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  • SouthernRegionSteam

    Coastguard Creek - 15 months of planning!

    By SouthernRegionSteam

    Hold on to your socks - this is going to be a lengthy one! (In fact it's so long, I've now split it into 2 separate posts - the next will be up soon...)   I think it's fair to say that you are all long overdue an update on Coastguard Creek. Due to other commitments, no real progress has been made since the last post way back in March 2021; almost 15 months ago! If anything, things went backwards for quite a while, as I kept finding more and more inspiring locations that I really wanted
    • 8 comments
    • 2,787 views
Bw Leipzig Hbf West

The Devil's in the details

Morning all!   Having just learned that at least one class 423 suburban EMU from Munich has been temporarily hired to Frankfurt I was just thinking how I would be looking forward to riding on that one. And here's why:   from the cab of a 1st batch 423 with original GTO inverters whose squeal is quite unique .  However, the 423s sound quite differently from the 2nd batch onwards:   Am I weird?
NGT6 1315

NGT6 1315

0
Calshot 4mm - SRS's Blog

Calshot - Structure Modelling - The Castle (Part One)

Things have been hectic over the last couple of days as you may have read in ERs, but I'm trying to keep it all together. I find modelling is a great relief from all the stresses of life and today was no exception.   As it is such a major part of the layout I wanted to start construction of the castle now (especially as the layouts debut exhibition is on 4th September!) . Luckily, Saturday I planned ahead and bought some brick sheets and now after about 8hrs of work I have created the gatehous
SouthernRegionSteam

SouthernRegionSteam

4
Stubby47's Micro Layouts

Drinnick Stores - Main Warehouse

A bit of thinking, musing and pondering, followed by a bit of card cutting and paper sticking, has resulted in the main warehouse building being created.   The theory is that the original building was completely re-vamped inside, creating a new upper floor height and window/entrance. Consequently, the outside of the building was also re-arranged - the large windows were bricked up and smaller ones inserted in the brickwork (still to be done). The main entrance was widened and a roller shutter
Stubby47

Stubby47

2
2mm Random Ramblings

2FS Easitrac - Part 2

Another week, another panic as I realise how little progress I've made in the last week!   In the last few days I've managed to do a bit more work on the turnouts. These, as with the plain track, use Easitrac components. I'd previously stuck the turnout timbering down, so first job was to cut some rail (nickel silver code 40 bullhead) and start threading chairs.   (Photo courtesy Mick Simpson)   The chairs are tiny, but can be threaded onto the rail fairly easily if the rail end is sli
2mm Andy

2mm Andy

4
Narrowman's Blog

Wetlands Light Railway

Apart from working on ideas for Caia Road Goods, I have been active on my 09 layout. One of the boards (the one into the fiddle yard) has been adapted from the fiddle yard (engine shed end) of my 00 gauge Berwyn Preserved Railway layout, as exhibited at GWR175 at Winchcombe. The 00 tracks have been removed and the fiddle yard disguised by reworking the original backscene. I have also taken reference photographs of the estuary from Porthmadog Cob and the mountains in the distance for a painted ba
narrowman

narrowman

0
harkins77's Blog

lines on a shelf from a wardrobe update - dividing wall finished being built

Well after a week or so of no activity or updates there seems to be two in short succession.   From the previous update you saw that I started the Scalescenes arches wall to divide the upper level from the lower level. Needless to say I think I'm done and all I need to do now is fix it to the board.   I decided not to put the top parapet in place as I'm happy with the height that it has come out at.   I've taken a pic of the finished walling in place but not fixed in place so if it seems a
harkins77

harkins77

0
Dad-1's Blog

A little work and then some play !

