ChrisN

It's snow fencing isn't it, to stop the huge amounts of snow falling onto the line?

If that is snow fencing, and I do not doubt that it is given its sturdy construction, is the hill it is protecting the railway from, hiding, (yes I've been up mountains where the crest in front of you is the 'top' only to find when you get there a bigger one is hiding behind it, and an even biger one after that), or is it flat the other sidew and so is protecting the railway from blown snow?

But the railway back then was like that.  OK so on a few very rundown lines from the late'60s onwards the lineside got messy but generally the cess area was always kept neat and tidy for the simple reason that it had to be in order to provide safe walking and embankments and cuttings were kept under control to prevent the growth of trees and large shrubs which would interfere with drainage and soil stability as well as reducing fire hazard risk.  I don't know how it was done on the LMR but standard WR practice was to burn off embankments and cutting sides twice a year once in Spring and again in the Autumn.

 

All of this sort of attention began to fall by the wayside with teh end of steam traction, well maintained cresses were often inundated as ballast depth was greatly increased for cwr and higher line speeds and so on.  The lineside of today - made even worse by the years of Railtrack mismanagement and penny pinching - is almost no guide whatsoever to the way things were up and into the 1960s and, in some places, the 1970s.

I remeber as a little lad, either on a train to Norwich or on the line through Stevenage past Hitchin my mum pointing out that the farmland was ploughed clean for about six feet "to stop the crops catching on fire".  I had assumed that this was a common feature but the grass here is down to the permanent way so it was probably more common in arable farming areas.  Is that assumption correct?  My mum was brought up in Hertfordshire and knew the mainline there quite well.

Thanks Jeff, I am NOT planning a backscene on this one as at home I will spin it around and operate as at shows. Also I like to comunicate with the paying public and find back scenes always a bit restrictive, and with Glen Roy and Loch Leven I operate from the front at the end, and I find this great to be able to not only chat to the public but let them have a go as many people are frightened of DCC untill they try it, also the kids enjoy starting up Diesels and sounding the horns. I was going to do the same with this and I don't know why I didn't to be honest. The main point lever and the on/off switch for the dead section are under the grass embankment along the back. I can get to them from the front but its very awkward and would deffinately be a pain at shows.

Andy,

I know I am replying late but I have come late to the thread and I am slowly making my way through it.

I do think the model looks brilliant but what I want to comment on is how you plan to operate it, and how you have operated your other layouts at exhibitions.  Brilliant!   When my lads were young I only managed to get to shows with the three of them it tow.  The attitude of some exhibitors was that they appeared to think the paying public was a distraction to their running session at best and as for children, well lets not go there.  I remember one layout which was at eye level, for people of 5ft 10 inches!

The best one was a shunting layout, I think exhibited in Romford which was designed for kids to have a go.  Happy days.

More power to your elbow, is what I say.  I hope that you have as much fun exhibiting this as you have building it. 

I like the pantiles too.  If you have the time and enjoy it why not try these things?

I have put things inside of things, (to paraphrase Monty Phython). such as people inside carriages, the interior of a station and the thought then is, 'how do I display this'.  Not because we want to show of necessarily but because we want to enjoy what we have made.  One way for me would be to make it so that the roof comes off, well on the carriages at least.  As there would not be lights inside then why not have the roof being fixed?

The strength of the thread is that not only is there lots of modelling weaved in with the chat, but when questions are asked they get answered.  I have learnt lots over the past few months, although I have not been able to add much as my modelling experience and opportunity has not been very great up until now.  That may change as retirement is coming earlier than expected at the end of this month, although they have persuaded me to go back two days a week.  However, before more modelling comes a house move, and yes probably sorting the house out once we get there.

My main concern with all this though is that I shall probably be offline for quite a long time so how am I ever going to catch up?  At the moment most of my available time is used catching up on this thread! 

The other great thing with this thread is the way that other threads are given adverts so you end up looking at those as well, which is good because you look at layouts you may not have looked at otherwise, and although the scale, era etc. is not what you are particularly interested in, the methods of modelling and the results are.

