Pappy Philip's own gmrc

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

I've started a new topic as means of setting myself a challenge - I'm not into blogs though this may very well turn out to be one. I already have a topic regarding a proposed 7.5m x 5.5m layout in a barn to which many have kindly made suggestions. All I await is milder weather to enable a start in the barn. Here's the link if you should like to have a look.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/130391-painted-myself-into-a-corner/

 

So what about this challenge? I have a younger grandson who is now 7 to whom I promised TWO birthdays and one Christmas ago that I would build him a layout. As he asked for a steam loco this Christmas then I feel I should strike while the iron is hot and get it done for THIS Christmas. Though I haven't seen any of the GMRC episodes (out of zone) the comments I read here on RMWeb did make me sit up and review things somewhat.

 

I know I'm probably leaving myself wide open by 'going public', but if I don't, I'm sure I shall get waylaid again - so here goes.

 

The layout is a double track 'roundy-roundy' with one cross-over and a siding with a headshunt. I'll do a plan on SCARM and post it up tomorrow. The layout will not now be changed - it's far too late for that - as it was laid and ballasted last year. It is a 'roundy-roundy' as it would seem that younger children prefer to see things whizz around and not care two hoots about prototypical running and stock. (See below for a picture I took this weekend after he and the elder grandson had finished playing on the other layout - no dinosaurs were harmed in the running of the trains).

 

This topic is not intended to be an instruction manual on how to build a layout (probably quite the opposite ), more a case of what I have managed to do in three weeks or so, but if there are things that I do/did that can help ....................

 

The layout measures 1180mm x 1980mm (approx 4ft x 6ft 6ins) on a frame using 45mm x 26mm (approx 2" x 1" softwood PSE). There is a small operators well in the middle. The frame was skinned with a sheet of 10mm ply (probably 9.5mm in the UK). All the softwood joints were made as half-joints that were then glued with external grade PVA and screwed. The plywood was then screwed to the frame using 40mm Torx screws (it's what I had at hand). The plywood surface was given a coat of white emulsion - simply to better see when drawing out lines in pencil.

 

The track is a mix of sectional Peco and Hornby 2nd and 3rd radius curves - Hornby points (I think) and a tiny bit of Peco flexi that I had in hand. The track has been laid to sectional track centres of 67mm. The track was pinned onto woodfibre underlay (the green material under laminate flooring) that was suitably cut to width and chamfered along the edges to represent the ballast shoulder. The underlay was glued using PVA along previously marked out track centrelines.

 

Most of the track was ballasted last year using builders' coarse sand sieved using various strainers ... err ... 'borrowed' - ahem - from the kitchen to recreate the 1/2" to 3" (as was - maybe still is) actual size. Before ballasting, the 'cess' was marked out in pencil along both side of the tracks and given a dark reddy-brown wash before glueing fine sand along the cess. The method used was dry sand spread over the now dry wash evened out with a soft brush then wetted using a fine spray of water with a drop of washing up liquid (essential as the sand will otherwise float on the water - I know - it happened) followed by diluted PVA glue (50:50 with water) put into place with a dropper. I did add a drop of liquid soap to this mix too. When the sand had dried, ballast was then spread along the tracks using a soft brush to form the shoulders and a finger to tamp the ballast between the sleepers within the rails and outer edges. This did take some time to get looking right.

 

I preferred to do the double tracks in three goes: Firstly, by placing the ballast in between the rails and using brush and finger ensuring the ballast was even and packed and then wetted and glued, as for the sand above, but really flooding the ballast with PVA. Secondly, once the 'centre' ballast was dry, then doing the two outer shoulders using the finger to tamp along the top edge of the sleepers and the brush to form the slope. By using the sand to form the cess, this held the ballast in place as the surface of the sand is rough. Once happy that this looked right, this too was wetted as above. Without waiting for the outer edges to dry, the area between the parallel tracks was tackled. As the width is quite substantial I treated this area as two shoulders with a dip in between and again once happy, wetted and glued.

