NeilHB

The cork trackbed has now been laid across most of the board, and I’ve had a little play this evening: Feels good to get something moving, even if it is temporary!

Thanks Mike. Yes, but only to my local show in Derby. Going to look at getting some of the Screwfix metal trestles which are a bit narrower but also height adjustable which will help. Thanks, much appreciated. Spotted your version of “Seahouses” over on your thread. I do love the North Sunderland, such a fascinating railway and will be looking forward to seeing your progress on it. There was much discussion this afternoon with Mr Young about the layout, and a few useful tweaks have been made to the overall design: - Train lengths will be kept short. The maximum is 700mm which is equivalent to a Terrier, 3 wagons and a brake van. - To aid that I’m going to use cassettes in the FY. Initially there will be three: passenger tram, goods tram and a mixed set. - A suitable view blocker is needed to screen trains entering/exiting the layout. We agreed that a water tower next to the loop would do nicely, and create a nice scene and some interest at the same time with locos stopping to take on water when they run round (it will also give the operator time to move the cassette to the other line). - A suitable building to act as the station building has been identified which will fit nicely in the space available and won’t overpower the layout. - A cunning plan for the backscene and the hinged board extensions has been drawn up. - I worked out that I can leave two wagons at the loading dock in the loop headshunt and still have plenty of room to run the Terrier round - Oh and it’s booked in for a show already - our open day in January 2022 - nothing like a deadline!

Thanks Northroader. There are grand plans for a layout round one end of the garage at some point, but I definitely need to keep the first layout simple I think. Yes I’ve been following Tom’s Sudrian work for a little while now, he’s doing an excellent job with Scaca Fell Forestry Crossing. Scenery will be a bit limited, but I don’t mind. If needs I can always add on some scenic extension boards.

Layout planning take two! Having mulled it over plenty, I came to the conclusion that the previous layout plan didn’t really do it for me, so back to the drawing board. This time I think I’ve cracked it, and am much happier with this plan already. Presenting the Elsbridge Tramway Company’s moorland terminus at Ffarquhar Road. Built as built of the tramways extension to Ffarquhar and the stone quarry at Anopha Fell in 1901, the terminus was situated on the outskirts of Ffarquhar bounded by moorland and the road into Ffarquhar (hence the name). It’s a simple plan, but will give me the main things I want from a layout at the moment: - easy to set up/take down so that I can set it up in the house - transportable so able to take it to our local show - caters for passenger and goods traffic - most importantly simple. The last time I built a layout was over 15years ago when I still lived at home before I went to university! There’ll be a loading dock at the end of the loop headshunt for livestock traffic. The goods siding in the background will hold four wagons comfortably. The white blobs represent the line of the platform which will be 5-6mm above An overall view from what will be the viewing side of the layout. No.4 “Sigmund” awaits departure with the tramcars plus goods van. Fiddle yard will be off to the left - just a two road sector plate. Later in the day Wellsworth & Suddery Railway “Edric” arrived with a short goods train. I’m not sure the W&S bosses will be happy that one of their goods brake vans has disappeared up the tramway! What do you think please folks?

Tom, The layout is looking utterly superb. It all feels very natural with the colours you’ve used - I love it! Fantastic news about the RM article too.

I'm really enjoying these Broad Gauge cheer up pictures Annie, they are lovely. Thank you.

Lovely work Linny.

I think that looks rather good like that Rob. It has a feeling of open space that will suit an East Anglian byway model nicely. I'm looking forward to seeing this one progress.

I made a decision that I wasn’t happy with the finish on the Wellsworth & Suddery liveried version of “Edric”, the ex LBSCR A1, so over the last couple of days this has been stripped back and repainted. I’ve gone for a simpler colour scheme this time, reflecting that this was a later addition to the fleet than “Thorkell” which carries a two-two green livery. Last night I made a start on the lining, and have completed one side so far. I’m just debating at the moment as to whether I try and line out the splashers as well: As the W&S version was being repainted, I’ve borrowed the nameplates from it to complete the later NWR version of the same loco, post A1X rebuild: Hmm, some sort of pesky temporal anomaly appears to have formed allowing the two versions to appear side by side…I must investigate!