It is also comforting to know that other people are doing what I am doing and looking at house and thinking, "how does that fit together, look at that valance, the gutters on those houses are right next to the wall, that's unusal."  I think my wife thinks it's all part of me losing my marbles. 

I like the idea of an index.  When we are moved in, extension built, house sorted, and on the days I am not back at work, going fishing, helping to look after the grand kids then I have a room to build a layout in so I will need to come back and have a look.

Right, stuff to do before I go to bed, none of it modelling though. 

I haven't seen an aurora for about 8 years. The last one was in about 2004. I was driving over the Pennines in the middle of the night - it was clear and pitch black. Something caught my eye. I pulled the car onto the side of the road just up from Ravenstonedale, near Kirkby Stephen. The entire northern half of the sky, from horizon upto an altitude of about 50 degrees was covered in glowing, writhing "curtain" patterns of light. A mix of colours (ionised Nitrogen and Oxygen emission, principally) swirling around. I've seen a few, but that was one of the best.

 

I haven't thought about uncoupling, yet. I'm not going to fit Kadees I think the "hand of God" will have to suffice to start with!!

 

Jeff

I have never seen one but a friend of mine was driving with her dad in Cambridgeshire saw one.  She was very excited but he had not got a clue about what it was and why it was so special.

For us physicists that have forgotten most things except the half life of I131 to 2 decimal places, what colours are they? 

I like the look of your fiddleyard.  I keep thinking that you will need more lines for the branch but I suppose you will only need one engine and a couple of coaches and a pick up goods.  Did they have mixed trains on the S&C branches?

I can across these in myTransport Diversions news letter.  The first I thought was a reduced rate book but is in fact a calender.  I thought you might be interested as it is a picture of an S&C Viaduct.  They were obviously not as good viaduct builders as you as it is straight!       http://www.transportdiversions.com/publicationshow.asp?pubid=9207

The second is a book which has just been published about the West Coast line.  It appears to be full of WTT and more interestingly coach movement diagrams, i.e. what coaches were on what trains and where they went.  I know it is not S&C but it may have something intersting in it but they may also do ones later, if they have not done so already for the S&C

http://www.transportdiversions.com/publicationshow.asp?pubid=9273

Looking at it again it was just published in December but is out of stock.  I assume they have not come in yet.  Also there is a link to others in the series, including one for the midlands.

There is nothing so complicated on my railway.  4 or perhaps 6, four wheel coaches go up the line, and then come back again. The joys of narrow gauge.

That is a clever piece of lateral thinking to see a dairy in an engine shed.  The result looks excellent too!

I have heard two poeple pronunce it as 'cler - res - tory' recently. I would have to find the dictonary to find out how we are supposed to say it!

 

When you get your locos out to play, can you measure the bogies for me please (if they have pick-ups on!)?

 

BTW the 'lad' hasn't arrived yet... so have been checking out Dent. Bad news is the rain has arrived ;-{

 

Andy G (101)

Having prononced it Kler -rest- story for years I decided that I had reall better look at the spelling properly and decided it should be pronounced Clear-storey.  This thread then suggested that my first pronounciation was correct.  As I am of an age where I can embarrass myself daily I thought I should check just to make it one less thing to trip me up.

I 'internetted it' (as my future daughter-in-law says) and found three online dictionaries all of which said the pronounciation is-     

'Clear-story'.

I know it is not as interesting as all the locos that ran on the S&C but It amuses me. 

Just complete this sequence Jeff. No, not diesel classes that ran over the S&C, though some did.....

 

2,3,5,7,11,13,17,19,23,29,31,37,41,43,47.....

 

Let me know when you finish.

Sorry, I could not resist this one

http://www.toothpastefordinner.com/060304/prime-phone-number.gif

I promise, no more.

Jeff,

Yes Chris, and your posts total somewhere between 19 and 21!! Lol. (upto post 2700 - you see....number mad!).

 

You're right about the counting. Tend to keep it to myself, unless I'm with like-minded people.

 

Jeff

Which is about 30.1% of all my posts on RMWeb, or 31.8% now.

