PeterBB

Hi Guys, Great news from Jock. Andy, Mickey and Trisonic have commented on CO2 fire extinguisher use. They are correct. If you hold the horn while in use then in no time at all you will become stuck to it and have a really bad burn - the gas gushes out very quickly as soon as you press the button. Treatment for a burn ... hold under running cold tap water for a minimum of 10 minutes or until the pain goes- whichever is the longer time. Hopefully it would not be 'bad enough' to need hospital treatment. Your comment on Swad Lane - probably a good idea, however, it needs a fiddle yard - will look into it. Deesdale Road will be at Stafford in January but still needs more work on it. Cheers, Peter

Hi Mike, Thought I'd like to see Andy's comment and found some great pictures of an oft mentioned layout's progress. Especially pleased and encouraged to see the wire fencing and the propped-up walls - I had made up something similar to the former and thanks to your pictures will now be more willing to employ them. Cheers, PeterBB

Hi Andy, Considering Ray H's last suggestion re 'having a play on a completed layout (above)' - Swad Lane is close by and Deesdale Road is not far away (obviously only on the basis that you just might need to get yourself 'up to steam' in running)- Deesdale Road incidentally will now allow steam locomotives under the bridge at the diesel fuelling end. Re: Duncan's note on powder extinguishers ... he's absolutely right, they make a complete and utter mess of everything - especially electrical stuff which is totally ruined. CO2 takes the oxygen away and the flame goes out. Look forward to seeing you on Tuesday if not before. Cheers, P

I have a couple of days work and have to jump pages on return and boy has the potting shed come on. Its also been great to begin to see the 'old' Andy returning and giving advice to the G&W OO team. I read about 'clouds' above somewhere (no pun intended) - incidentally my artist has gained commissions on cloud painting since posting mine on (ssh FB) - and think yours would be great done why you can still reach the back and to avoid spray paint on the forthcoming layout. The trees etc. that you paint so well can be added later once the rest of the track and scenery is in place. As a former resident of Gloucestershire I also can confirm that the sun shines well so a nice blue sky with the odd white cumuli would look great. The spray booth ... you do not like spiders etc. crawling all over your layout and have 'sealed' the holes so perhaps you need a two-function extractor fan ...Function 1 to get rid of the solvent so that you are not overcome by the fumes and Function 2 to extract the 'creepy crawlies' that come in when you open the 'bank vault' door. Cheers, P

Hi Andy, I thought you had your eyesight back ... it is a 308SW! ... the rest is good with more than twice the MPG of the former 407! Peter

Well guys, from personal experience I can now confirm that the 'potting shed' is warm and cosy inside. Thinking on, what with superb insulation, sound-proofed walls; electricity about to go in; 'green' water availability; the solid full length base(bed)boards and the kitchen units that Andy is about to fit ... I think that what he is really planning to do is to rent it out- after all he is adding a 'bit on' here and a 'bit on' there all the time! Cheers, P

Andy, Great to see the pictures - pity I could not make it Saturday but look forward to seeing it soon. I think the good folks ought to know that not only are you sorting out the 'potting shed' for Bitton but that you also put in a very valuable stint (don't worry guys we won't let him do too much too soon) at the Gresley and Wychnor MRG club on the evening of the18th ... thankfully we cannot keep you away. Cheers Peter

I've had the 'Bitton Bug' i.e. hours of very informative reading. Hope you lads enjoy Coventry on the 13th ... I will miss you because I am at work so will have to go on 14th! Like the plan and will eagerly watch it grow. With Bitton coming on-line will someone be Dee-lighted to get you out from under her feet? Cheers, PeterBB

Andy, Thought I'd start at page 9 thinking with that date that I was near the end ... two hours plus later I have read a lot; been triggered of some past places and totally overwhelmed with all the knowledge that is found among rmweb guys. Truly it is a mine of information. For me, bring local, I will be keenly interested in seeing it develop in your potting shed as the means of getting my head around, possibly, some of it. Going back to the earlier comments on buildings Trevor Toon's details are something. In conclusion I am sure that you have not 'Bitton off' more than you can chew! Cheers, Peter BB

Hi Guys, Swad Lane stored safely for now. Work and annual leave are interfering with time ... and with all the advice I have read I do not want to rush it. On a previous comment about an oily dirty floor ... it is quite obvious that in this shed the boss told them to clear everything up before they could go home or, 'clear up as you go', and probably worked in catering before he took this job! Andy has overdone things a bit in terms of the bungalow and needs a bit of a rest but, as many of you have pointed out, he is a mine of information, ideas, tricks of the trade and has consummate skills. He is therefore very frustrated at the moment. In terms of the future for Swad Lane I hope that it will visit exhibitions as it is worth it. On an important point I have promised Andy that if he feels able and has the space then ownership can revert back to him ... as has happened to other layouts that have passed from him to me and back again. I hope that he will be fit and able ASAP and wish him well. Cheers, Peter BB

Thanks George. Have also had to remove Deesdale Road's top scenery from the exit to the fuel depot - the shops and bus stop with people - because we have a point problem there too. Am trying to remake this 'shop top' as a detachable without it smashing the bus stop and the people every time we pack it. The original was difficult to remove because it was glued down. The point itself looks like a short third radius 'Y' and seems to have some wear so its replacement may need a wee bit of track management (long word for re-lay some track!). On the club 4mm layout it looks like the village is the next focus - it will be interesting to see how it goes without Andy's guidance at that end ... Cheers, Peter BB

