Al. Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 With 3 weeks to go until the Peterborough Show, it's been a busy weekend with the layout. All the stock has been out and had a full service. As part of this, I've painted all the undersides of the locos white to improve the reliability of the IR sensors on the cascade. The cascade has had a test and is fully functional for 18 trains. The control panels checked and also confirmed as OK. In the bit of time left, I started on the vineyards beside the church. I'm aiming to have this area flocked by next weekend. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted November 21, 2018 Author Share Posted November 21, 2018 120 trees finished off and left to dry. I'm elsewhere tonight, so back to the layout Thursday night with some tree planting. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
grahame Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 Wow, a veritable forest. How long did it take to grow those? G 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Al. Posted November 21, 2018 Author Popular Post Share Posted November 21, 2018 I've decided to add a little family history to the layout. And I'm sure this one will draw some conversation from the viewing public at the shows. Back in WW2, my uncle-in-law serviced in the Royal Engineers. Prior to the war he was a fireman on the LNER. A profession he returned to after the war, and had the pleasure of firing Mallard during her BR days. However, during the war he was in France and Belgium in the months after D-Day rebuilding the Railways so that the Allied's could move logistics on mass from the Channel Ports. On one occasion, while working close to the front lines, they were desperately in need on working locomotives. Most of the France locos had been damaged by Allied air power, and the WD's and US Logistics locos were way back behind the lines. So that night he and three others decided to go steal one from the Germans. They borrowed four bicycles from several angry Frenchmen and cycled through the German lines to a railhead where the found a loco already in steam sat ideally waiting for them (He was unsure of its class, but said it was a big one like the Evening Star). The German crew of two quickly surrendered themselves and the loco to these four mad Englishmen. Throwing the bicycles onto the tender, and with the help of the German crew, they routed the loco back to the main line and ran it tender first back to the Allied side of the lines where the loco was swiftly put to work ferrying wounded back to Blighty and ammunition and fuel to the front line. He told me the hardest part of the whole night was trying to find some white paint to paint a white star on the cab roof to try and avoid being shot up by a wayward Typhoon or Mustang. Unfortunately, he passed away a few years back abd I never did found out whether the angry Frenchmen got their bikes bike. 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted November 21, 2018 Share Posted November 21, 2018 G'Day Folks. Great story, so much is now being lost as the old hands depart. manna Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted November 26, 2018 Author Share Posted November 26, 2018 Two weeks to go before Peterborough. This weekend has been about more prep work (as well as going out to the local Christmas Tree Farm to collect our tree). All the stock have been serviced and packed away in boxes ready for the show. On the whole, the majority were OK - There was a couple broken couplings and a traction tire or two missing. There where only two big problems. One was the BR17 which had developed a chassis problem while at the CMRA Stevenage show. This turned out to be nothing more serious then a loose screw. And two was the Karl Mortars where I've lost one of the transporter wagons. I've been experimenting with a 3D printed chassis for the model that would make it an easy conversion of the Dragon model from static to rolling. But I've misplaced the wagon and still can't find it... 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted November 27, 2018 Author Share Posted November 27, 2018 A little bit more progress on the vine yards last night. I'm still in two minds whether it looks right. But time is pressing for the Peterborough so no time left to rework it again. Tonight I'll start putting the posts in, then it's the job of fitting the wires. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted November 29, 2018 Author Share Posted November 29, 2018 I've ran out of trees....! 120 of them on this board alone. I think I need another 20 to finish off. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted November 30, 2018 Author Share Posted November 30, 2018 Don't forget the Remagen is at the National Festival of Railway Modelling at the East of England Showground, Peterborough on 8th & 9th December. We're at stand 123. Hope to see you there. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 If your at the Peterborough show, keep an eye out for old St. Nicholas and the Snowman. They'll be on the layout somewhere on an early trip out delivering Christmas presents to the children of Remagen. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 The 2019 show calendar is confirmed. Remagen has four shows booked across the country. I hope at least one of these shows are within travelling distance for anyone hoping to see the layout up close.The London Festival of Railway Modelling, Alexander Palace - 23/24 March 2019.Trainwest 2019, Corsham, Wiltshire - 13/14 April 2019.RailEx NE, North Shields - 27/28 July 2019.The International N Gauge Show, Leamington Spa - 13/14 September 2019.If you do make it to any of the shows, please grab me for a chat. