woodyfox

Mmm, that's got me thinking about metal sheet suspended under the bridge with small metal bits on that vibrate when a train passes over.... Might work?

I did consider some kind of hollow metal box made from old biscuit tins but the support needed would ruin the rattling sound effects. Plus all stock would need to be pretty weighty to get the 'big thud' noises.

I would look at models of cars. The wheels look like modern style car types without tyres.

Hi Russ, I know what you mean, the amount of ground to cover on this one is pretty daunting at times. I've had to more or less complete the river section so that the bridge can be built in-situ. Once the bridge is in, acces to the river area will be minimal. The swing-bridge won't, of course, be operational; but it would be an interesting project to build one.

Hi, Good progress on the tidal river bed and swing-bridge. Just need to add a coat of gloss varnish to make the mud 'wet'. I've also 'sunk' the massive pile foundations at the eastern end of the bridge and laid the foundations for the foot boards on the bridge. There will be a walkway down one side hence the asymmetric widths. Regards Stu

Hi Simon, The image hasn't worked??

I'm also well advanced with ballast laying (about 50% complete). I've also started to experiment with the placement of some industrial storage containers. This will be a slow process with lots of scratch-building required. Here's close-up of Poorhouse Lane box. I'm installing full 3 aspect colour light signalling and can have a total of 8 signals and 2 shunt signals with 3 full signal sections in both directions. Regards Stu

Thanks Montyburns, I used black ink and Indian red ink mixed with IPA to soak the timbers. I then added a green algae tide mark by painting with very watery sap green and yellow acrylics.

Hi Simon, I'm intending to model around 76-82 ish although I have a liking for various 'modernisation plan' diesels and so might also extend that back to a pre-tops period too.

Hi, Work has progressed on the swing-bridge area. I've completed the timbering and swing pivot foundations. I've also completed the muddy banks of the tidal river. Just need a good clean and (re)paint now. I've tried to capture muddy tidal banks with water channeling. Pretty pleased with it so far. Resin will simulate the water to about 5mm deep so much of the mud/riverbed interface will be unseen. Regards Stu

Hi all, just a a further update on progress. I'm currently out of the country for a week so can't take any more images. Before i left, I commenced work on the swingbridge area by constructing the timber frame bridge support (when open) from 6mm square balsa strips. I dyed the wood, using Indian red and black inks mixed with IPA (1:3:9 ratio), by soaking for a few seconds and leaving to dry on foil. The results are quite pleasing (images to follow). I've also completed the painting of the river bed and construction of the retaining bank side walls, using those holding back the river Hull as a guide. As you might be able to tell the inspiration for this layout is the river Hull corridor and high level freight line through Kingston-upon-Hull. In my world however, the line will carry services to and from the East Coast resorts of Withernsea and Hornsea (the low level NER route closing due to too many crossings). The line will also see bucket and spade extras for the coast. Also, because my rule one applies, I plan to have ecs running to and from a depot in the east of the city to the terminus for onward services. This allows me the chance to run a full HST (sound fitted of course!). Freight will be oil, scrap metals, steel, coal, cement and other general trip workings. All in the heady decade of the 1970's. I'll post plenty of images as I progress. Regards

Here's the traverser I've constructed. Due to having a 3ft access door to contend with and the requirement to have the baseboard viewing height at 4'6", I've had to construct the storage traverser in 2 sections. The first is fixed on heavy duty (ballrace) drawer runners and is around 3'6". The second lifts completely out when not in use and is around 5'6" long. This second board is fitted with 4 small wheels that run along wooden beams. The second board is attached to the first board by large bolts and it's movement is therefore dictated by the first board. All 8 storage roads are joined via 1.2mm brass wire latches that are passed through 1.4mm diameter brass tube that's soldered to the outer web of the code 100 rail ends. The same system operates between the main boards and the traverser. There is then a simple transition from code 100 to code 75 bullhead around 6" into the main boards at both ends. The major bonus is that there is no wiring at all. I have run 3 sound fitted locos at once with no loss of feed current. The whole thing takes around 5 minutes to erect or dismantle. Only the passage of time through a winter and another warm summer will tell if I've avoided any warping issues. Only a 5mm or so warp will be pretty serious. Regards

As a HKR supporter, I'll back that Phil - much to our possible downfall! Really impressed with team spirit at the Bronco's.

