Andy Y

Somewhere I've got a sheet of the rivets, when I can find it! They're extremely good.

Sorry mate, until I sort out all the other stock you'll have to make do with it.

It's high time I got round to putting together some of the more appropriate stock to run on Keyhaven. First off the ramp is this M.A.R.C. Models reach wagon, some enterprising soul down Dorzet way seems to have purloined one of the matching pair that fell out of use at Dover in the 1950s. The originals were paired together for loading train ferries offering the bare basics of accommodation for riders. Although the kit has been sat around the workbench for the last 7 months it was an easy build last night and this afternoon, seeing as the solder had gone on walkabouts post Christmas I decided it would be quicker to get going with epoxy resin rather than venturing out. It all went together an awful lot better than a simple plastic brake van kit that's following it on the assembly line!

As recommended by Martin Wynne in the copyright topic this is a useful page - http://wtp2.appspot.com/wheresthepath.htm - Lost myself for quite a while in there earlier - with the ability to compar current maps/satmaps and older OS issues.

An excellent topic and posts, I've moved this to the Hints & Tips area and pinned it to the top.

I do think that this post is inappropriately offensive, it is the manufacturers decision or those commissioning a model to approach as they see fit as it is their investment and business plan. Such comments are not likely to see manufacturers or? those commissioning a model to engage with this forum if that's the attitude they are met with. Thanks a bundle.

1. Entry Entry in the challenge is open to all active (as in must have made some posts in the forum) members of www.rmweb.co.uk. Entrants must use a topic in the 2010 Challenge forum area (or a Blog entry linked to from the 2010 Challenge forum area) to register their entry, document the building of the layout and present images and written content at the conclusion of the Challenge. Entries can be made by individuals or groups of members. Multiple entries are permissible. 2. Layout Size The layout's maximum size is 2010 square inches for the maximum horizontal surface area of the layout baseboard, including fiddleyard. Entrants choosing to model in 7mm/ft or above may use a maximum area of 2010 square inches excluding fiddleyard or storage roads. Any size below the maximum is permissible. Entrants must illustrate the sizes used. Removable storage (such as cassettes) is permitted, provided they do not increase the layout's size beyond the maximum when connected.? ? Likewise movable storage (such as traversers, turntables, and sector plates) must not increase the layout's size beyond the maximum when the tracks are aligned. Odd shaped baseboards, and cutouts for operating wells are permitted, provided the surface area of the baseboard does not exceed the above size limit. There are no restrictions on height, or the number of levels. The control panel can be separate, and is not included in the layout's area. The thickness of the backscene of the layout is not included in the layout's area, provided it is not part of the 3 dimensional scenics. Examples are: A painted backscene is not included in the layout's area. Structures (low/half/full relief buildings, fences, retaining walls, etc.) are included in the layout's area. Lighting structures, pelmets, and such additions are not restricted to the size limit, so may overhang the baseboard area. 3. Scale/Gauge No restrictions apply to scale or gauge. 4. Operation Must be a working layout, the trains must move. Where possible, a Ready To Run or Kitbuilt/Scratchbuilt loco or unit should be included as the primary motive power for the layout. There is no restriction on the method of control used. 5. Completion The Challenge ends at 20:10 (BST) on the 20/10 in 2010, at which point judging will commence. The judging period remains to be confirmed. 6. Judging The entries will be judged by means of a public poll or polls on the internet.? ? The entry with the most votes will be deemed the winner, a majority vote is not needed. Entries will be scored on the following criteria: Originality ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 30% of marks Operational Interest ? ? 30% of marks Visual Appeal ? ? ? ? ? ? ? 30% of marks Inclusion or execution of reference to the number 5, to signify RMweb's 5th birthday in 2010. ? 10% of marks. Incomplete entries may also be judged at the end of the Challenge providing the member is still active on the forum. Partially underway projects that fit within the rules are permissible providing the current progress is documented in this area. 7. Awards/Prizes There aren't any at the moment.

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I had to revert to the plain BK staples Stu as droopy mounting pockets meant the PH designs wouldn't work well with the inset track.

