The Great Bear

I'd been wondering what had happened to this layout, good to see an update. The trackwork so far looks very good. Look forward to seeing more Jon

There's a drawing on the dft website here: http://highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/sites/highspeedrail.dft.gov.uk/files/hs2arp00drrw05001issue3.pdf

Very much so, good you found that other bit of the backscene rather than my dodgy idea. The colour of the grass you use blends very well indeed with the colour of the backscene.

The building is covering the backscene not going to the end? If so, maybe you could do something to replicate/extend the last section of the backscene, was that the last in the series? If it is, here's a thought: could you take a photo of the last section of the backsene and do something with that, mirror it and print it or just get samples of the colours and create patches of colours, darker lines for the hedges in the distance. Then take away the building and put a hedge and some tallish trees right against the backcene so the land seen through the trees is reduced, more an impression of the colours. Getting the colours to be close enough when printed might quite a bit of trial and error, sticking temporarily onto the back with blu tac until you are happy, but with the trees it would mostly be the sky you'd need to match. I wouldn't worry much about it but if it bugs you and you have the tools worth an experiment? Jon

Having largely completed the baseboard frames, I've gotten a bit bored with woodwork so I've taken a break and laid out the layout to see how it might look. So I got some flexitrack, printed point templates, some blue tac, all the cardboard I could find in the house. For good measure, I got some of my rougher items of stock out too. Looking over the station in the Down direction: The overbridge and the canal: The rolled up newspaper represents bushes to try and hide the bridge parapet wall/backscene join, from some angles at least (but not this one) I had to amend the plan to pull the tracks further away from the window to get the side slope for the overbridge in. The canal still just about fits, a bit more tweaking of slopes/more walls will be needed Looking in the up direction with the lie-by siding and the run around loop for the branch: It's as well I couldn't find any cocktail sticks in the house otherwise I might have added some signals! Whilst the baseboard frames are L girder as there are no gradients and in the station area there is large expanse of level ground I'll build the scenery up from the ply. The cross-bearers can be adjusted to avoid points motors, that's the plan at least. As I said above, the woodwork's not finished so all this will have to come off but hopefully this exercise will spur me on! Thanks for looking, Jon

Thanks for the info Ian - I've ordered a couple of lengths of C+L flexi to experiment with. Maybe I could use different thickness foam underlay under the points and track? I've also read that there could be an issue with the flanges on some locos hitting the chairs, so that's something to test too - my Mainline 43xx the most likely contender? In any case given that the branch terminus used code 100 setrack, streamline code 75 would be an advance.

Firstly, a big thank you for all the comments and "likes" so far! I am about to commence the big extension to the layout, incorporating Marlingford into a larger layout with a twin track mainline and junction station. I want a continuous run to give some stock I have not suitable for a BLT a run and, whilst to date I've been surprisingly restrained in purchases, I cannot resist any longer and will be adding to the collection. The continuous run will be a bit of a test to see whether that's my kind of thing or not. I can still then get some end to end operation by operating the whole of the Marlingford branch. The idea was discussed here in the layout planning forum, but to recap the idea is largely based on Kidlington station, the junction station for the Blenheim and Woodstock branch. The reasons for this being: The branch diverged to the left which suits the existing Marlingford layout A mainline but not as busy as some Potential for non-GWR stock (SR & LNER) and locos (LNER) on cross-country workings Lie by siding to add to operating interest Relatively simple track plan The creamery on the branch will add operational interest to the mainline station not present at Kidlington. Here's the plan: I want to keep the woodwork simple and avoid gradients so it's all on a single level. The access to the staging tracks is blocked by the branch, but I intend to run fixed rakes for the passenger trains and mineral freight trains (Edit - I have been working on basis of 7 possibly 8 carriages for the principal passenger trains and up to 20 wagon through freights as a reaonable compromise), so fiddling would be limited to the pick up goods train, stopping services. The extended layout will be DCC and as the electronics for the BLT were jerry-built, I have a lot to grasp in terms of technology and skill. The trackwork will be Peco code 75 with electrofrog points. although I've been thinking about using C&L flexi for the plain visible track. The baseboards will be L-girder as that seems simple. The wood's just been delivered so I'd better stop writing and get on with it! Once I've enough woodwork assembled my plan is to mock up the station area to see how that looks. Thanks for looking, Jon

Hi Barry, the bunker hoops, did you make them or did you buy them, if so can you recall from where? Also am I right in thinking the lamp irons were from Mainly Trains?. Thanks, Jon

