luke the train spotter

I'd say that overall the release is a bit underwhelming but I do not normally spend much money on new Hornby stuff so that isn't an issue. What I was really hoping to see was a retooled LMS pug which would slot in perfectly with their range of small industrial locos. Instead the same old tooling gets pumped out which really summarizes this years announcements. New liveries are nice but not enough to get my wallet out.

Well it's been a couple weeks and back up at uni now so layout progress can continue! Whilst I was at home I made the most of tools and wood to cut out the fascia for the layout and sort out the lighting. The layout is illuminated with a kitchen under cabinet light, the same type that I use on Distillery Yard and Cronton. I think it gives it a really warm look and should mean that the photos I now take are a lot better. You may notice an 08 in the yard which is coming to the end of a long restoration project with 5 years of procrastination. Looking forward to continuing work on the scenery next!

Thank you, I'm surprised the difference myself! I think spraying a lot of the scenery with water and scraping up the static grass has been a key step to try and get everything down to a flat and level baseboard like it is now. I am now home from uni now for Christmas so there won't be any progress on the layout for a few weeks sadly but here are a couple different shots of the hardstanding in the loco shed area. It is just DIY plaster filler smeared on then painted with washes once dry. I personally love the look of the concrete effect between the rails.

Well there has been a fair bit of progress with the industrial buildings. These have been constructed out of plasticard on cardboard and foamboard shells. Still a lot of painting/weathering and detailing to be undertaken but they're a good start I think. Here's a shot with the sentinel in situ. You may notice that there is a hole cut in the warehouse, I plan to cut a hole in the backscene for a fiddle stick to be able to be attached at some point which a steel roller door than can be pulled down to hide the exit in shots like this. I have also made a start on the hardstanding in the loco shed area, this just requires a but of tidying up then to move onto the next tasks.

The photographic backscene blends so well into your scenery I can't believe it's that small!

I wonder if some off cuts of sprue could be used with some plastic scraps to bodge one together. I'll have a look what's in my spares box when I get home.

Thanks for the likes and comments guys. I had considered a pipe bridge, I may look into that a bit more, I was thinking that if I did a girder one I could reuse the bridge I built for my micro Finlarig Halt which is slowly in the process of being dismantled. Here is some progress from last night though. I have previously forgot to say that all trackwork is peco code 75. I have added another point behind the first Y point and wired it up. Testing was very satisfying and it can just about hold a class 24 or a couple of wagons, here a peckett checks the clearances between the tracks. A start has also been made on the retaining wall using some Wills plastic sheeting, I still need to sort out the structural elements behind this and coping stones but it is a start.

I built this layout micro inglenook project over the summer but since bringing it back to uni with me progress and interest has significantly stalled. It is operated as a basic 3-2-2 inglenook puzzle with a fiddle stick added to the end to accommodate a loco and a couple of wagons. The baseboard measures 2ft by 1ft which is an ideal size as it lives on a shelf in my room. I originally planned to sell it to make space and raise funds for a new build but it seems silly to sell off a perfectly good board of track with everything wired and ready to go so instead I plan on scenically revamping it. I plan on changing the setting of the layout from vague random goods yard to part of a small industrial complex with engineering work shops and sidings for wagons inspired by the Trafford Park industrial railway system. Whilst this is not a direct model of that I like the brick and corrugated iron structures and the use of 0-6-0 sentinels, of which I have just picked one up from TMC during their black Friday sale. I quite like the idea of setting the layout around the Newcastle and Gateshead area since that is where I currently live and has a rich industrial history so a small industrial railway could probably fit in. Time frame wise I like the idea of the layout set in the late 70s, early 80s since that isn't a period I've really modelled before and an excuse to get a couple BR blue diesels. Anyways, here is my updated layout plan with a couple cardboard mock ups. The small loco shed is a fantastic little laser cut kit that will home the sentinel and probably my Ruston with a little modelers license. There will be a large warehouse workshop sorta building in the top left hand corner with an entrance track with a gantry crane for loading flatbed wagons, I would like to cut a hole in the fascia to allow a fiddlestick to be added at some point. I will probably add areas of concrete hard standing closer to the large buildings. The right hand corner will feature a retaining wall with scrubland and maybe a billboard. The entrance to the fiddle yard will be covered with the most imaginative scenic break ever.... a girder bridge! I think that will work quite nicely in adding to the industrial esthetic though. I also plan to add another point in and extend the board slightly to allow this. Then I will have an additional siding for a couple of wagons or maybe a class 20 or something like that. Not sure what to have at the front of the layout but I like the idea of a sort of industrial wasteland, some green to contrast to the hardstanding and industrial buildings.

