Guide Dog Bridge

[9C85]

I have just been guided to your layout. 

 

Excellent work. 

 

Following. 

[birdbath]

3 hours ago, 9C85 said:

I have just been guided to your layout. 

 

Excellent work. 

 

Following. 

 

Thanks, glad you like it.

 

Crucially, your comment also takes the thread onto a fifth page.  I'll be catching up with Peterborough North in no time!

[Mol_PMB]

Oh dear, I feel like a right blabber-mouth. I’m on page 6 already and I’ve only just started ballasting!

I am making good use of some of the Guide Dog Bridge leftovers as garnish on my aquarium sand to provide a bit of colour and size variation. 

[9C85]

1 hour ago, birdbath said:

 

Thanks, glad you like it.

 

Crucially, your comment also takes the thread onto a fifth page.  I'll be catching up with Peterborough North in no time!

Just spout some random carp like I do occasionally. You'll be in double figures soon. 

I mentioned to my better half that I had something like 28k views, and she pointed out that 27.5k were probably me.

[birdbath]

Afternoon all.

 

A little project I've been fiddling about with lately.  Dapol's interpretation of the blue colours on the TPE livery 68 has never really satisfied me.  In the end I decided to have a go at a partial repaint.  The elements tackled are the blue round the windscreen and cab side windows and the dark blue-sky blue faded band from the lower cab front to the cantrail heading towards the middle of the body.  Initially I mixed up a few sample efforts to take to work and hold against the real thing.  Humbrol 52, Railmatch silver and Humbrol metalcote are used for the windscreen surround, while the same plus Humbrol 222 were used for the various bits of the faded band.  Once I'd got matches I was happy with I masked the body up and took the plunge.  It all took a little while to do in several stages.  When done, a bit of touching up was needed in a couple of places and then the panel line details were picked out with a fine black pen.  The loco had already been renumbered and named using Railtec transfers and I managed to save those.  Light weathering has been added to the upper body sides, where they always seem to get a bit of dark streaking and the underframe got another going over too.

 

It's by no means perfect, but overall I'm happy with the result. 

 

 

 

Back to the 1990s soon!

 

Regards,

 

Roge.

[Sandhole]

Just now, birdbath said:

Afternoon all.

 

A little project I've been fiddling about with lately.  Dapol's interpretation of the blue colours on the TPE livery 68 has never really satisfied me.  In the end I decided to have a go at a partial repaint.  The elements tackled are the blue round the windscreen and cab side windows and the dark blue-sky blue faded band from the lower cab front to the cantrail heading towards the middle of the body.  Initially I mixed up a few sample efforts to take to work and hold against the real thing.  Humbrol 52, Railmatch silver and Humbrol metalcote are used for the windscreen surround, while the same plus Humbrol 222 were used for the various bits of the faded band.  Once I'd got matches I was happy with I masked the body up and took the plunge.  It all took a little while to do in several stages.  When done, a bit of touching up was needed in a couple of places and then the panel line details were picked out with a fine black pen.  The loco had already been renumbered and named using Railtec transfers and I managed to save those.  Light weathering has been added to the upper body sides, where they always seem to get a bit of dark streaking and the underframe got another going over too.

 

It's by no means perfect, but overall I'm happy with the result. 

 

 

 

Back to the 1990s soon!

 

Regards,

 

Roge.

Love the model.
Be nice if the real things actually were fully operational and the stock wasn't being vandalised in Longsight yard.

[Mol_PMB]

1 hour ago, Sandhole said:

Love the model.
Be nice if the real things actually were fully operational and the stock wasn't being vandalised in Longsight yard.

But then Birdbath would have to go to work more often and wouldn't have time to work on his models!

[Sandhole]

3 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

But then Birdbath would have to go to work more often and wouldn't have time to work on his models!

I just get so frustrated when we have state of the art stock and we are still travelling in the three cars which are very tired.
I haven't travelled in the hybrid units yet.

[Sandhole]

Just now, Sandhole said:

I just get so frustrated when we have state of the art stock and we are still travelling in the three cars which are very tired.
I haven't travelled in the hybrid units yet.

Roll on when we can travel to see friends again.
I'm travelling on the Scarborough trains, as far as York.That way, I'll get to sample the new stock.
Then on whatever service to Middlesborough.

