1/32 First steps in 1/32 and the Tower models L&Y Pug

[Brian T]

Hi Guy`s,

After my false start into the world of 1/32 last year i`ve decided to take the plunge again,but this time do it properly and sell off all my US O/P48 scale stuff so i have no other disstractions....plus i`ve lost interest in it too

So i`ve already got three of the accucraft wooden wagons, (to be re-worked!) and two of Fred Phipps's BR opens coming at some point but no loco...!!

Anyhow as the title suggest's i`m seriously looking at buying the Tower Pug as i`m planning a small indoor layout based on a dockside, think of Gloucester dock`s.
So does anyone have any reason's why i should`nt buy one?;and if anyone has one how do you rate it as a model?.

I should also say that i've contacted Mark Wood to see about having the wheels replaced or turned to dead scale.

Any advise much appreciated.

Cheers,
Brian.

 

[Jordan]

sell off all my US O/P48 scale stuff

List it here to start with.

 

[Bindondepotman]

Go for it , do an indoor lay based on a dock. Theres so much out there in the military modelling world to add to the model. Look at the company called Miniart, they even make a 1918 British bus. there scale in 1/35 but to be honest you don’t notice the difference. The attached image is my conversion of an old 1/32 airfix kit into a van. The bags and wicker sacks are from a company called plusmodel. Good luck

 

[djparkins]

Couldn't agree more - Miniart do some really excellent stuff.

 

[Simon]

I think the Tower 1/32 pug is a lovely looking thing, and if you could put better non "toy train" wheels on it then it would be even lovelier.

I was going to buy one when it came out, but in the end decided that the expense and hassle of changing the wheelsets would make scratchbuilding one a better bet for me, which I needless to say have not done..

So I hope you do, as I'd love to see the results. Trackwise I'd recommend Cliff Barker for british bullhead track, use the gauge widened sleepers as they are hard plastic you can cut and glue and they match any paintwork you may build. The reason I say this is that the rail inclination on Cliff's fine scale plain track is unfortunately overdone. By using the gauge widened track you will find the rail head is in line with that of the rails in any pointwork you may build.

His lovely chairs for paintwork are correctly inclined and are beautiful bits of moulding in their own right, the patterns were done for Cliff by the late Len Newman.

This does not affect the running though, I know this from a lot of experience running over it in the garden!

I look forward to seeing developments!!

Simon

 

[David Halfpenny]

Hi Guys i`m planning a small indoor layout based on a dockside,

Brian, will you be Exhibiting your layout please - I'm Hopeful David

 

[David Halfpenny]

the expense and hassle of changing the wheelsets would make scratchbuilding one a better bet for me,

At the next G1MRA show,
[ 75th Anniversary party at Bicester 1&2 October - g1mra75.co.uk - Be There or Be Square! ]
1:32 Finescale stand will be there with new material, but space constraints mean I'm resting the Wheels and Track this time.

But they are not forgotten.
At previous g1MRA shows, I've displayed a simple Re-Profiling lathe for shaving commercial wheels down to size, without needing to set up a whole machine-shop and learn how to use it.
I've been very pleased with the results, but some modellers were put off by the cost.

I'm exploring an even more compact and simple lathe that - if successful - might halve the set-up cost.

It's not about saving a trivial amount of money - it's about getting more toes into the water ​

 

[Brian T]

Brian, will you be Exhibiting your layout please - I'm Hopeful David

Hi David,

Unfortunatley this will be strictly a home layout,main reason being it`s going to be a slow process building it,but more over i work most Saturday`s during the year so this limit`s my ability to get to most exhibitions let alone show a layout at one!.
But never say never,as i`ll see how this goes then i may be able to concoct something at a later date......

I think the Tower 1/32 pug is a lovely looking thing, and if you could put better non "toy train" wheels on it then it would be even lovelier.

I was going to buy one when it came out, but in the end decided that the expense and hassle of changing the wheelsets would make scratchbuilding one a better bet for me, which I needless to say have not done..

So I hope you do, as I'd love to see the results. Trackwise I'd recommend Cliff Barker for british bullhead track, use the gauge widened sleepers as they are hard plastic you can cut and glue and they match any paintwork you may build. The reason I say this is that the rail inclination on Cliff's fine scale plain track is unfortunately overdone. By using the gauge widened track you will find the rail head is in line with that of the rails in any pointwork you may build.

His lovely chairs for paintwork are correctly inclined and are beautiful bits of moulding in their own right, the patterns were done for Cliff by the late Len Newman.

This does not affect the running though, I know this from a lot of experience running over it in the garden!

I look forward to seeing developments!!

Simon

Thanks for the info Simon ,

Very useful as regards to the track work,though i have one question to do with the gauge widened track;but first back to the 'Pug'

As i don't have access to a lathe i`m not able to turn my own wheels down to the correct profile.So i contacted Mark Wood about the 'Pug' ,and he is able to turn them down to 'dead scale' for me which is a big bonus.And from what i can see it`s one of the major stumbling block`s for newbies like myself coming into 1/32 scale proper.... (and much writen about!)

