checkrail

There are three Ocean wagons in that train. One is indeed from POWsides - transfer only which I applied to a Bachmann 7-planker (but didn't get absolutely straight!). The others have bodies from old Trix/Lilliput wagons, with 9ft wb wooden chassis from Cambrian Kits. I had one of these Trix wagons 50 years ago and was impressed with the printing for that time, so I looked for some on eBay and eventually got four (but not cheaply). Trix models were made to a strange hybrid scale - something like 3.8mm to the foot IIRC. But lengthwise they're spot on for a 4mm scale 9ft u/f. (The u/f they came with was an anachronistic monstrosity.) And I have read in the past of coal being delivered to West Country towns in Ocean wagons. Have a look at the vid again and you might spot all three. The POWsides version is the second to appear. It made me smile to get a S. Welsh coal wagon marked 'Return to Treorchy' in a swish plastic box stamped 'Made in Austria'. Saga's not over - I've also acquired a 00 Graham Farish Ocean wagon. Don't know quite what I'm going to do with it yet. Once again the u/f is totally incorrect, but it's the free-est running model I've ever known - a quick flip with a finger and it glides round the whole layout.

Symmetry, geometry, harmony. Coach brown and cream, light and dark stone, hazy green, blue and grey elsewhere. Just what I had in my mind's eye as I started building. (Oh, and some green engines as well.) John C.

Yeah - thanks! Looking forward to more trying more simultaneous multi-tasking railway operation, movie making and choreographics!

Thanks Connor. Water tower is a Bachmann Scenecraft special commission for Kernow Model Railways, based on the one at St Ives, though there are plenty of pics of near identical ones across the GW system. From what I remember it's a sort of CKD kit in that you have to add the latticed girders and ladder (both supplied). I repainted it in Railmatch GW dark & light stone to tone with my other buildings. I also found I had to discreetly cut through the diagonal braces in one or two places to get it standing level with all 6 legs vertical. But it was just what I wanted for Stoke C.

Sorry about that! Had changed on YouTube from 'private' to 'unlisted' but hadn't clicked on 'DONE'. Just finding my way round YouTube. Link works now. John.

And here's another video. The signalman was pretty nifty in returning the branch home to danger, considering how fast that prairie was going! I now remember Andy York telling me that models need to be driven more slowly for videoing or they'll seem unrealistically fast. You'll have to wait a few seconds for the third train to appear. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Poasub0bP2o A bit to learn re video editing, not to mention the juggling and running around trying to harmonise locos, camera shutter, all at once! John C.

Mind you, the signalman wasn't too happy. He's about to put in a complaint. "It's about the roof - I want one". John C.

Thought I'd run out of fresh angles for photography, but found one this morning - with the camera resting on the top of the signal box. A Castle on an up express hustles through as a Newton Abbot - Plymouth train pulls away from its station stop at Stoke C. Meanwhile the branch loco runs round its train. John C.

Well, now that I've got the hang of it there very well might be!

Has it worked, after delving into the labyrinthine recesses of YouTube? Perhaps! John C.

YouTube, of course. Doh! I should have thunk of that. Thanks v much guys - now on the case. John

Thought it was about time we had a goods train or two. You'll also find a plea for help below. Spent a pleasant time this morning making a video of some action at Stoke Courtenay, and need some advice as to how to upload it to RMweb. My camera (Panasonic TZ100) shoots video in MP4 format, which RMweb doesn't support. I've tried quite a few free online conversion sites. Most have a size limit, which I've shortened the video to fit (again using an online tool). But I can't find a suitable format that will download successfully to enable upload to RMweb. Have seen some nice videos of some of my favourites on here recently so would be grateful to learn how you go about it. John C.

That's a superb modellers' photo Mike. Which book is it from (if any)?

Also shows off your neat tracklaying and meticulous point rodding to perfection - and a new angle on your well constructed signals. Very nice.

Another two of 6801 Aylburton Grange, one of my favourites. I also like the bloater behind the loco - not my work but spotted on the second-hand shelf of a local model shop just after I started the layout. Old Parkside Dundas kit I think. John C.

Thanks Darwinian for useful info. D'you know, looking at photos I thought that might be the case, or at least that they'd stopped cleaning them!

Now 5041 meets Aylburton Grange coming the other way with a west-bound parcels train. John C.

Lurking near the back of Tiverton Castle's train for some years has been another old Hornby clerestory. It's had a bit of titivation so far, but nothing drastic. This one will get the treatment in due course, though I may take a break from clerestories for the next coach project. John C.

