NeilHB

A very sensible decision Dave! Next time I build some wagons requiring black ironwork I’ll give that method a try.

Thanks very much for the invite, but unfortunately two day shows are a no for me. I can only commit to one day at a weekend sadly. Thanks Jay, much appreciated. It’s in the diary and I’m very much looking forward to it.

Hi Jay, @Mike Bellamy mentioned this to me in our virtual pub meeting earlier this evening. I’m local in Derby and would be happy to come along and bring Elsbridge (7mm standard gauge) if there’s room please. Cheers, Neil

Thanks Dave, much appreciated. Thanks Dave, I hadn’t thought of that before tbh. I’ve drilled all the holes out in the wagon shortly after the last update, but haven’t managed to progress since then. There’s a few more wagons to build once I’ve got over the current chest infection (back to back ones since Easter unfortunately), so I’ll try that out when I build them. I really do like that cattle van, and may have to build something of a similar design for the tramway.

Very much looking forward to seeing this one come together Rob, looks like it will be another cracking layout.

I’m pretty certain that there was footage posted on t’interweb of the prototype RTR Ruston 48DS running. Hopefully it does get picked up in due course by a kind soul as I’d very much like one (or two!).

That dumb buffered open with outside framing is delightful, quite delightful! Looks just like the sort of wagon my tramway would have acquired third or fourth hand 😁 What are the origins of it please?

Very much looking forward to seeing the 7mm stuff progressing! Re where to locate said 7mm updates, my vote would be to either carry on in this thread, or post a new one in the 7mm scale section. You may find it easier in 7mm scale to have separate loco and wagon cassettes due to the length of trains you want to run, as this will help to avoid any unnecessary disasters should the unimaginable happen. The cassettes I use for Elsbridge are only 550mm between gates (loco and 3 wagons), and I still managed to drop a full one of them on the floor 😭 With the ABS wagon kit I’d suggest replacing the buffers supplied in the kit with those from either Slaters or Haywood, others may be able to get those supplied in the kit to work satisfactorily, but I find them a very odd and cumbersome design.

Some cracking progress on the layout Schooner, it’s looking great. For me I think option 3 for the placement of the coal merchants hut feels like the right one.

A very quick and easy wagon build undertaken today. Having assembled the chassis frame sometime ago (as part of the last batch build of wagons), I figured I really ought to build a body for it. The plan had always been to replace the coal merchants wagon with a standard ETCo designed 4-plank open, and this has now been achieved: The bodywork has been assembled, all that remains is to drill hundreds of holes and add the plastic rod to represent bolt heads etc. That can wait till tomorrow though - to get to this point only took a couple of hours in total. All three ETCo 4-plank opens - livestock wagon, open and coal merchants private owner. Still need to build a few more ETCo wagons though. I think a couple more 3-plank opens, and another van or two should do for the time being.

Hope you’re on the mend soon Northroader, best wishes for a speedy and full recovery.

WSR No.1 ‘Thorkell’ has been borrowed by the tramway company to cover for a loco failure: Seen here arriving with one of the latest acquisitions, a rather nice pre-built cattle van that I picked up at Kettering for a very good price.

Thanks Rob, much appreciated. The MBR grass mats look rather good and I think should work quite nicely in 7mm.

Superb photos Rob, particularly the last one with the brambles. What have you used to make those please? They are very convincing.

Thanks Andy. It was a most enjoyable morning. Haha Andy escaped meeting the hounds as they were banished downstairs! Rupert made his feelings known though loud and clear 🤣 All quiet in the yard tonight, the last down tram of the day has departed and the gate has been closed: