Rusper Road - LBSCR Micro Layout

[Matloughe]

Hello There!

 

I've finally started the overhaul of the platform this weekend, my parcel from LCUT Creative arrived last week and I have assembled various pieces and then last night decided to attempt the changeover. So my current platform is from Scale Model Scenery - there's nothing wrong with it, but it just isn't what I am looking for style wise. I've made a large amount of use of Lasercut products on this layout so thought that this would be the same.
I measured the existing platform height and it comes out at 4' 6" tall, I have a feeling it is meant to be used with cork under the track however my track is laid on the bare boards so I am missing this extra bit of depth under the sleepers.

As you can see in this early view, very little of the sole bars of the brake van or wagon are visible - there is also a pronounced hump on the surface where the card hasn't adhered properly. I can fix the hump but even still the platform is too high.

So I've bought four straight lengths of laser-cut platforms and two ramps which are a steeper gradient than my existing platform so as a result gives me fractionally longer flat platform length. A job I had to do was to cut the additional length off of the long platforms as they were too long by about 60mm for the space I had available to me. I really like the two course high overlays on the bricks to give more depth to the product but they were a fiddle to add on. Everything was assembled with neat PVA glue.

A close-up shot of the detailing, I really struggled with the supporting structure with the kits - it seemed to be too tall and unable to slot between the uprights and not protrude above the platform surface. So I dispensed with them and went back to the Modellers old friend - corrugated brown card.

Its a much better effect, the new platform is a scale 3' 6" tall and looks good against these coaches. The basic structure is complete, I need and want to add more supports from corrugated card underneath before I mess about with trimming the platform surface. The side walls are a scale 14' 6" apart and I have some paving slabs and flagstones for the platform edge - the platform is narrower than the previous one so I will need to sort out some scenery in front of the platform above the station name. Even if its just dirt scatter. The platform shelter is just resting on the cross supports but will be moved slightly further towards the far end of the platform.

 

I was also hoping to work on the uncoupling magnets but the platform has taken so much time already that I wont get around to it this weekend.

 

Kind Regards,
Gary

[Dunalastair]

What are you planning to stop the passengers (and the luggage trolleys) from falling off the back of the platform? You might also like to look at the Board of Trade regs about the clearance between the front platform edge and the building - that looks a little close for comfort - Major Marandin might be having words ...

 

Current requirements seem to be at https://consultations.rssb.co.uk/_entity/sharepointdocumentlocation/a667694a-5b5e-ec11-8f8f-000d3ab597d8/2ab10dab-d681-4911-b881-cc99413f07b6?file=07. GIRT7020 issue 2.pdf

[Matloughe]

2 hours ago, Dunalastair said:

What are you planning to stop the passengers (and the luggage trolleys) from falling off the back of the platform? You might also like to look at the Board of Trade regs about the clearance between the front platform edge and the building - that looks a little close for comfort - Major Marandin might be having words ...

 

Current requirements seem to be at https://consultations.rssb.co.uk/_entity/sharepointdocumentlocation/a667694a-5b5e-ec11-8f8f-000d3ab597d8/2ab10dab-d681-4911-b881-cc99413f07b6?file=07. GIRT7020 issue 2.pdf

The back of the platform is going to have fencing applied, money is short so I am having to spread the upgrade over several paypackets despite how insignificant the cost is.

I've just measured and the platform valance and building structure actually exceed the minimum specification for distance from rolling stock. So I am sure the Major will be signing off on my branchline 😉 As for platform width I am more than happy with the width I have at 14 feet 6 inches wide. At best I could only add another six inches or so extra in width so it'll do for an upgraded halt in my mind.

 

Kind Regards,

Gary

[Matloughe]

Hello Everyone!

So last night I had a sudden burst of energy and decided to pull out the fiddlestick I have and attempt to work on an uncoupling solution. I bought about a month or so ago so Neodymium disc magnets, 3mm in diameter and 2mm high - immidiately after recieving them I realised they were too small in height for what I needed so I put them aside knowing I wouldn't be working on them for a while.
Last night I had a brain wave - using some of the offcut sprues for the wooden platform I have been building (which just so happenes to be the correct width to fit between the sleepers of settrack!) I could raise the height of the magnets up and still fit between the sleepers without fouling anything:

So I stuck the magnets to the wooden offcuts which I had already fitted between the sleepers - now Kadee couplings (if you don't know) swing to the side to release so I have offset the magnets one to each side to hopefully snag opposing arms and release the couplings:

