trw1089

Always a bonus!

Glad to see it still earning it's keep. Always brings a big smile to my face when it makes an appearance!

The weathering on Silver Link is just perfect, with the flat dust of soot on the top, through the deep green with gloss shining through the streaks of muck washed down by the rain, to mucky dullish grey black of the running gear. That's what fine weathering is all about to me, subtle gradations of tone, texture and colour. I only wish I could be half as good as the magic that Timara weaves on your motive power.

Have I told you that I like D11s? Well, I like D11s... Hope your electrickery gets sorted proper!

More shots of coaching stock greatly appreciated here!

It’s always interesting to see names and numbers that hardly (if ever) graced more southern lines. I particularly like Felstead as it is the star on one of Peter Handford’s recordings departing Montrose up to Usan SB. I did seriously look at modelling that location simply because of that recording and that it was home to some of my mother’s Erskine relations. Cheers Tony

Lovely to see so many different loco classes that never ventured down south.

The second version of the WD 2-8-0 sound file represents a new or recently overhauled loco with clear even chuffs, quieter rod clank when coasting, and a clear injector sound. Both projects have a choice of whistles for F2 selectable via CV.

Here is a video done up for Locoman Sounds demonstrating one of two new sound files for a War Department Austerity 2-8-0. This is the “worn” version with loud rod clank, uneven chuffs, leaking steam and rattling injectors.

I think you aren’t prepared to accept some critique then you’ll never grow as a modeller. I always try to approach my modelling by being willing to learn and improve rather than just accept the status quo. Sometimes it hits a bit close to the heart, but that’s probably because deep down I probably feel the same. I value all the comments I get, as they all help me figure out what might be good enough for me to accept and move on, or refine and improve. Cheers Tony

I’ve taken @St Enodoc’s comments about doing my own etching to heart and decided to try and do the frilly bits of the clock a bit better than my first “agricultural” efforts… Here is what I think is a much better representation of the clock top now.

I’m not entirely sure Dean, but it is obviously related to the complexity of the shapes. If there are lots of curved surfaces then they will be drawn with lots more polygons in 3D and it tends to get stuck exporting stuff for printing if it’s too complex.

Now printed, the doorway to nowhere perhaps?

My next dilemma to solve was how I would go about reproducing the detailed door on Westgate that used to go into the stairway up to the station. As far as I have been able to tell, this stairway originally opened onto the station platform, but later another door was either made or opened below the clock tower that then led onto the station forecourt. It is still there on Westgate I believe, well it was back in 2017 when I last visited the location. Certainly has lots of frilly bits and perhaps more complex than TinkerCAD would handle, so a friend of mine created the design from my photos and dimensioned pdf drawings (the measure tool in Adobe Reader is great for this) to create the door below. I then brought that into TinkerCAD to add the column decorations, Fleur-de-lis and Yorkshire roses above the doors. Unusually, while the door has a split in the middle which you would think opens inwards, the door knob is on the right hand side. Not sure of that little mystery. Probably the last remnant of the Italianate architecture of the original building, as even though Platform 2 does have it's brickwork intact, it is a lot plainer than the main station used to be.

Thanks Jamie, will certainly post there though I often feel my work lacks some of the finesse of others.

That shot of No.7 is a cracker Gilbert! Everything around the clutter, the view of the bridge in the background, the looming visage of the hotel, it all just fits. A real tribute to your PN vision and all of the wonderful modelling that has got it to that stage. Shots like these are what makes PN my first thread to visit each time I log on to RMWeb.

Yeah, one day! I was flat out getting to this stage John!

It has certainly been awhile since I posted any updates on the layout as many of them were just about locos and rollingstock which were probably getting a bit boring. That’s not to say there hasn’t been other developments and planning, but as I ended up doing a near 2nd full time job repairing locos for two hobby shops, I wasn’t really getting much time on my own stuff. I’ve finally managed to devolve myself of one repair job and the other one only has very occasional digital only repairs which I don’t mind helping, so have been getting back into my own work. Most importantly, after buying a resin 3D printer a couple years ago, and trying to master some CAD software, I stumbled across and taught myself TinkerCAD which has been a much better design space for my approach to things. That’s also meant I could tackle probably the biggest hurdle I have on my layout, the main clock tower on Westgate station. This impressive 97 scale feet structure is quite architecturally complex and not all that well captured photographically. I’ve therefore been fiddling to get things moving in a positive direction. I’ve managed to get it to this stage now which I think is close, but probably needs a bit more fettling to get right. I may also reprint the top pagoda thing as it is a tad too delicate, and I know the wrought iron fretwork is not exact as it is the best I could match with some Scale Link etches. Overall though the proportions look close and it seems to have the right “heft” of the former tower.

Oooh err missus, that B17 doesn't half look decent! The odd plonk or two is also welcome relief, lest my dicky ticker get over raced with such sublime motive power...

The weathering on the A5 is just superb, Timara really hit that one for 6. Cheers Tony

I've used both the ESU and D&H decoders from Locoman. I think the D&H decoder is very good with it's smaller form factor and that means an easier installation. ESU decoders are slightly larger but also have many options to configure them which can be handy if you like to program (which I do!). In terms of motor control, I think D&H works best straight out of the box. With Loksounds, I typically have to do autotune a couple of times and then further adjustments of CV53 and 54 to get them running how I like. In terms of sound functions, both are very good and again, D&H works well straight out of the box, but with ESU I can adjust things further if I want. As Alex says, the choice is yours. I've done up a video showing the difference between TTS, Soundtraxx Economi UK, D&H and Loksound here if you want to compare the sounds. Cheers Tony

Happy New Year to you Gilbert and to all the PN tragics like myself. Unfortunately, I’ve had a bit happening on the home front so have only just now caught up. Always an enjoyable way to spend some time reviewing the comings and goings of the Eastern Region through our favourite speed restricted station. Hope 2024 is kind to you all and perhaps maybe even a visit to PN for me later in the year if all the Mallards line up in a row… (and if you’d have me over again Gilbert!). Cheers Tony

Looks and sounds good Andy!

Good to see Gresley Junction running again!

Beautiful work Eric. Lining always scares me a little, and I take about as long as you to get the courage up to do it! Cheers Tony