1722 Posted January 27, 2013 Share Posted January 27, 2013 Rob D2, Cracking little layout - more pics please. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 Thanks Chris, I'll post some more when there's changes. Scott, thanks , but the NSE theme has now disappeared I'm afraid ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pitbull1845 Posted January 28, 2013 Share Posted January 28, 2013 Scott, thanks , but the NSE theme has now disappeared I'm afraid ! It's ok, I don't mind change.. I've changed my theme a couple of times. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 really , I think we all do, keeps it lively. If it's not gauge it's era.Cost me a fortune though... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted January 28, 2013 Author Share Posted January 28, 2013 Hi, So we have 2 out of 3 lines in the fiddle yard wired up and working....just been running some sequences to get an idea of what I had in mind, operationally. Peering over the bridge, our spotter friend is rewarded with the sight of 37142, which has arrived on a speedlink from Severn Tunnel Junction, and 31268 which has come off the branch with loaded cement tanks for Kings Cross, which it runs round here... Sideways look into the above scene...... There is clearly alot more to do on the layout scenically. I need to breath some life into the industrial buildings. I need some backscenes, etc.... It has taken 14 months to get this far , what I term 'phase 1' - 5' model and 3' eastern fiddleyard. 'Phase 2' is western interim fiddleyard (only 2') and 'phase 3' will be western continue line through 90 degrees to 4 ' fiddleyard. I am happy I have something to at least display the stock and have a run about with now. I am easily distracted by running a few trains....... also still got some wagons to weather and all the locos.... Just not enough time/cash ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Hi, Well , having sold my Vi Trains Transrail bodyshell on ebay to Pitbull of this Parish it was time to try and source a BR blue body to replace it. This I have managed to do and therefore I now have 37141, together with the Bachmann ltd edition 37142 - this means my DCC ident system of the first 4 numbers will have to change ! 37141, just about fits the bill as it was a SF loco in the late 80s (this has no bufferbeam cowls), and 37142 always fitted being a WR loco and cornwall to boot (in case I ever go China Clay) Here are the 2 locos for comparison... Here is 37142, the Bachmann version.. And the competing vi trains 37141... Its been done to death on various forums, but my take on the relative strengths, is that the bachy wins on performance, detail and livery and the vi trains wins on having lights ( !) and being slightly cheaper ...although the BR TOPS numbers are not a great typeface. Overall I would pay a bit more for a Bachmann one over the vi trains. If Vi had managed to get their out at , say , £45 it would have been a more fair fight.The vi makes me nostalgic, not for the BR blue 80s, but the early 00s when I had stacks of Lima... As for the layout, I have almost finished the 3 road fiddle yard. I,ve got a slight problem though..... the layout is more boring to operate than I thought would be the case........ I am thinking of re jigging it with more purpose to the scene. Have an on scene industry that requires more shunting and more scope for that kind of operation. I will retain the through running option, but I am increasingly drawn to the REX article on the rowntrees factory at York - Maybe convert this to something similar ? Afterall who wouldn't want trainloads of chocolate.... Or go west country but envisage the Fry's factory at Bristol using Speedlink.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted February 4, 2013 Share Posted February 4, 2013 Very nice, well executed layout. I'm also about to start building a small modern image shunting layout with a 5ft scenic section and you have certainly given me some inspiration. As you seem fond of Rowntrees chocolate trains, here's a pic of one near Newcastle upon Tyne in the 80s. A nice short train, perfect for a small layout. Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted February 4, 2013 Author Share Posted February 4, 2013 Thanks Mal, you had a small layout before I liked ? EWS era wasn't it ? That's what I'm talking about - dirty blue class 31 on some VDAs , very nice . I almost forgot the Newcastle connection and round tree sidings layout . I also have that REX on that layout and prototype - I should have done some research when I was at NCL airport for what seemed like half of summer 2011. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted February 7, 2013 Author Share Posted February 7, 2013 Well, I used to be indecisive but now I'm not so sure. I'm not certain a choccy train theme will work for me, as I have no nostaligic ties to the York area, or the traction therein. (Although a single 20 does look nice). It's a funny thing I ask myself - am I modelling the railways of the early 80s or am I paying homage to models already constructed of the period ? A few that have influenced me are Rhosnewyd junction by Ken Gibbons, Winteringham Haven by some of the other Hull based folk (can't remember the names off hand ) , 'modelling the BR era' and anything by Mssrs Ripley/Pennine (disappeared ?)..... the picassos of my banger blue world ! So , I crave simplification..... I have binned the 'half station' , I didn't like the way it sat, couldn't justify it's position. I am going to move the industrial works up this end with the conveyor as a scenic break. The other end will be more country -fied, more rural indeed. I am leaning towards a west country theme, but it must include both 31s and 37s so it would have to be Devon/Cornwall border...actually doesn't that put you in the Tamar ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanielB Posted February 7, 2013 Share Posted February 7, 2013 This layout is very well done, you should be proud! