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Hi Tony, Yes, CME is right, these came from Slaters many years ago but they still do them as Moulded Alphabets. Pleased you like OT. Regards Rob

When I said there would be little to report for a while I hadn't realised that waiting for builders to appear is a bit like waiting for paint to dry, but the good news is that is it does give you time to do a little modelling! I have begun work on the platform which is seen in the first photo. This was basically an undercoat of the two platform halves: The next two photos show the platform in place with the final paint finish. At the moment everything is just loosely placed to see what it looks like. When finally fixed down it will be bedded in properly to get rid of the gaps at the base, the largest of which is caused by the new platform straddling the old track bed and nothing to do with my poor workmanship, as if. Ignore the fencing, I forgot it was still there. Finally a shot of a train actually returning to Osney Town, not exactly the start of the new service, more a question of checking clearances. Something I didn't do once on a much earlier layout and only discovered the problem after a major derailment at a loading dock. Something you don't do again! This time I won't make any predictions about future progress. Regards Rob

Thanks for that Ray. It gets frustrating at times not to be able to get on with things as quickly as you would like, particularly when you can picture what you want to do. However, the reasons for the lack of progress have there compensations, as you can imagine, so I mustn't complain! Regards Rob

Progress has been desperately slow of late down Osney way but progress there has been. Since my last post I have taken 'The Shed' to another exhibition, which generated another invitation to exhibit it in November, but have been mainly involved in making preparations for a major extension on the house. Work should have begun by now but delays on the builders last job have put everything back which although taking the build into the winter months has at least allowed me the opportunity to give Osney some attention. Work has started on the platform with stonework being added to the viewing side using modelling clay and the track side, which is not actually visible, has been covered in plastic stonework. A bit of a cheat but who will know. Some paving has been put on the platform edging and in front of the station building Ignore the fencing which has just been placed on the platform, as this is just there to help me assess the emerging picture. I doubt whether there will much more to post for a while but I do need to push on, if possible, as I have a couple of invitations to exhibit OT next year, luckily not until later in the year! Regards Rob

Hi Mark, I've only just seen your comments as we have been in Barnstaple for the weekend exhibiting The Shed but thank you for your kind words and I'm pleased that the layout has provided some inspiration for you. When I first saw pictures of Dursley I just knew it had all the features that I wanted in my layout although I had to use some artistic licence to achieve the look I wanted. I thought I was doing the right thing when I broke up the original Osney Town but time showed me that it was still a good concept for a working diorama of the type I build, hence Osney Town II arising from the ashes. Regards Rob

No problem with me but it is DCC if that makes any difference.

Have just been checking out the layout, making sure everything is as it should be, which it appears to be , so everything is ready for loading into the car in preparation for our trip to Barnstaple for the 25th. Looking forward to the show and meeting old friends. Please make yourself known if you are there, operating this 'complex' layout still gives me time to chat! Regards Rob

Thanks for that Don. That's even simpler. Pleased you like the truck, originally seen on Bude Quay. Rob

Hi All Just a few photos to illustrate some recent work. I have finally discovered how to add photos into the text. I know Barnaby,you were interested in this. I got the answer from Dmudriver's thread on his West Kirby thread on the 7mm topics. I would like to provide a link but my computer skills aren't up to it. The answer was actually provided by Jintyman, so many thanks to him if he reads this. Rob

That's a date then Richard! I can't say I'm all packed up and all ready to go for next month but then it is a micro layout and easy to pack, just need to blow the dust off. Looking forward to an enjoyable day. Regards Rob

Alterations are beginning to get a little momentum just as the weather improves and there will no doubt be requests to go to the beach, did I say that I live in the far south-west, and comments about the need to top up the tan!! Just a couple of photos to show progress, the first showing the old walling with its undercoat and the second after treatment. At least all the stonework now comes from the same local quarry. At this rate it may all be ready for Barnstaple next year, if we get invited again! Just noticed that there is still an area of the old walling in the photos but this will all be buried under new earthworks and vegetation in due course. Rob

There are definite signs of progress down at Osney Town. All the buildings along the backscene are virtually complete although nothing is stuck down as yet to allow for minor adjustments or changes of mind. The next step is the retaining wall at the end of the platform road and then to paint the existing walling to match the stonework on the new buildings and finally for that phase of the re-build the boundary wall along the rear of the buildings. Oh yes, and the road surface on the station approach, the list gets longer but I am pleased with the way things have gone so far, and it will be good to get on to the foreground and the station proper. Finally some photos of the recent work, sorry that they are all together at the end but I still can't place them in the text and comment on individual photos as I would like! regards to all those who follow this saga, Rob

Thanks Barnaby, hopefully someone will explain as others still seem to be able to add text to photos. Thanks Ray, it was good to see you and Hounslow Sidings. We are looking forward to bringing The Shed to Barnstaple in July. Regards Rob

Progress is painfully slow but there is progress, which is something. One of the new buildings on the backscene has been completed, well almost , the photos suggest a little touching up round the windows is required. One reason for the delay has been the need to blend the new stonework with that on the older buildings. As they were painted several years ago, I had some difficulty in remembering what paints I had used on the original, nothing to do with old age I'm sure, but a little trial and error has worked. There is still some stonework on the station approach from Osney days which was obviously from an entirely different quarry and this needs to be altered in due course. On a separate subject can anyone explain to me why I can no longer insert photos into the text and why when I try and quote someone else's comment it will not include their text in my response? Frustrated of Osney Town.