James, Re the 517, if you haven't already can I suggest picking up copies of Great Western Journal Nos. 74 (Spring 2010) and 75 (Summer 2010) as these contain a comprehensive 2-part article on the class. There is also Locomotives Illustrated No.60 (GWR 0-4-2Ts) which is again very useful. Both of them have lots of useful detail and photos.

That looks superb Tom, especially the last photo looking down the line (and up the forrestry track). The weathering and finish on Rheneas is very nicely done.

Took some of the tramway stock outside at lunchtime today for a little impromptu photo shoot given how nice the weather was:

Lots of delightful cattle vans featured on the last page - plenty of ideas for the Directors of Elsbridge Tramway Company to consider. The Directors of said company raised the question of if the Directors of the West Norfolk Railway have perhaps considered sheep as a source of traffic, and present their current design of sheep wagon for inspection: Entirely their own work, and not at all cribbed from those hale and hearty Caledonian folk north of the border…

Thanks Grahame, glad to hear that it works nicely. I may attempt something similar as I've got an Underhill 850 Pannier kit to build and there are some issues with the alignment of footplate and frames of it.

Grahame, glad to see the return of the 2021 to the workbench. I like the silhouette cut footplate - that looks rather good.

Spent this evening lining out North Western Railway A1X no.14 “Edric” (ex Wellsworth & Suddery Railway): Just need the nameplates from Narrow Planet to arrive now and then it’s completed.

Tigger is quite happy with his choice of sunbathing spots around the house at the moment. Sun run floor first thing: On our bed in the afternoons: Ah the life of a pampered cat!

North Western Railway No.21 “Ulf”, a 4wVBTG Sentinel acquired in 1928 for shunting and light goods work: A couple of bits to touch up, some nameplates to sort and a dose of weathering should see “Ulf” completed.

Lovely work Mike - coming along very nicely!

A nice little project over the last couple of days has been a luggage van to run with the tramcars. Based on the original W&U luggage van (No.9), but with panelled sides/ends rather than planked: Its rather dinky (84mm body length), but plenty big enough to deal with luggage and small parcels etc. As you can see it fits in rather nicely with the other tramcars: I must admit I’m really glad I decided to start again with these and change the colour scheme - the blue and white does look rather nice with the Indian Red tram locos. I’ve also acquired another Dapol Sentinel body, which will become a North Western Railway one in lined black: Initial coat of black on the bodywork and a coat of white on the buffersbeams completed today. I’ll stick the first coat of red paint on the bufferbeams tomorrow.

Thank you for asking, but sorry, I’m going to say no. The ETCo is my creation, and I’m quite protective of it.

The below has just been posted on Facepest by the Stainmore Railway Company page: We have an update for our followers regarding the infilling of Great Musgrave Bridge by Highways England. This was infilled under Permitted Development Rights which only allows the work to remain in place for a limited period of time before it has to be removed unless Eden District Council give their permission for it to remain. Eden District Council have NOT given such permission and thus Highways England now have to submit a retrospective planning application. If that is subsequently rejected by the Council, then the infill all has to be dug out and the bridge restored. We will obviously notify our followers when the application is submitted and hope that as many of you as possible will submit an objection to the application so that it is rejected and this appalling act of vandalism to our heritage will be reversed. THANK YOU Lets hope that sense prevails and the local council does not approve retrospectively. I also noted that there is a petition to stop Highways England from infilling any more railway bridges: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/588581?fbclid=IwAR1G9umXjhTnpzMHL1M-ewoTuOTpBbPKXuSDnK2XS6xqgdJ2jEZ_dXDqHcw

Lovely progress Ade, the layout is looking very good.

A new wagon has taken shape over the last couple of evenings, in the form of a dumb-buffered 3-plank open for the tramway company: Usual constructions method of styrene strip for the underframe, plastic sheet for the basic bodywork and then more plastic strip for the strapping etc. It’s now ready for the paintshop which will be tomorrow’s task. A little comparison of the dumb-buffered 3-plank and a sprung buffered 3-plank. The latter represents a rebuild of a dumb-buffered wagon. The ETCo van has now had a trip through the paintshop and transfers have been added. Just the roof and underframe to paint now.

Lovely stuff James!