LBSC123

* Eagerly awaits further news with baited breath *

Decided that the hottest day of the year was a good day to make a start of ballasting the track. The ballast is sand courtesy of Swanage beach, washed with clean water and sieved to remove any larger grains or natural material and then left to dry in the sun for a week. This is held down with the standard PVA and water plus washing up liquid mix. I think it's a fairly good representation of the Shingle ballast found on the Isle of Wight. More soon.

Hi Jack. I’ve used Gaugemaster Seep point motors mounted directly to the base of the board with a hot glue gun. They seem very well attached, so I think they should stand the test of time. The track is just held down with PVA glue on the cork base, it was pinned and weighed down to help it hold its position where necessary. You could go with 10mm foamboard and the locating pin for the tiebar would still be plenty long enough. Hope that helps. Will

Thanks Ray, I’ll take a look. The Carisbrooke livery is wonderful isn’t it? The Terriers are superb runners too.

I don't feel too bad about modifying the Lowlight above. The car looks totally stock bar some seats with headrests and has donated the running gear to the 1950 Tourer, the Alta head conversion is a period one which fits onto the 918cc sidevalve engine. The car was very rusty (VERY RUSTY) but lockdown has enabled significant progress on it, so every cloud and all that. Below is a photograph of the 1950 Saloon just after it had returned from the paint shop alongside the tourer, this picture doesn't show how rusty it was underneath! The Morris in your family sounds like a lovely story, I'd love to see some pictures. My Dad has had his 1952 Morris Convertible, similarly modified, since he was 21, so 42 years. They're wonderful cars.

Well here's the well overdue update. I've spent a frustrating amount of time stuck waiting for parts to complete the track laying and wiring on the board, but finally have got the layout to a stage where I can run trains. I have used Gaugemaster relays under the boards to control the frog polarity and already I can tell this is dramatically going to improve the reliability of the points. I've just got to build the control panel for the point motors then I will have final confirmation that these are all wired up correctly. I then made a start on weathering the track. For this, I used paints from the MIG 'Railway Track Weathering' set, which has got the sleepers and track to an initial pleasing shade, although photographs have shown up some areas where I need to touch the paint in. Track weathered and point rodding fitted. I then moved onto the point rodding. After careful consideration, I decided to carry on using Will's stuff, even though it's slightly over scale. As it's at the back of the layout and there are only a few lines of it, I didn't think it would notice too much and didn't fancy getting involved with etched brass and the like. The Wills stuff was plenty fiddly enough! It's not perfect, but does look the part, and is my first proper attempt at point rodding, so I am pleased (although it has already been pointed out to me by my S&T friend that I've got a few of the bits wrong so it wouldn't actually work!). Point rodding and ground frame. The two points at the front will be controlled by hand levers, so I will to source these. Does anyone have any ideas where I can get some that are suitable? I then made a start on assembling some buildings to get an idea of how the layout will look. These are from the Will's range and are mainly of wooden construction, to represent cheaply built buildings on a small branch like this. The shell building at the back made out of old cereal boxes will be a corrugated iron warehouse, constructed with a foamboard inner and clad with corrugated iron sheeting. Will's goods shed and the quayside. I also purchased the first locomotives for the line, Hornby Terriers W14 and W13 (which has already blown my timeframe out of the water!). They're lovely engines and a massive improvement on the ones from 10 or so years ago. The next area for consideration is the front of the quay and what to clad it with. I was initially planning on doing this with DAS and hand carving stones. However, photo analysis of St Helen's Quay has led me to a potential re-think. I recently got my hands on the Oakwood 'Isle of Wight Railways' book, which contains a photo of the quay from the 1900s with a wooden clad facing (sadly I can't re-post here for copyright reasons). Furthermore, this photo from the Lens of Sutton collection shows the quay after rebuilding with a concrete facing and wooden posts, although I don't think this would look right for my layout. I'm now leaning more towards the idea of using coffee stirrers and balsa wood to replicate the wooden shuttering and bollards as on the original St Helen's Quay but would appreciate others thoughts on this too. This also creates the issue of how to get around the curve at the end of the layout. Any ideas? Thanks for reading!

