Moggs Eye

I always prefer a depot layout with a passenger service to add a little interest, and you can never have enough 153s.

Thanks for the Kingfisher link, I've just got myself a couple of kits from there. As for the Bedfords, I was mobilised from the reserves into a foreign policy adventure in 2003 and was hugely surprised to find that aside from the squaddies getting younger the kit, radios and vehicles hadn't changed much. My Bedford MJ out there was christened Roxanne and I was very fond of her.

Thanks for the feedback, it's very much appreciated. Cheers, Ben.

Well, the layout's first exhibition has gone. I confess to being a little apprehensive and confess I didn't have a good day on Saturday. Despite the rehearsal session we had a couple of weeks ago Saturday none of us seemed really comfortable with working the layout. Having exhibited Cottleston a number of times we are all over the terminus to fiddle yard layout, but having two fiddle yards to manage on Emsworth was a much different way of doing things. However, we had a good-natured debrief after the show (and nearly got locked in), sorted out a couple of admin issues and went into day two with a little more structure and idea of what we were trying to pull off. By close of play yesterday I was tired and happy, feeling that we had put on a good show, kept some of the visitors entertained and laughed at ourselves when there was the odd derailment or platform mix-up. I'm still getting my head around the Kadee couplers in the wagon yard, it seems I was the only member of the team that couldn't work them. Here's the layout ready for business on Saturday morning. We were opposite D and E videos, a constant source of entertainment! A view west along the main board with a Hornby class 156 waiting for its departure for Doncaster (they usually only get Pacers and 153s on this service), a 58 being serviced (in my world EWS didn't thrown anything away) while the 08 is in the middle of shunting the wagon yard. St Vincent Junction signalbox attracted a lot of attention, most people recognised its Midland heritage and it was compared to the box at Peterborough East and mistaken for a Southern area building because of its not very Midland colour scheme. 60040 stabled outside the servicing shed and still wearing its Army - be the best livery. The card system for keeping the yard operator sweating worked well, particularly when we took it out of the year operator's hands and passed control the main fiddle yard operator to cut down cheating. This did mean that if the yard operator was looking smug then low-balls would be thrown it, usually too many wagons for the repair yard. It did mean that that being yard driver was a sought after position as it was seen as a relief from managing the interwoven services on the main line. Keeping the two halves of the layout separate and giving them dedicated operators meant that something was usually happening front of house and we had some positive comments from people who appreciated how lively the layout was. Lastly, the wagon yard in a quiet moment. Thanks to all the people who took the trouble to stop and tell us how much they'd enjoyed the layout, including one RMwebber who made himself known to me. Its not an accurate sample of public opinion because those who didn't like it would have walked past with out commenting to us, but the feedback we got meant we came away happier yesterday and with a few more exhibition invitations over the next couple of years. Thanks to the Spalding club for looking after us, particularly Daphne who fought through the crowds on Sunday morning to distribute mince pies and chocolate brownies to the operators. Good drills! Cheers, Ben.

Here's the layout loaded into the back of the executive transport for the trip to Spalding. Happily, it all went together and works okay. If you're passing by over the weekend, come and say hello. Cheers, Ben.

During the testing and crew training session over the weekend, which I'm pleased to say went very well, I had the opportunity to dig out some stock that doesn't really get a showing on Cottleston (the 'other' layout). Included is this 153 which was the first of a few I made before Hornby produced theirs. It was the first model conversion and repaint I attempted and I'm very sentimental about it. Also dug out from storage was one for the steam fans in the shape of my Hornby Britannia which has been morphed in 70036 Boadicea (which used to run along the East Lincolnshire Line a mile from my house before they shut it in 1970). The last building to be installed the other day was the Supervisor's Office for the Stabling Point which is now wired up to the wiring circuit. All the depot engineers and staff appear to be in there at the moment. Work continues on the final detailing jobs. The sequence for the main lines is being written by David, my Operations Manager, and I have been working on a system for operating the stabling point and wagon yard, which had no physical connection to the main lines and is almost a separate layout. Rather than giving the operator a free reign to shuffle locos and trucks around as they like, which is hardly going to be very challenging, I have devised a card based set of instructions which well generate a sequence depending on how the cards are shuffled. As is exhibitions weren't stressful enough. See you there. Ben.

Thanks 71H, another army aviation veteran perhaps? Progress has been rapid over the last couple of weeks, as you might expect with the looming exhibition deadline (this will be the last one I commit before it's finished - maybe). There isn't that much left to do apart from weeding and then turning attention to the rolling stock to make sure that behaves itself. This is looking long the station bridge towards the town centre and shopping precinct. I'm no artist, or photographer, but I had to go to my local town to get a perspective shot. Here we are looking across the servicing point towards the shopping centre. This soulless temple to consumerism extends across Emsworth Station's main platforms and hides the fiddle yard. Finally a view of the servicing point's supervisor's office and the recent delivery of new signage for the buildings. This was the last building to be installed and is still awaiting connection to the lighting circuit. I'm trying to avoid having dozens of orange suited trackworkers around the depot and this individual may be the only occupant. If you happen to be at Spalding over the weekend of November the 14th and 15th I'll be in the main hall looking either stressed or massively stressed depending on how it goes. Come and say hello and have a chat - the rest of the operators always enjoy it when I get distracted by visitors, they usually elbow me out of the way and take the controller out of my hand. Happy days!