Having posted about model figures it sparked me again to trawl through a wargamming blog with about 50 links to figures of about the size we need for 4mm looking for non combatants.  As the figures I want are late 19th century it is usually a complete waste of time.  It proved so again but I did come across some squaddies and an officer both with kit bags!  There was also a group just hanging around, again without weapons.  Given that there was National Service in the 50s these would make an interesting addition to waiting passengers.  I will post them here, if you don't mind as they would be useful to anyone modelling the 50s.  They are of such good quaility I have ordered the first two even though they will not be used on my layout.

http://www.mms-models.co.uk/accessory/products_accessoryPage.php?69  Officer

http://www.mms-models.co.uk/accessory/products_accessoryPage.php?68 Squaddies with Kit bags

http://www.milicast.com/shop/product.php?productid=287&cat=153&page=2  Squaddies lounging

I also found some welding equipment and workshop tools but I will post those if anyone is interested but I found these German Officers, one of whom is looking at his watch and is crying out to be put on a station wating for a train.

http://elhiemfigures.com/prod_desc_LC02.html?sno=298

Hope this helps someone

I think I must have the mentality of a librarian.....

No, you are a Physicist.  I have the same problem (?), cannot help counting things.  You probably do as I do, and a collegue does who says things like, that took approximately 2 hrs 53 mins.

Nearly bedtime!  Hope evryone had a good time with family and friends.

I did get the 009 wagons from York Models and the Wills Station that I bought and hid in the wardrobe for my wife to give me- doesn't always work as I also got the book I bought last year for last Christmas.    Couple of other books as well, it comes of putting lists on Facebook to the relevant people.  One Surprise; Pink Floyd lime in Pompeii.   

Have a good day tomorrow, off visiting the wife's family.

EXCELLENT post, Chris. Re. bass players, one of my heroes is Geddy Lee from Rush - a great bass player. Remember, Andy often says things tongue-in-cheek! Other than the small number of tasks you've outlined for me (!!) I may buy some white metal figures and paint the.. More options that way. Haven't done anything like that since painting Airfix figures years ago. Very slow typing stuff via phone keypad, but warmer as I can do this indoors. 2013 should be a busy year. All the best. Jeff

Jeff,

As far as bass players go I was, (hopefully) keeping it in the light vein that we are all used to.

Figures: I assume you know all the usual suspects like Langley & Monty's Models plus Aiden Campbell but there is a newer set from Pete Goss if you do not mind figures with short legs.  There is also Mike Pett whose figures look very good but are turn of the century, 20th Century that is. (You have to write to him and send him a cheque which I have been meaning to do for weeks so that my wife/sons can give them to me at Christmas.)  Scalelink (?) used to do some but I have not been able to find them recently, and there are a couple of others.

Sorry but I am a bit obsessive about figures, It is what comes of scouring the internet looking for the late victorian ones; I even follow a war gaming site to try and find soldiers in more peaceful poses not killing each other. 

A band.  Well, I am not musical but I could do the PA.

Andy,

I have a young friend who is an excellent bass player by choice, makes his living by it, so I am not sure he would appriecate being called a failed guitarist, neither would John Entwhistle, but as neither read this I suppose you are safe.

 Jeff

I know it is Christmas, but back to modelling.  One of the delights of this hobby is that when you get bored doing one thing wish to excercise a different modelling skill there is always something new to do.  That is why I have a lot of projects on the go at once. ('a lot' -an engineers counting term for more than 3)  In between and while I am doing them, I am also populating my railway.  It can be rather trying to be painting people as you only need to use small amounts of paint in one go as everyone's clothes will be different, unless you are painting hands & faces or railway staff.  Therefore they are always at hand and if I have only a small amount of time I am likely to paint  people. (Still have not got very far filling up 3, or is it 4?, workman's coaches with slate miners, but that is another story.)

So my question is, in between all the big projects of building your hillside, laying the rest of your track, finishing the wiring, test running, ballasting, making your river, scratch building the station and various other buildings, are you going to be painting people or will you cheat and buy them ready painted?

Happy Christmas to you and all the other Loon Lunesters.

Have you stuck the side walls to the front, it does look like it?

I have been pondering for days whether it would be better to stick them on and fit the hillside to it, or wait and fit the walls to the hill.

I did try and post this thought earlier today but the server went down.

