sparks

The 'American' coaches were originally destined for Argentina but were sold on to the WC&P when the order was cancelled.

Success! I lowered the plinths as much as possible (there is a plug and socket arrangement for each column inside) and sunk the remainder into the cork. This still left a gap under the front stairs so I carefully sawed off the excess from the rear stairs and joined it to the front. The joint isn't perfect but it's OK and will hopefully disappear under some grot. I finished the remainder of the base coat and the bridge is now ready for a dark wash to grotty it up a bit. Comparing this photo to the ones in post #44, I think it looks much more believable and I'm much happier now. I've therefore moved onto the ground frame and associated point rodding for the siding, based on my inspiration shot of Hardies in post #1. The catenary mast has also changed sides, partly to make room for the ground frame and also for visual balance as all the masts were on the same side! The Wills point rodding looks great but severely tried both my patience and eyesight to assemble. In the end I attached a piece of masking tape to the bench sticky side up and used it to make up sub-assemblies. These require to be left overnight for the joints to harden before attempting to detach them for transfer to the layout. I also pre-painted the FPL assembly on the bench as there was no way I'd be able to do this neatly once it was attached to the sleepers. I positioned the ground frame to be visible through the footbridge stairs (the FPL arrangement shows through the other gap) and create a small cameo scene. This means I probably won't put another structure in front of the footbridge as it would block the view.

I've been noticing (and liking the look of) these wire loops for a while. But is it possible to propel/shunt with one...?

Well, she was built by George England in 1857 and there is a definite family resemblance with the first Ffestiniog locos they built a few years later, so maybe a Princess style mini-weatherboard? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ffestiniog_PDold_3.jpg

Oddly enough, I just happened upon a Pathe clip of No.5 in action back in 1936:-

Some interesting photos on these sites:- http://www.transport-of-delight.com/UK/BritishRail/Wimbledon-WestCroydon/Pages/Wimbledonbefore.htm http://photoarchive.merton.gov.uk/search?q=beddington+lane&action=search

I agree; the obvious thing to do would be a convenient hillock, but given the small space and that the rest of the layout is totally flat, I think it would look too contrived. I'm happy that the approach outlined above will give a good result and will try and get onto it soon - I'd like to get this corner and the scenic break working properly before I go any further.

After some more thought I have decided that I'm really not happy with the footbridge plinths. I wondered how hard it would be to remove the bottom few steps on the platform side (equivalent to half the height of the platform) and graft them onto the opposite side. This would make the front side reach the ground and would allow the plinths to be reduced to half their height and be much less obtrusive and bottom-heavy. I got the layout out tonight and had a look. Transplanting the steps would be fiddly, but do-able with care. However I thought that this approach would then require modification of the catenary span to fit under the lowered bridge. I attached a few spans to the layout to check and was greeted with this:- A massive gap between the wires and the footbridge! I raised the bridge as it doesn't clear the wires when flat on the ground, but for some reason I raised it to platform height when in fact only a few mm was required. Doh! There is actually a 13mm gap between the wires and footbridge span:- So, the plinths can be reduced to just three courses of bricks and the front steps can be extended down to ground with a small plinth/step made from a few squares of plasticard, although another layer of cork in the area may reduce this even further. A few steps will need to be removed from the platform side but it is far easier to trim than transplant. I'll sign off with a snap of BB-27 entering the station. Purists will be relieved to know that the wires won't join like that on the mast; I have another mast for here with two register arms to allow the platform road wire to cross at a slightly higher level and continue to be tensioned beyond the bridge.

Richmond, Melbourne here. But originally from (Old) South Wales.

I've always thought that the Chiltern Court siding at Baker Street would make a great 'bitsa' micro layout http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/63309-micro-layout-ideas-rapid-transit/&do=findComment&comment=865110

Has anyone modelled the ISAP Athens-Pireaus electric railway? I've always been fascinated by the early electric trains running through the ancient city, right up to the 1980s. Extending the then steam-worked line from Thissio to Ommonia, 1889 Electric train at Monastiraki Soldiers at Monastiraki, 1912 Ommonia old station, 1925 Piraeus Underground Station, 1981 by Bettsy1970, on Flickr Monastiraki, 2007 Monastiraki, 2007

