Les1952

The high level round the back is taking shape rapidly. The Redutex for the stone walling arrived. I'm a little less than exstatic about it as the colour I wanted is a little too regular in its stone size. Although it is 1:87 the stones still seem on the small side, and it is a bit of a menace to get level- more imperfections to disguise... Having the road down to the bottom level from the middle may be storing up scenic issues for later, but... Wall now Redutex-ed through to the Donaueschingen end. Next here is to build the frame for the bank- I'm using coffee stirrers and sprues from laser-cut card kits- flat and lightweight. A close up of the pedestrian/trackway bridge at the Furtwangen end. Sourced from eBay it is actually intended for OO9 layouts, but it is about the size I want. Lots of second-user stuff coming, which should see the loco and railcar stock as good as it needs to be. Maybe another railcar as a spare in the future, and definitely a few more vans due but the trains are now just about sorted. Decoder fitting is another matter- I have a baglog to tackle. Arrivals will be photographed as they are readied for the layout. Les

Even a wide-cab can be set up with the cab as the rear and the seats and controls facing the long end... I'm not convinced that any of them have been.... Main line electrics have a 1 near one cab and a 2 near the other. Les

Diesels and electrics (at least on the prototype) have an external 1 or 2 to tell the driver which end is which. American diesels all have a letter F on one end of the frame. F stands for FRONT. Identical diesels were often set up by different railroads to run long end first rather than the more usual short end first, even after the noses were cut down for improved visibility. Hence the need to know which end of any particular loco was set up as the front with the driver's position and controls facing towards it. I tend to place all of my diesels on Bregstadt with no.1 end facing the same way, and program this as the front of the loco. On Bregenbach the front of an electric loco faces away from its train- two of the trains are push-pull. My railcar has the first-class end set up as the front as you can see which end it is when standing in the fiddle yard. On Croft Spa the diesels were all set up so that forwards was away from the train, and multiple units were placed on the track so they normally ran forwards- but Croft Spa is a roundy-roundy. On my shunting plank NO PLACE none of the locos are big enough (the largest diesel is an 08) so the cab is set up as the back to be like the steamers. Others will do things differently. Some use the end with the fan as the front. Les

With an N-gauge fleet that peaked at 16 A4s and 21 A3s, I'm with you on the differences between the two. Then again I'm one of those heretics that prefers them with double chimneys and blinkers. Now all we need is for Hornby to release one with blinkers and a GN tender. Anyone for 60045 Lemberg? Les who would also settle for a double-chimney A4 with a non-corridoor tender (like the one behind Scotsman in BR days-) 60019 Bittern or 60034 Lord Faringdon post its tender swap with Scotsman, perhaps?

I mentioned the A3 running backwards in an email to Hornby Service, and also told them about the lack of adequate packaging in the box. They agreed with my suggestion that it was either the leads to the motor crossed or a rogue motor with the magnet installed the wrong way round. Either way they agreed that as it runs well to leave it and let the decoder sort it out. They were more concerned that it had rattled about in its box from the warehouse to being delivered, and were going to take up inadequate packaging with the warehouse- mine arrived intact but they thought others packed as sloppily wouldn't. Les

The fun begins when my Pacifics run the opposite way on DC to my Piko shunter.. Les I've now checked it again and it runs the opposite way to William Whitelaw and my 08... Not an issue once it gets a decoder inside it.

OO, N and Piko TT.....

Looking at the 212 it is clearly much smaller than the 290. East German 110 in the background, A view showing a bit more of the concrete apron. The front will be bedded in and suitable fencing put round it. A day later and the concrete has been painted with Tamiya acrylic "concrete" paint - aka deck tan. Pictures of the developments rtound the outside to follow. All for now. Les

