The Great Bear

I really do like these recent close up shots, of the Pannier and the platform scenes, Rob. They really show of the overall quality of the miniature reality created.

Tony - thank you very much for the compliment. Good luck with JMRI and the AIUs. It seems to work well, took a bit of time to work out the JMRI side of things and terminology. I haven't gotten around to doing any interlocking in it yet, but from a couple of tests I know I can do it in due course. Regarding LNER interlopers yes in due course there will be more. Trouble is, if I take the timetable accurately regarding locos I think they'd all be at night. A black B1 would thus be rather camouflaged so I might therefore bend things a bit. (I think the daytime inter-regional passenger trains in my period changed from NE to western engines at Banbury, though a picture of a B17 heading north out of Oxford does give some potential excuse.) Cheers Jon

A few more photos of the same train. This photo shows two things: 1) The moulded, filled in, steam pipes on the Hornby Hall aren't that obvious, if at all 2) That I need to vacuum this bit again as there are still off-cuts of the hanging basket liner all over the place. Probably the headlamp should be red at least to match the stock, but I bought white ones as in theory my layout's set post war. Also, when did the smokebox lamp positions change, didn't they move later to the top of the smokebox, that's what I see in BR era pictures?

Well the intent was it provided the 1st class accommodation, but the lack of any markings on it did make me scratch my head! I'm going to soon have to start giving a bit more attention to rolling stock now the scenic stuff is getting close to completion and I might actually start running a railway.

The corridors are all on the same side too But I do wonder when the rakes were as higgledy-piggledy as the one shown did they try too hard with this? The rake would look better with a Toplight or two in it...

Obviously I could not resist and have acquired the new Hornby Collett coaches, starting with the brakes and awaiting the others in due course. Before making a mess (again) I thought I'd better run a train with them in. This shot shows a close up of one at the tail of the train (the other is at the front):

Thanks, Sarah. I had considered the Wills one, but will look again. It's not altogether clear in the photos I have but the rodding in the real locale looks to have been round rodding, not that that would sway it, any better than none. I have an awful lot of rodding to install and some very wide (11 rod) runs so yes, as you say, the Wills stuff would be expensive. I am also looking at 3d printed stools from Modelu, a sample is on its way. Again, more expensive than the cast MSE stools but they look to be a neat solution as the rollers can be threaded onto the rodding before placing on the layout. That's the plan, anyway...I will keep you all updated...

So, the point rodding is next on the agenda. I've been planning, see separate topic, with help from the usual suspects. Planning is one thing, quite easy to do on CAD, execution is another. As something new, I thought I'd better start with some off-layout tests. Firstly some straight rodding and a compensator: For the cess and 6' and 10' on the layout I'd just continued to use the Tracklay foam I'd used for the lines as it made doing this easier. So that's what the trial is on. This has revealed an issue that with the rodding stools used, MSE ones, it's spongy nature makes getting it harder to mount these things, in particular pushing the wire into the slots. I have some ideas with this, maybe pre-fabricating runs on a card base or trying other products. So the easy bit isn't that easy. The compensator I omitted the washers underneath the cranks - didn't realise what they were on the etch - so it looks a bit flat. Onto the cranks, in particular adjacent to the signal box, a difficult area discussed in the planning thread. Taking the pre-fabrication idea, here's a test in progress of this area - bits mounted on a bit of balsa wood that I can put in hole cut in the foam supporting the track. I think this approach is promising, certainly a lot easier though still pretty fiddly to put things together on the workbench. In my enthusiasm as it was going well I worked too fast without thinking about the detail of the cranks as I've realised the cranks aren't arranged right in terms of level: the middle one should be higher than the one on the right. Also they aren't close enough - the use of a larger brass washer, having found the MSE ones, they are just too small for me to cope with. But I reckon worth persevering. This is pretty much the most complex bit so if I can crack this then that would bode well for the remainder. I'm also going to try some different products out, I have some Brassmasters cranks on order - more of things I need on each etch for this. Also I'm not sure about the cast stools from MSE, they are somewhat impressionistic. Seeing as I like ground level layout shots something more detailed might be in order so I'm investigating some alternatives. So, not straightforward, but can see a way forward. Thanks for the interest shown Jon

The fencing is the usual Ratio one, R423 GWR lineside fencing. Instead of the supplied line I use EZ Line, the fine version. This is a US product, an elasticated line. That it's elasticated makes fitting it reasonably easy. My method doesn't bear close scrutiny. I miss out the lowest 3 wires of the fence. I then start by wrapping the wire around the first post and glueing in place then every few posts depending on change in height loop the wire around the post, hopefully catching in the groove to get it at the right height. Some bits the height is all over the place, but the overall impression isn't too bad. At the end I do the same but secure by glueing again.

With a bit of messing around with more gentle use of aerosol paint, some green weathering wash on the newer, inner side and attacking both sides with a beard trimmer (cheap one, bought solely for modelling) here's the result, with a few bushes and the fences added: (The extension to the lifting flap for the factory that would be on the right has been detached for ease of access to this bit, back on that at some point. The next challenge I'm attempting is to add the point rodding.)

Think that will be my approach and limits risk of me messing up a fine model; who knows when/if they'll release other liveries?

Interesting, thanks for this, brings back memories having for my sins designed some bits of this, roads and drainage. (Different employer now, no longer involved I hasten to add.)

It was a brave move to rip up as fine a layout as Wencombe, but with these photos showing the quality of the modelling and the increase operational interest coming from the seaside terminus it's showing that was a really good one.

Probably - the car paints stuck just weren't right colour, but seeing the stuff down in its original state worth testing small bit in situ. I probably have some small pots of green paint somewhere to try, no doubt middle chrome green

Superb photos, Alan, the first one my favourite - just. Again, great lighting.

