Jump to content
 

paulprice

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    1,556

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by paulprice

  1. paulprice
    Well the Domestic Overlord abandoned me today, and left me all alone. on myself with nobody to keep me safe or protect me from the wild animals and monsters that are just waiting for the chance to get me....and they nearly did, but as you can tell I managed to fend them off..........for now at least.
     
    Anyway freedom is a terrible thing, I don't like it, its not safe, it fills your mind with lots of thoughts which is not good, and there is nobody there to tell you that the thing you are currently doing it either dangerous, stupid or dangerously stupid
     
    After I plucked up the courage to come out from hiding under the duvet, I decided to do a little bit more work on Foster Street, the signals are an on-going drain on my modelling time and not one of my favourite pass times so I slapped a bit of paint on them and while they were drying did something I actually enjoyed. Well at the very least an improvement of making @~%*& signals.
     
    As you know Foster Street has a canal and a factory close by, this area has been scenically detailed, but was lacking various signs of activity and people so I thought I would try and reconcile this. During my extensive periods of research, well actually when I just trawl through those things called books, or even look at this thing called the interwebnet thingy I came across many interesting pictures. During the war some factories built lean to structures over there loading bays to keep things secret.
     
    I even found a picture of canal boats that were camouflaged so that they could not been seen by prying eyes, so with my head filled with ideas, I decided to add some additions to the area just like the men from the military would.
     
    Was it worth the effort, well I think so, in fact I have done such a good job of adding a bit of secrecy to the area, that I even don't know what they make, the bad news is that, the well known danger to civilisation "Billy Grimes" has been sniffing about...... So until the next time Happy Modelling
  2. paulprice
    Well all you N gauge modellers out there will have to line up to thank me, I started working on a Fairburn tank last year and Farish release one, so thanks to me some RTR manufacturer will release a Stanier and the Fowler 2-6-4T.
     
    Yes today the Foster Street fleet was increased by two "really usful" large tank engines today, well they are running, but they could still do with a little more detailing, and maybe some or more weathering, and one that is waiting for its wheels if I can remember where I put them for safe keeping
     
    Firstly is my version of a Fairburn tank, I managed to fit leading and trailing that were near scale, which I thought was a good idea, so much so that I made sure I have enough in stock for my intended Fowler and Stanier tanks. I must admit I like the look of the Fairburn's, and the LMS livery is simplicity in itself, no lining, bonus. I added a little weathering to my example, just to give it that working loco look, I might go back and revisit the weathering on this loco but I'm not sure.
     
    The next loco to be added to the roster was an interpretation of a Fowler 2-6-4T, the problem which is familiar to all of us N gauge nuts it that unless we want to build scale chassis, we have to adapt bodies to suit rtr chassis. Though I'm not as afraid as I use to be to hack around I think in this case I will leave well alone. The big decision was which livery to run her in, but in the end black won.
     
    Though I have yet to decide if I should add red lining of just go with unlined black. As yet she has not been weathered, just a bit of matt black on the smokebox and cab roof, I think maybe I will try and improve this with a coat of my favourite dirty black, but I may leave it a few days, what I think I need to do after looking at the photographs is lower her body a little??
     
    The third tank to make its way into the fleet is my version of a Stanier tank, they share many similarities with the Fairburn, so I managed to build the two pretty much in tandem, I even added red lining, but a coat of weathering covers up a multitude of sins. I have been racking my brains trying to remember where I put my scale wheels as for the moment I cant be bothered to fit the smaller leading and trailing wheels like on my Fowler as they just don't look right? I have an idea that I may be able to use the scale bogie wheels I have yet to fit to my Jubilees. or fit the scale ones to the Jubilees and use the bogies I replace??
     
    Yes I know I need to add vacuum pipes and headlamps and other details but hey we need to leave ourselves a few little jobs to do, don't we?? Well let me know what you think, until the next time Happy Modelling
  3. paulprice
    Well, I managed to find a little modelling time today, well actually I just blocked the door to the spare room, and hid from the Domestic Authority. Its amazing really how peaceful modelling can be if you turn the stereo up to a setting loud enough to just about avoid your ears bleeding, but loud enough to drown out the banging and shouting of the Domestic Overlord on the door.
     
    When you think about it, I bet its the reason Sundays were invented, their whole purpose is to allow you to hide away from your commitments and family BLISS Anyway back to the point of this blog, the canal area on Foster Street has been waiting for some detailing for quite a while, partly because I could not decide what to do, but partly because I always found something better to do
     
    Foster Street is loosely based in the years leading up to the dark days of Nationalisation, so it has quite a wide timespan really when you think about it. That's when I had an idea, while looking at some pictures of the Northwest through the war years and just after, it was quite common for factories to have their names painted out, or signs removed, benefit number 1 - I don't have to think of a factory name. The other thing I noticed on a few of the pictures, was the use of temporary structures to hide prying eyes, so benefit 2 I had less of an area to add detail to and I could make some interesting "tarped" over mystery loads.

