MoonMonkey

Thanks for bringing this to my attention... I just had a look at the website and it looks good, quite reasonably priced. I'd been thinking about a 'build a layout in a weekend' kind fo thing, and this would be a great start. Otherwise, it'll take me the full weekend to knock together a badly fitting and slightly warped baseboard and backscene assembly, nevermind getting any track down!!

That's it! She's generated forward thrust through her bum venturi! Having managed the same once before, it's such a sense of achievement (although I didn't actually levitate, it was more of a momentary motion upward and then back to earth (the loo seat) with a thud). I reckon she's probably giggling to herself like child at this amazing feat!.

Oh, general confusion and bemusement about how on earth the old bod in the blue manages to levitate? Hovering over the bench in the most alarming fashion! (Mental note to self... place figures correctly before photographing!!!)

I finally got round to doing a few more Modelu figures. I wonder what they are so talkative about?

And finally, some gargoyles painted by my lad and one done a bit more with weathering powder afterwards by me, plus the Ghostbusters!

And a few more... my lad painted the zombie and the scarecrow thing...

Also, some better photos of the Finescale Figures people, Halloween themed!

I've got a slightly better camera (in other words, a slightly better phone!) . Better ghost train pics attached. If anyone wants to provide some light entertainment for kids (or whoever) next Halloween... these were inherited Hornby Railroad models, dismantled and bodies sprayed with primer and a coat of white spray (Humbrol spray acrylics), and then a liberal thick coat of Revell 'night color' (sic) 39802 was applied (without watering down). I'd masked the insides and interestingly it left a weird 'ectoplasm'-like irregular finish to the window corners once the masking tape was peeled away. I left the black plastic parts as black so it wasn't too over-the-top. It needs charging, I use the torch on my phone, and then it glows a spooky green. The glow does wear off relatively quickly, but it's fun while it lasts. I also had a spare figure I painted with the 'night color' and put against a window in a coach corridor, which looks spooky too... a ghostly figure staring out from the window of the ghost train. I also popped a little of the night color on the loco wheels, very carefully. All good fun! The photos show the effect just after charging with the torch light.

Hi, reading the other responses to this, it looks like the norm is to provide the source for such assertions. I spotted this post while looking for thoughts about the Prairie models. I don't usually scout for info requests about prototypes. However, I have a book that used to be my Dad's on the shelf and it prompted me to take a look, and I actually found relevant info in there! So if it's helpful then lovely, although it's before your time query, but it does lend weight to the Didcot allocation. Source as per images.

1955: Didcot, including Wallingford (sub-shed I think).

Now it's a funny thing, but some years back I found myself in a place which shall remain nameless looking at logistic overpack cases for former-Soviet era air to ground missiles, which were rather large, grey, and bore a remarkable resemblance to the grey long pods/boxes here. Nothing more shall be said about that. However, I find myself wondering, is this a shipment of Eastern European (or thereabouts) armaments being received into Little Muddle by sea? Is this some new front in the willy waving war from the chaps over in Russia? First Crimea, then forget about Ukraine, but take on the hub of all happiness which is Little Muddle (given the apparent lack of HM Customs and otherwise wary eyes)? Maybe that chap reading the paper is actually on post to spy out the British military on the off-chance this vile scheme is rumbled? Maybe the plan to adjust the cattle dock is actually a way to dig in an underground missile silo on our doorstep. What would the Squadron Leader say?

I've got 50 sheds of grey in my back bog! There's a great line in there... something to the effect of: "She bent over my workbench and said "Hurt me". So I told her she had fat ankles and made a rubbish rhubarb crumble.

Hi BlueMonkey, I did some google-based research into that kind of area and found this to be an interesting piccie of Chippenham goods yard, may be useful for you, if only for inspiration: If you hadn't already found it, there is a book called The GWR Swindon to Bath Line by Colin G Maggs, which has at least one one photo of Chippenham, specifically of a line of SR cattle wagons. It has the same photo as the link in this message. I'm sure you've already found the book titled The Calne Branch by Colin G Maggs. Hopefully those pointers are useful.

