Geep7

Interesting topic...... Think I will have to read it through from the start...... Also interesting is the mention of Palvans...... I need to check, but I think I might have a couple of kits to build.... If not, I might have to get some....

Right, it's been just about a month since my last update. And it's been a busy few weeks, but most of it hasn't been spent on Sotherington Lane. I've done 2 exhibition's with my friends layout (Alton and Tonbridge) plus doing some more wiring work on the n gauge project. However, I have managed to progress the lighting gantry, and supports for it. A lot of work had to be put into the left-hand support so that it could take the PCP interface panel for my NCE Powercab. As this panel is quite deep, including the power plug at the back, i'm had to extend out to the front. Not exactly elegant, but functional, and all the wires can be hidden by the bridge support. And here it is, fully primed, and with the lighting strips added. As mentioned previously, these are 2ft fluorescent daylight tubes in under cabinet units that i've had since my first US American HO layout, so almost 20 years now. I had been looking at LED strips, but as I have these still to hand, and they still (touch wood) work fine, it would be a pity to waste them, even if they do use a bit more leccy than LED. Next task for the fascia's will be to paint them a nondescript colour. Previously, i've used a rather dark grey, as befitting a run-down US outline layout, but when I used the same shade for Blackhurst, i'm not sure it worked so well, so i'm thinking maybe a light grey. Any suggestions or thoughts please? Also in the photo, you'll see the 2 latest additions to my fleet. On the right is my new Class 73/0 or JA. It's currently numbered 73002, but I do want to re-number it back to pre-TOPs.... I could re-number to E6002, but photo's of it in this condition seem rather elusive.... E6001 and E6006 seem to have been photographed more, and I have found E6006 on a Chessington coal train. At least if I do re-number it to pre-TOPs, it'll be more unique as a model. On the left, is a Bachmann Class 205/2H, no. 1121 in Green with small yellow ends, but not all is what it seems. Initially I had bought the 2 complete bodyshells from Kernow, having noticed they were selling them off separately. The intention was to motorise it with a spare Hornby 2-Bil/Hal motor bogie, and scratch-build the chassis. However, whilst perusing the Bachmann spares website, I noticed they had the parts to build the complete chassis' for both coaches, so these were ordered, and all assembled on my workbench. I'll be honest here, and say that, after how much I spent, money wise, doing this, I might as well have bought a brand new boxed example. But the Green with small yellow ends seem to be rarer than hens teeth. Something I have been considering, is adding a factory building at the rear right-hand end, and turning what is currently intended to be a multiple unit servicing siding into another freight siding. The thought now being that it would be unlikely for a unit to be left overnight at such a small station, and the last passenger train would return to the main junction station or London. It would also give another industry to shunt, although i'm not sure what industry to model.... Perhaps a furniture manufacture, or fruit perhaps, but then I think fruit would be handled with the provenders store. Hopefully with the lighting gantry done now, I can start to focus more on the scenery, although this weekend marks the start of a very long F1 season, so more distractions at the weekend.

Having just finished laying a load of code 55 track, my fingers could have done with them...... 😆

Yes, this is true..... But this stuff to make this racing circuit work is next level technology from what i'm led to believe. The AI knows exactly where on the circuit each of the cars are, and each in turn has its own AI character so they technically race each other. I think the biggest stumbling block they had was designing the actually race track surface, with the sensors on it, to track each car.

Having seen the technology they've had to develop to get this to work, I very much doubt we'll ever be able to get this to work for our home layouts. The track base itself are some very sophisticated custom constructed circuit boards, and it's all controlled with a custom programmed AI.

Doesn't look realistic at all..... The Red Bull was stuck in third, rather than being half a lap ahead of everyone else......

If not a Lenz, then a Dapol Imperium 1 6-Pin isn't much bigger than the socket either, and they work rather well.... I have one in my Heljan 07, although there is more room in that, than in an 88DS....

