Leaderboard

Most railway companies would recycle components from use on a main line down into sidings and track of lesser importance. Following this practice (and because at £20 for 500 chairs they aren't cheap) I decided to try and remove some of the components off the old Empire Basin for reuse. Fortunately the chairs were willing to separate from the sleepers with a little persuasion and with not too much cleaning up some lengths of rail were made available to the track gang for reuse in the goods yard. All I need to do now is sell the redundant 4mm scale sleepers to a 4mm scale garden centre! Overall the progress is coming on nicely, I could actually go mad and lay the complete up line round the room now but I think I'll try and finish the rest of the point work first. The point trailing towards the viewer is the main goods yard entrance and leads into a double slip. The large hole was intended to be for the lever frame but I'm having a slight change of plan there. What I'm going to do now is build the lever frame in a box which will slide into position in front of that hole but also be removable so it can be put elsewhere (on my desk for example). The use of CBUS means that it only needs a single CAT5 network cable to connect it to the layout. I beginning to look forward to thinking about scenery! I wondering if the long goods siding at the back should be just a lay-by or if I should fit a small roadway down to the track level so it could be used for loading (coal yard maybe?). David

A Blog I was once told is a sort of diary, what you're doing and perhaps why. Well yesterday was a 'save some models' day. I have a large collection of aircraft models made over the last 30 years. Many have not seen light of day for several years and are destined for the bin, others I spent a great deal of time making and want to keep. These are too delicate to be trusted with a removal company and as our moving date gets near I wanted to get some safely down to the holiday caravan. This needed a 333 mile round trip from Northamptonshire to dorset & back, which I did yesterday. I know it's a railway website, but modelling is well, Errrr ..... modelling. Here are two of my H.P Victors taken while the B.1 version was being worked on, in the background stands the B.2 version. Both heavily modified from the basic Matchbox/Revell K.2 kit. For me not every day is a railway day !! Dad-1

and for some more of my fathers plasticard locos - three ex L&Y locomotives. First up a highflyer - this uses original Sharman wheels and next up. An ex L& Y 0-8-0 this has a Ks' HP2M motor and K's wheels and finally for now a 2-4-2T - which is showing its age and some plastic warping

I hope the title of this one will be a little less controversial! So today I have been making - yes, you guessed Rosebay Willowherb to further liven up the bank. I adapted a method outlined in Gordon Gavett's book and got pretty quick at making them. Where I changed things was to use one full length of Hornby 'Field Grass' and dipped each end in tacky PVA and then a rather nasty Javis flock called 'Sandstone' (just about as far from sandstone as you can get!). When this had dried, which didn't take long I snipped them to length and dipped the other end in PVA and then some Woodland Scenic scatter. By the time I had finished a batch the first ones were ready for planting with a dab of PVA. See what you think. I have also planted some bushes and other sundry weeds and have to declare myself pretty pleased with the results. Have also done a bit more fine detailing and this portion is almost finished. As it represents about a sixth of the total that is not bad going. I have another dug out to go in further down in the section that is actually on the fiddle yard board and then I can start work on this side of the track (the scatter you see in the pics is just mess from the other side. A bit of stock gives an idea of what it will all look like.

I've been reading the thread started recently by Robin2 on "Why have moving trains on layouts?" - ( http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/78169-why-have-moving-trains-on-layouts/ ) There've been lots of interesting and thoughtful replies and it has made me think. On the one hand, I couldn't build an engine without wanting to make it work satisfactorily and, on the other, I don't run trains very much but do enjoy setting up various static scenes for photography. I do find it relaxing, however, to run trains round and round a bit, after a hard evening's modelling, though the relaxation can be spoiled if some sort of fault appears Here's an example of one of my static scenes: I've added a bit of smoke and steam with Photoshop but, looking at it now, it desperately needs some people to give it a bit of 'life' and it's only when I looked at the photo that I noticed that the pigs had fallen over!. There's no doubt that taking photos is a great way to see all the mistakes and the unrealistic bits, so it can be a stimulus to improvement. I find that a small compact camera is often better for 'realistic' scenes than, for example, a more sophisticated DSLR, for a number of reasons. The compact is, of course, smaller and can be put into those places that a DSLR cannot reach. A more technical reason is that both the lens and sensor in the compact are much smaller, which results in a greater depth of field (more in focus) at equivalent camera settings. The compact can be thought of as, in effect, a 'scale model' of the sort of camera that might have been used during my chosen pre-Grouping period. Out of interest, I did a few calculations: The sensor in a typical compact measures about 6.2 x 4.6mm, whereas a 'whole plate' camera, as might have been used in the 19th century, had a sensitive area of 8½" x 6½" (216 x 165mm). From these figures, the compact represents a 1/35 scale model - not too far removed from 0-gauge! So, you can expect to get similar perspective and depth-of-field when using a compact to photograph an 0-gauge layout from 'realistic' locations. I took the photo of my GWR 'Siphon' that appeared in a recent post with a DSLR camera and it is obvious that only a small part of the image is in focus. I've repeated the shot below, using a compact camera, to show how much more of the scene can easily be kept in focus (the background sky is by Photoshop) Mike

