Preamble
Since I rewired my layout I have provided for two controllers to be used.
Once the extension is built the fiddle yard will be up to 8ft away from the main operating position. To make operations easier I have introduced "cab control" where a train leaving the fiddle yard is under the control of the "main" operators controller.
A train travelling to the fiddle yard will be under the control of the fiddle yard operators hand held controller.
switching from one controller to the other
A couple of enjoyable afternoons were spent over the festive season building up this Dapol kit that has been in my top draw for months.
The original door hinges being totally wrong were removed with a sharp knife and replaced by bits of micro strip, Some nice whitemetal buffers from Nairnshire modelling supplies have replaced the plastic kit supplied items.
Screw link couplings and some brake rods have been fitted the vacuum pipes are part of the Dapol kit.
The vent
After using Xtrkcad and other layout design software I've downloaded Templot to try.
I'm still getting my head round it at the moment but have made a start on this.....
The above is a screen shot of my attempt to draw some track work for Penmaenpool MPD.
Not bad for about 30mins work, I still have a lot to learn about this software though, I'll have to keep looking at the tutorial videos!
All I really want to do is produce some templates for the turn outs, I'm not too bothe
If the entry title sound familiar, then it is!
Some time ago on the previous incarnation of RMWeb Neil Ripley of Walker Marine fame produced a model of a burnt out BR brake van.
I was inspired by his modelling to have a go myself. Here are the results.
I haven't updated this blog for a couple of weeks because I didn't have much to show until now.
I've been doing some work on the small halt for the layout the result of which can be seen below.
The halt is based on the one that existed at Gogarth Halt, the first stop for a train heading north bound up the Cambrian coast line after leaving Dovey Junction.
The platform is just long enough to accommodate one coach as per the prototytpe.
The shelter is also based on the same l
Another week has flown by and it's time for the weekly update on Morfa Bach.
Progress on the scenery at the bridge end of the layout, Hanging basket liner covers the east bank of the river and some rocks and scree have been fixed to the west bank area.A small boat salvaged from an old layout has found a new home too!
At the tunnel end.
A start has been made on adding some rocks and scree up the slope to track level. The tunnel is fixed in place and the new retaining wall made an
After what seems like ages work as again restarted on the construction of my new Cambrian Modular layout Morfa Bach / Penmaenpool MPD plus fiddle yards.
Poor weather for outdoor "wood butchering" and taking a holiday abroad have contributed to the long delay since the last update.
Today has been the first opportunity to get the modules built so far or under construction linked together for the first time.
This picture shows the three modules that have been built /under construction t
This locomotive is amongst some of the oldest models I own.
It's a Bachmann GWR/BR Manor class synonymous with the Cambrian section of BR Western region.
I was looking round for some quick fix modelling jobs to do over the Chrismas/New year period so decided to do a bit of an upgrade on this....
I had already done some work to it 11 years ago when I bought it new, It's already had new name and number plates and a few other jobs done but, just look at that chimney!
Absolutely terr
Progress at last!
After the disaster of a few weeks ago with the "Dukedog" chassis and motor failure another attempt was made on getting a working chassis.
I had to wait until the Warley National model railway exhibition (where I was assisting a fellow CHMRC member with his layout operations) to purchase the necessary parts from Comet Models.
I chose to use their GB5 gearbox and Mashima 10 series motor, (Shown below)
Assembly is straight forward, The bearings are soldered i
I bought this Dapol (ex Airfix) kit whilst on holiday last year, Finally got around to building it.
Built as Dapol intended apart from the couplings here it is painted and weathered.
Almost 12 months has passed since I built the Dapol Lomac kit.
I have been thinking (ouch!) about some sort of load for it
Dapol make a JCB kit which is one option I had but I baulked at the price for what it is.
In the end I picked up this Fordson tractor for a couple of quid at an expo and u
My Cambrian modular layout is now nearing the stage where I need the proper power supplies for testing.
(Also tied in with this entry is this thread from this forum entry on RMWeb.)
As a qualified person I am quite capable of building my own electrical equipment for my model railway projects. However I must state here that anyone contemplating building anything involving 230V mains equipment should be aware of the consequences of their workmanship, and if in any doubt do NOT even think about b
Better late than never! It's been over a week since the last update mainly because the amount of work done and worth showing has been a bit short this time, Jobs to complete this first section of Morfa Bach now coming close to the end.
At the Morfa Tunnel end some more vegetation has been added, and the fixed distant for the next section has been installed.
The fixed distant was built up from a mix of MSE and Ratio parts.
More rock scree has been laid at he rear of the siding and also in t
Time for the weekly update....
This week it's ROCK & ROLL!
First the ROCK..
The spoil heap next to the tunnel portal has been made, glued, stuck down and painted. Some Mininatur grass clumps have been added.
The remaining area has now received it's base of hanging basket liner.
