Norton Wood

I'd wonder if they would have one running on a test track for Warley perhaps? There the last stand in 2017 had a lot of older products for sale quite cheap, perhaps they will put a test layout out, we're counting down to Warley now!!

Kernow Models have produced a number of photo's of the J70's on Facebook, thought I'd share them up... Lots of photos!!!

Finally!! You can see the board, having been built. It's taken a while but here we are... So what has been done? So after my Birthday, I was given two more BR Mineral Parkside wagon kits - A second Riveted version and a welded version, both kits were relatively easy to work on and are now in primer awaiting some good weather to put them into BR Grey. Board 4 Work has advanced pretty quickly with board 4, today 24/10/18 I had an opportunity to get my wood from B&Q as soon as I got home I finished the board allowing me to begin working on laying track and gauging the sleepers into place. Once the track had been gauged and checked it gave me an opportunity to put all the little pieces together which I've been working on over these past few weeks. Which turned out really well once I put the layout together. The next job was to paint the board in certain areas so the layout can be prepped for the grass to go down, of course before that could happen I had to put the ballast down, now before I did this I had to go back to photographs from the Wisbeach & Upwell line and from the Middy. I was then given an idea so the ballast went down to make the track look W&U styled and influenced. Which I feel it certainly is, this section of the whole layout is meant to be completely different from the previous three and the next few. The results so far have been very good I feel and I hope tomorrow when the ballast is dry I can clean up the mess which inevitably been made... Board 1: As for board 1, this is nearly complete, with the layout looking simply amazing. All the stops have been put out on this and in doing so board 2 now needs to be completely revamped so it matches. The Station building is nearly complete and just for some modeling interest, the building has just started to receive the LNER standard cream and green livery. Which I think is a brilliant idea and something that is not shown too much on model railways Board 2: So far work on the cattle dock has progressed slightly with myself and another club member working on putting the posts in the holes, we aim to get the wire put in place this weekend. So yeah, lot's being done, lots more to do! So until next time...

Hi, thank you. The track is just normal Peco flexi track. The sleepers are not the right width compared to the handbuilt, Peco bullhead or the fine-scale - track building systems (TBS) new bullhead flexi track. But if I am honest, for modelers like myself who cannot afford the new Peco rail but is waiting for the new fine-scale TBS track to arrive, I have found it a good compromise. I do think with the rail spaced out it makes the sleepers look longer, and therefore better. Thank you for your comment.

Having returned from the Great Electric Train show, I, of course, did the most dangerous thing...buying things. The show was very good, although I think it could have done with a few more layouts themed at different periods and area's as most were BR, GWR, SR or BR (S) or BR (W). Something I think Hornby Magazine needs to look at in future... Unless I am missing a point with them and there focus is Southern & GWR?? Anyway while at the event I needed to get quite a lot of things to support the layout to add lots of little details... I purchased: Will Kit Ratio Kit Double O gauge society Sleeper spacer and track gauge Black Ballast/ Coal TMC's specially ordered Plate Wagon, which has been weathered to suit Road Signs - As part of the Grimy Times stand