MarshLane

Hi Peter, Yes, all the Class 143s were allocated to Heaton to start with, then all transferred to Cardiff Canton later on. Haven't commented in a while, but Llanborne looks superb Love anything BR blue and sectorisation! Rich

Ah! My lack of knowledge on LNWR signalling and I'd obviously not looked close enough because if not seen the fishtail ends! Thanks for explaining. Rich

Thanks Paul, thats kind of you. Rich

Really impressive! Keep going .. watching this thread with interest! One question, which may be me being thick, but why has the semaphore got double arms on each post? Could under stand a main home and calling on, but I'm a little lost with the double arms? Rich

Thanks Steve The 47 might be enough to persuade me to have a go! Either that or a refurbished Class 37! Rich

Apologies, if I've missed this earlier in the thread, but is there any idea of an expected release date for the JLTRT 47 kit? Also what are these kits like to build? I'm just starting to build my first ever pieces of O gauge track, but have never tackled a loco kit before ... given the cost I'm a little loathe to jump straight in. Is the feeling that these kits are ok for a beginner (read total idiot!) or not? I've done a couple of Slaters wagons kits before that seem to have worked out ok. Rich

With apologies to all other modellers, Dave this has to be the best layout on RMWeb, if not the best that I have ever seen. The attention to detail, the natural lighting in your photos, the formation of the trains, the details on the stock, the track, the buildings - there is only one word for it, incredible. I have spent a VERY enjoyable 30 minutes catching up with this thread since the last time i called in and wow, talk about blown away! Those shed pictures with 26s, I actually sat for a few minutes trying to workout if they were the model or real ... i decided on the latter! lol! Seriously tho, any model that even makes people question it for a second has surely got to have achieved its aims. Well done - I hope your immensely proud of your work, you deserve to be! The only problem I now have is how can any of us (well me really!) even get within 10% of this quality! Rich

Hi Leon, Any progress recently. I love your layout and its certainly provided much inspiration! Also nice to see a high quality layout set in this time period! ML

Hi PGH, Oh if only I had your level of creativity, patience and skill! Absolutely superb layouts and one of the best (if not the best) non-main line railway layout I've ever seen. I hope your amazingly proud of it because I would be. I've just spent a very enjoyable hour reading through 10 pages on here, and will definitely be keeping up to date from this point forward. Seriously, well done that man! If i could aspire to 20% of this result, as an O gauge modeller, I would be very happy! Did you work out how to solve the problem of the end doors opening on the wagons while being loaded or travelling? Keep up the good work! Rich

Apologies if i've missed this somewhere, but does anyone know what decoder Dapol are planning to use in their '08' ... or what they use in other locos? I'm after a second example (have the Bachmann one already) and debating whether to order one with sound, or just a standard and add my normal Zimo sound decoder to it? Any thoughts?

I'd add another voice for a Heljan centre-headcode '37', either version would suit my layout so i'd be happy! I don't have the time or to be honest, patience, to build loco kits - just about manage wagons but that tests me! And definitely a vote for more than one! ... There are three split-boxes in different liveries sat in front of me at the moment! Given the large interest in the class in general I would have thought the centre-headcode version would have been a no-brainer before now. I know of two people (37 fans) who aren't modellers, but both have an O gauge split-box variety (or two!) in a display case on the wall! So the market is there, not just for the modellers. So please Heljan, if your listening, make this one a must!

Peter, All good things come to he who waits .. or at least so I'm told! That certainly seems to bear fruit with your layout! Im actually looking forward to getting back on with things with my layout - although as ever that constant activity called work is getting in the way! If only I could get rid of it! Given your comment about the individually painted bricks being more evident on the pictures that to the naked eye, do you feel its something worth doing? Even if it just breaks the monotony of the bland brickwork? I once did some brickwork from Slaters sheets, painted it red, and then once dried went over it lightly with a dark grey paint, which while wet was wiped off with kitchen paper, the result was the grey filled the 'gaps' and gave a mortar look to things. Comparing your images to my brick sheet, both have a realistic view and have their own qualities i think. Not sure there's a winner, but yours may have the edge ... just Rich