Everyone - well, most of us - like a Castle, so here's Tiverton Castle on an eastbound express. I did hint that the C16 clerestory might make a re-appearance. It's been pressed into service as a 'swinger' on this express, providing extra 3rd class accommodation for returning holiday-makers at a busy period. (Holidays? Busy periods? What were they?) John C.

Yes, one wonders. So many books about the GWR talk of the innate conservatism of the travelling public and their resistance to innovations, e.g. lack of direct access to compartments from platform, corridor sides with only three doors, open plan seating. As for our generation I guess when we were younger we wanted to sit in the latest, snazziest carriage, but now, on a preserved railway, head for the oldest thing we can see, rather than some boring superannuated BR Mk 1. Yes, sometimes it seems that the GWR had one rule for coaches - never put two of the same together. An exaggeration of course, but the initial concepts of uniform suites of stock - S.Wales 70 footers, 1929 CRE stock, Collett bow-enders, even Centenary stock - never seemed to last longer than first contact with operational reality. We all have different modelling philosophies and priorities, but I'd rather have trains formed of a mixture of coach types - kit-built, converted, bodged - of varying quality of detail, rather than immaculate uniform rakes of Hornby or Bachmann Collett stock. I'm not too bothered if a battery box is in the wrong place, or the paintwork doesn't stand up to a magnifying glass, or even if a door is in the wrong place. For me it's always about impression, atmosphere, flavour across the piece. There are different kinds of accuracy.

Lovely neat work there. What's the actual diagram of that one?

Last few of the M-set for now (though not necessarily of the C16!). The 'evening sunlight' effect in the second photo is unintentional - it's from a workbench-side lamp I didn't realise I'd left on. And if you think there's a bit of glazing in the first one falling inside the coach, so did I. Close examination and a prod with a cocktail stick revealed it to be just a shadow. Next stage with this M-set will be to replace the Collett bow-end compo with a Slater's E88 toplight, then this train's done. John C.

A few more closer views. (Brave of me I know!) Good to know one's not alone when addressing the challenges of coach building. I've also discovered that posting pics on RMweb on completion is part of the snagging process. For instance, the first pic below showed me that the nearest door T-handle had turned and needed securing. The second showed that the clerestory had sprung up at one end. The culprit was the springy clear inverted u-shape Hornby used for glazing, exerting downward pressure on the roof. The clerestory has been removed, and is now on the workbench while I cut two separate 4mm wide strips of clear plastic to re-glaze it with. (Hate glazing - can't see what I'm cutting! And my steel rule slides around all over it. Many a cut finger that way.) The third cruel close-up pic shows the very nice Shapeways Dean 10 ft bogies in their later guise without footboards. I bought the type that's a direct replacement for the Hornby item, with the same type of split spigot. However, on first fitting them not only did they ride a bit high but they careered off the track at every curve or bit of pointwork while the coach wobbled from side to side. They're made of a much more brittle material than Hornby's plastic so the inevitable happened. I had to use main force to pull them back out, breaking the spigots in the process. So at the moment the coach just rests on the cut down stumps of the spigots. This has solved the riding high issue as well, so the coach buffer level is right again, while a couple of bits of microstrip as stabilisers at the sides of the bogie stretchers has stopped the lateral wobble. This photo also shows the door hinges which had slightly intimidated me. In the end I used little pieces of microstrip, dipped in cyano and pushed through the hinge slots from the back. When set hard they were sliced off flush at the back, and not quite flush at the front (all before priming & painting of course!). The middle ones got in the way of waist lining a bit so I wouldn't bother with those in future, but the others do add something now I know they're there. But to be honest it's only since doing them that it's occurred to me that the Bettabitz/247 Developments D29 I made recently had no representation of door hinges at all and I hadn't even noticed. John C.

'Official' pictures of C16 clerestory corridor third in late 1930s condition. with footboard and bogie steps removed, electric lighting installed, and painted in 1934 > livery with shirtbutton totem and no third markings on doors. Original donor vehicle Hornby, brass sides from Worsley Works (thanks to Mike @Coach bogie for heads up about this addition to their catalogue), replacement ends by Keen Systems with scissors gangway and floating endplates, replacement bogies (no footboards) from Shapeways (thanks to @gwrrob for info on these), transfers by Fox (thanks to Phil @Harlequin for number series). John C.

That's such a good pic. Like the ground level view, and the way you've placed the auto train to conceal where the main line disappears.