     
    There is still lots to do in the area, and the progress is at a very early stage, but the "bones" of the job are there, I just need to add the "flesh". Oh and try with the aid of a little modelling putty to produce some military looking figures, but I cant say any more its all HUSH HUSH you know
     
    Still I have to go now, because the banging and shouting at the door has ended and all has gone strangely quiet, the Domestic Authority must be amassing the anti, modelling forces against me again. So chaps, I'm going to just step outside the modelling room for a moment, I may be gone a while................until the next time as ever Happy Modelling
  4. paulprice
    Well I got bored with messing about with the green stuff on Foster Street so being the hardened modeller that I am I thought sod that, lets do something different, so out came the trusty mini-drill and the super glue, I mean what could possibly go wrong?
     
    All of the locomotives in my fleet had cab windows fitted, using my trusted method of cutting clear plastic to the correct size and then fitting them with super glue. Easy you would think, just measure cut and stick, well let me tell you its not. It should be measure, cut sneeze lose, get annoyed. So measure again, cut try not to sneeze, test fit, and watch is it "pings" away to be lost somewhere in the abyss that is the carpet
     
    So with frustration building to the point of a rage that seriously risks the destruction of the world, I finally get some windows that fit, out comes the superglue, and one is easily fitted, full of confidence the second one is fitted, or more accurately glued to your finger.....AAARRRRGGGGHHHHHHHH back to stage 1 again

     
    Eventually I managed to get the windows fitted to two Black 5's and an 8F, a little work with a cocktail stick and the numbers from the class fives are removed, ready for new ones to be applied. Then its on to working on one of my pet hates, fully filled tenders, so out comes the mini drill and a few minutes later the moulded full coal load is gone.
     
    A little work later and the tenders are ready to have plasti-card formers added so that real coal loads can be fitted, I even got round to adding cab doors to the Black 5's from the ever useful plasti-card.
     

    I know its not "real" scale modelling but these simple modifications to my minds eye at least improve the basic locomotives, and these modifications cost practically nothing and make the locomotives more individual. The only cost really is a bit of your spare time, and in my case a huge portion of the little sanity I have left.

     
    All I have to now is fit a crew, vac pipes, head lamps and numbers and maybe a little weathering, now what numbers do I apply for some examples running in the North West????
     
    Until the next time as ever Happy Modelling
  5. paulprice
    Well those of you who have been following my entries (more often rants) on the building of Foster Street will know that it is supposed to be set somewhere in the North West in the period up to that horrible day the railways were nationalised, and the beginning of the end began......
     
    Anyway when viewed from the from the front, working from the left to right the urban sprawl of a typical northern town, gives way to the typical green-ish landscape we have up here between towns, the aim was capture that scrubby rough look we northerners do so well.
     
    Anyway on the lead up to our exhibition debut I got the green bits up to a reasonable standard, and even managed to get the Domestic Overlord to try producing trees for the first time, confidently saying that it was a simple task (despite the fact that the only thing I manage to do when attempting to make trees is gluing them to my hands).
     
    At the exhibition I don't think anyone noticed that the layout was missing most of the signals required, or that there was no fencing or walling separating the railway from the landscape. Due to the fact that I have been a good boy lately I was allowed a few hours today to work on the layout, and I resolved to at least make a start on the fencing.
     
    So armed with my usual tools including my personal favourite weapon of mass modelling destruction (superglue ) I set to work, and managed to get the majority of the fencing complete, it just needs a spot of weathering and some rough scrub in places to make it look the part and bed it in better. I even managed to part build the occupation bridge linking the green spaces.
     
    They say small things amuse small minds, and so flushed with my own success I decided to visit my excellent local model shop (Widnes Model Centre) to get a small flock of sheep, but the ones they had looked like a soft southern variety not the barbed-wire eating breeds we have up here, but the required ones where ordered, so that's a job for another day, and the perfect excuse to have to visit the model shop again (its almost as if I planned it that way
     
    Well I guess its time for you to see a few pictures of the progress so far, and the excellent trees produced by the Domestic Overlord, until the next time as ever Happy Modelling.
  6. paulprice
    Hello my name is Paul and I have a problem, well its more of an addiction, I have this uncontrollable habit, it all started with one private owner wagon, and then it led to another, then another, then another...................
     
    Before long, found myself hiding this addiction from friends and family, I would visit my local pusher, had over some cash, and I would be given a small package, that I would nervously hide within my coat, rush home, sneak upstairs to the spare room and with mad abandon give in to my shameful vice, before overcome with shame, I hid my latest fix in a shoebox, before going downstairs again and acting normally (well as normal as I can ever expect to be )
     
    Well today my shameful, shameful habit came out into the open, they do say the first step is the hardest, but once you do it you feel like a great weight has been lifted from you. Well I can tell you that's a load of rubbish, trust me if you have a habit similar to mine KEEP IT SECRET
     
    It all went wrong this earlier today when the Domestic Overlord kindly let me spend some time with my trains, like a lamb to the slaughter I almost skipped into the spare room. Overcome with excitement I decided to fill two roads of the fiddle yard, with what will become an full and empty coal trains, an hour or so was spent carefully removing 60+ private owner wagons from their lovely little boxes.
     
