what are people doing on their layout right now

[Newportnobby]

Incidentally, I modify all my Setrack min radius turnouts to reduce the insulfrog distance.  I pull out the two rails from the plastic frog, create slots to a point at the frog, cut and grind/file two new rails to a correct angle join and slide them back in all the way into th eextended slot till they meet.  Greatly improves the running of small (dock) tanks over them.

@Bad Raven
Sounds like that could make an interesting tutorial both for those who use set track points and for the NGS Journal. Would you be prepared to do such, including a few pics for clarity?

[Bad Raven]

@Bad Raven
Sounds like that could make an interesting tutorial both for those who use set track points and for the NGS Journal. Would you be prepared to do such, including a few pics for clarity?

Just realised I replied by message only!

Not against the idea but not easy for me to do with any promptness as all the items I'd need are 70 miles away in a lower Tier location I cannot visit.   

You might ask why bother anyway?  Well, the standard units are extremely useful for docks and tight spaces, but are very prone to having an oversized lumpy moulded plastic frog section right where you need accuracy for good running, look at one under magnification.

However, the main reason I bother is that blades set straight you lose 3mm and blades set curved you lose 3.5mm connectivity. To put it in context, that is at least a third of the gauge!

This can be critical with small wheelbase 0-4-0/0-6-0 "steam" locos, and I refuse to switch time period and go to multi-wheel diseasels or die-lectrics!    

OK, you have to do a little work, and it ends up a halfway house to Electrofrog for wiring if loops needed, but its quite a quick process for the result.

Maybe some day we'll emerge from these restrictions and I'll still be around to do one for camera.

[Newportnobby]

Much appreciated.

It's been a concern of mine for many years that folks start out in N thinking they can pack a lot into a small area so start with set track and a small loco, only to find said small loco stalls on the plastic frog unless doing 150mph and then think "this isn't what I thought it would be" and just pack it in through lack of knowledge/information.

[crewearpley40]

Hi bad raven. I'm sure a shop can receive payment like John dutfield andvpost items to you if you know what you need. Good luck with the harbour scene

[Bad Raven]

Hi bad raven. I'm sure a shop can receive payment like John dutfield andvpost items to you if you know what you need. Good luck with the harbour scene

Thanks but I'm not working with Peco on anything currently, I'm trying to complete a Tramway using Tomix Wide Tram in DCC.

[crewearpley40]

Hi bad raven. I'm sure a shop can receive payment like John dutfield and post items to you if you know what you need. Good luck with the harbour scene

Thanks but I'm not working with Peco on anything currently, I'm trying to complete a Tramway using Tomix Wide Tram in DCC.

was merely pointing out ordering on the phone is an option in todays situation

[Bad Raven]

Appreciated, but I probably have more "in stock" than the average model shop, they just are not here, and until I can regularly get to what will be the layout again, I'm doing the Tramway as a "module"   

So, what I have been doing today:-

1. Painting the body on a double deck tram (Pseudo Blackpool livery)
2. Fettling a 3D printed saddle tank steam loco body using the Minitrix Dock Tank chassis for DCC and complete with Stay Alive.  Yes, I "could" have used the Fowler body, but being die cast its a devil to remove all the innards to gain the space needed. I'm awaiting DCC components in post to actually do the chassis, by which time I'll have a couple of sanded primer coats on the body to lose the 3D Print appearance.

Somewhere I do have a pre-production "Fowler Dock Tank" kit in whitemetal which would much more easily be opened up, but ultimately offers less space than the saddle shape. Load hauling is not needed so as long as there is weight for electrical contact it'd be OK I think.

[Chris Morris]

Still work to do but coming along. I always model signal boxes with some windows open. Never seen an open signal box with all the windows closed in the summer.

[AndyRA]

Adding some more figures on the station platforms.

[manicmick]

Just been building a signal gantry for my Eastbourne layout. A few things still to do including sourcing a home signal for the distant one at platform 1

[Pjlons83]

I've had the woodwork tools tools out for a couple of days 





I'm excited about this one!

[Pjlons83]

I've had a good couple of days building this. The track is partly pinned whilst I wait for my new controller to arrive. Then I'll test it all and fix it permanently.

[Trenoweth]

Building it from scratch. Lockdown project. 120cm x 60cm. Simple layout with Cornish Riviera set plus a Jinty with a couple of wagons. DCC. Wish me luck!

[port perran]

Building it from scratch. Lockdown project. 120cm x 60cm. Simple layout with Cornish Riviera set plus a Jinty with a couple of wagons. DCC. Wish me luck!

Good luck with your project.
Your user name suggests that you are from down here in Cornwall?

[Trenoweth]

I lived in Truro for 12 happy years a long time ago. You will now that Trenoweth means new homestead, which is the make believe small town with a mine, station and a beach that I will attempt to create. I am sure it will evolve as I start building!