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Thanks Paul A very informative answer an by the way I like the idea of the wire brush

Paul Can you explain what you done to get to this point please. Jim

Thanks for the witty story Pete.... The abbreviation of DCC must be ..... Doesn't Condemn Cats Jim

I thought I had trouble operating a railway with the neighbour's blossom all over the lines..... Then I turn around to find this on the rails........................... It did eventually move ..... without the persuasion of a loco Jim

Rich Thanks for the assistance I will have ago on the next video and hopefully produce the same result ....... Ray Maybe all the diesel's were having a breather !!!!!! Jim

I have finally made a short video of the layout and I hope you enjoy it https://youtu.be/kyf7HhAv9bk Can someone tell me how I can actually get the video shown on my blog rather than having a link? Jim

I forgot to add this piccy of the layout this morning .....And you thought Network Rail had an issue with leaves Jim

Thanks Jeff......It is one of my favorites along with the other two 40's Jim

Rich It was a great morning spent operating the layout rather than building, installing etc and it gave us a few ideas on how a future timetable will operate with all the loco's & stock. The 47 was the first Heljan loco that I purchased when I started getting into O gauge, it was already painted in this livery and she does look the bees knees. Jim

A glorious sunny day in Milton Keynes so after a fettle with the track it was time to have a running session with my colleague, Ray who brought some of his stock to have a run. So here are a few pictures of today's running session. 47583 on a mixed freight D3043 Shunting 40099 shunting the oil wagons 6428 Steam assisting with the shunting A busy station and yard 47583 passing 40099 on the oil train It was a good few hours spent with all working well except for a point failure on one of the tortoise motors but this was rectified by re-addressing it and all was well. Jim

Lee Adventurous... Class 20's in Railfreight Livery .....oooooooo can't wait !!!!!! Or is this something for the weekend...Sir Jim

Afternoon All It's been a productive weekend watching sport on the tv and occasionally getting on with the installation of signals in the garden area and making sure all is working with the control panels, a few minor hiccups but nothing too bad so I have left that to my electrics guru, Ray to remedy. Last week I received 3 easybuild BG's from another RM webber in a swap deal and I have to say they look very good running around the layout behind a Class 40, thanks Steve... So all we need now is for the sun to come out so we can enjoy the fruits of our labour... Jim

Martyn I have used some glue to stick the plasticard to the formex and I have found that the weather has slightly affected it, mainly the frost.... You will see it in the platform pictures (post 56) with the Class 40, it seems to bobble but I will get to the bottom of it at some stage so it might need rebuilding..... The glue that I use is usually "UHU Power" but B&M sell a similar glue in a black tube and this is a very strong glue and trust me it does stick..... I hope this helps..... but if there is anyone that can resolved my issue ....PLEASE HELP Jim

Good Afternoon Martyn I am pleased you're enjoying the thread as much as I enjoy writing the updates..... Most of the structures that I build I use 2mm, 3mm or 5mm foamex boards as they stand up to the elements of our weather. You can purchase these off of Ebay at a reasonable price and if you use the end of a modellers paint brush use can actually score the plastic like I have done to represent platform edging etc... Jim

The Weather had finally arrived so it was time to spend some of it in the garden running the railway rather than building railway structures. So out with the track rubber and hoover to clean the track and then get a collection of rolling stock put it all together and now you have a few hours of pleasure..... Here are a few pictures of the stock basking in the sun And lastly we managed to get the signal built and wired up for the garden station area.... If I get chance I will upload a video of the railway.... Jim

Evening Yesterday & today have been quite a productive two days working out and about in the garden area of the layout...... One of the signals that my colleague Ray had built is up and running and works very well, I love the subsidiary shunt on it. The signal box that I purchased months ago has been "cut & shut" and made to fit where I want it, it now has a lever frame, signaller & lighting placed in it So after having set everything up to make sure it was working it was time to play with the new Dapol 08 shunter and some of the coaching stock that I am currently building, which I have to admit that I am enjoying putting together. Lastly, a quick visit to my local DIY store and I found this..... This would look good somewhere in the garden with some plants in. Jim

Morning Doesn't time fly by, I've just noticed that 5 weeks has past since updating my thread...... The good news now is we are in BST so more time will be spent in the garden as the evening draw out, lets hope for some fine summer weather Well the station in the garage area is well underway and in situ so I decided to build a modern'ish booking office building, well late 1960's to adorn the platform. Whilst my colleague, Ray had his soldering iron out I thought I would keep him occupied and got him to start on the colour light signals that we are going to have outside. So far I have got him to make 5 and then he went one step further and started making the heads out of plastic card (I'm sure he's been watching re-runs of Blue Peter Well that's the station area very much underway and I have had a quote from the signalling making guru (Jon Fitness) to build me a signal for the station area as I want to keep the garage area as semaphore's ....... As I said earlier, Ray started making the colour lights for outside whilst I decided to attempt a bracket signal for the goods loop, my first effort didn't last to long as I believed the local tom cat started using it as a scratching post!!!!!! So I built a stronger one and as of yet the cat has left it alone but I have been keeping an eye on it at all times of the day So today will be spent with Ray fitting the Merg servo holders that operate the points,,,,, Thanks for dropping in...... Jim

Good Evening All Well had a pretty busy weekend, I started to get the platforms sorted on the station on the garden extension but my mind was to carry on working on the platform in the garage area..... Well after sorting the final board out and relocating some railway furniture out I started to get lower structure in place .... well some of it anyway.. Here's how far I have got so some more work to be done in the evenings I will hopefully have the base finished this week and then start on the tops of the platforms.... Jim

Ray Could you not paint variable colours on the side of the wagons, that way you will not have an issue with having to replace these fiddly little critters when they become detached. Jim

Iain I have so missed this thread but more importantly I'm glad you're on the road to recovery...... Looking forward to new updates. Jim

A few more pictures that I should have added yesterday

Well the weather hasn't been that brilliant over the last couple of weekends so I've stayed indoors building some coaching stock that were supplied by easy build in readiness for the next running session..... I have now completed the goods platform and placed some furniture on it, all that's needed is some people to finish it off, maybe some track workers as well. The garage part of the layout has started to be modified so instead of a running line passing the depot I have opted for the track to be realigned and I will have a platform here with a bay road to make it a little bit more interesting.... Hopefully some more pictures over the weekend Jim

One idea..... How about cutting one or two of the planks away from the posts and have some workmen repairing the fence..... That way you can see the wagon ID's and it has another dimension of platform furniture / workers. Just a thought....... Jim

Rich No.... this area is just a few sidings where I can store some wagons and it also gives an opportunity for another operator to get involved and work the area. The extension is mainly completed now but I will put pictures up as I go along. All that is left to really do is build and place signals, station and buildings on or about the layout. Roll on the warm weather......

Rich Good Evening Sir.... I have to admit ... any kit building in this gauge is extremely daunting and if it weren't for RM webbers like Brian Daniels, HealyMills, Vin and loads of other great modellers we would all still be in the dark and possibly never tackle these kits.... These modellers show us just what can be achieved with a little patience. Someone on this site actually said, ' learning is doing' and that is the way I go now..... if you have genuinely messed it up a lot of companies now will replace the part(s) free of charge, which now gives me an added incentive to have a go. Anyway if you are going to tackle the 37 then I will dig mine out and give it top priority to get the build done, how about it? Just a few more pictures of Ayr Road extension.....