Had a fantastic day on Saturday helping to operate Horsebridge Wharf. Many thanks from myself and Clive to Colin and the rest of the TMRC for putting on a fantastic exhibition. One thing if I may though. Horsebridge Wharf was not built, nor is owned, by the Basingstoke Model Railway Club, as mentioned in the show guide. It was built and is owned by Clive Abbott. @Modelrailwayquest, I notice it's also highlighted as so in your video, but I presume it's too late now to change this. I know Clive doesn't do social media, or any internet forums, and I know it's only a small thing, but thought I should just mention it here, just to avoid any confusion. I myself only help to set-up and operate the layout. My modelling interests, although still Southern, are much more modern, and more electrified, in nature.

I've always treated being invited to exhibit one of my layouts as a compliment to my modelling, and a privilege to share it with my follow modellers and the wider public. Therefore, i've only ever asked for the bare minimum in fuel costs. It's very much appreciated to be offered free tea and/or coffee, and a free lunch. It is, after all, a very long day, or weekend, as an exhibitor. But, I do pack some supplies myself, just in case. With regard to getting into the show for free if you're exhibiting. Yes, of course we do, but we don't exactly get hours to go round the show to look at everything. We might get a few minutes to pop round to a couple of trade stands to grab some supplies, or the odd bargain, maybe 15-20 mins, to have a look at the layouts once things start to quieten down in the afternoons, but mostly you'll find us with our layouts, operating, once the show is open.

More photos from the Alton 2024 show.

Thought I would share some of my photos from the Alton 2024 show. Mostly lots of close-ups, showing off Paul's hard work with the details.

Late to joining this thread, but as the Op knows, i've had a couple of American HO exhibition layouts which seemed to be much more well received (appearing at multiple exhibitions) than my British Southern Region layout. I suspect I know the reason my Southern layout didn't get any more invites than it's first show, but that's for another thread. That being said, i've had my fair share of the "Oh, that's American, lets see something else" comments. One actually made within earshot while I was operating out the front of my second American layout. OK, yes, you might not like something, but sometimes maybe it's best to keep your thoughts to yourself in public? I'll be honest, and say, I never gave any Swiss / Alpine layouts a second glance until I had my first holiday in Austria. Yes, it really is that clean in the Alps! Also, much like the Op, I also model a little modelled prototype in the UK. That being Spanish Railways. This is all down to my frequent holidays to that country, so i'm probably as familiar with the RENFE system, as I am some parts of British Railways. I still need to get the layout finished though, although it won't quite be the first Spanish layout on the exhibition circuit (if it ever gets there), but may certainly be unique.

Sorry i'm a bit late to the conversation, but i've used bulldog clips in the past, of the type used with artists easels and the like. These give electrical continuity and also alignment as well.

I think the best 4mm 4-Cor I've seen, would be the late Colin Park's scratch-build that he documented on here a few years back. His 4-Cig was just as good as well, and from some angles, you'd be forgiven (the same with the 4-Cor) for thinking that it was the real thing. A pity that a lot of the photos were lost in the great RMWeb DB crash.... However, that's not to take away from Darius's fantastic model, considering the starting point. It looks like a 4-Cor family unit to me, although I'm not old enough to have seen a real one in service.

When I was younger, I always wanted to get the MTK Southern EMU kits, as there was nothing else available. The work Paul Wade did with them was always an inspiration. But i've always thought that the face of the SR 1963 Type EMU's looked a bit flat. It could probably do with deeper gangway connections, and the jumper cable boxes drilling out and built up a bit.

Indeed, I think i've lost count of the number of locos i've had to renumber back to a D or E number, and not just from Bachmann......

Has Bachmann completely forgotten that the years 1965 to 1974 exist, or is the pre-TOPS era really not that popular? I'm definitely in the market for another Blue & Grey Mk1 BSK, but @ £60? Think I might search eBay first.....

I'm somewhat in the same boat. In the era I model, the Class 30/31's were strangers on the Southern and Western region. I have a sole example on order (fully paid I should add, so no point in cancelling) from Accurascale in Green with Full Yellow Ends, which covers the early allocations to the Western Region, and would have just been seen on the Southern on the Cardiff - Portsmouth service. I may be tempted by a Blue pre-TOPS example, if Bachmann does one (they have a habit of ignoring the late 60's / early 70's era), but I won't rush to get one.

It doesn't surprise me that MTK would possibly get the bodyshells wrong.....

