It's too easy, isn't it? Still, I find it fascinating; a smooth, quiet running Dapol Class 50 was a pre-owned bargain and another piece of luck enabled a body-swap to pre-TOPS Blue, just like I remember tearing past the swings and slides at our Rec'. I'm now in the habit of using Digitrains sound files, but they didn't have a Zimo Next18 small enough at the time. I nearly went with Legomanbiffo as his projects are sublime, but didn't want to confuse myself with ESU and Zimo protocols! Luckily Yo
Hi,
Well, I'm happy with the mechanics and electrics, final testing was completed tonight and everything works (sound deadening/wire-in-tube/frog juicer) Now I can concentrate on the scenery; I have a Scenecraft 'Great Central Goods Depot' which should set the scene nicely, abeit a little worn/unkempt. I think it looks like the one at Quorn and that one is not as low, being attached to a platform on the 'porch' side' and from an archive photo, having a small loading platform on the road veh
Looking back, I am a serial baseboard builder. I enjoy the woodworking and I'm happy with the results. My last effort was a simple working diorama plank with scenery (see profile photo) now home life has settled down again I'm having another go. This time trying an Ikea Lack shelf with an N gauge inglenook (Boomerang generation (sad consequence of the pandemic) mean my space is restricted again.
Starting with a 110cm shelf, because it fitted over my bench I realised that by rationalising my
Taking note from the inspirational 'Off the Beaten track' blog I'm building an O gauge wagon kit before diving into 7mm. I chose a Slaters BR Shocvan, adding Slaters own sprung W-irons to get the best possible running. I'm painting the wheels as rusty on the backs and oily dust on the fronts.
I'm at it again. Lots of thought has been given to operating a small layout, I am determined to have a loop for shunting wagons. My latest plan is shown on the left and was created with Anyrail software.(Clicking any of the images will enlarge them). The photo below shows progress to-date. Essentially there is a single running line with a loop and 3 sidings for; coal (or special wagons), arrivals to the store and a departures/storage siding.
Part of the thinking is to op
Hi, Thanks for dropping-by. For those that have read my previous ramblings, I had to shelve the 3-board project, all the track was laid and running beautifully, but the space left for platforms was too small and the sheer volume of buildings and scenery was too much, I only ever managed a nibble at the workload, so progress was too slow to keep me happy. It was going to be a slow project and that means not fun. I did a cracking job of track-laying, so recovering track was a careful, yet sometime
Lancaster Road has been abandoned
I feel like I'm making progress, today the track laying was completed, the wiring needs finishing to the coal siding but that's only 2 wires. The coal siding is the one with the weights on and the opposite siding running towards the camera is for the end load dock, long enough for a GUV or 1-plank wagons or low-macs or with a crane ideal for unloading conflats and bolster wagons. Some testing is in order to check smooth running and electrical continuity, th
I am desperate, I am practising building in P4, meanwhile I have just got to get something running, I've drooled over the sublime Shell Island, the wagon sidings on Canada Road, the running of trains on Abbotswood Jct. and the magic of Frampton. I've drawn inspiration from the atmospheric Cardiff photos of BR2975 (Thanks for sharing) Roath Goods and Bracty Bridge. So, I've set the scene and drawn a trackplan on Anyrail, the operation would involve cassettes at each end, probably longer than the
Hi,
So the starting picture is one I took recently on a ramble hoping to capture a country lane and hedge to give me inspiration and guidance on making my own.
I'd been into a model shop and nearly bought hedges, but realsied that even when bought I'd feel compelled to add detail, foliage, variety so decided to experiment and got out all my various bags of flock etc.
I went for variation in colour and texture I think it needs long grass at the bottom of the hedge to help blend
I started a couple of years ago on a simple shunting plank, as space is short and I wanted somewhere to run my stock. There is a simple oval in the loft which works fine for running-in, but with Peco code 100 and only space for short radius points it is clearly a toy train set. I wanted to create something with scenery and work towards 'finescale' appearance. I'd like to work in P4, particularly as I like the 'spindly-ness' of the wheel treads on P4 wagons giving a strong impression of prototype
Progress. I've been stalling over how to hold down/at right spacing/move the switch blades on my attempt at a P4 point, today saw the switch blades trimmed to length, connected to a tie-bar and a start on gluing down the switch rail chairs. I'm pleased with the look of it, not prototypical, but a vast improvement on Peco and a fish van ran through the point smoothly. I will add the check rails next and then finish gluing down the chairs I left loose as I tweaked the rail to gauge. Ah, I must add
5-plank wagon conversion
So I got a bargain on an online auction, it was dark grey with 'loco wheels only' markings, but with a 'coal load' glued into it, I have to admit I was more than a little disappointed. Originally (before I found the 'coal') thought it would go into store for a steam era idea, but gouging the load out would still require making-good afterwards, so now I've decided it needs a new identity.