My Trigo appeared this afternoon. Runs nicely- just one check- On the test track it goes the opposite way to the way I turn the control knob- all other makes go the same way. Fetching Blink Bonny out of the showcase this does the same. I'd not noticed this before as BB was decoder fitted as soon as I'd checked it worked and run-in on DCC, as was William Whitelaw (which I can't check now as it still has its decoder, BB lost its decoder as it is a permanent showcase queen) Are all Hornby's Pacifics like this? Not that it matters because when my Dapol Imperiums appear in the next day or two it will be DCC fitted and run-in DCC, though it might explain why BB's decoder had to be told the chimney was at what it thought was the back of the loco.... There was an issue with the packaging, however. The shipping warehouse is going back to their old ways, with an inch of air between the inner and outer boxes. I thought someone had finally persuaded them that unpressurised air isn't an absorbent material when it comes to bumps. Les

Another "new" purchase, a Class 212 by Modist. Secondhand. New enough to have a 6-pin interface hiding in the fuel tank, but old enough to have a battle scar in ths shape of a broken handrail I hadn't noticed until uploading these two pics... On the building front the high level in front of the backscene is going in. The Donaueschingen end, showing how dark the tunnel mouth is. Also shows the main area of the hardstanding- still a couple of adjustments to make here. The roadway gradient over the tunnel mouth is still a bit of a disaster area but will improve when I've worked out what I need to do to it. The Furtwangen end. the block of flats is almost in its final position, but needs to be bedded in. I've now ordered the engine shed, a single track one with a water tower at the end. Not that common to the West of Germany, but sufficiently rural to be reasonably acceptable. I'm looking at a rather nice 3D printed footway (or small tramway) overbridge designed for OO9 modellers. Set onto small risers either size it looks to be a suitable footpath bridge to disguise the exit at this end, helped by enough random trees. Lastly, a pic from early on that escaped the blog. The Roco BR38 seen early on. This features in a video near the start of the blog but up to now no pic of it. Definitely a Plandampf loco for the passenger trains, though it will share workings with the 86, 94 and the Arnold 2-10-0. I don't need any more steam (though there is still a Hornby A3 to come at some stage....) Les

A couple of pics of the grotty bits which the punter doesn't normally see. As the train leaves the scenic section after crossing the viaduct it passes through the backscene and turns very sharp right. Note in this pic the overhead disappearing skywards quickly so the pantograph is waving around in the air on the sharp bend. The backscene itself is the bare wood on the left with the false scene on the right. The curve here is radius 4 up to the mast- trains can be seen. At the mast it sharpens to radius 2 for one length and then to Radius 1, and it picks up the gradient down, though only at about 1 in 100 while out of sight. The backscene continues beyond the hole so the punter sees the train going off into the countryside. Lineside grass also continues though the ballasting over the Fleischmann grey plastic finishes sooner as it is more difficult to see the transition from out front (or at least that's my excuse... Continuing round the curve behind the backscene the loco re-engages the overhead and reappears in front of the farm house. Again the backscene and some of the ground continue well behind the layout backscene. This time the layout backscene is on the right with the false scene on the left. Also worth noting is that this turn (like the high level turn at the other end) is completely within the turn at baseboard level. Trackwork radius- bottom level Fleischmann Radius 2 on a level surface, upper deck Fleischmann Radius 1 out of sight on a 1 in 100 gradient. As the track reappears into public view the radius eases to Radius 4 for the last 45 degrees of the turn but after a short level section it descends at 1 in 25. Note also that the track on the tight bend is superelevated to keep the big stuff on the track- not elegant but it works- the double-decker sets propel round here quite happily. Closer to the punter's eye view showing the track disappearing through the backscene - to the left of the big tree. There is a similar false backscene where the line under the viaduct passes out of view, and also where the trains stagger round the curve at the brewery end. Les

My silent A3 with blinkers is now on its way. I must get some more next18 decoders as I've got a VT98 railbus by Kres coming as well... Les

The other beer van, bringing up the rear of the train of four wheelers going the other way. The front end of the passenger that has the yellow van at the tail. I've chopped the shed road and the longest siding back so they don't go as far as the scenery. A closer look at the grey warehouse under construction. At the Donaueschingen end of the line the tunnel mouth now goes into something approaching blackness. The risers are my usual mix of accurate, workable and downright rubbish..... All for tonight. Les