Time for an update. There's been a distinct lack of modelling mojo recently. I have added evergreen angle bracing to the footbridge legs which I'm very happy with but the first coat of paint went on all gloppy as the paint, despite a good stirring, started to thicken again in my cold winter apartment. After finally discovering Juniper Hill (how did I miss that?) I've also been having some existential doubts about filling the layout with more and more structures to try and make the RH scenic break work properly - the sparse end-of-the-line feel of Juniper Hill is exactly what I originally had in mind. The footbridge already takes up a quarter of the total length of the layout, but still needs a 'foot' of some sort at the bottom and probably something small in front to fill the corner and block the view to the fiddle yard. On top of that, there is still another essential building to add front and centre - the goods lockup. Before making any drastic decisions I thought some a little practical experimentation was in order. This is a mockup of the RailCentral kit (http://www.railcentral.com.au/products.html) for a NSWGR Pc1 precast concrete station building (http://users.tpg.com.au/bdayling/Ac_Pc.html). The originals were intended as a complete branch line station but it would work well here as a simple goods lockup:- It actually all looks a lot better than I expected and rather than block the view completely, a few new 'scenes' are created:- The exit from the footbridge would turn through 90deg towards the front of the layout, and then maybe a small shed or possibly the Wills brick conveniences (represented by the white footprint) in the corner, some spear railings and that's about it. So what do we think? Too overcrowded or about right for an urban backwater?

Thanks chaps. Obviously really when you think about it! IIRC, the unloading pipework, and maybe the siding itself, survived the rationalisation in this area when the Corkickle loop (and boxes) were removed.

The previous building was an extremely decrepit timber one that probably dated from the opening of the line. Brian's first photo above shows the original building and IIRC there are a few close up photos in the Railways of Cardiff book;- http://www.amazon.com/RAILWAYS-OF-CARDIFF-LAURENCE-WATERS/dp/0711023808

Oops! Totally missed that post. I would have downloaded themyself from that!

Hi Jamie I'm sure you've already seen this, but just in case you haven't, the Engineer articles from 1908 on the electrification can be found online here:- Part 1: http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/The_Engineer_1908/06/12 Part 2: http://www.gracesguide.co.uk/The_Engineer_1908/06/19 Part 1 deals with the overhead and power supply. Part 2 deals with the rolling stock and has several interesting detail photos including underframe detail, a driving cab and the perforated sycamore seats discussed further back in the thread.

My own thoughts have been leading me down a similar route recently. Initially due to learning about Japanese railways and therefore modelling, where N gauge modules are popular. There is even a Japanese modelling group here in Melbourne who usually turn out an attractive modular layout for the local exhibitions, although always in a slightly different configuration each time. I have been particularly inspired by this narrow gauge layout, which I think is Japanese H0e (1/80th scale) and I had wondered if something similar was possible for H0/00 (not being aware of Freemo until now):- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wUWnTy5BWLI https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E9duKWxbyfI Concurrently, being only half way through my 'quickie' APA box project a year later has made me realise how much work is involved in completing a layout. Being both time and space starved I had come to the conclusion that any future 'layouts' would probably be more achievable as simple modules (around 4'x1') of the various different prototypes I would like to model, and if I ever gain a study/railway room I could set them up on bookcases with a simple unsceniced loop around the room to create a somewhat eclectic roundy roundy (I have also realised that I prefer creating to operating!). Having read the Freemo Extravaganza thread on the weekend and now this one, the logical thing to do would be to build any such modules to a recognised standard so they could also have a life outside the study. DCC is not my thing but I recognise it's advantages for a large modular setup - it should be reasonably easy to wire 'my' modules (which would always be a simple trackplan) with this in mind. (Edited for grammar)

Enoshima Electric Railway 江ノ島電鉄 - Surfs Up! by Stuart, on Flickr

Enoshima Electric Railway 江ノ島電鉄 - Gokurakuji by Stuart, on Flickr

IIRC the 'PSL guide to Model Railways' has a feature on the Hamworthy branch. Can't remember exactly what's in there but there may be something of use.

When I lived in Cumbria in the early 2000s there was the long disused remains if a discharge(?) point on a siding next to the loop at Corkickle. Does anyone know what was please? Having illustrated how numerous these facilities were, thoughts inevitably turn to modelling - how prototypical/accurate is the Ratio kit, and does it represent a particular period...?

Might that be the same Taffson Evans & Jenkins that built the Churchwater locos...?

My much younger and impressionable self came across this book on Brian's stand somewhere (16mm Association show in Coventry?) and was amazed to learn that there was a narrow gauge railway that we knew nothing about! I eventually spotted the disclaimer on the last page and bought it anyway because it was so well done. I also have 'Tales of the Bedside Nurseries' too somewhere.

How about one that's being discussed in another thread at present - Highgate High Level? Rebuilt by LT for the Northern Heights scheme, but never used by Northern Line trains and later closed by BR. But all still there... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/86810-highgate-wood-sidings/&do=findComment&comment=1480546

And here's a more conventional view of the same area:- Lavender Bay by Stuart, on Flickr