Scalefour Forum

The end result looks fantastic to my eye

So I start with a base fresh out of the paint shop and build from there. This addresses the arrival of dirt, but doesn't deal with possible changes to the colour of the base paints and varnishes [the latter darkened and yellowed over time], due to chemical changes from heat, light and pollution, an...

I am still very much a beginner to all of this, but I have to admit, to date I have taken the view that the loco tends to be clean originally and then gets dirty over time. So I start with a base fresh out of the paint shop and build from there. Admitedly, for my period (1902 Midland) the locos tend...

Two undisputed masters of weathering, Tim Shackleton and Mick Bonwick, always say weather to a photograph. When you're dealing with Victorian and Edwardian prototypes, it is difficult due to the absence of colour images (and no, late 1960s period decrepitude is not the same) but I try and collect r...

Lovely work Nick.

I think the backhead is a work of art

The final thing is that what we have works so well that apart from a bit of fun, I can’t see the point. Maybe there is time these days to experiment a bit with all this but It does take such a long time and I want to get through my own Shelf/Stack/Large Sideboard of Shame! Philip Philip, Thats all ...

Although I am still not going to recommend turning down a Markits wheel to P4, I have just spent an hour or so taking a bit off the back of the tyres of some driving wheels to increase the back to back for EM, and also to slim down the flanges a bit. When I had finished, the tyre width came out at ...

Thanks guys, just did it to prove you don't need to add 'extra' weight to haul long trains, I just put brass bearings on all the wagons and coaches so the locos don't strain themselves and the motors, gears, bearings and frames last longer.... See also this:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2c7erF...

With apologies to Peter for hijacking his thread for the moment, but I followed Dave Franks youtube links and found a fabulous clip of a high speed reverse of a substantial freight train: l7vNZioYlss Its very impressive; so worth a look. Dave does seem to have a penchant for ridiculous haulage expe...

247 Developments list the 'Romford P4 axle' I wonder if RP25 profile tyres would work in P4...... :o Or is that total heresy? You asked the question, I expect a full report back (and an article for the snooze). Maybe you could compare notes with Martin Goodall, he of the "EM/EMF" flange.....

perhaps the archive footage I am recalling was track that needed a bit of maintenance? .... I have certainly seen the track flexing with the wooden sleepers moving in their bed. I had assumed that was why the track maintenance gangs were constantly patrolling to pack ballast back in and re secure ch...

The late Roy Jackson wasn't a believer in 'flexible' chassis either and his locos ran on 'Retford' faultlessly. I remember him saying that he did try compensation at least once, possibly more, but he wasn't convinced by it. But then both Roy and Tony model in EM and OO which could make a difference...

Concerning springing to improve electrical contact, it's worth noting that this is now common practice in 2FS, where spring for track holding don't work much and aren't considered necessary. From my perspective it is self evidently true that many have experienced issues over the years with electric...

The late Roy Jackson wasn't a believer in 'flexible' chassis either and his locos ran on 'Retford' faultlessly. I remember him saying that he did try compensation at least once, possibly more, but he wasn't convinced by it. But then both Roy and Tony model in EM and OO which could make a difference...

For me this is not really to do with a propensity, or otherwise to fall off, the real problem is electrical pickup. So a rigid 0-6-0 chassis is likely to have no more than 3 wheels in contact with the rails, so that's just one on one side or the other. Your loco then becomes very sensitive to dirty...

Wow! .... I'm not sure I would wish that on anyone :shock: Still it does show a journey of sorts ... lots of fun as well if totally self indulgent ... and it is a great illustration of the collective help here on the forum. Radio silence at the moment due to work ... but you never know :? Strange ti...

For me this is not really to do with a propensity, or otherwise to fall off, the real problem is electrical pickup. So a rigid 0-6-0 chassis is likely to have no more than 3 wheels in contact with the rails, so that's just one on one side or the other. Your loco then becomes very sensitive to dirty...

Have you had any issues with track going out of alignment at all? I glued about 4 feet of track down last week using a straight edge to keep everything in line but, having looked along the track yesterday, whilst I can still push a mint gauge along it, parts of the track have definitely moved out o...

Hi, I wonder if you saw "Walking Britain's Lost Railways" on Sunday night on Channel 5? It covered the Peak line from Matlock to Buxton, and featured Monsal Dale Station on the programme. I'm sure it will be available somewhere on catch-up! All the best, Kevin Thanks for the heads up Kevi...

I have found the process of laying sleepers, creating sub assemblies of complicated sections of point work, then laying sections of track utilising chairs which are 'fixed' down to the sleepers an enjoyable and therapeutic activity. I enjoy the link to the process on the actual railway as illustrate...

[quote="Tonycardall" When attempting to unsolder the part I held the iron in place too long and ended up with a pile of metal with many of the pieces attached at all sorts of jaunty angles. [/quote] Hi Tony, I had the same problem during the learning process. I now find a liberal array of ...

Inspirational stuff Julian ... great to see the scratch built elements coming together

Where did you get your drills from?

Hi Carlos,

Thanks for the thumbs up.

I don't know about the relative effects of different cleaning agents on the plastic wheel centres ... perhaps you could ask Colin at the AGW. I cleaned my set up using good old soapy water and a artists brush ... which seemed to do the job.

Hi Nick, I don't claim to be anything but a beginner on this, but I bonded my templot prints to a cork sub-base using neat waterproof quality PVA. I found that by using a thin coat and using it neat there was next to no movement of the paper and no cockling of the print. It dried nice and flat overn...

Horseman wrote:...... because who knows if the range will ever see the light of day again?

Excuse my ignorance .... why are the kits no longer available? Is there anywhere one can read up on the back story?