Hello again. I've laid in a stock of Balsa for the high level "flat" (ie flattish) bits and almost cleaned Access Models out of the thin stuff. I felt that building the town on a balsa sub-base would help keep the layout manageably light. I may be wrong... First view of the Donaueschingen end with an area of thin stuff also allocated to a hardstanding between the tracks in the factory area, not yet built in this pic. The part-finished building on the front is a Busch warehouse-type building. I've got to do some tweaking of the widths at this end to get a slope down at the end and a plausible wall in front of the warehouse etc. The ramp down to the bottom is nearer the middle of the layout. The warehouse might end up here if I can get the widths to work. The grey one MIGHT go next to it with a chimney hiding the backscene discontinuity as a change from a tree... A pair of vintage vans has now arrived for the rear of the two vintage passenger trains. The other is a beer van but this one is a definite rule one creature. The start of the inset track for the industrial area. More pics to follow. Les

No problem coupling, uncoupling needs something broad and preferably non-metal to lift the droppers. However, Dapol Easi-Shunt couplings fit in the NEM pockets quite happily and seem to work better than they do in the N-gauge stuff they were designed for. Les

As promised a few days ago, the video of the 08 and the class 670 railbus is now published on Youtube. Only after publishing it did I notice the finger in the 08 section of the vid.... New locomotive is the BR94 by Kuehn. Nice loco that runs well. A little disappointing is the nylon valve gear. Probably the last steamer for the time being, unless something really exciting comes up on eBay. Talking of eBay I've managed to secure a class 212 diesel by Modist, and an ex-set class 280 diesel by Tillig which are winging their weary way to me, no doubt via a customs shed that will relieve me of more of my hard-earned readys in import duties. I've also pre-ordered the latest Arnold Kof, this time from Hornby (more loyalty points...) The intention is the BR94 on one vintage passenger set with the BR86 going the other way, the three or four B-B diesels (110, 212, 280 and 290) on through freight with the 4W diesel , the 08 or a V36 on pick-up duties, and railbuses on regular passenger. The bigger steamers (Class 38, class 58 and A4) will appear on Plandampf days only. One more railbus to buy with more freight stock. All for tonight Les

I bought one of these, but have yet to start it- the chassis mods are quite frankly beyond me. I have, however, discovered that a 57xx chassis fits in quite well, and the mod to put a radial wheel on the back would be rather less than the mods to the 56xx. That one above looks lovely. Les

More ballasting done Round the first Dapol uncoupler, which still works after the experience. More stock to convert.. Showing the extra joins in the backscene which will need disguising with random trees.. The town will be here at a height of between one and two inches, covering about 2/3 of the space behind the shed road. Closer view showing the exit at this end. The re will be an overbridge at this end with a track into the woods, and I'll only decide whether to use the tunnel mouth once it is in place. the road will go offstage behind the flats disgusied with another building. the position of the flats is still not yet totally decided on. Not got the video processed. Friday perhaps as I'm out most of tomorrow. Les

My favourite version is Status Quo's cover on their "Riffs" album. Les

Test fitting the backscene gives a huge gap where there will be nothing but sky. I'm going to move it along from the original idea of using one sheet on each half of the board. It will create another two joins but judicious trees should disguise these. The Donaueschingen end papered. The tunnel mouth will be well forward to allow the road to pass over the top. There will also be a higher level so the dip in the hills will be behind this, and a suitably large tree will disguise the discontinuity in the sky. A close-up of the almost finished warehouse- just a little tweaking of the roof and some judicious dirt to do. Pics of the other end of the layout to follow, with a vid. Such excitement promised..... Oh, and the Class 94 has arrived. Les

Latest into stock is the class 670 double-deck railbus. Only seven built, in 1996. The first was a demonstrator (which is my excuse for having one) and the other six went to DB. They didn't last long. One no longer survives, the demonstrator is preserved, four were sold on to private operators, with two still in service a couple of years ago and the others were in store last I heard. Model by Kres, this one came factory DCC fitted. At some stage in the future I'll work out how to get into it and add a driver and a passenger or two- not many as the line is supposed to be quiet except for the steam specials. Also into stock is a secondhand Hornby Class 08 at a reasonable price. It had lost its centring spring from the coupling at the nose end, but a little work with superglue while I had the body off has fixed the coupling rigid. It copes with the longest wheelbase wagons through reverse curves, though it runs better through Peco points than Hornby. Now fitted with a decoder which was the narrowest non-Lais one I have and still wouldn't sit correctly in the channel. It has gone in diagonally and the body has gone back on cleanly. There were plenty of banger blue 08s sold out of service by the period the layout is set, so it might stay banger blue. OTOH if it is also to be used on the UK layout it will need a repaint into an earlier livery. Not yet, though. Comparison of size between the 08 and the German equivalent. Lastly a pic showing the difference between the UK loading gauge and a modern German wagon. All for today. Les