 

Once all the ballasting was done, I then set out adding some colour to the track. The ballast, and the rails, was given a spray coat of light grey acrylic to reduce a little the browness of the sand. The grey also served to 'weather' the sleepers. Lastly, the rails were painted in brown-red to represent rust. This same colour was also washed over the cess to highlight it from the ballast.

 

I have a reason to have gone into detail: for one some readers may not have done much ballasting and I'm just repeating what worked for me but more importantly, when SWMBO and I brought the layout indoors yesterday from the barn nothing but nothing had moved. Despite being placed in a vertical position, in a less than perfect environment, the ballast was absolutely sound and the board and frame were still as square as when originally constructed. The time spent in preparation was well worth it.

 

Where am I now?

 

The board is indoors and yesterday was a general dusting and hoovering to remove as much dust as possible. A HST coach was used to remark overhangs around the curves and pointwork as we must have a tunnel. I like a tunnel. I like a tunnel that looks as if it has reason to be a tunnel. Not a tunnel for the sake of a tunnel, but a tunnel that tunnels through a mountain - oh yes! A real tunnel. This too, I had prepared last year using polystyrene off-cuts and yesterday afternoon was spent looking for all the zillions of pieces that I had soooooo carefully numbered and put away. Well I found the pieces (most) but the numbers had faded so it was a case of recreating the 3D jigsaw.

 

Today was trimming the polystyrene to make sure there was plenty of sideplay for the HST coach (the last iteration will permit HO stuff to go through but not my OO Class 66 or Class 158) and then finishing the painting of the ballast and rails - more 'rusting' to be done tomorrow. Tomorrow will be the glueing of the polystyrene mountain. This will be problematic as I will NOT be allowed to shape the contours afterwards in the house due to the 'snow' this will create. I shall have to have a 'work-around'.

 

Tomorrow I will also describe a massive fail on my part regarding overhangs - platforms and points mean anything?

 

I'll post photos tomorrow together with the plan - but here are a few of how a pair young grandsons 'see' their model railway (no dinosaurs though ).

 

 

 

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

Edited November 27, 2018 by Philou

[NittenDormer]

I want you to know that I skipped the rest of the text at the word 'dinosaur' and went straight to the pictures. Nice TGV! (And open top passenger wagons.)

[Philou]

@NittenDormer

 

I just thought I'd mention dinosaurs (though there aren't any) as they appeared in the GMRC and were the cause of much comment elsewhere.

 

The TGV belongs to the elder grandson and he has asked for a Ouigo TGV this Christmas - there yougo . The GWR Holden belongs to the younger one - he has taste as he has asked for a steam loco this Christmas. I did order some in the Hatton's sale but I remembered I have a brand new Airfix/GMR Castle in stock - I might give him that and upgrade to a more 'modern'  Castle later.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Right ho, I'm back.

 

Bit of a frustrating start to the day as two model shops to whom I wanted to give some money both had non-working sites that would fall over at the crucial point of giving card details and saying 'Yes, please' AND neither would take a 'phone call. Had to send and e-mail asking to get back to me - ho-hum.

 

I forgot to say yesterday when detailing the track construction that I have connected both circuits via separate buses using domestic 2.5mm² sheathed copper cable with a couple of droppers as necessary. These two buses have been brought back to the operator well and are connected into terminals. By means of jumpers the tracks can be run off one or two controllers.

 

Today, the polystyrene blocks to form the mountain and tunnel were PVA glued into place. For those that may not know - polystyrene is not absorbent and it will take some time for the PVA to 'go-off'. I have weighed the blocks down with a few dozen railway modelling magazines to make sure that it all dries flat. The unpainted lengths of track are now completed. A quick skim with a track rubber will get the railheads clean again.

 

I did mention a massive fail on my part regarding the trackwork as now laid.

