Distillery yard micro layout - back out on the exhibition circuit

[luke the train spotter]

Thanks for the idea smoking gun, I might give that a go. I thought I would show how the current magnets look at the moment. I've only put 2 in and have another one to do (it's currently in the post from hattons) and I've also got some scenic work to tidy up around them. I think it is worth the compromise to have the practical side instead of the more aesthetic side. It should make running session videos a lot smoother, that reminds me, I should probably get another YouTube video made about the layout. Here are those pictures: Thanks for looking.

[1722]

Looking good. I’ve been experimenting with magnets too recently and struggle with the slightly less appealing look. Is it possible to disguise them (or lessen their visual impact) by making them part of a barrow crossing?

[luke the train spotter]

Looking good. I’ve been experimenting with magnets too recently and struggle with the slightly less appealing look. Is it possible to disguise them (or lessen their visual impact) by making them part of a barrow crossing?

I have seen a few layouts that do that but they had a lot of narrow crossings as a result and they also looked very large and oversalcale. They would be fairly easy to disguise though if they were going to be sunk into some fake concrete or something.

[sb67]

Might seem an obvious question but could the magnets be used with Spratt and Winkle couplings?

Steve.

[luke the train spotter]

Might seem an obvious question but could the magnets be used with Spratt and Winkle couplings?

Steve.

I think that the neodymium magnets could be used with them though they might be a bit strong. The kadee magnets though are made up of 2 different polarities so I don't think they'd work very well though I could be wrong.

[sb67]

I think that the neodymium magnets could be used with them though they might be a bit strong. The kadee magnets though are made up of 2 different polarities so I don't think they'd work very well though I could be wrong.

Thanks Luke, I'll have to do some research, I didn't realise Kaydees were 2 polarities. I have 2 wagons that I bought fitted with Kaydees and it could explain why my limited tests with them havent worked.

Steve.

[luke the train spotter]

Well I'm returning to an old project of the distillery pug. I could never achieve perfect, faultless running so I am trying to persuade by buying a hefty stay alive unit from digitrains. I have installed it so far and I appear to have a polarity problem but I hope that this will be solved by changing some CVS. I don't think the stay alive unit is very noticeable so I'm quite pleased, as long as I can get it working properly.

[Sweet pea]

Luke your layout is looking really nice. There’s nothing like a Pug loco on ones layout, I hope you manage to sort out the running problems.

[luke the train spotter]

Thanks ooman. The exhibition in February in York is now much more official and here is a link the exhibition page showing the details of the exhibition. http://yorkeborgroup.simdif.com/2018-show.html

It seems to be getting closer very quickly and I till have a fair bit to do on the layout so I better get cracking. Apart from a few weathering projects that needs to be done most of the rolling stock is sorted so my attention will turn to finishing off the buildings, a tiny bit more scenery and then detailing. Exciting times!

[luke the train spotter]

Well I've done a little more on the pug. Suddenly I'm surrounded by essay deadlines which has meant that I've lost most of my modelling time unfortunately. I'm still having stay alive problems with the pug so I contacted digitrains and they recommended a lens decoder so I've got that on order (fantastic customer services by the way definitely would recommend them to anyone having any DCC problems) and that should solve the problem. In the meantime I took the opportunity to remove most of the weathering with a cotton bud dipped in white spirit. This has removed most of the dark weathering but has left some giving it an oily greasy look which quite like. Now I've finally got round to fitting the name plates so it is now called "Ben Nevis" - a slightly ironic name for such a small shunter but I quite like it. Once I've got the stay alive problems sorted it will formally become the distillery shunter and will join the rosta and the exhibition fleet. Here's a quick phone picture of it sitting on Cronton Colliery Sheds.

[Sweet pea]

Hi Luke hopefully when you get the stay alive problems sorted we might get a video of the pug running. I love the name for a little loco.

[TechnicArrow]

It's that time of year for deadlines, isn't it? They're not fun, but I'm sure you've got the beasts under control.

 

I really like what you've done with the loco; simple yet effective, and that name plate looks perfect. I think I've got a dead one knocking around somewhere; I should see if I can get it running, and make it look as good as yours! Yet another Christmas project, I suspect.

 

Your whole layout is looking fantastic, and I'm itching to see the shunter pootling about on it. Keep up the great work.

[luke the train spotter]

It's that time of year for deadlines, isn't it? They're not fun, but I'm sure you've got the beasts under control.

 

I really like what you've done with the loco; simple yet effective, and that name plate looks perfect. I think I've got a dead one knocking around somewhere; I should see if I can get it running, and make it look as good as yours! Yet another Christmas project, I suspect.

 

Your whole layout is looking fantastic, and I'm itching to see the shunter pootling about on it. Keep up the great work.