These do protrude above the sleeper level, but not to the same extent as the black magnets that come as standard as seen below:

However the test was a failure - the arms of the kadees weren't influced by the magnets at all so its back to the drawing board... now online I have seen people who have attempted this have had three sets of magnets on each side, so there would be a single magnet in the gap between three consecutive sleepers, and then on the opposing side the same set-up. I wonder if this would cause the kadees to be more attracted to the magnets as the magnetic field is bigger. Another option I have is looking for some square or rectangular 3mm wide by 4mm high magnets and fitting them in a similar way but perhaps two of them glued next to eachother between each sleeper.

I've also bought for a princely £2.80 some 10 self-adhesive cable tidies so will hopefully secure the rats nest of wiring under the board so it doesn't snag on anything when I move the boards - no doubt when I do this and turn the board over I will loose some scatter and/or ballast so some touch-ups will be needed. I might also fit some more supports to the laser cut platform tonight with a view to making it more complete.

 

Keep modelling!
Kind Regards,

Gary

[Matloughe]

Hello Everyone,

 

Corr look at this multiple posts over multiple days and not one of them has a locomotive in sight!!!
So tinkering with the magnets, it was clear that they needed to be higher or stronger or both!

Please excuse the close up and the stringy glue... and dust! 😳
I decided to double stack the magnets using my preferred stringy glue Bostik - Low Odor so that it doesn't offend anyone in the house with the glue fumes. First I started with a magnet on the left hand side of the sleeper with the hole at the bottom and right-hand side of the sleeper at the top - it did work occasionally; there was a lot more finnese involved trying to stop in the right place and uncouple shuffle correctly to get them released. However compared to a larger slab magnet this is to be expected. On a video online I saw that someone had luck with magnets being in the same sleeper space on opposite sides - but they were using larger disc magnets than I - so I attempted this as well. The interesting affect of this is that it actually drags the coupling of the wagon down to the extent the wagon comes off of its wheels at the opposite end - effectively nose diving because of this magnet. What I might attempt as a final go is another magnet at the top, left of the sleeper with the hole and seeing if that affects the magnetic field and lets them release effectively - more on that later when I get to test!

When I bought the Kadee starter pack from the 7mm Narrow Gauge Association, it came with four packets of No. 5 self-assemble Kadees. Until now I have stayed entirely wedded to NEM sockets and No.18 plug-in couplings but having a look at some of my older rolling stock I decided to have a go at building it. It was fairly straight forwards assembling the gear boxes with the spring and Kadee inside.
As part of my modelling budget this month I bought some 1mm thick black, plastikard - this has been used quite extensively already and I decided it would be a good packing material to support the gear box of the Kadee. So I cut some rectangles and using my gloopy Bostik glue I layered them up to give a nice level behind the drawbar of the wagon. It was packed to a depth of 4mm below the wagon floor which allowed the Kadee to just sit below the drawbar of the wagon body. After that it was a case of applying some glue to the packing, and then positioning the Kadee so that the palm of the knuckle is in-line or just ahead of the buffers to prevent buffer lock.

So with this in mind I adapted these two Private owners I bought from a seller on Facebook Marketplace a while back; they came with two built LBSCR 5-Plank Opens and two unbuilt LBSCR 5-Plank Opens. I've checked against the height gauge and they are spot on perfect! So pat on the back for me! 😄
You can also see that althogh closer than Tension locks, the Kadees aren't ridiciously close so as to cause a problem. I think my next challenge is to make up an authentic pre-grouping era freight train of wagons to take to the club! I am very pleased with myself for the adaptations and impressed with the original builders skill at putting these together - so thank you! If you recognise these wagons, please say hello!

Thats all for now - I'm hoping to tinker some more with these Neodymium magnets on my fiddlestick and maybe even clean the track and run some locomotives at some point. I also might attack the platform and get that sorted as well for a change of pace... so there are still more stories to be told here.

Kind Regards,
Gary

[Matloughe]

Three for three - inconciveable!