 

You will see from the plan below that the station has a bay. This bay is served by a point at the end of the station platform - so far, so good. However, as a space saving measure I put the crossover beyond the bay point instead of the normal ladder. That in itself is not an issue as the grandson won't be into prototypical shunting and the like just yet. What I hadn't thought through was the fact that any long bogied stock - especially the like of a HST coach (or indeed the Class 800/2 coaches that are even longer) takes a heck of a bite out of the platform edge when using the cross-over. I shall just commence the start of the platform further away from the junction - again not something that's going take any fun element away for the grandson - but nonetheless .......................

 

What I should have was to put the station on the opposite side with a bay and leave the crossover as a ladder into a siding. The original intention had been to have the station as it is on the plan with the sidings serving a quayside scene - I had even downloaded a ship off the Scalescene site for that purpose but there won't be time I don't think. I shall be insetting the bay and goods shed siding so if ever I want to change the layout a bit I can so do without any changes to the trackwork.

 

The station will be modern image - I have one to do from Scalescenes with an underpass so no need for an overbridge. I MAY have a Superquick goods shed in stock - if I do it'll still have a price ticket of 35p on it - if I have one so much the better as I'll have that done in an evening or two.

 

For the rest of the layout though it looks stark, it is intended that way as I have observed that the grandsons like to set out 'their' town as they see fit. I have a load of Faller plastic buildings passed to me by a neighbour (frankly I would have binned them but the boys wanted them) so they can use those for now. The 'mountain' will also have a flat top as that too will be 'populated' as well. I'll just mark out some rudimentary roads out and as I have been asked for a level crossing that too will go on the side opposite to the station. But could I 'pretty please' make one with 'wig-wags' and the 'whee-whaa' sound? 'Oh pleeeease Pappy!' I'm drawing the line at operating booms though as I don't even know if they're available - and besides which the layout is for THIS Christmas. They also have an uninterrupted section of straight track so their trains can pass at speed.

 

Tomorrow, I was intending to start preparing the tunnel by dressing the mountain with some rock faces and then grassed on the top. What I did last time I used some oak bark that I stripped off some of our wood burning supply, cut it to length and then split into pieces about 25mm wide - the width wasn't too important - just to take the natural curve out. Making up a small quantity of dob and dab plaster, some was applied to the back side of the bark and then 'glued' onto the polystyrene. Dob and dab was then worked into the larger cracks between the pieces of bark. Any large gaps I worked with a putty knife to recreate any missing 'rock'. The same plaster was used as a thinner coat over all the polystyrene to take off the 'bubbly' look. I gave an overall plaster wash over the bark and this was left to dry. You can use any filling plaster you like - it's what I had after doing some work in the house. Once dry, everything regarding the mountain, bark included, was painted in a white flat undercoat - I used some Dulux Trade white emulsion - other brands are available. The bark was then painted to represent rock - I used light colours which were quite pleasant to the eye but they could have been darker. The other areas were painted with green for areas that were to be flocked and others with brown patches to represent bare earth.

 

Flock was applied (I only had one colour at the time ) using an electrostatic tea-strainer onto wet, slightly diluted, PVA. The effect was quite good but after three years, the flock is wearing thin especially as the cats thought it comfortable to sleep upon.

 

That's the proposal, however, the weather is going to be dry and mild tomorrow so I shall have to go to the forest and continue cutting my allocation of wood - most of it is on the ground but in quite big lengths and yuuuuuge girths. I may come back with rather more oak bark than I thought - so there's always a plus side.

 

Here's the plan and a 3D view:

 

 

 

Edited to add: The layout was based solely on what track I had at hand - which wasn't much - and it had been intended to be just a 'quicky'. Had i known that I was going to take 18 months ...................................................

 

Cheers

 

Philip

 

PS: Photos of progress to be added in the next reply that follows .................

Edited November 28, 2018 by Philou

[Philou]

Hi,

 

Here are some photos of progress so far. In the tradition of Blue Peter, it does start off with 'here's one that I prepared earlier'. I understand that was allowed in the GMRC too!

 

Monday 26th November -

 

Here's one I prepared earlier:

 

 

 

 

In not too bad state after 18 months in the barn - ballast and paintwork in very good condition.

 

 

The lost-but-found polystyrene for the tunnel just loose laid for the moment.

