A New Foreign Layout

[Jon Randall]

They are good for levelling uneven floors

[Glen A]

Dear Gavin, Glen, Paul,

Best of luck at the show!

Thanks, But I won't be there. I live in a different city (and Island) to Gavin & Paul, (4 hours drive then another 3.5 hours on the ferry, then another hour or more drive to where the exhibition is) - bet you didn't think NZ was that big looking at a map, right?

So good luck Gavin & Paul.

[Gavin Sowry]

They are good for levelling uneven floors

...but you have to rub on the floor real hard with one to get it level

[Adrian]

G'day Glen

(4 hours drive then another 3.5 hours on the ferry, then another hour or more drive to where the exhibition is)

Is that all ?
Used to drive to Newcastle (about 14 hours drive every year for about 12 years or so).
Also have done four shows in Sydney ( about 12 hours drive ) over a five week period.
Have also done shows in Adelaide ( 10 hours ) and Brisbane (took 3 days for that one )
And you worry about a little 9 hour journey with a rest in the middle of it !
Arrr. The things we do for our hobby.
Cheers

[Adrian]

G'day all again
Just reread my last post......
Maybe I am stupid as well as daft ?
Don't answer that !

[Glen A]

G'day Glen

(4 hours drive then another 3.5 hours on the ferry, then another hour or more drive to where the exhibition is)

Is that all ?

Without wanting to hi-jack this thread (sorry), I neglected to mention that that the Ferry cost is $600 return for a car. Which makes you think twice about going, and is probably the reason the Wellington train show organisers were not interested in having my layout at the major show in Wellington later this year.
Obviously there are other travel options if you just want to get yourself there (without layout), but we have a family function elsewhere in NZ this weekend anyway.

[DCRfan]

G'day Glen

(4 hours drive then another 3.5 hours on the ferry, then another hour or more drive to where the exhibition is)

Is that all ?
Used to drive to Newcastle (about 14 hours drive every year for about 12 years or so).
Also have done four shows in Sydney ( about 12 hours drive ) over a five week period.
Have also done shows in Adelaide ( 10 hours ) and Brisbane (took 3 days for that one )
And you worry about a little 9 hour journey with a rest in the middle of it !
Arrr. The things we do for our hobby.
Cheers

But our roads have lots of corners and hills Melbourne to Adelaide - I think the only corner and hill is just before Adelaide

Anyway we are all setup in Masterton. i'm currently in a motel making a Gn15 cab for Bachmann Gas Mechanical which i hope to run tomorrow.

[dieselwater]

Good luck with the show guys

[Adrian]

G'day Glen

I neglected to mention that that the Ferry cost is $600 return for a car.

Yep, you got me there. Even the the trip to Brisbane would cost less than that in petrol !
Off to a show on the other side of Melbourne either tomorrow or Sunday and not really looking forward to the drive. Must be getting old.
Cheers

[foswaldy13]

Adrian, What part of Melbourne is the show in? All this talk of my favorite city sure makes me wish I could move back there. Oh well, the 6 months I spent there are among the fondest memories of my life. And what I wouldnt give for the chance to watch one more game of Footy and the MCG while drinking some Carlton Draught. Ah, life doesnt get much better than that

[DCRfan]

Well I can't say the first public display of this layout was a roaring success. Several times when the driver was distracted locos departed off the end of the world Luckly the drop to the table is just a few centimeters so no damage resulted. In mitigation I must claim electrical Gremlin intervention. To go left the direction switch on the controller had to be pushed to the right and vice versa. Changing the external power wires made no difference. At the end of the day the baseboard was lifted and the Grelins were chased off in a few seconds.

Now don't tell the Boss about this one Late in the day the Hayward boys borrowed the incomplete Gas Mechanical from the workshop and this shot of the resulting double header was snapped.



Pretty amazing as the cab was not attached to the chassis nor are there any drivers controls or seat fitted.

[Gavin Sowry]

...and here it is, less than 24 hours later....



.... on Not A Foreign Layout

[Gavin Sowry]

.. game of Footy and the MCG while drinking some Carlton Draught. Ah, life doesnt get much better than that

It could be worse if you support the Carlton footy team though.

[foswaldy13]

HA HA!! Thats why I am a Geelong Supporter. Although the Grand Final last year was tough to watch.

[Gavin Sowry]

.. the Grand Final last year was tough to watch.

No it wasn't.

Now, the serious question... can you get the Grand Final live in the States ? Because that's where I'll be when it is on this year. (Last Saturday in September, for the unenlightened).

[foswaldy13]

Yes you can get the Grand Final live, You just need to find someplace that has a channel called Sentanta. This is a cable/satellite only channel that is quite expensive, so most places do no carry it. This channel is what enables me to catch up to 2 games each week plus highlights of every game.

Your best bet to find Sentanta is a sports bar that specializes in showing live soccer, as Sentanta is primarily a soccer (Football for those elsewhere in the world) channel.


What part of the States will you be in Gavin? Is this a business or pleasure trip?

[Sir Briand]

Don't build it on legs... you need some baseboard on which to 'catch' any derailments. A 4" fall to the table top, is less damaging than a 3' fall to the floor.

The Narrow Gauge Madness gang here in the wilds of Ontario have pretty much settled on tabletop layouts. Makes for easy construction, fewer things to haul to a meet and the organisers provide the tables. K.I.S.S

Mark you, not all tables are the same height but that is not a problem if you only need 1 table for your layout.

[Gavin Sowry]

Don't build it on legs... you need some baseboard on which to 'catch' any derailments. A 4" fall to the table top, is less damaging than a 3' fall to the floor.

The Narrow Gauge Madness gang here in the wilds of Ontario have pretty much settled on tabletop layouts. Makes for easy construction, fewer things to haul to a meet and the organisers provide the tables. K.I.S.S

Mark you, not all tables are the same height but that is not a problem if you only need 1 table for your layout.

You mean like this....

[Gavin Sowry]

On show, this weekend, Masterton.

[Gavin Sowry]

A shot from my Grandson, at the Masterton Show.

[DCRfan]

Just before Christmas I purchased a new Hornby Flying Scots loco. Today was the first opportunity I had to get it out of the box.



Other than a new bogie tender I'm not sure what changes I'll make.

[Willow Creek Traction]

a new Hornby Flying Scots loco.

In contrast to that new one, I have one purchased in late 1980s and it won't go through turnouts - back to back spacing of wheels is too tight by a few mm, or even 1/16+ of an inch, and axles are not quite long enough to pull wheels out, especially the drivers - there's some Ry's 4-6-0 dismantled in a box; it was going to become and On30 engine. The other Hornby steamers are buried in the closet in original boxes.
Deeply disappointed with them.

[michael]

Paul what a great photo I have one of those locos too, Perhaps we could start a gallery of Flying Scotsman, and Mallards set up as seaside locos

I know it has already been done very well by on the wonderful seaside layout from a couple of years back.

[Kevin]

That Flying Scotsman looks very good as a miniature loco. I am still managing to resist the temptation to do something similar after converting a lima Hymek into a GN15 miniature loco.

[WaterleyShunter]

The use of the Flying Scotsman model for Gn15 reminds me of the RH&DR Pacifics. Unsurprising, perhaps, as said locos were based on the LNER A class machines such as Scotsman.

Are there any passenger coaches for the miniature steamers to pull?