chriscleveland

Hi all weekend went well thanks lots of interest and people able to tell where it was more work has been carried out with the yard now ballasted at long last! the coaling stage is nearly complete with just the spring hut left to do scaffholding has been built over 30828's boiler and that area is now the next attention point wiring has been focused on too with half the yard now running as I call it 08 proof so that I can park locos in different locations and still be able to remove a shunting engine and drive off maybe should have gone dcc more detail parts are being assembled and the boiler shed is almost complete with the new wiring about to commence for lights and other items that require power I took a few photos which suggest a diesel gala might have just taken place Cheers

So after a busy weekend its all back to normality after a mass tidy sunday night with the layout still stuck in transport gave me the opportunity to shrink down my scenic item and store items not required at this time and find some I forgot I had! so more progress has been made focusing on the yard front I now have all small huts etc glued down with a fist yard covering on too I hope to today complete the yard and build some quirky little details to go on the layout too Chris

So today I finished the coaling stage and ash pit finally the hills are green and boiler shop re positioned I have also started the undercoat for the yard since there is only round the points to go 30828 has unearthed a short due to wheel arrangement so will have to wait til after the open day for attention Tomorrow I hope to finish the yard in undercoat ready for yard lay that night ready for photos Friday ready for Saturday Chris

thank you I hope so to so much to do so little time I will post more photos prior and on the weekend showing the full extent of the layout will be the first time in a while the whole thing will be up apart from fiddle yards I hope to complete some more projects on the line then more rolling stock after the show Chris

So today I have been told ropley will be attending Basingstoke open day on Saturday no pressure today I and a few members managed to finally get beggarwood running prior to the open day too

so after more modelling ropley is now getting there more wiring has been carried out recently all working apart from the new barry slip the coaling stage is all built ready for more coal as well as the ash pit the c&w works is in place now and ready for work to take place after the boiler shop moves I have decided to make all rolling stock moveable apart from the pmv in the works the s15 boiler will also not be moved too meaning 2 bullied coaches can be shunted as well as the 4mt boiler on the trollies just got to make the coupling jig to move these as well as some wheels too I hope to have the scenic compete by the weekend ready for some more areas to be focused on I want to make working roller doors but haven't got a clue on how ah a tricky situation there the signal box will also be another focus point as well as interiors of the sheds so I can finally add the roofs on for display purposes board 1 is the only board im happy with so only 5 to go and a better revised fiddle yard photos attached show recent progress enjoy

so more modelling and more time again means things are pushing forward on both models Beggarwood lane is making its first scenic appearance on the 19th at Basingstoke meaning lots to be done but ropley may also be attending the same location so the pressure is on I have completed all the poly filler stage and wiring for testing prior to cutting the point motor rods that stick up through the track so I can complete the points and lay the yard ballast in ready I have also loaned the airbrush to paint 30828 into its proper colour livery so it can be lined but if anyone could help I want to fade its paintwork and would love to find out how to do this ????? I have built a further 8 houses for beggarwood as well as the template shop and laid out the exact plan to be ropley has had all yard filler ready or testing wiring complete as well as shed 1 moved into it correct location I have also started another few machines for the workshops for when they are ready in the next couple of days I have decided to make some sound systems and some lights to be added too my ultimate secret project is also nearly complete so will show a video when it is :0 I will add photos on Monday when the camera returns from the lake district

so over the last few weeks ropley has slowly progressed with the yard mainly re surfacing as I ripped it all up I have re wired the yard so that the carriage shed can become operational to shunt coaches in and out of the shed as well as store the odd tender too my U class and urie S15's have turned up so guess what im building next as well as all the number plates and names I have also ordered more yard items which I think will suit the scene well too will post photos this weekend if you are in the area in September its the Basingstoke model railway open day which will show beggarwood lane the layout im building the town scene for and possibly Ropley Chris

Cheers for the advice found the drawings on their website and also spoke to Urie who are going to send photos to me

Ah nice one cheers if not I guess I'll have to visit urie over the weekend for in the flesh photos Ah nice one cheers if not I guess I'll have to visit urie over the weekend for in the flesh photos Ah nice one cheers if not I guess I'll have to visit urie over the weekend for in the flesh photos Ah nice one cheers if not I guess I'll have to visit urie over the weekend for in the flesh photos

Hi all would anyone know where to find drawings or pictures of a s15 frames I'm trying to figure out where the supports between the frames sit

I like the idea I'm after sounds of birds and workshop machinery so I'll watch this post with interest

Hello all after much head scratching and destruction i am happy with the look so its time to re piece the puzzle The yards eye sore is now a thing of the past as all is shaping up how it should have done originally but nether the less still plenty to do before the final outcome can be seen so far all track has been re laid with longer points in place for a better flow with stock. The coaling stage has been re made from the old one and some new parts included of course and glued into place. All the containers are in situ with bases glued so I can lift the bodies off for weathering and painting in due course. The tankers are currently receiving some modifications to bring then up to scratch. 30499 in barry condition on its concrete pad is also coming along nicely. The carriage shed has been the first of the two buildings to be modified with the entire structure moving 2" back sounds easy but unfortunately its on a board joint so easier said than done. Im really pleased with the two right hand points merged looks so much better in my opinion. Unfortunately the sister has the camera on her this wek so I wil post pictures when they return but I can ppost older ones to give the idea Chris