Although it's only 39" (1 metre) long and just one piece of track I want to develop an authentic feel - but all artistic (I hope) from my imagination. I've added vegetation to both sides of the stream, I'm still not happy with the reeds and will have to add more when all this is securely set. From the scenic side - well there is another 1.5" at the embankment base - the cow needs to become brown, the tractor getting dirty, and those reeds, need a bit more. I've already touched up the paint on
Dad-1

Dad-1

4
Brafferton - 2mm Finescale

Woody End

Time to address the left-hand end of the layout. In real life, the line just plodded on over several miles of open farmland before reaching Pilmoor Junction. This would look a bit odd, running the line through an undisguised hole in the backscene. Time to invoke my modellers licence!   There are several copses and small woods dotted around the line and indeed at Pilmoor itself there were substantial woodlands. So I've simply moved a small wood so that the line runs through it.   A base of da
Tony Simms

Tony Simms

14
Keyhaven

From: K2yhaven - Baseboards Completed

Another day shower dodging.   Baseboards connected, train turntable cut out, front scenic boards knocked together and the boards corked.       I've not decided yet whether the water (front middle board) will be done as before with paint/PVA/varnish layers on the flat ply top or to invert the board and create some depth to the water within the well. I'll try a couple of ideas and see where it heads.     When it's all locked together it's reasonably stable; I did manage to disassemble
Andy Y

Andy Y

3
Keyhaven

From: K2yhaven - Baseboards Started

"Ooh, I didn't expect it to be that big", long time since I've heard that one.   Whilst showers just about managed to hold off I was able to get the main baseboards and legs knocked together. I hadn't properly considered the leg issue when I made the previous board so that's also been replaced which now means the legs are interchangeable between boards with an easy slot in. No more bulky steel trestles!               A little more time would have enabled me to fit the internal an
Andy Y

Andy Y

0
Keyhaven

From: K2yhaven - fitting into the real world

Got the crayons out and had a scribble.         And then tried to put it into a 'real world' context.       That's definitely not to scale, that ferry would be huge!   For anyone who hasn't been to Keyhaven (which is probably in excess of 99% of the population) this snap shows where the car ferry ramp would be.   http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/19508             Source: K2yhaven
Andy Y

Andy Y

2
Keyhaven

From: K2yhaven - The Plan

After months years of chewing over the next phase of Keyhaven everywhere I turned there were self-created compatability issues and also the legacy of bits that could have been better so I'd decided some time back that its offspring would recreate some of the old but improve upon it, especially from an operation viewpoint, and take the idea a stage further.   If I keep deliberating and looking for problems it'll never happen so now is the time of year to make a start, a time when you can traips
Andy Y

Andy Y

0
Skinnylinny's Blog

First bits of scenery...

Well, the time came for another trip to Harburn Hobbies (usual disclaimer applies - no connection other than satisfied customer, etc. etc.) and departing with a yellow bag that felt much lighter than when full of 00 stuff (although the wallet felt heavier, so that's probably not such a bad thing!). Some more track (almost enough to complete the station and scenic area), a Peco platform kit and one wagon (to test my tracklaying until the rolling stock I made last year turns up in the unpacking!),
Skinnylinny

Skinnylinny

0
Narrowman's Blog

Caia Road Goods, Wrexham

This was reactivated by a conversation with Martin Wales and started in the Prototype section.   Going back to Caia Road Goods, as our discussion, I feel it could be compacted from the goods shed which could act as a disguise for the entrance to the fiddle yard and the other end could continue over the road bridge along the embankment alongside the river Gwenfro and McDermot's scrapyard and under the rodbridge to Hightown Halt (the second fiddle yard). It would feature 57xx and 64xx panniers,
narrowman

narrowman

1
"The Caley" BREL Glasgow Works (1974-79)

2. The Carriage Shop - Prototype Photo's

There's plenty of photographs of Glasgow Works / St.Rollox but usually involving locomotives and rarely of Loco-Hauled Stock, NPCCS, DMU's or EMU's in the Carriage Shops....   One person who did take some however was Brian Daniels to whom I'm grateful for allowing me the use of these shots;   View looking East to the end of No.6 Road in the carriage shop - usual Met-Camm in for a bit of bodywork and one of the many to get the rainwater strip removed and replaced with full length aluminium
Bob Reid

