Barnaby

Very tidy Graham.

Great to see you again back in the Yard WRT.

Been out to the shed for a short Sunday shunt and to adjust the time scale of the Dimplex oil heaters. Welding up the Range Rover.... ......still welding up the Range Rover. Calling in the Chopper for a roof inspection.

Wow that is fantastic Duncan, I'll be watching out for some more details of your crane build. As it happens 2 things 1/ I've always wanted to have a crane for me to utilise on my layout and 2/ I have one of those cranes still in its packing so by watching your technique and build I may be inspired to copy copy build it. All the other cranes and hoists I've looked at and try build have all ended up with me needing multiple motors but your version looks simple enough for me to try and be successful. Thanks for kick starting my inspiration to build a crane again. Thanks

Thanks for the heads up Mike.

As you say that is a very substantial cover supporting plate which will both protect and support your stock boxes, very crafty. Definitely a case of necessity being the mother of invention, well done. Looking forward to a video of Hillport Goods working at Model Rail Scotland. Regards

As Arnie says "I'll be back"........................ to look over the ballasting done tomorrow, looking good.

A little bit more signage work done. WRD made up & both it & Freight have had one grey under coat. FREIGHT to be in YELLOW WRD to be in RED Best

This afternoon I have been making up a piece of signage to cover up the TDM part of PORTOBELLO ROAD TDM layout sign. It will now read PORTOBELLO ROAD FREIGHT. Next is to GREY spray paint it and pick out the letters in YELLOW and fix it in front of the letters TDM. This will allow me to quickly remove it if I want to change back to TDM operation. This new sign has gone together so quickly that I'll make up another named WRD as the basic layout will stand operating as Freight or as a TDM or as a WRD. 3 different operating scenarios from the 1 layout.

First thoughts on updating work to be done........... Name will change: To Portobello Road Freight to feed my wagon/shunt interest. Add a 2nd lane to fiddle yard. Change crane and TDM workshop position end for end. Change TDM workshop into a Factory. Work on a shunting sequence listing, random or specified. to be continued............

Exciting times down Drewe Tor Sidings G. You mention the "drop stop" for the Peco point work frog area. They do work well and with a little black marker pen on them are disappeared. Looking forward to your next report. Best

Thanks Ron I have that information manual but what I was hoping for was a list of locos that I could step one at a time through. The way the manual describes it is it says I have to input the loco number and if it is stored it will list it if not i have to add its name. Best

Is it possible to list all the loco numbers. Can I step one at a time. Best

I recently purchased an 0 gauge layout some 8ft long and it is lit by tape strip leds from a 12volt dc supply. I must say the light they give off surprised me and it is very even, I've put a link in but there are plenty of other suppliers. [https://www.ultraleds.co.uk/led-strip-lights.html] Best

Thanks CME I do have a way the doc said to try which does work for me if my disc has slipped mainly backwards. Basically I lay on the floor and put my feet on my wife's thighs while she walks towards me. This stretches my spine and rolls my spine up allowing any disc to be moved back into line. There's a bit more to it but that's how it works. I'm ok as long as I don't stress it or move too quickly normally resting it allows it to settle and become ok again. Best

Hello Ernie I agree with your comments particularly on the nuts not being locking ones. I intend to add a dab of Evo stick or silicone glue to stop nut spin off. The Trestles definitely allow for a speedy "play time" to be set up. The top ply board I used was one from another layout I was building so helping the world to be greener by recycling it. 🤪 Thanks for commenting.

As promised I have removed the part built layout boards that was to be King Street and replaced them with 3 x 42inch high trestles with a support board of 9mm ply over it like this. I then placed Portobello Road on top and plugged it all in and gave power on Then all the Led strip lighting lit the layout up very well, see. Finally a general view showing the fowler sitting under the footbridge. Still one or two dirty track spots to clean up tomorrow and give the loco wheels a rub too but so far so good.

Interesting times down at WKT Rod and my how good does your track look now. Staying on theme with what Hroth is saying I see you be making some six - frog soup soon. Best

Well done WRT for being brave and first time effort with an air brush. We all can learn weathering techniques with you. Best

Yipppeee You/re getting nearer, can you find one in Worcestershire?

Spent the afternoon assembling 3 x ht adjustable trestles purchased from B&Q. Probably the reason they were at a good price but it was a little awkward to manage holding while inserting bolts then adding their nuts trying to keep it all together. Tomorrows task is to make some space in the shed for the part-build layout and place Portobello in a more permanent place on top of the raised trestles at about 44inches high. That may require tweaking so that not only will it look better to view but can I work on the layout at that height not sure? 2nd task will be to power up the Led strip tape lighting for the layout, it is all fitted just needs 12Vdc applying. Play time is nearly here...............

Have a great show Steve I'm sure it will be much appreciated, with standing room only in front of your display. I'll look out for a video showing some shunt moves on the day, roll on February 2022. Best

Well this afternoon I plugged in my Sig-na Trak DCC controller, placed my Fowler on track and fired it up. I selected a suitable long route the ground signals greened on and with a toot off we trundled at a slow shunt. I'll give all the track a going over tomorrow to make it bright and shiny and set about bringing the led strips into play but so far all good. Best

That's looking fantastic Rod, can't wait to see a video of a working period showing some locos running through it. Best

A little more on the origins of this layout. >>> Portobello Road Tmd [Layout name may change] O Gauge, 7mm Scale Under new ownership but superbly built originally by Paul Challenor. Portobello Road is A Fictional BR Blue Era Layout. 1980s. The Layout is Built Set to A Scale of 7mm Or O Gauge, Controlled by Sig-na Trak DCC, with 2 x locomotives in Sound so far. Locos Are a Fowler by Ixion and a kit built JLTRT 20. The Layout Measures 8ft 7ins x 18 the Track is Peco, With Hand Built Points, Operated Manually Using Push Rod from the Front and Back Using the Blue Point Switching Gear. The Brick Arches Buildings Are Skytrex (Modified) Along With Scratch Built Engine Shed That Has Been Scaled Up from the Bachmann OO Single Track Diesel Locomotive Servicing Shed Along With the Heavy Lift Crane Scaled Up from the OO Ratio Kit. Vehicles Are from the Oxford Range, Once Again Weathered. The Lighting For the Layout is A Strip of Leds For Its Illumination. The future 1/ To replace the single road fiddle yard with a cassette system. 2/ Extend the line up to 10ft yet to be decided how much to each end or just one end maybe. I think the middle line left hand end would benefit from some extra length and wouldn't be too disruptive to make happen. I'm thinking that line will be better if it was a head shunt and a little longer to hold some more wagons. 3/ I like Ian's suggestion of a WRD to allow for more wagons on show [thanks Ian] but I need to check what loads that would take maybe paint, steel, wood, chemicals, fuel ummmmn....... 4/ Could I fit a run around loop in? 5/ Maybe a name change? All these ideas trigger other ideas but the layout is finished to a very high standard and I don't want to muck it up with too much altering so for now it'll be just the cassette and play trains. At least the shorter line ends will mean more shunting moves to move all the necessary wagons to the right places which will be fun. PJ10 asked if I was going to start a new thread? I'm not sure just yet as I'd like to keep the original thread but maybe include a sticky or first page menu of what's where, dunno, still thinking about it. Real life matters needed my attention today but I did get to confirm the wiring so the loco driving will now be happening tomorrow once I connect my DCC controller and a 12 Vdc PS to the layout. Best Edit: I forgot to thank Andy he of many builds and sales of layouts for his help with my decision making process for Portobello Road, Thanks Andy.