Kelly

Not been posting on rmweb recently due to personal life issues (mainly health related). But have still been thinking about the plans I have with Natalie. Finally got the 25W soldering iron at the weekend at DEMU Showcase for a better price than I could find online, so was happy, as had to cancel previous order as the site couldn't get stock. Also picked up a few books and a couple of magazines. So came away happy without spending too much. So pretty much have most of the tools I think I need, with only an airbrush/compressor and paintbrushes missing really, which can be gotten another time. After Showcase stopped by at Natalie's and picked up a few items I'd left there (mostly loads of old humbrol paint tins, tools and so on) and some Dapol plastic kits, which will get me back to doing plastic kits in a simple small fashion. Then can do the parkside dundas CCT plywood kits I got the other month at some point. Then it is onto thinking about getting a brass kit of somekind, am thinking one of the Judith Edge 0-4-0 or 0-6-0 shunters which should be usable on layout being planned. And even if not i'm not too worried as really want to get back to building kits. And the Judith Edge kits look both well put together, affordable and are supplied by very friendly people! Will leave it there and get back to watching telly I think. Over the coming weeks hopefully I can manage to clear off some space in my 'office' to work at to start building some of the kits as well as seeing what I can salvage from the paints and the aircraft kits I also brought back with me (ones I made over 15 years ago and were left at Natalie's gathering dust, which I don't think came out too bad, but have suffered exterior damage). Kelly

Interesting. Tempted. But, the narrow gauge bit of the layout plan I've been thinking of/researching with Natalie can't be entered as i've discussed the plans here? (no physical work of any kind done though). But might be fun to do something else all the same. Kelly

MoD facilities tend to not be on the small side The transfer shed will likely have room for lorries (it being set in early-mid 50s or mid-late 60s will give chance for some of the nice classic road haulage marques) in the middle of the shed with the standard gauge being on one side, the narrow gauge the other. Still visually in my head atm, and not really got chance to put it to paper or digital ink as yet. Kelly

As well as the narrow gauge module, there will be the depot/transfer shed module. A rough outline of which i've drawn below: Unsure whether it will stay quite like that, I may take one of the storage sidings (with blast shields) out and the engine shed perhaps. So things are starting to get an image forming of how things will be laid out I think. Still very rough atm, not sure really on what buildings would fit. Then theres the selection of stock that will be needed. Need to do some research on this, but certainly Q1, Merchant Navy, West Country will featue as well as probably Maunsell and Bulleid coaching stock and warflats/warwells. Need to think first what traffic might be seen going to or past the depot. Certainly high explosives and other munitions. Considering having the depot as a storage/transfer location for military vehicles such as trucks and tanks to add extra traffic options. Kelly

Now almost recovered from Taunton I've been giving some thought to the plan of the narrow gauge module. As you can see, it is pretty simple in design: Really is just a couple of sidings and a bunker. One of the lines to the bunkers may well go to a fiddle yard off view, not sure yet. The real Chilmark had a lot of natural surroundings to provide good cover, so plenty of trees and scenic items will be needed I suspect as the RAF/MOD basically let nature do as it pleased apart from on the track areas etc. Kelly

Looked impressive in the flesh

Glad you like the plans Hopefully I can manage to pull it off! At least starting with the NG bit means it is a) simpler B) smaller and a gentler starting point generally to getting started with what will be my first layout (discounting the few abortive attempts with my father when i was a teenager). Kelly

Was good to meet you also and chat to you about 2mm, not something I've previously done and glad I did! I will do! when actual physical stuff like baseboards or making kits etc happens I've no idea as yet mind! but planning continues, I have plenty of time, just little or no spare cash so liable to be a long haul project! Kelly

Fantastic! Thats not modelling, thats engineering Kelly

Thats for that, most useful to know! Yes I understand the bogies suffered as a result of being non-standard. Shows how inventive the Southern could be though to a perennial problem on the North Kent lines - Dartford to Charring Cross/Cannon Street via Bexleyheath (area I grew up in)/Woolwich - of overcrowding due to busy rush hour commuter demands.

So, firstly Taunton Wonderful event, glad I went. Long tiring drive there (for me 100+ miles is very tiring and painful), but by the time to go came, I left with a feeling that it was all very much worth it! Having better access to the layouts to actually see them working and admire the handiwork of those who have lovingly created them was the best aspect. Shows such as Ally Pally and so on are great, but the sheer number of people who go means actually seeing and admiring or talking to the people who built/operate said layouts is often simply impossible, even for me being 6ft tall and wielding my walking stick! So with being able to get better looks at some layouts I'd admired pretty recently on this site and others, and to complement the owners of the layouts and get a good look at them (never any substitute for seeing it in the flesh as it were imo!). The other layouts that were there were equally good to see, especially the 2mm efforts and the array of Southern stock and locos on show. I wants me one of them Golden Arrow Leader kits I do. Came away with some idea and some inspiration. Previously I had never really paid much attention to certain layout types/subjects, not often because I viewed them in a poor light, but simply because they didn't appeal my tastes and fighting the crowds to see didn't appeal and a cup of tea and painkillers appealed more so. This was certainly very true of 2mm layouts, as I found them too small for me to consider working in such a scale. So it was very nice to get a very good look at some rather excellent 2mm layouts on display at Taunton. Got a chance to discuss various aspects of 2mm modelling, which was very welcome as I'd decided about that time on the 3rd module for the layout plan I'm working with Natalie on. Was lovely to meet various members of this site and put a real face to a name, etc. A big thank you to all of those of the SWAG group for putting on such a wonderful show. Now if only there were a West Midlands AG to do something similar? ... Photos I will later look through the photos I (and Natalie) took, clean then up a little, resize and upload them on this site. I think next week I shall order a gorilla pod + adapter for smartphones to better be able to balance/steady phone when using it as a camera. It certainly has proven so far to be better than the Sony digital compact camera I have and as I cannot afford a better quality compact or a DSLR camera will have to suffice for the foreseeable future! A small selection of photos from Taunton are attached below: Elm Park Elm Park again Catcott Burtle And showing what can be done in 2mm! They're unedited, but reduced in size. Will be cleaning up and uploading the rest of the photos I took and Natalie took sometime later. The layout with no name So, the reason I was glad I saw so much of the 2mm layouts up close? well I decided then that I'd reevaluate to some extent how the layout in planning (and currently with no name) with Natalie would consist of at least 3 modules, as follows: Narrow Gauge layout module, with small simple plan leading to storage bunkers. Standard gauge and narrow gauge layout module with standard gauge MOD depot and narrow gauge leading off of transfer shed to narrow gauge layout module Mainline (Salisbury) and exchange sidings to MOD depot module. As yet it has no name. But it is inspired by RAF Chilmark and based currently on a plan of Dean Hill. The plan is to do the NG module first, as a simpler introduction to the concepts involved in building a layout as this will be my first one I've ever attempted. The idea is to have all 3 modules able to: Work independently Work together as a single layout Be DCC controlled Have interchangeable (except NG) fiddle yards to save construction thereof. Speaking of fiddle yards. I have currently in my head the crazy idea to have a rat run going underneath the main module to link fiddle yards at either end of the mainline module. Thus needing a stacker module for the fiddle yards so they can go up/down between the levels. How well this might work in practice is another idea, but I have (with Natalie's help) uncovered prior work on this type of thing by the likes of Iain Rice. More later when I've had time to have a cup of tea and rest some more as I am still tired from yesterdays excursion! Kelly