New locomotives or second hand?

[@stephendavies6949]

I like to run long trains too. Although I'm no "rivet counter", half the enjoyment is sourcing the right coaches / wagons to build a reasonably realistic train. The inclusion of more than 2 brake coaches is no big deal, as many trains used to split at some point and therefore require extra brakes. Also, if additional capacity was needed for passengers or light goods (or both), and full or composite brakes were all that was available, then that's what got used. I also tend to replace plastic wheelsets with metal sets, or at least with metal axles, as this really does reduce friction and improves running. The biggest challenge is when running with different types of tension lock couplings. Nightmare! However, often just turning a vehicle around seems to cure the problem. I also check the wheel gauging, as this can be way out, even on new rolling stock. I used to worry about ensuring the colour of the livery on each coach rake was identical, but apparently in real life this was not the case, due to both sun bleaching & variarions in the paint used, so that no longer bothers me. I find Yaslow & Chadwick good sources of info for such things. Regarding wagons, I do put Bauxtie coloured units close to the loco, as in real life, so they could take advantage of vacuum braking. I also fit appropriate lamp codes to the locos, when I remember to do so! My current favourite train is a rake of almost 30 HAA coal hoppers, hauled by a variety of diesel locos (37s, 20s in tandem, 56s, 58s, 60s & 47s). There was a coal flow close to where I used to live in South Wales that double - or sometimes triple - headed such trains, so replicating that is fun. Happy modelling.

[@model.train.railway.]

My big problem is that I have so much stock running at the same time that its prohibatively too expensive to be a rivet counter even if I have that urge. So you have link for Yaslow & Chadwick, as I could not find it? In the 70 and 80s taking a bike on the train, often the baggage coach would be in the centre so staff did not have to walk far. My brother told me how it should not happen. Reality was often different to what should happen. Double heading is fun, a good idea for a future video. kind regards, Philip

[@stephendavies6949]

@@model.train.railway. And finally, if you want advice on maintaining & repairing locos from an expert... youtube.com/@oobill?si=9yMvtWCLbBkF7uL9

[@stephendavies6949]

@model.train.railway. Did you get the links? Yarslow has a video on the subject of brake coach positioning, too. Apparently, the "rules" were different for local trains.

[@model.train.railway.]

Thankyou. Nice to know. With no going part time I might have time for maintanance, kind regards, Philip

[@stephendavies6949]

@@model.train.railway. I enjoy maintaining my locos. It's quite therapeutic.

[@ewhurstgreen]

Very enjoyable Philip - thank you! 😺 A visiting 71000 Duke of Gloucester coped with 18-bogies around Ewhurst Green and a couple of Clans have come to visit including 72009 Clan Stewart. It is a shame Hornby did not produce one of the proposed SR 'Clan' locomotive. Those proposed were 72010 Hengist, 72011 Horsa, 72012 Canute, 72013 Wildfire & 72014 Firebrand (they were considering it at one stage). 72010 Hengist is currently under construction in Sheffield - Colin PS - in terms of poor-running coaches have you tried upgrading the wheelsets?

[@model.train.railway.]

I will need to but in some more wheels. I must have bought about 300 wheels. It gets expensive. When buying cheaper coaches, one forgets that they will need 4 wheels each and the cost soon build up. Kind regards, Philip

[@model.train.railway.]

PS, When I retire in the end of August and have more time, I will have to bring round some stock and we could do a combind video.

[@ewhurstgreen]

@@model.train.railway. Philip, they can indeed add up. Used to buy a box of 24 axles each time I visited the Model shop to re-wheel stock - even the modern Hornby gets replaced as the flanges are too deep! - Colin

[@model.train.railway.]

I guess there is a compromise between deep flanges to stop derailment against looking less realistic. N gauge wheels always looked wrong. Philip

[@ewhurstgreen]

@@model.train.railway. Perhaps replacement coach wheelsets from Bachmann or Peter's Spares might assist? Ewhurst Green has the opposite problem for if the flanges are too deep and the back-to-backs poor then the stock will not run.

[@Roadshome]

If it was so expensive we could have built a trebuchet and tried to fire 🔥 balls at it 😮😊

[@model.train.railway.]

Like the good old days.