 

 

Ah ... the Tunnelling Operation Unit supervisor has come to have a look.

 

 

Tuesday 27th November -

 

 

The station area ballast oversprayed with grey acrylic.

No fancy rattle can or airbrush - just a plastic eye wash spray bottle with a screw cap and press-to-spray nozzle.

 

 

The polystyrene jumble being retrimmed for final placement.

 

 

Track in the tunnel area painted and thoroughly cleaned prior to the final placing of the polystyrene tomorrow.

 

Wednesday, 28th November -

 

 

Dobs (or dabs?) of PVA glue ready for the first piece of polystyrene.

 

 

First layer in place.

 

 

Getting ready for the second layer and so forth until .......

 

 

the top layer was reached - not forgetting to paint the inside of the tunnel black before closing.

 

 

Whilst waiting for the glue to dry, the station area track was painted in 'rust'......

 

 

.... and the railhead cleaned off with a track rubber.

 

More tomorrow.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

[Chimer]

Though I haven't seen any of the GMRC episodes (out of zone) the comments I read here on RMWeb did make me sit up and review things somewhat.

 

 

Does the internet make you "out of zone" for My5's catch-up site?  'Cos if it doesn't, here goes 6 hours of your life (and I don't mean that in a bad way, it was 6 amusing hours for me, with the occasional groan) …. http://www.channel5.com/show/the-great-model-railway-challenge/ …. 

Edited November 29, 2018 by Chimer

[Philou]

@Chimer

 

Unfortunately I did think of t'internet as I saw mention by others of the Ch5 catch-up - they must know from my IP that I'm abroad - and as I don't go through a VPN, I got the out zone/area message. I understand the BBC are looking to filter out connections via VPN anyway - iPlayer is already verboten outside of the UK. Bit of a bummer - I'll just have to get a satellite dish and decoder to get UKTV - maybe in time for the next series .

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

Reporting back with another day's exciting news - not.

 

As the weather was dry and mild, I did go into the forest to start cutting wood into lengths for eventual splitting. Egad, the brambles were just about EVERYWHERE! Took a while to find the timber and it's wet so it doesn't cut as quickly. Some of the trunks are BIG - 700mm diameter. Another downside was I didn't do any oak today, so there was no bark readily available for my rock faces.

 

Not to worry though, I found some bits in the barn this morning that I shall trim to size tomorrow. I did also go get some dob'n'dab plaster this evening as I had run out. All being well there'll be some progress tomorrow and photos in the evening. I did tape up the joints of the 'mountain' and clean all the railheads before setting off to the woods so something was done.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Harlequin]

Can I suggest this thread be moved to Layout Topics because it's not really about design...???

 

It would gain a lot more viewers over there and I think Philou has set the scene in the first post appropriately.

 

@Andy Y?

Edited November 29, 2018 by Harlequin

[Philou]

@Harlequin, @AndyY,

 

Ah ....... I hadn't realised the subtle difference - no problems if AndyY can move it across.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

Nothing much to show yesterday - trimming some thin sheets of polystyrene to make some contoured pieces to smooth out the rather large steps that I had created. Then it was off into the wood pile to strip some oak bark that was then cut up into lengths of about 60mm to match the polystyrene 'steps'. This I did deliberately in order that the 'rock' formation would give an impression of stratum once painted. So, without further ado here are a couple of pictures from yesterday and a few of today's glueing and plastering:

 

 

Contouring added

 

 

Bark cut to length

 

 

A soft (not too soft) mix of plaster ready to apply with a 'langue de chat' (lit: cat's tongue) trowel

(I don't know if they exist in the UK).

 

 

First few pieces glued

 

 

Oooops! Buttery fingers AND butter side down (SWMBO saw that!).

 

 

One tunnel entrance nearly done.

 

 

One side completed and plastering of the contours started.

 

 

Second entrance done.

 

 

Polystyrene being carved to follow the top of the 'rock' formation.

