Geep7

This looks to be a smasher of a model of one of my favourite prototype EMU's. Is it too expensive? For something of limited appeal, in the general scheme of model railways (i.e. not everyone is into SR multiple units), I really don't think so. The detail on this stunning. It's pretty much a 4-Cep, less the motor bogie. Am I going to buy one? I would in a heartbeat, but personal circumstances conspire at this moment in time, so at the moment no. Am I going to moan about this? No, not Kernow or Bachmann's fault I can't afford one atm. Plus I have a kitbash / scratchbuilt one to finish.... whether it's finished before the Kernow one arrives remains to be seen. I for one though hopes this leads on to a 4-Cig appearing at some point.....

As already said, this looks amazing. Great work.

So nothing much done on the visual side, but i've finished the fiddle yard, with a 1 foot foldable extension to the sector plate, so now the fiddle yard is almost 5' long and can now take a loco + 4 coaches. Spent some of yesterday re-wheeling a Lima CCT, which entailed drilling out the axle boxes and fitted brass bearings... Runs so much better now, and it closer to correct height. Just need to add new axle box covers.

So it's been a couple of weeks since my last update, and some progress has been made. I've almost finished the platform surface and backscene, and i've made a start on the signal box. So, signalbox interior first: This is the Wills Whitemetal kit for their signalbox. The lever frame is complete so far. Here is a view of the whole scenic part of the layout, from the road bridge towards the station. Still plenty to do, and hoping to get some done over this holiday weekend. September seems to be steadily getting closer....

Reminds me of the tunnel portals on the widened lines at Barbican and Farringdon, so goes well with your split level platforms. Great stuff.

I've borrowed your use of Lego brick for my layout, so you're now in good company. The 2x2 blocks are great for making 90 degree corners. Haven't been raided my son's stash though, found a great (and cheap-ish) supply on that well known auction site.

Been a while since my last update. Not a huge amount of progress. The sides of the station platforms are done, so the ballasting can start. The platform sides a Slaters English Bond, laminated on 30 thou plasticard. To secure it to the baseboard, i've screwed through Lego bricks, which double up to keep things square. Next i've got to add the surface, which will be 2 layers of 20 thou plasticard, with the top layer cut back so I can add edging stones. As regards the ballasting, i'm not sure if I should paint the sides of the rails first, or ballast and then spray weather.....

The newest batch from Kernow (which the Blue one is from) has the Legomanbiffo thumper sound chip in it, and mighty fine is the sound from it (just a satisfied customer I should add). I only ever got to ride on a Thumper once in revenue service on the Reading - Guildford line, when the points to Reading depot got frozen shut, so one had to get borrowed in from Network SouthCentral. But saw them a few times in the late 80's / early 90's, as my parents house backed onto the same line. Such a distinctive noise, especially when they were battling up the bank from Crowthorne.

Depending on what timescale you're modelling, the Blue 2h is numbered 1122, which was one of the units that stayed as 2-car units until the late 70's (about 78-79 I think) when they became the 3T sets, strengthened by an ex 2-Epb driving trailer from the disbanded Tadpole sets. Btw, did you get it with or without sound?

Update on the station building. So this is the station masters house. I've added some corner detail this evening, having been distracted by The X Files. Just needs a bit of a file and tidy up, and i'll move onto getting the roof done. As an aside, i'm hoping the picture quality has been ok, as i'm editing and uploading the pics from my phone. Hopefully i'll get on the PC at the weekend and sort the pics out properly. Also must thank Pete 75c of this parish for sowing the seeds of using 2x2 Lego bricks to help square up my buildings.

The road bridge painted and ready to go on the layout. I'll finish the weathering once it's blended in with the scenery.

Also thought I should post a photo of the station building. It just the shell at the moment, but going to progress with it this week, hopefully.

So following on from my last post about the backscene, i'm trying to think of how to approach painting it. First thought was to use Acrylic or Enamel spray, but not sure if I can spray consistently over a 13' length. The second thought is to use standard emulsion. I've got a huge can of blue (can't remember the exact shade) that I used for my last layout, but not sure how it will paint onto the plasticard.... Any thoughts?

Material has turned up for the backscene. 10 thou plasticard. Not cheap, but should be durable.

Here is a rough version of the trackplan.