And finally the buffer heads for the Mineral wagon The next day I set about building the kits and working on regauging the track, plus a few interesting things that modelers might like... The board So I sourced some wood to make the board, and so far the frame has been made with a plan to use some mdf to make the baseboard. At the time of writing this has been cut down and will be cut to the 3ft by 1ft size required. As of Sunday the 21st of October I will be testing the layout with board 1 to see if my measurements have been correct, this will be at my local model club so if you are in Norfolk and fancy a visit to a small upcoming heritage line, you can come to Whitwell & Reepham Station. Track Laying As readers will know the track plan was already set up, however, the plan was to lay the track and leave it. Well at the Great Electric Train Show I bought a sleeper spacer so the sleepers would be to the correct spacing to British Standard Gauge. This took around an hour and a half to carry out but I finished that job, laid the track and tested it. The Point, of course, I've not changed but I will cover up the sleepers so it's practically impossible to see that the sleepers are the wrong gauge. Here are the results Once that had been completed I began laying the track and getting it into the right position, which has turned out quite nicely. (Photos) Talking about track something I would like to do in future using correct 4mm Track will be from 'Finescale - Track building Systems' which have been working on something which will be better than the Peco 'bullhead' range - The photos below are from the Great Electric Train show, I have to say I'm very impressed with the track, as it not only has the sleepers correctly molded and spaced but also will show the chair and keys which will be molded into the sleeper, something which will also cost a lot lot less than the Peco range which has a lot more compromises, plus the track is being made in the UK. From my discussion, there should be lengths of track available in November at Warley. Little Bits In the meantime, I've been working on the coal merchant building, Staiths, Road signposts, and the mineral wagon. Merchant building & Staiths So what has been done so far is the building has gone into White Primer followed by painting of the brickwork, roof tiles, and the wood to follow the LNER theme being Green & Cream. The Staiths had gone into Grey Primer followed by painting into matt black, and the coal painted into Satin black. After that had dried I began using the coal I had bought and used it to cover up the plastic coal effect from the molding. Road Signposts Quite an easy job really, firstly I cut out the signs that I wanted, I then found some brass wire which I had lying around which I used on my P2 & W1 kits. The wire and back of the sign were painted black. After this had dried I applied white paint to give the black with white stripes on the signs. After this, a little weathering left this effect. The wording says - "Crossing No Gates" Mineral Wagon So far the only progress that has been made is the white primer, as we enter Autumn, getting good weather is getting harder and harder to get the ability to go out with the airbrush and paint the model grey is getting harder to do. But I shall endure and will wait until a good day comes around where I can do this. So, all in all, it's been a productive time working on this layout, and I've enjoyed working on it so far. But I can't do any more work until the Whitwell & Reepham Model Railway Show, as board 4 will be part of a demonstration that I will be working on, over that event. To end off then, board 1 has now got a name as each section will have a name it's now called "Thelveton". As this is what our light railway terminus station will be called. Until next time