Hi Barnaby Glad you enjoyed the read. I'm hoping to add some updates soon but there always seems to be something that needs doing first, especially in the garden at this time of the year, and I don't even enjoy gardening! Regards Rob

On a recent visit to Osney Town it was noted that the old asbestos cement sheeting on the main factory building had been stripped off and replaced with corrugated sheeting, a very popular building material in this area. Also the opportunity had been taken to add some down pipes to the valley gutters, an omission that has caused considerable damage to the building over the years. I expect that given time there will be some vegetation growth along the boundary at this point which should break the outline of the building when viewed from the station. It was also noted that the back siding had been laid and ballasted, but I was advised that this process had been accompanied by considerable stress to those involved, due in no small part to the incompetence of the workforce which resulted in the ballast being lifted and re-laid, and which to my eye still looks a little bit rough! rob

Hi Richard, that sounds like a target I might make with a bit of luck !

Thanks Ray, I'm really pleased with how it is going so far. Maybe you will get the chance to see it one day at Barnstaple !!!

Hi All I managed to get a good afternoons modelling in the other day and have followed that up with some more progress, with the result that most of the basic work has now been finished and I can assess the situation and see where I am. I am really quite pleased with the way things are going at the present and I can see the best of the old Osney Town re-emerging with what I think are improvements. I am now at the stage when I can really start some detailed work and start to fix items in position as at the moment everything is just loosely placed in position. Since my last post I have had another look at the corner arrangement and I decided that it wasn't quite right so have re-visited this and simplified the walling by bringing the gateway forward and placing it at an angle. The tree is just there to see what it would look like. I find it is often a good thing to walk away from the model for a while and look at it afresh and you then see things in a different light, sometimes they look right and sometimes they don't, but by leaving things for a while it gives a new perspective when you return. The photos also show a new wall under construction as a boundary between the railway and the industrial buildings and in the foreground I have acquired a small storage building. Normally I construct all my own buildings but I saw this Skytrex building and decided that when painted with some detailing it would act as a good scenic block at the end of the platform. The main work done has been on the construction of the new platform as you can see from the photos. That's it for the moment but hopefully there will be some more detailed work to follow before too long. Regards Rob

Thanks Don and Ray for the comments and to all those who have hit the like button. I continue to be amazed at how only 6 feet of layout and its perpetual revamp still creates interest but it certainly gives me great encouragement with the ever present hope that this version will give me what I want!!! Regards Rob

Thanks for the comments Giles, much appreciated. I'm really enjoying this build, although slower than my normal rate of progress, due mainly to other interests taking priority at the moment. Regards Rob

I have been working on the corner area with the cul-de-sac which forms the approach to the station. The lean to building to the left has come from the original Osney Town but I have cut a doorway into the structure with a fanlight over the top to give it more interest. I wasn't sure whether I would be able to do this without doing serious damage to it, as it hadn't been built very strongly, unlike most of my buildings, but luckily the operation was successful. I have also added an entrance to the new factory building from the higher level of the road and linked this to the other building with a wall and gateway which serves a yard area next to the building. At least that's the story line. At the moment nothing is fixed down as more work is required before they become permanent on the layout. The road has been surfaced with granite sets, courtesy of Slaters, but these are suffering from wear and tear and will need repairing around the edge with some tarmac in due course, including that big pothole in the middle. I have given the road a slight camber but this does not show up well in the photos. So slow but steady progress is the name of the game, but I am well pleased with the way it is going at the moment. Rob

Sorry I missed these two posts, I appreciate the comments. The Shed will also be appearing at the Hayle show on the August Bank holiday weekend. Regards Rob

Some recent photos of progress. The two new buildings have received their outer covering of plywood and are now waiting for the layer of Das modelling clay to be added, so that I can get on with the lovely job of scribing the brickwork, at which point things should start to come together, hopefully. I have also secured the new section of track at the station end , although this has still to be ballasted but as this is only about 10 inches it shouldn't take long. Rob

Thanks for that Don, getting back to the modelling makes me realise how much I enjoy the process of creating something new, or almost new, well, slightly new! Regards Rob