The low relief buildings at the back of Keyhaven also serve to conceal a hidden storage road, one of which I've never been particularly happy with as it was a hasty gap filler at the time of the layout challenge. So, the 75% of the building in the centre is now a landfill contribution.? ? ? ? I'd picked up a couple of Ten Commandments stone-cast low-relief buildings to hack about.? ? And re-assembled as below, PVA giving a good bond between the sections. The building was then given an all over spray of a sandy brown. To paint all of the windows at first glance looked like a waste of an otherwise good afternoon at the same time as being unconvinced about their appearance. As it turns out the easy way is to fill all of the panes with a dark grey paint and then use a trusty old fibreglass brush (that and gaffer tape form 50% of my modelling life) to take the paint back off the frames, it turns out neat enough. However I wanted something more down at heel too so the window reveals were filled with sections of corrugated plasticard. ? ? The brickwork was dry brushed with darker and varied tones before weathering back with Tamiya weathering packs, the corrugated iron was finished with a variety of blue and grey acrylics, weathered down with a wash and highlights picked up from yet more Tamiya make-up palettes. As it stood the building was overshadowed by it's neighbours the engineering factory and the salt works and need a bit of a lift. Keyhaven seems to be a study in corrugated cladding through different mediums so yet more wouldn't look amiss. This time it was asbestos sheeting! A framework was formed from foamboard and simply clad with strips of corrugated plasticard. This was spray painted with a mix of red oxide, grey and white primers before having a grey wash applied with a variety of tones built in with ground chalk pastels as weathering material.? ? So, more of the same but different and it seems to fit in quite well. Time for some basic rainwater goods and we're away.? ? ? ?

I think you'd best PM me and ask for it to be deleted. You managed to put fingers to keyboard so is it any surprise it's come out as it has? I only looked as I thought it was the most stunningly useless blog title.

Stop it! Right now! It'll bost the linkspan. Just been looking at PMPs substantial improvements and wondering.....

Is this topic back again? Can't believe it's still running all these months later. It's Standedge Tunnel, back in a bit with a square!

It's a layout I'd love to get to grips with from a photography perspective Andy. The tail end of an exhibition day isn't the best time for anyone to have to tolerate lights, cables, cameras plonked in inappropriate spots and waving backcloths around. If you ever fancy having a bespoke set of shots done covering all stock and angles I'd be more than happy to oblige. It would give chance to do some really tasty shots where shots are stacked to get greater depth of field.

It sounds like there's been massive strides in moving the club forward over the last couple of months Graham, looking forward to seeing developments in due course. It's good to hear when there's clubs dying out through lack of interest around the country that some can see the ways to move forward, club-wise it's very strong around your neck of the woods; must be something in the water.

I'm frequently asked about how the concrete effect was achieved on keyhaven and also crops up periodically in reference to "How do I do inlaid track work?" questions. The inset track on Keyhaven Quay was achieved by use of cork floor tiles abutted to the side of the sleepers, these basic floor tiles, obtained from a DIY chain, near enough match the rail height of Peco Code 75 track. The inset section between the rails uses Fabfoam obtained from a craft shop chain and cut into 14mm wide strips; the foam comes in A4 sheets at around 20p a sheet so a little goes a long way and can be easily laid into curved track of any reasonable radius and is secured to the sleepers with Copydex, fortuitously this also matches the height of the code 75 rails. The gap between the rail and the adjacent cork floor tile is filled with ready mixed flexible filler from a tube and smoothed over. Using a strip of plasticard on top of the sleeper ends will stop the filler subsiding into the gaps between the individual sleepers. The same filler is used to fill in any small indentations and cracks that are inherent in a natural cork product and smoothed off before being left to dry. A weakness in my approach was to not put anything over the sleeper ends which led to a slight rippling in the filler as it dried out, a strip of card or plasticard over the sleeper ends would stop that happening. Once the filler is dry a smoothing over with light abrasive paper gives an even finish, the drying process naturally taking the filler down to just below the rail head thus making cleaning relatively easy. The whole area is then sprayed with a suitable cheap stone coloured spray (Plastikote), concrete comes in a variety of shades but it's worth looking at the real thing before going wild, weathered concrete is probably a lot paler than anticipated when you pick up the spray can. Joints in the concrete are represented by carving lines into it with a craft knife and metal ruler, the lines are then drawn in with pencil. It's then down to you how you much you wish to weather the surface from that point.