    Happily smug with my achievements I sat basking in my own greatness thinking about what locomotives to attach to the trains, when the Domestic Overlord appeared in the doorway, and my dirty secret was discovered, "Don't look at me, Don't look at me" I shouted as I was found surrounded by the empty boxes of my secret shame...................
     
    Admitting the extent of my problem to the DO, I promised that I would not get anymore and I would content myself with maybe weathering them and filling one of the rakes with model coal.
     
    They do say that addicts can become devious and untrustworthy, as their desires no their need takes over, "Not me" I thought to myself as the DO left me alone in the room with my shame, and my other secret stash of yet more shoeboxes full of PO wagons, hahahahahahaha (insert evil laugh here )
     
    Until next time as ever happy modelling
  7. paulprice
    Well its been a weird weekend, feeling really washed out on Saturday I really had no energy to do any modelling, my brain was willing but my body refused to cooperate so I spent the time on my other pastime SULKING. Thankfully I was able to wallow in my own misery and the Domestic Overlord was away for the day visiting family.
     
    Today though I decided enough was enough, and getting the domestic chores out of the way, like the good little boy that I am I decided to play with my trainset. The storage yard on Foster street not including the branch line can hold 9 trains, not much of a challenge to fill this I thought, but two roads remained stubbornly empty.
     
    Anyway two of the roads are taken up with 11 coach passenger rakes representing diverted expresses. and I must admit I use to like watching these circle the layout with a maroon Jubilee of Scott and the front, that is until one of the rakes has suddenly decided to constantly uncouple randomly along its consist.
     
    Still these frustrations just mean we have new little challenges to overcome and that's what makes or hobby so enjoyable.... SOD THAT I parked the offending train, and decided to run another one of my favourites a local hauled by a maroon compound, yes you have guessed it the gods of modelling were against me, and for no obvious reason, the loco started paying up, so it was swapped with a black class mate.
     
    Things we running well now, and the two locomotives happily ran around the layout pulling their trains with ease, even the branch automation was working well. So you can guess what happened next, yes that's right I ruined it
     
    Recent Ebay purchases, and the odd exhibition buy has resulted in a couple of additions to the fleet, as you know one is slowly being converted into an Ivatt class 4 (I need to order some transfers), but I now have three Black 5's and an 8F to pass through the old locomotive works. Two of the Black 5's are more recent china produced machines (engine driven) and one is the older bodied type, which I had intended to see if I could convert to a Stannier mogul, that is until I ordered a newer body for it.
     
    What have I done, I'm supposed to be completing jobs not adding to the list of jobs to be completed, is Railway modelling like this for everyone? Until the next time as ever Happy Modelling
  8. paulprice
    Well what a weekend this had been, having made several trips to the local tip what seemed like an endless amount of decorating detritus, and after accidently breaking a wardrobe in the spare room that in my defence was looking rather past its best (well it was after I had paid it a little attention a few weeks ago ) the spare room was looking rather neat.
     
    So because I was a good little boy the Domestic Overlord said I could put my train-set back up (I have given up trying to get it recognised as a model railway), so with the help of the DO, Forster Street was soon back up in the spare room.
     
    As you know Foster Street made its exhibition debut back in November and since then it has not been erected, the good news is that it only took 30 minutes to get it all back together and all the electrical connections in place. I must admit I was very pleased with this, and once it was completed it allowed be to survey the situation to see if there was any damage needing repair.
     
    The good news is that the only real repair work related to the alignment of the main lines on one of the boards, I must admit this I was expecting to do this, as I had to fudge this at the exhibition (it was perfect in the spare room but being stored in the car overnight in negative temperatures caused a little movement). The only other area that needs a little attention, which we noticed at exhibition, was that I need to thin the thin the wiring a little in one end of the storage yard as some of the stock is catching on it.
     
    The other good news is that Phil one of the exhibition team, paid a visit to Price Towers, to not only take the mick out of my soldering but to make some very good suggestions for improving the storage yard, and the operation of the goods yard. So with this and the need to add fencing and signalling to the layout means that I should be concentrating on this, but you know me......

    People have often commented that I am going "loco" (and I cleaned that up ) so my attention was drawn to the locomotive feet. So a little time was spent testing my Ivatt class 4 build, and two of the latest additions to the fleet, yet more Black 5's well can you ever have too many?? I mean after all the LMS did have over 800

    Though if the Domestic Overlord ever asks I only have 1 of them, soon when I have the time I will pass these through the works for detailing a renumbering and a little weathering to make them look more in keeping with their Foster Street environs.

    So that's about it, a few jobs to do, well quite a lot really so I better knuckle down and get to it, after all its a new year and it will soon be Christmas.
     
    Until the next time, as ever Happy Modelling
  9. paulprice
    Well its the start of the New year, and I managed to celebrate by actually doing some more modelling, and yes gluing my fingers together a couple of items. god I love super glue.
     
    Anyway while other members of
    the household, who will remain nameless lay in slumber I set about my on-going attempt to convert a springside std 4 into an Ivatt class 4.
     
    Its still early days in the process, but in certain areas I think it's beginning to take shape, even if that shape is not exactly what I intended when I set out.
     

     
    Most of the work so far has been completed with the use of my trusty files and laminations of 10 thou plasti-card, once I have the majority of the work done it will be time to get the model filler out to work on some of the joins.
     

