westernviscount

At the risk of inviting a litany of "believe me, I am rich but..." comments, I am afraid I would like first hand experience of being rich and miserable before I subscribe to this philosophy ;-) However, I am finding I am caring less and less about what people think and am growing a teflonesque coating to repel BS. This needs to be learned through experience sadly and I feel that only pre internet generations have full immunity.

I finally committed and removed youtube from my device. I experimented with settings including the removal of the viewing history which was essentially a clean slate every time. I subscribed to one channel (railway related) but found there was still drift towards right wing laced BS such a jordan peterson etc. The "you are aloser not to be rich and its all your fault" types. So, purged it completely and feel much better. No social media at all for a number of years and now youtube is gone I guess all thats left is...

I haven't clicked yet but is that a Marina I spy through the railings on the left? Could be a clue.

Definitely at the stage when most progress is visually very similar to the previous. I am now building the final point at the Marchwiel end of the layout. The loop cum siding will complete the scenic trackwork. I have really enjoyed the point work building and must say it is extremely satisfying to watch a loco ease over the pointwork. Next week the blades then the loop line. Next wiring and then painting the track.

The back road is in place now. Webs removed to form the curve. This road will have a raised platform which was a cattle dock. It seems it was latterly used as a loading dock for scrap metal.

The work completed so far. The left hand line is the main, to the rightnof this is the return to the main also used as a siding yet to be laid, then the middle siding, laid last week and to the right the cattle dock siding yet to be laid. A tidy up might be in order next week.

A pannier now able to run over the first turnout in the yard under it's own 'steam'. One more in the yard to wire up and the cattle dock back road to lay. Then the Marchwiel end point to build. Still plenty to do!!!

A new toy for the layout. A Bachmann auto. A couple of mockup items. The pub roughly placed. It was at an angle to the railway along with Caia Road.

Cheers Steve. I still havent prepared myself mentally for the small windows!

A couple more mock ups... The Anchor Pub at the bottom of Caia Road. The yard office which goes next to the goods shed.

A very fair point. Still some actual model making in films also.

I found myself watching the first episode as it is on ITV x premium and I had a trial. What a wonderful children's program. To think how lovingly and skilfully kids TV was crafted then. Youtube reigns supreme today sadly, although I am sure Ivor is available on there :-)

Cheers Mike. Which do you tend to use? Is glue and glaze thin (if you use this)?

Agreed Mike. I did this with my scratch made windows for the A44 comet auto. It does help. These are currently loose fit as I have not used laserglaze before. I am not looking forward to the top windows!

A bit more on the airfix auto. Pressfix hmrs transfers and the beginnings of the laserglaze windows. The sides beneffited from a spray of matt lacquer. The opening windows at above the passenger windows are going to take a while. 36 to do!

A scale mock up of the Salop Road bridge. I used a photograph and a Scottish Library overlay map to scale this bridge. It is based on the Vicarage hill bridge.

Oh thats a shame. Didn't pay attention to the black lettering stipulation. Cambridge or modelmaster? Latter appears a bit hit or miss.

This any good Steve? https://www.railtec-models.com/showitem.php?id=866

I think the overhead warnings put them in the post privatisation period Steve.

The temporary wiring allowing runing up to the goods shed The Hymek testing things out. 2 nice 45xx lima prairies. Both nice runners.

A couple of photos of the airfix Auto on the layout... The colour is ford rosso red sprayed from a Hycote rattle can bought from The Range. I think this looks a good match for BR Crimson.

Well the electrical Gremlins have been solved and the crossover at the Wrexham Central end up to the goods shed works! On arriving, I disconnected all the wires and yes, still everywhere was shorted. Much head scratching again. Even disconnected straight track was shorting! Dad then wanders over and says "Have you slit the copperclad at the end of the baseboard?"....um, nope!!! slitting disk, more wires and now the crossover allows a nice smooth run from the main to the sidings. Just 3 more points to finish now!! I may even take some video next time!

Yes, the bridges were in place until 1995. This site has some excellent picks of the area you refer to. https://johnmills.wales/gallery/vicarage-hill/

Thanks Paul. I think I wired too far ahead without testing!! Also, there is always a slither of copper left when you think you have slit all the timbers in the right places. Still, next session, hopefully I will sort it.

Slow progress with the ratio toad...