Some initial pictures of my latest scheme. Like most of us modelling fanatics I haven't been idle during the lockdown period! These are strange times indeed and I have no doubt that many of us have worried about income and job security so, with the exception of purchasing a second hand Hornby Q1, I have managed to construct the layout with materials and track I had to hand. Folgate Street is a fictitious slice of third rail London and is an old scheme that has been revamped for the purpose.
The second Lima arrived on Monday morning along with the Fox Transfers - I only ordered both of these on the 31st Jan!!! Great service. I also ordered a Hornby shunter detailing kit and some Flush glazing from another supplier - still no news!! It seems that not all suppliers have an enlightened attitude toward customer service. I'm not inclined to name names because I don't know how this would go down. However, as it turned out, they did me a favor.
Right out of the box from eb
I really love photographing my layouts and my ultimate aim is to make the locos and settings as realistic as its possible in 00 Gauge. Getting as much as possible in focus has always been a bug bear of mine. The relationship between F-Stop, shutter speed and ISO is complex to understand and I should imagine professional photographers spend a long time to master it. I haven't quite managed this and have always found that the higher the F-Stop then the yellower the image simply because the more
Ever since completing my GWR branch terminus layout (Cheslyn) it has languished under dust sheets in the loft. My trouble is that I'm a bit of serial layout builder and get quickly bored once a project has been finished. Space is also at a premium and Cheslyn was taking it up so I therefore approached the Lartigue Museum in Listowel, Co Kerry and asked if they'd like to have it for display. They were delighted and mounted the layout on the wall in the old engine shed shortly after it was deliver
Some months ago I came across a fantastic website - www.britishsteelbilston.com - about the Bilston Steel works in Wolverhampton, West Midlands. This has been put together by Mr Andrew Simpson who worked there and is well worth a visit - there are some fantastic photos including a section on the Work's locomotives. In fact, I contacted Andrew and he put me in touch with a Mr Roger Deans, a chief fitter at Bilston, who has provided me with information and a lot of stories about his time there.
Finished!!
Had a play about with the stock today, but had a few problems. The usual suspects - dirty track and wheels, bad connections etc. This is the frustrating aspect of 4mm scale - especially when you've double checked the circuits and cleaned everything about a 100 times!
A few pics below - more tomorrow if I'm allowed - we're supposed to be going up some hill or other for a walk. Know what I'd rather be doing!!
Managed to capture the streak through the smoke with the inte
Just a quick update on progress so far.
The track is down and wiring nearing completion. There's been a lot happening here of late with family matters of one thing and another so modeling time has been severely compromised.
My wiring method ain't neat, but it works! All points are motored and the frogs wired to Peco switches - a lot of work but worth the effort for a yard type layout. So hopefully loco stutter will be non existent and slow running should be superb when all thing
I've decided on Cheslyn as a name for my fictitious GWR branch terminus. Here are some latest pics of progress to date.
The ballast, point rodding and signal box have been completed. I tried the method for ballasting as prescribed by Andy Y's article, but came a right cropper when cutting out the webbing - the flexi track just twisted completely out of shape despite glueing all the tie bars and going carefully. The webbing was left in place thereafter and was disguised by the fine ba
The latest project. I've been off and on with this layout over the last couple of years. So I decided to buckle down and get on with it. The roof is still under construction and I'm very much at the McGuyvering stage. There's always a lot of niggles to sort. This is a quarter of a station scheme with a mirror at the rear to double the length. The whole layout is a mere 6.5 foot long.
This is an original Hornby Margate version of a Duchess which has been fettled wit
The Express Models welding unit has finally gone in and, apart from eagerly awaiting some goodies from Ehattons, the layout is more or less complete.
The building could be slotted into a larger layout if need be but that's for another time. At the moment I'm having a bit of fun modifying a SuperQuick Ash Plant for a small shed scene.
Had some fun with another Dapol 9F kit. I've tried to emulate the scene below from British Railways Illustrated (August edition). The prototype photo shows a 9F being fitted with a Crostis Boiler in March 1955 at Crewe. My take, however, has to make do with a standard boiler.
This is a shot from the other side.
A final pic of the welder at work on a stripped down 4MT
The latest pics of progress. The roof is complete and a backscene of joined, white mounting card has been erected. Just a small section of some platform buildings and a LCut footbridge to install. I also need to get a printout of the real citadel building seen to the rear of the station - this will be pasted to card and placed in the correct position on the backscene.
The above looks a bit like a painting in a way. There is no photoshop trickery here -
The picture of the real thing (Mike Morrant Collection - Fowler 2P) that started the journey on this layout. I've managed, after many hours messing about with a spotlight and my Panasonic Lumix, to capture the streaming sunlight effect I wanted. Just wish I could photoshop some steam into the shot - I'll just have to put up with cigarette smoke for now!
