cornish trains jez

Hi Ian, The card template did work well. It took several attempts though to get the arch looking right, which i drew out on paper first then transferred to card to install on the layout. Once I was happy with the look and, most importantly, the clearance for the locos and rolling stock to run underneath, I transferred this onto ply wood. Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Pete, Thank you for your kind comments. Glad you like the bridge, I feel it's an important part to get right as its quite a prominent piece of architecture. I'm thinking of using the stone foam sheets supplied by faller to cover it, which once painted should look the part. I'll check out MSE's website. Thanks for the tip! Best regards, Jeremy

Good evening all, I haven't updated my blog on this layout for a while due to my busy work commitments but I have made a little bit of progress in that time. I have dismantled the layout into the three boards and have decided to work solely on the eastern end (London end) of the layout. I have painted the rails and intend to do my usual watered down sleeper grime wash over the top to take the sheen off of the sleepers. I will then ballast and dry brush over the rails. The platform edges have been stuck down in place and I have started painting them. Lots of weathering is needed once the ballasting is done. I have started to build one of the signals which is made from a piece of plastic rod with added details from a ratio kit and etched brass ladder. This is still work in progress as i have only painted it so far. I'll write a seperate blog on this another time. Incidently, I have decided not to have operational signals but to include as much detail as possible so they look great and as close to the prototype as possible as motorising these in N will be tricky. Actually, just looking at the pictures, I will need to shorten the signal post as it is a little too high! I have also built the foundations of the road overbridge and I am particularly proud of it. It was first drawn onto a piece of card and after several attempts, I managed to get the arch right. It was then cut from 3mm ply using the card template. Full credit to my dad for his neat electric jigsaw cutting work! A little bit of progress but not as much as I would have liked but hopefully I can get a bit more done over the coming weeks. Any way, here are a few pictures taken this evening. Any advice and comments are always greatly appreciated. That's all for now. Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Pete, The 24 and 26 look fantastic! The weathering looks great! A real inspiration. Must have a bash myself with those MIG powders! Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Pete, The black and white photos are very atmospheric, and that 24 is coming along nicely! Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Pete, Thank you for your comments. I'll need to give this one a run around the layout to check the clearances with the snowploughs and buffer beam pipes. Thank you for pointing this out as i hadn't thought about this. Hopefully all will be ok!!!??!!! My next 37 will be 37181 however I am tempted with 37196 "Tre Pol and Pen" in railfreight grey livery. Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Jack, Thank you for your comments. Unfortunately i can't take credit for the wonky dots as this loco came like this. I'll certainly be giving this one a good weathering though! Best regards, Jeremy

Hi David, Before I cut the side frames off, I unclipped the bogie frame from the wheel set. The frame was then reclipped on and the side frames were then re positioned higher to close the gap between the body and the top of the bogies. I used plasticard as additional strengtheners and Faller Expert glue. I find this glue gives a good join but I left it to dry for an hour in between re-fitting each side frame. Hope this helps. Best regards, Jeremy

I've cut away the bogie side frames and raised them on the bogies themselves. It gives a more prototypical look. Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Jack, Looking good. I really want one those Tiger wagons!!!!!! Best regards, Jeremy

Good afternoon, Just thought I would add an entry as I haven't updated for a few weeks. Progress on Par is slow but I hope to add an entry by Sunday evening with progress on the layout. This entry is to talk about my latest loco, class 37 37206. Having looked through John Vaughan's excellent book "Diesels in the Duchy", I noticed that this loco is photographed on more than one occasion in the Par/St.Blazey area so naturally I wanted to have this loco on my layout. The donor was the re-tooled Farish class 37238. I have removed the plastic round buffers (donated to 37207 "William Cookworthy") and added some N-brass oval etched brass buffers. I have also added the snowploughs from the same company and will be adding further buffer beam detail over the next few days. I also decided to close the gap between the bogies and the body. On William Cookworthy I used the "lowering the body" technique, but on this loco, I have decided to have a bash at the Ian Mercig technique by raising the bogies. I feel it has worked well and just like my other 37, gives a more prototypical look. Anyway, here are some photos prior to the etched parts being painted, bogies repainted, and the loco being renumbered. I may even have a bash at weathering it!!! As always, any comments are most welcome. Best regards, Jeremy

Brilliant Jack, when's the happy hour for a lovely pint of cornish ale!!??!! Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Pete, This looks great and it's all come together very nicely. You have inspired me to build my buildings in card on my layout of Par. I also must say, your class 37 looks fantastic! How did you fix on the snowploughs? Best regards, Jeremy

We could start a thread dedicated to William Cookworthy class 37's!!!??!!!

Hi Pete, The back scene looks great! It really captures the Scottish Highlands well. I have been following your blogs on the station building and it really is coming along nicely! Best regards, Jeremy

Thanks Pete. I'll check out TPM's website.

Good evening, I thought i would post a few pictures of my re-numbered Farish class 37, 37207 "William Cookworthy" I have also lowered this loco closer to the bogies using the techniques in bcnpete's blog which gives a more prototypical appearance. The decals are from precision decals and the nameplates from Shawplan. I still have a bit of work to do as i need to add the numbers and spray on a coat of varnish to seal the decals. This is my first time re-numbering a loco and I feel it has gone faurly well and plan to do 37206 next with snow ploughs as this loco also worked in the Par area during the 1980's. Here are some photos. Class 37207 and HST Close up of the buffer details with Cornish Railways logo and flags Any comments welcome Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Pete, Many thanks for your comments on 37207. I was inspired to model this loco by your blog on lowering the Farish 37 bodies to get a more prototypical look. I think you posted this in your Coombe Junction blog. I bought the transfers from precision decals and the nameplates from Shawplan. All the front detail pipes were from the detail pack and borrowed from the detail pack included in the Dapol silver bullets. I'll post some extra pictures later on tonight. I still have to add the numbers and spray the Matt varnish to seal in the transfers. Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Nick, The HST power car does look higher. It may be because I didn't firm the body shell down onto the chassis after plugging the DCC chip in. I'll check later. Best regards, Jeremy

Hi, Nice trees! Are you making many of these? Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Pete, Many thanks for your comments. To answer your questions, the Newquay branch crosses the mainline in the main storage roads and heads off into it's own storage siding, which i have yet to build but it will be about two roads. It was tricky to deal with as i would have liked it to connect to the main storage lines but the curve would have been too sharp. You are right about the HST, the power car does look bigger than the MK lll's. Very odd as the whole train is Dapol! Still no news about their buffet car, is it still going to be released? Best regards, Jeremy

Good evening everyone, Just thought I would add a short update as I have been testing some rolling stock on my layout of Par station over the last few nights and here are some pictures. Class 37672 "Freight Transport Association" with 24 CDA wagons HST Dapol "Bubble" heads up onto the Newquay branch. Class 37207 "William Cookworthy" with short freight train. Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Mickey, Thanks for that. I will test run my 37 with 24 CDA's and post a picture on my blog. You are right about EWS, when I was down in Cornwall in 2010, I counted 32 riding behind 66093. Best regards, Jeremy

Hi Pete, I will try and get a picture of this train to add to this blog. Did the class 37's run with 30+ CDA's as pictures and videos that I have found show 15-20 wagon length trains? Still, you are right, a nice long rake of these would look great! Best regards, Jeremy

Great photos Rivercider!! Need to find some way of getting those ferry vans in N scale for my layout. Best regards, Jeremy