Thank you very much Technic Arrow, so far I've got the deadlines under control, just looking forward to 2 and 1/2 weeks off and hopefully being able to crack on with some of the bigger jobs on the layout.

[009 micro modeller]

Thank you very much Technic Arrow, so far I've got the deadlines under control, just looking forward to 2 and 1/2 weeks off and hopefully being able to crack on with some of the bigger jobs on the layout.

Know what you mean about deadlines, having had two at uni on the same day last week. I think the finish you’ve achieved on ‘Ben Nevis’ is superb - can I ask what the paint shade is? Looking forward to hopefully seeing the layout in February.

[luke the train spotter]

Know what you mean about deadlines, having had two at uni on the same day last week. I think the finish you’ve achieved on ‘Ben Nevis’ is superb - can I ask what the paint shade is? Looking forward to hopefully seeing the layout in February.

Sorry about the late reply, the paint used on 'Ben Nevis' is humbrol enamel number 80 which is a nice Matt green shade.

[luke the train spotter]

Well I've not been able to get anything done but now it's the start of the Christmas holidays and I'm making good progress. So far I have finished off all the point rodding (it still needs weathering) and scratch built this lever frame. It's made out of 1mm plasticard styrene, some wire and some milliput. To raise it above the ground it's mounted on sleeper off cuts. Here are some pictures of it. The next step is to wait for the milliput to set then I can begin painting and weathering it. Bring on the modelling!

Edited December 20, 2018 by luke the train spotter

[luke the train spotter]

Well I've got a bit more progress to show now. After weeks of procrastination, I've finally got round to sorting out the roof for the pagoda style building. This has been made out of thin card from a cereal packet with hand laid slates on top made from normal printer paper. Quite time consuming but necessary to have a curved roof. I have also painted, weathered and installed the lever frame in the post above and I'm quite pleased how that's turned out. Tomorrow I'm planning to get the airbrush out and weather a lot of models as well as painting the stone work on this building. Suddenly the exhibition in February seems very close as December draws to a close. The aim is to get the layout finished by the end of the Christmas holidays which ends in 2 weeks for me.

[Clover]

Evening Luke. This is a very nice layout build, which I have eventually caught up reading and have enjoyed your build progress. The lever frame is nicely done. Simple but effective.

[luke the train spotter]

Thanks Clover for your kind comment. Today I have managed to weather a load of stock and make a bit more progress with the pagoda building by painting the stone work. I'll get some photos of those bits later but here are some pictures of the finished and installed scratch built lever frame. Though the camera angles don't show it (it's quite tight to get the camera behind the lever frame now that it's installed) the levers are individually numbered and a track plan is painted on the board above the levers. Also today I gave in to Rail Of Sheffields sale and ordered a peckett with some Christmas money. At just under £80 it's an absolute bargain and when I get the stay alive unit working I'll fit it to it and hopefully get completely flawless running. Fingers crossed!

[Clover]

Very nice Luke. The colour looks just right.

[luke the train spotter]

For all those who prefer to watch a video update of all that goes on, here is a link to the new year update. Enjoy and happy New year!

[Clover]

Great video update Luke. A lovely micro layout mate.

[Marly51]

Great little layout, Luke! All the best for 2019!

 

Marlyn

[luke the train spotter]

Thanks for all the nice comments guys and a belated happy new year to you all! Today has begun with a great start as my Hornby peckett has arrived and what a model it is. I'm just blown away by the quality of every aspect of this tiny little loco. Hornby has spared no detail on it as it is packed with separately fitted and painted detail. I've heard a lot of negative stuff about Hornby recently but this has completely changed my view point. I'm more of a bachman person but the sheer quality of this model may encourage me to look at more Hornby models in the future. Anyway, a quick picture of it on distillery yard. Unfortunately I will have to chop up the inside of the cab a bit to fit a stay alive unit in but once a crew has been fitted as well I don't think it will be noticeable. I think it could also do with a good weathering and some lamps fitting to it but that will be a separate project. Next up I've also taken delivery of 40 more cask barrels. I *can't wait* (slight sarcasm ) to paint all of these but then I did decide to mode a distillery! Finally some progress on the layout itself. The pagoda building has been painted and just awaits guttering and a little pagoda top thingy to go on the top of the roof. The plan is for today to try and get the rest of the scenery done in that corner. I know this may not be 100% achievable though as I will need to make up some more trees which take a little time to do. With some new 7mm static grass I also want to make the track look a little bit more overgrown in the bit of grass in between the 2 siding. I may bury some bits of old rail in there for added interest. That's all for now and thanks for looking.

[Clover]

Luke congrats on a new Hornby Peckett loco. They are really nice, the distillery yard is looking great along with the newly erected pagoda.