Miserable

Unfortunately this site has a member, posting under at least two identities, who seriously needs to get a life, seeming to think this his private empire to rule as he pleases. He recently started contributing, unhelpfully, to a two-man discussion thread under his other persona (though blatantly him from the start), right from the off trying to goad a reaction - stalking really. When one's contributions are belittled it takes away the fun. Hope you all get through these hard time in one piece and have success with you modelling endevours. Remember, no one is right all the time. When he reports this post Mods, please delete my account. In the mean time, I've just scrambled my password so please feel free to rant away.

Just another thought. It would depend on the geography of the room a bit, but I'd be tempted to look at the station/yard bit going diagonally from the top-middle to bottom right. It would 'waste' a load of space in the top right corner but you could ease the curves somewhat which might be nice, and perhaps move the headshunt onto the approach line such that it can be accessed from all the roads. Also, just another random thought, if you did that you could have the layout/fiddle yard interface also half way along the top. I'm assuming the bit between the layout baseboards and the fiddle yards is a removable bridge for access, but there's no real reason why the fiddle yard sidings couldn't all extend over the bridge, coming together just before the scenic section, vastly increasing storage space. Just more random ideas!

There's this. I think they have a UK agent or something, https://modratec.com/

Well that certainly opens it up! Potential for interesting bridge or such on the approach. I suppose having the goods yard split adds operation potential, more need to cross over and such. One of the appealing features of your designs is avoiding filling every space with track, they've all had a nice small country station feel to them. Obviously it's up to you but I'd not go for a whole lot more track - J guess it depends on how you feel about doing scenery ;-)

Having had some paint problems, mostly very slow drying (maybe temperature related, it's not that warm in the loft at this time of year), the SR van is parked to one side while things go off. So to avoid practicing I've started the BR 12T pipe wagon kit. With a bit of luck I can do one while the other's paint dries and so on. The box is what you'd expect - a box really. Inside there's somewhat less a number of parts compared to the SR van - and no need to pre-paint stuff. The instructions start with assembling the couplings and fitting them to the draw bars. Ah. The kit comes with three link couplings, whereas being fitted it should have instanters. Instanters ordrered. I'm going to skip the couplings and do them when the proper ones arrive. If I can get hold of the supplier I'm keen to fit roller bearings as this one is for Soddingham, but that may have to go by the board. Anyhow, assembling the body presented no problems, and a few minor mould marks and very little flashing. The instructions suggest fitting one end to the floor, then a side, other end and other side, but just for being a bit easier to hold I did one end, then both sides. I'm glad I did as the floor was just a tad long meaning the door closing pins at the tops of the doors didn't quite meet up with corresponding mouldings on the end when the end was square to the floor. A little filing fixed that and tra la, one body. Next, having checked the axle box backs move freely in the axleguards (2 did, 2 didn't quite) the sole bards were offered up to body. These needed a bit of timping to get them to sit nicely in the backs of the drawbars, but no rocket science required. I've not fixed these yet as I wanted to see if the 'pips' on the chassis frame should stay or go as there aren't mentioned in the instructions. Stay is the answer, with them there the chassis it at the right height to fit flush to the drawbar (its a little warped when not being held in the photo). I'm assuming that's how it goes as it 'looks right'. The chassis is notably shorter than the distance between the two drawbars, about 1mm each end. Not a lot I can do about that without getting entirely carried away with plasticard. That's for tomorrow, or the day after in the van paint has gone off.

Ok, thanks. I can carry on now I know what to expect! I'll look at varnish later, I'd like to experiment with my chalks first to see if a little weathering will take the shine off a bit. Every day's a school day :-)

This might seem a bit odd, but what finish should I expect from Railamtch 322 early freight grey? Both coats have come out somewhat glossy, I was expecting a matt finish. The pot is about 6/7 years old, but unopened till now, and has been thoroughly stirred. It does get cold in my unheated loft, so I just want to make sure my expectation isn't wrong before engaging cunning plans.

They've quite clearly stated they are no longer interested in the UK market, because it's simply not worth it, as have BeerOnWeb (Belgium), Shatner's business and the three cycle shops mentioned in a previous post. That will be the UK's loss, since presumably people order from the EU to get things they cannot get here, or significantly cheaper enough to warrant shipping cost.

It's nothing to do with software - it's being charged to register to collect taxes for another government, and potentially being punished if you get it wrong when you really have no reason to take the extra work on. As Shatner posted, his accountants added up the cost of setting this up and running it and concluded that makes trading with the UK unviable. I used to sell vehicle parts globally, including Australia. If any country had told me I had to collect their taxes I would told them where to go. The now famous Dutch cycle shop sells to 159 countries, non of whom makes them collect third country taxes - I kind of think they know what they are on about. Australia tries this, but in limited circumstances, the GST rule only applies to items under AU$1,000 - above that you have to appoint an Australian resident tax agent. They did this to bodge to plug a tax hole they had created. I can't see how they can enforce it, since if you don't pay to register they have no idea who you are.