And for something on a similar track... the ghost train!!! I did do a video but you can't embed clips into posts and it's not that good to bother Youtube! So photos it is. Focussing was tricky as it was quite dark to capture the luminous ghostly glow!

Well, it's a year later and Halloween has come to the layout again! Figures are from Finescale Figures (which seem to have started with the same figures as a previous business called PMMStudio). Some Halloweeny figures, and some ghost busters. Poor old Venkman (Bill Murray) got the rough end of the ghosty stick as the face and hairline painting didn't quite go to plan, but hey ho! My little lad did the zombie rising from the earth and the scarecrow. The figures are nice to paint and an entertaining and fun range (no connection, just a happy customer!).

That's most helpful, many thanks @Les Bird I shall look to buy one next time I do an order. I shall try to remember to post any observations here!

Really nice to see how that addition at the back improves the whole 'look and feel' - thanks for sharing @Mikkel! That certainly provides inspiration for a future modular layout that could fit in storage tubs - the layout length would always have been a moveable feast and could have been extended, but when I read about the storage tub layout concept I always envisaged a layout that had a narrow width governed by tub dimensions. In theory, the layout could be variably wide as well as long, as there is presumably no reason (other than how it is supported) why more than 2 modules could not be connected front to back!

A hologram operated by the layout operator? Wow, that's an idea. Maybe that could (in the future) be personalised in the way that Modelu can scan people. I could have a hologram of me running around my layout, pulling moonies, hugging the 3d printed plastic ladies, climbing the ladders up signal posts, and generally being a top banana! And then if in future peoples' layouts become hooked up through/to the 'internet of things' I could hack into someone else's layout through the unprotected url that their fridge has, and then present a hologram of me to moonie my way (uninvited) around their layout!!!!

And on a lighter note - how about working toilets in coaches?

Ability to cope with 1st radius curves, please! If one doesn't have space for 2nd radius curves in places, then there are 2 options: miss out/don't bother, or accept a little compromise and go for a slightly tighter radius, ie first. Mine isn't intended to be an accurate scale replica - if it was then I would need a hanger rather than a house. It's a compromise in so many ways: including but not limited to: scale compression in all directions, track gauge compression, inanimate people, trees which are compressed in height, sound limitations, lack of moving sunlight/shadows. But do you know what? I quite like it, in fact I'm proud of what I've produced, it kept me marginally more sane through lockdown, and most importantly my target audience love it and it helps that they neither know nor care about the few mils inaccuracy of track gauge or the fact that a curve into a goods yard siding is slightly too tight. For me personally, spending more time and money and effort, and finding an alternate location for my layout, would be a waste - because no one with that detailed eye will ever see it (but if they do, they'd better play nicely!!). So I'm not ashamed to admit that I have a few 1st radius curves in places where there was insufficient room for 2nd radius. Most items cope ok with the 1st radius actually, and the ones that don't only pose the limitation that they need to go on the track without the 1st radius curves, and I can live with that. I get that certain failings in accuracy are important to some people for a whole host of good reasons, but please remember that not everyone has the same levels of requirement in every aspect of the hobby, be they 7 or 107. There is place for first radius curves, albeit not to everyone.

Hey, that chap with the suitcase and the relaxed look... he's been hanging around my station too. Has he nothing better to do?

Well, I'm thinking about getting a bus to go on a bridge, if only to adhere to the apparent cliche Has anyone dismantled the Oxford Diecast bus (like this one: https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/collections/1-76/products/bedford-owb-royal-navy-76owb001) to weather and spray varnish (so popping the glazing out too), and also fitting passengers and a driver? If so, did it go well or was it a shambles?

Interesting question :-) I started to get back into railway modelling a few years ago, driven by my child finding my old stuff from when I was a kid/teenager. That lot happened to be mostly GWR. I think back then, the GWR seemed a bit exotic. Not sure though, but I had a fair old mix of stuff. But now, I live in the GWR region, so I thought I'd make use of the items I had and focus on that. Then it struck me, doing a layout to show some history of the area my child lives in might be interesting... so I went with that. I was mulling over an era and thought the 30s or 40s sounded nice, but then the whole VE Day 50th celebrations cropped up... so there I had it: GWR, VE day 1945!

I meant to upload this photo too - shows the sign better!