Pretty funny but I actually am from malton so have spent many hours train spotting and traveling from the station! I have to say that those buildings are super accurate and look spot on! I had wondered about modeling malton before but didn't have the courage to take it on so great to see someone else modeling it! Looking forward to more updates :)

Looks fantastic!

Well doesn't time fly! This layout was invited to the 2022 Ebor model railway exhibition (due to be held in February) but was postponed to the 2/3rd July which are dates fast approaching! For those interested in attending here is a link to all the details: https://ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/23684-EborGroupofRailwayModellers_Exhibition It's a really fantastic little show with great atmosphere, layouts and second hand stall. It's quite exciting for me since this will be my first exhibition exhibiting at since pre-covid too so a show I'm very much looking forward to. But distillery yard needs some work doing to it first! A couple things on the job list include sorting out and fitting a new layout name board, brighter and better lighting, repainting the fascia and extending the scenery into the fiddle yard to give the impression of a much larger system. I have started the later today by building a foam board extension of the bridge (currently removable so I can scribe the stones into it), building up the landscaping and ballasting. Nothing too serious just to create a nicer backdrop for viewing than looking directly into rows of stock. I hope to share more photos of the scenery developing so you can see the difference it makes.

Great video, a very enjoyable watch!

The warehouse buildings look fantastic! There is so much life and atmosphere captured its great to see. Definitely a very inspirational layout. It would be great to hear more about your rolling stock.

Looks excellent! The weathering really brings it to life.

So whilst I plan a slightly larger micro to fit into my student house (hopefully more on that another time) I thought I'd rebuild this tiny layout. I can't wait for the Bachmann quarry hunslets so when they come out I'm sure one will end up on this micro. Before leaving for uni I had stripped the baseboard (if you can really call it that) and rebuilt the loop of track. My KBscale rail bender (available through Light Railway Stores) was essential for this as I removed the rails, bent them and rethread the tracks back through the sleepers. Now the trackwork it perfectly in gauge compared to the first iteration of this layout. Ballast was woodland scenics fine grey and test runs have been completed by a Kato 11-109 chassis with a 3d printed railbus body from ebay. The plan is to keep in with the light railway vibes with maybe a small halt or a parked up landrover in the centre with a small tree or two for some height relief.

A new layout has been on my mind recently, currently living away at uni has presented quite a few modeling challenges, an even tighter budget and even less space to build a layout with fewer tools. A recent trip to Edinburgh and to a couple of Whisky shops later and I'm currently pondering an oo gauge distillery boxfile. Sticking quite close to my prior modeling interests but I already have all the stock and plenty of research so it makes logical sense to continue in that direction. I have ordered some resin building and detailing parts from Skytrex so we will see what comes out of them. I think keeping the layout very simple will be the key to making it achievable to build but I do quite like the idea of making it modular/extendable in the future.

Exciting news, Cronton Colliery and my other micro Distillery Yard (also on this forum) will be at the Ebor 2022 York Against Cancer model railway show at the end of February. Here's a link to more information: https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/22927-EborGroupofRailwayModellers_Exhibition#:~:text=Sat 26th - Sun 27th February 2022&text=Children £1.00-,Sponsored by Monk Bar Models%2C the Ebor Group of Railway,show suitable for all ages. It's set to be a fantastic show and I'm very excited to be exhibiting again after nearly 2 years of being unable to. Here is also a bonus picture of Cronton I took recently.

A video would be great to see mate. Really enjoying this thread and it's got me thinking what I could fit into my student house!

I had the exact same problem when I converted mine! Really struggled with it but just ended up getting the top of the plug to sit at the level of the tank and then passing it's slightly on prototypical look as a home bodged colliery modification.

Absolutely fantastic!

Looks fantastic so far! This looks like it has great composition too with loads of good angles.

Sadly I don't have much time to operate finlarig anymore so this is leading me to sell the working rc van that ran on it. Currently on eBay for £100 buy it now (free postage) but open to offers too. Hope it finds a good home. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/383678702781

Apologises to all for this coming out so late but we have the results in! Firstly, a massive thank you to everyone that has entered, the quality of the modeling entries we received really blew us away, as did the number of entries. It was very hard to judge, and excuse the cliche but we honestly thought everyone deserved to win. So anyway, here is the results video: Once again thank you all for making this possible and we look forward to maybe running another modeling competition in the future!

I'm still to build a boxfile layout but I'd say you may want to reinforce it with some thin wood or foamboard just to help reduce warping from glues and moisture. Anything thicker than 5mm may be a bit over kill though.

Looking great kevo! You may be giving me ideas of a far north line micro...