Blueball Summit

[Strathwood]

I would just like to say thankyou for all the kind comments regarding the video. I'm glad you liked it. It was only taken with an iphone and mostly hand held but I think it does convey the general feel of the layout quite well. Previously, I've  always had single track branch line layouts  so watching long trains going by and passing other trains is still something of a novelty for me!  My favourite thing  to see is two trains passing on the viaduct, just outside of the tunnel. It's nice when it just happens by itself but sometimes I 'set it up' but stopping an approaching train just out of sight inside the tunnel  and then making it emerge just at the right time. I didn't capture this on the video, but maybe another time.

 

 I need to work on some more locos and rolling stock so I can vary the trains a bit more. More BR wagons, opens, milk tankers, engineers wagons, etc and then get back to the scenery after a while. A few more buildings are needed for under and behind the viaduct together with a river feature. Also I am thinking of a thick backdrop of trees behind the running lines where there is just a plain backscene at the moment.

 

Once again many thanks for all the recent messages.

 

andy

Any progress to report for October Andy, and perhaps some more views of your layout for us to enjoy please?

 

Thanks,

 

Kevin

[andy stroud]

Any progress to report for October Andy, and perhaps some more views of your layout for us to enjoy please?

 

Thanks,

 

Kevin

 

Hi Kevin, thanks for your enquiry. I don't really have much to report. The layout is set up and I have been running a few trains around but I have not added anything  to the layout itself since the video was posted. I have however been  preparing a few more items of rolling stock and a couple more locos so should have some new photos in the couple of weeks or so.

[Brian Hawkins]

Hi Andy,

I have no interest in N gauge whatsoever, but, I'm going to make an exemption to this, what a wonderful layout this is, i'll be keeping a check on further work in the future, well done and keep up the excellent work.

[andy stroud]

 

A couple of new locos have entered service on the layout. The Warship has been renumbered and had a weathering job together with new handrails on the front.

 

 

The class 31 has had new handrails on the cab front and a bit of weathering. This is the first green diesel on the layout. Both new locos run very nicely.

 

 

I have also been working on a few wagons.

 

 

I am working on a rake of ten Dogfish wagons. These are Dapol ones with the tops of the sides thinned as shown in post 199. I have also replaced the railings with fine wire and changed the couplings. Usual weathering job.

 

 

Dapol Grampus.

 

This tanker will run as part of a mixed freight. It's a Farish one with a new walkway on top made from very thin brass.

 

Cheers,

 

Andy

 

 

 

[Phil Bullock]

Cracking layout Andy

 

Trains in the landscape - what could be better?

 

And as others have said - 2mm? would never have known!

 

Phil

[andy stroud]

Cracking layout Andy

 

Trains in the landscape - what could be better?

 

And as others have said - 2mm? would never have known!

 

Phil

Thankyou Phil, that's very kind. To be honest, yours was one of the layouts that  inspired me to start this project. I remember watching one of your earlier Abbotswood videos and thinking how lovely it was.

[Phil Bullock]

Thanks for the kind words Andy...it was a concept we thought had legs, and you have helped prove it!

 

And that 5826 gets everywhere - has been spotted on Abbotswood too...

 

Phil

Edited November 16, 2016 by Phil Bullock

[cornish trains jez]

Top quality modelling as always Andy. Your rolling stock looks superb!

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

[westerner]

Re the class 31, I like your idea of a bit of weathering.

 

I'm enjoying this thread. keep up the good work.

[grahame]

This is N gauge par excellence. An inspiration to us all.

 

G.

[jamest]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the updates - really inspirational stuff.

 

And you get the award for understatement of the year with "Usual weathering job" :-)

 

Regards,

James

[D1059]

Excellent photos and video - love the weathering

[jonas]

The replacement handrails on the dogfish looks so much better! Always inspirational stuff on this thread, thanks for sharing.

[andy stroud]

I would like to say thankyou for all the positive comments since I posted the last set of pictures. You are all very kind so I thought I would bore you with a few more taken this afternoon. I was having a nice running session,watching things go past and kept thinking ' that looks good, I must get a picture of that' so out  came the camera! The pictures all have an early 1970s theme. Hope you enjoy.

This first  one shows the Warship on the viaduct. The area of unfinished scenery below the viaduct is clearly visable. A few more buildings and a river are needed. One by one, I am working my way though the Mark 1s, rubbing down the ribs on the roofs. They have been fitted with my own hook and bar couplings and have also been fitted with corridor connectors from mbmodelrailwayproducts.co.uk

 

This next picture shows the new 31 with an engineers train. The train is sat in the refuge/engineers siding. I am thinking of having the back of the layout thickly planted with trees as I feel the background looks a bit blank at the moment.