Construction of the baseboards is in 9mm ply. Below is a photo taken on 30th May showing the basic idea. followed by three of the boards put together. Boards are located to one another by metal dowels and then coach bolted. After construction of all the boards there commenced first the track laying and then the wiring. Operation is by DCC so every length of track on each board is linked to two buses, one for supply of the electricity and one for return. Glenn insists on neatness and his wiring is a joy to behold. Point wiring (including changeover switches for the frogs) was not multi-coloured on the remainder of the boards. Red wire was used for every connection but each wire is coded at each end to ensure ease of rectification. We always said that if the layout didn't work then we could turn the boards over and have a demonstration in wiring! Date of the photo 18th July. Glenn's friend Ian Bush arrived for a few days in August and the layout moved along at an incredible rate. Ian himself constructed the depot inspection pit (inside the depot shed) out of brass angle. The following photo doesn't really do it justice. In addition, end plates for the carrying of the boards and backscenes were made. The way the boards link together for ease of movement and storage is another case of a design working to perfection. That weekend the sun shone again so the first full assembly of the layout was tried. Not only were we able to "play trains" for the first time but checking of all the electrical connections was achieved (and a couple did need changing). To find any faults before ballasting commenced would ease any changes necessary considerably. We had spent 11 weeks so far and had 8 weeks left until the exhibition - a reasonably completed layout seemed a long way away.

First of all an apology - no pictures this time! Yesterday we took St Ruth to the Burton show held in the brewery museum. I spent most of the day on the fiddle yard where it is at least possible to make eye contact with the audience so was able to talk to a few people. We had some favourable comments from the audience although behind the scenes things were not entirely going according to plan. Burton is a one day show so it was an early start, setup, do the show and pack up all in the same day. This meant we hadn't had time to check things over before the show opened and on starting to run the schedule we immediately found that four electrical sections in the station had decided to go completely AWOL for some unknown reason. The first half hour or so of the show was done with the lid off the control panel so that John could replace one of the PCBs. This meant that the operators were crouching on the floor whenever they needed to press a button on the panel. Even after that was dealt with there were other problems - the yard headshunt section remained AWOL for the whole show which made shunting the yard even more difficult than normal and the fiddle yard electrics were not their normal selves either. I'm still puzzled about how we can put the layout away in a working state after a 2 day show and then just 3 weeks later it has developed multiple electrical gremlins on boards that are separated by at least 8 feet. Anyway, I think we still enjoyed ourselves even though the day was a bit hectic. The bacon butties were very welcome in the morning but for some reason we didn't get any free beer vouchers, so maybe a point of improvement for the organisers there.

As the Weston-on-Trent show creeps closer here is a further update: The show What a difference a few days make. In my last blog I reported that a layout pulling out had reduced the total to 18. Within a few days it has increased to a provisional total of 21. One small layout which had pulled out earlier in the year is now coming again, and I have received a kind offer from another RMWeb user to bring their shunting layout too! It will certainly be good to welcome one of the website's younger members to the event. I have also confirmed arrangements for our first ever guest demonstrator. This has resulted in me opening up another small room in the school for this year's event. As part of the demonstration stand RMWeb user DonB's developing model of the Bridgnorth Cliff Railway will be on show. Although work in progress it will be well worth seeing! As thing stands the show will feature exhibits in 4 rooms and 2 corridors. This should be made up of 21 layouts, 8 traders and 2 demonstrations. At present there are just a couple of layouts awaiting final confirmation. Once this has been received I will post a full list of visiting layouts on the blog and the show page. The layout I now have the extra flowers and some more stock boxes courtesy of the Burton show last weekend. Now all I need to do is complete the extra scenic touches and decide on a loco roster for this year's show. I admit that I have a little bit of a dilemma with this. I am struggling to decide which of my vast collection of locos to roster into service for the day. For many years I was a railway modeller without a layout. During this time I did build up a rather large collection of steam outline models. These cover all of the “Big Four” regions as well as a selection of B.R standards. The majority are liveried in British Railways colours with a mix of early and late crests. Skaleby West does not represent any particular location or era. It could easily pass for a preserved line or a branch line in the latter days of steam. The only scenic items which suggest a location are the Midland region signal box, and the maroon liveried benches and station lamps. It was for this reason that I chose to run the layout with a Midland region feel last year. The initial loco roster included the following weathered models; Bachmann Standard 4 number 75065 Hornby “Black 5” number 44762 Bachmann Fairburn tank number 42667 Bachmann Standard 4 number 80120 (seen below on my home layout) The first two locos did look a little too large for such a small layout, and a certain amount of artistic licence was used when running them on the short passenger trains. A second passenger set was worked regularly by my unweathered Bachmann Ivatt tank number 41324. This was borrowed, along with the coaching stock, from my permanent home layout, Skaleby. The loco and carriages worked at regular points during the day to depict a service from the model’s sister station (see below). My spare locomotives were two Bachmann unweathered models, “Jinty” number 47279 (seen on the layout below) and Midland 3F number 43474. These were both pressed into regular service due to problems with the Standard 4 tank and the Fairburn and ran impeccably. But what should I do this year? Do I stick with the Midland theme? If so what models should I choose? I definitely need to make some changes to last year’s roster. The Fairburn tank has developed a fault and cannot run and 75065 and the Black 5 really are too big. My plan is to run with two passenger sets and two mixed freight sets throughout the day, with the freights being shunted in the yard in between each arrival and departure. This means I need 5 regular locomotives and a couple of spares. Perhaps I will throw it open to others. Any suggestions as to what I should run??

