Steadfast

A while since the last update, there's been a few new arrivals at the depot recently. 66725 has joined the fleet, here seen arriving with another refurbished mk3 from Derby Next is a first look at a test back dating of the layout, the signage is all velcro'd on to allow for rebranding, the idea being I can run whichever era I fancy. The 47 I've had for ages, being a respray and detail job based on the new model 47 from when it was first released. There's another couple in the cupboard, one of which will be getting Intercity Swallow. The 101 is a stunning model and I've been looking for an excuse to buy since it was released, and rolling back to the early 90s gives that. Anyway, photos In time there'll be either an NSE or a Large Logo 50, Scotrail/NSE 47706 and some Intercity HST stock too. I'm not sure, but I think the 150 probably should be in the earlier 'Sprinter' branded livery rather than the Regional Railways it carries jo

Hi all, it's been a while since the last update. A little progress to show, first, a game of spot the difference with the IIA photo further up the page. It looks a lot more complete with the grey solebar, its now ready for transfers and weathering. Secondly, I've actually finished something! Well I think its finished, anyway, maybe needs a thin wash of brown...hmmmm Transfers are homebrew in Photoshop, emailed off and printed for me on an ALPS printer, as usual by Kelvin at Red Firecracker. The all over grey, well, grubby brown, TDA that I expected to be finished first, is actually lagging behind somewhat! It's getting there though. One thing these photos do show up is the roughness of some of my masking.... jo

Indeed, a 4mm van would be longer than the entire car park on my layout! jo

Thanks for the replies guys, I'd better get some PG Models Sherpas then hehe jo

Reading Andy's Sherpa anecdote got me thinking. These days, fleet support seems to be a white transit with operator branding on the side, eg FGW. Presumably early 90s it'd be a yellow transit or Sherpa with BR lettering on the side? I'll get my photos of the FGW transits on here when I can, too. Thanks! jo

I use cocktail stick between the couplers and then twisted to reliably uncouple Microtrains, though Ian's screwdriver solution is rather neater! jo

As if by magic.... jo

Got a feeling there's a panel join there. Still they could've done the triple grey thing and just done 099. In fact, why not paint it in a nice, neutral demonstrator livery. How about triple grey....hahaha If it turns out to be quite quick in photoshop tomorrow before work then maybe... jo

Nice work Jon, '706 is on my to do list in my planned roll back to the 'Swallow Era' of 'Baby Laira'. I'll be watching your work here with very much interest! A thought with the TDM kit, what about Bachmann tops and bottoms with brass handrail wire for the cable? 0.2 or 0.3mm might do it? On Farish locos, I've fully degreased the bogies with remote control car cleaner spray (HPI brand),in a tub in the kitchen sink. I've had problems in the past with non-degreased bogies resulting in the weathering going glossy over time. The R/C car degreaser also removes the paint, so you're back to bare plastic to start again. HTH jo

The yellow fleet looks great Merf, particularly the new addition. I'd forgotten how odd the front window made the Roadrunner look! I managed a couple of photos of the N scale Network Rail MAN I mentioned previously - thanks for posting your photos on my thread, they were a godsend! The Japanese cab is just a gap filler to get it out for last weekend's exhibition until I get the MAN cab finished Thanks again for your help jo

Hiya, I'm glad you enjoyed it! N isn't as fragile as it may look, some of the trips to the floor that my stuff has had may be testament to that! As for spending the hard earned, it's just as bad in N jo

Hi Matt, Fantastic pictures, thanks so much for sharing them. I like seeing other people's shots as they always angle them differently, and see different things to I do, top stuff! It was great to catch up with you and Steve again today, I'd forgotten it was so long since you'd seen the layout! So much changes in a year with some black paint and glued on foliage haha The show went well today, my throat was sore by the time 5pm came along! The layout performed well apart from a few 08 based issues with the mechanisms sticking up. Here's a few of my images from today, the first of which is stacked in Photoshop. A couple of notes to explain a few piccies, the Network Rail truck just has a temporarily fitted Japanese cab to get it out for the show, in time I'll fit the correct MAN cab. The Freightliner 66 is coming in for fuel after working the Burngullow sand train and the 60 has just dropped of the oil tanks from Fawley. Well, any excuse for a 60 Anyway I'll let the images do the talking That's all for now! jo

All set for the morning, after a wee scare with the 08 not wanting to pick up electric. Tightening the nut on the pickup assembly did the trick, and touch wood, is now running smoother than it has before. Famous last words? I hope not! I've spent this afternoon making a stock box, seems to work rather well. Should speed up set up and strip down, not that it takes more than about 15 mins anyway! Please say hello if you're passing tomorrow jo

Hi Ben and John, Thanks for the comments. Elastic is what I was looking for, based on reading of your uses before. However the fine black cotton was the best thing I could nab out of mum's sewing box at short notice! I've been interested to read of you using it for loco air pipes etc if I remember right, so it's something that's been on my mind before. I'll need to get some for a future experiment anyway, so will see what I can find. John, the truck I'm doing is based on one with a shorter overhang, like this one The two types seem very similarly spec'd, apart from the rear overhang. I guess it's to get into tighter spaces jo

A few more, including an APT modification for Mr Delamar. The black side window surround is a pain to fit in! To include the windscreen would have looked even weirder! jo

In true Team America style, we have a montage. It was quicker than cropping and uploading 3 pictures The bodywork needs another coat of paint and some detail picking out still. The hydraulic lines on the crane are cotton superglued on. I'll be adding a load under a tarpaulin too, so I'm not too worried about adding the dividers between the 3 drop side panels as they won't be seen. I'm glad to get the crane finished. Although I have Network Rail transfers, I'll proboably knock something up in Photoshop and print on white paper for the rear logo. The cab needs priming, painting, and decalling, as well a new grill drawing up and adding some more MAN shaped details. I may well just fit a plain white Hino cab for the time being to get it finished for the weekend, and have the cab facing away from the front of the layout. Hopefully a small layout update or two before Saturday aswell jo

Hi Stu, Yep, the Japanese stuff is 1/150, much closer to British N's 1/148 than the Euro 1/160. It'd be nice if they developed some more European looking trucks, as although Hino, Isuzu and Mitsubishi trucks are seen in the UK, they're nowhere near as common as Scanias, Dafs, Volvos, MANs etc. I've mainly picked them up from exhibitions, there's normally a couple of stands selling them at big shows like TINGS and Warley. eBay and Osborn's Models have also come in useful, I tend to choose models on their "bashability" than particular livery or bodywork jo

Here's a couple of photos of current progress, the crane is just resting on the lorry whilst I make the pallet grab attachment It's nearly ready for a coat of primer to see how it's all looking jo

Hi John, Thanks for the words of encouragement! Yes you're right about mind over matter, indeed since Merf's pictures I've completely rebuilt the rear end and done some more crane work. It just would've been much simpler with a model of the right make of truck to use as a base! More photos soon I hope, jo

Hi Pete, Progress looks great! It's nice to see some rolling stock in the right places to give the sense of scale. Yes, Mark's 153 is done using my transfers, and a good job he's done too! The working gate would set the layout off a treat, as you say drawing and waiting while it opened would be an interesting operation to watch. As for the Monopoly empire, it'll look great once painted, it's got the feel of it already. Besides, all the monopoly jokes are done now, so I'll bow out peacefully haha

I've had a play in Photoshop to put some older liveries onto the Pendolino jo