Brian D

The upgrade works continue. For some time now I have not been satisfied with the glazing in the signal box - see above pics in post 213. I originally formed these windows by tracing the various frame and glazing bars on acetate report cover material using a correction fluid pen. The result was OK at the time but as time has gone on I have grown increasingly unsatisfied with the thickness of the white lines representing these frames/bars. So, I took the windows out and threw them in the bin! Today I have fabricated new windows by printing the frames on to self adhesive photo paper, sticking the resulting image on to acetate, cutting around the frames and picking out that part of the image represented by the glass, leaving the frames and glazing bars, cutting around the resulting windows and gluing then in place thus. A fiddly process which tested my short fuse temper (it's the red hair, or what's left of it, you know ) I think this is an improvement when viewed from normal viewing distances so I'm happy-ish - far from perfect though. I also took the opportunity of painting the handrail on the stairs the same light blue colour I painted the gutters and platform lamps. This is an image of the box back in position on the layout. Regards, Brian.

This arrived from Sheffield in this morning's post. This little engine has such a wonderful mechanism - runs at a crawl in both directions straight out of the box over my dead frog points. A little cracker IMHO. Hornby back at their very best. Now, the vigilant amongst you will realise that this is not a North Eastern engine and indeed a few ex GCR locos appeared on the layout yesterday. I also have a D16 on pre-order. Over the last few years, I have not been able to resist purchasing the latest RTR ex LNER locos which are in all respects superb models and run like a dream with pick-ups on both loco and tender. Herein lies my dilemma. How can I run all these locos in a convincing manner? The solution I have chosen is that the new layout is likely to have a split personality. The track, signals and other infrastructure will be generic but the signature structures, station lamps and signing will be interchangeable so that I can make a fair depiction of both the North Eastern Region and the Eastern Region. Indeed, I am thinking that the colliery will have to also be interchangeable with say a cement works or a (grain) mill - there ain't no coal in East Anglia! Much food for thought. Regards, Brian. PS I think this photo is a significant improvement on yesterday's efforts. Same camera but put on a tripod and ISO much reduced.

That's very kind of you to say so Clive. But I take no credit apart from putting the extremely fiddly and frustrating Metcalfe bench kits together. The Bachmann figures are straight out of their box, apart from one unfortunate young lady who had her mobile phone forcibly removed. It is also not possible to see the "hoodie" worn by one of the seated people as his back is to the wall Regards, Brian.

For the purposes of this session, I moved my layout south into former Great Central territory as can be see by the choice of motive power. Basically I set up the four fiddle yard cassettes with... a parcels train headed by a BR Standard 4MT alternating with a Fairburn 2-6-4 tank a stopping passenger train D11 hauled a pick up goods hauled by a J11 a rake of iron ore hoppers and a Robinson O4 Pictures follow. The D11 arrives with the train spotters looking on eagerly. The BR Standard stands in the bay waiting to depart with the parcels train. The O4 arrives. The J11 arrives with a couple of vans and... ...departs with the coal yard empties. Apologies for the picture quality. High ISO settings on my little compact Canon haven't helped. Should have got the tripod out really. Regards, Brian.

The little people and their various benches have invaded the platform area! Said little people are Bachmann's finest which didn't want to stand up, although there are some seated ones on the benches. I cut small paving slab size pieces from see-through report cover material (acetate sheet possibly - any way stuff I had salted away) and glued each figure to a slab. I didn't really want to cement them to the platform so this works well for me. When the new layout is complete they will migrate there The benches are Metcalfe laser cut card jobbies and were extremely fiddly to put together. But the final result was worth it. Pictures follow. In the first two you can just make out the additional signage added to the station building. Train spotters were a must have. I was there! An overall view of the platform with all the new station furniture and people. I took these this afternoon before playing trains an operating session. More pictures of this in a bit. Regards, Brian.

Jouf being an HO 3.5mm scale brand, aren't these too small Andy? Or did Jouf manufacture some 4mm stuff? Although I'm not a great lover of blue and later diesels, it's all looking good Andy. Regards, Brian.

As promised, here are the pictures. Firstly, the station building as existing at the time of my post yesterday i.e. minus end barge boards - you can see my painted station lamps in the background without the tangerine totem signs. Now, the station building as finished and placed on the layout. The following shot shows all the lamp columns (with totems added) and the station building in the background. ..and finally a close up of one of the lamps. The orange signs are from a Scalescenes North Eastern Region station signs download, printed on to photo paper and being quite small were a b*gger to cut out. The last photo is brutal - from normal viewing distances they look OK, at least to me. I have some platform benches, people (sitting and standing) and some other bits to further populate the platform. Hopefully this will happen in the next day or two. Regards, Brian.

It's a week since I posted here so just a quick update to prove that things are ticking along so to speak. Work has progressed greatly today on the new station building now that I have decided what colour to paint the gutters and downpipes. I started another thread asking this very question - see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/96046-north-eastern-region-station-gutters-downpipes/ The answer is light blue but it has taken a while for me to source what I consider is the nearest shade. I have plumped for an artist's acrylic called "periwinkle" so have painted the gutters and down pipe that colour along with some new platform lamp columns. The roof is now on the station building and chimney pots added along with the canopy. I need to add the fancy barge boards at one gable end and that will pretty much complete it bar a few extra signs. I also only need to add the tangerine "Hawthorn Town" totems to the platform lamps to complete them. A box of goodies arrived last week containing people and other assorted platform clutter. I trust that all this and the new platform lamps and station building will add to the ambiance so to speak. More pictures tomorrow hopefully. Regards, Brian. Brian.