Peter, I have to say I'm very impressed! Have just spent a lovely couple of hours reading through this thread and inwardly digesting it as they say! Congratulations - I shall be monitoring more in the future! Rich

Wonderful memories as always Jeff. Today, this shot would be passing through the new station at East Midlands Parkway! Rich

Hi Jeff, Just spent a very happy half hour reading this topic and looking at the images, we didn't realise how dull the scene could get! Living in the area all my life, I still remember the double-headed 37s thundering up from Wrawby Junction through Barnetby station on Iron Ore workings. Have to say, while i was pleased to see new traction, I really missed the '37s' after the 60s took over those trains ... and as for 60053 John Reith - my god, i'm sure that thing was connected to Immingham Depot on an elastic band! It always came back! Every visit to Barnetby would result in 60053 putting in an appearance! I can just about remember the end of the 20s working around Scunthorpe - but remember standing on Brigg Road Bridge with my dad, and with the breeze blowing in your face hearing the whistle of 20s off Frodingham Depot! Ah happy times! Only went round the depot once, from memory there was a Scottish 47s on there, but can't remember which one now. Anyway, a couple of points on things already posted: Sad to note that all of the Crimpsall shop (i.e. the 1960s shot of the A1 and all the Doncaster Works pictures posted so far) has been totally demolished - the whole Crimpsall site is baron waste land now. Although the gates are still on the post and firmly locked! Very sad indeed tho. With regards to 50s appearing at Scunthorpe - Im sure there were a few, my Dad observed 50008 Thunderer in Trent Yard during the 1950s, it arrived light engine from Doncaster and from memory departed back the same way about an hour later. That loco was to be the bane of our lives - the first time we saw a 50 in a day was that damm thing! Birmingham - first one was 50008, Exeter - first one was 50008 ... and then to top it all ... we walked onto Bury Bolton Street one day and can you guess what was stood there!! The HST power cars that were fitted with buffers were so equipped for the initial runs with Class 91s, before the Mk4s and DVTs were built. From memory there was six, and they were used on test runs from Bounds Green to Doncaster - usually a Class 91 and then a set of Mk3 sleepers, with a buffer-fitted power car on the other end. Not sure if the sleeper stock was off the overnight Scottish sleepers or just a spare 'scratch' rake. I recall a driver telling me in the past, that some of those runs were spectacular on timing, as the HST power cars worked with the 91s apparently, meaning that there was power being applied from both ends of the train! Given the ability of the ECML overhead to collapse, maybe thats the answer today! Also with regards to your shot of 59206, yes it was a cast number plate - all the 59/2s had them under National Power days - they did all become named, but that was a little later on. Anyway, thanks for posting the images Jeff, hopefully more to come! What recollections and memories they bring back! Can we start new thread on here for inventing a time-machine ... and if so, bags me first ride!!!!! Rich

Hi Ian, Welcome (belatedly!) to the 7mm camp! Im just getting back into RMweb after several months of work taking preference - its not good, but the boss doesn't seem to understand that the report wasn't finished because that double-slip wouldn't sit right!!! Glad to hear that your enjoying your move to 7mm, as everyone has said you won't regret it! A couple of comments/thoughts for you - if you progress along your original thought of a parcels depot, bear in mind that Heljan are bringing some BGs out in June, which may help your rolling stock list - although most likely won't help your bank balance! There are some postal DMUs in kit form if i recall correctly. Im sure somebody has told me that the Class 114 parcels units can be made from a kit - was it Westdale? Somebody may know, as they don't have a website, but I'm sure there are options there. The only comment id say is that would you get the same enjoyment out of operating a wintery (perhaps snowy) scene when the temperature is 28 degrees outside, the smoke from the bbq is filling the railway room, and that bright light in the sky refuses to go out ... yea ok this is the UK, but you get what i mean! The one thing I've always worked on is to model the layout in summer (mainly because I'm a railway photographer, so like bright days!) but also it cheers me up in the winter time to thing is is what is to come next year! Other than that, yes its good - have you looked at the 7mm Kirkby Town thread on here. I know its more space, than you have (I think) but may give you some thoughts on track layout. For your reference by the way, you were asking about Heljan diesels and power draw on DCC? I have a Digitrax DB150 system which is rated at 5amp, and that happily handles five Heljan O gauge locomotives moving and with the sound chips on at the same time, without batting an eyelid, so may give you an indication of what you can achieve with your setup. Anyway, happy new year and welcome to 7mm! Rich

