Hello folks

A few months ago, I was looking through my rolling stock collection and noticed that I could find only one of the two Kato AC4400CW locomotives that I knew I owned. Hunted high and low for the missing loco, but not a hair of it could be found. That it had evaporated was unlikely, that I had dropped it in the rubbish bin accidentally, possible but also unlikely. My mind then concocted the notion that it had been pocketed by one of several visitors to my layout and I even had a person singled out as the most likely culprit. Many years ago I had come across a person who just liked to pinch items from friends and shops. It's a mental disorder called kleptomania.

To make a short story long, the missing loco turned up a couple of days ago in a place that was not hidden away, but where I hadn't looked.    I'm happy on two accounts. First, that I found my missing loco, and second, that my loss in faith in my fellow man was unfounded. In fact, I'm now quite ashamed to even have suspected that it had been stolen.

Webbo

Ah well it's chugging along quite happily now.

Quote from: Tank on January 24, 2026, 06:05:22 PMI'll move this, as it's a personal problem, not a forum problem. 

@Tank
It could be one of timing, if the forum hosting provider or somewhere in the network did an upgrade overnight UK time, this would explain why some of us downunder saw issues middle of the day. Given the time differences.
cheers
Graham

Good morning everyone,

If you're referring to internet service, I occasionally experience it in Perth but it's quite random.  I'm with iinet and it's been much improved since the 000 fiasco.

Cheers,

Geoff 

Quote from: cmason on January 24, 2026, 03:06:10 AMOn wagon loads I am looking for solution as loads for these NER quads. 

Quote from: EtchedPixels on January 24, 2026, 11:49:39 AMAnother option is pipes which can be modelled using metal tube or even random bits of plastic tubing wrapped with thin masking tape in places to give bulges for ends or joins and with weight stuffed out of sight down the middle.

Colin:

Echoing the above reference, I would use brass tubing to represent pipes (not plastic as usually plastic tube has an un-prototypically thick wall thickness).

I would then insert steel rod of a slightly smaller diameter and shorter length than the tube into the tube, and glue in place.  For example, if you use a 3-inch long piece of tubing, I would use, say, a 2-inch or 2.5-inch piece of steel rod so the rod does not easily show at the pipe ends.

With multiple pipe sections, the weight of the wagons can be increased quite significantly and it will be evenly spread over the length of the wagon. 

Ian

This topic has been moved to Computer Help.

https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=66144.0

I'll move this, as it's a personal problem, not a forum problem. 

Quote from: Papyrus on January 15, 2026, 09:54:04 AM...we will be looking after her once a week when he goes up to London so on Sunday we will be introducing her to our two dogs. I will report back...

Well, the first week has passed and we have spent rather more time looking after pup than we anticipated. The theory is that we looked after her while he did some work... I'm sure that's not what we signed up to, but we shall see.

Anyway, our dogs met the pup and studiously ignored her, but they are thawing slowly. They dined together without argument as you can see:



We also introduced her to the delights of the local coffee shop today:


Anyway it's all going well so far!

Cheers,

Chris

I've got a helix on my layout made from No3 radius curves. It is 2% and covers 3 and half turns. My Union Mills and older GF steam locos can manage 4 or 5 coaches, the newer GF steam sometimes struggle a bit. Big diesels like Deltics and Class 47s have no problem with this gradient even though on a curve.
The old version of the club layout had two big oval helix units one at each end, these were also at a nominal 2%; as a test one evening I tried my UM J39 and at 14 coaches it was still showing no signs of slipping and there were no more coaches available.
HTH
Cheers!

Quote from: Newportnobby on January 24, 2026, 03:58:21 PMI'm (maybe wrongly) assuming the gradient is for one line to cross another, as in a figure 8. Where they cross, lower the bottom line into a shallow 'trough' instead of it being on the level. Then the gradient for the upper line doesn't need to be 2% to clear the lower track.

Got it. Thank you.