Andy, Like the idea of detachable and also transferable? but give it time ... once I can walk properly I will, hopefully, start to run and then ... meanwhile let's just make it work properly! Cheers, Peter BB

Andy, Some nice stock and an awful person picture! Looking at the stock now it pre-dates the 'fashion change' to weathering. Deesdale looks slightly different from those days now ... the '66' problem has led to a recent point change; it has station lights and will, by Loughborough, have some points operated by Seep motors rather than welding wire. Hope the move goes well because we need your models 'on the circuit' Cheers, Peter BB

Andy, I have seen other work by Trevor and Ashley Toon - its great. Your own 'additions' make them exceptional! George T mentions 'the gang' that operates Andy's models at exhibitions and as one of the privileged I can tell everybody that it is fun and GR was one of the best (apart of course from Deesdale Road(? biased) which will be at Loughborough and Stafford) to operate. To me fun is the name of the game and long may it continue. Looking forward to seeing Swad Lane in its new guise. Also thanks for your advice on Rothleigh tonight. Cheers, Peter BB

Hi Nick, I am 'having fun' with scenic creation at Gresley and Wychnor 4mm. Andy P told me to look up Wormdale. I worked through from page 1 ... retirement at present is something I can't quite get my head around because I enjoy what I do but it needs to be actively considered and what follows in my missive may well have bearing on that. Andy P said your scenic skills would 'blow my mind' He is right! The patience required to make those walls ... well, also needs patience from the 'management'. After our next Open Weekend (20th and 21st April) we will think of the quarry end(?) and Andy says he wants that standard ... I'll try. Great pictures of great scenic work I will look-up Wormdale in future weeks. Cheers, Peter BB

Hi Guys, Looking forward to Loughborough on June 20th long weekend. Pleased with the write-up in Model Rail CHeers, Peter BB

Hi Guys, At last managed to get back on. Well, time flies and belated thanks to John Mansfield especially who spent many hours with me modifying and making Deesdale work properly. This meant that at the Brewery Museum in Burton 0n 3rd November 2013 and with David M and John M as working partners we had a fantastic day with no running problems. The new station lights looked great when on but intermittently turned themselves off - need to look at the 6v transformer overheating. Thanks to to Jeff and co at Burton for the facilities. There are ideas in mind to make further modifications for the 2014 season… Cheers, Peter BB

Hi Guys, Andy, thanks for the pictures - they show it off well. Also thanks to Geoff, Chris and John who each gave me a breather to get sustenance and make the weekend so enjoyable. Cheers, Peter

Hi Guys, Late in reply - my usual access problems - memory for numerous passwords poor! Andy's Deesdale Road with a few minor alterations had its first outing 'under new management' at Ruddington on 3rd/4th August 2013. A baptism of fire having always been with Andy's great layouts and leaving the worrying to him. Peter Blount and colleagues were a great help on the Friday when I arrived to set up - it took me ages - much longer than 'we' used to take but it was worth it because it meant that I knew what everything was and where it was which proved very useful over the weekend when the odd problem arose. At close down Andy and Mike offered to help but they had had a hectic weekend and I needed to complete the 'full' works to include packing. Good experience to get to know the scene and very pleased that Andy passed Deesdale on to me. In running terms I was very pleased with the performance and with the appreciation shown and with one or two modifications - issues for steam and class 66 locos which have an amazingly small tolerance to any slight misalignment - looking forward to running at Burton on 3rd November 2013. The future ... well hopefully will be able to take up a future invitation that was given. Cheers, Peter

Hi George, Found you as well ... might just be getting the hang of this computer stuff! As mentioned elsewhere I think the station and signal box are fantastic ... just trying to think of the bits of Deesdale - apart from its birth that came via George T! ... and yes, inspiration has come that super filling station. Great to meet you again at Stafford and will look forward to pictures of your Abbey Mead. Cheers Peter BB

Hi George, The station and signal box are both fantastic pieces of work. Cheers, Peter BB

Andy, I thought the photographs of Trebudoc made the station look good but the real thing looks absolutely fantastic and the recently added lights really show it up beautifully in the dark. Cheers, PeterBB

Hi Andy, Thanks for getting me back into the site and advertising Deesdale's future ... Looking forward to Tuesday's session at G&W. Actually went into the garage this morning but without the 'protection' of a closed door - not possible when currently trying to work - it was soon a lost venture - too cold by far... can't wait to get the 'proper door' sorted so that I can get on. Trebudoc - the photographs made the station look good but the real thing looks absolutely fantastic and the recently added lights really show it up beautifully in the dark. Cheers, PeterBB

Hi Guys, I have lost the previous 4 attempts at replying so this time I will just say a big thank you to Andy for Deesdale, the latest published pictures, and remind him that his loss is indeed my gain but that he can have access whenever because it is still local. Thanks to Steve and his team at Butterley and great to see George T again. Hopefully this time I will be able to post ... cheers, Peter BB

Andrew, agreed that a roundy roundy would be good but looking at the kit that others bring in we will need to use two cars + to transport but timing roundy roundy with shunting will make things really interesting! Cheers, PeterBB