Brian D

And the same to you Will. All the best, Brian.

The Deltic prototype has visited Deneside. I feel another video coming on Regards, Brian.

Thanks Pete, and all the very best for 2020 to you too. That is a great suggestion about the pit prop loads. I'll give it some thought but siding space at the colliery is a bit tight - here's a reminder of my track plan. I do remember, I think (or did I see pictures), that when we returned to the North East by train from KX that, arriving in Hartlepool in the late 1950s, there were sidings full of wagons loaded with timber props in the harbour (now marina) area south of the station. Regards, Brian.

I've added some more ground cover to the colliery area and made this video this afternoon which reflects all the changes to Deneside Colliery made in the last couple of months or so. So for your enjoyment or otherwise click here... Regards, Brian.

Stone me Andy, I can't keep up mate. You put me to shame progress wise. However, I see a kettle or two is part of this mix in your latest offering and it's always a pleasure to watch your layouts bloom in such short time scales. Needless to say I'm now following. Best Regards, Brian. PS All the best for 2020 PPS Just how many layouts did you complete in 2019?

Final update before the Festivities. In the last few days I have replaced the temporary paper photo backscene with A4 card sheets, also printed with the back scene panorama. These are glued to the hardboard sheeting surrounding the fiddle yard. I've also extended the brick wall to fully enclose the colliery as below shown without the screens and conveyor... ...and with the screens and conveyor replaced. Still more ground cover to be added. Regards, Brian.

Season's Greetings and all the very best for 2020 to all on RMWeb Regards, Brian.

It's that time of year again so... ...and all the very best for 2020. Regards, Brian.

Green is good Andy Regards, Brian.

The other low bridge has also received appropriate signage. I probably now need to get back to finishing off the layout signalling. Regards, Brian.

"Why aye man" said all the passengers Great Post Clive. Regards, Brian.

I have completed the road signs using the vintage road signs sheet. Firstly, I utilised some 1.2mm diameter plastic rod for the posts which needed to be painted black and white, I used masking tape as below. Apologies for dodgy camera phone pics. The double sided card shapes were then added to the poles, suitable holes drilled in the scenery and the three signs were planted in them thus, firstly the low bridge sign... ...and secondly the no gates signs. I also added the clearance sign on the bridge using this...( Bridge Clearances (2).pdf ), printed 25% size and glued to thin card. Fortunately, it just fitted between the bridge beam flanges as below. The bus is a bit "off route" but hey-ho Regards, Brian.

The more I look at your amazing scenic work in 2mm, the more I despair of my own 4mm stuff. Must do better (note to self, not you Les). Regards, Brian

This is a terrific pic Scott. If only you could reproduce the stuff coming out of the chimney in 4mm scale. These are terrific too Tom. They have also inspired me. I've had this ... ...stashed away for a while which has the "Crossing - No Gates" sign on it. Thanks again guys for these amazing and very useful pics. Regards, Brian.

Yes indeed Andy, moderately happy with how it's all turned out. There are still a few rough edges here and there which I must revisit and the layout runs reliably if I keep the track clean and squirt the occasionally temperamental Seep point motors when they don't switch the frog polarity when they should. But you can't eliminate "Fat Controller" error when he forgets to set the points or signals correctly . As you are probably aware, the layout is traditional cab control with two controllers. I am currently trying very hard to control two trains at once without loosing track of what's going on (e.g. simultaneous arrivals and departures) - not easy for this old git. Thanks again for your kind words Andy. Good luck with your move down south. Regards, Brian.

Good suggestion Paul, I'll look into that. Regards, Brian.

Great example of "man with a flag" Scott - great inspiration. Regards, Brian.

The gates have been repainted, some signage added to the buildings and more scenics added to cover the bare baseboards around the entrance to the colliery. The area now looks like this... ...so coal traffic has resumed. There's still some areas in the colliery to receive a bit more scenic treatment, mainly ground scatter. After that, I feel another video coming on Regards, Brian.

Tend to agree so a flagman it will be. Regards, Brian.

My decisions around the wall and the gates mainly relate to my memories of Easington colliery which had a massive wall round it adjacent to the colliery streets, albeit the colliery rail tracks were accessed from BR land and I don't recall any gates there. However, I have limited scope for modelling said wall other than where it is so gates to fill the gap seemed logical. Having googled images of "colliery gates" I didn't find much relating to the 50s/60s time period, they were mainly modern-ish images, one of which showed rail tracks buried in tarmac between the gate posts (can't remember where) and a nice picture of a pair of gates with the top rail curved as I have modelled it. You have to remember that this is a model railway I'm building and not a model of a (particular) railway or place. I am trying to "place" the layout in the period and location I remember and give as many period and place "nods" as possible. But it is in effect a freelance layout based on BR (NER) memories. I am torn between providing a flag man or colour lights to control the road traffic, if a flag man then a hut will be provided. I do have contemporaneous images of both options in the Durham coal field area. The former option (flag man) is easier to model but the colour light option gives me more switches to pull (or forget to pull, I've lost count of the number of SPADs ) I trust this addresses your comments and concerns, if not please feel free to come back. Thanks again for your continuing interest in my ramblings. Regards, Brian.

Just picked up on these comments chaps. Bit late this evening so I'll respond in more detail tomorrow. Regards Brian

Thanks William. I have just drilled some holes in the baseboard so that they can be posed closed... ...or open... ...but I have decided to paint them signal red for the benefit of the engine-men, don't want them destroyed by the colliery shunters Thanks again for your interest mate. Regards, Brian.

In recent days I have been working around the rail entrance to the colliery, firstly trimming back some of the grass around the loco spur... ...to accommodate some substantial brick walls to keep the local oiks out. The "ground" outside the walls has to be touched up and the surface within the walls is yet to be covered but I've added the loco facilities to see how it looks. I have also made some gates from Evergreen strip which will be placed in the gap above. Regards, Brian.

While waiting for some filler covering land form to dry in the colliery area, I used these... ...which are supposed to represent timber planks and pit props to make a coaling stage for the colliery shunters thus. Another little micro project completed bar painting and a bit of coal to be added. Regards, Brian.

Pete, Feel free to "borrow" whatever you want. Nothing is copyright or patented - I'm just so pleased to have assisted or inspired you in some small way. I recall a layout I've seen at an exhibition and in one of the mags called "Fenchurch St. Peter" which had prominent grain silos and was based in the fens, might be worth a look. Best Regards, Brian. Brian.