Kelly

You can get special bolts/screw things for partition walls that can then allow heavier items to be attached. I wonder if using the joists/side/end walls might be good to help add support? though again my other half's internal walls, even seemingly between the houses are weak. Eventually the plan will be to replace gradually with newer models in my case but to get started, older models are easier to fund etc and I feel less trepidation about taking a saw to an old lima/Hornby/mainline model than I would a newer model that cost £100-200+ potentially.

I should point out I've not actually done any kind of curving or thought about the sidings other than putting some straight lengths there in templot at this stage too. The ends will end up curving inwards at some point. I still want to try to figure out a single slip for the bottom left point arrangement to condense that a little more possibly.

Are you meaning the templot drawing? it isn't accurate in that regard as I suspect I'll have to figure it out physically rather than draw it out properly in templot to get it to work. It is a bit of a 'work in progress' in that area at present really. The link you posted is similar to what I saw when I had a flick through the latest Railway Modeller, and may well do what I'm after rather than a moving piece of wood.

Great work so far Mick. Liked the opening doors you posted earlier in the thread. One alternative to rotating brass rods and fishing weights might be the type of memory wire that contracts with a suitable charge applied to it. Tim's boards really do work well from what I've observed, I intend to order mine from him when funds allow. Considering doing similar to you at a later date and having curved boards for possible future exhibition use (assuming anyone wants it exhibited of course!).

Any photos from the area would be gratefully received. Photos of the tunnels/bridges/chimney/crossing etc would be of use. As for the sector plate. It isn't intended in the same way as a turntable would be, but rather to remove the need for a multiway point. Basically it will pivot to connect to each of the hidden sidings. As it is hidden behind/underneath scenery points are not needed and likely to be easier to manage I'm hoping. It is kinda the same idea as used in a fiddle yard by some layouts, but on a much smaller scale. I hope that explains it. This I found on a quick google search should illustrate it better:

Afternoon all. Woken up with this damn cold still persistent. Hoping it'll clear up a bit more for tomorrow's trip down to Ally Pally. Hope everyone is well and if not speedy recoveries.

I've been tweaking the design again a bit. Having discussed with Natalie the proposed higher level oil depot I've elected to remove it from the plan for now. When it comes to setting up the boards I might see it it will work out by mocking it up, but the incline risks being too tight or too difficult to hide where it exits the scenery potentially. I might therefore make the bridge/tunnels look like they're part of a cutting by building the scenery up on the sides a bit. I have ideas of a module with tram tracks for when the layout is set back to pre-1950s and parts of the docks, but that will be a long way off I reckon. The idea behind the approach is to have modules that can operate independently where possible (allowing smaller set up at home and if needed bigger 8 car trains at a future date at exhibitions). Revised plan. I'm unsure whether the bridge will be the scenic break, or to carry on beyond to show the tunnel mouths too.

Indeed, quite a number of big names have departed this year so far and only 3 months in. Not to mention a few friends earlier in the year/late last year. Personally January and February were mostly ones I was glad to see the back of due to medication issues, which at least have been resolved now. Head colds are annoying, but thankfully don't last too long in the grand scheme of things. A shame I'm going on the Sunday. Wonder how many other ER's are going Sunday?

My other half has recently bought a new build house and has encoutered similar problems, though with the walls. Everything is damn plasterboard so can't take weight etc. The loft area will no doubt be similar with a very thin ceiling material, but likely lots of insulation material. You can probably cross brace the ceiling to strengthen it before boarding it, might be worth googling for advice or asking in diy shops perhaps? Forgot to add, nice progress so far. The track and ballast works well. The 58 and 37s look the part to me. Older and simpler models are great for starting with and it is a similar path I'm taking with some old Mainline/early Hornby 56s and a 92 on my desk waiting repairs/rewiring and then detailing. A Lima 50 a pair of old Mainline 42s also await me doing something with them (both the 42s being D827 Kelly naturally). I'll probably add a couple of lima 73s and a 59 or 60 to the roster as time goes on, but most of my stock will be kit-built/kit-based EMUs.

Thought it might not work for the borail wagon, something that might work is something called liquid lead, its used a lot by aviation and military modellers to weigh noses and the like down and can be almost painted on any nook and cranny.

Will likely be a while before I start building buildings etc as focusing on the trackplan and baseboards presently and trying to finalise the size of boards i'll need (templot helps a lot with this as it can give grids in 1ft or mm sizing), then when money allows order one board from Tim Horn and another later and so on. Building the crossover is going to be the hardest bit I think somehow though! As for the chimney, it like all the scenery and features will need to be removable for storage reasons and that allows the era to be changed by taking a building off and replacing with another or a plain board that goes in the gap and suitably covered etc. For instance the oil depot could become a milk unloading siding in an earlier era or a warehouse delivery point in a more recent era.