     
    Even though it does not look like it in the photographs the chimney is on straight, to build it up after filling the original single one into shape, I grafted some plastic onto it and the shaped it until it resembled the required shape, all I have to do now is add the lip and the final shaping.
     

     
    For the chassis I have tried to get away with as little modification as possible, so for the moment I have just reduced the height if the cylinders by filling them down, but I may do a little more on this. As you can see there is still a lot to do, as it seems I'm at that stage where completing one little job just crates more new ones even if most of the new jobs are just figuring out how parts that that are not even intended for this model, are still managing to glue themselves to me
     
    Still at least I have the saving grace that the model will only need to finished in simple un-lined black, I mean what can possibly go wrong????
     
    Until Next time as ever Happy Modelling
  10. paulprice
    Well the good news is that this post has no pictures (I can hear the cheers from here ), I've not done much modelling over the last few days, as with the demands of work and being a little off colour I have spent more time on the more "theoretical" projects.
     
    As you know Foster Street in a continuous run layout, in an attempt to portray a secondary line somewhere in the Northwest, leading up to the dreadful day the LMS was nationalised .
     
    The layout is approximately 11 foot long, but because its under 3 foot wide, once the scenic area is taken into account means I have around 12 inches of width to play with, which is where I need some help. I reckon I can get 4 loops in each direction fitted into the space, if I use settrack point this means they will be a considerable length, (even if I use medium radius points they will be pretty long).
     
    I suppose like most modellers I have far too much stock to be used on the layout, and the storage yard will never really be big enough form my ambitions, but I need some help reining in my thoughts and ideas. The other thing is that I have accepted a very kind exhibition invite to the Weston Show (Andy what have you let yourself in for???) so I need suggestions on what type of trains people would like to see running.
     
    So I need suggestions or help on the following...
     
    1. What sort of trains would you like to see running through Foster Street (I know I need suburban/local trains, but I also like running big long coal trains, and my Elephant train too, would the exhibition visitors be happy with, if not what would you think they would like to see?
     
    2 At least one of the tracks in each direction will be used for a long train (express, or freight still to be decided), the other loops I am thinking of splitting into smaller sections to hold more "local" type trains. Obviously this means that on these lines through running would not be continuous because as a train leaves the ones behind would have to be edged up. My experiments with this have shown that the two, or more trains slowly edge up the yard, as the first train leaves, but as I isolate the loops when they have reached the correct position, the train on the visible section gets a higher voltage and then goes like a bat out of hell. Is there a way round this, or should I just isolate the loops and move the trains up manually as the one at the front makes its way around the visual section??
     
    3 I still have not decided on some form of auto coupling for the branch line freights, so as to avoid the hand from the sky, in the past I have added staples to the "elsie" type peco type couplings and used magnets under the track for this, but is there a better option.
     
    4. Can you ever have too many trains? Obviously I think you can never have enough but I think the Domestic Overlord is getting suspicious of all the shoe boxes around the house, he must think I have a footwear fetish (the boys a fool ) everyone knows shoeboxes are ideal for N gauge.
     
    Could not resist a picture of my favourite train (well for today at least) until the next time as ever Happy Modelling
  11. paulprice
    Well call me observant but I have discovered another difference between the Forth Rail bridge and our Living room, the Living room takes more painting, honestly there is nearly as much paint on the walls as there is on me!!
     
    I must admit though that the satin finish seems to suit me quite well, anyway in a brief moment of respite from the endless decorating sentence imposed upon me, I have I think decided on the next locomotive project to add the Foster Street stud.
     
    I may change my mind, between now and the next decorating break I get (whenever that will be, oh woe is me, woe I tell you), but providing I don't make a total "Pigs" ear of the early stages I may post some progress pictures.
     
    Oh if I don't get chance to post another blog before the big day, for all of you who get something you truly want as presents from the Big Fat Man, you lucky @*$@@*** its not nice to brag
     
    Until the next time, as ever Happy Modelling.
  12. paulprice
    Dear Santa
     
    I have been a good little boy this year, therefore for Christmas this year can I have INSANITY for my present, if so don't bother wrapping the present, just download it straight into my noggin
     
    Waiting in hopeful anticipation your greatest fan
     
    Paul aged 39 and a half.................
     
    I don't remember writing the letter to the Fat man, but regardless he has come through and delivered my present early I am now officially off my trolley. Yes I have threw aside the shackles of sanity and I'm well on my way to decorating the rooms of the house with that lovely padded wall paper, wearing one of those lovely coats that fastened up the back, and writing my name with a crayon using my foot, all I can say is WIBBLE.......
     
    In my last post, I displayed the progress I have been making on the creation of some Parcel vans to add to the stock list, will it gets worst.......all my multiple personalities have now decided they want to get in on the act, and have since decided to start projects of there own, therefore the production list now includes.....
     
