bodmin16

This one?

I have a habit of keeping magazine giveaways along with articles of particular interest, I will have a look through the many folders at the weekend and if I have it I can post to you if you wish. Post script - I have just found the full article and also a low relief railway works, I have no use for either so I will get a suitable envelope tomorrow and send over to you in the post.

Have just come across this topic, having just visited Rocks by Rail earlier this week and become totally fascinated. I know very little about the ironstone extraction and the associated railway infrastructure, being a "southerner"! Can you recommend any suitable reading, with plenty of pictures Keep up the good work and look forward to seeing more.

Thank you, I did wonder. I was a little confused and the RBR website appears out of date but I could find no record of 207103 when I searched.

Hopefully this link should work okay, it's at the Rutland Iron Ore museum. Unfortunately there was nothing running today, but I will have to return at some point to see some action! I found the place utterly fascinating. https://www.rocks-by-rail.org/exhibit/rh-411319-army-110/

@brightspark I came across this today, I believe it is ex military rather than a dairy workhorse!

That's quite a choice of structures, do you want to keep the micro small in all directions or will you be happy with the additional height of the Walthers models? For my micro I put a back board on for back scene and then after a couple of months playing and pondering took 3 or 4 inches off to lower it. The net result is that I can just about get the whole layout in my Tigra with the top down should I ever want or need to do so. The two boards are joined face to face by pieces of ply on either end and the fiddle sticks easily fit behind the seats in the car itself. With the top up the boot is positively cavernous so no issues in that respect, and as for the Mazda, I don't think I have ever seen a sallon with such a cavernous boot, I think Swaynton would fit in there! Anyway I digress, my personal choice is height is not an issue would be the Walthers option or if I wanted a more rural feel then something smaller. I like the gate, that is a great idea for the end of the scene. The crossing gates on Cliddesden are of Peco origin IIRC, to which I fitted some mesh and then hinged them for operation with servos - that was a real labour of love.

Those pictures are amazing, like me I bet you notice a difference how you feel, not only does I recover from exercise quicker but my balance has improved, I can stand on one leg now! Have you tried to pick something up that is about the same weight as your loss? Or even load a suitcase up with 20 odd kilos which is normally accepted on long haul flights, then carry it upstairs a few times - you used to carry that around with you all the time!

Noooooooo! As a huge M7 fan this post is far too painful for me! Seriously though well not too serious as it doesn't pay to be too serious in this hobby of ours. Whilst this sort of modelling isn't really my cup of tea, I do love to see it and just how imaginative people can be. I still have a Dapol pug which is a pseudo industrial - can't remember where the chassis came from, and I "hobbled" together various things in the 70's which was the norm back then and whilst my current modelling is not as imaginative as it was, this taught me a load of skills which I still use today both in kit building and modifying/detailing r.t.r. As a teenager I had a number of Airfix Battle of Britain's on a whole plethora of chassis, not forgetting a Lima 4f that I bodged into a Q in n. This of course was even out of scale against other n gauge models. I would probably be excommunicated these days by the rivet counters and purists, come to think of it they would probably still excommunicated even for my current efforts.

I have had the misfortune to have to use the amazing services urgently recently, including paramedics having to come to my home, followed by a visit to A&E. They are the consumate professionals, polite, caring and compassionate despite the difficult times they have endured. I tip my hat to every one of them and I will buy them drink or lunch any time!

Testing 123

http://Test Valley Sidings https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/166441-test-valley-sidings/ Corner of Expo EM for micro layouts?

A few more pictures, the railway cottages were previously seen as just a bare structure, on Cliddesden. The timber hut was a giveaway with one of the model magazines, I modified it by putting the corrugated roof on , using silver foil shaped on the ridges of a marmite jar lid. I figured that the roof is too shallow for tiles as per the original model. The brick built hut was another magazine giveaway, and the black motor behind is Bec kit picked up at a bargain price on a certain auction site. The loco is under going identity change from Southern to BR, hence the patchwork look. The 4th image is the "control panel". Finally a view along the layout, the tree is from the Gravett school of tree modeling at Pendon and the brake van is another of those bargains. It is a converted Hornby model. I really must stop buying stuff. Like many I have drawers and boxes full of kits and stock for building or conversion to EM. I must confess I am fascinated, maybe even addicted to wagons and love building them. Thanks for looking.

A couple of quick posts to show a bit more of Tes Valley Sidings, doing so because I don't know how to compress images on my new tablet! This first is an aerial view (hopefully). There are also 2 fiddle planks , 1 for each end, which are not currently fitted. The stock in view is all wip, including the chassis for a G6 and a Q, both of which I am trying to fit pick ups to. I am not having much success and I think I need to rethink my original fitments.

Hi everyone, Following inspiration of @brightspark's topic about his new dairy micro inglenook layout (sorry I don't know how to tag the specific topic here, I am a real heathen and technophobe), I thought I would start a thread about my own EM gauge micro Test Valley Sidings. It has been mentioned before on RMweb under my Cliddesden thread (link below) so I will try not to repeat myself too much suffice to say that Test Valley Sidings is little more than a test track not just for locos and stock but for modelling techniques too. I have called it Test Valley Sidings based on the fact that it is a glorified test track and I have located this fictional yard in the very real Test Valley in my home county of Hampshire. The layout is really just a bodge and recycle of ideas and equipment with the sole turnout literally being hacked from a redundant test track and transplanted into this layout, there is nothing clever about the technology used with the turnout operated by wire from a sliding switch to switch frog polarity, a single switch for electromagnet for the only uncoupling magnet and a switch to change traction control between the "main line" and the sidings. Here are a couple of pics to whet the appetite but I will take some more up to date pictures over the weekend and give more background to what I have done so far, over the coming weeks.

