AJon30

Ah well if you want a working signal you could consider the Ball signal? Making that a working example would be interesting (If it doesn't work - is that where the term "balls up" comes from?) I'll get em coat..... Rgds Andrew

Grandt Line have a kit http://www.grandtline.com/for-the-model-railroading/miscellaneous-details/trackside-details/ Item 3028? Either EDM or 7mm NGA? Rgds Andrew

Thanks Dava. I do like exhibiting the long version, although I am surprised by the number of people who don't "get" the concept and ask if these are 2 separate layouts (because of the scenic "break" between Great Barford & Pertenhall and Swineshead). I explain it away that Pertenhall & Kimbolton are quite close so that is why they are in one scene while Great Barford is well down the line. Rgds Andrew

Busy day At Kettering - thanks to all the nice comments we received - 50 up and looking forward to the next 50! Here, as promised is a photograph of the work completed on the Gas Works. The framework for the holder wa repaired and painted, the ground surface was made up and a charging point for the fireless loco was installed. Next few weeks I am helping out with other layouts at East Anglian Show, Nottingham and Alexandra Palace, then the SHLR is out at Pitstone and TrainWest in April. Rgds Andrew,

Hello. Well Kettering is tomorrow, so have been giving Great Barford a work out as it was a bit fickle at Risex (but seeing as it had not been out for a number of months not surprising). Dereham last week end was a good show thanks for inviting us. The Irish 0-4-2T is (hopefully) ready for iits nitial outing tomorrow. The chassis has been painted but not sure if cylinders would have looked better in green. Still a little noisy (but it now goes in the same way as all the rest!) . Some work was done on the Gas Works at Kimbolton, mainly to repair the Gas Holder structure. This was made in plastic strip but I think it is too vunerable and may have the re-make it in metal. It is packed away now but I will take some photos tomorrow. Rgds Andrew

That bus certainly gets around! Rgds Andrew

The tank was based on info in NG&SL gazette - a baker tank I believe. Rgds Andrew

A hint if you building round tank - the plastic container that blank CD/DVD's come in is just the right size and there are clear plastic dummy CD's that hold the whole think square around the central post. Built by one of our members, Jeremy, who is not into On30 but likes building things! Rgds Andrew

Well, here we have the Stodden fleet all lined up, wheels cleaned and ready to do their service at Risex tomorrow. Here's the latest addition to the fleet, still a bit of fettling to be done on the chassis, but coming along. Bought off Ebay as a spur fo the moment buy, is the Alphagrafix kit of an Irish 0-4-2T. Had not been put together that well, started to sort some of the problems out and the next thing I knew I had a whole pile of bits (would have been easier to just buy the kit, yes I know.....). Anyway its gone back together reasonably well. Hopefully should have it running at GOG Kettering in March. Stodden has a busy time coming up Risex, Dereham, Kettering (its 50th outing - not bad in 48 months!) possibly Swindon, Pitstone, TrainWest and finally Farnham on 1st May. Hope t see you at a show.# Rgds Andrew

Slapped some paint on today. I always seem to have a problem that Humbrol enamal matt always come out gloss. Will put some dullcote on later when it is fully hard. Glazing and some interior detail for another day. Happy with the outcome Rgds Andrew

More progress with the Signal Box. Now assembled around a floor. For the roof, I made a false ceiling and then a larger piece with the roof overhang. I then built up one roof as it should be (can use that on the Docklands box) then tried the roof plate so I could work out how much to cut the roof sections down by. That seemed to work OK and the ridge tiles are useful to hide any small gaps. I have added the steps although the drawing in the instructions is incorrect. And here it is in position on the layout, just space for a little lamp oil shed? For the coal yard office I found an old resin interior which, when cut down, fits nicely. Of course now its done you can't see it! Rgds Andrew

Progress on the signal box. 4 sides cut to the correct length and all the pieces glued together. Luckily there is little filling to do as is most cases I was cutting down a feature line. The roof is going to be interesting! Progress on the coal yard. The building is not fixed at the moment, not sure about an interior (but it is right at the front of the Layout) Hmm. Rgds Andrew