    1. Parcels vans, of the 4 potential builds 2 are nearly at the paint stage, 1 is nowhere near even being suitable for conversion, and 1 accidentally got stuck to my hand (Superglue you cant live without it)
     
    2. I recently decided to add a little extra lining to one of my maroon compounds, after much shaking of hands, I then decided to fully line a second example I had sprayed in maroon that was to be converted to a 2P or 3P, I now need to number this and apply a lot of weathering to hide the lining (its terrible a picture of which would scare even the most hardened of modellers)
     
    3. A recent exhibition purchase provided me with another late model Loco powered Black 5 at a very reasonable cost, so it needs my usual treatments.
     
    4. A rather unsuccessful Flea Bay adventure resulted in the acquisition of an older Farish Black 5, which I was thinking about converting into either a Caprotti version (maybe on a hall chassis) which would mean I have a spare Black 5 chassis, which could be used for.......
     
    5. After reading an article on breakdown trains I have now parts to form the jib, and have mental plans knocking around for the rest of the build.
     
    6. Yet another Flea Bay expedition has resulted in yet another late model Black 5, and wait for it a kit built Standard 4 mogul, don't worry the terrible body will be condemned to the bin (as far as I am concerned nothing good happened after nationalisation ) which means I could use the body from the older Black 5, the chassis from the Std 4 and try and cobble together a Stanier Mogul
     
    Oh and I have to do all the decorating for the Domestic Overlord, but household DIY is not that important is it, though I think the other half thinks it stands for DONE IT YET....
     
    I wonder if my newly delivered insanity will result in my being committed to a room to spend my days just modelling, I would ask myself this question, but I, me, him and the other fella's all occupying my head, had a massive argument last night, and one of us has been thrown out, one of us is sulking, one of us is only communicating via a 3rd person and the rest of us are enjoying the silence.
     
    Until next time as ever Happy WIBBLE...
  13. paulprice
    Apparently its nearly Christmas and time to but panic presents before the big day is running out, not that I have had time to notice because the Domestic Overlord has kindly helped by filling in all my spare time with Decorating/DIY tasks
     
    Just a snippet from the thoughtful schedule, will see me spend this weekend moving furniture so I can paint all the walls in the living room, then move all the furniture to the kitchen, then little respite of a couple of days at work. Then finish on Tuesday for the Holiday but on Wednesday visit the bank and get back to the house to supervise the carpet fitter, then sort out delivery of the two new sofa's and disposal of the old one for Thursday, then move all the furniture back, oh and sort out the new bookcase
     
    How lucky am I? Most people have other halves who let them squander time off work by doing nothing, not the Domestic Overlord though who has kindly planned my every waking moments for the next few days, Thanks Boss
     
    Anyway I have had a little modelling time, and I decided to "knock" off one of those little jobs we all have, so I thought I would finally try to build a few parcel vans to add to a little variety to my stock.
     
    This project has been planned for quite a while and a few years ago I bought some stock which had roughly the correct wheelbase, this sat in a box labelled "future projects". Well after seeing the light of day, and then being attacked with my trusty craft knife to remove all raised details, I then used some plasti-card to bring each side up to the correct width and a nice smooth finish.
     
    One of the group will be a clerestory roofed example and was carefully chosen because it had no windows on the sides, easy I thought a nice quick job. WRONG I forgot about all the beading that would be needed, and after what seems like an age I have one side finished.
     
    I think adding beading in N gauge seems like a good idea, but when it comes to the practice maybe not so good, at least the other vans will have minimal beading, even if they will have windows
     
    Anyway I thought you may be interested in a few pictures of the work completed so far, if only so you can witness my madness, and see an example of how not to build stock (if you are a rivet counter, I apologise in advance).
     




    All I have to do now, is complete the other side, sort the underframe out, and the buffers, and the roof, then paint it, and line an transfer, and then a little weathering, and then work on the other three. EASY
     
    As ever until the next time Happy Modelling
  14. paulprice
    HELP ME I THINK I AM SERIOUSLY ILL - I'm actually contemplating adding a DIESEL to the locomotive roster for Foster Street.
     
    I have a prototype Deltic which occasionally runs through now and again, but it's my trainset and what I say goes (well sort of, Phil - no more Southern)
     
    Of all the projects filling my head, that I really want to start, the one that keeps jumping to the front, is to paint one of those old farish 08 models, black, and produce a lash up of the shunters the LMS had (even though the one I have is in EWS livery, whatever that is and is supposed to be limited - pah bring on the paint).
     
    The only problem I have, is should I delay and hope that the concussion that I obviously have clears up (how else can you explain wanting a diesel), or do I give in to this madness and plough head long into this insanity
     
    Until next time, as ever Happy Modelling
  15. paulprice
    Well this time last week, the Domestic Overlord and I were running around trying to get fit the proverbial quart into a pint pot, or more accurately Foster Street into the a Focus.
     
    Well it just about fit and I just about fit behind the steering wheel, anyway a week later, and no modelling has been done, to be honest I needed a bit if a break from it.
     
    However I could not quite break away from it entirely, and I have spent a little time working on a list of the things that either need completing, improvement or even starting.
     
    The problem is even I am amazed at how long this list is, and how many things I have added to it that are not really a priority like my pressing urge to build a breakdown train, and before anyone remarks upon it, its not because my motive power keeps failing
     
    Anyway during my moments of musing of the expanding jobs I had a look at some of the photo's of the layout taken by Phil who volunteered (press ganged) to help operate the layout at its first exhibition, and despite his constant moans about how the LMS is vastly inferior to the SR seemed to enjoy himself.
     
