Mr.S.corn78

3 minutes ago, definate maybe said:

it was fantastic seeing this in the flesh on Saturday at Doncaster and it was probably the layout I spent the longest admiring.

To be honest, I have never really been a great fan of sound fitted locos but there was something about hearing them on Charwelton that made me want to bring myself into the 21st century with my modelling. I think its the size of the layout that helps as it reminded me of sitting at Holgate Junction, York, when on holiday as a teenager.  The memories of hearing something rumbling round the curve or seeing it in the distance but then having to wait to get the number and then watch a long rake of wagons pass by behind it. The 56 on the MGR really is an impressive site and your model seems to convey the size and power of the real thing very well.

I cant see it on the topic so apologies if I have missed it but I was wondering if you could confirm the overall size of the layout and also how wide the scenic boards are. The station area especially holds quite a few tracks but has both a sense of not being crowded but also not being very wide. Im not sure if this is due to the size of the surrounding room or if it really is the case.

Regards

Mark

HI Mark,

Many thanks for your kind words and glad you enjoyed standing lineside and watching the trains passing by. What you have described is what we were aiming for with the overall effect of the layout. 

The layout is 36ft long by 11ft wide and I think the boards are around 3ft wide, never measured them so it may be more or less

The track plan is the same as the real location and when looking at photos it conveys the same sense of space. If you want to loose a few hours just do a google search for Charwelton Station and it will bring up photos from when the line was open.

Thanks

Simon

PS the MGR rake is growing again

11 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

 

It needed a weedkiller train through anyway.

We will have to add one to the stock to build list

6 minutes ago, AY Mod said:

I think it is fair to say that Charwelton was one of the hits of the weekend, a full line of viewers at the barrier right until the end of Sunday!

 

Thanks to the team for letting me stick the camera in various spots you won't normally be able to see for a feature in May BRM to tie in with next outing to Derby show.

 

Thanks to you Andy for coming and taking the photos and not distroying too much of the layout

Looking forward to the article in print.

As Andy has mentioned the next show is Derby and we will have some additions to the stock roster and a few suprises oh and a guest appearance or two

Cheers

Simon

4 hours ago, Benjamin Brady said:

Simon

   Missed show due to working weekend on the big trains , hopefully someone has a video of layout , good work .

Thanks. I’ve not seen any video of the layout yet, but I’m sure there will be some. 

We are also at Derby in May as well, so if your able to make it there then please say hi.

cheers

simon 

3 hours ago, Grimleygrid said:

A big thank you to the Charwelton team for allowing us to pose two of our PGAs on their superb layout Charwelton at the Doncaster show yesterday.  Thanks.

 

 

 

What a stunning layout, great job.

It was a pleasure and thank you for bringing them over and your kind comments.

HI all,

On behalf of the Charwelton into the 80's team we just want to say a big thank you to Sam (who booked us after seeing a few photos in our thread) and the BRM/Doncaster MRC team for inviting us to the show with the layout.

We had a great time and it was nice to meet so many people who have been following us on here and through our social media channels. We also got a chance to talk to a few people who had been to the station whilst it was open.

We also got called young by one lady who enquired about our contraption on one of the fiddle yard roads.

Last of all, many thanks to those of you who stood at the barrier and watched the trains go by. Hope you enjoyed it. All we could see was a sea of faces.

Thanks

Simon

So the World of Railway newsletter dropped into the inbox yesterday andwhilst having a look I spotted this

I'm guessing we had better turn up now

I am an EM Gauge Society Member so to a certain degree side with the society's stance, however I feel sometimes the information given earlier could have been a bit clearer rather than being answered fully after 3 or 4 attempts

 

There was a few suggestions from both members and non members that it may be financially advantageous to the society if certain were made available to the public, I think it was the third(official) attempt at answering the question, where a clear statement was made that it would jeopardize the societies charitable status. Clearly an end of statement explaining why it could not be done, the comments would not have gone on so long if this information was given in the first reply

 

The discussion about the size stems from post numbered 398 where said it would cost an arm and leg to post a 36" length of track to the group who would be representing the society at the Stevenage show. As a EMGS member I would have thought that if a different carrier (Hermes) was used, the cost of posting a yard of track + the turnout would be about the same as a Royal Mail small packet (the reply hinted at a turnout and small piece of track was being sent to the team representing the society at the show anyway)

 

For me as a member a cost of far more would be acceptable, to both show existing members the new items and would be a useful recruiting tool for the society. I accept the Society is cost conscious, however after a five figure investment I would have thought a few £'s spent of additional publicity would have been well justified, and given those manning the stand a superb message to tell

 

Perhaps the chat went off at a tangent, with some contributors wanting to offer a solution to the posters claim about extortionate postal costs, but that's the way the threads evolve on forums.  

