Not standard gauge then?

Stephen Rainsbury · February 15, 2021, 11:05

Quote from: GraemeD on February 15, 2021, 11:01
Also I guess that what are referred to as staithes on layout plans should perhaps really be called bunkers (which I can see would cause confusion) or bins as they are nearly always modelled as ground level items not raised loading platforms.

That would make sense.
Can you imagine making a model of one of those staithes though, even if you 3D printed it in sections I wouldn't mind betting that each one would have to be slightly different to the others.

Stephen Rainsbury · February 15, 2021, 11:21

Quote from: Hobby on February 13, 2021, 09:19
If you want to run a high intensity NG lines, Stephen, then forget the UK, we simply don't do that sort of line over here and never have.

When we talk about high intensity, I am thinking heritage line, first Saturday in the month between May and October, when grandparents bring the ankle biters down to see Thomas the Choo-choo. Every bit of stock that is working would be wheeled out including all the lovingly restored good vehicles, scrubbed and shining in the sun.
I am not sure how I feel about actually operating a layout, I suspect that for me this is more about problem solving and engineering but I like to keep the options open.
I spent 40 years making and restoring synthesizers, but once they were working I lost interest. Since getting back into Railways I have only had one out for an hour and that is now back under its dust cover, very unloved. I am hoping when we move to get a room large enough for Music kit and Railways, but Mrs R has other ideas.

Hobby · February 15, 2021, 12:18

I suspect if you had a root around you'd find someone who produces those signs for modern image SG railways in 00.

BTW some use telephones to do the same job, either (in the old days) above ground cabling, or (modern) below/on ground cabling.

Stephen Rainsbury · February 23, 2021, 00:45

Quote from: Stephen Rainsbury on February 15, 2021, 11:02
That would be an option, and reminded me that I really do need to get a colour printer to make signs like that.

This was what you call tempting fate because the following day my twenty year old monochrome laser printer printed its last sheet as the motor only "blipped" for half a second then switched off.
I have replaced it with an Epsom refillable Inkjet printer so may well be able to actually print some of those signs after all.

B.Meldon · February 23, 2021, 10:31

Quote from: Stephen Rainsbury on February 23, 2021, 00:45
Quote from: Stephen Rainsbury on February 15, 2021, 11:02
That would be an option, and reminded me that I really do need to get a colour printer to make signs like that.
This was what you call tempting fate because the following day my twenty year old monochrome laser printer printed its last sheet as the motor only "blipped" for half a second then switched off.
I have replaced it with an Epsom refillable Inkjet printer so may well be able to actually print some of those signs after all.

I have found that the inkjet printers are not as good as the laser printers for printing signs etc for models.
I found that even on the highest setting the ink tends to spread on the paper giving slightly blurred edges where with a laser it remains sharp.
Perhaps different paper is the answer, but even on expensive photo paper the results I found were not much better.

I also found that for occasional use inkjets were not good at all! The inks tended to dry out jamming the print heads and when working the yield from the inks was very low. Some even have inks with expiree dates that need changing even when almost full, just because they are past their use by date!

Hobby · February 23, 2021, 10:43

My last inkjet printed lasted over 5 years on occasional use, Brian! Whilst it's not ideal they do work and for the price of one laser printer you can get half a dozen cheap inkjets that'll do just as well when using fine settings...

However I can't see why you'd want to go to all the trouble of finding a suitable photo of the sign (no easy job!), resizing it to 4mm scale, and then printing it out... When there's lots of manufacturers out there that do them properly and cheaply. The modern style of signs Stephen's talking about are common to both NG and SG so are available off the shelf with a bit of googling.

B.Meldon · February 23, 2021, 12:02

Quote from: Hobby on February 23, 2021, 10:43
My last inkjet printed lasted over 5 years on occasional use, Brian! Whilst it's not ideal they do work and for the price of one laser printer you can get half a dozen cheap inkjets that'll do just as well when using fine settings...

However I can't see why you'd want to go to all the trouble of finding a suitable photo of the sign (no easy job!), resizing it to 4mm scale, and then printing it out... When there's lots of manufacturers out there that do them properly and cheaply. The modern style of signs Stephen's talking about are common to both NG and SG so are available off the shelf with a bit of googling.

Yes I agree it is far better to purchase the signs you need rather than printing them.

Stephen Rainsbury · February 23, 2021, 13:36

Quote from: B.Meldon on February 23, 2021, 10:31
I also found that for occasional use inkjets were not good at all! The inks tended to dry out jamming the print heads and when working the yield from the inks was very low. Some even have inks with expiree dates that need changing even when almost full, just because they are past their use by date!

The new generation use ink reservoirs not cartridges. They come with a supply of ink that is claimed to be 90 times more than that in previous cartridges, but the "get you started" cartridges that they used to supply were only enough for a few hundred pages so that isn't saying much.
A third party refill pack is under £20 which is supposed to do 4000 pages, however the Epson own brand is best part of £100 and they don't quote a number of pages. Black ink by itself is under £10 which should do me at east a year where as I was paying around £20 a year before for toner.
I bought it on the recommendation of a photography mad friend who uses one now as his main printer. At high resolution it is almost twice previous generation inkjets (5000x1400 dpi) and higher than laser printers at the same end of the scale.
The constitution of the ink is also improved and the posters he did for me last year were amazing, although he did use gloss paper.
It might not be the best printer but Which and "What Camera" both put it in their top 10 for my price range.