To be fair not much of an update today; I was working on the magnets and all the different combinations I have tried with the ones I have on hand none of them have given me reliable hassle-free uncoupling like the large slab magnets have up until now. So for the moment I am going to stop working on that and do more research to see perhaps if I need larger discs, or perhaps rectangular ones spread over several sleepers - we'll see.
I bravely turned the layout over and fixed the wiring in small self-adhesive retaining clips to the underside - to prevent loose wires snagging when I move the layout, it gave me the opportunity to tidy things up and route the wires a little better. Then I did however take my new wagons out and rough shunt them about to test the Kadees:

So this is the first time in about six weeks anything has actually moved on the layout - I cleaned the tracks with some paper to take off the surface oxidisation & crud. The platform is missing here for the station while I was testing, I couplied them up, uncloupled them, tested the delayed uncoupling, fly shunted all the combinations I could to test them and they passed with flying colours. While it was all working I also tested the platform with an unusual visitor:

My Kernow Beattie Wells tank - not only wrong company, but wrong era entirely!! But I couldn't resist as I love the look of this engine - sadly it runs aground on the Kadee slab magnets so it isn't all that useful to me at the moment. But certainly looks at home on the layout - if I can find a different uncoupling solution I can see this loco being used more for flights of fancy.

 

I do have a confession though, I have a problem... with my Private... Owner Wagons!!!

Before packing up for the night I grabbed all the PO Wagons I have in use for the moment and posed them on the layout - we always think of the past as black & white but my research and models have re-iterated that it was all colour before that - this fantastic selection of wagons from various suppliers are a testiment to that. I've also just seen that Birley and Bolsover wagons were seen in my choosen area and time period so I will look at nabbing some of those perhaps.
I have two LBSCR Open A's which are built and just need couplings so I am going to build some more of my No.5 couplings over the weekend perhaps and once they're all fitted and running get them painted and ready to get some transfers. I am thinking of painting two in the mid LB&SCR Freight Livery of all-over grey, then I have two more to build so am thinking I will build one with a round top and paint it in early LB&SCR Freight Grey with Black Ironwork and the last one being built as a Square Ended wagon with just LBSC on the side so that I have a whole spectum to choose from.  I also have two more Open A's one a kit and one 3D printed in runnable condition as well as a part-build Open D wagon that needs its chassis building. All I need now is an LBSCR Van or two and I am getting there!
On the Passenger side I now have 5 Hornby 4-Wheel Coaches formed into Luggage Brake - All Third - All First - All Third - Brake Third, but I can only run two-coach trains at a time. I have my Hattons Brake Third which I think will form the main bulk of the services on its own, as well as my Bachmann Thomas converted 3-Set. I have been working on my Ratio Push-Pull coaches but I don't like what I've done with the roofs so will have to strip them back to plastic and start again. I am tempted to buy from Shapeways the LBSCR D23 Football saloon as something different to run - and I really want a Craven Engine in Stroudley condition like Egemont or Hayling the 2-4-0 tank engines in an Improved Engine Green.

Engine-wise I have an E5 waiting to go to the paintshop to be stripped down and overhauled - I have body kits for a D1 & C2x and need to buy chassis for both of them. I also have a D3 whitemetal kit and another D3 Resin print that fits on a Hornby M7 chassis - but I don't think I have the heart to cut up my own M7 so will have to look for a cheap one I can butcher for that job.

 

One the station platform is replaced, I have a Water Crane to fit to it, I am also tempted by some battery powered LED gas lamps for the platform but I don't want it to be too cluttered as it is only 46cm long! I will be attempting to populate it with a handfull of people; mostly staff with a couple of passengers in the shelter or waiting on the platform and maybe a member of staff on the goods platform next to some packing cratest etc. So getting there slowly, still plenty to do!

Kind Regards,
Gary

[Matloughe]

Good Morning All,

 

I hope you are all well.
Firstly you'll notice a slight change to the topic; I had intended for quite a while to change the name away from 'Budget Brighton BLT on a Shelf' to something more appropriate and I have finally done so. With regards to the Railway; things are coming together - I am about 70% of the way through changing over the station platforms - with structurally only the ramp needing to be finished off:

Compared to the photo a few weeks ago of illuminated coaches at the same location:

There is indeed a change; the main one is a far more prototypical platform height (I know ironic on a layout that uses set track!) This fact is not lost on me either; I am not going into go into too much detail but I have had messages on various social media platforms I believe from one specific individual saying along the lines that my modelling is an abomination, a curse on the hobby and they should like that I go and do something to make myself expire...

