Aureol

Footbridge painted and installed, ended up doing quite a few modifications to make it more logical from an engineering point of view plus added smoke deflectors. Need more hours in the week - anyone know how to clone? Giles

Getting some inspiration today at the South Devon Rly. Giles

Both boards... Giles

Attention moving to the other board now. Here’s the scenic device I’m using, York Model Rail footbridge to form the break to what will be the cassette system (on another board). Its laser cut plastic, great kit, about two hours to get it constructed, but still needs filling, detailing etc. Giles

They’re bollards to prevent stray road vehicles from getting onto the tracks - prototypical in my ‘health & safety’ head!

Milky, needs work, but will be fine!

And a final one (for the moment)

Apologies for the radio silence - summer, work, preserved railways for inspiration, household chores... Here’s an update, half the layout (see pics) is into the finer details now plus further landscaping and weathering. The ‘main line’ is operational and all other sidings are pre-wired, just awaiting final connections. Photos below show the halt partly under the bridge and multiple angles of the now finished creamery buildings and hard standing. The second board will be underway shortly with another scenic break device, goods shed and cattle dock. Giles

I will post minute by minute update #pvagate

Cry me a PVA river (brook really)...

Chris, Ace thanks, they look perfect despite the difference in scale. Giles

Finally got onto painting etc. Guttering and downpipes are in, roofing and windows done, weathering largely done. Glazing and fine detailing to come. I need a couple of small lamps above the doorways - struggling to find anything that’s not LED, I don’t need ‘real’ lighting. Any suggestions? That’s now two of the three creamery buildings done. My first engine is arriving this week too! Giles

Rod, it it was an unplanned visit to the show in amongst boring chores including looking for a new kitchen! Hope the surgery went well i’ll drop you a message. Giles

I’m roofing... it’s taking an age... available for 1:1 commissions if your tiles need a fettle! Giles

Update... inspiration running high after a visit to the Helston Railway and the Exeter show, I’ve knuckled down... Creamery reception siding building has a roof and barge boards, the intermediate loading dock is built with crinkly tin roof and weatherboarding. Ballasting and most of the foundation landscaping is done on this half of the layout and a tree has mysteriously shot up! Giles

Update, holidays are helpful! After a day of Hymeks on the West Somerset I’ve started the first building in the creamery complex. Needs some fettling, a roof and a whole bunch of detailing but the structure is there...

Not too bad, 10s of pence each, prices vary

Production line of laser cut windows from LCut Creative for the creamery - waiting for building supplies to start construction proper... Giles

I do love the phrase 'senior scale' with my eyesight I think i should have gone for Gauge 1

Now with mocked up windows and doors... Giles

Very well spent hour mocking up the creamery from cardboard box. PVA bottles will be the stainless steel tanks eventually. Need to live with this for a bit before building for real. First concreting done between the rails on the creamery siding - polyfilla, PVA and some N-gauge ballast mixed in - then back and forth scribing with a coffee stirrer template to clear the flangeway. Giles

‘spotters eye view. The halt is largely complete, amazing the difference a name board makes. Some further detailing to follow but need to crack on moving up the line, dairy complex next!

‘spotters eye view. The halt is largely complete, amazing the difference a name board makes. Some further detailing to follow but need to crack on moving up the line, dairy complex next!

Its a space saving cheat, haven’t got the room to depict a whole station! Modelled after Halberton Halt on the Tiverton branch but as you say there are a few around such as Doniford Halt on the West Somerset Railway.

A bit more progress - fittings on the halt loose installed (sign awaited and lettering sourced), culvert in progress with painting and weathering, girder bridge plate closest to camera installed (needs rivets), hedging and fencing in place to the overbridge. Line looks very empty without any rolling stock! Giles