Max Legroom

Hi Mike Thank you for your help. The scenario is that the signal box has been demolished and the mainline is controlled remotely with colour light signals and point motors. The ground frame was installed just to control access to the sidings. So just one red lever should do the job based on your advice. I guess the staff on the ground would need the key to unlock the frame and permission from the power box. This is a fascinating area that I've never bothered to look into before. Best wishes Max

Hi all On my layout, Jamaica Road, I'm installing a ground frame to control the exit from the up platform road to some sidings. Here is a pic which hopefully makes things clear. The sidings are off to the lower right and the nearest siding forms the head shunt. The ground frame will be near the foot crossing. Each of the two points will have a lever on the frame but my question is will either of the points need an additional lever to lock the points? The exit from the up platform road is via a trailing point. Any advice much appreciated. Max

The lighter evenings have encouraged a bit of progress. The retaining walls have largely been built. For the background, I've reused a couple of buildings from Strachur and installed a couple of Radical Flats background buildings. These were produced for the US market and are excellent though I believe they are no longer available. They look OK in a British setting to my eyes.

Have to agree about it being a bit disappointing. The trade union stuff got a bit tedious after a while. I was shocked to read about a collision on the Tay Bridge! It was actually a few miles away on the north bank of the Tay.

Progress has been slow during the winter but most of the track has been ballasted and the cable ducting is in place. Here is the station building over the tracks. The foot crossing is in place from the platform end to what was the signal box but will now just be a groundframe and wasteground. A road bridge will cross the lines roughly where he baseboards join. Last up is the right-hand end of the layout showing the location of the S&T sidings. The line on the right is imagined to curve down and under the mainline to serve a shipbreakers and dock. I'm planning to exchange wagons with an industrial to add to the action.

Another really useful magazine. I found the section on Cargowaggons especially interesting as it’s a wagon that I haven’t paid much attention to previously and I hadn’t realised they date back to 1979. I might have to pick one up for the layout!

I've heard it said that Beyer Peacock had a reputation for excellent build quality so I've often wondered how the Beyer Peacock batch compared to the Derby built versions.

Regarding the pasties and haggis comment, I’m guessing that WR and ScR versions are coming at some point. I wonder if they will do one of the batch with steam heat.

Wow! This looks like the one to get.

No problem Mark. Always happy to answer questions and thanks for all your interest.

Hi Mark The platform is made from 2mm plastic sheet and is basically a box structure with Slaters stone stuck to the edge. The surface is just grey paint and could have benefited from a bit more texture but I was limited to what I had to hand at the time. Best wishes Max

Thanks Andrew I’m thinking of building a ‘proper’ fiddleyard and maybe even another section featuring a run-round. All the best Max

Hi Mark I painted the walls all over in grey and then picked out random blocks in other shades of grey, followed by an earth wash. Finally a bit of stone colour was dry brushed on. Definitely worth experimenting to see what works for you as you can always paint over anything you don’t like. Best wishes Max

I would like to see the business case for this one. It reminds me of some of the nineteenth century proposals to build lines in the far flung corners of the empire. Pretty desperate stuff!

And to think that a lot of people think that HS2 is a white elephant!

I think I’ll stay out of the bog cart argument and just say that I really enjoyed this. A very pleasant way to spend an evening.

I like what you’ve done to the class 37. I’m sure I’ve got a Lima one somewhere that would work too.

I notice that 24009 above correctly has the fuel gauge on the tank but my version doesn’t. There was a bit of chat about this at the start of 2020 so I was wondering if anyone had heard anything from about this from SLW?

I’m fairly sure someone on here has already converted one to a 25/0. I must admit that I was thinking of getting hold of one but blew my budget on Bachmann’s 40142 which is rather good too.

Hi Sean The little Hornby Ruston and Hornsby 48ds would be perfect for the distillery traffic. Best wishes Max

Is the new 24 about to become a 25/0 Martyn? Perfect for a Glasgow setting.

The station overbridge is starting to take shape. Cable ducting alongside the track is in place prior to ballasting. My plan is to install colour light signals with a ground frame to control the points to the sidings. The bridge supports are ancient Hornby bridge piers that were in the spares box. They will largely be hidden away so should do the job of creating an impression of a subterranean railway.

Here are a couple of snaps showing the progress so far. The backscene is in place and is simply lining paper on plywood and painted with white emulsion with a bit of blue added. The platforms are in place and the station building and roadway will be over the track where the Limby DMU is standing. Hopefully I should make a bit of progress during the festive break.

Does anyone know roughly when those grit and salt bins first appeared?

I’ve often wondered how staff got into wagons to clean them out or assist with unloading, for example, 16t minerals at small coal facilities. Is it by ladder or just through the side door?