I have paraphrased of course and reported the individual to the various platforms - but I'd like to use the opportunity to raise awareness of trolls and to ignore them - please don't listen to them, feed them or tolerate them. The best thing you can do is to ignore them and carry on (after reporting them of course). To this end, because I feel like it and I really want to push the buttons I'd like to offer up a photo of a 'Really Useful Engine' on Rusper Road for giggles. I have to say having run Terriers almost exclusively - the E2 is massive in comparision!

the E2 has actually caused some interesting internal thoughts and conversations for myself, (you can see the missing part of the station ramp here too.) about time & era the layout is set in. I have always been fairly fluid in my interests but have decided to try and settle down to a main time period of 1890-1905, and allow items for about a decade of either side of that 1880-1915 to be permitted so this E2 being 1913 is allowed; but my Hornby LBSC Brakevan being based on a 1922 prototype technically isn't allowed. I should state I haven't nailed down everything specifically so you are bound to see RCH 1923 spec PO wagons as that is what is produced by the main manufacturers at the moment. But you might see more bespoke items down the line.
Also the Stroudley Watercrane has come out of its bag and is in undercoat currently so will have a home at this end of the platform.

Part of what made me want to settle on a time period was this wagon, this is an LBSCR Open A wagon - this is a resin kit from Oak Hill Works curtesy of @BlueLightning of this parish. Cambrian also make versons of this wagon as well - if you'll excuse the close up paintwork this has been painted in the pre-1905 livery and is awaiting its 'LB&SCR' transfers, and numbers this kit was very easy to put together and is a fantastic prototype. Now this has been seen before in plain Freight Grey but I wanted something that would make it pop better and using the Southern Wagons book and the HMRS liveries of the LBSCR book I worked at painting this in the earlier livery - I have several other versions of this to build, I might make one an earlier version with the illiterate mark rather than letters identifying the railway company - and I might also do one or two in the later scheme as well.

It looks quite at home here on a train at the station - the platform surface here was just resting and not stuck down so its a bit uneven - I added more supportes underneath after this before glueing it down. You can see however the solebars of the wagons indicating to me its a much more prototypical height.

Finally not on my layout - as seen by the enormous quantity of space! Here are the three ladies who make up most of the services at Rusper Road. Left to right we have:
Merton, Leadenhall & Brighton. Two Hornby and a Dapol model respectively. All resting here on the Staverton layout at Ilfracombe MRS. Merton is awaiting her Kadee couplers which will be later on this week hopefully. I am hoping Hornby and/or Dapol bring out some new Terriers with different names & numbers. Personal favourite would be #44 Fulham as its where I am from - I do have her in Southern Livery as A1X 2644 so I shouldn't be greedy.
I think Dapol especially are missing out on a trick, the Marsh Umber A1 sold out very quickly - I think they could quickly whizz up a Marsh Umber A1x with LBSC on the side tanks which as far as I am aware hasn't ever been done before and it would sell like hotcakes. A preserved A1x of Stepney in IEG would be good, Hornby have done similar with the Brighton Works shunter already. Then maybe something more exotic... Isle of Wight Central Red Terrier? Or a Freshwater Yarmouth & Newport locomotive, Green Kent & East Sussex perhaps. But I'd just like to see what other names might come out of the suppliers, more esoteric ones like #37 Southdown or #58 Wandle being great names.

Thats all from me; I'll try not to bother you all until I have some tangible evidence of progress.

Kind Regards,
Gary

[BlueLightning]

1 hour ago, Matloughe said:

I am not going into go into too much detail but I have had messages on various social media platforms I believe from one specific individual saying along the lines that my modelling is an abomination, a curse on the hobby and they should like that I go and do something to make myself expire

 

They are wrong, very wrong in fact, and your reply should be 2 words long and I can't say it here! You're modelling is fantastic and I always enjoy seeing an update to your thread, or a post on Facebook on the rare occasion I use it!

 

1 hour ago, Matloughe said:

I have paraphrased of course and reported the individual to the various platforms - but I'd like to use the opportunity to raise awareness of trolls and to ignore them - please don't listen to them, feed them or tolerate them. The best thing you can do is to ignore them and carry on (after reporting them of course).