Now to the track,you say use the gauge widened track with Cliff`s point work as it`'ll match better. but will 'dead scale' wheel sets run properly on this,that`s to say will i encounter wheel drop in the frog`s simillar to that of the ye old Peco point work?.or even worse excess side play whilst running..though i won`t be breaking any speed record's with what i have in mind!.So will i need to hand lay my track work to eliminate any potential problems?.



Hi Bindondepotma,

Thaks for the heads up on the Plusmodel and Miniart models,as they will come in useful,will need lots of bit`s and bob's for the layout.
As for vehicles i'v got my eye on some 1/32 resin slot car kits/models from as they do some nice 1960's motors. Pendle Slot Racing

Cheers,
Brian.

 

[Simon]

Hi Brian

No problem at all with "dead scale" wheels, but you need to build or have built, your pointwork to appropriate standards:

ScaleOne32 track and wheel standards

It is great that Mark is able to turn your wheels, his work and his wheels are of the highest quality and he is a really nice person to deal with at every level.

His website also talks about track and wheel standards.

Cliff Barker can and will build you pointwork to any standard you ask him for if you don't wish to build your own, but I would really urge you to build your own. My workshop thread on here from circa 2012 shows my trials and tribulations in building points and I am just making another now.

What you will not be able to do is run over the G1 "standard" standard track.

But then you are probably unlikely to want or need to do that.

Don't get drawn in to "promoting" anything or going to exhibitions unless you really want to, build it for yourself and you will be very happy with it, it is a lovely scale in which to model railways and is really very rare in the UK.

Luke's layout (Bindondepotman) is a rare example and is utterly fabulous, but he uses the "standard" track and wheels, which look and perform as they do. I mean no criticism in saying this, it is a faff using "scale" standards as effectively you are then "on your own" as regards suppliers etc, with the exceptions noted above.

Slaters are also a great supplier, with lots of useable products, including G1F wheels, albeit with narrowed back to backs to accommodate the flawed (too narrow) Peco track.

Historically speaking G1MRA need stringing up for the way in which they have screwed up G1 in this country for the last 75 years or so. But let's not go there....

Simon

 

[soo4513]

Hi Simon

“What you will not be able to do is run over the G1 "standard" standard track”

Like Brian, I’m coming back to G1 too but I’ve a fair bit of tenmile flexi track, does that mean that a loco with the G1F wheels won’t run on it?

Thanks

Colin

 

[Simon]

They will run on plain line with no problems, it is just the paintwork that will be the problem.

Simon

 

[Brian T]

I have no problems making my own point work and it`s something i`ve done for years now.

I`m just getting my head around the scale at the moment especially the trackwork and one thing that i`d not accounted for was the lack of gauges.

This i only realised once i started to read through your workshop thread;which btw will be very useful to me in the coming months.
As for the gauges i do have a large pillar drill and a milling bed so i may be able to knock some up out of some aluminium bar,if not then the nut and washer approach will do!.

Re 'promoting', i`ve always wanted to exhibit something of my own,but as i`d explained earlier available time and oppertunity is not on my side..but may be one day.
But first and foremost i model for myself.

Cheers,
Simon.

Brian.

PS my Pug should be here Tuesday pictures to follow.

 

[Brian T]

Okay as promised the Pug turned up today..and it`s a beaut!.

I had hummed and arrhed over buying it, but now i have i`m really glad i did as it`ll really work well on an indoor shunting layout.


The only gripe i have are the small screw heads that show on the chassis,but then knowing this from previous San Cheng models i`ve owned it`s not supprise.
All in all it`s a cracking 'little' model,and once i`ve had the wheels turned down to ScaleOne32 standards, (by Mark wood) i can see me enjoying many hours playing with it !!.

Cheers,
Brian.

 

[michael mott]

I am also building a pug and used an aristocraft power block as the donor drive.

Your loco looks great, any chance of some photos of the backhead of your loco?

Michael

 

[Brian T]

I am also building a pug and used an aristocraft power block as the donor drive.

Your loco looks great, any chance of some photos of the backhead of your loco?

Michael

Hi Michael

I plan to take the loco apart this weekend so i`ll get asome pictures together for you.

Any chance of seeing your loco build,especially as your scratch building one and i`ve taken the easy route..

Brian.

 

[ceejaydee]

I had a G1 Pug and it was a lovely looking and running model.
Sold it to a member of WT a few years back when I couldn't ever see myself having enough room for much more than my oval of LGB track in the garden.
The track was lifted 4 or 5 years ago to make way for a 12' x 8' workshop.
Hope that you enjoy running your Pug

 

[Brian T]

Hi Christopher,

Shame you had`nt got enough space for your plans,myself i`m strictly an indoor modeller and the space i have is only slightly longer than your shed.
But with the plan i have it should keep me more than happy!

Brian.

 

[David Halfpenny]

Slaters are also a great supplier, with lots of useable products, including G1F wheels, albeit with narrowed back to backs

At Bakewell, TMS were selling loose G1F coach wheelsets spaced at 42mm back-to-back.

They had OEM boxes of them, albeit at £18 per pair of axles.​

​

G1F wheels are much easier to re-turn to ScaleOne32 or Dead Scale than G1S wheels are!

​

 

[Scale7JB]

Pug looks to be a lovely little beastie!

Any news on selling the P48?

JB.

 

[Brian T]

Any news on selling the P48?

JB.

soon guys.....promise!