aberdare

Hi Eggesford, Thanks for the reply an no I didn't think about those I just looked at the UK choices. I found the height to be OK but the width is just over 4mm which to me seems overly wide for a Pantile, especially one that is laid. All my experience of tiles on old houses has been with tiles of less than 14 inches or so of width showing when laid. But like you say some others could just be too small. I'll just leave it to grow on me for now.

Morning all I too read the Indian summer article yesterday only to wake up this morning to the patter of rain on the windows, like martin our local forecast is grey and wet. Maybe the article was about the weather at the time but I could look out the window and see that for myself. I feel in a bit of Victor meldrew mood today as I had one of the worst nights sleep for ages, I know I must be feeling like that as even the cat has deserted my lap this morning. Ah well, thinhs can only get better, can't they. All the best Jim

Another update on the progress on the station building, it has been a little slower than I would have liked due to other priorities in life. However, some more work has been completed or even changed and hopefully for the better. I was not entirely happy with the brickwork against the beams, the latter being set into the bricks when studying the photographs so as I had some embossed brick sheet left over from the platform it seemed logical to use that and match the colours a bit more. I cut a couple of small squares to fit between the beams and was happy with the result so set about replacing all the brickwork with the embossed bricks. I'd just like to point out the cigar box was my fathers and has nothing to do with me apart from storing mini drills etc. The long section at the back of the building took the most work as it had to go up between the windows and the beam ends that do not reach the base of the building. The end posts and centre sections were added by this time to complete and strengthen the structure prior to the roof being added. Just as additional note we all know how plastic sticks to card so I scored the back of each piece to give extra grip, it seemed to work as I had to remove one piece I fitted upside down and it tore off the brick paper and card surface! I also started on the signal box while waiting for previous work to dry by cutting out the basic sides in card again. A scored section of embossed sheet is inn the foreground. The siganal box was then continued by adding plastic strips for the window frames and corner posts. The glazing was also added and the window glazing bars added by the usual sticky label method, with hindsight it may have been easier to have built it around a glazed box but all in all I think it will do. The planking was added by cutting strips of the brown card and then given an initial coat of white. Photographs of the early box seem to show it was either white or cream or a combination of both, certainly later it would appear to be brown (posts) and cream. I shall try a couple of variations to see which I like best. I also tried making some roof tiles but gave up on those and purchased some Wills pantiles, though I think they are a little big they look OK. Of course your opinions would be most welcome. I have temporarily added a strip for the ridge tiles and I think I will proceed with making them from this. I think the platform and building are now much closer in appearance and think the change of mind was worth the effort. I think I will tackle the box roof and the sets for the platform next which will have to be made and fixed individually to match the thickness of the edging bricks, that should pass a few evenings away. The roof of each building will not be fixed yet to allow me to detail the insides. I shall update again when the last stages are complete, then it'll be onto the engine or carriage shed.

Morning all Late start for me (again), I seem to be tired in the mornings now for some reason or has has my body clock already switched to GMT? The auction I went to yesterday had lots of kits either built or unbuilt and despite the prices being to high for me I did manage to get a couple of lots, so I was happy. Nice and sunny here and a relaxing day planned. Have a good sunday whatever you do.

Morning all It's been a while since I was on as I have been kept busy with my other duties at home but have a bit of time now. Just reading through and like BoD the only time I have been warned for speeding was on my racing bike downhill - 34mph in a 30 zone apparently - and I was only 14 at the time and got even quicker later in life when I joined cycling clubs. Now preparing for an early lunch before heading off to toy auction where there seems to be plenty to bid for if it stays within my 'mean' budget.