 

Edited March 21, 2021 by Sandhole

[Mol_PMB]

17 minutes ago, Sandhole said:

Roll on when we can travel to see friends again.
I'm travelling on the Scarborough trains, as far as York.That way, I'll get to sample the new stock.
Then on whatever service to Middlesborough.

 

After a few trips on the Mk5s you'll soon appreciate the comfort of the 185s...

[MarshLane]

20 minutes ago, Sandhole said:

Roll on when we can travel to see friends again.
I'm travelling on the Scarborough trains, as far as York.That way, I'll get to sample the new stock.
Then on whatever service to Middlesborough.

 

They have started driver refresher workings with Freightliner for the Redcar route, so you may get a Mk5 set all the way to Middlesbrough when you next travel in 202......! I'm also aware the spare Mk5a Driving Trailer has been out on WCML testing, so things are progressing, finally....

 

Rich

[Sandhole]

Just now, MarshLane said:

They have started driver refresher workings with Freightliner for the Redcar route, so you may get a Mk5 set all the way to Middlesbrough when you next travel in 202......! I'm also aware the spare Mk5a Driving Trailer has been out on WCML testing, so things are progressing, finally....

 

Rich

Thank you very much for that info.
Regards,
Chris.

[birdbath]

Evening all.

 

Not much to report lately other than a couple of short loco projects.  I can't seem to get motivated with the layout at the moment.  Suppose we all go through phases like this.

 

Anyway, first up is another 68.  This time the DRS compass 034.  I couldn't really resist this one as it's the obvious complement to my existing 68027, being one of the two TPE 'spare' pool engines.  This has just had the panel lines added with a fine pen (same as 027) and a light weathering.  I'm usually quite strict in observing my chosen era and vague area, but occasionally it just goes out the window.

 

 

Here's 034 on an engineer's train, passing 'Splendid' heading light from Longsight to Gresty for exam.

 

 

Swinging back the other way in timescale, I've also just finished this Heljan 47 for a friend.  It's been numbered as D1739 using Railtec transfers and had a small amount of painting done to alter the way the factory had applied the yellow panels.  Detailing to the buffer beams and a light weathering to finish.  My 'client' provided a couple of photos of his preferred weathered finish, so fingers crossed it meets with approval.  On the other hand, success might lead to having to do his other locos!

This is the first time I've had one of these on the layout.  It seems to run quite smoothly, but needs a good boot of throttle to start it moving.  I also notice how low the boiler water tank/battery box between the bogies sits.  It won't make it past the fuelling point!

 

 

That's all for now.  More updates when enthusiasm makes a comeback.

 

Roge.  

 

[Powerhaul 70 Pey]

Great photos of the 68s they look great.

[lmsforever]

On 21/03/2021 at 14:20, Sandhole said:

Roll on when we can travel to see friends again.
I'm travelling on the Scarborough trains, as far as York.That way, I'll get to sample the new stock.
Then on whatever service to Middlesborough.

 

You will be able to travel on LNER soon they are training on the route now.

[MarshLane]

Any further progress Roge? Too good a layout to keep quiet about

Rich

[Mol_PMB]

5 hours ago, MarshLane said:

Any further progress Roge? Too good a layout to keep quiet about

Rich

Roge is probably too busy agonising over which livery of GBRf class 66 to buy ;-)

[birdbath]

On 08/09/2021 at 10:10, MarshLane said:

Any further progress Roge? Too good a layout to keep quiet about

Rich

Hi Rich.

 

Thanks for the kind words.  Unfortunately there’s no progress to report.  GDB has been under its dust sheets for ages.  I’m half way through doing a green 40 to go with the green 47, but even that has now stalled due to new job commitments.

 

Things will settle down soon and I’m sure I’ll have a bit more time for it again.

 

Cheers,

 

Roge.

[birdbath]

On 08/09/2021 at 16:08, Mol_PMB said:

Roge is probably too busy agonising over which livery of GBRf class 66 to buy ;-)

Very funny….. All this modern image rubbish doesn’t make me a bad person!

[97406]

Ooh, I’ve just come across this thread. Great layout and stock. The track plan at the beginning looks good. I have a long term aim to get a decent shed put up in the garden for a larger railway, and probably incorporate my current depot layout into it somewhere.

