Finally got around to making up nearly 2 metres of PH Designs 3 point security fencing that encloses the diesel depot at the front of the layout. After making up the first etch, I abandoned the etched supports to the posts and reinforced both posts and rails with 0.6mm nickel silver wire. This gives a really strong structure that doesn't wave about all over the place. I made up 400mm lengths on the workbench, which were then sprayed, weathered and glued into holes drilled in the baseboard with 5
My current project at the County Donegal Railway Heritage Centre is to upgrade the 5.5mm/foot model of Killybegs built by Neil Tee quite a few years ago and which forms part of the permanent model railway exhibition. Last year I built the engine shed which is a pretty modest affair, so for something more challenging I have made a start on the station building. This is a fairly substantial building for a branch line terminus on a narrow gauge railway and includes a train shed - the only one on t
Before I went off to Railex with Clinkerford, I did promise to put a few more pics on the blog when I got back. Unfortunately the ballast ordered eight weeks ago still hasn't arrived. I'm beginning to wonder if the supplier has ceased trading, as I am getting an answerphone and no replies to my emails, and they have banked my money! However, back to Bruckless. Dug around in my scrap box and found enough scenic material to make a start in one corner, amazing how much difference it makes, even if
Is it really two months since I updated the blog? In that time the ballasting to all the yard areas has been completed and ballasting to the main line started but stopped again when we ran out of ballast, now waiting for four weeks for more supplies! All the structures - bridges, retaining walls, platforms, etc. have been painted weathered and largely fixed. Don't want to fix the plate girder overbridge until the track below has been ballasted. The fueling points and oil depot are finished, ligh
Spent the weekend back in the UK to take a trip on the Help for Heroes Steam Special so didn't get the ballasting of the depot tidied up until today. It didn't turn out too badly but looks a bit clean at the moment but that will be addressed in the future. Carriage sidings will be next, then I can get on with ballasting the running lines.
Having spent all day ballasting track on Bruckless Junction (and I've hardly scratched the surface!) I got to wondering whether there was an historic reason for the sleepers on Peco(and Hornby) track being so close together. Any ideas? I did get about 70% of the diesel depot ballasted so that's a start anyway.
I am afraid I have been a bit remiss in keeping my blog up to date. Since making the first entry, I have now finished the bridge, retaining structures, walls and platforms at the station end of the layout together with the overbridge at the opposite end. All bar painting that is, not something I am looking forward to! Since these photos were taken, the ground level in the diesel depot has been raised to the top of the sleepers. The narrow strips of cork visible in the photo are guides that also
'Barrow Road' tells me I should be staring a blog on Bruckless Junction which I have been building for a friend. Basically it's a large circuit with 4 running lines, a motive power depot, carriage sidings, through fiddle yard/freight yard, station throat and container depot. Yup, pretty large, approx 150 yds track and 67 turnouts/slips. Track and wiring are now complete although I am thinking of putting more uncouplers in the carriage sidings. Control is by ZTC 511 which was purchased a couple o
