Redimus

Are there any variations of the 9v track other than the standard length or radius curve, strait and points? If not, are ME planning to do anything other than the default Lego specs? My current set up is as big a tail chaser as I can fit on my available table, with a passing loop on one side and a small set of sidings sprouting from the inner track of the passing loop. In order for the passing loop to be long enough for a complete HE set in the space available, I've had to use a couple of the small flexible track lengths on the outer loop to allow it to connect properly without being too forced. I'm slowly replacing the RC track with 9v track so I can use the older 9v motor for future MOCs (British steam engines tend to be a pain in the big behind when it comes ot fitting battery boxes in, and I refuse to do the battery wagon option because it limits what you can do with the loco), and it's a little frustrating that I can't see a way to fully electrify the line. Also, I assume maintenance of the track and pick up wheels is largely the same as traditional model railways, regularly clean the rails and wheels to ensure best pick up and reduce further muck?

Yeah, I've tried to to a certain extent, but it's hard when half the time you don't even know those bricks exist! Apart from the odd Star Wars Lego set, most of my Lego dates from the late 70s to the mid 90s! LDD helps too, but you're still often left looking at CG versions of brick not being entirely sure how they're supposed to fit with everything else!

I wish there was someone selling British outline designs of this quality... There's a few guys building them, but they're not selling or publishing their designs, and I have *no idea* how they manage what they do, and the few designs that are available are underwhelming.

Quiter... lol

It's a shame Lego haven't made any Dark Red window frames. I toyed with the using full panel windows, but it looked far too modern, so I have gone for the earlier livery of 'Blood and Custard' (red and cream), and then had to compromise again and go for white and red, because although cream windows do exist, and over £5 a frame, that'd make a whole train *far* too expensive... Anyway, I've ordered the bits for my first coach (the brake coach), so hopefully should have that constructed in a couple of weeks. Also holding off putting pics of the completed loco until I have enough track to make part of my layout 9v capable, at which point I'm gonna rebuild the tender to make it a little shorter. It looks fine at the moment, but British engines of that size normally didn't have such large tenders.

Depends on what part of Europe you live in I believe. Some count all wheels (4-6-2), some count one side (2-3-1) and some weirdos (the French and Oliver Bulleid) count only half the none powered wheels with numbers, and only half the driving wheels alphanumerically (2-C-1)..

Once you realise what you're looking at, you realise that is a really good model of it. Also, having watched the video, that thing is mental!

As a Lego steam engine, that looks *really* good. Looking at the photo however, you might want to consider slightly lengthening the tanks, the look a bit short on the MOC when compared to the photo.

Well bugger, lol. I'll probably resort to the 'blood and custard' (red and cream in real life, probably red and white in Lego) colour scheme then.

It is realistic to have things that close to the track, what isn't realistic are the default curves the Lego system uses. With most existing models, it has be easy enough to build a layout with details close enough to the track, but this train can't even clear it's own tiny station if put on the outside of the oval...

I seem to be trying out a lot of random and disparate bits n bobs n ideas right now, and rather than cluttering up the forum with each new idea, I thought I'd post em all in a specific thread. -------------------- Continuing from the Mk1 MOC I posted in this thread, I finished the design, although by the time I had done that, I had already decided that, as much as I like it, I won't be building it for a good while. It's far too big for my very limited layout (neither the space, nor resources for smooth curves at the moment), and to be honest, the one steam loco I currently have is not of a standard, nor really in the same scale, to go with it. So, I still have a steam loco, and only modern era freight stock for it to pull, so what to do? I decided to settle for a 6 stud wide Mk1 inspired design that is a lot closer to normal Lego lengths (I still slightly lengthened the larger standard train base), which I have dubbed the Mk0.5... :P As well as being shorter, thinner and flat of profile, it's also considerably less detailed, with features largely inspired by the same playability (and in the case of the doors, building practice) of the Creator Horizon Express (aka TGV). It's mainly intended as a quick train builder so I have something to play with while I design better more detailed rolling stock and locos. There are currently 4 different types: Mk0.5 Full 1st. Mk0.5 Buffet 1st. Mk0.5 Full Std. Mk0.5 Std Brake. ...And finally, a quick image of the full rake behind a rather out of date version of my Mongrel Mogul! At some point I'll post photos of the now basically complete loco, but for now, I think I've filled the net with enough nonsense!

I have to say, before I started buying trains (and as a result, other City sets) I basically only bought the little and medium creator sets and Star Wars stuff, and I imagine that creator sets are the casual buying habit of many a none committed manchild in the mood to scratch a Lego itch. Not sure about the bigger building sets (not 3 in 1) sets, which can look a little childish and the modular sets which are too big and expensive for someone looking for a little Lego based fun. Also, that prop train, not sure if that's blatant cheating or well played! lol

I think the problem is, they could have designed it in such a way that it was more than one bit, that could be taken apart and possibly used for something else. No matter what you do, that piece will never look like anything other than the front of a train, which is kinda against the point of Lego. That said, if you don't mind it that, buy it, if you do mind that, don't buy it, it's very simple. It's not like there aren't a local passenger train and a high speed passenger train still available. Personally, I'm not a fan, not just the nose, but the whole train looks a little plain and uninspiring. Add to that the fact I just bought a full, powered, Horizon Express (TGV) and my not very big railway doesn't really need it. Should I find the space to make my railway bigger (it's currently taking up all of a large dining table) I'd like to get the new freight set though.