Hi all, Following a recent house move I acquired a 16x14' concrete garage of a 1950's vintage. It was in a sorry state and so I spent the spring renovating it. It is now a usable space from March to October. The main thing was making sure it stayed dry with decent ventilation. From my efforts I've now managed to build a railway around the perimeter that gives me just under a scale mile of running. The whole thing was built to an open frame design so that the lines can be elevated. I wanted to keep it simple and so there are only 7 turnouts, 2 loop lines, 1 crossover and one siding. I've modelled in EM before, but, as life is short, stock will be plentiful and the landscaping is pretty demanding in scale, I opted for using the new Peco bullhead track on the scenic section and code 100 on the storage drawer. I have wired to DCC and use a Prodigy DCC01 starter pack. Apologies for the poor images for now, but lighting is a work in progress as is learning how to use my other halves complex camera! Here is a view of the western end of my station (Eastcoates) area. It will be a 2 platform affair with a holding siding for DMU terminators and will depict a station that formerly had 4 lines passing through. The signal box is a scratchbuild and is in its approximate final position at the end of the up platform. In the immediate foreground will be a wide road underpass. This is a view from the other direction and shows a view from the station back west over what will be a muddy tidal river via a swingbridge (think Wilmington, Hull) and the eastern end of the loops. The loops are around 9 feet long and so scale length heavy freights will be accommodated comfortably. Here's the other end of the loops, I have lots of space for building up old traditional industries. This end will be mainly industrial. Again the 'box is a scratchbuild loosely based on South Howden on the H&BRly. I'll upload some images of the 2 piece 9 foot storage drawer I've somehow managed to concoct AND get working later. Cheers.

I actually searched for 'diesel aroma's' last week. I have sound fitted loco's, surely the next logical step is a packet with smell to put in a loco body?

Subbuteo Rugby? Lots of it on Ebay and less than £10-15 too. I'm contemplating modeling the rear of an end of a rugby stadium. Good excuse for the odd rug-ex..

Hi, I've built a traverser using heavy duty ball bearing drawer slides (Wickes). It works really well. The traverser is 9 foot long and so needs substantial drawer runners. The connection between the tracks is achieved by soldering 1.2mm bore brass tube (about 10mm long) into the outer face rail web on both sides of both tracks to join. I then use 1mm brass rod (bent to an 'L') pushed through both tubes when aligning. This ensures really good alignment and conductivity (even in DCC) and it's also wire free. Regards

Who's 'laughing'? Many nations are experiencing disruptions due to extreme weather events and this is just another. We'd better get used to it. Unfortunately the extremes cannot be easily predicted or overcome and their frequency and intensity will increase over the coming decades. Rather than espousing cliches, we must all take steps as individuals to mitigate the long term effects of climate change. It would be prudent for new national infrastructure to be planned with greater extremities of weather variations in mind.

Ah yes, the smug satisfaction that briefly overwhelms the soul when you hear the click of brass against brass as two components of brake rigging meet with sublime accuracy in one of your superb offerings Mr Parkins is not often beaten.

This falls under the legal tort of private nuisance. The law (case) states that we must tolerate the 'general hustle and bustle of life' (lawn mower noise, barbeque smells etc...). In the first instance you always have a responsibility to mediate with your neighbour. The Local Authority is the next level but you'll need some evidence (diary notes of times and dates, recordings etc..).

With the availability of so many images online, I abide by the rule of model what you see. Don't get hung up on exact start dates for types and liveries unless you're modelling within a transitional period specific to the subject. Our perception of era's tends to warp with the passage of time. As an example, the Stagecoach run South West Trains franchise was actually in existence longer than the Southern Railway Company which perceptively seems (to me anyway) to have lasted for decades...

Hi, Thank you for all the replies. Very reassuring. The run will be continuous with gradients only present due to my poor carpentry. The smallest radius curve will be 900mm. Some trains may be heavy with a maximum length of around 2700mm. As Old-Dudders has appropriately said, I'll have to suck it and see. Thanks

Hi, I have a Gaugemaster DCC01 rated at 2.5amps. I want to run 4mm scale, sound fitted motors around a layout a circuit measuring around 19m (58ft) in length. I intend to used heavy duty bus wire and frequent droppers. The two circuits will have only 2 turnouts each. The maximum number of motors operating at any single time will be 2-3. I'm beginning to wonder if the amp rating at 2.5 will be enough to cope?

Mine is an ideal size at 16 x 14 ft. I investigated full insulated lining and damp proofing. It would have cost around £1500 for DIY. I decided to do some basic renovation instead and save the funds for proper modelling. I restored the roof trusses, cleaned, repaired (re-pointed) and painted the walls white, put a stud wall over the main vehicle door and filled any gaps between the roof and walls with expanding foam (trimmed and painted to match) and boarded over the window inside and out with an insulation sandwich. I deliberately left several small gaps in the wall areas to allow for air flow. I now have a space that works for me from around March to November, remains dry and has not over-heated in summer. I've decided to save up bench modelling for the winter months and (when I get round to it) will build any layout in the garage with a means of covering and hibernation for winter. I'll certainly take account of temperature changes and will preserve all wood to prevent warping and allow for expansion in running lines. The renovation cost about £200, £150 of which was the stud wall. Just remember airflow is your friend and moisture can only be a problem if its there. Keep it as dry as you can.

Might not be such a 'daft' idea. Why dispose of stock that is not life expired? I used to drive these and always thought they'd be ideal for use as an express parcels dedicated unit. They could be adapted easily with rapid city to city transit timings. They do encapsulate perfectly the spend thrift economic railway of the 1980's that made do with what was affordable, but it is a greater crime to destroy items that still have a use.