Bob Reid

0
"The Caley" BREL Glasgow Works (1974-79)

1. The Carriage Shop - Introduction

You know the script with tribute bands like The Bootleg Beatles – kind of like the real thing but not quite! Well this “working diorma†is in essence a bootleg B.R.E.L. Glasgow Works /St.Rollox / “The Caley†(if you’re a local), specifically part of the Carriage and Carriage Lift Shop complete with the unique within BREL, lifting traverser sat square in the middle, set in the years 1974 to 1979.   The “not quite†bit is down to it being almost half the width with half the roads o
Bob Reid

Bob Reid

7
work bench

K's GNR Atlantic

I have started to build up the cylinders, they are now glued together and I have started the filling process with Milliput. More filling is required along with rebuilding the cylinder fronts.     I also need to work out whow high the cylinders should be.     They are just a push fit into the chassis / body at the moment.   Next job is to rebuild the crossheads
hayfield

hayfield

0
Jon020's Layout Blog

Scenic Photo/Display Board: Fourth ballasting attempt - 2 steps forward

Just a quick update to my last blog. Today I placed a bit of finescale track on a board (offcut of laminate flooring) and applied ballast... using techniques contributed through comments to my last entry - so, quicker than before... and then gave it a really good wetting... with it sat on my boys art table in the conservatory where the lino floor is easy to wipe to remove the water/screen wash overspill from - and there was lots. I applied the cement with a pipette and it seemed to work. It seem
Jon020

Jon020

6
vulcanbomber's Blog

Rocrail and Barkham Green

I've started work on the layout after the hot summer. with work continuing on the gasworks and automation with Rocrail I've now managed to automate things, so that a loco with 2 coal trucks leaves the storage siding and proceeds to the gasworks, where it stops. I have prorammed into rocrail a simulated switch, which stops the loco until it has been uncoupled and the gasworks points set manually, when the switch is set to go (green). The computer runs the next schedule which is to return the
vulcanbomber

vulcanbomber

0
4mm scale agonies

Catching up

Not posted to this blog in the longest time so here's a quick update of the salient points of the past year. The Layout continues to be well received at shows in fact I was interviewed on Saint Cloud, MN local radio with it at Easter as the layout is based on an industry there. I've also been approached by folks who actually work at the prototype and have shared inside information with me that helps me to understand the models operation. The layout received an invitation to the Worlds Greates
Ian Holmes

Ian Holmes

0
Tredethy Wharf

A funny mix of events

The last three weeks have been a funny mix. Holidaying in a leaking tent. Doing some more work on the garden project. Painting and basing new elements for my 15mm Napoleonic Austrian army which were used for an inaugural game in my regular opponents new gaming room. Track laying being started on Tredethy Wharf with the first point in position and the Tortoise point control mechanism in place under the baseboard (motor still to be installed). Legs being constructed for the two scenic boar
Yan

Yan

0
Will's workbench

60014: Sound, driver and minor cab tweaks

I thought I should take the plunge and get a test item of motive power finished up ready for Rail-ex in November. I like 60s, so it's going to be 60014, which I bought locally a year or so ago but hasn't been out of the box much in the meantime apart from the occasional ogling session   First step was to fit a sound chip and speaker - this is using the Howes class 60 chip with a DCC supplies bass reflex speaker fitted above the twin grilles in place of the "doughnuts". Since my chassis is an
Will Vale

Will Vale

1
harkins77's Blog

lines on a shelf from a wardrobe update. Scenic work starts

After a little bit of a lull on the layout after the excitement of getting things moving on the 3 boards I've made a start on the scenic part of the layout. Starting with the dividing wall between the lower and upper lines.   I made the decision to use the Scalescenes archways for the first time and apart from fingers being covered in UHU glue I'm enjoying the kit so far.   I am thinking that before I put the archway onto the back picture is it worth just running the sandpaper over the cut o
harkins77

harkins77

0

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