Hi Russ, I found your thread before Christmas and then lost it - RMWeb is a big place! To make absolutely sure I don't loose it again I have become "a Follower" so hopefully I'll keep more up to date in future . It's all looking very good Russ. Regards, Brian.

No problem, Jock. Pleased to help. Regards, Brian.

It would be my pleasure Jock. Basically, the Wills gutter section has a 2mm wide styrene strip butt solvent welded to it all tied back with more styrene strip. On the basis that a picture (or two) is worth a thousand (or two) words....... ...and... The whole Wills gutter/styrene strip contraption is shown temporarily sellotaped in position - it will be eventually glued once I have decided what I'm doing about the corresponding down pipes and have painted all the visible plastic BR(NER) pale blue. I trust that adequately explains the process. If not, please come back. Regards, Brian.

Hi Ray, As you can see from the numerous "likes" I've just posted, I've just (almost) caught up with your thread. I was particularly interested in the early construction phase and have learnt a lot from you and the others who have posted here. A fantastic layout and a really great and educational thread. Your method of laying Peco code 75 track I found especially relevant to me as I am planning a new layout which I will hopefully commence in a few months time. Regards, Brian.

Hi Duncan, Sorry for the time taken to reply - I've actually spent some more time on the station building. It's coming along well. I think I've cracked how to attach plastic Wills gutter sections to the card structure and I've built a canopy from a Scalescenes large station kit and tiled the roof. More photos soon hopefully. Regards, Brian.

Hi Andy, Thanks for your comment. I've always had a soft spot for the Brush Type 2s despite my kettle leanings Regards, Brian.

Just a quick update of what's going on. The make-over of the existing layout continues. Following reconstruction of the platform, I have added new running in boards. I intend to add platform lamps, seats and passengers in due course. Work continues, albeit slowly, on the new station building. I couldn't resist adding the tangerine sign at an early stage. Here are a couple of pics showing it temporarily placed on the platform. The roof has yet to be tiled and fixed down properly and chimney caps and pots, gutters and down pipes and possibly a canopy are yet to be added. There is also a new (old?) addition to the loco roster. This is a secondhand Lima model I picked up on a well known auction site. For details of the help I received from fellow RMWebbers and the tinkering that look place see http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/85075-lima-brush-type-2-d5679-servicing-info-required/ Regards, Brian.

Indeed, Ray. I had the same problem waiting for my "cuts" when lining out the inside of my shed. It seems there is only ever one person trained to use the cutting machine and he/she is with another customer/on a break/hiding (delete as appropriate) Regards, Brian.

Just a little update on the station building and how I'm going about building it (and a little "back history"). I started off my career on a "sandwich course" in 1969 as a trainee Civil/Structural engineer. For many years I was on the drawing board and thoroughly enjoyed it - Rotring pens, parallel motion, happy days. The CAD revolution happened I can't remember when but by which time I was managing draftsmen, not actually doing it and thus missed out on acquiring the industry standard AutoCAD training. None the less, it must have been around the year 2000 I purchased a copy of DesignCAD from PC World for about £50 - AutoCAD would at that time cost about £500 for the Lite version, the full version costing in the thousands. Anyway, this cheapo CAD programme served me well and the latest version compliant with Windows 8.1 is called "TurboCAD Designer 20" - about £25 from Amazon (usual disclaimer). Basically I use this program to "draw" the various building facades which I then print and glue (cheapo glue sticks, not the expensive stuff) to 2mm or 1mm thick grey board card. I attach a jpg copy of the current plan I'm using. Construction is based on Scalescenes techniques - basically a sandwich construction for the exterior walls, the windows being the "meat in the sandwich" as it were. I'll post more pictures of progress soon. Regards, Brian.

I just love the "German Type" smoke deflectors on the A3s

I suppose I could always tell SWMBO that it doubles as a nail sprayer . Seriously, thanks Andy, I'll think about that one but might try some of the weathering powders before going down the airbrush route. Regards, Brian.

Hi Andy, I trust you are well. I really should weather some of my pristine locos but am scared stiff of messing things up. I once tried a diluted wash of acrylic paint of varying degrees of strength on some Hornby CCTs as a bit of a trial but gained no confidence from that exercise. I don't have an air brush and I have no inclination of purchasing one (difficult to justify the expense - they ain't cheap by the time you've factored in a decent compressor). I'd appreciate your advice. Regards, Brian.

Progress on the station building is slow but the front wall is pretty much finished as below. Regards, Brian.

So. You take a few bits........ ...and, Hey Presto! ... erm...well, not exactly. It took about an hour or so.... A small addition but, I think, an improvement which cost nothing in terms of (cast off) materials. It also makes operational sense in that the station and loco staff can get to and from the track safely. Regards, Brian.

Yes, Clive. I've worked out it was the oilers that were fouling my platform. Also the centre crank pin seems to have a lot of sideways float and go out of gauge. Regards, Brian.

When I was a lad lineside in the 1960s at Easington, I was always behind the railway fence Les. Have a word with Barry and his mate Seriously, I've always loved V2s and I have two Bachmann versions, one black, one green on the roster. Regards, Brian.

Thanks, Hal. It's amazing what pleasure I get out my feeble efforts. A case in point was last night when I used some cast off card (window cut outs from the new station building and left over platform sides) to make some stairs from ground level up to the loading bank. I'll post a picture tomorrow to show you what I mean. Regards, Brian. PS Just caught up with your thread - see my post there.