    What hit me is how Phil's mastery of that instrument of the black arts, aka a camera, has managed to make even my modelling look passable so here are a few of his photographs.
     
    Until Next time as ever Happy modelling
  16. paulprice
    Well its Sunday, and I'm relaxing with a nice coffee, slowly getting over the exploits of Saturday, and Foster Street's exhibition debut at the Weston on Trent exhibition.
     
    Despite having a many, many outstanding jobs left to do, the layout was packed into the car on Friday night, god knows what the neighbours think and it just about fit, so with my six foot seven frame scrunched up behind the wheel of the car the Domestic overlord and I set off into the early morning darkness.
     
    Having arrived at the venue, and being made very welcome by Andy the exhibition host/organiser and RMweb contributor we managed to get the layout set up and not needing as much fettling as I originally thought it might, I even managed to solder back in place a power feed I managed to stand on, and a cross baseboard joint on the branch I had forgotten at home.
     
    The good news came when Phil (he of the incorrect belief that any Railway other than the Southern is inferior, I'm sure when the concussion wears off he will be okay) he soon set to work rectifying my soldering and despite the protests of them not being proper engines helped to stock the fiddle yard.
     
    I think once the layout bedded in to the hall temperature running improved and various typical LMS trains could be seen, at certain points even a Bullied West Country could be seen, well I had to try and keep Phil happy,
     
    I did learn a lot of things over the day, mostly an ever increasing list of things that need improvement/finishing/adding to the layout (Thanks Phil and Tim), but also that I'm not alone in thinking that my Elephant train is cool..............
     
    Oh and that I think I may have taken too much stock to the show, its a good job the lads did not know I had a couple more boxes hidden behind the back seats that I forgot to take into the hall, but be honest can you ever have too much stock?
     
    Well before I end this entry, I hope that anyone out there who viewed the layout at the exhibition enjoyed what they saw, and thanks for all the very kind comments and to the little Girl who asked where the model Bee's where near the hives, I'm still working on it trust me......
     
    But the big thanks must go to the Domestic Overlord - Tim, and Phil (aka LankyPhil) for their excellent operating, and for putting up with my the biggest most excitable kid at the exhibition.. Oh and the excellent photo a first for my blogs is the work of Phil, thanks for making the layout look passable
     
    Until next time Happy Modelling
  17. paulprice
    Is it just me this happens to, or are there other modellers out there who suffer from the same condition?
     
    how come whenever I set out to complete a task, just before I do and sit back all smug with my achievement I managed to start another project? It all started this weekend, Foster Street is due to make its exhibition debut at the Weston on Trent 2014 show and I have a list of things I need to complete.
     
    Now Foster street is only 10 feet long and about 2.5 feet wide, so in the grand scheme of things its not that big (I think it could be bigger, as 30 wagon coal trains just don't look right). So with a layout of this size, given the amount of time I have spent on it (some may say wasted) I reckon I should have made more progress than I have, but its very hard when you set foot in the railway room not to just play trains.
     
    Anyway the main target for this weekend was to finish off the storage yard, including the branch storage yard, and wire up the shuttle unit for the branch train, the good news is that I managed to get this at least completed, and I think I have
     
    For the eagle eyed out there yes it is a prototype Deltic lurking in the yard, but it's "my trainset so neeerrrrr", the problem is that once the shuttle unit was set up, the Johnson 1P 0-4-4T looked lost running up and down the line, so it was out with the mini drill and the first part of creating a push-pull carrage was created, and I was supposed to be completing jobs not starting new ones.
     
    One job that was completed, was painting out some of the with areas around the canal and finally fitting the water, but yes you guessed it, I decided another barge might be needed so another job is added to the list (I still have the area to populate with workers etc).
     
    The problem then was I started to play, err sorry test some trains so more time was taken up with this valuable exercise, this highlighted a few things, one being that I really need to remove the knackered point motors in the good yard, and replace them, and finally sort our a reliable auto un-coupler, but yes you guessed it I then spent time trying to work out what trains to fill the storage yard with at the exhibition.
     
    All I did discover was that 30 wagon coal trains are not big enough, and yes another Jubilee decided to lose a traction tyre (ARRRGGGHHHHHH), the other thing was how small the actual station board is (just over 3 feet long).
     
    So having a bit of a liking for lists, all these extra jobs, at least keeps me sort of happy, but here is the thing, I need help with a new list, what do I need to take with me to an exhibition (yes I know I have to take the Domestic Overlord ) and what have I missed.
     
    Until the next time as ever Happy Modelling
  18. paulprice
    Just a quick entry this time - Try not to all cheer at once
     
     
    I need a quick break from re-inventing the laws of physics and more particularly the laws governing electrics.
     
    I NEED HELP,
     
    The bay platform, and the goods yard on Foster Street are accessed by electro frog points, the are isolated from the main lines by double insulated fishplates, everything went well, running was great.
     
    After the track was ballasted and painted, second testing and everything went well, until now.
     