Hi Andy, It's been a while since we spoke, how are you doing? I like this thread, my kind of layout (I like micros), you may have seen from my Cliddesden thread that layout has been packed away since having a lot of building work done around the house, so to keep myself occupied I have been building a micro. This just has one turnout and a running line to the rear, it's just a glorified test track really, and certainly not to your high standard of modelling. Think you may have inspired me to post more, maybe even it's own dedicated thread?

Hi Ian, This is not Jim, I'm sure he will reply and probably agree. I apologise for jumping in here, but from my perspective everything is easier and not just breathing. I recover from any form of exertion quicker and I am more flexible. I used to have to sit down to put socks on and tie my shoes, now I can stand on one leg while putting socks on, so balance is better too. Take care and good luck. Alan

Hi everybody, Hope you're all well. I have been thinking about Cliddesden quite a bit recently and also been reading about others who have lost interest and stored thier projects, or even scrapped them. Cliddesden is still boxed up, since it was put away for the building work on the hous a couple of years ago. I have on more than one occasion thought about replacing it with another project, however in recent weeks I have thought about restarting work on it with a few changes. I think my renewed interest is probably due to making good progress on the micro, Test Valley Sidings. It will be a while before I play with Cliddesden but the thought is there. Meanwhile the micro has enabled me to concentrate on finishing a few unfinished projects like wagons etc and not buying more from ebay means that it is easier to focus. So if anybody is still with me here, here are a few recent pictures, which are even now outdated. For the record, building a micro has been great and I can recommend to anybody start a small project to get the mojo going again.

Well done, ( little) big Jim. It's a great feeling when the weight comes off, especially if you've had a bit a blow out, I love the feeling of achievement. Just read some of your posts and only just realised that you have an e-bike, can I ask how you find it? My wife has been considering one recently, BTW don't let anybody tell you that it is lazy cycling. It is great exercise and more exercise than driving. Secondly I was told to always make sure that rest days are taken and not to over exercise, I don't know your routine or you have been advised re exercise, but you may want to check just in case.

There are times when I feel bloated and then surprised by actually found I have lost weight, it's amazing how your body, and how you feel, changes. This isn't always the case and sometimes a lb or 2 goes back on, but as long as this doesn't continue I don't think let it get me down and I remind myself that I am closer my target weight than when I started. With regard to bikes, I could never work out what the fuss was about until I upgraded from my old worn out upright, now I have 3 bikes, each one for something different. Unfortunately bikes can be like model railways, you can always find an excuse for more. I have to remind myself that 3 is quite enough and I shouldn't emulate one of my work colleagues who has 9! Goodness only knows why. Well done on the progress and keep up the good work.

I am really enjoying this thread and thanks to every body for posting. I am finding it inspiring and very interesting. As per my previous post I changed my eating habits and exercise regime about 7 years ago, and I did so because I was showing the classic signs of diabetes. However after much prodding, poking and investigating it was established that I do in fact have diabetes insipidus which is some what different to Type 1 and Type 2 and I feel lucky to have dodged that bullet. Diabetes is extremely rare apparently and when I went for my Covid jab the nurse administering it was very interested and had never met any body who had it. Whilst it does affect my life and well being, and is controlled by medication it is thankfully does not impact on my life quite as much as sugar diabetes, hence counting my blessings and feeling for those that do suffer with sugar diabetes. Just to illustrate the two pictures show my conversion from broad to standard gauge thanks to a healthier diet and lifestyle. Oh and I feel amazing!

Don't look too often hereabouts these days and contribute even less unless it is something that really grabs my attention and this topic certainly has. Well done to (not so big) Big Jim and everybody else on here doing the same, on your weight loss, I applaud you. I know how you feel as I was tipping in around the 20 stone mark some 6 years ago and decided to do something about my general well being for a whole number of reasons including health and weight. It's a long story which I won't go into here but am more than happy to share if anybody is interested. I am now tipping the scales some 6 stone lighter, I go to Slimming World (other diet groups are available), eat some amazing food and cycling for me is third only to my wife and in second place anything railway related. A change of diet (it is a change of diet for me and not being on a diet) does get easier and I seem to eat huge amounts of food, although of course it is the right sort of food. Yes I still enjoy a beer and pizza once in a while. Before I started everything was such hard work, now I am so much fitter both physically and mentally. For the record I am 58 years old, just over 6ft tall, far more active than I have ever been and am not going back to where I was! WELL DONE again, on the conversion from broad gauge to standard gauge, Hastings loading gauge or narrow gauge version on the way? Keep up the great work and if I can give any advise or tips then please give me a shout! Just think where you will be after another 3 months of this! BTW for me keeping the weight off is easier than loosing it.

Medstead and Four Marks definitely my favourite, especially when it's not a gala weekend and there are no crowds, like you it's a stopping off point on my cycle trips.