Hi Rod, Happy New Year to you! Well I can't believe its been 10 months since i last found the time to get on RMWeb seriously! Wow haven't you been busy. The layout looks great mate, and the ballasted track and signals are really giving it the air of a working station now, well done. What are you planning scenery wise for the departure/arrival curve at the opposite end of the shed to the station? I'm slowly progressing with my layout, although nowhere near at the speed that I wanted it to be! Rich

Hi Rod, Its a while since i've posted on your topic, but i'd been keeping a watchful eye! Must agree with you, that new pointwork does look better - well done. Keep going anyway, its looking good Rich

Hi Rod, looking good! Whose is the double slip on the outside section? Presume its a Marcway? Thanks for your comments, yes I had thought of that and have been trying to convince myself that it would be ok, or to get a couple of gazebos to cover it in dodgy weather! But you've actually made me stop and think! Never a good sign! As a matter of interest, what point motors are you planning on using for the outside section? Something I've always thought off with outdoor layouts, is how does damp affect soldered connections? Rich

Hi Dave, Nice layout - looking good. Do you mind if I ask where you get your MDF laser cut? Cheers Rich

Cbeagleowner, Not sure if its the right kind of polystyrene, but there's loads on ebay .... quite cheap too and in a variety of sizes. Might be worth a look? I've been checking it out since Peter posted this! Rich

Sounds a logical idea. I'm using the Digitrax DCC system, so the intention is to have a local panel for the fiddle yard with the diagram connected through a CML TowerMaster card (ie acting as an interface), but I have the advantage that my layout will not be outside permanently. I must admit I started with DCC because I love electronics! I'm not saying im any good! But i love electronics!! Thanks. I'm in two minds to be honest! One side says my modelling skills are not up to the standards of the majority on here, so might not start a thread as Im not sure it would be of interest to anyone ... the other side of me says, once i've got the baseboards finished (I'm half way through at the moment) and got the track down then start at that point, as there is then something to look at! Its going to be a bit of a beast I think - I want the ability to run 4/5 coach trains and equivalent length freights so it works out as a 38' x 12' layout with a rough running line length of around 100', or a scale three quarters of a mile - although part of that will be fiddle yards etc...! Which means in the main it will only be erected on good weather days as there is no where in the house thats big enough! I'm planning on producing a small fiddle yard board so that I could erect about three of the 4' boards inside the house and run them, so it will be two versions of the same layout! Well thats the plan anyway! I keep tweaking the design in Templot at the moment! *If* it ever reached exhibition standard it would be nice to take it out a couple of times a year, but its probably going to be too big for any exhibition manager to be interested!!! Anyway, i'll shut up before I hijack your thread!!!! Cheers Rich

Hi Peter, Many thanks for that - very impressive. Both the process behind it, and the end result. Looks superb. Certainly given me food for thought - thanks for the insight. Rich

Hi Rod, Just spent a very pleasant and enjoyable 20 minutes catching up on West Kirkby. Well done, your doing well! It all looks good, very impressed with the outdoor woodwork - wish my joinery skills were half as good! I must also say thank you, as I'm planning my new O gauge layout at the moment and was working on the premise of either loco+4 or loco+5 for the main station area, your shot of the 50+4 in the fiddle yard has given me an idea of the length and how it looks! Are you going to keep the control inside the shed, or have a 'plug in' for your DCC controller around the fiddle yard area? Rich

Hi, I have only just come across the Great Tunsley Dale thread, and apologies in advance if this has been asked before, but how are the rocks modelled that are so prominent at the rear of the layout? They (and the rest of layout!) look superb - well done. Richard