Right John,

I'm gettinga bit sick of having to repeat my self over and over.

So to address some of your points.

1) It took 3 attemts to answer as people didn't read what was put the first time and the same for the second time. Its really not anybodys business why we aren't selling to shops. Do people go and ask Bachmann and Hornby why they don't sell in certain shops........no they don't so why is it any differnace for the EMGS

2) Ive alredy said why Hermes isn't going to be used but yet again PEOPLE DON'T READ!!!!! THEY LOST a £300 order so I'm not giving them the chance to loose anything else. They are still arguing about it saying that its our fault it went missing.

  Yes people have been helpful in suggesting other ways of posting but there are condiitons that have to be met and one carrier approached would involve a 20 mile round trip to drop the parcels off. Whos paying for my time that I have to take off work to do that??????

3) Again not that its any ones buisness but seeing as your all really wanting to know a point and a small section of the track, cut to the size of a 60ft panel, has been psoetd down so that it will be on the table at the Stevenage show and the South hampton show. TO do that is cost £4.68 to cover the value of the parcel and to provide tracking incase it goes for a walk. that is for a show. ITS NOT BEING DONE FOR ORDERS WHEN THE TRACK IS ON SALE.

If your not happy with the way things are done or want things changing then stand up at the next AGM and become more involved with the running of the society or take the Trade officers roles on and do the job.

I would like to take this oppertunity for all of those who are clikcing on the various rates you keep givning the post im putting up.

HI,

To be honest this thread is just going round and round in circles. SO THIS WILL BE MY LAST POST ON THIS THREAD as I already spend 20hrs doing EMGS stores, Voluntary. I mean come on if you do more than 16hrs work the Goverment class it as a JOB and it would be nice to have a life, dispite what some members/non members think!!!!

TRACK LENGTH 

  YES it could be cut to any length we want. Our own rail that we sell in the stores is cut to what ever length i ask- HOWEVER to have the 700mm plus size that people have mentioned would mean Peco cutting an NON STANDARD SIZE.

The same is to be said for the track base as it comes in one length, 1yd. To have anything less would mean paying someone to sit and cut the track base into the small lengths, whos going to pay this cost?? again the member who will be buying it.

which means that peco will have to guess how many would be needed to make up X amount of track and having some left over would be classed as dead money as its tied up in rail. Yes it would only be small amount but in buniess everything has to be accounted for.

POSTING

AGAIN having the 700mm plus length would mean having a NON STANDARD size box which would have to be specially made for the EMGS, how many boxes would be needed?, whos going to cover the cost of these non standard items that techincally are for one customer?? how is this extra cost going to come from?? yes a price increase on the end product. The 700mm plus is still too long for the Post office white box which gives the best cost on the postage so either way its going to cost more.

All of the above factors were taken in to account when the decision was made to have the track made and TO KEEP THE PRICE DOWN it was decided to keep things as easy as possible and use as much as we could of off the shelf items at Peco.

As ive said before, if you want change then put up the 5 figure sum to have the track desgined, Tooling made, test moulding and the the final product and get your own track done.

This may be seen as unprofssional to comment in this way but as I said its going round in circles and i have better things to do.

Thanks

HI all,

So as we are getting closer to the big event of the Doncaster show the behind the scencs work is ramping up with lots of little jobs that need finishing off but to give you a feel of what you may see at shows that we will be exhibiting at,

If you do come to a show then please say hi.

Cheers

    Ok, so I may be way off course here, but I just went to Hatton's website, placed a 25 piece box of Peco code 75 OO flex track in the shopping cart. The postage shown, from Hattons to a Central UK address, is £4. To my address, in the US, it would be £15.

 

Wouldn't the costs for the EM track from the Society be similar?

 

Jim F

HI Jim,

The way most shops work out the postage is an average cost of posting things. So for example you may send one parcel that costs £3.00 and one £4.50 but you charge both at £4.00. The extra from the £3.00 goes to cover the extra on the £4.50 one.