 

Correct! I keep a lot of my modelling to my Discord server these days, (As well as meaning to post on RMWeb, I really must update my threads!) because the people there are friendly, and if they aren't I can kick them off 🤣 You'd be more than welcome there! and you'd find a lot of people who would enjoy your modelling. (There's a link in the pinned post on my Facebook page)

 

1 hour ago, Matloughe said:

Hornby LBSC Brakevan being based on a 1922 prototype technically isn't allowed

 

Coming soon to an Oak Hill Works near you 😛

 

 

1 hour ago, Matloughe said:

inally not on my layout - as seen by the enormous quantity of space! Here are the three ladies who make up most of the services at Rusper Road. Left to right we have:
Merton, Leadenhall & Brighton. Two Hornby and a Dapol model respectively.

 

😍 Lovely, what a perfect trio of locos!

 

1 hour ago, Matloughe said:

I'll try not to bother you all until I have some tangible evidence of progress.

 

Oh go on, I'm sure no one would object to some running session photos/videos

 

Gary

[burgundy]

6 hours ago, Matloughe said:

I am not going into go into too much detail but I have had messages on various social media platforms I believe from one specific individual saying along the lines that my modelling is an abomination, a curse on the hobby and they should like that I go and do something to make myself expire...

Ignore. Such individuals have seldom done any modelling of their own.

When you are ready, I should be happy to include an article on Rusper Road in a future LB&SCR Modellers' Digest. I think it is important to demonstrate what can be done with RTR models, as that is how most of us start off in the hobby. If your article were to encourage a few others to try their hand at building a pre-grouping layout, that would be a real result. For those who are bitten by the historical prototype bug, they can then continue down a slippery slope that includes modifying RTR, kitbuilding and scratch building - and, of course, joining the Brighton Circle. 

Best wishes 

Eric

[sb67]

That's so wrong to pass comments like that about Rusper Road, glad you've reported them. I think it's a fab micro layout, love the Terriers and the simple track plan and the viewpoint across the platform is something I've thought about but never tried.  I'll look forward to more updates as things progress. 🙂

[Oldddudders]

Gary chooses to be modest about his achievements - but he has an attractive, viable layout, which is a great deal more than many armchair experts who know it all but achieve slightly less than one-ninth of not a lot. 

 

In the 15 years I have been on RMweb it has been a pleasure to watch other modellers start with modest claims, but steadily improve their confidence and skills to the point of being excellent modellers. Indeed, one such posts in this thread.

 

Keep at it Gary - your skills are certain to improve as you try more ideas and techniques.  

[Ben B]

As you say, don't feed the trolls.

 

Have you thought about contacting Ian Holmes, of this parish, and offering something for the Micro Model Railway Despatch? 

It's such a nice, compact, achievable project- I'm sure it'd be a good source of inspiration for other modellers :)

[Little Jeeem]

Must admit that I've only scanned, rather than read this entire thread in detail, but just wanted to say what a delightful little layout this is turning out to be. The standards you've achieved are those that many, myself included, will aspire to achieving ourselves one day.

[bazzer42]

Sorry Gary, I've just caught up with the micro thread and cross you've been a victim of a keyboard warrior.   It's been a thread I've followed and enjoyed a chat so keep it up.  Hopefully Christmas will give you time to put it behind you. I always have big plans for modelling before Christmas and never really happens until the new year.   Hope Santa brings something railway related!

[The Bandit]

Keep modelling and ignore mean-spirited negative comments. Those who make them are often individuals who are ‘expert’ modellers i.e. spend lots of time looking at the work of others but actually do no modelling themselves. Enjoy your future modelling.

[Northroader]

Been watching this develop, and just become aware of the name change, which threw me. It’s looking good, and I hope the 7mm side of the job isn’t getting neglected.

[Matloughe]

I'd just like to say thank you to those who have posted.

I've had a week or so away from modelling to 'reset my compass' so to speak; I haven't done anything aside from pre-order the Harvey's Brewery wagon from Hattons at £11(ish) and I've set up a dedicated location to pay into each month out of my wages to pay for the LBSCR E1 I am wanting to aquire rather than buy it on the credit card and go from there. I'll have to go and re-assess the other pre-orders as/when I feel like it I have 2x P Class and the Metropolitan E class and decide which ones are 'must haves' and which ones are nice to have.

 

@BlueLightning - I am definately interested in that Brake van; keep me apprised of the details - I will hold off hacking the Triang one I have to pieces for the moment. I am considering making an operating session video; I have one of those small octopus tripods that can hold a mobile phone steady. We will see what the festive season brings perhaps. Ideally I'd need a few more items of freight stock converted to Kadees beforehand - and possibly the coaching stock converted from Kadee to another form of magnetic close coupling to avoid coaches becoming uncoupled when not wanted.
Any ideas on the next Oak Hill livestream?

