stivesnick

Molinnis will be at the Ramsey (Cambs) show next Sunday. The venue is the Ramsey Rural Museum which has a large collection of old farm and household equipment - well worth a look if you are modelling a rural location in times past. As for Molinnis, hope to have some new rolling stock for the layout. Hope to see some of you there. Nick

Some more thoughts on the layout design and how it will be operated. The M&GN being a secondary route, had a modest train service. Each day there were 8-9 passenger trains in each direction, although not all stopped at Eye Green. A typical train was 3-4 coaches so realistic to model. There were several pick up goods trains that shunted the sidings each, as well as through freights. As noted in Post 1, a goods loop has been added to allow shunting to take place whilst traffic continues on the main line. The idea is to have 3 operators, one for each main line plus a yard shunter. Once the main line operator has dropped off wagons in the brick sidings, the yard operator can take a few wagons at a time through the backscene where they can be loaded with bricks and then returned to the front of the layout. This is a similar approach to one adopted on our first group layout Ketton. Hopefully by using the Dapol easi-shunt couplers the operation will work much better. One of the features of the M& GN route in its last few years was the near universal use of LMS 4MT 2-6-0 tender locos. Bachmann do the BR version and group members already have several examples. Question 1: Has anyone done a conversion from one type to the other, or are they so close in appearance that it is not worth doing? Question 2: What do people, as an exhibition visitor, think about have most trains hauled by the same type of locomotives? Is it.... a) That's the prototype so it is the right thing to do b) That is boring, I want to see lots of different types of loco c) Don't mind as long as you keep something moving unlike the layout next door where nothing has moved for 10 minutes! d) I hate steam, why not run diesels instead e) None of the above Comments please !!

Welcome to the new N Gauge layout from the Cambs and Nothants Group of the N Gauge Society. Our existing layout Horseley Fields will continue and there are plans to extend it. The new layout is based around Eye Green on the M&GN route just to the east of Peterborough. We have made some changes to the original track plan to make it easier to operate at exhibitions. A goods loop has been added to allow the pick up goods to keep clear of the main line whilst shunting takes place. We have flipped the goods yard round so it can be shunted from the Peterborough line. We have also added the grain silo from the adjacent Dogsthorpe to the goods yard. The original track plan is shown below. The new baseboards, made by John the Carpenter, with the track plan marked on.

Paul For this sort of railway, there was often a maintenance stair way along side the track. Is this something you have considered Regards Nick

Having sorted out problems with transfer of pictures from camera to computer, here is a quick update. The show at Motspur Park went very well, and the layout behaved itself once I sorted out a short caused by the boards being too close together. A couple of photos: Now that Civic Duties have finished, time for some modelling. First up is a Tomix bus. Although the front window is large and modern looking, the side window supports are rather heavy. So these have been cut away. The drivers side looks better than the door side. Green is original bus, red is modified. Need to think about painting decals etc. Second project; the Regional Railways Class 150 has been to the Electra Graphics paint shop and emerged in FGW livery. First step was to paint around the doors as suggested. Bit difficult when the new livery is a changing colour. I used Humbrol 222 which was about right. To apply the new livery I tried doing it in sections and in 1 go. The sections were slightly easier. There was still a gap around the doors but hopefully the finished article is not too bad. Need to add varnish coat - would a matt finish be best?

Molinnis is at small local show next Saturday in SW London. Holy Cross Church Hall, Motspur Park - 11.00-4.30. Exhibition is in support of charities that mum is involved in so could not refuse really! From memory there is very limited parking on site, so best come by train to Motspur Park station (SWT Waterloo to Chessington / Epsom) which is only a few minutes walk away. Could also park at Tesco Shannon Corner on the A3, again a few minutes walk away. A few additional trees added and a few more details have gone in. Plans to lengthen the fiddle yard are on hold until the new Peco setrack curved points come out. I did look at moving the existing points but this would only give me an extra CDA or 2, the curved points would allow trains up to 20 CDAs!

Like the staircase - is it a kit or did you build it from scratch? Don't want to appear to be a "grumpy" but the supports don't look right. It either needs a second leg at each landing with some bracing or the steps need to be tied back to the stone wall with some supports, otherwise the stairs could fall over. In terms of colour black was the most usual colour for metal work, although it could be green. Either way, unless freshly painted, there would be plenty of rust showing. Hope this is helpful Nick

Hi Dave Great idea for a layout. Are you planning to use DCC and will you be running proper Atlantic Coast Express trains that split / join sections at the stations? An operation just made for DCC and Dapol easy-shunt couplers. Regards Nick

Hi Like this a lot, the scenic work so far looks great. I especially like the way you have managed to give the impression that the branch and main line are separate and head in different directions. At the station end, have you thought about how you are going to include part of the town that the station serves? It would help give the layout a good sense of place. Regards Nick