Got my hands on Carisbrooke in the transitional Malachite Green livery and Bembridge in the Olive Green. The livery application is fantastic and they run brilliantly straight out of the box. I must say I'm very impressed!

I must admit to have not reading the previous 517 pages of this thread, but thought my three classic cars might be of interest, as outlined below. 1950 Morris Minor Lowlight Saloon: Fitted with 1275 engine and 4 speed plus overdrive gearbox, tele' shocks, Marina disc brakes and a Morris 1000 rear axle, running on Morris Van 4.5J wheels. 1967 Morris Minor 4-door Saloon: Fitted with 1275 engine and 4 speed overdrive gearbox, fitted with tele' shocks, Marina disc brakes and a Marina rear axle, running on MGF spare wheels. Both of the above are daily drivers'. I'm also currently working on a 1950 Morris Minor Lowlight Tourer imported from America and to be fitted with an Alta OHV head conversion.

Thanks @Sophia NSE! I've been very impressed by the 5mm foam board to date, although I may go back and put a little more bracing underneath for my own piece of mind. I'm well overdue an update, but have been a bit distracted by Volunteering at Swanage Railway of late. I've made some progress though, so will post an update tomorrow!

Thanks Ray. I was aware that the IWC brake van was modified to have two ends by the Southern Railway, I haven't quite worked out how to do that, but will probably try and replicate the end supplied in the kit with plasticard. Watch this space. Those tanks are certainly unusually shaped and an interesting scratch build project eventually. I'm too looking forward to the E1, and expanding the fleet of coaching stock, but I want to get the layout to somewhere halfway finished before I divert my attentions to there. Incidentally, the wiring is nearly done, so there's the outside chance of a few trains running tomorrow... Thanks, Will

Thanks all, I have DM'd Andy.

The kit comes together nicely. There's a little bit of flash to clean off but nothing major. I'll be interested to see how it compares to the Cambrian kit. You can get an LBSC Box van from Smallbrook, I have one to build and a road van (bought some time ago), but have also got the Kernow Road Van's on pre-order. I'm probably going to push things slightly on wagons, as I've got a few generic SR things (and a Rails EX SECR Van) which I may pass off as ex pre-grouping stock. I'm also hoping to get my hands on a Slater's ex MR box van and brake van to represent an Isle of Wight Central Railway van and brake van. I've not modified the Ratio MR bogies, but hacking one to represent an LBSC Driving Trailer from a push-pull set to go with the forthcoming W13 due from Hornby... watch this space.

Hi there, I was just wondering if it would be possible to change my username. I set this account up when I was much younger, now I am older (and wiser?) the lack of capitalisation on the LBSC really grates on me! Any ideas on how I get this rectified would be greatly received. Best, Will

Thanks for the tip regarding point rodding, Ray. I'll dummy up some stuff on a test piece of track (which I'll do to check I'm happy with ballast colours and track weathering anyway) and see how it looks and act accordingly. I'm not entirely sure the cork was worth putting down, I was mainly just repeating what I always do, but also thought it would give some sort of barrier between the glue for the ballast and the foamboard to prevent warping, however, I don't think that this was very likely anyway. Once I'd committed to it for the track, I also covered the areas of hard standing, so that the depth of DAS wouldn't be too thick. The Resin wagon is a Smallbrook Studio LBSC 5 plank open wagon, which were numerous on the Isle of Wight. It's currently the only prototypical bit of rolling stock I have, but I am working to rectify this in due course... watch this space! It's a fairly easy kit to put together, as the top and chassis are both one piece. It comes out rather nicely, I'm planning on seeing how it compares to the Cambrian Models kit, before committing to one (or a mix?) to bulk out the rolling stock, but more on that later...