Oh dear, how time flies by! Apologies for the hiatus in postings, but as I mentioned before I have been working more or less full time including working overseas. Thankfully that has now come to an end so I can concentrate on more interesting things! The layout is going out in its long form at Risex (this weekend) GOG Kettering and TrainsWest, which means I need to pull my finger out and get the Great Barford station closer to being finished. So I have been working on the works area the PW area and the small coal yard (using the Lcut office from above) One thing that is missing is a signal box. This is the area for the box, with the mock up is used on Kimbolton. Looking around for a quick solution, I came across the Kittles Hobbies Signal Box kit. Now I have one of these for use on "Docklands" a DCC layout being constructed. However after a bit of roottling around I reaiised that I actually had 2 kits. I laid the pieces out and but it was too long, too wide and the steps were at the wrong end. Pertfect I thought for a little kit bashing! The attached photos show the initial cutting down, with the original part at the top and the butchered section below. There will still need to some more cutting when the end and side are built up. Side End - the biggist change Back (I have added an extra window so the signal man can see whats going on in the engine shed and works. Other end. More pictures to follow as I start putting it all together. Rgds Andrew

A more drastic solution, is to saw off the "feet" off the harp stand and make the stand lower by soldering the 2 sides direct to the wider piece of brass strip you have added (don't know how weak that would make it). Rgds Andrew

Dolores depot on the Rio Grande Southern has a 3 way stub switch on the main line used by passenger trains However if you are up for a challenge for scratch building, there is always this: Rgds Andrew

Thanks for the link. I have gone the Dinghams route for my layout, as there is nothing worse than struggling with 3 links that won't play ball when you have the public looking on! Rgds Andrew

Quickly looking at pictures of real life harp stands a certain percentage do look like the stand straight up for "straight ahead". (the one in the background). The problem is trying to get a shot of the same location with the switch in both positions. The throw is relative to the position of the operating arm locating hole. Rgds Andrew

Hi. Well I wasn't but I have! 4 assorted wagons have just arrived from ehattons - good service. Echo the comments above, nice, definitive Richard Webster influence can be seen. Don't know if anyone has mentioned this before, but looking underneath I am intrigued by the 2 screw fit covers over the ends of the coupling hooks / springs. They have a vague Kadee look about them - are Dapol going to be offering auto-couplings? Thinking on it: as they attract more OO modellers to move up to O gauge, I would think fighting with 3 links would be an definite negative.to someone who is used to auto-couplings? Rgds Andrew

When I assembled them they swing from side to side, which is the approximate throw of the points. I suppose the middle position would be for a 3 way point? I soldered a larger "foot" to enable them to be pinned down to the extended ties. I have used the 2 tone paint scheme with white for main and red for secondary. The public like to see them move when the layout is at a show. Rgds Andrew

Hello Chas A trick I have used where there will be a lot of "planking" is to mix up Isopropyl alcohol and brown or black show dye and then paint it (both sides) onto the sheet of plywood then cut into strips. With a bit of careful variation in mix you can get a variety of "weathering". Then just mix up the planks and you will get the required finish (without it looking too zebra like), with subtle variations between the planks. The problem of trying to weather once its laid is that you tend to get a similar colour arcoss the whole area. Rgds Andrew

Hi. Yes I did wonder if there was a despatcher based there and they would normally sit in the bay window looking out over the tracks. Just seemed a bit strange that the office did not have its own entrance without going through the public area, if the central area was a waiting area. As you say its your railroad so Rule 1 applies! Rgdsa Andrew

Happy New Year Chas Attached is a photograph of the actual depot on the Sandy River railroad. As you can see there is a separate freight shed. Looking at your building there appears to be only one access for passengers in the middle of the depot, so that would lead me to believe that the area with the bay windows is a waiting area, with seats (benches?), with the middle area having some form of ticket window? The area with the doors must be a staff area rather than being a primarily freight shed, especially as there are quite large windows, which would not be common in an area used for storage. One difficulty is the position of the chimney stacks which imply the fire places are in the middle of the building, where the door openng are? Rgds Andrew

Erm yes, how did I work out this? Well I did try a modellers paint remover I have used before on one side and it has definitely left a "shadow" where the old numbers were. However as the number I have selected is not that far removed from the Dapol applied one I am sure a certain amount of weathering should hide a multitude of sins! It is one advantage of using Dinghams that the loco's only face one way so the dodgy side can be hidden (just so only I can see it!) Rgds Andrew

I removed the numbers with gentle use of a sharp scalpel and then a quick rub down with cream cleaner, Rgds Andrew

Here's a simlar ball signal on the Sandy River Railrad in Maine. If you are up for a challenge a 3way stub switch would look quite nice! Rgds Andrew