Afternoon all,
Firstly, many thanks for the kind comments received on the Model Rail article this month. I was really pleased with it and it was good to meet the MR team at Warley last weekend...although CJL was always busy when I tried to speak with him in the short time I was there. I have also picked up a couple of show invites on the back of the article which was nice.
I think I mentioned in my new Thurso blog that I would be making the break to DCC with that layout and with this in
Afternoon,
Just a quick entry to highlight that KoL will be appearing at the Uckfield MRC show next weekend 17/18 October 2015 - Details of the show can be found here:
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/103559-uckfield-model-railway-exhibition-1718th-october-2015/
The support structure has had approximately one metre trimmed from it now, meaning the layout is about 1500mm overall now. I have added a base at the bottom which not only allows more stability to the su
Evening all,
A resume of the day yesterday where KoL 2015 had its first exhibition since it was flown over as a box file layout in 2010 - same venue BHMRC one day exhibition.
The first show resulted in a number of changes to be made namely, viewing height, lack of lighting, redoing the back-scene, build the station building, build a fiddle yard, more appropriate rolling stock, general running qualities etc as depicted by the image below:
Following the two makeovers since (the fi
Afternoon all,
3 months since last post Actually have been suffering the post exhibition dip, loss of mojo and snowed at work...however, am on hols for a couple of weeks now so might try to make some headway. My two boys also want me to progress their 4mm shelf layout too which I promised I would do.
Following the one day exhibition at Burgess Hill I have now had confirmation of invite to this years Uckfield exhibition which I am rather excited about. One of the main objectives was to g
Afternoon all,
Work has been plodding away on the layout of late but haven't had time to do an update so thought I would take the opportunity this b/h weekend.
I had made a mini target programme of activities for Feb/Mar/Apr and May but this has now been converted into a final 'to do' list as the exhibition is two weeks yesterday
This update concentrates on rolling stock, particularly locos which span the eras. I have been doing some research and found pics of Kyle of all locos mode
Evening all,
Just a quick update to say that work on the layout has now seized ready for the one day exhibition at BHMRC tomorrow.
Today the layout was erected on its support structure and last minute jobs ranging from works to the front fascia including a few descriptive images and storyboard to the rear fascia track plan diagram with notation for the magnets, isolating sections and turnouts - old school stuff this
Here's a few pics and I will report back after the show on whether
Good evening,
Time for an update...
Work doesn't seem to be allowing any windows to do any modelling after work in the evenings at present so progress is focussed around weekend slots in between family duties.
The wiring has been simplified (how can it be complicated on a layout such as this you ask ) but in the main down to the fact that it was originally constructed 5 years ago in 300mm sections to get in my box files/suitcase, so lots of jump wires etc. A test class 47 managed to
First up Happy New Year all
Resolution nr. 1 - more modelling...less thinking about doing modelling
It's been an intense period of work for me up until Christmas and likely through to Easter but having committed to the BHMRC show set for early May there is nothing like a deadline to get one focused.
I had set myself a slightly unrealistic target of getting the Fiddle Yard finished and wired over the 10 day break and although I didn't quite make it, I gave it a fair crack. The inten
Good afternoon,
A quick update on last weekend and decisions going forward.
Really enjoyed to exhibit at the Uckfield show last week, the first two day show for KoL...must admit I was knackered at work on Monday - might be better to take the Monday off in future rather than the Friday.
Overall it didn't perform too badly and it received some nice comments from peopleseemingly fascinated by the fiddle yard and back scene...and the compactness. Saturday it performed better than the Sun
Evening all,
Another heavy week at work lead me to want to get some modelling done this weekend. This followed a lightning 90 minute visit last weekend to the St Albans show to keep the mojo topped up.
Progress has been in the form of fixing the 4 roads to the fiddleyard in place, which has once again put my basic soldering skills to the limit. To aid this process, I have used both Solder paint and red flux from C+L so was feeling a bit light headed after breathing in fumes the last two
Evening all,
Quick update on progress around Easter - my recently returned turned down wheels were reinserted and after a second period of running in on the rolling road the locos were tried on the layout - some fettling was required to the two turnouts so the bare solder may be visible in some pics below prior to getting retouched in with a paint brush.
With most of the big tasks for scenery, lighting and wiring undertaken my attention has now turned to the rolling stock. My primary aim
Afternoon all,
A quick update on general progress of late. Lots of small bits and pieces undertaken since the last update. First up the station sign. The original layout has had two different signs during the last two years starting with the Scottish blue one before I swapped it to the British Railways black and white sign.
I have always had a soft spot for the blue signage so set about recreating it. The previous one had been undertaken trying to match the typeface and colour to pics bu
Good evening
First blog entry since we relocated back to UK and the period of re adjusting continues, particularly as we have downsized and have had to shift 99% of my railway stuff from our apartment to a storage garage a brisk walk away. No longer can I meddle and tinker with something located in a spare room...as there is no spare room
Have only managed one evenings modelling since July 2013 which was a crack at a 7mm C+L turnout kit, which is 75% complete...and as I thought this wee
Happy Easter all,
Now I have a week off work I am hoping to snuck in a little modelling.
