Newtz1981

Here is the latest design of the brake blocks. Please I ask for no more suggestions or comments about how they would be stacked, etc. My research from both photos and what I see on the preserved railway I work on shows that this stacking arrangement is quite normal, and as it's all going up against the inside of the shed wall, I know it's going to look great. Thank you for your understanding

I'm in discussions right now with Jon from Boltons Bits, about producing a 2 disc ground signal for Newton Grove. It will be placed between the two tracks just behind the boothy/almost under the bridge. I've seen videos of John's work and they are amazing. There was even one video where the signal bounced after it has been placed back to STOP - very very impressive. If you haven't seen Jon's work, check out his website: http://www.boltonsbits.com/ Thanks to Stephen Fay for putting me onto Boltons Bits

These look amazing!! Where did you get them? I've been looking for items like this for ages.

I've started to paint the loco crew figures, after having now been inspired after seeing how good they look on the layout. All figures have been sprayed in grey primer and then I've gone over with a coat of matt dark/navy blue. They are looking great so far and when they are completed I will post some photos.

Hi Simon, I'll probably go for the pin up the leg, as having the figures always in the same position will get a little tired I'm sure.

Thank you Jeff Love the 'milk bottles' joke. I hadn't thought of it like that before. Re the brake blocks: Approach Alan from ModelU and commission him to do it. Now that he has at least got the basic block shape I'm sure he will be able to produce what you need in high quality.

I've positioned a few figures around the layout, just to play with how it all looks more than anything. I tell you, this simple act alone really brings the layout further to life!! Notice the tools and shovel on the right

Hello Martyn, Thank you for your observation. I must admit that because I have not weathered or painted them I didn't even think about that level of detail. However - after your suggestion I have cut all the keys off. Naturally weathering will tone it all down and hide things a little too. Newtz

I've painted and weathered the 44 gallon drums and they look brilliant. Now it's time to place them around the boothy. And I've placed one in the corner of the two parts of the boothy. Looks good to me

As I mentioned before, I have added some more details around the layout, mainly around the boothy and the bridge. Here are a few photos of what has been added. These 44 gallon drums will be scattered between the bridge wall and the side of the boothy in a random, piled up way after they have been weathered Weeds and grass tufts added around the boothy, the tracks and bridge walls Rail chairs scattered here and there, as per what I've seen in archival photos. These will eventually be weathered The roof finally gets glued to the walls of the boothy

Good idea Simon, thank you for the tips and suggestions Newtz

I'm starting to look into extra details to be added across the layout. Today I have painted eight 44 galon drums and when they are dry they will be rusted up and weathered. The intention with them is to have them stacked/thrown away between the bridge wall and the side of the boothy - just to fill the space and show general clutter of a steam shed in the 1960s where items we just thrown around anywhere, seemingly. Other details being added are a handful of rail chairs, to show ones that have been replaced, and have not been removed from site. A test 'plant' of these items looked great and so painting has commenced. When they are ready, I will show them off in all their glory. I'm also going to put lighting into the boothy too, I'm just debating if I go the extra mile and add interior detail to the building or not...

Yes that's right, the way they need to be stacked has to be changed. I've asked ModelU to alter this. I also have a photo on the inside wall of Rose Grove shed which shows a long row of stacked brake blocks, around 10-13 high. Let's not forget that OH&S wasn't as strict back then. Thank you Steve. Yes that does help, however I'm also placing them inside the shed (on the other side of the same wall) as per a photo I have.

Yes of course. I'm not buying the copyright to the design, although I am getting ModelU to alter the first draft of the design. I'll post an image when I have it. I'll suggest to Alan from ModelU to have them for sale in his online store

Hello Brian. Yes these will be 3D printed. I've commissioned ModelU to produce these for me.

I've ordered some brake blocks for Newton Grove as both single blocks and a pile of them. In all, I have ordered 10 piles and 50 single blocks. I can't wait to have these around the shed, it's going to look amazing!!

Here are some basic iPhone photos of the recent grass work.

Finally, today, I have added grass around the boothy and the wall of the bridge. No longer do I see the baseboard joint, where I had stopped beforehand and also the boothy looks so much better with the grass coming all the way up to its side. I'll take some photos in the morning and post them up here for you all to see. Now I just need to finish the painting and assembly of the boothy and decide whether I add interior detail or not, as I do plan to put lighting in there. Hmm....

Today, after a few months of doing nothing, I decided to pick up the tools and get cracking on Newton Grove once again. After the afternoon's work had been done I'm happy to say that inside of the shed is now starting to look good as I've created the smoke shoots. I cut some balsa wood to length, 6 pieces, and then I cut down two 'beams' to match the width of the shed. After this was done I spaced the beams to a distance that I though looked good and then holes in the balsa to accommodate them. I'll let the photos do all the talking, so here are a few snaps of the work done. Next step is paint all this black and add detailing to the smoke shoots, then weathering.

Steve4rosegrove: Here is 48431 on the KWVR.

It's probably 48431 at the KWVR. She's a Swindon built 8F and the only one from Swindon to survive into preservation.

I've decided to showcase a collection of images of different classes of locomotives at Rose Grove. I know that the classes altered as the years rolled on, however it's still good to see what was 'On Shed'. Jinty 3F Derby 4F Black 5's and an 8F 8F 2-8-0 4472 Flying Scotsman visited Rose Grove to service while on rail tour duties Jubilee Class Standard 4 4-6-0 WD 8F 2-8-0 BR 9F 2-10-0 And of course there are photos of Britannia classes 70015 and 70013 at Rose Grove too. Can anyone add to this list?

Hello Steve, I think I've seen the same photo, or maybe even two photos of 70015 at Rose Grove taken on the same day. Actually in a recent edition of Model Rail (No.224 August 2016) there is a photo of 70013 Oliver Cromwell sitting over the pits at Rose Grove - which is good as I'm ordered 70013 as one of my three 7MT's. The other two I have ordered are: 70000 Britannia and 70049 Solway Firth. I can't wait to get these models to be honest. 9 months seems such a long time to wait

Hello Peter, Thank you for your complements on my layout Newton Grove. The idea of using sand came from Steven Fay, who used it perfectly on his old micro-layout Cardiff Canton. It's a little fiddly at times but the results are worth it! The S Class - yes you did spot it. The mogul is being built for me and so that photo was taken in front of his collection, not mine. I only have 7mm BR. The 9F is a brilliant model and in mid-2017 I have three Britannia 7MT's coming! I can't wait for that. Thank you for following my layout and I look forward to hearing more from you. Regards, Newtz

More progress on my Stanier Mogul kit. The chassis is now rolling, and it rolls very very well too!!