On the other (Viewing)side I've added some vegetation growing in the crack between the rock, just to break it up a bit. It's a pity that this view will not be seen by the viewing public but here
By way of a little interlude from the "Two Dogs" project I dug my old Bachmann 45xx Prairie tank out of the top drawer and thought it was about time I did something with it!
When shopping for bits and pieces at the Warley exhibition I picked up a few sets of GWR cab side etched plates from Garry Wells at 247Developments.
Cambrian based 2-6-2T No 4560 being one of them.
The loco as it came to me second hand and a good runner was finished in BR lined green with late crest, whereas witho
Just another update to say that all the track is now laid on Penmaenpool MPD. Well almost all, There is still about 75mm of track to be laid on the L/H exit-entry road.This will be laid once the West fiddle yard is started and aligned so as to ensure good track alignment across the baseboard joint.
All flexible track is C&L Finescale with hand built turnouts.
The track is glued down direct to the baseboard with no cork or any other material between track and wood.
I don't subscribe
Another quick but significant update.
Finally I have got all the base scenic features in place. I have just finished the hillside around the tunnel mouth. Significant meaning that there will be (hopefully) no more polystyrene balls floating round SWMBO's kitchen!
The whole lot being given a few coats of "Gloop of a different colour"! This time matt black emulsion being mixed with white filler to give me that grey granite/slate colour.
A fair bit of this will be covered with t
Time for the weekly update...
Mud,Mud glorious Mud! Nothing quite like it for.... Making basic scenery!
Using a recipe found on another forum I mixed a dollop of "Gloop"
That's Water, PVA, Polyfilla and cheap household emulsion in this case Wickes "Grizzly" a dark matt brown colour, It was a bit light when mixed up so I darkened it down with some matt black (Wickes Liquorice") to end up with something near what I wanted.
This "Gloop" was then applied by brush to the river b
One or two of you have asked for more details of the engine shed I built last year ready for the new extension to my layout Pen Y Bont.
Rather than include the details in my layout thread I'll post the construction details here.
The design of the shed is based on the one that once stood at Aberaeron.
I have had to shorten the building quite considerably though due to limited space of the layout.
Here's the construction stages.
The building was built entirely of Pasticard with the
It's been a week or two since I published any progress on my latest winter project Morfa Bach.
I was looking through my books on the Cambrian and Great Western lines in Wales and discovered that "Morfa" translated into English is "Salt Marsh" and "Bach" is Baby or small, so it transpires that the model will both be small and include a coastal section of salt marsh.
Anyway, I digress and should be telling you about the layout's progress (or lack of it) so here we go...
I have ju
Thank goodness for some decent weather so work can be continued outside on the East fiddle yard for my new Cambrian modular layout "Steam on the Cambrian".
Those who have read my first post on this subject will know that the layout requires two such fiddle yards, one at each end of the modules.
Both fiddle yards will consist of a three road turn table so that complete trains can be turned at each end without having to lift off any stock or cassettes.
Today's progress on the east fiddle yard i
As promised a weekly update on this project.
All the track is now laid wired up and tested. Rails and sleepers have been painted and a start made on ballasting the track.
The stone retaining wall is finished and painted. and the entrance to Morfa Bach Tunnel is in place.
The area below the wall is still under construction.
The sky back scene here is purely arbitrary as very little of it will be seen once the hill side, trees and undergrowth has been fixed in place.
Meanwhile, ba
Now that I have committed to building my new Micro layout "Morfa Bach" and the baseboard frame is built I have now turned my attention to some "Wood Butchery" in miniature!
One of the features I wanted to include on this new layout is a Cambrian wood trestle bridge.
So, with inclement weather preventing wood butchering outside I have started wood butchery on the kitchen table!
I have made three trestles and started work on the deck. Here's a quick look at progress to date.
PENMAENPOOL MPD.
Now that Morfa Bach is nearing completion it's time to consider my options for board 2 of my new modular layout.
This board (whatever the final decision) has got to fit next to Morfa Bach to provide a continuous run from fiddle yard to fiddle yard.
Yet more scenic boards could be built, making the layout more flexible for exhibiting.
One option I am considering for module 2 is Penmaenpool MPD.
Unlike most small steam sheds Penmaenpool was not located at a terminus, ne
After a couple of weeks thinking and doodling with bits of paper I have come up with this..........
It is liable to change again of course, but you get the general idea.
I was too late for the 2011 challenge but still need a new photographic diorama, though I think I will end up turning this into a layout in it's own right.
The proposed project will be about 4ft x 1 ft and will have the provision for a fiddle yard at both ends.
The scale is 4mm/ft 00 gauge. the track will b
"Two dogs?" I hear your say!
The two "Dogs" concerned here are these K's white metal kits.
A GWR "Bulldog" Class loco
This is not mine, I am building this kit for a client, and this is my very first commission job!
Work will commence very shortly on this one as it needs a lot doing to it. No motor or gears have been supplied with the kit so I shall have to buy in a motor/gears for it.
The second "Dog" is mine and it's a DUKEDOG! :RO
This is how it arrived from the s