Hi again. I missed the following attachment off my posting re the Little Langdale Railway. Sorry for the quality. Derek.

Evening all I have been a bit preoccupied with the backscene of late. I must admit to getting really stressed doing them. SWMBO is quite a talented artist and has helped with the last two layouts but it very nearly ended in divorce last time... The plan for Clevedon has always been for a continuous backscene. This will include the town at the Portishead end, pan round including Hangstone Quarry then flatten out to reflect the levels towards Weston. Originally I envisaged a photo stitched thing but it soon became apparent that Clevedon (despite what some of my friends who live there think) has actually moved on since 1940 meaning the original aspect had been affected by more modern buildings. So one Sunday, I found myself wandering the streets taking photos of various buildings. Luckily a supermarket car park and a sports field give a pretty good vantage point. We are fortunate to have Martin Goodall in our EM area group and he has written articles about backscenes in MRJ's 221 & 222. I didn't quite want the Cotswold stone look but an evening watching him demonstrating his painting techniques convinced me I could have a go. The backing medium is 1700 grade lining paper which is sprayed with a blue and a white Halfords car aerosol (Olympic Blue and some white or other) to get the basic sky pattern. Buildings were sketched out using the principles of parallel perspective and then transferred onto the paper using tracing paper. The painting then commenced using artist's acrylics. The initial attempts were a little 'Costa del Clevedon' with too much terracotta. Once the blocks of colours had been laid down, the building details were added with watercolour graphite pencils. The applied shading softens when moistened with a paint allowing a representation of windows, cills, bargeboards etc to be laid down. I've attached some photos of the final results. I wouldn't call myself an artist at all so I'm really pleased with how it's turning out. There's still a bit to do; the green will be lightened to reflect trees and bushes and the quarry will include a bit more detailing. Still, you get the idea.

It's been a whole week since my last post and I have spent the entire time making this little scene. Well, no actually, there were a couple of windswept days in Brighton and another couple in a shed, sorry, camping pod in Dorset only a little less windswept. After having finally cleared up the debris of a twenty kid party yesterday I have managed to get back to some more serious business. Have finally managed to thread the barbed wire but will be much easier next time due some very useful comments on my last post. Rest of afternoon was spent making some poppies to brighten up what is other wise a rather dull scene. Roast dinner seems to have been delegated in my direction now but should manage a bit more later.

I took a few snaps last evening, showing the few odd jobs that I've been doing. We all like photographs so here are a couple more. just 6 foot 8 inches of it !! The station platforms measure 6 foot 1 inch straight, a little more because of the curve. Dad-1

The latest information is that we should be moving around the last week of November. So much to do & so little time, as a result I've started simplifying some areas. I've now grassed the small bank behind the goods line and to try & keep the enthusiasm up photographed while still wet with adhesive ! I had a small accident back in February when one station board toppled onto it's scenic side destroying the ratio fencing stuck all along the rear platform retaining wall. Now all replaced and always stored in it's 'pod' and away from any similar accidents. Time is running out and all locomotives with the exception of a Lima small prairie in GWR and a Collett Goods in early BR safely packed away into boxes, a sobering thought that the three loco boxes each has a content approaching £1000 in original cost !! I suppose I have 4 boxed Hornby sets still laying around, but Caledonian 123, GWR Royal Soverign, 101 DMU are not quite right although the 14XX with 2 autocoaches could appear on film soon !! Dad-1

