IGNORE THE LAYOUT unfinished and very temporary! Time has been invested in rolling stock, and 'playing trains'! The Triang-era Station buildings and platforms are on the 'to replace' list
The aim of these pics is to illustrate how I am attempting to achieve operational characteristics, cameos, and prototypical rolling stock of the preservation era, and how models of preserved railways need not be boring, nor are an excuse to 'run anything' (well not entirely!). Some of these items have been presented in other posts, but brought together here in response to the "why are preserved raiways so unpopular as layout subjects' thread.

First up, a converted RBR, stripped for parts for other projects (literally), leaving a bare underframe, on scrap B1 bogies, then roughly repainted in maroon (also practice for repainting other stock), and refitted as a static Buffet/Kitchen behind platform 1. Brick access platform built at end of coach, and also loading ramp for catering deliveries, sympathetically fitted out with Ratio fencing (my angles are a bit off though!). Note the 1959 Driving Motor Northern Line car, also on static duty.

Next, the shed yard, haven't finished the concreting of the apron, and need to weather everything. Note the lifting jacks stored outside (they need to be tarpaulined over). 'Restricted Width; signs on the shed entrance. JCB for coaling (will be replaced with a forklift a la Sheffield Park). Sleepers stored by the mainline. Please excuse the 'scare of the original first radius trackbed running across this scene!

Line-up of Scammell Scarabs in the station forecourt. Must be a gala,I take them off on occasions!

BR Robinson O4 63601 hauling LNER liveried Teaks, followed by Mk1s. Very NYMR/GCR!!!

New arrival, Maunsell BCK arrives on a Heanor Low Loader, ready to enter service after a comprehensive overhaul (arrival from model shop!). True to type, there is only one diag. 2401 BCK vehicle preserved (6575 at Bluebell), so only one will feature on the layout (which is why I'd love the Pull-Push flush-sided BCK to be released in its original form!)

Stored ex-intercity BG, sheeted over awaiting restoration, and fixing of a corroded roof. Behind it is the last Regional Railways BSK (now preserved at the ELR I believe), completely encased in Tarpaulin in long term storage. Tying all that cotton thread on to the Tarpaulin and then the underframe was frustrating evening!

TPO set, with POS on B4 Bogies, a BG similarly shod, and a GUV on commonwealth bogies, presumably restored to near original condition from RES service. Also note the two shipping containers acting as workshop/storage space behind the shed, resting on redundant sleepers. At the top of the picture, an ex-RES super BG sits now acts as storage, sits on an isolated stretch of track (moved there to free up siding space elsewhere) Technically the RES logo should be removed if the vehicle is ex-EWS. The Class 37/4 in the yard is will at some point be repainted when I have the time (to do it) or money (to get someone else to do it) to represent a preserved example.

Pullman Car IBIS with Pullman bogie replaced with Gresley bogies as in VSOE service (OK, Hornby dons't represent the correct window layout for Ibis, but we'll overlook that!)

Mainline registered Mk1, complete with OHL flashes, cantrail stripes (only applied to coach ends many attempts revealed it was impossible to place a transfer on the guttering) and TOPS data panel (as on EWS/DBS examples). All my mainline Mk1s fitted with Commonwealth bogies.

Coupled mainline registered coaches.

Unrefurbished RU I checked and there is at least one in mainline service still, I think on the Northern Belle, albeit with a few windows blanked off! Commonwealth bogies fitted, kitchen extended into seating bays and windows whited out (with paper, so reversible), representative of the RU on the SDR. Also featuring Mk1 Pullman Emerald, NRM now on the mainline with WCRC. Also got Eagle which is currently in the works having its underframe changed (don't ask!)

Mk2a TSO, 5412, as in the SRPS charter rake (but without branding), repainted by hand from Bachmann NSE TSO. Roof is factory finish masked off. Having gone to all that trouble, the rules are changed once again permiting passenger carrying Mk1s at the rear of trains! GRRR. Well, its in the fleet now, but the change in rules does mean I can operate vac-only Steam locos on railtours prototypically (since the Mk2a is Air only)

Given that Bachmann continue not to produce any Mk1 FOs, the only way I could work towards a 9-coach all-maroon railtour set was by adopting the MetCam Pullmans that WCRC have painted Maroon and use as FOs. Again a hand repaint with factory-finished roof. Windows were removed during painting. Transfers are HMRS numbers (slightly off colour) with Fox MetCam Pullman lining. Another example will be similarly treated in the future.

35028 Clan Line being disposed of on the Ash Pit having just returned the railtour stock to the railway. Currently borrowing the NRM support coach until I have cut and shut a Mk1 BFK in Maroon (I'm not going to attempt to replicate the Pullman livery on the Mk2a BFK Clan Line uses today)!

Colourful set of restored wagons – I admit freight stock is probably less authentic, although given the often 'representative' rather than 'historical' nature of wagon restoration, I think I can get away with it. I might have a few too many 'end door' opens. I try not to exceed or get near total number of preserved examples of any wagon type. There are only about 3 Presflows in preservation (of the type modelled by Bachmann) so we'll be sticking with one!

A majority of the coaches, including the bulk of the 12 mainline Mk1s stored in the sidings between railtour use. Four of the mainline set form the everyday maroon Mk1 set, supplemented by a Mk1 CK, a non ML vehicle, with its original B1 Bogies. Note the Mk1 BSK (2^nd car up on extreme left) has had its periscopes blanked off using the blanks from a scrap Bachmann BSK. 5 Car Pullman Rake, going by my 'numbers preserved' rule, it would be theoretically possible to muster such a set of K-type cars! Note also bottom left the 'spur' onto the mainline (i.e. off the baseboard!)