I should expect that they are removable, I have a Adam's Radial which all the NEM pockets are removable

Would it be worth seeing if Alan Gibson does some white metal castings for the N7? Then modelers could replace the Chimney, Dome & Safety Valves. I have a question myself on both the GER & LNER variations it appears as if there are 2 whistles either side of the safety valves. Have looked through books I cannot find any N7 following this. But I have found some N7s with Whistles on either Driver or Fireman's side of the locomotive. What I am wondering is are there such photo's and I assume modelers will have to remove one of these whistles

Just a photograph that I shared, not my image.

Another fantastic photo from Model Rail of the J70 68222 with both Wisbeach and Upwell Tramway coaches, it's a real shame that this kits are discontinued... I suppose it would be bad to say that I have my hands on these two kits...

Hello again, Things have been progressing well, board 1 has begun a re-scenic build and the addition of a new building. The plan for board 3 has been finalized and board 4 is now on the road, I now have all the materials to build the board and lay down the track and begin working on smaller scenic pieces. If interested the Whitwell & Reepham Model Railway Club will be hosting a model show at the Whitwell & Reepham Railway, this also tie's into the railways first ever diesel running event. N&SBLR Board 1 & 2 will be operating, I will be working on the scenic's and track work while at the show for board No. 4. So down to what has been done... Board 1 With board 1 it's been going through quite a repair I'm going to put three photographs up of start middle end. Which basically covers what has been changed, but in simple terms, it's been given a storage building, the station buildings have been changed and painted into the LNER trademark livery of Cream & Green with the addition of some LNER Posters. Further scenic work has been added and the coal stage has been moved, however, this version will be completely removed and a new coal stage will be built. Before After Board 2 A shed has been planned to be added over the pit, for crews to work & prepare their loco for the day, the cattle dock is also planned to be finished to allow the scene to feel complete. Board 3 Here is the drawing for Board 3, so the idea is that you are not supposed to see the locomotive in this scene. You should only be just able to see the locomotive as it runs through the mass of trees heading towards board 4. On the other hand, the drawing shows a siding with a small passing loop to allow loco's to run around the cattle wagons before they are propelled into the siding for the cattle-dock. Board 4 With board 3 planned and me working my way through the build I've spent a bit of time with a fellow club member planning how the scene will work out and although the board is 3ft long by 1 ft wide and there was an initial thought that there wasn't enough space to play with but there is a lot of space to play with. So working on the layout allowed me to make some changes, which resulted in me not being happy having a pillbox on the layout so that has been removed and the level crossing is being moved forwards towards board 3 as per this drawing. This picture gives you an idea of the space I will have to play with when the board has been made. Initial work has begun getting everything I need together, to sort the layout out so once the boards are built I can move forwards Wagons & Coaches Wagons...We have to create a certain amount of wagons which we can use, there will always be the same and it's agreed that all the wagons will be 3 linked together (Shunters poles will have to be made) this is to add realism and add more authenticity. But recently a club member bought two more wagons for the fleet and I was given the task of adding the three links to the wagons. This was the result...Again not much has changed but it will add to the wagons when being hauled along the layout. Plus plans have been set in motion to get our Wisbeach & Upwell Tramway coaches on the way to being built and working, further W&U carriage kits have been acquired for the layout when we decided to go for a W&U theme. However in the carriage shed, I've been working on something, in this case, I took 2 Hornby 4 Wheeled coaches which many will recognize from the Little Blue Embarrassment (Now Americanised) TV Show. Which have been called upon to perform the ultimate act of loyalty... To become what will be a 6 wheeled LNER Coach. So to begin, I began doing small fixes to the model mainly in repairing the roof of one coach. I began marking out where I was going to make the cut, to which I made and tested, the result has been rather good, following this I needed to work on the chassis. So I measured the new coach body length, which was 113mm and each coach chassis was 85mm cutting down one of the W irons I had the center of the coach 2mm in length, so I had 46mm to play with at each end of the coach. After trial and error, I managed this result. Following that filler went in and the coach roof was sealed, this has been initially painted black but a change of plan has meant that this coach will go into LNER P-WAY Blue and a Celestory will be used for the BR Period: Club discussions: As you know we plan to use a variety of (GE) LNER Locomotives; This discussion finally came to ahead with written down plans for the loco's, rolling stock and the era to run the whole layout so what has been written down so far is: Locomotives To match the two main periods which are LNER - Pre War 1923 - 1941 J15 -7554 J15 - 7564 J15 - 7524 J15 - 7510 J70 - 7137 - Full Skirts J70 - 7139 - Partial Skirts J68 - Y3 - 148 LNER - During and Post War 1942 - 1947 J15 - 5471 -War Time J70 - 7128 - War Time - Full Skirts) J70 - 8223 - Post War - Full Skirts) BR - Early 50's J15 - 65471 - Vac & Air fitted J15 - 65388 - Vac fitted only J70 - 68222 - Full skirts Rolling Stock Coaches Wisbeach & Upwell Tramway - Kit which we need to build Wisbeach & Upwell Van - Kit which we need to build Any Hornby 4 wheeler which can be mocked up into period light railway coaches. Wagons Basically, any Eastern region fruit van, open wagon or cattle wagon we can get our hands on. Which as a club we can provide plenty of stock So that was a rundown of what is going on, so until next time

So 8 weeks on a boat, so that's December, just in time for Christmas. I Assume Oxford Rail will be at Warley so we might be able to see some finished samples. But brilliant news