A couple of sepia images of a Duchess in LMS war time black. I really like this loco - the streamline
Winston Smith arrived this morning courtesy of Gaugemaster. I've trawled the net looking for a suitable figure, but could only find one from the Preiser Mechanics set. Although you can tell that H0 figures are slightly underscale for 4mm, Preiser still have the best range of rendered figures. They are so well painted and detailed that I personally can't resist them.
Winston looks lost under the claustrophobic concrete roof. I've also bought some East German guards (which have yet
Decided to have a go at a bit of forced perspective by using a smaller scale building in the background behind the Signal Box. I decided on a typical country Church - it is not to any particular scale, just a copy from a photo. I knocked it up out of some mounting card and scored the ashlar stonework with a scalpel. I was surprised just how pleasing the effect can be as I was expecting it to look a little daft or out of place. The only problem now is that the lighting at the front of the mod
Just a few pictures of a model of the Launch Umbilical Tower in 1/400 scale I made a few years ago. The Saturn V is a Dragon model. This is my tribute to those magnificent people that worked to put a man on the moon before 1970. I still quite can't believe that there are still people who refuse to believe in this brilliant achievement. Especially given the plethora of scientific information available on the web nowadays. I'm really enjoying the event and there has been some great stuff on t
I haven't posted in an age and, in fact, haven't even visited RMWeb for quite a while. What a great new format and I'm really interested in becoming a Gold Member - currently in negotiations with the financial controller about the monthly fee!
The new layout, High Trees Junction, is nearly complete so here is a few initial test pics. This layout forms part of a roundy roundy scheme in my loft. My previous layout, Perry Barr Station, is on the opposite side. I just wanted to get
A few more pictures of the junction in action. My track laying leaves much to be desired in some of the shots. This all looked perfect when first laid, but there are a few wobbles here and there that are more apparent in the close up shots. It all works and I've had no running problems and yet it shows just how much attention must be paid to laying perfect, level track during the construction of long line layouts.
A Hornby Class 20 combo hauls a short engineering train throu
Battle of Britain Class pulls in to the station. Winston knew it was an InterCity (INCIT in Newspeak) and was reserved for upper party officials only. Passes to travel to other cities for outer party members were rare indeed. Only the upper party and proles could freely use these trains.
I've included another shot of the Prole area showing an armoured car this time. This is an Airfix model and I made the very same kit 35 years ago would you believe. They say that there's no co
The Roof is more or less complete and so is the front. Here are a couple of shots of the layout.
The shot above shows how the roof detaches and how the end gable wall slots out. In retrospect I wish I had made the back wall detachable, but it does have viewing arches so a camera lens can be pushed through.
It would be pretty rare to have diesels in the same shop as steam locos, but it did happen. Anyway I couldn't resist uploading this picture as it sho
The goodies arrived from Hattons yesterday. I've taken advantage of their bargain section and got these two smashing beauties for only a little over £110!
These are my birthday present and were therefore a legal purchase for a change!!!
The first pic of an Ivatt Class 4 Mogul and was the prototype for the BR Standard 4MT. Note the double chimney - this was reduced to a single when it was found that they could double the boiler pressure with the new arrangement. This pic (June 1949) was t
The history of our railways is what really interests me. Its organic nature, one that has seen it evolve from private ownership to state and back to the half and half measure the system is subject to today, is a fascinating subject to study. The fact that Great Britain gave birth to the railway and, in doing so, has consequently had to make to do and mend with a very old system is testament to the pragmatic nature and engineering skill of the British. After all, who’d have thought it possible
Hi all,
Just bought the splendid Bachmann Ivatt Class 2MT but don't like the trailing DCC wires to the tender. I'm an analogue runner so have no need for the chip interface in the tender. Does anyone know how to get rid of these wires - found that if the plug is removed from the tender it wont run? I have no understanding of DCC electrics so if there's an easy way to remove them I'd be really grateful for info. It also judders when running slow - is this normal and will it go away after
Just a quick update at Carlisle Citadel.
A picture from the other side of the layout for a change. I doubt a Green 105 would have worked the Silloth Branch, but it's all I've got in the Green DMU era and I think it makes for a nice picture. I know they worked Carlisle in the BR Blue days though. Changing the destination board was a real pain and I also had to twist the frame as it seemed to be pushed up under the body shell and out of line above the bogies - ironic given that the
Had a couple of GWR ground signals turn up from an outstanding order a few months back so I thought I'd do a bit more work on Cheslyn. Also started installing some Spratt and Winkle couplings on some more coach stock.
One day I was playing with a Vi Trains class 37 whilst working on the couplings at the same time - never a good idea. After the session I picked up the 37 and found a dirty great superglue blemish and a bit of finger tip hanging off the bodywork. This was quite a shock and I di