I've just had a look in my copy of Michael Welch's 'A Southern Electric Album', and on Page 17 there is a photo of 4-GRI No. 3086 on a Portsmouth Harbour to Waterloo service, dated 16th October 1966, and that is in green with small yellow panels. Hope that is of use.

Ah, it doesn't look that easy, you have my sympathies. Mind you, you could probably give it a heavy weathering job. That exomover they used to use in the 1970's to wash carriages would fade BR Blue.... although I wouldn't have thought a GUV in NPC service would go near a carriage washer very often.

So on Sunday I had the first opportunity of the year to put the whole layout together to make sure that, with the extension, it doesn't take up too much space in the living room. Fortunately it does, and doesn't impose too much on the rest of the family. Domestic happiness is always the most important thing when sharing your modelling space in a small house. Whilst the layout was up, I decided to have a short running session, to try out the new fiddle yard. After a quick clean with some electrical contact cleaner, it ran perfectly. The only disappointment was the new-style Peco loco lifts. For some reason, my Dapol Class 73's just did not want to run onto them. I shall have to investigate, but I am using the lifts with Code 75 track, so this could be the reason, but something was definitely catching and preventing them going into the loco-lift. Here's a few pictures I took whilst running playing trains.... 2H 1122 has just entered the mu stabling siding, whilst JB E6037 waits to take a freight. The JB still needs a bit of weathering doing to it. The bogies are far too clean! A 2-Hap has just arrived on a service from London Waterloo. This is DC-Kits kit, built pretty much as per the instructions, but motorised with a Hornby 2-Bil/Hal motor bogie. I am really happy with how this has turned out, and i'm just waiting for some warmer weather to finally paint it. It'll be in BR Blue with full yellow ends, at which point Bachmann will announce theirs. It still needs some work with the internal electrics. The intention is to have the headcode boxes switch from white to red, so I have rear red blinds. Whilst at the front i'll have 2 blanks, rather than a route number, it's a compromise I can live with, until someone develops a working LED screen headcode panel. Next JB E6007 in early blue arrives with a train of PRESFLO wagons. These are destined for the branch line. The JB will run round it's train and set them back, and move to a siding to allow the branch locomotive to arrive to take them away. Our intrepid photographer has made his way up onto the roadbridge to record a passing of passenger trains. The 2H DEMU will depart shortly, possibly with a service to Reading? JB E6007 has moved into the headshunt ready to run around the PRESFLO's once the DEMU has departed. And our photographer has managed to make his way back to the embankment just in time, as here is the branch locomotive. This 07 seems to have escaped from Southampton Docks or Eastleigh depot....... This factory weathered Heljan example was picked up second-hand whilst on holiday in the west country last summer, and it is a beautiful runner. Unlike some factory weathered rtr locos, I rather like the weathering on this. I will eventually renumber this loco back into the Dxxxx series Here we see 07009 has backed onto the train of presflos, and is ready to leave, whilst E6007 waits in the yard. E6007 is my first Dapol Class 73 and one of the limited edition factory weathered issues, which I managed to pick up, again second-hand, at the Farnham show a couple of years back. I had originally sworn i'd never replace my Lima Class 73's, saying they were good enough, but getting this Dapol 73, and putting them side by side has convinced me otherwise. I now have 4 Dapol Class 73's (including E6037 in the earlier photo), the latest of which, a JA, arrived today, courtesy of Kernow MRC. At £85, who could say no, and it's nice to have a JA, rather than a JB. The main baseboard is now up in the living room so I can work on the scenery as and when I can in the evenings, when there is nothing on the TV to watch (i.e. most of the time), but this weekend there will be no work done, as I will be at the Alton Model Railway show, assisting exhibiting my friends layout, Horsebridge Wharf. Unfortunately, although Southern, it's set in the 1930's and is EM gauge, so no chance of any guest Blue diesel or electrics appearing. But, until next time, happy modelling folks.....

This is looking fantastic, as with all of your MTK builds. I seem to recall in the past, someone suggesting that, rather than being kits, they were more of an aid to scratchbuilding.

Class 150/1 in FGW Pink/Purple and GWR Green? I know i'd want either, or both......

Thanks Rob, just taken a look during my lunch break, and you're right. Conventional axles/gears... just the daft axle bearing pickups, which I must do something about at some point.