The amount of parcels hattons will send in a day will mean that the postage should equal out including the cost of the packing materials.

When your sending as many parcels as Hattons does in a day then the postage cost will balance out. Plus im sure they will have an account which can also provide cheaper rates.

Just to clarify, the track is made in yard lengths and that how it is being sold for UK members. For over seas members is still being looked at and they can contact the Trade officer to discuss.

If any body wishes to have track made in shorter lengths then please apporach Peco with a 5 figure sum of money and im sure they will make you some.

Thanks

Simon

I do wonder if it wouldn't be more sensible for track to be made in a slightly more 'mail order friendly' length, a yard or a meter is OK, but would it really matter if it was sold in 850mm lengths to allow cheaper/easier postage? From the Royal Mail website: 

 

 

 

Tubes

For tube-shaped items, the length of the item plus twice the diameter must not exceed 104cm, with the greatest dimension being no more than 90cm.

 

 

Jon

Hi,

As easy at it sounds to have the track in shorter lenghts would incure extra cost to the society and the customer as it would be a non standard rail length.

To use the tube posting rates the track would need to be in a tube, again added cost to the society and extra work for the trade officer having to unpack and repack.

Thanks

Simon

Will there be any samples of the new track on the EMGS stand at Stevenage?

Hi,

Subject to the postal system it is hoped to have one of the points and a small section of the plain track at the show.

The small section of plain track is due to Royal Mail wanting an arm, leg and several other organs to post the yard length.

Thanks

Good line up. Looks like we’ll be having a weekend in London again, its too far for a day trip.

Hi Colin,

You might be one your own as a railway modeller at Ally Pally as this one is the Doncaster show.

Thanks

Simon

 that bus in the background never moved for the whole exhibition! 

 

 

 

If the keys hadn't been put somewhere safe it may have well been on the move during the exhibition.

I'm sure the Rapido and Revolution guys wouldn't have been happy though when it started up with their stands being behind it.

No, nothing can be parked in there while the show is open. The NEC charge Warley for the amount of space in the Hall they use, so parking vehicles in the unused space during the Show would incur an extra charge.

I didn't say they parked vehicles whilst the show is open I said during set up and pack down.

This year was my first visit to Warley in about four or five years and my friend and I both noticed it seemed smaller than previously.  My friend pointed out that part of Hall 5 was screened off and that the show didn't fill the whole space as previously and he said there seemed to be far fewer as he described "big scenery to the rafters" layouts.  Whilst in a way that made for a more pleasant, comfortable day out, does it mean that the Warley is beginning to become a victim of it's own success, or are we seeing a move away from the "big hitter, hire a truck" type layouts to smaller layouts in general?  having been away from the Warley for so long it was really noticeable how much more "intimate" this year was to my last visit.

Hi,

interesting comment as ive been demoing at the show for the past 5 years and the void as its called has always been there and is used for parking cars and vans in during set up and pack down to speed up the process.I also think trailers are stored in there whilst the show is open.

It may be the case that all the layouts booked this year where smaller than the big scenery type ones you mention. They are booking layouts years in advance so next year it might be full of big layouts.

just a thought as postage is still being thought through.........instead of 914mm lengths with spacing for 60' panels.  why not make the track in shorter panels or is 914mm some optimum Peco figure for efficient production runs?

 

over 1 metre bumps up the costs for postage so I was thinking how about scale 60' panels or 2 panels together?   I can see the benefit of a box of 25 lengths of 914mm certainly but also I wonder if modellers like the idea of scale 60ft and individual lengths if 914mm will not allow you to get 4 panels from it and could lead to lots of bits of waste.

 

Postage for short lengths might be another option but I like the idea of joints every 60ft to mimic the sight and sound of the real thing.

Hi,

the 914 is the standard length of rail Peco use to sell their flexi track in yards lengths and this is what the machines are set to produce.

Lots of modellers who looked at the track at Warley and asked questions, liked the idea of 60ft panels as its not been done before in an off the shelf form. I can't remember anybody doing it.

The lengths come with 3 and a half panels so there is a bit of rail left over at the ends. Yes not idela but we are currently discussing it and may have a plan but you will have to wait on that one.