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridgiesimon Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Defo see you at Corsham fingers crossed. Best wishes Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Railway Noob Posted December 2, 2018 Share Posted December 2, 2018 Damn that's an amazing layout. I may well have t come and see it in person next weekend I started a WWI layout in July but have loads to do. It's only small though. Well done m8. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted December 7, 2018 Author Share Posted December 7, 2018 All set up at Peterborough and ready to start running trains. We're stand 123. If your about, drop by and say 'Hi' 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted December 10, 2018 Author Share Posted December 10, 2018 Finally got home just after 9 last night and after a tiring, but enjoyable weekend I finally had time tinpot my feet up and relax. The layout took a long time to settle down on Saturday morning and it was a struggle to keep it going sometimes without a lot of finger poking. But by the afternoon it had settled down, and Sunday we running the stock at nearer realistic speeds. I'm wondering whether this may have been something to do with loading the van Thursday night rather then Friday morning. The lights in the hall played havoc with the infrared sensors on the fiddle yard, with sensors detecting trains when they weren't there and saying they weren't when they were. By midday we'd switched it off and where hand-balling the stock though - which has wrecked most of the traction tyres. This is going to need reworking ahead of Ally Pally show, which will include a manual override. I've a list of other stuff that needs doing to make the operation and setting up & breaking down easier. But it's getting there. There was a lot of good feedback from the public and I spent most of Sunday out front talking to people. Unfortunately it meant I got very few photos of the layout in action. So if you have any, please post up here for me. Thanks to everyone who drop by for a chat. Apologies if I missed you, or was too busy on something else. Looking forward to doing it all again at Ally Pally. Cheers. Al. 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ianLMS Posted December 10, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 10, 2018 I am gutted I missed the chance to see the layout at Peterborough. Unfortunately, we already had other plans made. Hope to get to the show at Ally Pally in March to see it. I hope it won "Best in Show" as the model really is superb! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted December 10, 2018 Share Posted December 10, 2018 Well done on a great layout, enjoyed seeing it on Sunday. I spent ages just looking at the details and love the history behind it. Shame you didn't get many pics. Hope these are ok. Steve. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted December 24, 2018 Author Share Posted December 24, 2018 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukebox Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Merry Christmas to you and yours, Al 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TEAMYAKIMA Posted December 24, 2018 Share Posted December 24, 2018 Al You have created a unique layout and as such it is literally a work of art. Merry Xmas to you and Julia Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Model Railway Noob Posted December 27, 2018 Share Posted December 27, 2018 I got to see it and I was most impressed. Well done. I only took a couple of phone pictures as I was really just looking through the crowds. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridgiesimon Posted January 2, 2019 Share Posted January 2, 2019 Maybe I have missed it, read back but cannot find any mention - do you make your own trees or buy them as kits or ready done? If bought in, where from? If you make them yourself, any chance of adding a tutorial or similar? Best wishes simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted January 2, 2019 Author Share Posted January 2, 2019 Maybe I have missed it, read back but cannot find any mention - do you make your own trees or buy them as kits or ready done? If bought in, where from? If you make them yourself, any chance of adding a tutorial or similar? Best wishes simon The trees come from 4D Models, and are reworked to prevent follage drop while the layout is being moved. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bridgiesimon Posted January 3, 2019 Share Posted January 3, 2019 Thank you, I thought I recognised them and your additional comment explains the 'leaving them to dry' etc. They are pricey little thingies but well worth it. I am working on making my own and am finding that making larger trees for my Hobbiton End layout has been way easier than trying to miniaturise the process for N gauge, still trying though. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/35993-hobbiton-end/ This is one of my favourite threads on here. Best wishes Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al. Posted January 4, 2019 Author Share Posted January 4, 2019 (edited) Breaking news....! Remagen is one of the nominees for Layout of the Year on The British Model Railways Awards - Link at the top of the page. There's some stiff competition from some excellent layout, but I'd like to think I'm in with a chance. All vote for Remagen are welcome.... Edited January 4, 2019 by Al. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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