Some more progress to report! Over the last few days, I've got most of the trackwork laid, bar the exit line to the fiddle yard. I'm using a mix of Peco Bullhead and Cod 75 points, all laid on 1.5mm cork sheet. I wish I'd cut this a bit more neatly, but it won't show under the ballast and DAS Clay I'll be using for this area. I'll be using relays to control the frog polarity, to ensure smooth running. Rather annoyingly you need to cut the rails on the Y-points (not as per the supplied instructions), which was rather disconcerting but turned out OK. I took the opportunity to knock up a few cardboard outlines of buildings I'll be using on the layout. The building at the back will be scratch built out of some corrugated sheet, my first attempt at scratch building. I quickly offered up some old stock I had lying around for effect. Anyway, I don't think it's looking too bad. The next job is to put sleepers into the joints, weather the track, build the fiddle yard and finish track laying, then onto the wiring. I've also got some Will's point rodding to fit, which looked more fiddly to fit than I'd hoped! More soon.

Thanks for the kind words Ray, I share your frustration with the availability of O2s, I am tempted to get an SR Black one with the view to re-painting it at some point before they sell out. I do also hope they do another run, possibly of a few Island ones with the extended bunker but we shall see. You're probably right about the Oldbury coaches, but as always Rule 1 applies (plus they used a brake coach as a departmental tool van until 1939(?) so I could always justify one that way). I'm currently in North London, Haringey way, but looking to move and not a club member (yet?) so feel free to drop me a PM about the club . We shall see about exhibitions, I've got to get the thing built first!

As per the title, I'm after the SR Olive Green Kernow O2 and happy to pay a good price for one. Let me know if you've got anything suitable. Thanks, Will

A few more hours over the course of the weekend has got the Foamboard baseboard clad in 5mm ply. The thing is still pretty light which I am rather happy about, this being the main reason for using foamboard in the first place. The next job is to get started on the track and build the fiddle yard along the same method. . Still, progress is progress.

Bit more progress on the baseboards today. Foam board takes a little bit of getting used to but is a fabulous material. I used 5mm foamboard and a cheapo hot glue gun. The end result is a bit workman like but incredibly light. It will be clad in plywood for the front sides and for the backscene which will cover up most of it anyway. Anyway I'm rather pleased with how it looks. The next job is to get some track laid...

Today I made a start on building the baseboards, first I cut foamboard down to size. In the end I opted to go for 4ft 9inches by 18inches, which should get everything I need in without being too long. Next, I offered up some Peco point plans to get a feel for where the points will go, so I can avoid putting bracings across in these areas. You can just see a faint line which will mark roughly where the Quayside will go, I'll cut these bits of the board off and make the water level about 30-40mm lower than the trackbed. Still plenty left to do on the boards but it looks like it should all work!

Thanks for this interesting bit of history, I had no idea! As Nearholmer says, any other bits of information on this would be welcomed.

Many thanks Nearholmer, it's been a long time coming and so I've spent a fair amount of time making things 'plausible', I'm itching to get cracking with the project! Hi Rob, not at all, it was your Sheep Chronicles which played a large part setting the wheels into motion on this one, long may it continue.

