Jules

Keeping up the theme of starting new bits rather than finishing off work already begun...I have spent the last week building the signal cabin. It is the Ratio platform/ground level signal box, with the addition of a wooden platform at the entrance (instead of the stone steps leading straight to the door) and a Springside interior. Assembling the levels into the frame was fun! I know the levels are extremely unlikely to be in the right order but as the inside is hardly visible one the roof is on, I don't think I'll loose any sleep over it! So, here are the shots of the inside... Plonked in position on the layout, a bit of work is needed to get the levels correct and for comparison, how it used to look from roughly the same viewpoint

Moving swiftly on...for a change! The starting signal is temporarily placed in position - exciting stuff Apologies for the lighting - the room is north facing and as it is rather gloomy I put a lamp on which accounts for the colour

Turning back through 180 degrees... I have built the signal protecting the level crossing. It is one of Ratios 'easy build' GW home signals. While the actual building is easy, getting the operating mechanism to work properly was a bit time consuming. I think I have got it just about working ok, although it might need a bit of prompting to return to the fully horizontal position. I haven't installed it yet, just placed it for a picture, I need to put the fence in behind it first before fixing it and connecting the operating string. Another one of these for the starting signal, a bracket signal (I can already foresee that one being a pain to build...) and some ground signals and all I will need then is the signal box! I have also purchased some more variety of scatter and shrub material so can hopefully add a bit more feature to the landscape.

Nick, helpful pictures are always welcome, thanks for posting it. The pic is a bit of inspiration, that is what I am aiming for as I develop the scenery. At the moment I am trying to get a basic landscape in place, so that I can then add the extra bits to, as you rightly point out, give it more depth and feature. I feel a trip to the local model shop coming on to source some of the items you suggest! Thanks Jules

Thank you all for your kind and encouraging words (and likes!), especially about the landscaping, as that is something which I am never completely happy with. I have this idea in my head of what I want it to look like, but by the time that gets to my hands it seems to come out a bit different! I think I also visualise something, but when it comes to implement it, I find the space is less than I thought. That could obviously be overcome by better planning, something I really need to remember next time I extend or build a new layout. Still, 'everyday's a school day' and it's only by trying these things that you learn what works and what doesn't (wrinkley backscenes for a start!). I'll keep the posts and pictures coming - as and when I do something!

Thanks for the comment Les! Like you, I found it very difficult to get the wire to stick to the post. My current method is to drill holes in the post and feed the wire through. It's a bit time consuming and fiddly, but it does make it less prone to damage once fitted. I think somewhere back in the history of this thread when I mentioned this method before, something called (if I remember correctly) Easywire was mentioned, which is thinner and can be wrapped round the post instead. I image this gives a strength like my method, but quicker to do! Hope that helps Jules

I am making some (slow) progress on the extension! I have finally got hold of some Ratio GW fencing, so the first bits to go in were behind the crossing keepers box. I added a trespass sign, and a bike leaning against it. The geeza leaning against the gate is a temporary feature - I use him to check heights etc! I have also been doing a bit on the dairy corner, adding the concrete drainage channel (made up from bits of plasticard, built up the ground level, added some fencing etc. The gate is just temporarily placed so I can determine where the rest of the fencing needs to go. Still lots to do, but it's looking a little less bare

Thank you all for your kind comments and 'likes' about the 'engine shed come dairy'! The current offering from Dapol is made of rather a soft plastic (I think they claim it is recycled - whether that is relevant on not, I do not know) which is both good and bad : good because it is easy to cut and file, bad because it is a bit bendy (from the bag most parts needed straightening) and there is quite a lot of flash. Still, it adds to the fun! Also, given the age of the molds I suppose you cannot complain too much.

I'm another one who missed this first time round - really enjoyed reading the thread and seeing the layout develop - nice to see a big GW layout

I've made some progress with the dairy - it is now basically complete, apart from some vents on the roof. Before setting it in place, I need to make the drainage channel insert for the track under the canopy, and sort out the area around the back and side of the building, as well as the fencing around the site. Here are a few pics of it plonked in place - I am quite pleased with the end result. I had hoped to make some more progress this weekend, but knackering my back has put paid to that idea!

If the goods shed has had money spent on it - the line must be due for closure! (Hopefully not - another great set of pics)

All the crummy weather over Christmas has given me a chance to start making the dairy building (rather than finishing off the level crossing corner, sorting the backscenec etc...!). I think I mentioned in an earlier post that I was intending to use a couple of Dapol engine sheds hacked together to create some form of industrial type building, so here is the result. It is still work in progress, but as there was a glimmer of a yellow thing in the sky, I thought I would take a couple of piccies. The building is basically one and a half engine sheds end to end, which gives a similar length to the mocked up build, although it is a bit narrower. I did away with the raised 'smoke vents' of the engine shed, so will now need to source some roof vents from somewhere. The roof needs finishing and painting, and a canopy to go over the loading bay and track, plus drain pipes, a few signs etc. The middle bay had the window cut out to create an opening with the shed doors cut down to represent sliding doors into the dairy. So here are a couple of pics of it on the workbench and temporarily placed in position to give an idea of the end result.