 

Tomorrow will be a quick clean up as there is a bit of 'snow' on the track and then continuing

with the plastering of the mountain top. If the plaster has dried off by the afternoon, I shall

then give everything a coating of undercoat in preparation of some basic colouring.

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

[Philou]

Hello again,

 

The plastering was done and dry enough to give a quick undercoat this evening in order that I can start adding some colour onto what is a nice blank canvas tomorrow.

 

Here are a couple of pictures - mostly white !

 

 

Plastering done

 

 

One end painted.....................

 

 

..............and the other.

 

Just a matter of choosing suitable colours for the rock faces - not sure which but probably in the greys and browns with an overall wash of thinned black into the crevices. I'll see how it goes.

 

Toodle pip,

 

Philip

[Chimer]

I thought the bark was a brilliant idea for rock faces - then you went and plastered and painted it !

 

 

 

Cheers

 

Chris

[Philou]

@Chimer

 

Ah ..... well there was a reason for that - I had used bark before and it looked just too .... well .... like bark. The second time I used bark, I painted it and it looked much better. Just look at what I did today - I'm really chuffed at the effect. It took about 3 hours from start to finish. There is some finishing to be done - a few sprigs of moss to be glued to make some ferns and a couple of dribbles of gloss varnish to create weeps of water. I've also painted out the rest of the plaster ready for flocking tomorrow (provided I have PVA in stock).

 

Regarding the bark, painting is optional of course, but does mean greater care has to taken when buttering up the pieces so that it doesn't ooze out everywhere. I didn't control that part as I was going to paint anyway - but it can be done.

 

Here we go, a couple of photos - though the lighting does not do it justice unfortunately:

 

 

A coat of pink with a touch of black lightly brushed over the surface (not dry-brushed but not worked into the surface either) .....

 

 

then a thinnish wash of Paynes grey worked over the surface and into the nooks and crannies.

 

 

Not forgetting the other portal .............

 

 

Now with a green wash over the rest of the plaster ready for flocking.

 

 

 

A couple of close-ups.

 

There will be a little finishing to do - greenery, tufts of grass and a bit of 'wetting'.

 

I'm happy with the result and I don't think the effect would have been quite as good had I left the bark in its natural state. I know it's 'only' for my grandson, but his layout is also my test-bed to hone up on techniques before I tackle my 'proper' layout.

 

BTW, it's only the last two years or so I've been using bark, though I was selling the stuff 50 years ago when I worked part-time in a model shop. It was cork bark then and I think it may have been marketed by Hornby. Probably the use of cork bark is now considered environmentally unfriendly. My bark would have ended up in the burner anyway .

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

 

 

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

No pictures today. I started playing with card as I remembered I was going to put a road on the top of the mountain and while I was at it, I thought I'd better make two portals as well. I'm disappointed with the rubble effect paper I downloaded - far too orange. It's all I have so I'll tone it down with some powders once in place.

 

Maybe something to show tomorrow.

 

Toodle pip,

 

Philip

[melmerby]

@Chimer

 

Unfortunately I did think of t'internet as I saw mention by others of the Ch5 catch-up - they must know from my IP that I'm abroad - and as I don't go through a VPN, I got the out zone/area message. I understand the BBC are looking to filter out connections via VPN anyway - iPlayer is already verboten outside of the UK. Bit of a bummer - I'll just have to get a satellite dish and decoder to get UKTV - maybe in time for the next series .

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

Try "Browsec Free". It gives you 4 free VPN addresses to go through and takes about a minute to install in your browser (I'm using Firefox)

I get UK, US, Netherlands & Singapore on mine. (more available for payment)

C5 might not have caught onto it yet.

 

Keith

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

As the weather was dry today I decided to forego modelling and go do some wood - again. Turned out to be a bit 'meh' as the chainsaw would just not cut despite the teeth being resharpened twice in 15mins. I have a feeling as the bark was wet and covered in moss the chain was skidding over rather than biting into the trunk. Rather than come back, I ended up lugging around the yuuuuge bits that I had cut earlier - I now hurt. Muscles that haven't been used in a while.