Shalfleet Quay, Isle of Wight 1927-35. Some of you may remember on the previous version of RMWeb I had plans to build a railway based on the Isle of Wight called Shalfleet Quay. Although I built the baseboards, beer, girlfriends and university prevented me from getting any further, now 10 (?) years later I am having another go! History: One of the little known sleepy backwaters on the Isle of Wight located in the sparsely populated western side of the Isle of Wight. The line was the mastermind of Isle of Wight landowner, Sir John Barrington Simeon and was constructed to break the duopoly of goods transhipment of the Isle of Wight Central (IWC) and Isle of Wight Railways (IWR). This line was subject to an Act of Parliament obtaining Royal Accent in 1890 for the Shalfleet Harbour Railway (SHR), costing £35,000 to build. The two-mile-long branch was lightly constructed avoiding the need for heavy engineering works. It connected to the Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway (FYN) at Calbourne and Shalfleet station, where there were exchange sidings. The line passed through the centre of Shalfleet, crossing the A3054 and passing The New Inn to the east, in Shalfleet there were sidings for the Shalfleet Mill and for general shipments, it then ran alongside the river until reaching Shalfleet Quay. Traffic mainly consisted of coal and Shalfleet soon became the main source of coal for the west of the island. The line also carried livestock, flour, beer cement and luggage shipped in advance other supplies coming to and from the mainland. Also, shingle from dredging channels (used for ballast), fish from the Solent and salt from the Newtown salt marshes were all landed at Shalfleet quay. The line was initially worked by the IWC, like the FYN. However, this changed with attempts t plans to a Solent Tunnel Yarmouth to Lymington promoted in 1900. Following an Act of Parliament was passed in April 1901, incorporating the South Western & Isle of Wight Junction Railway (SW&IWJR), shalfleet Quay was the main transhipment point for construction materials coming from the mainland, to support this traffic, the SW&IWJR authorised the purchase of second-hand motive power and rolling stock to handle goods and materials for the Island end works site, delivered late in 1901. Owing to difficulties in raising the £600,000 in capital to build the tunnel, the SW&IWJR, stopped work in 1904 having made only a start on preliminary earthworks to the west of the River Yar. The stock purchased remained on the Island in place of any payment for the transhipment of goods by the SHR and FYN, The Solent tunnel company finally folded in 1924. The line soon settled back into slumber, until in 1913 a dispute over running costs led to a break between the IWC and the FYN. The FYN purchased their own stock to run the railway themselves and ordered all goods traffic for shipment to the mainland to be diverted via the Shalfleet. Although relations thawed, this situation remained until Grouping. The Harbour Branch like the FYN, owing to disagreements about the value of compensation to be paid to shareholders was not incorporated into the Southern Railway (SR) until 1 August 1923. Following grouping, the branch was improved to allow for the running of the heaviest trains between 1926-7. This was to enable much of the traffic from Media Wharf to be diverted to Shalfleet Quay whilst Medina Wharf was upgraded. After the opening of the new wharf in April 1931, traffic gradually fell away and by 1935 trains were only run as required. With the outbreak of War traffic the line became the key landing point of military supplies for the Island, away from the prying eyes of locals. Come peacetime, branch was used to store redundant rolling stock. . The line was closed alongside the Freshwater branch officially closing on 21st September 1953, the final train ran on the 10th September to clear any remaining rolling stock from the branch. Today, very few traces remain of the line, apart from the the quay at Shalfleet which is still in use. The road to this follows the course of the old line past The New Inn. Although you’d be hard-pressed to find much information about the Harbour branch online, this model attempts to capture Shalfleet Quay during the heyday of the branch, during the late 1920s and early 1930s. I've attached a few atmospheric shots of Shalfleet Quay and Creek to give an idea of what I want the layout to feel like. The old railway line, now a road leading to Shalfleet Quay, Source: http://www.shalfleet.shalfleet.net/shalfleet_creek.htm Quayside at Shalfleet, Source: http://www.shalfleet.shalfleet.net/shalfleet_creek.htm Modelling To date, I’ve made a start on the construction of the baseboards, and have provisionally decided on a track plan based on the brilliant work of @NHY 581 and The Sheep Chronicles, as shown below. Rough track plan, when it comes to fitting this into the board I'll put it on a slight curve. The baseboards will be built from foam board clad in ply, and I am hoping to make a start on these this week, the rough size will be 5ft-4ft 6in x18in plus fiddle yard. It'll be 4mm scale using Peco track. Stay tuned for more updates.

I'll eagerly look forward to September, put me down for a set of Oldbury's, they look superb! Best, Will

They look to be the same type as the two 'Royal Daylight' tank wagons located on the isle of White, source: https://thetransportlibrary.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&product_id=153387&search=Lens+IOW&page=9 Hope that helps. Will