The Great Bear

Very nice, Alan, especially with the touch of weathering on the lamps.

Thank you, John. You're being too modest; the (Ratio) rodding on Stoke Courtenay and detailing of the cess looks good to me, very tidy.

After a six month or so hiatus in the last month I've summoned up the enthusiasm to complete most of the remaining point rodding, the large run (up to 11 rods) in the up cess running from the signal box toward the station. The parts and techniques are all as per previous posts. The close up shows that yet more vacuuming of grass cuttings (hanging basket liner) is needed! Due to the number of rods, as a shortcut for most of the many compensators I didn't try to break the rods and connect them, too tricky and not easily noticed; I only did this where they were on the nearest one to the track, and so more visible, like the one in this photo. The only remaining bits of rodding now to complete are the underline crossings and the run next to the branch into the bay platform and goods yard. That's only 3 rods max so should be a lot more straightforward. Then another big tidy session is due and maybe some trains can run. Whilst posting, may I take this opportunity to wish you all a happy new year and thank you for the continued interest and support in my efforts. All the best Jon

I've probably said this before but the neatness of the track and ballasting and cess I'm in awe of - last picture in post 136 showing this to great effect - particulary like the different textures. The Stoke Courtenay PW gang are doing a good job of keeping it nice and tidy. Look forward to seeing more "tarted up" trains... All the best Jon

The one I was involved in A14 Cambridge to Huntingdon Improvement DCO last year went to programme with no legal challenge with SoS approval in the spring and construction now starting, I think. Of course the scheme had previously been put on ice multiple times not least being in 2010 shortly before public inquiry was due to start. BTW thanks for the info on the changes to the process. Such nuances passed me by, we just did whatever our lawyers told us!

The Planning Act 2008 introduced the Development Consent Order (DCO) process to streamline approvals for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs). It gives a fixed timescale for examination of the process: 6 months for the Planning Inspectorate to examine the proposals, 3 months for them to make their recommendation and 3 months for the Secretary of State to make the ultimate decision. No more filibustering of public inquiries though one can try a judicial review when it's all done.

Makes a change from the glorious parade of trains. As a fellow roundy-roundy layout owner (albeit much more modest) but who hasn't gotten around to running trains properly it's interesting to see how you do things. I recall articles you penned in magazines a few years back but seeing things in action here good too. So, for me, more of this please. All the best Jon

If haven't seen already I've used the Modelu stools on my layout here and following posts, including my shopping list - not dissimilar to yours. Aside from the help I got on here I also referred to GWR Branchline Modelling Pt1 and some MRC articles from 1982. Good luck and look forward to seeing it in due course on your layout Jon

Not sure if this answer in topic from when I was planning point rodding from Stationmaster is the info you need http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/76135-point-rodding-some-questions/?p=2202317

Thanks for showing these, Rob. Must get some and give them a go.

Rob, I am really taken by the last batch of shots, the platform level views: my kind of pictures, placing one there. Shows what a great additon to the layout the signals and footbridge have been to complete the scene. Well done Jon

Yes, those are the ones, Rob. GWR rodding was round with point rodding stools/rollers at 6' centres so that makes 20

Yes you have, Rob but no problem. Here you go: Rodding - 0.38mm dia steel piano wire bought on Ebay in 915mm lengths - note you can see this is rusting a bit on the layout. I used this to minimise the number of joints, you can get 0.4mm dia wire/rods in brass and maybe nickel steel from Model signal engineering or Eileen's Rollers - 3d printed from Modelu - need to specify if round or square rodding. Alan is very helpful and if you ask he can probably send you a little sample to try - that's what I did Cross-run rollers - cast rodding stools from MSE sawn up to suit Stools - 1mm card strips glued onto the ballast Cranks, compensators - from Brassmasters - you get a lot more per sheet, especially compensators than the MSE ones, the bits being assembled on wire as above Brass washers 16BA from Eileens for the cranks, compensators to lift the cranks off the base Balsa wood for the foundation blocks for the cranks and rodding which I then cut holes in the ballast to accommodate ​Gun blue pen to blacken the rods - note slightly mixed results Railmatch sleeper grime to paint the rollers Superglue as needed to hold it all together - I generally use zap a gap, mostly the yellow slower and more viscous one, sometimes the green one if I want quicker bond Planning this stuff is quite a task, you can see I ended up doing scale drawings (quite easy for me, have the tools and a modicum of CAD skill from work). Of course I tapped into the usual source of prototype information, Stationmaster, as evidenced in this thread and another one on point rodding I started. I also got a couple of old issues of Model Railway Constructor which had some good details in, there is also some stuff in GWR branchline modelling. The Modelu 3d printed rollers don't come cheaply, mind - but in my view you get what you pay for, something that looks realistic close up. If you're prepared to accept (much) less detail an impressionistc blob look at MSE point rodding (eg on Captain Kernow's Callow Lane). Alternatively, on Stoke Courtney Checkrail I think used Peco plastic bits; I don't think they come cheaply either, though. Good luck with it. Jon

The backscene experiments look pretty effective to me

I am really taken by the last shot (lack of crew notwithstanding) in post no 105 - to me what a mainline layout is about.