 

Nonetheless, I did a bit of modelling when I got back - not a lot to show but here are a couple of pictures:

 

 

 

This is one of the portals that I put together yesterday. Plain 2mm grey card and just a little bit of

internal construction to give it strength. The style is based on the tunnel at the site of Pontrilas station.

 

 

Here this evenings effort, a portal covered in stone rubble paper to which have been added dressed quoins and the arch partially completed.

I should have preferred a darker red - this is far too much orange in shade. I'll see what I can do with some powders later.

 

Rain forecast for tomorrow so I shall be stuck indoors doing some more modelling - shame about that .

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

Edited December 5, 2018 by Philou

[Philou]

Well, I'm back,

 

The two portals have been completed and glued into place. The orange colour of the rubble stonework has been toned down using a grey-blue powder mix - it doesn't hide it, but it's less garish. Over that, I then brushed black over the track centres to imitate soot and smoke exhaust and finished with green powders here and there. Whilst I was at it, I worked some of the green powders into the rock face crevices - it looked good. I shall continue with that in daylight tomorrow as there is a danger of overdoing things and spoiling it.

 

Here we go:

 

 

The two portals side by side showing the difference by toning down.

 

 

A bit of 'exhaust' added.

 

 

 

Both portals in place - the colour is just so wrong unfortunately. Time to get it right when I start the real layout .

 

 

A touch of green powder worked into the crevices - don't want to go overboard though.

 

I shall probably tackle the road tomorrow and then the station (modern image I'm afraid).

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

 

Edit: Extra picture crept in from somewhere ........

Edited December 6, 2018 by Philou

[Philou]

Bit of a 'meh' day today. The station building I had chosen is too deep for the platform at the point where it's supposed to sit. So I downloaded a couple of alternative styles that I shall now construct and maybe hack around a little - but fit it will! Then it was a case of finding this Ouigo TGV that the grandson wants - blow me! No-one has any stock. I'm a little stuck as there are no 'proper' model shops within 100 miles of here - so it's basically ordering on t'intertubes. Then it was shopping around for car insurance as management decided that we're paying just too much - £800pa fully comp for a Mondeo - is that expensive compared to the UK?

 

Anyway, the long and the short is that nothing got done on the layout today - f-f-frustrating is the word, I think.

 

Hopefully something to show tomorrow.

 

Toodle pip

 

Philip

[JST]

Re car insurance, yes €800 is a tad pricey. Here in the Vienne I pay about €500 for my Land Rover Freelander 2. Can't really compare with UK prices as French insurance covers any driver by law (if it gets nicked, the thief is covered!) and French insurance comes with recovery thrown in.

 

Cheers

 

John

[Philou]

I thought it was pricey too. Just had some quotes a little while ago - range anywhere from €380 to €1200(!). I am awaiting for details to arrive. The cheaper ones do not do breakdown at the door - which is essential as you will know living in the sticks in France. At least in the UK you're never far from anything (ducks quickly!) .

 

Cheers,

 

Philip

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

I didn't post yesterday as there wasn't much to tell, but today was far better. The station is under way. I decided to start with something simple such as an island platform building as I haven't done any card building for a good while and I had to re-learn some basics:

 

Don't use a craft knife (x-acto type) with a long fine blade as it tends to flex. They're good for cutting into corners, or curves, but not too good for long straight cuts unless it's paper. A cutter (Stanley type) with a new good quality blade is best.

 

Invest in a quality steel straight edge, even a short one is better than nothing. Aluminium is alright BUT a cutter WILL cut the edge.

 

Do cut on a cutting mat of a decent size to avoid slipping. I got an A2 sized one for very little on Amazon plus an A4 size for doing small detail parts.

 

If you construct downloadable models don't use spray mount glue - it does not hold very well as I found out. A glue stick is probably better AND it washes off your fingers with warm water.

 

Once you've cut out your patterns and stuck them to the appropriate thickness of card DO wait until the pattren is dry - regardless of the sharpness of the blade it will tear - and don't cut out the openings BEFORE sticking the pattern down. The glue softens the paper and makes it darn difficult to lay flat. Cut them out when you cut the card - saves time anyway.