 

Your curves look good within 7 foot, and it looks like I can adapt the idea for a 6 foot wide shed, with 3 foot radius on the scenic part and 2 foot on the fiddle yard part. I don’t think I can fit an 8 foot wide shed without it taking over the garden too much, so I’m inspired. Great work.

Edited October 5, 2021 by 97406

[davidparker172]

Hi birdbath

Having just found your build log, and being blown away by it i felt obliged to comment.

As a total newcomer, who is trying to plan his first (probably too complicated for first go) layout, in a 16ft x 8 ft garage room, and struggling to keep pushing to find a suitable track plan, your build log has been more than very inspirational.

The layout, the detail, the whole lot is absolutely fantastic

Well done and please keep up with the updates as I am now following with great interest!

[Mol_PMB]

Hi David, 

Living a stone’s throw from Birdbath I have been very impressed by his layout too.

From personal experience I’ve started many complex layouts and never finished any of them. Simple is the best way! As well as being quicker to build, it often looks more realistic rather than trying to cram too much into the space available. 

Simple layouts also give you more time to focus on the detailing and that can be done entirely at your own pace once the trains are running. 

Best of luck with your plans!

Mol

 

[davidparker172]

2 minutes ago, Mol_PMB said:

Hi David, 

Living a stone’s throw from Birdbath I have been very impressed by his layout too.

From personal experience I’ve started many complex layouts and never finished any of them. Simple is the best way! As well as being quicker to build, it often looks more realistic rather than trying to cram too much into the space available. 

Simple layouts also give you more time to focus on the detailing and that can be done entirely at your own pace once the trains are running. 

Best of luck with your plans!

Mol

 

Thankyou!

I might get round to starting my own post one day

[birdbath]

On 06/10/2021 at 19:14, davidparker172 said:

Hi birdbath

Having just found your build log, and being blown away by it i felt obliged to comment.

As a total newcomer, who is trying to plan his first (probably too complicated for first go) layout, in a 16ft x 8 ft garage room, and struggling to keep pushing to find a suitable track plan, your build log has been more than very inspirational.

The layout, the detail, the whole lot is absolutely fantastic

Well done and please keep up with the updates as I am now following with great interest!

 

Hi there David,

 

Thanks for your comments and I'm glad my ramblings have been of some use.  Sorry it's taken a while to respond.  Notifications on here seem a bit sporadic; sometimes I get them, sometimes I don't.  I'll try and look into this.

As @Mol_PMB has commented above, there's some benefit to keeping things simple.  GDB is never going to be particularly captivating to operate for long sessions.  But to be honest it keeps me happy for the odd spare hour.  I get most enjoyment from tinkering about with rolling stock projects, so as much as anything it gives a half decent test track to run them round on.  As I type this now, I glance up and see a pair of 20s trundling past with a ballast working whilst a 47 splutters into life outside the shed!  I guess it all depends on what you want to get out of a layout and how much time you can devote to it.  I'm sure we all aspire to do what Simon George has done with Heaton Lodge, but I'm realistic in my expectations!

 

All the best with your venture.

 

Roge.

 

 

[birdbath]

On 05/10/2021 at 06:04, 97406 said:

Ooh, I’ve just come across this thread. Great layout and stock. The track plan at the beginning looks good. I have a long term aim to get a decent shed put up in the garden for a larger railway, and probably incorporate my current depot layout into it somewhere.

 

Your curves look good within 7 foot, and it looks like I can adapt the idea for a 6 foot wide shed, with 3 foot radius on the scenic part and 2 foot on the fiddle yard part. I don’t think I can fit an 8 foot wide shed without it taking over the garden too much, so I’m inspired. Great work.

 

Very kind of you to say so!  Again, sorry for the delayed reply.  Some issues with notifications to look into...

 

I can't remember whether my original description mentions it, but the curves have a slight transition from the straights onto the tightest part of the radius.  I did this by splitting them up into three parts on AnyRail, then joining all the bits together.  I do think it's worth the extra effort on scenic sections and it doesn't add much room.  I suspect you can also 'hide' quite sharp radius curves by having the track ease into them from a straight.  Just a bit of visual trickery really.  Hope this makes sense.  

 

Roge.