Thanks, Jules. The benches are from Dart Castings, the ones I used were the smaller ones http://www.dartcasti...montys/MA18.php

Here are some photos of the station area, the DSLR temporarily ditched for a compact to allow photos from a closer angle. I finally got around to painting a few Monty's figures to use instead of the Preiser ones, the Monty's ones fit much better on the station benches. As it's a bit dark under the station canopy you can't see my dodgy painting of the figures! Still need to disguise that point motor! Not exactly a rush to get on the train! Thanks for looking, Jon

Here's the other signals. The home signal and adjacent ground discs: I know I couldn't have managed the original idea for the home signal, two brackets and four arms in total so this was an expedient/creative alternative developed with The Stationmaster's help here ...and the starter: This was the first one I tried to build and boy did it test my patience, I just managed to restrain myself from throwing the bits across the room! The ready made signal arms in particular the pin I found particularly flimsy and ended up breaking several, so to build this signal took two kits. But I'm glad I stuck with it. Thanks for looking Jon

Not a problem, you have answered it indirectly and most eloquently.

I can only echo the compliments so far and am enjoying watching the layout in its new guise develop. Further to a thread I'd started http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/51868-roundy-roundy-layouts-how-do-you-run-yours/ if you don't mind me asking, do you have any plans as to how you are going to operate the layout when complete, run to a timetable, just run what you fancy? Thanks Jon

Finally I found the patience to have a go at the signals, using Ratio kits I bought a while ago. The DIY shunt arm is a bit rough and in hindsight I should have tried harder to get the S (made from Coopercraft station nameboard letter) finer, I am not sure whether anyone makes proper ones? More signals on the way, but also some questions! Thanks for looking, Jon

I think you don't need to use the lower of your two sidings to assemble outbound traffic, if I've understood your plan correctly. Here's my take on it (but I'm no expert!): 1. Train arrives 2. Loco runs around 3. Detaches brake van and places in the run around loop (or at the end of the line) (Inbound traffic at this stage still coupled to the arrived train) 4. Outbound traffic collected from the sidings and assembled onto the brake van in the loop. There are constraints on the marshalling order, which wagons go where. 5. Inbound traffic collected from the platform line and placed in the sidings as required 6. Loco couples to passenger coach draws runs forward and reverses onto the wagons and vans in the loop to assemble whole train 7. Whole train drawn out then reversed back into platform line ready for departure Good to be thinking early about operations. I'll too look out for Stationmaster's advice.

I particularly like the last one with the canal, thanks for sharing Jon

Does look a busy place! The cattle seem to have been forgotten about, when are they being picked up? As I've said before, the autocoach and 14xx do look good - another reminder to move them up the to-do list. Do you uncouple manually, I can't see a ramp? Jon

Eventually I have got the layout set up in its new home: Quite a bit of tidying left to do around it, mind! In moving the layout it's gained a small amount of extra space, where the chimney breast was in its previous home: The space is approx 300x300mm and I'm considering sneaking in a small gasworks here or part of one, likely use some of the Skaledale stuff. I wouldn't have space for a dedicated siding to it, though the back siding could be extended a little bit to allow a couple more wagons? Thanks for looking, Jon

Once again really good photos, I particularly like the "arty" one looking through the goods shed. What make are the figures used, did they come painted?

Again, nice to see another GWR layout. I particularly like the gasworks and the station building. Look forward to seeing more.

Can I just say the shots of the pannier with the fireman looking out are superb with the detail in the painting of the figure, the variation in colour and the dirty face, also details such as the wheelbarrows? In additon to the "eye" to know what to do to create the scene you must have a very steady hand. Hope you recover soon Jon

Good to see some more progress, Jules. The NE wagon kit looks good, something I'll have to bear in mind. I like the mix of wagons in the yard, especially the ones from other companies. I might have a look for the crates too.

http://www.rmweb.co....out-in-14-x-10/ Possibly a bit overambitious, hence comments on that thread welcomed.

I recently did the same took spare wheels from an airfix chassis and put them onto a Dapol one. Running over insulfrog points now transformed. Doesn't run completey smooth, now a bit of waddle when running forward but overall a great improvement. As no gradients on my little layotu it still pulls a decent length train, the autocoach five wagons or so and brake van. Don't know why I didn't try this ages ago.

Thanks, yes the space is good, but at the moment the plans I have are a bit too ambitious, all of a sudden 14 x 10 doesn't seem so large. Again, thank you. Yes, only the signals left to do, I've held off doing them as they definitely wouldn't survive the layout's move.