down the sdjr

Hi Barry, Looks really good. I spent months searching to get the Bachmann post hut and signal box. I scratch built the other office and the little lean too as it is at Shillingstone. Some of my first attempts at scratch building so not very good. Hope you dont mind if i post a pic, I am a bit proud of them.

Thats in 2mm ? Very impressive indeed.

I dont think i have been filing the heads off properly but the backs come up really nice. Been suffering with cheap files so new ones on order.

I was just in the process of shopping for some new files. You have saved me asking questions. Files orderded. Thanks.

I have just started to use the blade jig from the EMGS. Its really good and fast. The V and common crossing jigs are really good as well. Well worth joining i think, loads of great products and prices on the societies web shops.

Had a break with works doing to the house, so had some time this week, had a go at a curviform. Still having problems with the V jig. Finding getting the formation square to 1mm difficult. Practise, practise.

Both styles are really good. I prefer it with the voice over, makes following what you are doing easier. You sort of pre say what you are about to do. I used to record a lot of music when i was younger. A good tip is to lay of dairy products, mainly milk before recording, it clams your vocal chords up. Plenty of water does the trick. (it was mostly beer in my day).

Thanks Martin, this is going to be a really useful thread for us to learn the ropes.

I have never seen a photo of Shillingstone shed.Blandford and Sturminster Newton were brick so i thought it might be the same. I thought Bachmann might have based this model on the shed at Midsomer Norton. The layout is looking great, any 4Fs and 7Fs to see?

Hi Hayfield, I must confess i am not sure what the L & J chairs are for, ive been using the small 2 for tight areas. Plan to use the fishplates, not sure what glue to use possibly super glue. I really like the Exactoscale sleepers, keeps the whole thing more rigid, great price is a huge bonus. (thanks for the heads up). Going to file my own switchblades for this model as well. Paul.

I am building my first crossover with my own made common crossings, still not very good but each one improves a bit. Exactoscale sleepers, Nickle Silver rail from the EMGS and the new 3 bolt chair sprues from C&L.

Nice to see the S&D taking over a Western line for a change. Glad you made the switch, looking forward to seeing some more. When i was a lad growing up in Blandford we use to call it Stour pain. I love the southern section of the S&D, the line between Sturminster Newton and Blandford are almost perfect branchline model railway stuff and still a lot to be seen today. My favourite spot is this three arch bridge in the middle of nowhere just outside the Blandford bypass.

I tried that with Peco code 100. That experiment was the point i started looking into making my own track, as it did look better but the simple fact you cant get curves nicely with set track points finished that project. I will be re building this at some time with Peco bullhead flexi and hand made points / crossovers.

That is just begging to be a layout. Great photo.

Count me in. Sounds great.

Ah, sorry Hayfield i miss understood. I thought you meant the Aluminium jigs would be for sale. I am not sure the wooden one i made is 100% flat.

I would be very interested in one of those.

I have always liked Cyril Freezers plans, well thought out and will adapt to any situation.

Hi Hayfield, thanks for that, some real bargains on the EMGS shop, sleepers and rail ordered. Paul.

I have just started building my own track recently and i have learnt everything from posters on RMWEB. Having Martin here who wrote Templot is really good, such great advice and posters like Hayfield who also helps out so much and shares his knowledge. You can print out some really nice point templots and build something that you cannot buy RTR. Looks great in 00 gauge as well.

Hi Martin, Thank you i will have a look at that, i know i can do a lot more with Templot going forward. It is a A-4.5 its for a coal siding based on Blandford Forum that to me looks a very tight curve. I dont have permmision to post this picture and i dont know who to credit it to, i hope i am not breaking any rules posting it but that is what i am trying to achieve. Paul.

Hi Hayfield, Built my 2nd ever point, 1st with a Templot print out, made mistakes but getting better i hope. Managed to do the soldering on this one, i needed a lesson in tinning the soldering iron tip, so much better now. I also filed the stock rails for the switch blades. It is a 00 BF 1.25mm common crossing from C&L, plan to make the next couple in 00 SF 1mm. I am using thin sleepers as i bought a job lot off ebay, i am using poly cement to glue sleepers to the paper, they seem to hold well and do not curve with the Liquid glue for the chairs. Onwards and upwards. Paul.

The EMGS Peco track is very good, but only straight B6 points available and no spring mechanism on the switch rails, so you will need a point motor or like wise to keep the point blades in place.

I have been working on a couple of points over the weekend. One thing i have noticed about C&L timber / chair packs is, if you are making your own common crossings / switch blades the packs go a long way. I am almost making 2 points from a 1 point bag.

Hi Bill, Had a read through your Hayden Gurney thread, great looking layout, love the station building. I plan to run a loop under the 00 gauge upper level so through trains can trundle around, with a fiddle yard to one side so i can run trains in both directions. A small local pick up goods and local stopping passenger service to add a bit of interest. The layout will be based in 1955 just because i have some nice early crest Bachann locos to convert and Bill Haley "rock around the clock" the birth of rock n roll. I am going to hand make the fiddle yard track so it runs on a gentle curve. I have 2 locos converted to EM gauge with 2 more work in progress. Some renumbering will have to be done. Thanks for looking. Paul.