I think this might work, it's a bit hard to do the geometry in my head... How about moving the right-hand most points on to the heel of the three-way. This would I think give a sharp curve into the fiddle yard which would I think be a shame with the rest looking so nice, but perhaps moving the three-way left may ease that - it would mean sacrificing some siding length?

I was going to say its a pity Anyrail cannot export a 3d view like Templot, but having checked it appears it can and it's built-in. This is a really good way of 'standing on the track and looking down the iine' to see how it looks. Unfortunately Wine crashes when trying it Linux - ho hum!

I'd go for the upper one myself, it 'flows' better to my eye. Plus extending the right-hand run round extension to either a stabling point, small shed or perhaps a 'specialist' goods siding, such as a grain elevator. Each unto their own though :-)

A good question. This https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/changes-to-vat-treatment-of-overseas-goods-sold-to-customers-from-1-january-2021/changes-to-vat-treatment-of-overseas-goods-sold-to-customers-from-1-january-2021 as far as I can tell does not take that into account.

It's worse than that : a business selling to the UK now has to pay to register with the UK to supply to the to the UK, and that business is expected to collect taxes on behalf of the UK government. This is unique in the world. William Shatner (yes, that one) and a Dutch cycle parts supplier are two examples of businesses who have decided to simply not to sell to the UK as a result. I don't suppose they will be the only ones.

Just to point out that railway fencing almost unique to the UK. There's plenty of cab ride videos from just about anywhere on Youtube to demonstrate the point, barely a fence in sight.

Just seen the second one. FWIW I think that is very more 'railway' if you see what I mean, a nice country station.

For me, that would be a plan. It would all perhaps a small stabling point where the yard currently is?

And on to actually making it. The first thing I did, as I intend to paint the inside faces of the verandah as the instructions suggest, was to prepare the ends, side and chassis bits. Nothing overly exciting, just cut away some flashing and file mould marks flat. Where they will be visible I've removed the circular marks from the injection process (at least that what I hope they are!) , I've put 'as is' next to tarted up. This is probably a bit OTT since with the verandah doors shut you'd have a job to see them, but it makes me feel warm and cuddly. I also checked the ends and sides fit together snugly, but left the sprue on for something to hold while painting. The chassis was cleaned up to glued together. The floor has a slight gap - I'm going to wait and see as regards filling, I've no idea if it will be visible later on. So far so good, now to reach for the early BR grey...

Alas Wilko were out of their 350 x 450 x 40mm granite cutting boards, so a smaller local shop provided a glass one for a whopping £2. It's nice and flat, but being basically a bit of glass (I assume some form of Pyrex) so it's survival chances are probably not very long term. But it will do for now. It's sadly not full of stars.

Noted :-)

That's a bit OTT really, I'm just after the flavour of the thing - state of the track, buildings and such. I got the idea after seeing European 'Feldbahns' on Youtube, I guess I wanted to check if UK practice was for any reason different.

I'm after industrial lines, so thanks for the pointer but not really what I was looking for.

With the banner repeater finished and the stone walling on order, another sub-project as mentioned is needed. To this end I've secured a spray gun that actually sprays, but as yet can't find the marble cutting board I use as a known flat surface to make sure all is square. A trip to Wilko on shopping day may be in order. I'm attempting to order a set of wheels with roller bearings for this, as I'd like to see how effectively loose shunting can be reproduced, since it was such a major part of railway operation. Plus I want use blackened wheels, I don't 'get' the Slaters silver rims and they are a to paint. I don't know if a Parkside kit build it is of any interest to anyone, there's probably millions on the web, but I'll post it anyway because Friday or something. Anyhow, to the van. I'm not overly SR oriented, and this is the first wagon I've made that I didn't actually work with - probably a lot to do with the SR being fitted-only by my day. I guess some were probably still in Engineers use somewhere. I'm looking at BR decoration, as the 7mm ones for sale seem to be mostly SR. But the I have a pot of SR paint on the shelf... ah decisions. The box. Pretty much what you'd expect! The bits. And so many... The repeater is still drying down to the left (one tiny blob of back on white - arrrrgggghh), so I'll not start just now so I don't knock it off. At least the work bench is tidy. Ish.

Sadly all listed have. The site on the link gives the closing dates. Some lasted a lot longer that I would have supposed.

Thank you! I'm liking Star Lane Brickworks, plus it provides a good for the somewhat dubious NG/SG interchange that isn't stone;-)