Stephen Rainsbury · February 23, 2021, 13:57

Quote from: Hobby on February 23, 2021, 10:43
However I can't see why you'd want to go to all the trouble of finding a suitable photo of the sign (no easy job!), resizing it to 4mm scale, and then printing it out... When there's lots of manufacturers out there that do them properly and cheaply. The modern style of signs Stephen's talking about are common to both NG and SG so are available off the shelf with a bit of googling.

Hi Blair,
You are right about posters and I already have several packs which I will be using, however there are plenty of other things I want to try, not least of which is trying printed buildings. I don't know why I have never really been drawn to them, but the results speak for themselves, so long as you avoid bald corners some people seem to get some remarkable results.

I was very taken by an article in one of the mags last year where somebody "re-dressed" his model inspired by Bath station to represent various eras, and I want to try that. Apart from changing vehicles, figures and platform clutter, one of the key changes was signage, including running in boards.

So I quiet like the idea of of trying that for example 1920s-30s Busy but not well funded, 40s-50s run down and still ahauling goods, 60's-70's virtually derelict, 80's restoration, 90's+ heritage visitor attraction. Changes would be running in boards on posts (using D-type connectors pins and sockets) , posters (not sure how to fix them yet, probably magnets somehow, bill boards outside the station, and fold out newspaper displays etc.

I do how ever accept that for some heritage lines there idea of restored is about as accurate as Morris Dancers in a shopping precinct. If it doesn't work then fine, I will have enjoyed the journey ;D

Other ideas I have seen and want to try include printing tarpaulins, spraying them with water and then folding them over wagons, and printing ISO containers which would double as storage units on my "Through the ages" layout as storage in the middle years.

I have just seen a web page where somebody has supplied images of several dozen seat coverings and curtains, mainly SR, so you can get exactly the right tone in your rolling stock. I might just try that once.

Peter Boulter · February 23, 2021, 15:18

Quote from: Stephen Rainsbury on February 23, 2021, 13:57
... however there are plenty of other things I want to try, not least of which is trying printed buildings. I don't know why I have never really been drawn to them, but the results speak for themselves, so long as you avoid bald corners some people seem to get some remarkable results.

I've used home made printed buildings on my layout (which appeared in February's News). I made them mainly because I couldn't find anything commercially available of the size and style of building I wanted. The other reason being that, like a real railway, there was a serious budget overrun on the project and it was a case of try creating my own buildings or not have any.
The buildings look fairly good at normal viewing distance, but the camera is a very harsh critic and shows up all the flaws! (and bald corners!)

Stephen Rainsbury · February 23, 2021, 17:51

Quote from: Peter Boulter on February 23, 2021, 15:18
The buildings look fairly good at normal viewing distance, but the camera is a very harsh critic and shows up all the flaws! (and bald corners!)

I think they look fine, did you download them or buy the ready printed?
I found loads last year that were free to download, not necessarily the best quality but I am looking forward to trying them.

Peter Boulter · February 23, 2021, 21:38

Quote from: Stephen Rainsbury on February 23, 2021, 17:51
Quote from: Peter Boulter on February 23, 2021, 15:18
The buildings look fairly good at normal viewing distance, but the camera is a very harsh critic and shows up all the flaws! (and bald corners!)
I think they look fine, did you download them or buy the ready printed?
I found loads last year that were free to download, not necessarily the best quality but I am looking forward to trying them.

Thank you for your kind words about my buildings. I created them myself in Photoshop Elements using various textures, doors, windows etc from Google images often with the colours amended to suit my requirements. Then they were printed out onto 200gsm white card on my colour inkjet printer. The 200gsm card was then mounted on whatever thick card I could find.

Stephen Rainsbury · February 24, 2021, 09:35

I hadn't thought of that approach, it would certainly help with my freelance "somewhere in Kent line" as I haven't seen models in the style (flint clad) that I was after :-)

MickT · February 24, 2021, 13:27

Stephen, I don't think you have, so apologies if I missed it, but I haven't spotted which Epson printer you are singing the praises of? I've been an Epson user for many years but mainly at the low end of the range.

My current one is nearing end of useful life (XP422 and uses TQ18 "Daisy" cartridges). It has served me very well over the past 5 or 6 years for home rather than industrial/business use, including printing photos - the output quality being fine as long as you use proper photo quality paper, if you use bog standard 80 or 90 gsm document paper then you get what you'd expect and colour density particularly in the red spectrum is very poor compared to a colour laser, but very comparable on proper gloss or matte photo paper.

During the life of this printer, I have also come to the conclusion through user experience that using the proper Epson cartridges (at twice the price of clones) is actually a better option as you don't get anything like the amount of times you have to clean the heads and therefore waste ink and a better quality print. Forking out for the high capacity ones (TQ18XL in my case) is also much more economical as for approaching twice the price of the standard cartridge you get well over 3 times the life, particularly for the black one.

Mick

Stephen Rainsbury · February 24, 2021, 13:33

Quote from: MickT on February 24, 2021, 13:27
Stephen, I don't think you have, so apologies if I missed it, but I haven't spotted which Epson printer you are singing the praises of? I've been an Epson user for many years but mainly at the low end of the range.

Its this one Mick, currently £180 at Rymans

https://www.ryman.co.uk/epson-ecotank-et-2710-inkjet-printer-1