    Locomotives run well up to the first point, then crawl over it as if the brakes are applied, then stop on the second one. The rails are clean so its not rail top dirt, however if you squeeze the rails together at the switch end and hold them, the locomotives run at the same speed as they did approaching the points.
     
    AAARRRGGGHHHHHH its probably something simple, but its driving me mad, I bet my track rubbers have had something to do with it??
     
    HELP
  19. paulprice
    Well the weekend finally arrived well at least Saturday did, an I got my long waited for lie in, it was bliss instead of getting up for 4am to get ready for work, I got up at 5am so I could spend a few hours in the office, then I rushed home to escort the Domestic Overlord out on a shopping expedition.
     
    Anyway eventually I managed to get everything completed so I could spend a little time on Foster Street, to try and get it ready before the rapidly approaching deadline.
     
    I had intended to get some of the electrics sorted, as I still have to complete the re-wire and fit new point motors in the goods yard, and work on a reliable N gauge uncoupling system. So with all this to do and a few other things, yes you guessed it I played trains, well actually I spent a little time sorting out two of the 9 trains that will fill the storage yard.
     
    In each direction I will have a 10 coach express formation, hauled by a Maroon Jubilee (if they don't shed anymore traction tyres) or a Scott or if I can justify it a Duchess - well it is my railway
     
    So how did I spend my time tonight? Well I did a little weathering of the coaching stock that forms these trains, using my usual simple methods in an attempt to portray trains a little work weary and showing the effects of our typical North West weather (Rain, rain and more rain).
     
    I will leave it to you to decide if this was successful, all I have to do now is wait for them to dry....

    Now when can I get the time to work on the other 17? Until next time as ever Happy Modelling
  20. paulprice
    Well with a deadline looming I should be spending more time getting the layout up to a reasonable standard. However like most things there in always something in the way, and I don't mean the Domestic Overlord
     
    The problem is the major jobs I need to complete are those little jobs that just eat up modelling time, and in the case of me and a soldering iron, lead to lots of burnt fingers and industrial language.
     
    Still I managed to get the surface of the canal ready, or at least nearly ready, all it needs now is some surface ripples, just to make you think what lurks in the murky depths.
     

     
    All I need to do now is finally finish the canal boats, paint/blend in all the white edges, add some form of loading scene and general clutter.
     
    The problems started when I was playing, sorry testing, some of the trains to be used on the layout, and then one of my favourite locomotives a Jubilee decided it was a good time to shed its traction tyres.
     
    Not to worry I though, it would give me the chance to finish off weathering one of the 10 coach rakes of Stannier coaches, great no matt black paint.
     
    Ha I thought a little thing like this is not going to stop me, I would get my supply of head lamps out and fit them to some of the fleet, and yes you guessed it, they have suddenly vanished, into the black hole modelling.
     
    It was at this point that I my safety valves just about lifted in time to stop me exploding The Domestic Overlord noticing my pending apocalyptic rage, suggested a nice day trip to Chester, and a fantastic time was had by both of us, that is until I visited a model shop.
     
    Yes you guessed it while looking at endless boxes on shelves, I saw an LMS Ivatt 2-6-0 at a bargain price, and despite the pains in my wallet, I put my hands in my pocket, slapped the cash on the counter and walked out with a much wanted addition to the fleet.
     
    Well that's what I would have done if I was not, as people have said "as tight as two coats of paint", I returned home empty handed and wishing I had just splashed the cash
     
    God this railway modelling is a fun hobby, until the next time as ever happy modelling
  21. paulprice
    Well I managed to spend a couple of hours on the layout today, and I am beginning to realise I still have an awful lot still to do
     
    At time like this a modeller should be completing jobs on the layout rather that creating new ones (all the point motors in the goods yard are fried).
     
    I set out today to complete the storage yard for the layout and I must admit its nearly complete, all I have to do it finish the branch line yard and the job is a "gud un" and I have the cut and damaged fingers to prove it. I quick test showed that in the smallest of the loops I should be able to fit a 35 wagon train.

    Excuse the wonky lines, but it seems to work, all I have to do now it fix the track permanently and then sort the wiring for the inter board joints.
    The next job I need to tackle was the canal, I have been meaning to add the water to this for weeks but never seem to get round to it. I decided that I was going to make the surface from clear pasti-card, so to work out the required shape I used that leading edge technology, a paper template.

    Once I managed to get the template the correct shape a couple of minutes later I had the water surface cut, a test fit showed that I managed to get the correct shape, the problem was though that the surface was a little low, I needed more water! A few off cuts of card strip soon had the correct level, and a test fit of the water brought the canal boats up to the correct level.
    All I need to do now is to work on the murky canal water, so I will build up this colour on the underside of the surface, once this is done, If I ever finish the Canal Boats I can glue these to the surface, and then use gloss varnish to add a rippled surface. Next time I think I may use real water it has to be easier, oh and I managed to destroy one of the street lamps
     
    Well what about the new jobs I mentioned, well
    Job number 1 sort out all the inter-board wiring connections,
    Job number 2 figure out how I can split one loop in each direction so that I can use smaller trains (locals etc) I mean I cant just run long trains can I
    Job number 3 re-fit point motors in the goods yard, the old one are fried/not reliable.
    Job number 4 figure out what type of trains to fill the storage yard.
    Job number 5 colour all the white edges near the canal
    Job number 6 clean all the track, and wheels
    I'm giving up now, listing jobs is not a great motivator, and I thought modelling was meant to be fun
     
    Until the next time as ever happy modelling
  22. paulprice
    Today's big question Is where does all the time go? I managed to finish work relatively early today, all I had to do was beat the traffic on the motorway. Drive to the bank to get the money for the repairs to the Domestic Overlords Car, park mine close to the garage but not too far away from where we live (halfway).
     
