P.C.M

Superb job on the class 25 Jinty, Can I ask if you painted the blanking plate over the smaller grille at number 2 end. I only ask because mine looks a darker blue. I am wondering do I try and paint it or just try and weather it down to match. I have ordered some speakers so will let you know how I go. Cheers Peter.

Hi Alan, Great to see you having a go at 7mm. I will be following your progress Cheers Peter.

Hi All, I am planning to use a Zimo MX645R sound decoder in a Heljan class 25. I know this has bee done before but I am wondering if I can still wire in the roof fan and turn it on and off. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Jinty, I will look into the other decoder. Do I wire the speakers in series or parallel? Cheers Peter.

Thanks Jim. I see what you mean and I can see no reason why they wouldn't be used but I would still like proof. Cheers Peter.

Hi All, I quite like the look of the SR Pill Box brake van that Dapol have done and Remember seeing a few in departmental use back in the 90s when I worked on the railway. I am just wondering did they ever get used over the S&D back in the mid 60s. The only pictures I can find in my S&D books show the standard BR 2ot brake van. Cheers Peter.

Hi Jinty, Sorry to hear that you are still unwell. I notice it's been a bit cold over their this week, I think we where lucky with the weather when we where over at Christmas for a few weeks we even had a bit of sun on a few days though down South does tend to be a tad warmer. I have a question re fitting a Zimo decoder to my class 25. I have removed a motor and I am thinking of getting a Zimo mx645r with class 25 sound I am wondering what speaker you would use and is it possible to wire up the roof fan to the decoder so that it still works. Cheers Peter.

Hi Andy, Just been catching up. This is looking very good, very jealous of your Ivatt tank. Seems Dapol and Heljan are mainly interested in doing GWR loco's in 7mm. I know their is a Jinty but some more Midland loco's would be nice. Cheers Peter.

No worries Griff, All my 33/0s are the original release and I have filed and sanded the roofs on all of them to improve them. I would try a current green one I think there is one with full yellow end so it could be done. Though I think the new version has the wrong roof, in that it's riveted, also not sure if the exhaust port is correct. Might be a case of working out what model will be best suited to what you want. Cheers Peter.

Hi Griff, I presume you mean the Green class 33 it's actually 33008. It started out as the Heljan 33008 in the later livery with headlight. I picked it up cheap years ago. I removed the headlight and repainted the yellow, and the roof grey as I re profiled the roof over the cabs. The green was pretty much left alone apart from moving the old BR emblem and replacing with double arrows under each cab window. If I was going to do it again I would probably start with a standard Green one. Hope that helps. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Mate, As you know i do like a my Cromptons. Cheers Peter.

Would love to see this layout. If only my recent Holiday had lasted an extra two week I could have dropped in I was only staying down the road. Have a good show cheers Peter.

A couple more pics.

31149 on the Llanbourne stabling point.

Having taken over from 31149, 47358 works the loaded ballast back to Carnforth. Cheers Peter.

A few more pics and a video. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Mark, I hadn't noticed that Bachmann were doing 47050 but had a quick look at the future releases and there it is. I remember seeing 47050 not long after it had been repainted. I saw it up at Southampton then a few days later it turned up on a Ballast near Sway where i used to live. I was a bit different to later repaints in that the black round the windows is different but still an easy fix, I think most repaints had an orange cantrail stripe too. Cheers Peter.

Hi Dave, Jusr been catching up. I really do like the new coaches, maybe it's time I replaced my two rakes of Airfix MK2ds I do like the Scotrail FK is that a total repaint? I am wondering if some of the standard red striped stock ever got the Scotrail logo. Love the latest video too, your class 27 sounds great. Cheers Peter.

Some pics of the First running session this year. Cheers Peter.

Hi Mike. I think the early Bachmann class 37 were two axle drive I think thats why the EM and P4 boys like them over the later Bachmann models. Cheers Peter.

Hi Mike, I noticed you mentioned your Bachmann class 37s tend to fall of the track a bit. A common problem with the model is that the centre wheel set does sit a tad lower than the outer wheels sets which makes the bogie rock a bit. I remove the middle wheel set and file out the slot so the wheels sit lower in the moulding which stops the rocking and improves the running. It might not solve your problem but could be worth a go. Cheers Peter.

Hi Mark, 33008 was always a bit of a favourite of mine back in the day. Even before it was painted green, so i had to do it. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Mate, I think back in the day the North Wales coast only had the two 33 diagrams I have used modellers licence and have three. I have 5 class 33s which is way too many and one is a 33/1 which didn't appear on the route apart from one working a special. I have built up a small fleet of class 26. 27 and 37s so at some point I can run Llanbourne with a Scottish fleet something like Inverness. Cheers Peter.

Hi Jeff, We only had three weeks in the uk so it went very quickly. I was in contact with Rick re meeting in London but we just ran out of time. My day at Swanage was great I even had a cab ride in 33012 from Swanage to Norden. My Brother knew the driver who also remembered me from my Eastleigh Yard days. I had a few hours at Southcoast rails which has a very nice 7mm layout so did manage to run a few trains. Good to see you had a good time away and glad to hear you did a few railway related things. I did the Lakeside railway a few years back it's a great little railway. Cheers Peter.

Happy new year everyone. I had a great trip back to the UK but back in Oz now. The time went really quick though I did get a day down at Swanage. Most of the time was spent with Family as it had been a while since my Daughter had seen them. I would have liked to catch up with some RMwebbers but it will have to be next time I am over which should be it 2020 all being well. Pic below shows an almost finished 33008 and a few pics from Swanage. Cheers Peter.