Garden Railway Forum

I'v trieddesigning such aloop uing Anyrail and MSS track and points, but can't get things to join up. Could you publish your track plan once it's ready so I can pinch it thanks? - Richard

I guess you are tslking about the exhaust paint? I've used this on the base for a stirling engine, baked in the oven (again while the wife was out and yes, it did pong a bit!). Seems OK so far - the holder for the fuel tablet sits in a recess on the painted base.

Thanks for the link Peter. I love the results of your work, but it's clear that I need quite a bit more modelling skills before I attempt to build this type of kit! As well as the "trial" laser cut kits from LSH I also bought a couple of resin kits from Swift Sixteen, apart from being more...

After its first use, the loco took much longer to build up pressure! I noticed that if I put a blob of water into the recess on top of the topup valve, air bubbled through quite quickly. What you are seeing is more or less normal for Goodall valves. The boiler temperature even at low pressure is ab...

I agree with both of the above responses, the majority of LH kits are made of quality materials, are well designed and make into good models. My Bug Box builds, comparing various manufacturers, picked up this axle issue in their kit and I describe the method I adopted to add brass bearings, just as...

Just taken delivery of a couple of these, and am not sure about the durability of the axle bearings. The axle rods run directly in the wooden axle boxes, with nothing to prevent side-to-side movement except the wheel bosses, and it seems to me that wear could be a big problem. Anyone got any experie...

Finally manged to use the boiler topup valve, but... After its first use, the loco took much longer to build up pressure! I noticed that if I put a blob of water into the recess on top of the topup valve, air bubbled through quite quickly. So I took the valve off, checked that I hadn't squirted any ...

Delightful -is that a GT40 being worked on?

I've found OSB to be surprisingly resilient. I have some station areas where I used OSB because I got some offcuts for free. The most important thing is not to allow wood to sit in direct contact with the ground, and when applying preservative to pay particular attention to the edges. Once cut to s...

Thanks both, OSB is out of the window then. I like the idea of the scaffolding planks and the octagon shape, something like that would be much easier to handle than a big rectangle. My track is the MSS product which interlocks, so I would find it difficult to make the board into sections without bre...

Thanks for the recommendations - the nut spinners look useful, just need the correct size. Have emailed mamod to ask what sizes all the nuts/grub screws etc. are.

As opposed to permanent way! Having fun using my new brunel on its oval of MSS track, but the lawn isn't flat, and it gets a bit tedious assembling the track then getting it up again. The obvious solution is to attach the track to a board, then simply lift the board (in sections if need be) and stan...

I have used one of these for years as a top up bottle: https://www.jacksonsminiatures.com/railway.html The 'syringe attachment' you have been sold in the photo looks like just a piece of copper pipe which won't create a seal when inserted into the top up valve so you need to use an appropriate size...

Another step on the learning curve .. Loco is a Mamod Brunel mk3 In the two pictures below there is the topup valve from the boiler, and syringe attachment, both of which I'm sure most of you are familier with but, as a complete beginner, I am not. The valve appears to work a little like a woods val...

Having (finally) got my first steam loco running, I think its about time I looked at tools. Specifically for the tiny nuts and bolts, where gentle nipping-up with a small adjustable spanner is workable, but not ideal. Any recommendations on spanners (box, open-ended etc), suppliers, and in particula...