It does look great.  Happy Christmas, have a good time at your Dad's.

(I think uax6 said he could not log on during Christmas as he was not at work)

Definitely agree on the curved top, well worth the effort.

 

 

Jeff, if you ever choose to move this thread back to the Layouts section, you'd be chasing Gilbert's Peterborough North down for posts in no time but in a way, it would be a shame as it sits well here in it's own home wonder if I should start a Lancashire & Yorkshire Obscure Mill Towns With Weird Sounding Names That Look Made Up sub-section?

Jeff,

I have to agree the curve top does make a difference. How many fingers did you cut doing it?

Jason,

Are you really trying to tell us that as an IT expert the name of the town had nothing to do with the choice of the layout?

Almost 100 pages in this thread.

 

When will the madness end?

In about three years time when Looney Kerbside has been built, although I think that Jeff will continue it on with his shunting layout.

I think I may have said this on the Bacup Buildings thread but I am making a representation of the cottage I spent my honeymoon in out of Wills Limewashed Stone sheets. People complain that as they as thick they are difficult to work. I have not had a problem but you do have to mitre the corners.so I have been thinking about Slaters sheets on a backing material. My own thoughts would have been more Plastikard, but Jason uses mounting card, and you use ply. Well that is two more options.

Never would have thought of Polyfilla, except to feed my parrot!

I can see me with lots of coaches and buildings with nothing to pull them, and nothing to run them on. Never mind.

I only missed one evening and there were three pages to catch up on!

The tunnel mouth is coming on a treat, you should easily get it done over Christmas unless you get distracted by eating, drinking and being sociable with your family.

I did read the Hornby releases and thought you would be after the Duke of Gloucester which I am sure made frequent detours over the S&C in a livery and condition that it would not have for 50 years .

I admit I was slightly disappointed as there was nothing remotely 009, or Victorian Cambrian, LCDR or GWR. I am not sure why as I never expected there to be anything remotely like that.

Who mentioned Cambrian signal box pictures? And what is wrong with that?

Hi Jeff, I am sitting here trying to read bits on here whilst watching a DVD on the Great Central, must build a main line layout and get that new Hornby 01, ho ho ho,

 

Catch up again later. Andy.

Andy,

And a Garrett!

Hope your cold is better

Hi, I was out yesterday so did not catch up with the thread. Hope you begin to feel better soon. Don't do anything too complicated when you are under the weather as you may find you have wired yourself to the track bus!

I used the paint in, scatter and then hoover up method, although used diluted Copydex rather than PVA as the latter sets everything rock solid and negates the laying of cork/foam underlay to deaden sound. Only difference with Copydex is that if you mess up and try to pull a bit off, it can peel out a whole section (although if you are careful enough when painting, it shouldn't be a problem. Oh, it smells a bit too.

 

Thread Hi-jack Warning!

Question for Sandside. What dilution ratio do you use? If it was PVA I would put it in a small container and add water. Is it that easy with Copydex as it is much thicker?

If you have explained it on your thread just say as I am slowly working my way through it.

Thanks

Is that a suggested purchase, Chris? And I'll leave the spam cans to you.....

 

Jeff

Yes it is a suggested purchase. I do have a spam can, but it is in TT guage. Lovely little loco. Modelling 009 means I shall probably model nothing larger than an 0-6-0. However, if I manage to have a standard gauge connecting line then I may get something bigger but it will only be Cambrian, as I want to model early 20th century or late 19th, or maybe GWR. So you have no competition from me in buying a Beyer-Garrett. Go on, you know you want one

Bill, the only way I've managed to avoid buying locos was to rip out the track bus of my old layout, along with some of the track - so there's been nowhere to run anything for the last few months. That's why fitting the bus to KL is going to wait a while (probably means January!!).

 

I've no chance next year - another 9F and a 4F are givens and I fancy a couple of LNER locos for the sake of them - the DubD and a V2.

 

Found a supplier of decent scribers, btw. Oh, and sometime next year I'll have to get an Aztec and compressor...

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

And what is wrong with a Beyer-Garrett? Just because it is expensive, and never went near the S&C it is still an impressive loco. I suppose if you did not get one of those you could save the money and buy two spam cans.