The RHBR fleet

[williamfj]

Might as well start one thread for the puny (in more ways than 1) RHBR fleet, even if no one reads this tripe I won't care!

With the next running day only 3 days away I thought I'd spruce up Offler with a nice new paint job, however the manual speed controller has stopped working, jammed at slow speed Offler is now only good for shunting. River Ankh is still waiting for new gears, until they arrive Ankh's grounded, at least the rail bus ( unofficially named Fowler) is running properly.
On the rolling stock front my skip has been weathered and now looks like something that is used rather than displayed.
Everything's had a quick dose of oil after been stored after moving flat. A bit pointless if the vast majority of it will probably spend more time in store.



The skip looks better in real life, Offler doesn't on the other hand.

So far it looks like the RHBR roster on the 18th will be Fowler and a couple of wagons. At least I won't need to take the transmitter, loads of chain, or various batteries!

[Narrow Minded]

Do I detect a hint of doom & despondancy here?

Cheer up chap, things aren't that bad
The weathering job on the skip looks great and Offler's looking fine in the new livery!

If it's the lack of running that's getting you down, why don't you think about building yourself a micro layout?

An "Inglenook" shunting puzzle is great fun to operate, doesn't take much space (or track) to build / set up and would suite your loco fleet perfectly!

http://www.wymann.info/ShuntingPuzzles/

[Pendo Pilot]

You have a nice selection of stock there, especially like Offler which looks great in green!

The skips are great fun to mess around with, even now that inflation seems to be catching up with them I think they still make a great little kit to fettle with. Would love metal wheels for mine though.
As Greg suggested, a micro layout would be a great way to run stuff & what you have with Offler is ideal.

Don't worry about failures & stuff, happens in real life & certainly seems to happen with 16mm to all of us. Infact as has been said before, the diesels seem more hassle than the steamers (mamods not included). Crikey, just thought about how much pain a diesel (battery loco) based on a mamod chassis would be!!!

[Narrow Minded]

just thought about how much pain a diesel (battery loco) based on a mamod chassis would be!!!

Mmmmmh!

[williamfj]

I would like to build a shunting puzzle layout one of these days, I've always had a workshop in mind for a shunting layout, the best place for the locos in reality as well!
The skip has been out before in near ex-works condition, one idea that springs to mind is making it look more worn out with each running day!
Once the outside axle guards are fitted Offler will look better, the cranks were a bit prone to movement and I wanted to make her look a bit more different I suppose. I think that I might just be able to fit all the necessary R/C gear in Offler as well, so all is not lost yet.
As long as the new gears arrive today or tomorrow River Ankh will be running on Sunday as it's only a matter of fitting them, the 4wd chain and a quick bench test.

Here's a thought, if time truly is money I'd have saved money by buying a steamer to start with!

[williamfj]

Amazingly I seem to have a reliable loco! The Fowler has been running for around 3 hours today with only 1 change of batteries, all of it's running has also been with loads varying from the skip unloaded to 3 smaller wagons. Th G van has been revived although the roof could do with some work and some detail needs to be re-added. Apart from that nothing to report, the gears for River Ankh haven't arrived but they better have by the 8th of October.
While I had the 'workshop' open (newspaper on a desk!) I painted the lasered stripe on the brakevan and I painted the numbers properly.

Despite it's size the little Fowler is more than capable of hauling this too.

The fantastic Fowler on the smaller loop, out of the way of faster traffic, I know where I belong!


It shouldn't be too hard to add R/C to Offler, although I'm not too sure that 3x AA batteries would be enough.

[tom_tom_go]

I have learned that having some sort of layout is better than none at all and it's very satisfying to build because it does not feel like a massive job that you will never finish!

I spent ages trying to fit the 'dream' OO layout in the loft, however, without an expensive conversion it just was not going to happen so the micro idea was the way to go for me.

The garden line on the other hand though...

BTW your rolling stock looks great!

Cheers,

Tom
RWLR

[williamfj]

Thanks for the compliment Tom!

River Ankh is back in 1 piece!
This morning the gears, and sundry detailing bits arrived from Cambrian, due to Offler's withdrawal River Ankh has inherited the brake standard I set aside for her. And as part of fitting the new gears I was able to shorten the 4 wheel drive chain so that's another thing off the list. For the time being 2 locos is enough, but I could probably get Offler running for the next running day if I wanted to.

[Gremlin]

yes get Offler going again, it's not a bad loco. I know what you mean about the cranks spinning on the axle, I had to super glue mine after a short first run. I found some extra weight helped it run better.

[dougrail]

I'd say get the Crocodile God p and running again asap chap, it looks a lovely loco. Maybe line it out, say with some Trimline?

[williamfj]

To fit Offler with R/C I reckon will cost me £40 which unfortunately I don't have to spare at the moment, but my target for her is the bonfire night steam up. I'll give lining Offler a go when the workshop is next open, probably when I've bought the R/C gear or to deal with River Ankh's next failure!

[williamfj]

Last weekend I won a circle of cheap plastic track on ebay, and I'm flattening River Ankh's batteries as I type.  :D  She's a bit noisy, but I haven't recieved any complaints yet! I've also got some black trimline for Offler, a bit pointless really as I don't have the spare £££ for R/C gear yet! I might add a black line between the grey & yellow on River Ankh as well

[dougrail]

Photos por favor!

[williamfj]

I've learnt that plastic track isn't very good for adhesion, poor old River Ankh can't even haul her 2 vans & an AnDel open, although I suppose the constant corner won't help.

I doubt that I'll be holding steam ups any time soon!

River Ankh speeds through the 'scenic' section, just after clothes mountain, before bed hill tunnel.

[andelmodels]

"however the manual speed controller has stopped working,"

Mechanically jammed or an electronic problem?

[williamfj]

It's an electrical fault within the speed controller as far as I can tell. It still turns but it has no effect on the speed.

[andelmodels]

email me your address (save me looking it up) and I will put one in the post tomorrow.

Andy.

[williamfj]

Thanks very much, who says you don't get good service these days?

[williamfj]

I've finished preparing some of the fleet for what should be my last 2 running days, 1 tomorrow for bonfire night & t'other next Sunday. I found out during the last running day that the battery charger was a dud, but I've now got one of these smart chargers & she's rearing to to. Offler is waiting for the RHBR's finances to allow the fitting of R/C. But Offler will return, without the conrods, and maybe lining or weathering. I've also found another couple of jobs that need doing over winter.
Job 1 rework some of the wiring.
Job 2 make a new roof, the current one's dire!

If RA fails again she might end up tied to a firework (by the way is Bluebottle still around?)

[williamfj]

I've just ordered the parts to bring Offler back into service, but it'll be January before she runs again, the last running day when I'm in York is on Sunday. I've also ordered another industrial open wagon & an industrial coach from Andel, hopefully they'll arrive by Saturday so they can be in use on Sunday.