do what we can, and continue to play with our trains.

 

 

Funnily enough, Neil, I've been looking at Dinghams. Not too seriously but I can see me trying these. Assembly could be fun but we shall cross that bridge in due course. Much as I'm not keen, I have a lot of Kadees, magnets and general Kadee stuff tucked away which could still be utilised. 

 

My sausage hooves is not just diabetes though like you, despite being controlled, I have a degree of numbness and I'm sure it's adding to it. No, I'm pretty confident it's a combination of accumalated damage to nerves in my neck ( hence p&n ), fuzzy Carpal tunnels and more recent damage to my shoulder joints. A cumulative disaster ! We'll throw it all at the Doc and see what she thinks. 

 

In the meantime, I have to tidy the Room of Doom which was left in a state of distress and remains as such this morning......

 

Rob

 

 

[Gilbert]

Rob - I've bought these to try:

 

https://westhillwagonworks.com/layout-accessories/631-track-pin-mate-oo-gauge-handy-track-laying-accessory.html

 

https://westhillwagonworks.com/layout-accessories/632-rail-joiner-mate-oo-gauge-handy-track-laying-accessory-pack-of-2.html

 

Chris

[NHY 581]

8 minutes ago, Gilbert said:

Rob - I've bought these to try:

 

https://westhillwagonworks.com/layout-accessories/631-track-pin-mate-oo-gauge-handy-track-laying-accessory.html

 

https://westhillwagonworks.com/layout-accessories/632-rail-joiner-mate-oo-gauge-handy-track-laying-accessory-pack-of-2.html

 

Chris

 

Morning Chris.

 

Very useful, thanks. The rail joiners were tricky to handle and attach. 

 

Rob

 

[Gilbert]

36 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

Morning Chris.

 

Very useful, thanks. The rail joiners were tricky to handle and attach. 

 

Rob

 

You're not alone.......

[MrWolf]

I can understand how frustrating it is to find that your hands don't always do what you want them to. I find I need tweezers now to pick up certain things because my fingers just miss them. Although I can generally keep my hand steady, I will sometimes get a sudden twitch and just drop whatever I'm holding. 

I'm used to it, but it doesn't mean that I've grown to like it. I just count myself lucky that it's all I have to deal with.

I just have to keep working on having patience with myself.

 

KBO.

 

Rob 

[46444]

This is looking very nice indeed Rob.

 

Lovely potential for a good shunting session.

 

2 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Another larger drama was entirely of my own making. I'm very clumsy at times, never used to be but I find now with my wonky hooves, I am. It's the way it is at present. I frequently knock something over when I'm simply trying to pick it up. Such was the case with one of the B4s which I was using for track testing. Guernsey, one of the cut away cab jobs, stalled ( later found to be due to a missed sliver of plastic on the track). As I went to poke it, I knocked it clean off the layout. Fortunately, it fell into an open drawer but managed to damage the lip on the chimney and sever a guard iron on the way South. It could have been worse but certainly was not welcome. 

 

Sorry to hear about your Guernsey disaster...

 

If it's of any help Peter's Spares are the Dapol spares stockist. Always excellent service. They are listing a Guernsey bodyshell as available but out of stock currently.

 

https://www.petersspares.com/p/Dapol-115515-b4-oo-gauge-body-4s-018-007-guernsey-176-southampton-docks-green

 

If you drop them a line I am sure they will come up trumps. They may be able to help with the guard iron as well.

 

Sounds like a period of adaptation with your health. Good to see you persevering mind. Hope things start to improve over the forthcoming months.

 

Looking forwards to further updates and that distinctive Sheepy Style...

 

Cheers,

 

Mark 

[46444]

In error...

Edited January 12 by 46444
Stereophonic Sound...

[NHY 581]

1 hour ago, MrWolf said:

I can understand how frustrating it is to find that your hands don't always do what you want them to. I find I need tweezers now to pick up certain things because my fingers just miss them. Although I can generally keep my hand steady, I will sometimes get a sudden twitch and just drop whatever I'm holding. 

I'm used to it, but it doesn't mean that I've grown to like it. I just count myself lucky that it's all I have to deal with.

I just have to keep working on having patience with myself.

 

KBO.

 

Rob 

 

Hi Rob. 

 

That's the issue. Like you, to a point, I need to get used to it as it appears nothing will happen anytime soon re neck etc and yes, I count myself lucky. Patience is key. I get frustrated when I should look at ways to work around it. That will come

 

 

1 hour ago, 46444 said:

This is looking very nice indeed Rob.

 

Lovely potential for a good shunting session.

 

 

Sorry to hear about your Guernsey disaster...

 

If it's of any help Peter's Spares are the Dapol spares stockist. Always excellent service. They are listing a Guernsey bodyshell as available but out of stock currently.

 

https://www.petersspares.com/p/Dapol-115515-b4-oo-gauge-body-4s-018-007-guernsey-176-southampton-docks-green

 

If you drop them a line I am sure they will come up trumps. They may be able to help with the guard iron as well.

 

Sounds like a period of adaptation with your health. Good to see you persevering mind. Hope things start to improve over the forthcoming months.

 

Looking forwards to further updates and that distinctive Sheepy Style...

 

Cheers,

 

Mark 

 

 

Hi Mark. 

 

Thanks, yes, it has promise to be entertaining. I'm not 100% if I will box this in as per usual S.S.O.P ( Standard Sheep Operating Procedure). I may well leave as is to reduce bulk. Easier to store and I still need to sort out the Fiddly Area Reshuffling Table. Do I go minimalist as per Sheep Dip or slightly bigger. I have 'stock' of IKEA bits with which to do both. 

 

I'll contact Peters Spares, just in case but the newly released Jersey has the same body so I may well wait until they appear as spare parts. Annoying but not insurmountable. Guernsey was actually bought to rename as Honfleur ( as it appeared early days ) to act as a reminder of a nice holiday spent there last year. The guard iron is part of the metal part of the chassis so may have to stay as is. 

 

And yes, I need to adapt. Anything can be worked around. 

 

 

Rob. 

 

 

[New Haven Neil]

3 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Patience is key. I get frustrated when I should look at ways to work around it. That will come

 

Yup, I recognise that stance!

 

However, a couple of very nice people around this thread have made life easier for me, with kind offers today.  You know who you are, and thank you from the bottom of my heart.  This is a great hobby with some genuinely very decent folk in it.

[NHY 581]

31 minutes ago, New Haven Neil said:

 

Yup, I recognise that stance!

 

However, a couple of very nice people around this thread have made life easier for me, with kind offers today.  You know who you are, and thank you from the bottom of my heart.  This is a great hobby with some genuinely very decent folk in it.

 

Yep, I too have received a kind offer, off piste as it were. Thank you. 

 

Rob. 

[2ManySpams]

So, I've discovered a very useful feature on the phone which makes Pannier tanks disappear. The AI involved has had some very impressive results but this approach to making one of Sheepster's Panniers disappear is absolute genius IMO. 

 

Before

 

After. Nice bush....

[Gilbert]

Possibly a Spam too far....