Still need to apply the second coat of paint to the fascia and add some white text which I will try to do this week.
As Phase I draws to a conclusion, my thoughts slowly start to drift to Phase II which is to try and get the layout working again....otherwise its a photo plank and straight onto rolling stock.
This afternoon, I managed to lash up connect my Pictroller and run a few tests...it s
Good evening,
A quick update on progress this week following the initial entry last week and very encouraging comments.
Decided to take on board Rich B's idea (thank you Sir) for losing the corner post to the right hand end and cantilevering the fascia to complete the corner. That corner was troubling me somewhat as it would have meant covering up a part of the dockside in addition to looking like there was a piece of back scene missing.
I sketched out the components and laser cut th
Good evening,
As Phase I of the 2014 refurb draws to a close (second coat of paint added to fascia and new lettering has been applied) I turned my thoughts to the new fiddle yard.
As mentioned previously I would like to give cassettes a rest for a while and revert back to a traverser running on mini 150mm shelf runners that I acquired some place in BCN.
One of the issues to be addressed was due to the track layout, for run-a-round the train needs to back the stock almost halfway int
Afternoon all,
Subtle reference to the Fawlty Towers 'The Builders' episode in the title there
Little opportunities to do anymore on the FY this week so a splash of grey paint this weekend to keep things moving in the right direction whilst I work out how to resolve the electrical connections.
The fascia has been given two coats of grey paint to match the scenic section and the 2FS logos have been positioned - overall I am happy with the composition which I think highlights the slid
Afternoon all - 6 months since the last update
Work has been relentless and it will continue as that well into the new year...but I have since committed myself to take Kyle to the Burgess Hill MRC one day show in May 2015 as it made its original debut there as a boxfile layout in 2010 flown in as part of my handluggage from BCN and its had a couple of makeovers since then.
Nothing like a deadline to get you focussed Here's the crack - Get new FY and tidy up scenics by 1 Jan 2015 leavin
Evening all,
Quick update from the Mid Essex one day show held yesterday. A nice small show with a selection of quality layouts and good traders. Was a nice surprise to see Ian Futers there, having met him some years ago - bit of a modelling legend for me as his P4 Lochside layout was so instrumental when we were growing up...also was an inspiration for Kyle.
The layout performed well overall with just a loose wire in the Fiddleyard noticed prior to the start of the show.
Afternoon all,
An update from the Billericay show yesterday. A nice small friendly show set in 3 buildings joined by a garden...the Mayor arrived for a scheduled 30 minute visit...and ended up staying 2 hours! His driver was well impressed by the sounds from the 37’s just as he remembered them.
Overall, the layout behaved although some stock has been withdrawn to have a look at on the workbench - my once reliable 37/4 seems to suffer from cut out of the lights and sound regularly - might
Evening all,
Viewers alerted by wiring nightmares should avert their eyes now... As per usual with my blog entries they are a mix of positive and negative experiences but it’s all about the process and how we get there, right?
This weekend I looked to test the turnout in situ before spraying and glueing in place. The loco ran smoothly up to the turnout and onto the frog area then kept shorting out...I swopped over wires and checked for gaps on the PCB...then it occurred to me that I had
Evening all and a very Happy Christmas to you,
Have been chipping away at progress and almost ready to start scenic repairs again.
The second turnout was installed in position yesterday having first gapped it, cleaned with Vim and then sprayed with a coat of primer...as before sky blue was all I had at hand
One thing you will note is the backscene and also the ramp/bridge have been removed now. This was twofold, firstly the bridge railing was getting damaged and secondly the tie bar
Morning all,
A quick update from Kyle’s appearance at the one day Steyning show last Sunday.
Whilst not actually a Model Railway Club, the Wielden Railway Group have a one day show each year attended by members layouts and those they choose to invite. Andrew Knights kindly invited me when we met at the Essex show last year. Seeing as how Steyning is only half an hour away from my folks, it seemed a good opportunity to visit them and throw the layout in the back of the car
Evening all,
A debrief from the excellent Stafford show of last weekend. I did draft up the post last week but as I was getting used to the new software I managed to delete the entry just as I was about to post it Start again, fresh eyes...
As previous entries have described, I decided to replace the two turnouts to try and improve running as they were built almost 10 years ago. This turned out to include other remedials and more than I had anticipated in the last few m
Evening all,
Kyle was invited to the one day St Neots show yesterday. Jackie and I had been trying to find a date when there were no clashes after a few email exchanges and 2023 was when the planets aligned!
Set up the layout Friday night to test run and very glad I did as two roads in the FY were dead - turned out to be dry joints after some detective work. Soldering iron administered with the England footie game on in the background 🫣
Once sorted, car loaded
