Model Railway - What's your latest acquisition?

Nice job. I hope the model appreciates your efforts in raising the bar!!

Al.

The Princess 'donor' locomotive project worked well - seems a pity, but I'm very attached to my old 'detailed up' Lizzie.

The chassis' finally started loosening up a little, but now has a 'gentle ticking' rather than clicking. Yes, all bolts are OK - nipped gently.

This is speed related, and coincides with wheel rotation / location, so implies valvegear somewhere - typically some minor adjustments / tightening are required and I hope to have her silent again.

Al.

Accurascale 37 043 Loch Lomond has arrived - initial impression is as others have said - impressive!

Al.

Thank you for rotating the photo!!

The locomotive is 'like a ghost' when circulating on the tracks - at all powers up to perhaps 80% it's near-silent.

At 680g it's also very heavy, and all-wheel-drive so hauling is not an issue.

I don't have the 'sticking' coupling that Sam had - mine articulate without issue.

Al.

Just received a Hornby APT NDM with decoder from TMC. Very nice.

I just bought this online thinking it was OO as I am sure Mettoy or Brimtoy made a OO clockwork Britannia and Spam can. On opening the box I was a little surprised to find a huge clockwork train! It still has all the buffers and transfers and I think is Mettoy.

The mechanism wants to work but due to the warped body I think the pistons are sticking and I can’t work out how to get the mechanism out to check it over. I have added some sewing machine oil to the parts I can access and it has freed things up a bit but I don’t want to get anything near the old plastic which I think it cellulose acetate.

I have no use for it so unfortunately it’ll have to go.

Well I had a day which required calm and concentration - fitting the detailing to that Class 37 - those parts require great care, but all seems OK and Loch Lomond is circulating without problem.

Al.

Lord President and Thane of Fife arrived recently, and I am really impressed. Also great the way the tender is designed to take the TXS decoders, never soundfitted a loco so fast, under 2 minutes, opening and closing of the tender inclusive.

The guard irons were missing, I hope Hornby can fix that soon.

Apart from that, th only things that might complete the detailling pack are some lamps and fireman's tools. The fireman and driver are of course nice aditions to the detailling pack.

Just received a good, used B.R. blue Bachmann Class 47.

DC only, ex DCS, but with head / tail lamps - latter switchable which is nice.

Bushes must have been bone dry as some screeching observed on first use, so within 10 minutes of receipt, the lid was off, bogies dangling, chassis loosened, and the motor lubricated, then the bogies - bushes each end and gears.

Result - very quiet, smooth and an excellent performer.

A few little tweaks required - add some hoses, snow plough perhaps, and she's ready.

Came with etched plates 'Hadrian' which is nice.

It's a former 'digital sound' locomotive with the DCC chip and speaker removed, which means there's no fans. 'DS' fans located quickly on their site, and ordered.

Al.

A Piko 0-4-0 which bears a very strong resemblance to the old Hornby International tank.

It carries the number 98 003 and is in DB black with red frames like a lot of other German Locos. Oddly it also carries a molded running number 80018 on its cab and smokebox door which coincides with an 0-6-0 with a ver similar body.