    Then walk (yes actually walk ) to the garage, pay for the repairs then drive the worlds smallest car home (more like wear the car home as its not easy to drive it when your six foot seven tall ) without anyone you know seeing you, and ignoring the looks of ridicule and laughter on the face of pedestrians as you chug by.
     
    Then find away of getting myself actually out of the car, and clicking my body back into some form of normal shape, then get in the house and have a quick coffee the first of the day, despite being out side the house for 10 hours . Then walk what seemed like the length of Cheshire to where I had left the normal car, for normal people, not like the micro machine.
     
    Then drive home, get some dinner and then, time for modelling, except its too late to hammer or drill because it might disturb the neighbours, I have no idea how I can do that as they seem a bit disturbed to me already
     
    So as I type this I'm actually trying to work out what I have actually achieved?
     
    Well I managed to collect the Domestic Overlords, Jam Jar
    Added three points to the storage yard
    Managed to cut the water surface on the Canal (don't ask it may form a future entry if it works)
    Lost the camera so I'm unable to take any photo's (don't cheer so loudly)
     
    So I guess all in all it was not the worlds most successful modelling night, am I the only one this happens to?
     
    Until the next time Happy Modelling
  23. paulprice
    Well the Domestic Overlord and I have spent a brilliant few days away in North Yorkshire and returned home today feeling totally refreshed. Then it hit me, its nearly the end of September and the exhibition deadline is rapidly approaching.
     
    So I decided to start to overhaul some of the locomotive fleet, four use on the layout, I must admit I thought I had more maroon locomotives but I was wrong, ad two of them are Duchess's not what you would expect to find on a secondary line?

     
    The problem is I found this lot lurking in a stock box, and I believe I have things called Pannier and Prairie tanks as well hiding somewhere (all in various stages of detailing - from a past layout built when I was suffering from a head injury)
     

     
    If ever a chap needed an incentive was needed to get the rest of the fleet serviced its the thought of having to use Great Western engines. Oh well only a load of Black Fives, 4F's Compounds, 8F's, 3F's, various 2-6-4 and 2-6-2 tanks to sort out!
     
    Now what to do with those green things, I suppose I could use the chassis for something..........................
     
    Until the next time as ever Happy Modelling
  24. paulprice
    Well I am typing this entry with poorly, burnt fingers, I had some time today to spend on the layout and so I tackled the re-working of the storage yard, and that meant I had to use the tool from hell, yes a soldering iron.
     
    No matter how often I use the dammed things they always seem to get the better of me, all I needed one for today was to solder the track to brass pins acoss board joints for the storage yard. With a little jiggery pokery I managed to fit in a total of 9 tracks in the storage yard, 4 for the Up line and 5 for the down. This meant that I would have 9 tracks requiring 72 soldered joints across the storage yard.
     
    How hard could that be, I mean what could possibly go wrong? Well I will tell you I have now discovered something that smells worst than flux, even worst that Lynx Africa deodorant, its the smell of my fingers slowly roasting.
     
    After completing 36 joints I gave up, but at least half the storage yard is completed, all I have to do now is the other half of it and the dead end sidings for the branch line.
     
    The problem now is that the storage loops look rather big, they are nearly 6 foot long, that means very long trains, in fact very, very long trains, now all I need to do is decide upon what trains to fill the storage loops with fir its first exhibition outing?
     
    Please your suggestions will be very welcome, as what type of trains would you be happy to see at exhibition? Until the next time As always Happy Modelling
  25. paulprice
    Well today I was another year older, so in an anti-celebration mood the Domestic Overlord and I walked (yes actually walked), into our local town to partake of a meagre spot of breakfast, spot the healthy tomato

    Once we managed to get on the outside of a weeks worth of calories, and still having the use of our legs we managed to walk home, this healthy living is easy. Anyway I set off to the railway room to work on a few of the outstanding jobs that never seem to get finished, and actually managed to get one of them finished, well sort of That's when it all went wrong before I knew it I had fired up the controller and just played trains.
     
    Before I knew it one of may favourite 8F's was plodding around with a typical train


    Only broken up by the passing of an even more typical local service



    Soon another old timer was seen plodding round with another rickerty old local



    Well I suppose it was not a total waste of time, as it provided a good run in for my recently overhauled 8F, but what I need to do now is get all those little jobs completed and out of the way, maybe I can start on them tomorrow, after another one of those breakfasts, after all they say its the most important meal of the day.......... until next time Happy Modelling
×
×
  • Create New...