Normally, I'm not a fan of an un-powered engine and a powered wagon (it's bad enough powering the tender in steam engines), but in this case, totally worth it!

I believe you can buy a Lego weight which when applied on top of the motor bogie/powered wheels, allows for better grip. That said, I have the yellow fright set, plus additional wagons, and even up a very slight hill, on a rather wobbly piece of track that includes two points and a semi circle curve it managed to standing start a train of 2 of each type of truck in the set, plus 3 of the older octan wagon and a very heavy (and rather rubbish) MOC coach with little wheelspin as long as it was accelerated slowly. Your set should really not be troubling the motor.

Kinda echoes my initial opinions from the photos. Also apparently not even that well designed which is a shame. Still, this means I should be able to pick up the red one cheap sooner or later, and that fright set will go well with my existing set and a half of the yellow loco freight set. EDIT: He's also posted the station set That looks really good, and I think that combined with the last set would make a good two track station set up.

Wow, you've chosen a seriously awkward front end to model! I'd suggest (assuming you already have Lego Digital Designer,if not, download it now, it's free!), just looking through all the available curved bits and angled/hinged bits until you find a combo that works. Trial and error is a wonderful thing!

Yeah, an unlimited choice of bricks makes for quite an improvement of design, lol. I hope to make the coach (and some other seating layout coaches) at some point in real life, but first I'm waiting on the bits for the loco to arrive.

And you kind of need two of it to look any good.

The great thing about the Mk1s is they got (and indeed still get) pulled by absolutely everything, which means as long as it's vaguely British in outline, it'll look fine in front of them. Case in point: That said, I may put the coaches on the back burner until I have a larger layout to put em, because at the moment, a couple of those coaches will take up pretty much the whole layout. lol. In fact, I think they look rather good together!

Just looks a little boring to me.

Well, I ordered the bits for for the 2-6-0, and decided to design some form of coach to go with it. Seeing as it's basically British in outline, it made sense to go the that jack of all trades, the BR Mk1 coach. Using a Bachmann 00 gauge Mk1 as a reference, I decided on the profile I thought would be best, and came up with (I felt) a really effective way of achieving that, using L shaped brackets to hold 6 high panels with flat tiles on top..., until I started thinking about windows and doors, and realised it was basically impossible unless I just did none-transparent windows (which I don't really want to). So, I developed a hybrid, where the lower curve of the body was still done that way and the rest was the traditional way up, but I simply couldn't find a way where there were no ugly gaps either at the ends or under the windows along the sides. So I decided to look for inspiration online, and googled upon jamesed_1971's own attempt at the Mk1, which had the same profile, and was shown in such a way as I could see the (very small) difference to how I did it that allowed him to get it to work. Having fixed that problem, the rest of it was basically a case of deciding what it was I actually wanted. Rather than go for a truly accurate version with the correct number of windows and doors, I decided to miss out sever windows, and the middle set of doors, to allow me the space to fit chairs and tables that actually correspond to the windows (as with the real thing). I had also hoped to include opening doors, and had come up with a way to do so, bit to fit the 4 doors needed and keep the overall proportions right I'd have either had make it *even longer* (not great when it's already the length of 2 standard train bases plus an extra 2 studs), or have less windows and even more plain coach side (also the doors wouldn't have look too great open because they were not flat inside). In the end I have settled for making sure the doors are distinct via not sharing any external bricks with rest of the coach sides. Anyway, wanted to post the near complete coaches so you guys could take a look and suggest any changes before I finalise it. The roof when it is done will have air vents on the top in a zig-zag pattern in the same way the originals did. Side view. Closer look at the end, showing my attempts to have actual black ends (not seen any other attempts that I could find in my admittedly quick look for inspiration), and the extra details I've managed to squeeze in (other end has the lamp bracket minus the actual lamp. A look at the interior and the construction of the sides. I was able to hide the brackets under the tables for this version of the Mk1, although I may have to make a different approach should I attempt a full brake coach or compartment coach. My only real disappointments with it as it stands are the fact it's 8 studs wide (the 2-6-0 is only 6 studs, if it looks too bad, I'll modify the loco to fit the carrage, as it is very much intended as a test bed for ideas for later designs) and my not being able to include steps under the doors. I have considered ditching the train bases so I could fit them without fouling the bogies, but I suspect that'd make for a less sturdy coach. Under coach detail consists of the battery cabinets, dynamo for charging the batteries and break reservoir (same both sides as with prototype, although there should be a couple of extra bits I couldn't fit).

How have you got the middle wheels to move, some kind of slider?

I like that smooth curves are a thing that *can* be done. That said, I've done the whole railway modelling thing, and would like to do so again at some point, but the great advantage for me with the Lego trains is that a lot of the limitations that apply to a good model railway don't have to apply to the Lego. It's less fragile, much easier to fix if you do break it, infinity variable and, for it's size, really doesn't have to take all that much space (I currently have a nice little layout set up on a spare dinner table that isn't *that* large which has more than enough play value). Still a clever way to improve the smooth curve method.

Yup, it's something of a mongrel rather than a mogul by this point! lol