cornamuse

The glue might be dry now from ballast and ground cover, and we’ve had some baseboard warping. Good job it’s not a gauge, I’d need a rack railway! As it is, it’s not too bad, just adds a little realism to the run down country station look… platform is painted; next jobs are finishing the Corris brake van and building a platform shelter, followed by water crane and coaling facilities. I’m looking forward to putting in all the usual platform clutter too…

Your work is amazing, so detailed and believable, I love it!

The freelance rake of coaches out today. I was a bit obsessed by providing for the guard when I built these! In other news, the ballast and basic ground cover has had a soaking with the traditional pva, washing up liquid and water. Also traditionally, it has leaked everywhere, but not actually glued all the ballast. On a positive note, we have a platform now, awaiting dry brushing and all the usual platform stuff. Amazes me every time, but stations are BIG.. even a sleepy little one like this is having to be massively compressed. I had hoped of a few house backs and maybe a church or pub, but that is pretty unlikely, I think?

Signal box is beautiful, almost Emmett whimsy there

Absolutely love it, especially the little people working away building it. I like to think of them livening a semi independent life once I close the door, but then I also claim my dog has an imaginary best make called dead vole, so I’m probably best left to my own devices… The tipping mechanism is great, as is the attentive doggo. There are many dogs on my railway, hidden away in carriages and the like, with plans for lots more wildlife

The armoured simplex is my most complicated use of locoremote… we have the usual speed and direction, the klaxon operated from my phone, and a bodged up use of directional lighting and a sound card from a greetings card to provide the sound of a lister engine chugging away. It’s the wrong engine, but the noise is so satisfying… I’m my world, the local unit kept this one running with a “found” engine off a local farm, in true army style. Not sure which war they are engaged in, but there will be more confusion when a Martello tower and soldiers in red appear. Rule one* firmly in place in this version of the world. * rule one, for the uninitiated is “they are my toy trains, I’ll play with them however I like.”

Not much progress, but we can put that down to the army taking over the station for manoeuvres…

My models are built exactly like the full scale models, assuming the originals are cardboard. And a bit wonky. but I do love looking at some of the larger scale built that way, they are amazing. Do you have any old pictures you fancy sharing?

Nice logic, I like it. And thanks for the compliment! you are right about mixing stock from different narrow gauge railways, it doesn’t work because of all the different loading gauges. However if you keep each train pure it works, especially if you have enough to run with all one company out at a time… love the idea of 1/12 models and similar, but I’d need an aircraft hangar, and I’d be modelling ladybirds and mosquitos… mind you flowers and butterflies will be a possibility, which means choosing a season 😂

last shot for the day, some Victorian wagons. Must be brand new or a museum looking that smart, but I can’t bear to weather stock!

Fair point about the gauge, and my original stock was for SM32, including a pretty little steamer. However, the arrival of my son meant that a G scale Thomas was purchased, plus some track, to allow postman Pat and playmobil elephants to ride around… and, if you can live with horrific radii on the points and curves, then you can fit a decent layout in a garage. consequently we have track that is rather wide, which looks odd end on, but not too bad from the side. It is a reasonable compromise as the stock for 2’6 and even 3’ at a push all can coexist, whereas on scale 2’ track, it couldn’t. plus, if you took a ruler to any of my models you would realise that gauge is the least of their inaccuracies! The people are the worst offenders, they range from about 7’ to 5’ tall..

You get no posts for months, then 10 come along together. Maybe I’m modelling the wrong transport system? grass, trees, a distant church tower…

I have 7 box files going, to collect, Darlington in County Durham. Haven’t the time to put them to a proper - modelling- use contact me if you can collect, cheers

I must finish that van, it is the Corris one and part of my small but developing selection of Corris and Talyllyn stock. I’m also looking at lines where slate wasn’t king, as my model is set firmly up here in and around the sales and moors. Livestock and fish would probably make up a portion of the transport need, with maybe ironstone or coal. The intention is a wooded valley after the station, then a small port with white cottages on the other side of the room. something bucolic and sleepy where running an occasional mixed train when the mood takes me feels authentic..

In the shed in the rain, so I thought I’d get the properly pre-grouping stuff out.. 3 basic types of early plus a very early bogie coach (one of the earliest still running IIRC) and a sentry box brake van.

Last few for now.. breakfast in the unfinished Corris brakevan. and an 18” gauge loco built on a Smokey joe chassis proof of manufacturing medium - card and junk…

A few more… the fan on the radiator is an electronics component, and runs, but only when the loco is in reverse… the vb loco is a bit more pre-grouping… I’m hoping to have a short standard gauge length of track with an old coffee pot loco on it too, unless I get all excited and build another Locomotion…

I know, and I can’t really remember what was there. I’ll post some pictures of the stock if you like?

Glad you like, Jim. No, not a terminus, more “this is where we ran out of money and stopped.” Which is fairly true, given the cost of LGB track… There may one day be a goods shed where the siding is, plus an engine shed to the right, off the picture. But the size of everything means a snail’s pace. That said, I have so much stock, the obvious thing to model would be a preserved line, but they are often hard up, too…

Finally, we have electricity in the station, and even a sky, of sorts. Must say I prefer painting when the canvas if 15 feet long. What would be fiddly in my other scales becomes much more fluid. We are going with an impressionist landscape to match the less than accurate everything else 🤣

Small artist’s figures? The wooden articulated type? Not realistic, but maybe in the style?

Latest venture; Corris guard’s van. interior a little conjectural, but then most of my models are. Going with the GWR look again. Guard with ‘I love mum’ mug as usual. Maybe I should start mixing it up a little bit with the mugs! bacon and eggs on the stove, of course! wheels, buffers and a roof, next!

Love it, excellent layout

Some of the kits - there are lots of slate wagons about, from various sources, too. first loco is Phil Sharples, messed about with by me, second is using his lister parts and a chassis of his to do a 45mm gauge bodge. The local home guard seem happy enough with it!

A few of the back catalogue, focusing on the card models…. powered chassis by Phil Sharples and IP engineering- both excellent suppliers- I have a fair amount of their products on my shelves! Tin turtle and small England loco have sounds too, thanks to locoremote units. The semi closed workmen s coach is a kit.