The old question to continue with s7 or….

[Michael D]

Morning all,
I have a question as a modeller whose 7mm itch just won’t go away and having dabbled with s7 at least as far as track made for an unfinished small layout and some stock converted, built and 3 rtr locos converted by the wonderful Col in the past, I’m at a bit of a crossroads to continue with s7 and finish what was started or go back to O gauge and start a fresh. Prices now are not a lot different for the rtr market compared to 2mm ! The question is with Cols retirement from undertaking conversions is there any other way of going about it without the machinery at home to do it? Does anyone else offer a service to turn wheels??? What is it with 7mm that is addictive?? Let’s hear some thoughts??????
All best
Michael

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Michael,
Have a look at the S7 Group website, the Group are organising wheel turning services. https://www.scaleseven.org.uk/index.php?id=744
I see no reason why you would pull away from S7 if you don't want to.

Col.

 

[Hayfield1]

Michael

Certainly with Templot COT (chairs on timbers) track S7 track is easy to build and not very expensive, just find someone with a FDM printer. I am a member of the Scale 7 group but model to 32mm gauge, it just depends on where your interests lie, my affliction is with heavy whitemetal locos.

However its never been a better time to model either S7 of GOGA fine (32mm)

John

 

[Jordan or Plymouth Mad]

What is it with 7mm that is addictive??

It's so much more like being next to the real railway than the smaller scales. But not so outlandishly big that the garden is the only option. Just my 2p.....

 

[Eastsidepilot]

Many Moons ago I originally started working with P4 when taking up serious model railways, one weekend I went to an exhibition in Chatham, Kent. I hadn't really taken much notice of 'O' gauge as such but watching a small layout of a goods yard being operated convinced me that this was the way I would continue, it was the sense of mass in the stock, a more realistic action of how wagons were propelled etc. that did it for me.
So delving into it more I went to Guildex at Telford and of coarse already working in P4/S4 I discovered S7 same standards different scale, it was probably Paul Stokes who signed me up ......never looked back.

Col.

 

[NewportRod]

For me the choice of standard is very much a subjective matter and to a large degree the scale is irrelevant. If in your eyes N / TT / OO / O gauge track looks like the track your chosen prototype and the stock runs like the prototype, then stick with the mainstream option and save yourself some hassle and expense.

For me though the mainstream track standards just don't cut the mustard and stock built to mainstream standards looks as if it's fighting against the track rather than running with it. But that's just my perception.

For me when I heard of Colin's retirement it was matter of of considering how will I get my wheels turned to ScaleSeven standards, rather whether it was worth it. Thankfully, as Colin himself pointed out in Post 2, thanks to the efforts of the ScaleSeven Group other avenues are opening up.

I know, of course, it's not a binary option, there are 'middle ways' like EMF, 0-MF, etc., but it's all a matter of the individual's view and priorities.

Rod

 

[adrian]

For me the choice of standard is very much a subjective matter and to a large degree the scale is irrelevant. If in your eyes N / TT / OO / O gauge track looks like the track your chosen prototype and the stock runs like the prototype, then stick with the mainstream option and save yourself some hassle and expense.

For myself it was nothing to do with track appearance but loco building - from my point of view I simply could not build a loco that looked correct when the wheels are in the wrong place and the chassis is far too narrow. Hence my switch to Scale7.

I started building an Ivatt Class 2 to 7mm finescale standards but I wasn't happy with the results. As indicated below by the pencil marks the footplate is far too wide and it upsets the proportions. Yes the chassis is "only" 1 or 2 mm narrower than prototype but when the footplate is only 5 or 6mm wide then it makes it 20% wider than it should be - indicated below the pencil marks are what I could cut out of the footplate if I built this to Scale7. This is the other glaring problem built to scale the firebox is now sitting on top of the footplate when it should drop down behind the footplate. Hopefully one day I'll get the enthusiasm to pick this up again and convert it to Scale7.

 

[Dan Randall]

That Ivatt Class 2 is pretty impressive Adrian! I really hope you go ahead with its conversion to S7 and document your progress on WT.


Regards

Dan

 

[Michael D]

Interesting reading thank you…
I do agree there is something very pleasing looking down and across some s7 point work and very good news from the association thinking ahead about wheel turning help etc… the future looks good to me
Best wishes
Michael

 

[Jordan or Plymouth Mad]

there is something very pleasing looking down and across some s7 point work

And yet.... and yet.... the wings of the frogs & the check rails should not be shiny....

Sprinting for exit....

 

[76043]

But if they weren't shiny you wouldn't be able to see how narrow the gap is.

Also Sprinting for exit....

 

[Michael D]

And yet.... and yet.... the wings of the frogs & the check rails should not be shiny....

Sprinting for exit.... View attachment 237692

and I guess perhaps there’s a reason I don’t tend to post much these days ?

 

[SimonT]

Certainly with Templot COT (chairs on timbers) track S7 track is easy to build and not very expensive

Can't work out how I've built eight S7 layouts without this stuff.

the wings of the frogs & the check rails should not be shiny

Yours are only grotty because the hollows in your track prevent cleaning.

 

[Jordan or Plymouth Mad]

Yours are only grotty because the hollows in your track prevent cleaning.

I know this was aimed at me - and it made me laugh out loud!!
You see, that's the way to deal with a gentle leg-pull - recognise it as such, and respond in kind.
And to know what Simon was referencing about my track, cue a gratuitous photo of some of it...

 

[SimonT]

I have to confess that I am building a play pen for the two Bachman Quarry Hunslets and I am considering some test pieces to see what level of hump ands bump results in the little beasts rocking and rolling realistically. An no, I am not converting them to 14mm.

 

[Dog Star]

I am building a play pen for the two Bachman Quarry Hunslets and I am considering some test pieces to see what level of hump ands bump results in the little beasts rocking and rolling realistically.

Are you going to write about active suspension for the locos to cope with the ups and downs....

 

[SimonT]

Are you going to write about active suspension for the locos to cope with the ups and downs....

Well, really......

 

[Dog Star]

Well, really......

So is that a yes?

 

[SimonT]

Maybe, maybe not.......