 

Lastly, two trains passing on the viaduct.

 

Many thanks,

Andy

Edited November 18, 2016 by andy stroud

[Phil Bullock]

Smashing stuff Andy!

 

Thanks again for sharing

 

I do wish Bachmann/Farish would come up with a better finish for their coach wheels though. When we weather stock they all come out and get a coat of dirty black/gunmetal/leather mix

 

Phil

[andy stroud]

Smashing stuff Andy!

 

Thanks again for sharing

 

I do wish Bachmann/Farish would come up with a better finish for their coach wheels though. When we weather stock they all come out and get a coat of dirty black/gunmetal/leather mix

 

Phil

 

Thanks Phil,

I think you are right. I must do something with the coach wheels. Very noticable in that last picture.

 

andy

[Strathwood]

Thanks Phil,

I think you are right. I must do something with the coach wheels. Very noticable in that last picture.

 

andy

Anything new happening Andy that we should all be told about please, as your layout provides much inspiration.

 

TTFN

 

Kevin

[andy stroud]

Anything new happening Andy that we should all be told about please, as your layout provides much inspiration.

 

TTFN

 

Kevin

 

HI kevin. Not a great deal to report really, just a couple of signals and a few more wagons prepared for service. I am away from home at the moment but will sort out a few new pictures hopefully in the next week or so.

Best regards

Andrew

 

[leavesontheline]

How have I missed this topic? Amazing stuff - even more amazed once I'd read a few posts and realised what scale it is in!

 

Your road with the Landrover on the verge at the start of the video in post 204 is probably the most convincing road I have ever seen on a model! That's not to detract from the rest of the landscaping and buildings either, which are all simply superb!

 

I've just read through from post #1 - on my 'follow' list now! 

[cornish trains jez]

HI kevin. Not a great deal to report really, just a couple of signals and a few more wagons prepared for service. I am away from home at the moment but will sort out a few new pictures hopefully in the next week or so.

Best regards

Andrew

 

 

Hi Andrew,

 

Looking forward to the next wave of photos. Been getting Blueball Summit withdrawal symptoms!

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

[SouthernBlue80s]

I very much admire the level of detail you have achieved in N gauge. I can be hard in OO often. I like the landscapes and great weathering on the viaduct!

All the best

Steve

[RBE]

Looks great this Andy. Can't believe I missed it until now!

 

Duly followed!!

[andy stroud]

 

Here is a bit of an update on the layout. Not much to report, just a few wagons and a couple of signals. The clayhoods have been multipying and there are now thirty of them. The latest batch of nine are from Kernow/Farish. The older ones are from Parkwood kits but these dont seem to be listed anymore in the N gauge Society shop. The Kernow/Farish are very nice (apart from the hoods, which go straight in the bin) and blend in nicely with the others once they are weathered. Curiously, the Kernow/Farish ones are manufactured with their bodies sitting the wrong way round on the chassis and some locating pips actually ensure this. Easily sorted though, and the full train is seen passing over the viaduct in the picture above.

 

Below is another clay train picture, this time passing a newly installed signal which is solderd up from brass rod and etched parts from Model Signal Engineering.

 

 

Here is a horible close up of that signal during construction.

 

 

Another view, showing a passing Hymek. The railings have come out a bit thicker than I would have liked dispite using thin electric guitar string. Too much paint, perhaps.  In the siding are some dogfish wagons. I now have a rake of ten of them finished to run on the layout. opps, this picture seems to be at the bottom of this posting.

 

Next picture shows the smaller signal situated at the end of the goods loop. This one dosent have a finial and ball on top.  Not unknown in real life.

 

 

 This next picture below shows the next task. The empty space under the viaduct will be filled with a cluster of buildings together with a river.

 

 

Finally, I would like to say thankyou for the positive comments and interest shown recently. It is very appreciated and quite unexpected.

many thanks.

Andy

Edited January 31, 2017 by andy stroud

[carlwooduk]

Andy,

Great to see full length China clay rake, I have the earlier versions from kernow, I too should bin the coarse flat hoods, and replace them with some with more finesse.

The semaphores look impressive, I was not up to soldering up the components so did a hybrid version using Dapol,ratio and etch brass parts from MSE.

A tip for GWR finials and oil lamps for lights is consider Modelu. He 3D prints in N now and I have added these to my bracket/ junction signals . Fully recommend them.

Carl

[andy stroud]

Hi Carl.

I think my brass signals look ok as long as you dont look too close!  Your Dapol based ones probably work where as mine are most definately staying fixed! Could well be that the 'box is switched out! I need to persevere with the soldering and improve as I would like to tackle some brass wagon kits from the 2mm Society / Steve Harris.

andy