Hi All,

I'm currently planning my first layout and while the design is still
to be finalised, it will include a goods shunting yard. Period will
be 1960s using primarily late BR standard steam and some ex-LMS.

I intend to have lots of 2-axle private owner (and probably some LMS)
goods vehicles which, although perhaps a tad out of period, provide a
lot of visual variety and operating interest. I'm also hooked by the
idea of having a sidings area which works as a shunting puzzle based
on the famous 'Inglenook Sidings'.

So... what type of 4mm scale coupling system works best for remote un-
coupling? I don't like the idea of ramps for the Hornby type coupling
as they look awful (the ramps and the couplings!), and it is also
impossible to couple up to a vehicle which is on the ramp and cannot
be pushed off it due to lack of space ahead! I also can't really
afford DCC controlled couplers on every wagon.

Whilst dropping off some items at one of our local charity shops I can
across what looks like a model of a French chateau. At first I
thought is was made of resin but it appears too heavy, so I am
thinking some sort of ceramic.

It's sandstone coloured ( OK for the bedrock on which it stands, and I
was intending to paint it for use on my sons model railway. Apart
from using masking tape what else can you use to prevent paint over
spray / spill ?

As I am unsure what it is made out of I was considering priming it
with some type of undercoat, again any suggestions ?

Chris

Exeter Fete, barbecue and music at pub to aid city charity

http://www.thisisexeter.co.uk/news/Fete-barbecue-music-pub-aid-city-charity/article...

Essex Family days out

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/gardening/main.jhtml?xml=/gardening/2008/07/18/gardens...

Hope Chapel Heritage Days Weekend

http://news.google.com/news?hl=en&ncl=http://hebdenbridge.co.uk/news/news08/87.h...

I have the Peco turntable, which is adequate to my needs, but
bringing the rails to the bridge is proving not wholly intuitive.
The plastic thingies they supply are alright in their way, but
appear to require the filing of a slot in the rail foot (not an
issue, but is that right?). Also the rails will curve as they lead
away, putting sideways force on this part of the assembly. Should I
pin through the base and solder in some rail joiners instead? Or am
I worrying about nothing?

Guy

For those who have been following the caption 'competition', the winning
entry is now on the fotopic site at
http://mikehughes627.fotopic.net/p51629238.html
The name of the winner is being kept secret to protect the (not so)
innocent!

Two close runners up were:
"I don't ask for much really, but look what I get - sob" and
"Mike's published WHAT?"

Thanks for all you interest.

Here's another challenge. I know many have looked at the 1968 photo of
Cliff.
http://mikehughes627.fotopic.net/p51819376.html
Can you think of a suitable caption for that photo. Again no monetary
value to the winner but you will get your caption added to the photo.

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This is the text of a press release you might be interested in:

Model Railroaders support Gambian Schools Charity

Two members of South Shore Model Railroad club are raising money for
charity by exhibiting their layouts at Firle, East Sussex Village Hall
on Monday 25 August 2008 starting at 11 a.m.

Charlie Fox-Wilson is exhibiting his large G scale American Mining
layout 'Broke Brick Mountain'. At 10 metres by 2 metres in size it is
currently the largest layout owned and operated by a member of South
Shore Model Railroad Club.

Charlie has persuaded friend and fellow club member Cliff South to
exhibit his latest HO scale layout 'The Ashley, Danville and Deanstown'
layout. This is the first time that this 1906 based layout has been seen
in public.

The Gambia Reality Charity helps to set up and run schools in rural
Gambia.

South Shore Model Railroad Club meets from 7 p.m. to 10.30 p.m. on
Wednesdays at Sompting Village Hall (except 2nd Wednesday of each
month). Full details can be obtained from their web site
www.southshore.org.uk

Having just replaced the magnet in my Wrenn unrebuilt BoB bulleid
pacific with a Neo magnet I thought I'd do a haulage trial on my 1 in 28
helix. The Wrenn loco could haul an 8 car train up the helix but could
not start it, would keep going with a push start. The unrebuilt modern
BoB Hornby loco would just slip its wheels even with a push start would
slip to a halt. The rebuilt Hornby BoB could start the train with a
little slippage unaided and pull the train up OK.

Conclusions Hornby have managed to imitate life with better haulage of
their rebuilt over the unrebuilt. Despite the weight advantage of the
Wrenn over Hornby the Hornby rebuilt still has better haulage capacity.
So must be down to a better motor and less losses in the transmission.
Good to get the Wrenn performing well again though. As an aside I was
surprised at the haulage capacity of the Hornby Q1 when I had done
trials with that before, disappointed with the M7 though.

Test was conducted with 3 Bachmann bulleid coaches, 3 Hornby mk2a
coaches, 1 Lima mk2b and 1 Airfix mk2d. All three locos were running on
DCC at @ 18V AC on DVM.

Chris

Why else would Bachmann announce a peppercorn A2 in the middle of July for
release in 2009 ?
:-)

Cheers,
Simon

Is / was there a 5 pole version of the 3 pole X04 motor.

Has anyone news of the trader who bought modelspares? When might
business resume?

Regards