I don't think there's any part of the hobby I like more than adding small details to a nearly finished scene, in this case some of Hornby's delightfully rendered wicker baskets and (just out of shot) some Bachmann's equally useful milk churns grouped around the front of the station building. It's a small touch, and really just open-the-box modelling, but I find it really enjoyable to add these kind of features - it's the kind of modelling you can do at at the end of a busy or stressful day and still feel like you're getting somewhere - 5 minute heroes as PMP puts it. Next up will be some seats, trolleys and station signs, as well as a few hardy passengers. Here are some more general shots of the station area, starting off with Heljan's lovely parcels unit. I've given it a tiny bit of weathering but otherwise it's as it came, other than the addition of a decoder. I've notched some my rails at scale intervals, and the clickety-click sound of this heavy but silent model is really enjoyable as it glides over the joints. Must do the rest of the layout... Finally, the Mogul and its mixed rake of ex-GWR passenger stock: Cheers!

Since April we have spent more time at our caravan in Dorset than at home. My wife has decided that she wants to move there to be nearer to one of our sons & grandchildren. In principal I quite like the idea and suggested that within a couple of years we should do that. However things have rolled along so fast I'm now a worried man. Within two days we have sold our house subject to contract. Fine only I'm working on Castell Mawr a collaborative layout with me doing nearly all the work & spending most of the money - I like that as I'm in complete control. The problem is this layout's booked into our Milton Keynes clubs 2014 show in February, I have trouble moving such a big layout the 7 miles to that ..... so what happens to it ?? If I leave here it won't get finished & may get damaged, If I take it, I can't get it back, and even that is supposing our new as yet not found home has room for it !! I have done a little work recently and am currently waiting for more Knightwing spear security fencing. Here is half the sidings that I set a stage on this week. Some quality fiddle-yard !! Dad-1

Never a dull moment ..... apart from looking out of the window. This Saturday I'm running the Silverfox DCC Clubs "Thomas at Silverfox Island" About a half & half job as I built it and bought about half the components that made it as well as supplying the two Select DCC units used by the children who drive on it. Sunday it's a trip to the Ecclesbourne railway with the Milton Keynes MRC. We donated our working signal to them when we were pushed out of Bletchley Park at the end of last year. It'll be good to see the old friend !! Monday back to Dorset and "Shillingstones Lane", I want to build additional exchangeable sections to change the whole atmosphere ...... I even thought about covering the track and turning into a small industrial estate, the sort of diorama showing what became of most small branch line infrastructures since the 1960's. The first changes will be going back to before the current farm cottage was built and to do this as quickly as possible I intend using the Dapol thatched cottage ..... at under £4.50 it's a snip. So perhaps when I next get on line I'll be able to show two different dioramas on the same shallow cutting base section. Still loads of painting needed on that thatched cottage ..... just the thing for wet days in Dorset, a sort of insurance on the weather, if I have indoors work it'll be fine & sunny !!!! To see the diorama look at "Shocking Neglect" posting. Geoff T.

I always have work to do - a lot of my own stock has never been completely weathered so I am showing some"before" shots here of partly weathered locos built by my late Father - all of these have appeared on Herculaneum Dock on occasion..First up an N5. I intend to re-weather this as its not been finished. Then Earl Roberts of Kandahar. also due for some attention to the running gear weathering and finally again some work required on running gear etc They are all representative of post 1945 locos in and around the CLC please enjoy!

well started doing another 9f upgrade/conversion on a Hornby railroad 9f turning this into another tyne dock loco its a slow project so far but getting there just need a few more bits to upgrade certain parts so just took a photo of the work done at the mo.

In November 2008 I was chatting to Glenn Daniel (Dunedin) at Mickleover Model Railway Club and we thought of making a layout for the exhibition circuit. Utilising one of the other members branch line layouts was contemplated (it was for possible sale at the time) but we decided to go for our own instead. Initial thoughts were around the area of the country to model and, due to keeping the layout small enough for two people to manage, we realised we would need short trains meaning we had two options - Scotland or Cornwall. Glenn has been modelling Scotland in the 1980s, I was modelling Cornwall in October 1976. In the end I acknowledged the fact that the general public are more interested in different colours as opposed to different rakes so Scotland won. The next thought was of location and a station on the Highland line between Perth and Inverness was looked at. Suddenly Glenn stated that he'd always wanted to build a coaching stock depot and with my interest in rake formations I whole-heartedly agreed on the idea. I did look again at modelling Penzance carriage sidings but I was never going to win that battle! First thoughts were about Edinburgh (Glenn had worked at Craigentinny in the 1980s) but I noted that vacuum braked trains were still running from Aberdeen to Inverness so I suggested Aberdeen - HSTs, Sleepers, Push-Pulls and Cross-Country services all being available as well. Thus the area was set, now to find a plot of land we could say the depot could have been placed.