Robert McGee

I still read up Gordon. I find that I log myself in just to see if anything has been done, whether or not I have done any more modelling recently. It's looking good though, so keep up with it, and don't get put of by a hurdle.

Just spent 5 minutes reading page 27 thinking I was the current page, no wonder I was getting confused. You've had a cracker of a year ( no pun intended ) , as it was page 27 this time last year. Shame about your ballast, that's a reason why we won't be ballasting until the last minute, and if for some reason the layout goes pair shaped, we can remove track to take away the dodgy scenery. When self building track, does it matter about preserving it, or is it fairly simple to re build? Robert

What version are you on now Gordon, must be V5? But with that comes experience, and the more you do, the more you learn different skills, the more reasons I like railway modeling. The second to last photo in this thread, is that board in the middle staying there or are you building in the middle, I can't find your most recent plan. Having been a away for 5 months, it's certainly changed for the better, and hope you keep plowing away, and soon enough you'll have somewhere to sit, and watch trains go by.

Weld wire around the really thin paint brush type. Get a really small drill bit, the size of the wire, stick the end of the wire in and twist it round, I did that and it worked a treat. Hope it helps.

It is convincing now you've said that, but I think it would work better if you could get the diameter less, as also secure it to the fence as it seems to be drooping to the floor.

In the most recent photo, there seems to be some strange curly thing in the forground on the fence. I can't work out what is is, and what it's for, could you shed a light?

As you seem to have the space with a 14'x11' room, why not explore the possibility of a fiddleyard underneath the layout? You could have it branching out to and have loads of lines to store your locos and stock, and have spare lines to hold current stock. Just a thought to play with.

How on earth did I miss this? Re others saying could be too cluttered, I disagree as really life if cluttered, and fill of mess. Although I never saw the 1960's and 80's, you've certainly struck gold with the looks. Will be following this thread as the detail is great. Also, I like the fact, that you change it quite often, constantly taking down building, like your adding that Army Camp, always changing. A perfect layout in which only I could dream of having anywhere near, excellent. Robert.

So you can't give out information like that, but do you have an idea of the air date, or atleast month? The baseboards are coming a long, it's a shame about the finish at the 'other' end, but then if it means that this version is a keeper, then anything goes I guess.

How come on the most recent picture, there is a dead end siding, yet there is no recollection of that siding on the trackplan? Is it an additional piece of trackwork that you haven't planned?

Erm, have I missed a whole section of the thread, I don't remember this version, I thought it was completely different?

What section are you working on now Gordon? The detailed walkthrough is amazing, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

How long would it take you to perform the task of building a point. I'm in no hurry to start building another layout as The Meltham Branch is still barely complete, but I fancy building a turnout, even if it's a kit.

This might seem logical and stupid so some, but I can't figure out what you do for the switch rail thing. There's a missing sleeper in the bottom left, so what do you do for it to blend in?

I would at all costs keep away from using expanded polystyrene. It makes a mess when cutting, and doesn't give the perfect finish either. Having said that, if you give it a good seal with 100% PVA, wait for it to dry. You could then use wall paper paste and torn up newspaper. It gives it a good hard surface, for scenery, and you can use a scalpel to cut through for your trees as they won't move. Otherwise, you could use some styrofoam, the loft insulation equivalent or just the standard chicken wire and paper mache effect. I've used all, and tended to think the chicken was best. Hope that helps. Robert.

Oh, thats fine, it's just on the plan I remember seeing, I saw no backboards, so I prosumed it was continuous scenery. Looks cracking though. For the sidings, did you hand build the track, or is it flexitrack?

This might also seem a silly question, but even though they are storage sidings, will there be any scenery at all. I like to think that storage has a limited degree of scenery, as in really life, storage sidings don't exist where there isn't scenery, hey aren't behind backboards, so I seem to think there should be scenery there, if you see what I mean? Hah, breath. Robert.

Sorry to be a pain, but whats the black and gold piece of equipment sitting on the black tool chest. I haven't seen one like it..

Somethings not quite right about your above post. I believe you did listen to others suggesting to keep it simple. If I remember rightly, ET 1 & 2 we're a bag full of problems, with all the different gradients, and the complexity of it. If you look at your current plan, there are no gradients, so less complex, making easier to build and maintain. I really do think you have listened, and it's payed off.

The thing is, if you had another 10' of space, the chances are, you'd think of a more complex plan, and then think you had another 10'. It's a never ending battle to be satisfied, and not over crowd it, is for me anyway.

Just noticed, congratulations on the 100,000+ views. Just shows how much an amazing layout it is. And I must say, the atmosphere of the above photos are brilliant, would that be the last page.

Great to here your getting back on two feet. Hopefully, after your break, your modeling won't have taken a trip down the park slide, and it good as it ever was, maybe better. Good to have you back. Robert.

Hey, Has anything picked up, would be lovely to see if it has. If not, I wish you luck for you to be at it again soon. Robert.

Never thought about this, but where do you keep all the stock that you have. You must have a few Locos, for the size of the layout your building. Keeping them out of the boxes, sitting on tracks lets them get dusting, also having them in their box gets them dusty too. I was just wondering how you stop yours, or did you just give your loco a fully good cleaning before the photo. Robert.

Oh, that's great, and I'm sure your boards will protect against hurricanes, but why not use the kitchen table? I just thought that you could of built it full height, and forgot about the thickness of the the platform top. Nothing like making sure it'll work in the future. Robert.