talltim

This was the only Train set I had and I think it was one of the good ones. Although seemingly simple because its a push-along, it has a realy nice balance between looks and playability and I feel the designers did a good job. There aren't many comparitive sets in the Lego range, 7710 as mentioned, which while similar has a less polished loco design and 10173 Holiday train which has more parts making a lot more'stuff', but to my mind loses out because the parts are too stretched out over that more 'stuff'. Mind you 10173 was very competitivly priced compared to 7715 when you take into account inflation over the years.

R4C was bought by Veolia in 2008, pity, I liked their liveries

I love the photo with the guy behind the sofa! My dad and I used to run my 'red railway' using bell codes, although they were verbal rather than using reall bells or buzzers. It added a great deal of enjoyment to an operating session.

I think the solution is to slow down for corners! The real railway has speed restrictions on curves

Not sure I wold agree with that. The most prolific builders of British steam locos are probably Andrew Harvey who has built 5 and of course Carl Greatrix. Jason Railton has also built a few (there's more than in his gallery but he is rubbish at getting his MOCs photographed!) There's also loads of others from builder who are less prolific, but no less talented. Tim

I have to say that I'm not the designer of the trucks, despite Swoofty often crediting me for them and despite me denying it several times!. I think I did modify the original design that I saw on Brickshelf to that which Swoofty uses but the original concept of the way they work is not mine. Having got that out of the way, thats a very nice build Tim

It's cement powder

This guy is building an outdoor layout http://outsidebricks.blogspot.com/

interesting to see the similarities and differences between yours and my previous 6 wide 9V version. Obviously I had more scope for internal SNOT than you as I didn't have to fit any PF stuff inside. Having seen yours I think I really need to work on getting some lights in

That looks amazing. I like the fact you have gone for an early all black one too. My only nit is that it would be perfect if it had the outside frames, I'm sure it should be possible in eight wide.

Mine's 8 wide using 2 Med PF motors, its heavyish but I am a bit worried about traction. I've geared it down for slow speed and more oomph. No lights tho, no space for them, or to be more specific no space for the wires. I'm struggling to fit all the wires in as it is. (modded PF extension, IR lead and two motor leads all to fit in 5 wide hood that has two motors in it!) Thats a useful link, I tend not to use Mocpages so I'd not seen it before, his models look interesting too. Tim

Has a vaguely Japanese feel to it with the low low hoods and the shape of the cab. Nice

Are you sure that works? If you run a PF motor off a 9V battery box without an IR reciever it works, but if you add in an IR reciever I'm pretty certain you need to reverse the two pairs of wires. I'm also building a PF Alco (S1) using a 9v battery box so I'll be interested to see yours, I've not modded the IR parts except to rewire an extension cable. The 9V battery will not last as long as the PF batteries, but for my purposes of slow speed switching it seems OK Tim

The big one is The Great Western LEGO Show at Steam in Swindon on 2 and 3 October

I'm really enjoying your narrow gauge builds, you've got a good eye for proportion and detail and they look really fun too. I also appreciate that you put some prototype description in to as it's a pretty obscure loco. I especially like the taps for roof supports and the new (to me) parts you've used for the doors, the sticky out hinges add a nice bit of detail.

A double Fairlie has been on my long term to-do list for a while

I've been a lurking member here for years, but never introduced myself I'm from the UK and have been into Lego since I was about 5. Although I've been into trains as long as I can remember I only ever had one set in my childhood, 7715, as the 12V stuff was just too expensive. Since then I did buy Santa Fe and a BNSF. However building MOCs has always been my thing rather than collecting. As an adult I got back into building Lego trains when I saw some of Huw Millington's models back in 1999 I started building some British trains, but then decided to do something completely different and make large scale narrow gauge trains instead. I started in MLCad and eventually built some, starting with a Simplex and a flat car I then got a bit more ambitious and built a narrow guage Baldwin using the new BBB wheels I have a strong interest in Swiss railways and as a tester before some larger metre gauge trains I built a small tram and trailer Since then my building has got a lot slower and I haven't really finished anything for ages. I've recently got into US trains and am currently rebuilding in eight wide with PF.

I really like this, nice and cute with just the right proportions. I particularly like the couplings. I think making it narrow gauge should be pretty easy although the wagon may need a re-build. You can either use the old 4.5/12v track or the new Indy track which is also 4 wide although both had disadvantages (you can't do curves very easily with 12V track and the Indy track only comes as curves or 'hills') I built a Simplex a good few years ago, but I went for the other approach and used standard track with a larger (technic fig) scale. Tim

I have taken the opposite approach and use standard 9V track but build to a larger scale to make narrow gauge trains Mine are a bit old now and could do with a rework to use newer elements. There other peoplewho have done similar http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/17434 http://www.mocpages.com/moc.php/11211 Tim

Cools, thanks 8634: Turbocar Chase presumably - Ah yes, found it http://www.flickr.com/photos/no_onions/227...57603938598036/

Spotted on Flickr Pics by Country Photo UK (Mark Palmer) at the Legoland Windsor Club day Lots of silver! Tim