Preservation seems to be quite slim considering the amount of preservation lines there is. I was bought up mainly around ropley and with slim interest in modern day I thought I would give it a go. I have seen your layout on threads and really do like it! There are a total of 2 chopped up coaches and a few still to be done the carriage shed is the next project to commence after the yard re lay Chris

So after a busy week more has progressed with Ropley's new look the yard now has been taken up and new track work put into its temporary place including the custom made point I hope to have it all down this weekend along with the repositioning of the buildings the coaling stage has been rebuilt after falling apart coming off the layout

So after a hectic weekend ropley has started to take to its new shape unfortunately some items gave been completely stripped down and will have to be rebuilt like the coaling stage I must confess that I should have done this change a long time ago the difference is incredible! Looks so much more like I'm there also completed another iconic piece of rolling stock for the line the 10 ton steam crane

Morning all I have finally gotten round to modelling again this time purely focusing on Ropley When I first started building the layout I rushed it leaving many pet hates on the line and over the years I have slowly eliminated these. The main focus point has been up the yard near to the carriage shed. This area was never done correctly and has bugged me ever since so I have taken the plunge to make it look right!! after all I want it to look like the real thing..... unfortunately I cant for some reason add pictures as I go through it all so all photos will be at the end anyway... after re drawing the entire yard shed to shed and adding new buildings ( the correct ones) I realised that I have over built the carriage and boiler shed which means these will have to be re made at some point or adapted anyway one can of worms lead to another I decided also that the yard should finally have its proper entrance point which is 2 merged right hand points one opening into the yard one opening into the carriage shed. these pictures will emerge one this point is complete all the points in the yard originally were isolation frog and small radius but with the new mainline points working so well being elctrofrog I decided the yard should have the same so I have acquired medium radius points after drawing the entire yard I also found all buildings that were on the layout all are in the wrong place aka too far back making the yard look massive when actually its very compact for what it is anyway with decisions on a track remake as well as proper buildings was the perfect timing to re do the entire yard with a quick visit down to ropley to take photos so all can see what it will eventually look like more picture when the barry slip is completed hopefully by next week Chris

Hi Michael Thanks for the Comments appreciate it it's starting to really take shape after 3 years work. I have to agree clean locos do look weird but the ones that are out of service are kept in a nice weathered condition although all my locos will be a bit more grubby at some point nothing stays pristine over a couple of days service. The sheds are a while off completion I need to learn how to scratch build loco parts and components. Might be something I could pick your brains for after seeing your magnificent Barry locos. I'm really starting to like just doing the sheds. It is something I have not seen modelled and would like to give a good go at. 30828 had the airbrush dates booked for painting this will be fun! Chris

Morning all more progress within the sheds with small details being added within the carriage shed and boiler workshops

hi all im currently stuck on my layout with roofs for my engine sheds one span is 4ft and another 2 at 2ft I have tried MDF with plastic sheeting glued on top and eventually it bowed and always keeps bowing I built within the shed a plastic sub frame to support the roof buts still suffer with the same issue I was looking into trying balsa wood but thought I would see if anyone might have better ideas Chris

I like the look of your weathered 66 really well done!

went down to Ropley this morning to see lots in steam must be and event day! Enjoy

the other two pictures showing the crane and restoration locos

Morning all a fresh week so a I thought a fresh post would be ideal attentions to both projects was slow last week but still plenty going on Ropley has now had a board swap over so my attention can turn to the road bridge end of the layout. This end is the main focus for what I call phase 2 which is going detail crazy within the sheds. in the boiler shed is my main focus adding all sorts of detail within the works tool racking is currently being built for on top of the containers boilers of 4mt 76017 and s15 30506 can be seen within the boiler shop receiving attention the roof will be re done on the sheds both frame and proper cladding with peep holes. Unfortunately my cat is obsessed with the plastic strips. the carriage shed is attached to the boiler shed and currently has a pmv and bullied coach attached within the works under repairs. all mini huts have been built for this shed and await placement. the second bullied coach has now been completed and will be one that runs so it can arrive by rail and be shunted into the carriage shops. I like the outcome of both so far one giving the look of the state on how they both entered the works. the carriage shed is also I believe too long only just! but this needs to be resolved. Outside the works as can be seen in one of the pictures is 76017's tender laying on its side on its chassis being de scaled. in this area much is to change all the way to the coaling stage. the plan is the following, a new ash disposal area, new containers, 828's boiler, s15 workshops, 30499 on its concrete plinth in barry condition. unfortunately this area was the first part I did and I have never liked it so it has to go in my eyes. the last photo shows more under restoration locos that are being made these will be 30828 without boiler on chassis, boiler cladding on chassis and red oxide showing inside chassis and tender body. the loco in the middle is the MHR converted J94 to Douglas 0-6-0 without boiler and cab roof. The last one is 75079 I plan to model this 4mt with more tricky than I thought it would be! the cab roof will be missing, cylinders without cladding on, missing motion with main brackets in situ, boiler cladding straps on, missing footplate sections, cab floor removed missing dome and more. I have also ordered from djh a Urie s15 which will be 30506 and 30499 made from scratch using djh frames as a template saves paying over £100 for a model that will be missing over half the parts when completed. I also attached a picture of one of 2 cranes nearing completion this is the R&R 45 ton steam crane lovely kits to build more to be posted later in the week Chris