To have the track in shorter lengths would mean one of two things, the price goes up as you need to pay someone to cut the rail in to shorter lengths before the panels are added or some poor mug, ie me, will have to sit there cutting them before posting them out to customers.

1 - You could send them out in a tube, but you'd have to cut 14mm off each rail.

2 - Will the design change mean the points are no longer self latching?

Hi,

1) The tubes may cost more than a straight as they are classed as a funny shape, plus as you say there would be a small extra bit of rail with every order.

2) Yes I think it will remove the self latching, its was discussed and as the frog will need the polarity changing we suspect that most will be either point motor or wire in tube with a switch.

I mus say to my eye having the timbers square on to the straight road looks far better than the Peco 00 bullhead product, there is also a good representation of the block chairs, two areas (which may be down to it being a prototype) is the lack of a slab and bracket chair at the tip of the vee and the infill between the wing rails in the common crossing. 

 

Looks to be a first class product at an affordable price

I will pass your comments on to the designers but I think it may be down to the production process and there has to be a line drawn somewhere or we may as well just stop the project and go back to building points.

I don't think that it makes much sense to send out track in packages of less than 10 pieces. It will be a strong postman who can bend that.

Yes that would be ideal but for those members who are building a small shunting type layout, they may only need 3 pieces so it would be unfair to say they have to have a certain number.

I know my idea for a quick layout is only using 2 and 1/2 bits and a couple of points.

It is being looked at and im sure we will sort something out.

Do we have a likely date for availability?

Hi,

It is hoped to have the fexi track for sale at the AGM/modellers day on the 8th with the tracking being in the trade stores very soon after once ive worked out how to post it with out members having to pay an arm or a leg on postage and to make it bomb proof to stop the post person damaging it. It has been known for them to fold the boxes in two to get them through a letter box.

The points are due spring 2019 as we asked Peco desgin guy very politly to change a couple of bits like removing the spring thus being able to make the tie bar thinner and something else which I have forgotten.

Hope this helps.

Thanks

How about a sales stand at a few more regional Model Railway shows as part of the society stand. Hint hint Bristol(Thornbury just down the road) in May Please.................................................

 

Keith

HI Keith,

If you would like to cover the following costs:

528 mile worth of fuel

Hotel accomadation for 3 nights

Stand rent,

There are another couple of costs to be factored in but I can't remember off the top of my head what they are at the moment.

You would also need to leaise with the show organiser to turn it in to an EMGS event.

Oh and persuade my very tollernat other half that being away for home for 4 weekends in May is a good idea........

Then I would quite happly bring the trade stand down to the event.

The problem is logistices, the stores is based in Darlington and going to more events than the 4 that the stand visits, can be a problem with my own exhibiton diary. At the moment I'm exhibiting/demoing/EMGSing at an average of 2 shows per month with October and May being almost every weekend.

We, as has been mentioned a few times limited by the sales rules that we have to abide by other wise we have 4 times the amount of paper work and the cost of everytthing will also have to go up to cover costs.

If we could also change the record about selling else where, the track is an EMGS product and won't be in shops or other retail outlets unless they buy it from us and resell it. It wont be made avaible by Peco to any of thier retailers and if they did enquire about it I would suspect they would be told to contact the society.

Thanks

To answer the questions about pricing, I just saw an announcement on my Facebook page - points will be £27 each and yard lengths of track will be £5 each from EMGS. That seems to be about on a par with the Peco 00 bullhead track.

 

IMG_5480.PNG

 

(Hope it's ok to reproduce the Facebook announcement here)

Hi,

Yes those prices are correct and you have saved me having to type it all out again.

We are very happy with the track and as you can see the points are quite nice too.

There are a few tweaks to be made to various bits, two of which are removing the spring from the point which in turn means the tie bar can be made thinner.

Thank you for all the interest that people have shown both on here and at the show today.

Sorry for the brief and possibly uncohiernt message but it’s been a long day at the show and it’s time to hit the pub/restaurant.

Thanks

Simon

EMGs Trade officer.

This looks like a PayPal thing; https://www.paypal.com/us/smarthelp/article/can-i-have-multiple-paypal-accounts-faq762

 

The EMGS would likely be prevented opening a consumer account, so one it is.

Plus you have to have a name to it, so if we had a consumer account and I know from experience trying to change that name is practically impossible so it will always be in the name of the person who set it up.

Bit of a problem if that person stands down from the position.