Now onto Part 2 Track & Wiring All track on the layout is Peco Code 100 Streamline. All points are electrofrog, except the double slip (as Peco haven't made an Electrofrog in code 100 for some reason). The layout is wired for DCC using an NCE PowerCab, and the points have all been modified so that the polarity is switched by a couple of Hex Frog Juicers, rather than rely on the point blades. Connectors between baseboards for the DCC are either RC connectors where just the BUS crosses a board joint or PC IDE power connectors where the BUS and frog feeds cross between boards. I've just made a start on mounting the point motors (Seep PM1's), and these will be operated by a non-DCC feed via a Gaugemaster CDU from a control panel. I'll take some photo's of the underside of the board when I next have the layout upside down. I've used the Peco conductor pots and code 60 rail for the 3rd Rail. I found I didn't need to use the extra spacer even for the Code 100, and the pickup shoes on my 2-Bil almost touch. Here are some pics after fitting the 3rd rail. I've also modified the peco points to look a bit more prototypical by cutting off the overlong sleepers by the switch tiebar.

Indeed there might. I've got a Lima 3-car set packed away, which i'm intending on detailing and correcting once the layout is in an exhibitable state. Will be interesting to see if Bachmann get their model out first though....

Hi Graham, could you add my new layout topic to the list please: Blackhurst - SR branch terminus set in the early 1970s. Many thanks, Chris

This is the overall ambience i'm hoping to get to. You've let the cat out of the bag.... I know the Hymek's used to appear on the Reading - Redhill services, so not beyond a stretch for one of those services to divert to Blackhurst.... In fact, I already have a Heljan Hymek.... :-D Actually i'd already thought of a regular service from Blackhurst to Reading via Guildford alternating between a 4-TC set and a thumper unit, so the odd loco hauled service deputising would fit in.

Ok, going to post some details if the construction so far. Baseboards The 4 scenic boards are the usual 2x1 softwood topped with 6mm ply. Facia and backscene are again 6mm ply. The fiddleyard board is a sector plate, so the supporting board is 2x1 softwood arranged as an L girder lengthways. The sector plate deck is again 6mm ply braced with some 3/4" x 1/2" softwood. All the boards are topped with cork flooring tiles from Wickes (other DIY stores are available).

This layout has now been renamed 'West Sands'. The 'West Sands' part of this thread starts at post #177. Click here to go directly there. Well, i've been promising to post a topic on my new exhibition layout, and here it is. 'Blackhurst' is a 'what might have been' Southern Region branch line terminus, set roughly around 1970, although I will have the option to backdate the layout to the early 1960s to allow steam to run. It is supposed that a railway company decided to build a line from Haslemere through to the South Coast via Chichester, but ran out of money when construction reached just beyond Blackhurst. The line was duly purchased by the LSWR and was electrified about the same time as the lines to Alton and Reading were. The line was able to sustain a reasonable amount of traffic which allowed it to survive the Beeching cuts, but alas it could not keep up with the increasing popularity of the private motor car, and the line was closed to all traffic by 1973. Obviously in reality this never happened, and in all probability a line of this type would never have been built and prospered in such a way, but the beauty of being a modeller is that it's nice to think in some universe somewhere, such a thing could happen. The actual model is pretty much your ordinary Terminus - Fiddle Yard layout, with shades of Lyme Regis / Seaton creeping into the trackplan. At about 16' long, it will allow me to run 4-car EMU’s and reasonable length loco-hauled trains. Here's a couple of photos to give a quick flavour of the layout. It'll look much better once I get some scenery on it. I’d better get a move on though, as the layout’s show is to be the REC’s Annual Exhibition at Woking in September. More details to follow.... Chris Chinery (Geep 7)

If I recall, didn't the 2-EPB's run on the North London line to North Woolwich during the 80's?

Took a look at 135 on the Replica stand @ the Guildford show on Saturday and the BR Blue shade on that look fine to me too. Even the yellow didn't look too bad. Was very tempted....

You might find "BR Air-Braked Wagons in Colour" by David Ratcliffe of use. But defo. would recommend Nigel Burkin's book already mentioned if you're modelling modern image exclusively. The David Larkin books are good, only downside is that all the pics are Black & White. Hope this helps. Chris

Thanks for the info. Bif.