Next stage has been getting the ends with the arches through added to both ends of the backscene. Assuming we are viewing the scene from the South (as in Furtwangen Ost and in Bregenbach im Schwarzwald), this is looking towards Donaueschingen. Roco class 290, possibly one of the first sold out of service, heads east on a van train. Looking West towards Furtwangen. In this version of the Bregtalbahn it never got any further than the real one did, ie to Furtwangen. Using some available pieces of Balsa to try out heights for the buildings at the town end of the layout. The exit at this end may be a tunnel as used on Bregenbach im Schwarzwald and one end of Furtwangen Ost or just disguised by trees and a road bridge, as used in Croft Spa and one end of Hawthorn Dene. I'll make my mind up after I get the backscene paper fixed on. Lastly, progress with the barrel roofed warehouse. The basic rendered overlays are on the walls, and the doors now all have their handles. The three sections are firmly glued together. Just the roof, gutters and cladding overlays left to do. All for now Les

A view showing how the hidden sidings and point levers hide behind the backscene. Plenty of room here also to put sheets with the addresses of the locos- I won't be able to use the system from Croft Spa and Bregenbach, so I'll use a development of the permanent sheets on the back of NO PLACE, though this will need a photograph of each loco/unit. I'll also default to the original Bregenbach system of forwards is to the left leaving the yard. That will make it easier to operate, though I'm not going to make any attempt at getting everything to run at the same speed- this layout will not need consists. The Joswood barrel roofed warehouse is proceeding nicely. Putting the hinges on the doors was interesting- each is about 6mm long. Next step is the door handles. Deep joy... Similarly the flat block is progressing. I'm doing the version with balconies and cellar entrances, which will mean it needs sinking into the ground a little. I'm not happy with the DR logo on the sides of the 4-wheel coaches, though the livery is otherwise just what I want for them. Fortunately my trusty Faber-Castell Perfection erasing pencil has seen off the DR lettering. A trawl through my box of left-over transfers found a number of Highland Railway crests, which with the garter part cut off and rotated 90 degrees look good enough to be the Bregtalbahn's crest. There were 12 left on the sheet, and those nice Fox people from Leicestershire do the crest in 4mm so I should have enough for any locos and stock I wish to do. Coach with crest applied to side. Train of three. All this now needs is a van of some kind. The Rebenbummler on the Kaiserstuhlbahn used a vintage beer van, so something like that might well be appropriate as a tail vehicle. All for now. More ballasting to follow, and the next phase of the backscene. Plenty to do. Les

My secondhand one with the missing coupler spring now performs perfectly with the coupler superglued firmly into place. It is quite happily staying coupled to bogie coaches, short Hornby wagons and some very long wheelbase Tillig and Piko wagons including round radius 2 curves. The fact it is the front one with only limited sideplay when correct due to the air tanks restricting play might help. I did need to adjust one pickup that was losing contact when the engine turned right. I've lost count of how many OO locos and (particularly) Farish N-gauge ones where I've had to do the same.... Les

The bendy ply for the backscene has arrived and is in process of being installed. I've made up my mind which backscene from ID Backscenes best suits and that is now on order. I've got a Kres double-deck railbus coming from Modellbahnshop Lippe and an Kuehn Class 94 0-10-0T from Elwira (three more N-gauge loco sales paid for those). I've also made a start on ballasting. The card carcass is the first stage of a barrel roofed warehouse by Joswood- a laser cut kit. First looks leave me impressed. The long siding at this end will need shortening to get the industrial section in now @ve swapped the town and industry ends. Les