Andy7

Like the bridge brother looking great. Track work is going to look great when ballasted and the screws are removed!!!!!!!!!!!!

I think it looks fantastic. I'm also pretty sure that in the flesh it looks much better than low quality pics. The HST in my opinion suits a one simple colour livery. I will say it now but give it a couple of years and it will be the must have model. People will be crying out for repaints!

After speaking with the Dapol rep at DEMU showcase and holding the pre production OO body, he seemed to think very early 2016. They were aiming for before Christmas but thought it slightly un achievable. Hope this helps. Andy

Awesome progress, really can't wait to have a play now. As you always say do it right, and only do it the once. Week Thursday till play day!

Mick your bang on as always. Did you see my brothers new layout topic "Badgers Cross 2"? A layout to run all the stock on is rapidly approaching being useable. Andy

Great work brother. Second helix not far off completion. Cannot wait until full loop testing can happen. Will book in the next weekend with you soon.

Had a bit of a photo role call of some of my locos today in slightly better lighting conditions. Started with a pair of 31's., 31105 and 31601. Next up another pair, WCRC 47760 and 57001 ready for a railtour. My Colas trio of 56087, 56113 and 60087. These will be bolstered with 37421, 60096 and 70 something (when released). DRS trio 37409, 37716 and 47810. Again more to come in the shape of 37405, 57010 and 68 some such. May do another 37 as well. Finally DB Schenker with 08907, 67018, 67027, 60011 and 60062. It's funny but when looking at them for pics you notice nearly every loco has one job still to do to finish it off, be it weathering, painting a detail or adjusting something. Those pics represent just under half the locos I have. Of the remainder around 6 are either in the workshop or awaiting me to start there repaints. For your info only 2 of those locos in the pics are not repaints by me. Hope you enjoy the pics.

Finally finished my new liveried 31601 and got my second Colas 56 done as 087. Decided to repaint my own instead of buy the Hornby one, which means the details are correct! The 31 has my legoman sound chip from my old green 31601 and the 56 will receive one in time. Both are yet to be weathered, the 31 very lightly and the 56 will be medium weathered to represent it currently. Hope you enjoy the pics, which are poor due to the bad light. I think an outside line up is in order soon. Also I have completed another log wagon and have partly loaded it, going to take a while to complete this project that's for sure. I have also acquired an EWS 66 which is just awaiting transfers to become a DB/EWS loco. I have also started my DRS 20/3 which has been sat around waiting to be done for at least 4 years! Too many projects!

A few more higher res pics of some of the previous posts work. Hope you like.

Thanks Mick I will look into it. I'm hoping that's all the BYA's I will need. The rest of the rake will be made up of other metal carriers! As I say more soon hopefully. Andy

Wow has it really been that long! Anyway an update. DCR 31601 has been moved on and DCR 31190 has been completed and weathered as per pictures of it on today's railway. 31190 is for sale if anyone is interested, plenty more pics and details available. I repainted a super detailed Hornby 56 to 56103 as used by DCR. This one is a keeper and fitted with Howes V4 sounds. I have partly weathered it but it will be getting more including the black streaks down the sides as per the real loco. Also pictured is 47843 which has had a bit more weathering applied. Plenty of stock has been worked on. I have been adding brake discs to various items and they are a great addition, no pics yet. I have also bought 6 Bachmann steel thrall carriers and have just finished weathering them. Two were factory weathered, and whilst better than shiny, it was really quite poor. Also one wagon had been fitted by a previous owner with a very neat DCC flashing tail light which is fantastic. Whilst mentioning this rake I have ordered 8 further wagons of a different type to bolster it, more when they arrive! I have also completed a conversion of a high sided OBA wagon to a mesh sided example. This was more than inspired by James Makin and I'm thrilled with it. Thanks James for the inspiration. The rest of this rake is moving along aswell, I now have 8 OCA and OBA type wagons. I'm sure more has been done but it alludes me for now. Currently on the work bench is the next Colas log wagon and a second Colas 56, 56087. Also 31601 in its new colour scheme. 60096 in Colas colours is not far off being started also. YI also have a further 3 locos which are to be painted and sold which will use up some of my spare decals I have knocking around. Also these will be the last low quality iPad pics. Actually going to use one of the proper cameras we have! Anyway that concludes the update apart from to say my brother has finished all lower base boards and most track on the new layout including the first helix being completed. Maybe about 40% of track now down. Excited.com.

Come on Nick spill the beans, what are you going to make me want to purchase now!

Great work as usual Mick. Also I'm making my way to DEMU for the first time this year so look forward to saying hi. Andy

Charlie, how do I remove the postage price from my basket?

Thanks Charlie.

Charlie, if I were to send you a couple of decoders for a reblow, (via the website), can I then collect them from you at DEMU to save the postage! Thanks in advance. Andy

A small update, I gave finished weathering the TTA tanks and also completed my first 2 TEA tanks. A few vids of the rake behind some choice traction are below! Hope you like. Currently making a super detailed 31 into 31190 as seen on the network today. http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/Golfamily7/Mobile%20Uploads/th_trim.FFF39298-A65A-4931-9698-97C553B6C2E5_zpsku1clxhm.mp4 http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/Golfamily7/Mobile%20Uploads/th_trim.FB2FF2DA-C328-4400-99F3-26C1DF6B2E51_zps6qa8t9mr.mp4 http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u75/Golfamily7/Mobile%20Uploads/th_trim.E03D03B9-C919-4C8E-850E-0DA0B3148403_zps1n6iw8hr.mp4

There is no two tone green on hire anymore! It's been painted. Looking good though.

And?

More locos completed. Two 37's which have gone off to there new home. First older liveried locos I have done, only normally do bang up to date stuff. Thoroughly enjoyed doing them and think they look great, especially British Steel. Also now complete after a lot of cutting, filling, drilling and shaping is 31105 in Network rail yellow, suitably faded and weathered. The iPad pics again don't do it justice but it looks great. It started out as a blue one with boiler, lower valances, no headlight and other various older features. Took a lot of work to achieve including, fitting homemade nose handrails and lamp brackets, NRN aerials and now working headlights. After doing all this I decided against modifying the roof vents as 99% of people won't know the difference. Anyhow hope you like. Next on the list is a DRS 37 in revised scheme and finish the remaining TTA tanks.

Ordered Colas 60096 transfers from Precision Decals about 8 months ago and the transaction went super smooth as always, done! Then this morning an envelope from Precision, I open it to find the new style Colas hats as fitted to 60096 which has just completed its overhaul for Colas. I was amazed and very happily surprised. Bearing in mind 8 months plus had passed and I wasn't even expecting it , that really is great customer service. Thanks very much, keep up the great work.

31105 is now in NR yellow, pics will follow over the weekend. Also had a little play and took a couple of pics of some of my other locos. Have now added etched nameplates to 70004 but still need to make the cooler ducts at some point. That's all for now.

I couldn't resist a pic of my Colas fleet all together. I do have another 56 to do and a Bachmann 70 on order!!!

Yeah I did note the much smaller form on the roof. Smaller than the standard air intake/grill item. Will look into it any way. Thanks

Thanks Mick. I did not note the cab roofs being different, more research required me thinks. I should just ask you before I start any Network Rail items! Cheers for the pointer Mick.