Getting Started on a Budget

[Synthetic Walking Boots]

Hello

Could someone who is up to date with OO gauge trains possibly please advise me on a couple of areas?

My last railway modelling was done about thirty five years ago and I would like to have another little go but on a budget. Having looked at some adverts I had been thinking perhaps £50 for a secondhand loco and about £25 for a controller and a little track would be enough but I've just discovered that the controller doesn't include a transformer which costs £20 (!) and then you need a special piece of track as well. What is the most cost effective method of powering a layout? I can afford the items but I still have to justify what I spend on myself and would like to keep the expense down.

My other question is about reasonably realistic movement. It seems some locos are how I remembered; nothing, then some humming but still no movement and then... 150 tons of steel and water takes off like a F1 car. Similarly it slows down from well over 100 to about 60 mph and then stops almost instantly. However I can see from the web some locos can pull away a bit more gradually, is there a general rule as to which are capable of this?

I would be grateful for any advice!

Many thanks in advance.

Kind regards,

Nick

[BrumDave]

I just got back into OO gauge modelling after being involved with American railroad modelling for a few years, I nearly freaked out when I saw how expensive OO gauge had become, being an old geezer with a limited budget I decided the cheapest way to get back into OO was to pay a visit to the local toy shop that had Hornby Sets on special and finished up buying four of them over a two month period, only having a 10ft x 5ft layout and being a lover of little locos and short trains I got two Caledonian Belle sets and two GWR Pass/Freight Sets, I didn't need the track or controllers because I already had an all Peco track layed plus a couple of decent controllers, it still worked out cheaper than buying items seperate and everything is brand new, I have since bought more Railroad Locos and Rolling stock and everything runs as sweet as a nut, all but the GWR locos have since had a coat of black spray paint and LMS lettering and I am as happy as a pig in mud, in answer to your second item I think the gearing has been changed on these little locos as they don't run like James Bonds Aston Martin anymore, I can do realistic stops and starts.

[Buz]

 Hi Nick

Start with a theme that is cheap to build, it is easier to say err no I don't need that when it doesn't fit the theme.

I would sugest perhaps a rose coloured look at the English Light Railway

Just for a start you need less of everything and you certainly won't need anything bigger than an 0-6-0 tender engine the budget might even stretch to an ocasional new locomotive as a treat with a bit of a push and the right shop at the right time.

When looking at second hand stock make sure you don't go past late triang with pin point axles if the wheels are worn they are easy to replace.

Make as much as you can your self you can save a lot just doing that and have more satisfying hobby time as well.

Track feed can easily be done by soldering wires to rail jioners and running that back to the controller

neater and easier to hide.

Modern locomotives are mostly very controlable even at low 25mph light railway type speads the Hornby railroad 0-4-0 are very much an F1 so avoid those.

Also with the advent of DCC you really do need to choose your control system now are you going to go with analogue DC or the more modern DCC this will have a strong influence on what you buy both new and second hand.

So do thoroughly research this and make your choices before starting building or buying anything.

http://mrlforum.co.uk/forums/index.php?/topic/2305-the-mslr-in-oo-scale/#comment-135491

While this one is an analogue railway a choice I made I did find ways to cut costs bear in mind I do have a lot of trains going back to my child hood, worth a look even if the only decision you make is err not for me another theme is more me

But it does proove you don't have to have a big super expencive main line for a workable nice interesting model railway.

And also remember these things have the nasty habbit of expanding to fill the avalable space even when small and suposedly never to be extended so include that in your plan.

With a tight budget you will need a less is more plan with plenty of scenery space

regards John

 

[Synthetic Walking Boots]

 Hi Dave, John,

Thank you for your helpful replies. You have given me plenty me to think about.

John,

What a nice layout. Your attention to detail is impressive.

Thanks both

regards Nick

[mjb1961]

You mention trains racing off like an F1 racing car ,in DC ,they still do ,I think ,you should go digital if you want more realistic control ,maybe you should consider buying a good but second hand DCC set ,just as a starting point ,you'll get one for sure off eBay ,most train sets have enough track in the box to have a 6ft X 4ft layout and you can add to it as and when ,,,,

[Alessio]

Two things: 1. Pick a Starter set. 2. (And maybe I shouldn't say this on here!) Ebay ebay ebay!

Honestly, I bought a starter set brand new for around £60 when I was a kid, and aside from a splurge shortyly afterwards and the odd dabble since, most of my stuff has come second hand from ebay. Just be really careful and most importantly - patient.

 

Choose a starter set that is vaguely in line with what you want to model, but accept that the rolling stock isn't the most important thing - it's the best way for you to get started with a basic oval and power and controller. All the 0-4-0 tank engines in starter sets are F1 racers really!

 

Then decide what kind of loco you want, and start searching on ebay. What you need to realise is that certain locos carry a premium on there for some reason. For example, J94s rarely go for less than £40 but a J83 can go for as little as £22. I've been looking at BR-liveried J52s recently. They're quite reasonable, as are GWR Pannier tanks.

 

On the subject of bigger engines, LMS Patriots can be quite reasonable but 8Fs are often more expensive for some reason. Do your research over a few days before you start bidding.

 

For passenger/freight stock, remember to look at different manufacturers. If you're an LMS man then Mainline coaches are usually a little cheaper. Dapol do lovely wagons in OO as well.

 

You can move onto buying brand new from Hornby once you're established, but ebay has been my saviour for wagons, track, locos - the lot.

 

Hope that helps a bit.

[Synthetic Walking Boots]

 Thank you for all the useful additional information.

That will I am sure help me a lot.

[Synthetic Walking Boots]

 Hello,

Has anybody noticed anything about the way OO gauge BR locomotives are painted? I am looking at BR Steam in Colour 1948-1968 and I cannot find a locomotive that has the broad orange hoops painted around the boiler that seem, from photos on the web, to appear on Hornby and other manufacturers' models. The real thing seems to have had two narrow parrallel pieces of decoration that is much less obvious.

Am I mistaken?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

Nick