The LNER Encyclopedia

Hi ive just finshed reading your posts, and im impressed with your models so please do carry on and inspiere us all.

Thanks very much but I really am just learning the ropes! In fact I may take this chance to post what might be seen as a very basic question indeed...

And here it is... A very basic question indeed...

This is the Bachmann Pannier chassis I bought second hand off ebay for the J50. Is this a DCC chip on top of it? I have never actually seen one in the flesh before! It wasn't advertised as DCC fitted, but it runs very nicely forward on DC but not backwards at all and I think the problem is this rather than mechanical.

Yep, that is a chip. Can't really tell, but it looks like it is a DIY conversion without a baseplate (wires soldered directly to motor and chassis).

Cheers. Thought as much. Looks like my conversion to dcc has made a premature start! I am considering buying a sprog unit to get going in dcc as it seems like a good idea to spread the cost of chipping locos bit by now rather than a big conversion later on. The sprog appears to allow for well under £100 quite advanced dcc features when combined with a laptop and an smart phone. Anyone used one?

Dumb question - what's a SPROG unit?

Well I had not heard of it until recently either.
Basically as I understand it its a dcc system with no user interface at all. When combined with a pc running jmri and a smart phone connected via wifi running a throttle app you have a full interface with a walkabout controller. I think it was originally for changing settings on chips but the newer one has the power for a layout. Just google sprog dcc. I dont know how well it works though.

Well its coming along, few bits of touching up to do on the paint, no coal in the tender yet but mainly the lining...

I have a sheet of HMRS lining transfers and was going to use this http://www.flickr.com/photos/steveinlei ... 512190371/ as a guide. Is this lining correct for late 30s?

Also, should the boiler have double lines. Should I be picking out the smokebox door ring in silver?

Sorry for all the questions! Any advice appreciated.

You won't go far wrong following that one, Phil. Single red lines almost everywhere, double on the boiler bands.

There are a couple of locos I've lined out on my WB thread (D20 and A8) if you want other examples, or just ask again.

Thanks very much, just glanced through your thread. Very impressive!

Right will give this a go... Can't help thinking much of it, not the bolier bands, may be easier to liner with paint.

I shouldn't have gone to the the edge of the tanks should I? Despite what the image of the preserved version above suggests...

Some progress has been made on a few builds... Struggle to get decent pictures, particularly now work steals all the hours when the light is good!

N7 is finished. For a first loco kit I am quite pleased with it. Lining is a mixture of paint and lining transfers. Runs ok, it will be better when run in.

And a tourist stock buffet from the mailcoach kit

Both the loco and coach look rather nice. Will you be making up a full twelve-coach rake of the Tourist Stock?

Manxman1831 wrote:Both the loco and coach look rather nice. Will you be making up a full twelve-coach rake of the Tourist Stock?

Ha! No not likely. I have, despite the difficulties with the windows being moulded as part of the sides, got hold of both a Mailcoach Coronation and Silver Jubilee set for reasonable prices so more tourist stock would be really too much at the moment!

In the mean time Gresley teaks are under construction. After looking at different options - New Hornby RTR, cutting up old Hornby RTR following Graeme King's article in BRM, MJT sides etc I decided to go for Kirk kits but add detail myself.

This was mainly on grounds of cost but once I have added new door handles, roof fittings pipework + paints and wheels they probably aren't much cheaper than secondhand Hornby 'super detail' coaches. Oh well making them is most of the fun anyway...

Will post up some pics of coaches at various stages of construction in a bit.