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rivercider Posted February 8, 2013 Share Posted February 8, 2013 Hi Rob, if you like the idea of chocolate but want to keep a west country connection don't forget the Rowntrees terminal at Avonmouth, shunted in the early 1980s by 31s. It was quite an industrial area, and there was a conveyor over the track at St Andrews Road, there are a few pictures on my Flickr site in the '1980s W.R. Bristol Area' set, cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 Thanks cider, I should take a look at that, it'll be right up my alley I would think... So layout update.... The platform is gone.... I was never happy with the accuracy or detail of it so out it goes. The 'works' has moved from the far end to this end and the conveyor will form the scenic break at this end. It will be quite hard to cover the 3 track gap with this but with some trees as well I may get away with it. I've started to weather the works and there will be better detail added as and when. It's still fairly generic, but will lean towards part of a clay works maybe. I resisted the temptation to make the rear track a hardstanding/clay loading area, which would have lost the ability to change the set up to other areas, which is a prime ingredient. Clay trains will arrive on this track (loop off mainline) and propel back into clay works. Down the far end, the secenic break will eventually be a stone style bridge, west country style. There is no rush as the layout doesn't go anywhere that end as yet and won't for some time so a temporary backscene will go in there. This is the warehouse which will be for 'Agricultural supplies', mainly fertliser. I resisted the temptation with this one to make it UKF, as their's were normally trackside. On occasion the short siding may see palvans, or they will eventually be propelled under the bridge to an off scene unloading siding. As you can see any unloading is mostly, 'off scene' as I don't want to commit to one traffic type and of course the problems of protraying off loading. I can't wait to get semaphores on this lot... Cheers ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
johndon Posted February 12, 2013 Share Posted February 12, 2013 Looking good Rob - with regards to the ViTrains 37141, have you noticed that the 1s in the number are in 2 different fonts... John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted February 12, 2013 Author Share Posted February 12, 2013 I hadn't John ! I'll have to have a closer look , ideally when funds permit I'd like that one completely resprayed in a better blue entirely Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 Hi, Well the slow evolution continues..... I thought I'd make a bit more of the off scene 'works'. Seeing as I have the walthers cement works bits still, it seemed silly not to use some more of them. I also have some PCAs and cargowaggons so they are compatible with traffic from such. I am also restoring the 90s feel as well, so the traffic types would be: 1. cement in PCAs/cargowaggons to the west country as per Moorswater late 90s. 2.Flyash in PCAs from Scotland, same era. 3.Coal from Wales, in MEAs same era. We will also have MOD trains running around , thus giving me a chnace to use the VGAs and maybe OCAs with landrovers on. Finally we assume a civils yard off scene, thus ballast trains, spoil trains etc. Thats about as much traffic as a little plank needs and gives me some potential for further wagon types, detailing. I currently have 4 locos of this era, having sold the majority when redundancy hit. I can see over the next 18 months purchases of all 3 Bachmann 90s class 37s. It's not finished, but here is a photo showing how we stand at present. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alcanman Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Your layout is looking great, good use of Walthers kits too. I've used them a lot and they look good on UK layouts. I wish a UK manufacturer would introduce some plastic kits of industrial buildings. Hornby and Bachmann ready made resin buildings are OK but expensive. I prefer plastic kits as they are cheaper and far more versatile. Mal Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Pix Posted March 12, 2013 Share Posted March 12, 2013 Hi Rob Making good progress ... those walthers kit are great for adapting for a wide range of buildings and structures. Jez. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted March 12, 2013 Author Share Posted March 12, 2013 Thanks guys, Yes it's a shame there isn't an equivalent to these american kits from UK manufacturers..........I like the sheer scale of the cement silos, makes a nice backdrop. Just been to hobby craft and bought some foamboard to make more buildings... Daughter's pleased as well as 'HKD' is her initials which I used when I built the silo. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MRDBLUE17 Posted March 15, 2013 Share Posted March 15, 2013 Hi Rob, Hadn't come across you're layout until today and glad I have as its a cracking looking little layout and and like the concept of it giving it the feel of a much larger place. Will look forward to seeing more of it. Thanks Mark Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted March 24, 2013 Author Share Posted March 24, 2013 Thanks Mark, It continues to have little additions, but seems to keep taking back seat to playing trains and stock painting. The next question will be, do I extend it to ten feet in length inc fiddleyard , it's 8 at present and the fiddle yard is unusable and rubbish really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted April 3, 2013 Author Share Posted April 3, 2013 Hi, Staff still trying to make sense of the engineers trains that ran over easter... The power that was involved... I shouldn't really post updates becuase, nothing much happens........... I get sucked into running trains or currently I have been de weathering the Railtrack PNAs as I did an awful, if not permanent job first time. Weathering MFA and MTAs and creating that sleeper loaded OCA. The Shark will be the next infrastructure project... I need to get at the cement works stock as well, Namely PCAs and MEAs... as they are all bright and shiny. However I am starting a new fulltime job in 2 weeks which will mean the modelling time being a bit sporadic for a while.. Not to mention trying to complete the actual layout !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ess1uk Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 looks good. good luck in the new job Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
d winpenny Posted April 4, 2013 Share Posted April 4, 2013 Looking good, good luck in the new job, david Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted April 5, 2013 Author Share Posted April 5, 2013 Thanks guys, modelling time will be a bit hard to come by until the end of the contract in , er,...2016 ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ydna Posted April 5, 2013 Share Posted April 5, 2013 Coming along nicely mate Andy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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