I'd guess it depends on where you layout is supposed to be? My layout's on the line between Banbury and Oxford and so did have workings with the SR - Bournemouth to Birkenhead and Margate to Birkenhead, which use alternating GWR/SR stock I believe. I think the requisite stock is probably available, is in my case I think, except there's no RTR SR catering vehicle.

I've started on the final bit of scenery, to the "south" of the station, including the bacon factory. Below are some shots of the work in progress, testing things out with a draft print of the backscene and a mock up of the factory. This section is on the lifting flap and the backscene is a removable section. To the right, my old loudspeakers will support shelves for much needed storage space above the end of the storage tracks. I will make the factory a couple of centimetres smaller in the final version to give a bit more room on the baseboard in front of it, but I don't want to reduce it too much to keep the proportions of the building right and keep its impact, it was a large building. A couple of ground level shots just to get handle on how things look close up The trees I hasten to add are not my work but Elm trees bought from the Model Tees Shop. As there wasn't a bridge in this location, there's no ready made scenic break. but with a bit of tweaking and detailing the way I've done it doesn't look too bad, I think. The hanging basket liner grass needs a trim. What also is readily apparent is that this lot is a different colour from the stuff used before, despite being the same make. A lot of the stuff in the shops now doesn't seem to look like grass at all, this was the best I could find. In hindsight should have bought in bulk when I got the original supplies. So, I'm going to have to resort to colouring this somehow. Initial goes with aerosol spray paint (Ford Laurel Green, Ford Juice Green) have looked a bit too bright/not dark enough and generally clumsy. Some more experimentation is in order. I'm pretty happy with the colour of the rest of the cuttings so if I can I'd rather fix this bit, plus less risk of messing things up. I don't have an airbrush, well not yet. I've been putting off getting one, thinking I'll make a mess, but this might force my hand. Any ideas as to how to fix this area would be welcome, what colours to use. Aside from the grass colour, this area I think is coming together.

Great photos, Alan. The first shot, with the buildings and bus visible above and through the platform canopy is especially realistic. The lighting and colour balance in the first two photos is excellent too.

The Cobalt levers are a great product and, yes, you are right, not cheap! If you aren't worried about interlocking then they are pretty easy to wire up I think. I'm using them, a 46 lever frame, on my layout. Initially, as my points are dcc controlled I used NCE mini panels to turn the output from the cobalt into dcc commands. I have since moved toward computer control and JMRI and hence the NCE AIU units with a view to interlocking via the software. More detail on my layout thread. Don't be put off by the spaghetti, the cobalts have multiple sets of contacts, you don't need all of them. Good luck with this and the rest of the layout Jon

I hope you have had a good Christmas, all. Thank you for following my progress - the "likes" and other feedback are encouraging and helpful and very much appreciated. I've finally gotten around to finishing the goods shed, which was started well over a year ago, by adding the roof. I made a stab at modelling the roof trusses and purlins, as the latter can be seen in photos, sticking out through the top of the wall. The trusses were done in card, the purlins are styrene strips. Here's the finished building. The facia board through which the purlins stick out proved to be a right pain as despite marking things out I'd not fixed the purlins equally and so had to cut out the slots and fiddle by trial and error. In hindsight I should have made this bit first then fixed the purlins. As can be seen I've also done some work on the goods yard surface and the inset track that runs across it. Also, yesterday I made the cattle dock. For that I had intended to use the Ratio one and indeed bought such. The dock isn't clearly shown in any of the photos I have but the fencing appeared to be 4 rail wood fencing not the concrete posts and steel rails of the Ratio model so I ended up only using the gates from that. Rather wasteful, but the other bits have been stored away for use on any future layout. The points need a bit of work, adding a bit more ash ballast and painting/weathering. Despite a lot of trial and error mixing a bespoke brew I am not convinced about the colour of the yard or the texture. (The surface is DAS with a few sprinkles of fine ballast on the wet paint.) I need to add some variety - some experimentation called for. In the meantime any tips would be most welcome. Despite searching on here it's not something covered widely - yes found some threads eg http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/98889-goods-yard-das-clay-question/ which are a start. I've had a go at the inset track where the various sidings and cross the access to the station building. Close inspection does it no favours! The track running next to the goods shed I simply painted the ash ballast my earth colour. I am minded to do the same with the points in front of the goods shed up to where it joins the bay line (which is ballasted normally.) Finally, here's an overview of progress. Aside from trying to improve the surface of the yard, the next steps will be to add the scenery leading up to the station on the inside of layout ie the bottom left of the above photo. Once again, thanks for the interest shown and I wish you all a happy new year. All the best Jon

If you want a quick way of ballasting, have you considered use of C+L track and Tracklay? The tracklay is not cheap but makes neat ballasting of plain track a cinch in my experience. It's not explained on my layout thread but Ben Alder has explained this. Search should find it.

Yes, have I've had similar experience. They are a bit fragile / I am ham fisted - a couple I damaged beyond repair. But when in and on, they do look good.

A couple of photos of recent progress, finishing the stationmaster's house, adding scenery to the up side and details to down shelter building. The lamps are working lamps, from DCC Concepts. On to tidy up and add scenery to the down side and sort out the goods yard. Thanks for looking, Jon

I'm going to be interested to see how you do this, Rob. I try and set my buildings into the ground rather than on top of it, but so far have not managed to achieve a nice snug fit and have vertical gaps. Depends on the angle of the photo of course whether this is visible and/or more noticeable than a buiding ponked on the ground. In your case, as a wood framed building would it not be built on the platfrom or there be small stone/brick plinth. Not sure how you'd then do that, mind and then get it level, seal the gaps. I'm wondering whether something involving blu-tack or similar could be useful in this? All the best Jon

The last photo shows it to great effect - it's a lovely model.