 

I use a cocktail stick to spread glue from the stick onto smaller detail parts. I just daren't use superglue due to phat phinger syndrome .

 

Here are a couple of photos:

 

 

This was the result of last year's efforts. I stuck whole pages of patterns down onto the card - unfortunately you end up with swiss cheese and lots of small bits that end up being wasted. This time round it was a case of cutting the patterns from the paper, glued onto the card and then when dry, cut the card. Very little waste so far.

 

 

The artistic director came to have look and said it was purrrrfect.

 

 

A selection of the basic tools required.

 

 

This was done this afternoon - there are imperfections but the camera lied .

 

The next step is to construct the canopy. I'm going to cut out the trusses from thin card - the model just has thick card cut to shape. Even if it's the sort of detail that won't be seen, I'm doing it to see if I can and also I'll need to have a certain level of detail on my layout - so I may as well practice.

 

Tomorrow will be a non-layout day as I'm going to go to the local box-shifter to see what he has in stock that I can buy for the other grandson's present. I did say in an earlier post that it was 100 miles away - it will be 230 miles round trip. But SWMBO has an appointment that is 2/3rds of the way there - so I'm going the extra mile - or three  .

 

Speak soon,

 

Philip

 

 

 

 

[Philou]

Hello chums,

 

I'm still here - but I've been way-laid yet again!

 

I did manage to get a TGV Ouigo (much to my surprise) as I was expecting a 'Nah, sorry mate, sold the last one this morning' - or similar in French. Got there just 10 minutes before the shop shut. I just don't understand french shop hours - and I live here! They shut at 5pm - yes 5pm - and still have a 2 hour lunchbreak, whilst others are open until at least 7pm. Anyway, got the set and a Tillig outside single slip that I may use on my layout if I can't get to grips with making my own.

 

As the weather was dry (but cold) I felt duty-bound to go back to the woods to cut more logs, especially as 'Mrrrr Maaaayorrrr' (in my best Laaaaarry the Laaaaambs voice), has had the odd moan that it all needs to be out by the end of the month. With a sharpened and adjusted chain, progress was good. And so went any prospect of any long spells of modelling.

 

A similar situation ensued until this morning when we have had lots of rain and wind and progress was made on forming some platforms (no pictures to show - just cut up cardboard shapes at the moment).

 

In between times, last Thursday, SWMBO's brother got squished between two vehicles - yes - really. He was about to get into an Iveco van, when a car came out of a side turning and passed too close to the van and rolled him along the side of the van leaving the imprint of his rib cage in the panelling.

 

He is alive but not kicking. Injuries so far: Bruising around the head, broken collar-bone, most of his ribs broken, broken femur and two broken knees (the tops of the tibias crushed). He was having a head-to-toe scan (MRI) today - and get this - no-one in the hospital knew he'd been crushed - he was brought in as a broken femur case - so they're looking in detail to ensure there are no internal injuries PDQ. Surprising how the body can take an awful lot of punishment as he is able to talk coherently and eat and drink. Mind you, he is a big lad 19st and over 6ft tall which probably saved him.

 

To cap it all, we have visitors arriving tomorrow (Saturday) for the festivities. The layout was supposed to go to my daughter's so my grandson could have it for Christmas - they're away, the van to take it away wasn't available and so the layout is still here. It will go into the barn tomorrow and I can continue working on it in the New Year - so the challenge is lost.

 

Null points for me.

 

As an add-on, I managed to get the grandson (the one who wanted a steam loco and for whom is the layout) a Hornby 'Adderley Hall' and 3 Collett coaches in Hatton's Sale of the Century for the princely sum of £74. If he doesn't like them - I'll have them back thankyouverymuch. I know they're only the Railroad Range, but to my untrained eye, they looked quite adequate.

 

Wishing you all a very Happy Christmas and a Prosperous New Year.

 

Happy modelling in 2019 to you all.

 

Philip

 

PS: I'll start posting again after the festivities have finished.