Hi Paul Like the layout and good to see John hard at work! Been trying to think of a suitable history for the layout. It could have been that the station was the original terminus and then the single track line added on later as an extension to the next town or china clay facility. In that case a run round loop on the branch would be needed but not an extra platform ( although a disused platform would look good). It would be worth locating the site of the former goods yard/loco shed which would now be used for something else ie car park or new supermarket etc. Have you told John where the bus and lorries are going to run yet!!! N

Saw layout at Nottingham today - excellent layout, with good detail, and unlike many layouts at the show, something moving! Regards St Ives Nick

Thanks Claude The track plan lends itself to having a scenic feature in front of the tracks and a modern(ish) estate is something that is seldom modelled. The buildings are Muswell Models resin kits, I brought them many years ago. Not sure if they are still trading, but there are not many modern house buildings available in N. I wanted kits to ensure consistency of the buildings. The layout was very much trial and error - you will see from early photos that they moved around a little bit before they were finally stuck down. The gardens were a case of think of something different to put in each one - so we have some sheds, a BBQ, new extension, vegetable patch and a rather overgrown garden. Regards Nick

Some more photos from the March show - just to prove we did run passenger trains as well. 1) the operators "what does this switch do again?" 2) Passing local and cross-country trains - looks like wrong line running is in operation. 3) Close up of the Dapol Class 153s. At the start of the show the St Ives bay version was poorly but Paul managed to fix it, by the end the FGW one was a non-runner 4) Cross country train by the signal box - the signaller is about to get an unexpected visitor.

Thanks to John, Paul+daughter and Ben for helping on the layout today. The public spotted the alien and UFO, couple having a snog behind the garage and the shopping trolley. Nobody pointed out the owl box - it can be seen in the pictures on post 81. Nick

The big day is tomorrow: 1st March Layout is making it's debut at the March & District Model Railway Club show Westwood Community Junior School, Maple Grove, March PE15 8JT. Do say hello if you are visiting the show. Regards Nick

I could get some clear plastic sheet to represent a flood to cover the area either side of the river. Or to be totally correct I should build some more houses on the flood plain!

All 3 weeks to go to the first outing at the March MRC exhibition on March1st. Around 70 trees, mainly model tree shop, have now been added to the back of the layout. Makes a big difference .... The other major addition are the signals. CR products - a basic signal on the branch line and a modified gantry signal on the main lines. To the basic unit, they have added a junction indicator for the branch line and shunt signals to allow for shunting the factory. Not wired up yet.

Less than 2 months to go until first exhibition - 1st March at the March show. Ballast done over Christmas and after some time cleaning up the track, a proper operating session. Photos below, taken with the back scene removed. Class 66 passes the old china clay works with loaded CDAs, the first few have been weathered. Then waits in the loop for a passing sprinter. Class 153 passes the signal box with new walk way for the staff. Class 60 with silver bullets heads onto the branch. Class 67 shunts the works sidings. The rest of the train waits on the main line in the background. The Dapol couplings worked well this morning, operational test in front of others still to come! Finally, general shot of the layout.

More work in the gardens despite the cold weather! There is a BBQ scene (Noch) with Tomytec gazebo and table. Will add some more figures later. Need to work out how to do N Gauge food and drinks! Trees from model tree shop, flowers from WWS. Next door are having an extension built. Walls created with inner block work, insulation layer and outer brick skin. The far garden is overgrown and some suitable clutter will be added. Have some Gold Medal Models shopping trolleys.

Some work on the details - starting with road signs and fences. Road signs were produced in Word around twice actual size and then reduced and stuck to thin plastic sheet. The area that provides access to the signal box has been started. Ratio fences, hedge, a BLMA radio aerial and a scratchbuilt equipment cabinet, and County Rolling Stock security fencing. Managed to bend the aerial etch the wrong way so it broke, much more difficult to glue together! Hopefully big brother will collect some trees for me at Warley this weekend. Will make a big difference!

Scale Model Transfers produced transfers for the PBAs. I got some from them a year or so back. My shapeways bodies have become distorted, any thoughts on how to sort them out welcome. Nick

New office underway and a couple of home made waste skips to fill in the corner. The steps and walkway are from an old Heljan diesel maintenance facility kit.

All Thanks for the comments and the local pictures. My solution to the office problem is to have a smaller office. I have found parts from an Walthers site office to use. More pictures soon. Nick

Some update pictures showing the edge of the village and overall view of the left side of the layout. The cottages are ready to plant Bachmann products, the store is scratchbuilt. The Chief Carpenter ( and former lorry driver) may have comments on the space allowed in the factory for deliveries. Buildings not yet stuck down if case of last minute changes.

Thanks for the information. I will make some round bins and a couple of brown wheelie bins to keep in the back gardens. Nick