Hi Jeff I have been offline for a bit due to the other factors in my life being a priority and I've catching up with with your thread - almost three pages - and enjoying the banter. As with Andy and Sandside I have spent ages on some of my efforts until I am satisfied, in fact I have recently changed my station building as it didn't look right and even then I think 'I should have done it that way instead'. Looking forward to this track appearing though - since post 400 wasn't it? . Love the banter anyway and this is still and will be one of the first threads I look for when logging on. Cheers Jim

Nice work, even if you have made the odd mistake it doesn't show. Iv'e recently been doing windows particularly for my signal box and I always have difficulty in keeping a ninety degree cut on the ends to get a flush fit and if I use the guillotine I invariably get the length wrong. So well done, I know how difficult and frustrating it can be at times, or maybe its my lack of dexterity now, Oh and the tiring eyes.

Morning all It rained overnight but is now brightening up so looks like a nice day. All is normal in the house today with cat helping to type so all is well with the w orld Whoops! cat hit space bar. Bye for now.

Afternoon all I don't know the Mrs got up earlier than usual and I got thrown completely out of my routine, I've been at sixes and sevens all day. Anyway not been too bad a day other than that and I have tidied some of the garden after the sharp frost from the previous night, it killed of most of the tender plants that were still hanging in there. The wife having a lie down now, cat asleep in front of the fire meaning the laptop is now free for me. Hopefully tomorrow will be back to normal.

Morning all another nice bright sunny day here though cold and there was a ground frost on the lower parts of the valley. Back into the normal routine for me after our short break away and as I was late up not much time to sit here on RMweb. The cat thinks she is settled on my lap and half the keyboard for the morning but she's not, it's also very difficult to type with half a cat on the keys - I think Iv'e corrected all the mistakes. Have a good day.

Morning all Many happy returns BoD Lovely start to the day here, clear blue sky. Mrs A looking forward to tomorrow as we have a special day planned to celebrate 34 years of married life together, was it really that long ago I took that pretty young redhead as a wife. Looking at the photos she wishes she still looked like that and I wish I still had that much hair and energy! I know she is definitely better now as I went for a chocolate hobnob and the cupboard was bare!!! Enjoy your weekend whatever you do.

Hi John I know you were looking forward to work on the buildings and at the rate I am going I will finish them all over the winter, I am particularly looking forward to the cottages next to the buttery as they are thatched and that is a challenge I have never faced before. I am keeping my eyes open wherever I go for suitable materials and can often be seen with odd items in my hand with that' I wonder if..' look again. Morning Jeff You are right about the encouragement speeding progress as like you I have achieved much more than I thought, but then again I have a lot more time to devote to it than I have ever had. Since my last progress report I reviewed my model and then made some slight changes as the pictures showed a few annoying little details, so much for having a break. I think this hobby can sometimes become a bit of an obsession. Jim

Well the wind is going to come in from the east next week and as you know if moves slightly to be from the NE then this east coast gets pretty cold. Better dig me vest out, brrr.

Hi Jeff When I saw the two viaducts together I thought the branch one obscured the larger one particularly in the first photo in post 830 which I thought was a shame and maybe should have been reversed. However it is good to see you have made a decision and the one on its own will be a striking feature anyway. I know Iv'e chopped, changed and scrapped a few things since I started, even though that was down to my poor modelling to start with more than anything. Jim.

Thanks Scott I am just having a couple of days away from it now as that last window and the doors started to give me double vision when cutting the glazing bars out, I kept getting the thickness wrong and it took me as long to do the one as it did the previous three. Glad you have enjoyed the work so far and as it is only the second building I have ever built - the previous one the engine shed 30 years ago - I am quite happy with it. The intention over the winter is to complete all the buildings for fitting in the spring. Once again thanks for the positive comments.and I shall have to look in at your work. Jim Thanks Castle I don't know about the 'because I can' it was more of a 'I wonder if' , mainly because I couldn't make up my mind if the cows were going to be arriving, departing or gone and someone was cleaning up. There were also some failures and I had to put it aside to wait for inspiration which always come to you when you least expect it, you know one of those eureka moments. The thought of maintaining the standard over what is going to be a large layout is daunting but I have given myself up to 10 years to complete it, the latter of these to overlap with all the kit and scratch building I want to do. That should stop me getting bored. Thanks again Jim