The controllers were connected up this evening and the first trains ran under their own power for some time. Some fettling was needed across some of the points, but overall it's positive - all lines and sidings worked. I'm working with Kadee couplers now, thanks to P and H Models for their excellent service and Mr Graham Morfoot for his advice, to keep shunting in the wagon works hands free. Thanks to Graham letting my youngest lad operate his Peat railway at the Boston show the weekend before last he knows more about it than I do. The problem now is that with the track being live the temptation to run trains rather than actually building the thing is almost overwhelming - not to mention the urge to pose them for more pictures so tomorrow the locos will get packed away again so I can get on. The main jobs left are to wire up all the building lights, finish glueing the buildings down and then the last of the ballasting and weeding - planting and not pulling them! Then there is the main back scene to attach before my Head Operator and timetable comes over for his route learning session. We'll be organising an operating sequence ready for the show. Here are some more pictures from this evening - apologies again for the mobile phone quality. A first view from the bridge towards the wagon repair depot. The newly installed back scene represents the Sebastian Beach Shopping Centre which has been extended across Emsworth Station to conceal the Down Fiddle Yard. If I keep the surface mounted magnets for the Kadees they'll be disguised with some bridgeworks to suggest a stream running underneath. Looking back towards the main board there is the other side of the road bridge. At the other end of the layout this bridge is the scenic break to the Up Fiddle Yard. It's a single line railway bridge which is awaiting ballast at the moment. Looking towards the station 60040 is sitting at the refuelling point while 08847 is inside the shed and a Northern class 142 is drawing into platform 2 under St Vincent Junction signalbox. Finally looking away from the buffer stops of platform 3, the platform 2 starter is off and showing a feather meaning the road is set for the branch for that Pacer.

Thanks very much.

Progress is good at the moment, but there hasn't been time for much in the way of pictures - apologies for these, they were taken on my mobile phone this evening in the garage. I'm looking forward to getting the thing set up at Spalding next month, I may have even learnt how to work my new Kadee couplers by then.

It's always good to see diesels and semaphores. Most people when they go for a modernist layout plant colour lights. Good work.

Thanks. They are Genesis, there are three of them along with your Warwell and that is all the room I have in my fiddle yard. The Sultan CVR(T) is an S&S Models resin kit which gives the Warwell just enough weight to go through single slips and plain paintwork on the layout both being propelled and towed. If you get any spare time a model of the cradles for Warriors would be a useful addition. The PFAs were out in the exhibition too - a couple of other exhibitors and visitors were very interested in them. Cheers, Ben.

Dear Wild Boar Fell, Here's one of your Warwells on my layout, Cottleston, at the Southwold show a couple of weeks ago. The wagon got a fair bit of attention and I was passing out your name to interested parties. Cheers, Ben.

One last thing... I'm giving so idle thought time over to operating the layout. Cottleston runs to a sequence at exhibitions, very successfully, and I'm of a mind to have one for Emsworth. However, while this will be oaky for the main line I'm not sure that it will be much good for the servicing point. The two parts of the layout are not physically connected so I think I can get away with two operating systems. I don't just want to have one of the operators shuttling locos backwards and forwards when it suits them, they'll enjoy a bit more of a challenge than that so I was thinking of some kind of audience participation where something random, like the roll of a dice, generates the movements around the servicing point. I think that has the potential for some conundrums to keep them and the audience amused. If anyone has any thoughts, or experiences (painful or otherwise) let me know. Cheers, Ben.

The new Berko signals have been painted and installed. They do look better than the Traintronics products and there is less light bleed around the LEDs, and while they do cost more I think they are worth it. At the moment they are missing their identification plates, but that can wait awhile. Looking along the approach road to the servicing shed, the class 60 is sitting on the fuelling point. It was the first loco to move around Emsworth under its own power for a considerable time and I'm pleased to report that there were no problems. Then I tried an 08 which didn't like the inlaid track leading to the servicing shed. After a lot of fettling it's all good now, but the paint on the concrete apron needs touching up. I probably should have thought about that ages ago. Finally for now a view along the station bridge to show the fun I've been having with the road markings. Horrible job - the council are welcome to it. Once the station building and Belisha beacons are glued down and wired in the bridge can be fixed to he board and the ballasting can begin. Thanks to all the pictures of Knottingly Depot that are appearing elsewhere on this forum I have an idea of how I want the shed area to look. Then I keep remembering there is another scenic board, and the back scenes, and the lighting, the fascias and a big Emsworth sign! Hey ho, back to work.

