fishytrains

Further progress today. Started changing the facing of Walnut Grove station from red brick to the stone ashlar. An in progress photo is included. Too hot to be in the loft. Just the strong breeze to contend with in the garden instead! Mike

Those last photos look fantastic. Mike

Well I have finally managed to take some photos of the limited progress I have made. The lovely warm weather is now restricting further progress! The first photo shows the fiddle yard. This shows six roads, with the return loop on the right. I suspect I could fit in at least another one storage road, if I need to. Still a long way to go before this section is complete. The next step is to work on the baseboard for the return loop and complete that, then I will have a complete circuit! The next photo shows the more or less completed retaining wall for the mainline as it passes Walnut Grove. The area between the wall and the station will be infilled with a small woodland to provide a contrast between the two areas. The third photo shows the retaining wall and bridge, made from Scalescenes products. The big question is what to use for the bridge, I think the best option is probably the steel panels, but I am not sure, need to think about it for a bit longer! The signals are the Hornby ones and at some point will be replaced with others, but that is some way down the priority list. The final photo shows the farm I am building for the countryside above Walnut Grove. This is something I can do outside in the garden when it is too hot to be in the loft. I still have plenty to do and am frustrated that I am not making more progress, but such is the way of life, at some point I am sure things will progress more quickly. MIke

Funny how family life gets in the way! Haven't been able to do anything on the layout for the best part of a week. No photos as yet, will try to get more doe soon. Mike

Finally back and managed to do some work on the layout today, as the temperature was more pleasant. I have decided to switch the two goods sheds round, the bigger one to Walnut Grove, the smaller one to Digby Junction. Yesterday I had a nice present from the taxman, so today I purchased my first sound loco, a Bachmann class 24. Having run it in I then tried it and I have to say I am impressed with it. It will make me more patient in terms of starting the trains from stop! I have started assembling the retaining wall that I have been building, but have not got too far, as the opportunity to run trains was a little too great! However, having also fitted decoders to another couple of locos I found a problem with the layout. In order to ensure power to the track, I have to pull down on the one of the two wires from the DCC unit to the track bus, not quite sure why and will have to look into this more over the coming days. Several jobs to be done over the coming weeks, more as they start to happen, along with photographs. Mike

Lovely video and the weathering of the locks is looking great. Must get myself a class 128 it looks so good. Now where did I put my wallet? Mike

Great video, liked the moving signals too! Mike

Your scratch building is amazing. It is through following your work here that I am going to have a go a scratch building myself. Glad to have you back on board as the others have said. Mike

That is quite a remarkable piece of work. Now can I justify at least one for my layout? Mike

Iain, Great progress. I am looking to go down the plasticard route my self for some viaducts on my layout, partly due to the inspiration of the work on your layout. Like you I like to work things out in my mind before launching into the work. Looking forward to more progress. Mike

The detail visible in the photos is incredible and a veritable source of information for anyone modelling this era. Mike

Some fantastic photos there. Layout is looking very good. Mike

That is great looking progress. Keep the posts coming as I also find it inspirational. Mike

That is one great looking shunter. I particularly like the second photo, can just about hear the sound of the shunter from here! Mike

A little empty looking there. Do you not have enough locos to fill it? Mike

I am thoroughly enjoying reading about your progress, and will continue to do so with interest. Mike.

Looking very good there. Like the run down look of the pill boxes. Mike

Lovely shots as usual. I particularly like the experimental ones of the loco casting a shadow. Mike

Fantastic head-on shot there. Mike

Well the retaining walls have been built and are now ready for installation on the layout. Only five weeks or so to go! I have started doing some research in order to construct some viaducts for the mainline at the top end of the layout. I am going down the plasticard route. It is time to be brave. Also I will have something to do whilst in Kuwait on my return in September. Just sorting out my list of jobs for the layout once I get home in June, assuming SWMBO doesn't have an even longer list of things she expects me to do! Mike

Very good looking progress. Mike

Great videos and a fantastic insight to the modern railway, thanks for sharing. Mike

The info on the building of the billboard is great, thanks for sharing. Mike.

Developing very nicely. I look forward to seeing more as the layout progresses. Mike

It is unfortunate that some dumb people are allowed access to the internet, however, it is also important not to let the b*****ds grind you down. Glad that you will be back after a deserved break. Mike