@burgundy Thats is very kind of you to say, when I have it a little more finished I would be delighted to write a small article for the Digest about Rusper Road. I've got the platform I need to finish off and then its looking at smaller scenic details; some people to populate the layout and some clutter like cases on the freight platform etc. I have asked for Membership of the Brighton Circle from the jolly man from the North Pole.

@Oldddudders I'm not trying to be modest; I genuinely question at times if what I post on here is just drivel to be ignored - this thread is an interesting diversion because it does show how using Settrack/RTR items and few skills can come together nicely, it shows both iterations of the layout on the bannana shelf, and the proper boards after I evicted the N Gauge layout from them. It shows failure of me trying to build new skills with the AM Rail Signalbox kit which was a disaster! What has genuinely surprised me is that in the year since I had this idea - because it all kicked off with Dapol's Brighton for Christmas last year.

This project keeps coming back to life, the Signalbox disheartened me and I thought of giving up. The shelf it was on bowed more than a ripe bannana - so it was made smaller and transplanted and even then I didn't wire it up extensively then wanted to add point motors and section switches - which was a major job too as the track was in place, then Kadee Coupling issues. All of these were overcome; I'm certainly not going to let a keyboard warrior dishearten me from carrying on.

@benb Thank you, I haven't thought about it no - I do read the Despatch when a new one comes out - maybe when its a little more finished I'll put pen to paper and email him.

@bazzer42 Thanks, It's all okay - I just thought it would be a good thing to share that these nasty individuals are out there and they shouldn't be listened to. As others have said perhaps they were jealous of what I've made, maybe they just don't like it - the main thing is it is their issue, not mine. I will be carrying on - I believe some thing is coming my way for the festive season - I haven't asked anything because money is tight but I usually get something.

@sb67@Little Jeeem@The Bandit@Northroader Thank you for your messages, they are very kind - I hope to have something nice to show for my next update.

I am planning to ballast the Fiddlestick I use for the layout and practise some basic scenery on it; there is a potential replacement for Rusper Road being quietly planned; something larger but still micro-sized potentially with the ability to work together with Rusper Road. Another item i've seen and am considering is a new Fiddleyard Board with a built-in sector plate flat-packed kit which looks very interesting!
I have aquired an unpainted Dapol van that is designed to carry a rather 'explosive' cargo - the LBSCR had four Gunpowder vans in two slightly different batches, there aren't any known photos just a diagram drawing which looks similar to the Dapol van. So I am planning to paint that van up over the holiday period. I need to order some transfers for wagons I've made... and I need to sort out christmas presents for the family!!! Lots to do.

 

Two recent eBay purchases - both kit built; they need Kadees fitting and will enter the 'pool' of wagons for the freight side of things - they already have car cards made up and populated appropriately.

 

A Reminder from a year ago - where this project started; Christmas Day 2022. This photo was the moment I realised I could and should model the LBSCR rather than the Southern Railway.

 

Little and Large; although the H1 is a little too large for Rusper Road - I've made sure on the potential replacement that the station and headshunt can accomodate her.

So thats it for now, no new progress - some reminiscing some plans for the future. How about a little question, which locomotive should be Kadee fitted next?
Improved Engine Green Terrier, #45 "Merton"
A different Terrrier? K&ESR, LSWR, SR Lined Green or Malachite Green are my choices
Bachmann Umber E4 # 579

I haven't put the Beattie Wells or the H1 Atlantic as they are of limited use on the layout currently, I also havent put any on that would need me to attack the chassis like the E2 or older Dapol Umber Terrier as I would need to test and figure out coupling heights etc - just quick & dirty NEM Socket plug in an #18 Kadee and off you go!

 

Kind Regards,
Gary

Edited December 5, 2023 by Matloughe
Forgot about SR 2644 as an option!!

[The Bandit]

I ballasted/added scenics to a fiddlestick I made for one of my box file layouts. I think it makes such a difference when you look through the exit point on the layout and see the track carry on in the same ‘style’ as the rest of the layout. Looking forward to your next instalments.

[PatC]

Just been catching up on your thread having lost touch with the name change and everything. So sorry to read that someone has been criticising your work. That's totally out of order. Personally, I love a micro layout and have always been a Brighton fan at heart so have really enjoyed following your progress. You've also drawn my attention to Oak Hill Works, so I can see an order for a couple of wagon prints being placed quite soon.