First some bauxite paint, then a simple renumber
then a tarpaulin s
I've started work on a new layout, this has had a lot of thought put into the design, I pulled together a collage of prototype and model pictures that inspire me (including Chapel Wharf, Carron Road, Acacia Avenue, Canada Road) I built 3 boards each 3'6" x 1'. Board 1 is the centre board and features 90% of the crossings (to simplify control) and a parcels dock (as a reason to run parcels stock), Board 2 is primarily scenic with the half-station and coal siding. Board 3 is still under considerat
Having laid all the track on Lancaster Road, I've started detailing it before ballasting and platform edges get in the way. Firstly, some C+L fine scale fishplates which look under-sized on code 100 rail, but I reckon with painting will look better than no fishplates. Where I feel safe the track won't move before ballasting I've removed the rail-joiners to improve the appearance. I have a list to work on including the wire-in-tube (I've cut the web between sleepers to get the tube in the right p
I like the inside-framed ex-GWR Siphons in BR blue as parcels traffic and found a bargain Lima model yesterday in GWR brown. I have Bachmann BR Mk1 bogies that will suffice until I can source the correct pattern. It's had a bath so I took a 'before' photo. The screws holding the body on were difficult to access behind the bogies but they're out now without any damage.
As the lettering needs removing I tried meths on a cotton bud, but it took the paint off and left the shirtbutton logo
I have a couple of days off work to make sure I use up my holiday before year-end, this has resulted in 2 mid-week days, daylight and some relative peace (wife at work, son and daughter fully occupied) and a couple of hours working on wagons. I've been very impressed with Michael Clark's etches for brake gear and I'm particularly keen to address the brakes on an ex-LNER/BR fish van a Parksidekit in the guise of an Express Parcels van, the kit linkages, levers and vees look under-nourished. Tryin
I found it very difficult to get into the Kernow 1361 to hard-wire the decoder, it is beautifully designed and engineered with very fine tolerances and superb fit of parts, I had to study the exploded diagram carefully to identify where the join is between parts. The instructions say remove 2 screws in the coal bunker to remove the cab roof to install crew and speaker. In fact you don't need to remove the screws, they don't help at all. To remove the cab roof you have to carefully tweak some sel
I recently bought a Scenecraft OO/HO 44-180 Traders store and I'm very impressed. I was looking for a goods shed for a micro layout and most Ready-to-Plant is just too big. The plan is for a small rural yard, essentially a 'loop with 2 sidings'. RTP structures have been chosen to help maintain momentum on the layout build. The size is ideal as a temporary store for odd items not collected on the day of arrival. The tiny rail-side platform is at the right height for a standard BR 12t van. I will
Bought a 37/0 off ebay, very pleased as it has a V4 Loksound.
My preference is for proper headcodes, partly nostalgia and partly because it gives a train an identity in my mind. It came with 'domino' headcodes so I popped one out ....
I removed the paint, but still felt the transparent headcode glazing was too small, looked at photos and got conflicting impressions and still felt they were too small, so I made a start on proper headcode windows. Bits of sweetie box acetate are
I managed to visit the Wyre Forest Model show at Worcester today to see Foundry Lane close-up, many thanks to Mark for being so welcoming and taking time to explain his construction to me when he was clearly very busy keeping trains moving for his audience. It was a treat to view close-up and inspired me to do some more baseboard construction when I got back. So in keeping with the principle of simplicity I fitted a brace/stretcher/end-piece/sector plate pivot board to the No.1 end. btw Only the
I am a huge admirer of Neil's Shell Island and greatly admire the simplicity of his 'less-is-more' backscene, but I'm a colour-blind dunce when it comes to art, so for my own backscene I'm going to need something solid and physical. Much of my inspiration for an urban setting has come from Hendre Lane, Anderstaff Yard, Mossley Terrace and Thorne Yard. I particularly like the blue brick retaining walls, but feel that for credibility they can't be very high and as I feel something like 15" height
As this is an experiment I've discarded notions of clever construction and in an attempt to maintain momentum have gone for hi-grab/non-solvent/building glue of the no-sharp-pointy-metal-things-that-you-nail-wood-together-with type.
It's expensive stuff, but it may also rescue my bodyboard.
The next stage has to be traditional carpentry to hold the ends in position and support the pivots for the sector plates. I'm planning on a nut & bolt through washers glued to the s