Part 2 is now up

Hello again, As I was asked in the comments if I could produce a number of photo's and a plan of the previous modules, so I took the time to produce a number of photographs of the first 2 made modules for you over the weekend. This part won't include work of the build on my segment, however, I have begun gathering parts for the layout, mainly in the form of the Pillbox, bolster wood sheeting, fencing and some smaller kits for the coal merchant. I have also got some modeling completed and photoed for you of the wagons for the two periods, which are being modeled. Board 1: As you can see Board one is the oldest of the layout, setting the theme and the way each board should be built. This layout as you see it will be updated so it will match the newer standards of board 2 & 3. This is something that we as a club have recognized, as the boards get older they will begin to look rough around the edges, something that we as the club members will have to deal with. Board 1 is going to be changed slightly where a building will be put in place for storing wagons, the locomotive coal bunkers will be removed and a sugar beet pile will be put in place. In addition, the station is going to be cleared up and rebuilt in certain places. An update on board 1 will be put up sometime as my colleague works on it over the coming weeks. Board 2: As you can see this board is defined by the scene break which is the bridge which will help in regards to the third board, this section was added to give the layout some more operational interest. with the inclusion of a road with Loco pit and a spur leading to a cattle-dock obviously connecting nicely with board 1, in addition, the road will lead to a set of sidings more of extra storage for cattle wagons etc. Board 3: Sadly I do not have a picture of a built board 3 as of yet, however, there are currently three ideas moving around as to how this will be constructed: A: The layout might be split down the middle to create a fiddle yard, and have a small warehouse or factory which could take goods from the railway to market and out back will be a passing loop to allow two trains to pass by bringing more material, or coming with empties to fill off the yearly goods. B: This could be in a cutting which you can only just see the locomotives pass through, and the cutting will get lower almost flat as we enter the next board. The second road, of course, is there serving a few sidings. C: This is a third basic, flat scene, but B is currently floating as the most popular. Further board Ideas: There are further talks of a large bridge being built which splits segments of the layout up, the image shown below is what is another idea being drawn up. Operation: The idea for the layout should be that there should always be something going on - continuous running is necessary to keep the public happy, so to do this N&SBLR is not only good scenic wise but should also be operationally correct and smooth, allowing for increased realism. The way the layout is operated is to give an idea of how the operation of a light railway or small railway should be carried out. In this case, to provide goods to the locals and brewery. The railway is central to everything. In this case, a series of small or medium-sized trains will be brought down the line from the GE, LNER or BR Exchange sidings. Within these trains will be wagons for the coal merchant, brewery, cattle farmer and the odd passenger traffic diagram. Once the wagons are used they are organized in the sidings on the route (However board 4 is interesting) this allows several trains or one specifically sized train to move along the line picking up the goods and empty wagons until they are eventually put back into the exchange sidings. This then leaves the layout with an issue...The whole process has to start again. The idea is that the whole operation takes 15 - 20 minutes of wagons being moved and picked up and shunted into the train. Wagons: So I've been working on the LNER & BR wagons for the two scenes for the modular layout; So here we go... LNER Wagons: The LNER wagons have been pretty straightforward, as these wagons are RTR they don't require much in the way of work to get the wagons fitted with 3 links so the job was simply make up the three links and fit them. If interested I used these 3 links, springs and drawbars from Slaters. BR Wagons: Now as you have already seen I have made up the BR Riveted mineral wagon and fitted 3 links, since then not much has progressed with that, as I am currently struggling to find metal buffers for this wagon, if anyone can help please put a comment in thank you. But this wagon required a bit of work... Firstly on all the wagons, I tested the pre-fitted couplings to see if they can handle the 3 links, which coupling this wagon to the others, the pre-fitted draw-bar fell off, so I quickly set to work about fitting a newer metal draw-bar. Removing the body allowed me to inspect what I could do, sadly the molding required some cutting away, which I did to both sides, this was to allow the draw-bar & spring to sit comfortably inside the wagon, once fitted I put the body back onto the chassis, but again I found the body didn't sit properly. To which I found the model's aluminum weight was sitting onto the spring and draw-bar, so I went about with a hacksaw and cut the weight at each end. After that, I didn't have any problems and the wagon went back together nice and easy. And here are the wagons together on Mile End Park The BR Wagons: The LNER Wagons I hope you enjoyed this second part - Sorry this was not talking about the build but giving you a general background to the layout before we move the build, if you have any questions please feel free to ask :-) Cheers Tom P.s update for the W1 is on its way...

It's too hard to say for me... I like both so, I ordered one with skirts and one without... But I do like the skirted one a little bit more, in my opinion.

Having a read Rapido trains UK's almost, sort off...Not really monthly magazine...Further photo's of the J70's have appeared: Again the photo's are not mine and if there was a piece of blurb saying these photos are not allowed to be copied and shared, I'm sorry and I will take down. Copywrite...Has to be done

I can share some photo's of the previous modules in the next blog if that helps . I will ask at the next club meeting for a drawing of module No.3, and I'll give you some photo's of Module 1 & 2. I hope you enjoy the next installment of this layout build. I will also put up where the layout will be attending in terms of model shows etc. Thank you for your comment