 

Keep up the good work.

[BlueLightning]

7 hours ago, Matloughe said:

I am definately interested in that Brake van; keep me apprised of the details

 

There was a successful test print yesterday, on the website by the end of the week (along with a lot of other stuff) I expect
 

7 hours ago, Matloughe said:

Any ideas on the next Oak Hill livestream?

 

Soon, hopefully, life is quite busy at the moment, but that will most likely be changing in the very near future so livestreams will being then.

 

7 hours ago, Matloughe said:

Bachmann Umber E4 # 579

 

This one, you've got Terriers to play with, fitting the E4 gives you some variety

 

2 hours ago, PatC said:

You've also drawn my attention to Oak Hill Works, so I can see an order for a couple of wagon prints being placed quite soon.

 

I look forward to your order! I've been doing small amounts in the background for a while (Including Gary's wagon) but the "proper" launch was only a couple of weeks ago, lot's more kits to come soon!

 

Gary

[Matloughe]

Good Morning,

 

Some progess has been made, i've been dabbling with a backscene.

This is the cropped view, it looks fairly good for a mock-up; I found this free online so all tht was needed was to print it out. I am considering on balance however just having a backscene with just trees and forgetting about the dilapidated barn/farm structure. More dabbling to be had. I fitted four sets of Kadee couplings, one to the E4 shown above and three to different wagons to be used on the layout.

 

I've also remedied the issue i've been having with the goods shed/warehouse. Using a Kingsway Models free to download Garage interior pack I have added this interior to hide the blue backscene paint. To my eyes it looks like black & white painted bricks, I've added a door to suggest an office and some notice boards (all included on the A4 sheet) it looks quite effective considering the constraints of the location. By the time a wagon has been shunted into the siding and you're looking from a more normal operating angle it looks good.

lets have a throwback to how this area looked exactly nine months ago:

If I remember rightly there is a mere 27mm from the edge of the sleeper to the rear wall of the layout - the building is 3mm thick MDF and the platform I think was 22mm wide leaving a gap of just 2mm between the front edge of the platform and the sleepers - thankfully it all fits! But even now still causes some consternation.

I did cave last night and bought a new locomotive for the layout - not LB&SCR in the slightest, but a Planet Industrial Kerr Stuart Victory class. I've wanted one since they came out and they were heavily discounted until the end of today (7th December) so I popped onto Light Railway Stores and bought one last night - its more or less the right time period of 1917 just a bit of a flight of fancy.

I hope everyone is well, and is safe.
Keep Modelling - mines a BLT!
Kind Regards,
Gary

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by Matloughe
Correcting poor spelling.

[The Bandit]

That backscene looks the biz - very effective. I actually thought the building was a model. I have the same loco from Planet Industrials. It’s got some real weight and is an excellent runner. I use insulfrog points ( don’t laugh!) and it runs through them beautifully. My other smaller locos also run through them really well but the Victory also copes with dirty track and will run very very slowly.

[Matloughe]

10 minutes ago, The Bandit said:

TI use insulfrog points ( don’t laugh!) and it runs through them beautifully.

Why would I laugh? Mine are insulfrogs too and what makes them even worse...? (whispers) They're Hornby Settrack 😆

 

Surprisingly I've had very few issues with them, good to hear its an excellent runner - I am looking forwards to it arriving hopefully before Christmas.

Kind Regards,
Gary

[Little Jeeem]

The warehouse interior really is very effective, it's surprising sometimes how little additions can make such a difference. The industrial side of my little layout will also be a low-relief warehouse or factory, so what you're doing here continues to be rather inspiring 👍

[TechnicArrow]

I've always enjoyed reading your thread - I appreciate your small space, frugalness, and above all, commitment!

 

That back scene makes such a difference, I briefly thought it was a different layout! It really enhances the rural atmosphere. Personally I like the inclusion of the barn, it creates a bit more visual balance with the platform at the front of the layout, but of course it is your choice (and you have the advantage of being able to move around the layout, we can only see it through your camera lens!). Still, I'm looking forward to seeing the whole layout with the backscend fitted.

 

I also like what you're doing with the warehouse windows. I might have missed it somewhere, but have you considered trying a mortar wash, to bring out the brickwork texture? It's a tricky job I've never quite mastered, but might help the lasercut brickwork pop.

 

Still, I'm enjoying your updates, wherever they go next!