Martin S-C

Hence why this is my favourite steam engine of all time.

That looks really nice too, though the Hornby subframe looks rather coarse after seeing the Ratio one. Not half bad though. GWR.org has a similar job using two Ratio 4-wheel brake thirds and a Ratio chassis. I have two of the Hornby track cleaners and plan to run them in a push-pull configuration with a loco in the centre. Currently they are in bits awaiting extra weight. Rather than the sandpaper scrapers (which can cause scratches that fill with dirt) I am wondering about an IPA tank in them and a cloth wiper. I'm just a bit cagey about using IPA around Hornby plastic and am unsure of the do's and dont's. If I am off topic and such discussion please let me know Mr Thread Owner and I'll take this elsewhere.

I suspect what we have stumbled upon is the graduation ceremony of the St Petersburg School of Silly Walks; Co-Ordinated Class.

Good work, but is it really worth it given you have some other much nicer ones?

Very nice work Annie.

The Spalding show in November is only 15 mins drive from me so no excuses then!

Wow. Is that really a chopped up Hornby clerestory? Amazing.

Officially sanctioned sexism is alive and well in the states of the former Soviet Union. Sad to see such things in 2019.

What I'd like to know is how did you know that I once stayed at that hotel just off the beach? Even spookier is you've marked my room with an "X".

Concerning the damp situation I ran a test by letting the room breathe for 2 or 3 days as mentioned earlier then added an extra coat of paint to one of the long walls. Lo and behold, during the next heat-then-ventilate cycle, loads of moisture once again formed on windows and plug sockets. Two days later and that moisture has gone so it seems the worst of my problems were due to the plaster, wet paint and probably fresh concrete. The heat/ventilate cycle has really helped though. Tuesday is baseboard day. Hurrah. Some proper railway construction at last.

The foamboard makes a much bigger difference to the overall strength of the unit than I anticipated. Getting the 5mm board into the channel with its 4 mm jaws can result in some tearing of the boards outer skin as my photos show but by smoothing off the burrs on the end of the aluminium as much as you can and squidging the lower edge of the foamboard a fair bit, it slides in without too much hassle. Why Peco didn't use something similar I don't know; the supplied grey sponge is pretty useless and is a right pain to get seated home properly as you've found out.

I think in simulators, and as regards coaches, other than guards duckets and other obvious 3D details, a flat 2D side where the relief is suggested by good texturing is preferable. It allows so much more modding potential and reduces the power needed to draw them in the game.

I had planned to get down today but sadly I spent a terrible night with a nasty stomach bug and feel like the proverbial death warmed. That's twice I've missed Grantham now. Third time lucky I hope.

Cor! Luvverly. Is this the (in)famous outside framed - outside cylinder loco you mentioned on the 19thC facebook group?

Indeed. After a good nights sleep I have chosen to remove all my posts concerning politics as they are not welcome here. I hope other members of the parish council will do likewise. James - a very well timed set of superb pictures to steer the meeting back on course. I especially like the noticeboard; its the little details that count.

Model block instruments are relevant to my interests at the moment. Is he bringing some along to demonstrate? Or would some photos of his installation be possible?

post removed - apologies to all.

Show those to the Tate directors and they'll probably pay you a million for the art alone.

post removed - apologies to all.

post removed - apologies to all.

Yes, I'm sure most people get on fine with the original foam sides but they're not for me. This was 10 or 15 minutes work and very little cost and I think it adds security to the design. The device felt flimsy and with a loco in it, it twisted. It didn't feel at all safe and I don't think the foam would stop a loco falling out either! The foamboard provides more rigidity to the structure as well as more security at the sides. If a stack shifts the foamboard protects the top of a model as well which the foam wouldn't. I don't plan on stacking them but its another plus factor.

Thank you Mikkel, coming from such a talented modeller as you, that is high praise indeed. I just hope I can pull this off. It has massive potential - but also lots can go wrong. I know exactly how I want this to be but achieving that is the hard part. Yesterday my sample Peco loco lift arrived. I've been inspired to try these out by this discussion starting at post #1887 and have ensured some straight clear track at the MVR Exchange sidings accordingly. As John and others have found the foam sides of the lift are too flimsy and you still exert pressure against the sides of the model when picking the lift up so paintwork and small details are still at risk. The channels at the sides are 4mm wide but I found in a local Hobbycraft store A1 sized foamboard sheets 5mm thick for £4 a go so at that price decided to try this material. I cut the foamboard to size and found that by squeezing the bottom edge and filing away any burrs on the end of the aluminium trough (especially the "jaws") the squeezed foamboard slid in nice and firmly from one end and is a tight enough fit to withstand picking the lift up with it, loco included. I'd still feel uncomfortable unless I did this two-handed though with the second palm under the lift to support it. The second plastic gate/stacking handle then squeezes onto the open end. This is the only tricky part of the fit. Some of the covering of the foamboard tears a little but by easing it in with a flat screwdriver blade or a non-sharp (aka table) knife you can get a pretty tidy result. I am going to get a second lift and try chopping it in half for 2 x tank locos. I just need to find something for the end gate/stacking handles.

According to Prof Alice Roberts our large bottoms were developed for long distance running in pursuit of (probably) food. Which also tended to run.

I wonder what was on the menu.

Or to take them up to Mars maybe?