After the number of skinned knuckles I got digging rock hard ballast out during various additions and alterations to my last layout I am determined that once the ballast goes down on Emsworth there should be no need to dig any of it up to add scenery or detail. The list of things to add to the baseboard seemed endless; cable trunking, bases for relay boxes and point motors, safe walking routes, the signalbox toilet, not to mention substantial structures like the station road bridge and piers for the western scenic break. I am pleased to report that I am almost ready to start the ballasting. This should be the last view of the bare boards.

It's a fair point. I can't remember the date when the last somersalts went on the Skegness branch, sometime in the 90s perhaps? I think Bellwater Junction's down home and Wainfleet's down distant were the last ones and had the East Lincolnshire line survived it's unlikely that Firsby's somersalts would have lasted into the 21st century. In my defence I don't think the East Lincolnshire line would have retained any through trains to Kings Cross and in the time frame I'll run the layout in I imagine there would nly be a semi-fast service from Grimsby to Peterborough. I also imagine a sympathetic S&T engineer has kept those somersalts going well past their end of service date and can't resist the sight of a second generation DMU or class 66 waiting for the road beside a wonderful, anachronistic wooden posted GNR signal.

Thanks very much for all the information, folks. Much appreciated.

Hi there, My next but one project is to construct a 4mm model of the former junction station at Firsby in East Lincolnshire. It was built on the original main line from KIngs Cross to Grimsby and served as a busy junction for the Skegness branch. It was closed in October 1970, when the Skegness trains were diverted over the avoiding line, and subsequently most of the building was demolished. My intention is to build the layout as though the line had never closed - retaining the Great Northern character (including overall roof and somersalt signals) and contrasting it with post-privatisation stock. I have scoured the internet for pictures and my bookshelves are full of books on the railways in Lincolnshire, including the excellent 'Firsby - Portrait of a Country Junction', but what I really need, or what the contractor who is going to build the main station building needs, are some plans or diagrams of that magnificent building. The contingency for not being able to find some plans is to use the surviving and similar structure at Alford as a guide, but I'd really like to have the model as close to the oroginal as possible. If any of you out there do have some pointers or contacts you'd be willing to share with me, I'd be very grateful and you'll be helping me recreate a very charismatic station that in my opnion should never have closed. Thanks in anticipation for your help. Yours, Ben.

Apologies for the photo at right angles to the text! Photobucket assured me it had been rotated!

Progress is steady, if a little slow, and has been concentrating on the station bridge and station buildings themselves. I thought that picking out the steelwork in crimson and cream would add a nice Midland Railway touch, but painting it drove me mad over a succession of evenings. Having spoken to the enthusiastic salesteam from Online Models and had a good look at the new range of Berko square top coour light signals at the recent Lincoln exhibition, I think I'm going to replace my current signals with them. They have a more propotionate look and less light bleed from the LEDs. More expense! This is a shot of the populated platform 3. Most of the people are waiting for a local train to Wakefield, though there may be some delay. Majority of the figures are from the excellent Dart Castings range. This is a view of the ongoing work on the station bridge. The next job is to start work on weathering the road surface and pavements with some signs to add to the station building to finish it off. You may be pleased to know that there is still a staffed ticket office at Emsworth (the left set of double doors) while the red door leads to a science fiction specialist bookshop and the double doors to the right are where you can buy a coffee to compliment your new book while you're bouncing along on that Pacer to Wakefield.

The railings look excellent. Are you planning on having them produced for sale? I'm in the advanced stages of planning a model of Firsby and they'd be just the job. Cheers, Ben.

I'm sure there were windows on the operating floor in the back so the signaller could see along the road before closing the gates across it.

Having a number of stop signals on one post could be used at junctions on running lines in low speed areas or where sighting was poor or space limited. The top arm would apply to the left hand route and so on down the arm. I can't think of any extant examples off the top of my head, but Firsby in East Lincolnshire had one such signal as a starter from its bay platform. The top arm was for the Skegness branch and the lower for the main line towards Boston. Above is an example for my layout - the right hand post, partially hidden behind a colour light, is a platform starter. The top arm goes through the crossover and the first slip onto the main line while the lower arm indicates straight on into the branch. There's a disc at the foot of the signal controlling access into the sidings on the far left of the board. The same convention applies using short arm shunting signals, or discs - top arm, or disc, for the left hand route etc. Hope that helps. Good work with the signals, I can never get enough of modern trains with semaphores. Cheers, Ben.

Thanks Al,Bakewell was indeed the inspiration and I got the measurements from "Through Limestone Hills", which I'm sure you'll have a copy of. I'm a former Rowsley boy and while I currently live in deepest GNR territory I still have a fondness for the Midland.