The picture posted shows how successfully you've achieved that: well done for having a plan and sticking to it. The close up of the point in the last post is informative - looks very neat. All the best Jon

Thanks, Rich The trains, the signals and the points are all DCC. The signals are driven by servos which are connected into Team Digital SC8 or SMC4 accessory decoders (the former working 8 servos, the latter 4 servos and 4 point motors). The points are driven by DCC concepts Cobalt motors (the original version) connected into a variety of accessory decoders. The signals and points are then operated via a lever frame of DCC Concepts Cobalt-S levers and then NCE AIU computer interface units and a laptop running JMRI to link these to the DCC system. More detail on that in this post, the aim being to eventually use JMRI to do some interlocking. The interlocking hasn't been done yet, other than a test to prove the idea works. Hope this makes sense; happy to answer any queries you may have. All the best Jon

Great photos. What a lovely layout you have created! The flowing trackwork is superb; targeting your effort on that has paid dividends. Look forward to seeing more All the best Jon

I am no coach expert but my impression from photos is late 30s, 40s the Collett bow-ended stock is the mainstay especially for my layout with no named trains and most being run of the mill 4 coach passenger trains. So the Bachmann Sunshine stock is of limited use to me I think and similarly the Hawksworths - though of course I have them anyway! and not forgetting Granby as well. MIB's work is particularly of interest - a lot of his projects I am going to copy in the fullness of time. For the post war period getting the variety of liveries (especially the coaches) and filth is a particular challenge, if that less "chocolate-box" look is what one wants to model. I have a lot of weathering to do in due course, I may change my mind about this aspiration! (As an aside, I think the late 20s or earlier would be an interesting period to model too especially on a secondary mainline, before the "take over" by the Halls, with Cities, original Counties and pre-grouping types still there and before the decimation of the outside frame classes - I do like a straight-frame Bulldog - and railmotors. Also, in the context of my layout, perhaps the elegant Robinson GC classes.)

A few pictures showing this lot combined...

I've summoned up the courage to make a start at changing the livery of my locos and stock to the post-war period that I intend to model. Firstly, in at the deep end with a new Hornby Collett... The Hornby transfers came off pretty easily - the ones under the windows nothing more than light rubbing with a cocktail stick, the GWR crest a little bit more effort (but not too much) and some T-cut. The replacement transfers are HMRS Pressfix. One I got the knack of these, pretty straighforward except the coach numbers where cutting out and placing each number is a right pain. I also had a practise go (before potentially ruining a nice new BR Collett) at a wartime brown coach with a 1970s vintage one. A Hornby Clerestory acquired from Ebay already in brown but now with transfers added and handles painted brass. And finally a Hall... Re-naming / numbering locos is another task I need to learn, plates are on order to convert Sketty Hall into something more appropriate. I had recently thought of re-thinking my choice of post-war period rather than do this, but so far, whilst not perfect, so good and I'll stick with the original plan. Plenty more to do, though... Thanks for looking Jon

I believe LMS/MR is Richard Johnson's personal modelling interest...

Thanks. I think looking at the Markits catalogue they also do similar parts and I think these have advantage of being self-quartering, probably best for my limited abilities...

Thank you for the suggestions. On balance, I think it's good to know it's a tricky conversion as I was feeling pretty frustrated yesterday. Having disconnected the coupling rods the motor driving the rear axle it ran without any sparks; the coupling rods having been disconnected because the quartering had gone awry and one of the axle extensions, the little pip on the end that the crank is fixed onto has snapped off with my ham fistedness. So, new wheels, axles and coupling rods are needed - if the I understand the last Alan Gibson catalogue correctly they do the appropriate parts, including axles with the outside cranks. So as at the moment it's going backwards a break from challenge whilst sorting out bits is probably a good thing! Once again thanks Jon

Yes I do - and I can just about figure out how to use it...