Keep it up Jeff Your progress is quite good so far and just seeing the viaducts close to the boards gives an idea of what that corner is going to look like. I assume the boards on the risers are ready for track laying as I think you said you had to carefully lift them into position to avoid damage to the point motors. It's good to see it getting closer to that track going down. Jim

Hi Just come across this thread and that is a great loco you have got there. I think I will have to look at something like this in the future as it would go well with my planned layout. I shall have to keep my eyes open for a cheap second hand model. Thanks for posting. Jim

Morning all Late up this morning, I think as the dawn breaks later and later so does the time I get out of bed, I was awake at 5.40 and a couple of years ago would have been leaving for work, now I just smile, snuggle down a bit and have a bit longer. Dry and bright here again on the Wolds so might go out in the garden for a bit, I know I've got some wood to chop so I'd best get that done. All the best Jim

Fantastic bit of work. I must admit I have a liking for ornate chimney stacks and they are superb examples Jim

Just a brief update to finish off the fitting of doors and windows and some pictures The final windows being constructed before fitting. All the windows have now been completed. The station doors to the booking office were next and these were built onto some clear sheet with all the individual planks glued on separately. Then the final glazing bars were added from thin paper strips and glued on. I should have put these on first as it would have been a lot easier to stretch them across thw glazing and secure with the side bars. I guess I had other things on my mind and didn't really give it enough thought before diving in. Temporarily hung to see how they look. I think I might have a break from it now as I had trouble focusing on these toward the end. Then I will tidy it up, paint it, reinforce it and look at fitting the roof, also seeing as how I have opening doors I ought to think about what's inside but then again nobody ever looks inside, do they? Oh! and I must not forget the signal box and gents loo.

Morning everyone Another bright start to the day here, let's see how long it lasts today. Thanks for the kind words and best wishes for Mrs A who is determined to rise from her sick bed, with my help and a few bits of mobility equipment she will get to the living room chair by lunchtime. No more sneaky chocolate hobnobs with my cup of coffee today then! Best wishes to Ash for a quick recovery.

A bit more progress has been made, not on the layout itself but with the station building. I thought I had better get on with this before I lay some cobbles on the platform as I want the building to sit in them and not on them, if you get my meaning. A few pictures to show the progress and current state of affairs. This is the basic box cut out from a piece of mounting board with the doors and windows removed, The markings indicate where the timber beams are fitted to the brickwork. The box is held together with masking tape just so that I could check for squareness, all the work was then completed with it flat. The brick paper has now been added and the beams are being fitted to all sides, these have been made from brown craft card as originally the beams were either painted a similar colour or were natural before they were painted white as in later photographs. All four sides have now been completed (honest) and it is starting to look the part now. I didn't show all four sides flat as it shows up my silly mistake which is obvious to me with the book in front of me, but when it is complete will not really be noticeable, it is something I can live with but I am still kicking myself as I just don't know how I came to do it. It With the windows and parcel office door fitted. The windows are from clear sheet with white tape stuck on (plus a little glue to the ends). The door is again card with the lines and a wash painted on. and with my sliding parcels office door open. Just as a final part a couple of pictures of the working latch that was fitted to the cattle dock, I just need to do the final painting of the hinges and the posts and fence before fixing to the layout, then I will complete the fencing to the road as it runs of at an angle. closed open. The latch is pivoted on a piece of wire, The wire and hole are 0.4mm or less, I don't know the exact size as I no longer have a vernier but I know the drill was smaller than my 0.5 and I could still barely see it with my specs on. That's it for now all the best Jim

Morning all Bright and clear here so far but due to change later, my small black cat has also gone out and not seen any rodents for a few weeks either, she does a grand job. Mrs A has had a relapse so is mostly bedridden for a day or two, so that's my time taken care of. Have a good day whatever you get up to.

Hi Jeff Stick with it, once it's done you still feel the satisfaction of having achieved something and knowing what the final outcome will be. I know when I was painting my rails rust colour I had to keep blinking my eyes to refocus (probably the poor lighting in my modelling hovel) but the time flew by as you've said and the end result was worth it. I look forward to any further updates.