So what does N&SBLR mean?? It means Norfolk & Suffolk Boarders light railway, the reason for this name was because we wanted to incorporate some of our favorites line from around the area in which we live. As part of the Whitwell & Reepham Model Railway Club, we have keen interests centered on the M&GN and Great Eastern railways, but with Norfolk and Suffolk sporting two amazing little lines with some amazing loco's we needed an excuse to make or purchase models for this layout. Initially, the layout was in the form of Board 1 which was and still is called "Terriers Territory", this layout set the standard for the rest of the layout, a simple 3 ft by 1 ft board, this was meant for a competition (I forget which one) Based upon the middy & Wissington Branch, the layout was taken to the first Bawesdwell Model Railway show back in 2016, there was thought for building a second piece which came to nothing, a week before the newbuild J50 Group model show, a club member took away terriers territory and build the second board, this began the formation of N&SBLR, which we came up with the name while at the show. This has developed into quite the interest for our modelers in the club. Each modeler has been given the task of creating a scene 3ft long by 1ft wide. Each board must be seamless and fit in with the previous board so the next member must create the next board, using the previous board which has been made as reference. It has grown so much that now, all 4 club members will build two boards which will mean the layouts full length could be 18 ft long by 1ft wide. Currently, the third board has been planned and built, but we are yet to have seen these...but I have been given the task of building the fourth board. So here we go... Going back to my GE route and having an excuse to purchase something fate came in the form of the Model Rail Magazine LNER J70 0-6-0 Tram, which I was intending to get, but with N&SBLR being built, it gave the locomotive a purpose, something which I could use for display and for exhibitions. This is the model I have ordered, which I think may well prove to be the most popular, this being MR-209 7137 in LNER Unlined Black with full skirts. (Photo by Model Rail Magazine) . Plus as the model gets closer to being finished the need for board 4 increases so it seems logical to start working on this now. In addition to this, 3-period wagons have been bought for the layout to serve the coal merchant at different periods of time, two LNER and one departmental 1950's mineral wagon, which was typically hauled along the W&U when being operated by the last of the J70's and the early Diesel shunters of the day. This is also to reflect that the layout will be running; Industrial tanks, J15's, J70's, Diesel Shunters and the occasional locomotive bought by a modeler for testing. All to reflect the idea's which the club want to produce to gain a bigger love for light railways and smaller (backwater) railways of the day. The Plan As for the plan this has gone through four different plans and six drawings of this have been made up, from what we've discussed in the club, with a small scene it has to fit nicely by itself before it can successfully sit with other smaller scenes. So for board No.4 which is what this will be called, I've gone with a Wisbeach & Upwell (W&U) theme, following the drawing below. It will have a single road (track) progressing from one side to the other with a point which will lead to a simple siding which will serve a coal Merchant ( I. Jones - A story has been planned for him). Opposite this will be either a field (Which I think is a tad boring) or a Pillbox which is appropriate, as by the 1930's and onward. These were being built because of the threat of invasion and afterward, they stuck around and can still be seen today. So it suits our area perfectly and being next to a railway line gives our Home Guard Volunteers or typical British Tommy on the lookout for the odd spy, it also gives latter day soldiers a perfect training building for defending a solid structure. Modeling To press on with some modeling I have begun working on a mineral wagon by Parkside, this was something I was given at Christmas last year, which I have finally got round to building. Of course, having worked on these kits before, it was more or less a ten-minute job to put together. I intend to undercoat and paint this while the weather is good enough to work with an airbrush. But the result has been rather good and I'm very pleased with that. As for loads, as the wagon is going to serve the coal merchant, I intend to have the wagon set at two levels, so it is shunted in full and it will leave the yard almost empty. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this first part of the N&SBLR Modular layout, I intend to put another update after I have built the board and begin the physical planning.

Further Facebook and YouTube videos have been put up, Chris you look like a very happy bunny in the video, they are looking brilliant. Photo's and video credited to Model Rail Magazine

To make it easier here is the picture from the page:

Photo's from Model Rail's Facebook page: They look fantastic

Model Rail Mag has said 3/4Q as we are now into 4th Quater and we've seen the painted samples, I think we might start receiving them next year Feb/March time. Chris has said on this thread we can expect to see more at Warley this year. But as Chris Leigh is on here, better to hear it from him

Hi, I don't know if pictures/post has been put on here before comparing the Golden Age Models Dyno Car with the Rails Dyno Car, so I thought I'd put some pictures up comparing parts, for this I am comparing my LNER 1938 Mallard Record-breaking Dynamometer Car from Golden Age Models with the, 1948 Exchange trials Dynamometer Car from Rails of Sheffield. I'll let the pictures do the talking; "A Picture paints a thousand words and all that".

Interesting idea, questions on whether this would/could be done by any RTR Manufacturer has been floating around for sometime, I have to admit when Hornby Announced that they would be producing the 0-4-0 Sentinal I did hope that a MOD version would be produced but alas, Hornby has not, so a repaint was in order... As for these loco's being separated, body and chassis I have no idea what else they could be used for bar the GER/LNER Y6. Even then why change it...it's too lovely to change. If I remember correctly I think the whole locomotive is powered on all 6 wheels, which I'd assume is also why the locomotive gets that terrific pulling power, especially if it's able to pull 7 of Rails of Sheffield's fantastic LNER Dynomometer cars (Annoying when I have the Golden Age Brass version, but it would certainly interesting to put them together side by side)

As 0:24 - There's a cavalcade of all the models together, they look very impressive. In addition I can fully understand and respect the price of these locomotives, of course the magazine has to make a profit as it will go on to pay for future projects which again is fantastic

Nothing wrong with liking the GER or the area which makes up East Anglia