No progress on the extension but in a previous post I mentioned the 14xx + autocoach should make a return...so here it is! I spent yesterday afternoon and a bit this morning fitting the Gibson wheels (always fit the crankpins before fitting the wheels to the axles!). I had a few things to overcome, new bushes needed fitting to the old connecting rods, disconnected wire from the keeper plate to the motor, the usual sort of things that turn a 'five minute job' into several hours! Anyway, it is back up and running, well sort of. Occasionally the gears stop meshing and it just sits there with the motor running! I can't see anything obviously wrong, except maybe the wire to the motor might be trapped and pushing the keeper plate down a tiny bit which is enough to give the axle too much slop. I've had enough of removing and refitting that keeper plate - so that can be delayed until after Christmas sometime (along with adding balance weights, painting the whel rims etc). I also had to make a solid bar to couple loco and coach. Before the extension, it was just a straight run from fiddle yard to station, so the screw coupling was fine, however, now there is a curve (a bit sharper than I would have liked), that coupling was no good. I did try a bit of brass wire, but that didn't really work either, so a solid brass link is what currently joins them. Seems to do the trick! A couple of snaps to show the new wheels! Happy Christmas and thank you to all of you who have commented and 'liked', it's much appreciated.

Thank you all for the comments and 'likes'. I hope to hide the hole in the backscene with a tree on the far side, and on this side I am planing to put a cottage type building (maybe the crossing keepers abode?). I wasn't sure whether to use a bridge as before, but thought I would try something different. Also, should I decide to go further round the bend (creating a U shaped layout), I thought it would be easier to extend. I think I might try to get the air bubbles out of the backscene as an initial attempt to improve it, the pictures back it look worse than the eye (although that might just be my dodgy eyes).

Tangmere, Bristol T.M about 7:50 15th December 2012, after The Christmas Devonian.

A bit of progress to report... I have got most of the basic landscape in place, with a first general covering of green stuff. The corner by the level crossing is beginning to take shape, the crossing gates, gatekeepers gate and hedging are in place. I had hoped to have the lineside fence from the crossing to the entrance to the fiddle yard finished, but what I thought was the correct fencing in my bits box wasn't, so I need to purchase another few packs before I can continue. I have left a largish empty space where the dairy is to be, as I haven't finalised what exactly the finished building and environs will be be, so the baseboard has just been given a splash of green to make it a bit less obvious. Anyway, here are a few pics to illustrate, I think I will either have to replace the backscene or hide it with a lot of trees!

Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement, and all the 'likes' - it's nice to know I'm not wasting bandwidth uploading the photos! Les, I have an image in my mind as to how the level crossing should look - I've just got to put it into practice!

Just a few pics to show a bit of progress. First up, a couple showing the (incomplete) signal cabin in its intended position (I forgot to paint the door, so I am waiting for that to dry before fitting it and doing the roof and barge boards!). The road is just painted to give an idea of the position, it isn't the final colour! Next up, some pics of the landscaping performed so far - looking more like a badly iced Christmas cake than rolling fields! Before I do much more on this, I need to paint the track and do the dreaded ballasting - not looking forward to that! Looking from the old layout to the new part, hopefully it will all blend in, with some shrubbery to hide the baseboard join edit - just noticed the nasty wrinkles in the backscene - rather annoying

Hi Jon I am intending putting a small signal box at the station, so it could be considered practice!

In the previous post I mentioned the intention to have a minor road crossing near the entrance to the fiddle yard. I have built the crossing keepers cabin from the Wills kit, and added a couple of interior detailing bits to add some character. As this will probably be invisible once the roof is on, here are a couple of snaps. I still have to paint and fit the door, which I will probably leave in the open position, fit the roof and create a name board, and touch in the paint as necessary! I have some some of the scenic work, and I am currently waiting for the plaster skim to dry, although it looks like there will be quite a lot of crack filling required...

Hi Les The 14xx will be making a re-appearance, I picked up some replacement wheels at Warley, so fitting them has been added to the list of things to do! Not sure who has the contract for the ballast, but I think it will probably be GW! I'm planning on keeping the scenery simple, just gentle rolling fields. On the right hand side I think there will be a small road crossing the line, just in front of a clump on tress hiding the exit to the fiddle yard. I have started putting some cardboard landscape formers in place, so I hope some of the basic landforms will be in place soon-ish Jules

A bit of an update... I have finally got the track down ( 1 small radius Y point and a catch point plus a bit of flexi track), the point motors in and power. I can now run trains again! I have also put the backscene in place, a lot easier to do it at the start rather than trying to fit it round the scenery! I have lowered the apex on the dairy mock-up, although the initial build is going to be two Airfix/Dapol single road engine sheds cut about a bit and put together. This may or may not be the final solution, depending on how the kit-bash goes. Anyway, here are a few pics - the lighting was pretty poor, but they give an idea of what is going on.

Lovely layout, I really like the open feel. Also, you can't have enough GW blts! For the last few years we've had our department Christmas lunch at Seagry (or it might be Uper Seagry!), I think it's The New Inn (not being a local its the only time I've been in it!).

A little bit of progress... I had hoped to have the track on the extension down this weekend, but my local model shop didn't have the short Y point and the catch point I require. They should be in early next week hopefully. I have marked the proposed curve and placed the two Peco point templates in position. So while I am waiting, I have added the extra switch to the control panel - this will operate both the Y and catch points together, and the power feed for the new board. This is connected to the new board by another inelegant d-type connect on the front of the board. I have also knocked up a card structure to represent the diary to get a better idea of size and space. I think I might lower the apex of the roof a bit, and the boiler house will probably end up at the other end. Anyway, it gives my something to move about and try in different positions! A couple of snaps to illustrate the words..

Thank you all for the kind words about the existing layout, and the extension. Apart from the proposed dairy and siding, I am intending on keeping it simple, I think mainly fields (with cows!) and quite a few more trees. I think also a signal cable and a few signals will also be in order. Castle - thanks for all the 'likes' - when I opened my email I thought I must have got a virus as the inbox doesn't normally show that many new messages!!