I'll get there eventually better to take time with these things usually anyway. I've got both centre cars cut at least, just underframes that are causing the headaches. Thanks.

Been fiddling with the plan again in Templot. The real thing I'm using for the inspiration is in a cutting between tunnels/bridges, so I want to replicate that to some extent, but without introducing much in the way of an incline. One idea I've had is that the oil depot could be on a higher level, level with the tops of the bridge/tunnel so that road connection to it can be on the same level too. The exit off scene will go to a higher level cassette rather than a separate fiddle yard or similar for it I'm thinking. Not 100% how to hide it going off scene yet though. I've also (thanks to Natalie's research efforts) worked out what the big chimney that is so distinctive in the area was/is. It turns out to be over 180ft tall and grade two listed and was part of the old docks, being part of the steam factory in the area. The area including the chimney was sold off to the Royal Arsenal Co-Operative society. The closest I've come to it in model kit form is this kit from modelrailwayscenery.com. It is however too short by quite a significant amount, scaling to around 64ft tall iirc, not sure if multiples could be used to match a scale height, but I'd have to scratch build the base anyhow, so may end up scratchbuilding the entire thing eventually.

Afternoon all. Hope everyone is well, if not speedy recoveries. Am still ill with this damned cold. Had intended to go into town today after failing yesterday, but this cold hampered my ability to sleep, so I guess I'll just have to go to Sainsbury's (I need to get diesel for Sunday's trip down to Ally Pally anyhow) and get the small number of items I want for the weekend.

That is an improvement on the bridge. Building up both sides might help hide the fiddle yard access by making it a bit darker, perhaps also weathering the inside somehow of that bit so it looks a bit grubbier?

Careful not to only get the mop in case it was a very subtle hint that the kitchen floor needs cleaning ;-)

Some great units on offer there. Personally I model in OO, so not for me sadly. It is a shame that 3D printing remains uneconomical for OO at this time really, for things like bogies and cabs it is perhaps viable and maybe offering these parts would be useful?

I talked with a trader at last years RMweb event at the Ricoh, Coventry who was selling AyJay's models. He was hoping to extend the range and get seperate carriages made available. Personally I'd like a 4SUB and a 4DD (if and when they do one), but a full 4 car unit (or 2 car) is beyond my finances in one go atm sadly. Which is why I'm doing the 4EPB from Replica parts as it is easier to spread the costs out.

The bridge is looking good thus far. Similar in style to what I suspect I'll end up using one end of my layout (a tunnel the other end I think, though haven't decided for sure yet, might be a bridge both ends). I had a class 29 when I was younger on my father's layout, amongst the better runners that I recall compared to others at the time.

The Ayjay range do look nice with a bit of work from what I've seen.Look forward to seeing how you progress with this, good start so far.

IIRC Pendolinos can run at 140MPH, super voyagers may be able to as well. The reason they don't on the WCML is it was iirc deemed far too expensive to upgrade to cab signalling for 140mph running. Hence a new line designed for higher speed from the get go makes sense. WCML has reached its limit of improvements. The other aspect of HS2 is that it is aimed to make it possible to spread parts of London to Birmingham in a sense and take pressure off there by being able to commute between the two in a relatively short time comparatively.

Afternoon all. Hope everyone is well and if not, speedy recovery. I've woken up feeling full of another horrid head cold so planned trip in to the city centre to get supplies for Sunday's trip to Ally Pally didn't happen.Oh well, always tomorrow. Natalie's also feeling ill too, but as I've had some new books arrive the last few days she is happily engrossed in those (southern/southern electrics related naturally).

Morning all. Hope everyone is well, and if not then speedy recovery. I have had a bad night sleep wise and seem to have picked up another cold. Hopefully I can manage a few hours before Richard wakes up or we'll have to postpone our planned trip to the Birmingham jewellery quarter today to look at rings.

Impressive range so far. The bridge items might prove useful at a later date. The engine shed could also be adaptable to what I'm after, though finding decent photos online to illustrate what I mean is proving difficult atm (I'm referring to the Lillie Bridge Depot LT steam shed). Thats about the best photo of the front i've been able to find online, there are better photos around in books etc however.

Great work on the HAP and TC. The Mk2 etches look good too, not of use/interest to me, but the methods are as I intend to attempt to make my own etches for some SR/BR(S) EMUs when I get chance to try drawing the artwork.