sjrixon

Mine actually runs quite well, considering. But that doesn't mean I want to run it.. Maybe it's time to have a clear out.

Come on then, let's have a full layout video ☺️

Alan, not even sure where the roads are yet!! Well, apart from the one over the bridge to the fiddle yard. Once I've got the track set, I'll start marking them up, I've a few ideas.. You mean a 48xx.. They didn't renumber the 14xx until 1946 (I think) so too post war for me. I'd like one of the new ones, but the budget won't reach that far at the moment. I've an Airfix one that's had some 'upgrades' but it's not DCC and I'm not sure I can be bothered to convert it.

Managed to get the loop in place late yesterday. Neither the slip of the point is wired, I wanted to get this section all in place before I committed to point motors. With the baseboard joint it looks a little fussy at the moment, I hope with some cosmetic sleepers slid in, painting and ballasted it will tidy up nicely.. Now I can wire up this section and be able to run round my trains. I've also started the build of the station building, but I'm now thinking I should have started with the goods shed as it might effect the shape of the siding!

That's really good. Now I've also got a great view over the whole layout!

That prairie looks good! I've an old Airfix one in a box, it doesn't see much action these days as it makes a real grinding noise going backwards..

I've been playing around to make sure everything will work before I start on the loop and yard track work. I keep changing my mind about the dairy, but I think it just adds a nice bit of interest, so right now, it stays. You can see the milk tanks bottom right (Butter tub as the building). There has been a drop off of some other odds and end that they need and one cattle truck is next to the dock (The lurpak tub). A small freight has arrived in the loop, a passenger trains is about to depart and the Siphon is sat in the parcels bay. It's a busy morning. Following the departure of the passenger train the pannier runs round and pushes the trucks out of the way to release the brake van. That is then pushed to the headshut. It then pulls the trucks back out, and runs round again, as this train didn't have any trucks for the dairy or other siding. It's then free to shunt into the shed and other road. The yard area.. And Tunnel for the scenic break. I think there is plenty of space. I was worried that as the two main siding are now on the reverse that it wouldn't work.

That's why I ended up building a full brake! Too many trains that should have guards on the back.

Speechless.. I need to see this layout in the flesh again. That 14xx is quite smart, as is your autocoach. I'd be tempted by a 48xx if I hadn't just already spent too much!

You have trains running already! Looking good, how did you get it wired up so quick?

I've got the first two points down on the scenic section. I've been cleaning up the Peco points, removing the large clips for the peco motors and the spring section in the middle. I've then slotted a sleeper into the gap that's been created. I think it's looks much better and helps it blending into the bullhead rail.

Thanks.. Looking good. I was thinking of spraying the majority of mine. I'm very carefully laying the track, getting the point motors working and wiring.

Please share some details on your track painting.. Something I need to do and I'm not quite sure where to start!

A week in June with the house to yourself! Now that is an amazing prospect.

As others have said, amazing progress in a few days! You even have a station, which is a lot more than I can hope for... Looking forward to all the updates and seeing that river take shape.

A messy layout is a happy layout.. Please don't tidy, as you say, as waste of time. I'm much like you in that I get very small pockets of time. If I tidied each time I'd get 10mins instead of a massive 30!

Certainly making good progress there! You always appear to have lots of stock in all your shots! That last one someone has stolen the chassis from a loco and the storm has blown the roof off a coach!

Was this loco left or right hand drive? I thought SR and LSWR was left, but the reverser looks to be on the right.

Pre- About 1930 ish. That Pannier is in 34 livery, it might get moved back to earlier.. We will see The Mogul is the first target for that as it's sporting G W R at the moment, which is more 42 onwards, which is too late.

Just an excuse to post a Pannier on the new Peco Bullhead rail.. It's holding down the cork while it dries, honest that's why it's there

I love Cobalt motors, and DCC wiring! There was much internal debate about which way I was going to go with point motors. This project was never meant to a huge undertaking, just something to play with while I'm limited on time and space. I hope once the Children are a little older I'll have some time and maybe some help to build something bigger. But now I love these Cobalts! It's what you don't know that catches you out. I didn't know that Peco Electrofrog points had the frog wire now attached, the 009 ones I had certainly didn't. I'd wired them with Seep motors with the on board switch, but it's such a pain. 2 wires back to a panel and connect to the panel switch, which normally means some kind of large connector as you want to disconnect the panel from the layout. Then the frog wiring is 2 more wires from the left and right rail of the point and then another on the frog. Connect them to a 'chock block' and then solder wires to the motor to screw to the other side of the chock block. It's a good hour per motor. Now the same with the Cobalt. Bring 2 wires from the bus, that is running right next to the motor. Then because that's also the track feed, just run one wire to the point. That's the only one you need to solder as Peco give you quite a short wire. Add to that the little clips to hold the wires (no solder), the sticky pads to hold the motor and the fact they supply the correct screws, I'm so happy! So, I have a fiddle yard! It need some ply at the front to protect the stock, but it's looking good!

Thanks Jules.. I'm a fan of your layout ☺️ And yes, I've lots of cork ready to go. Using osb I knew I'd have to be using cork.

I started layout out the track to get an idea of how it's all going to fit together. Excuse the Hornby buildings, I found them in an old box, you cannot deny your roots! The highlight is a key length that I need to check, that will be the maximum length of trucks that can be shunting into the rear to sidings. I do have a little play with the location of the slip, just need to leave space to get the motor underneath as that's the baseboard joint. I already don't like the shed where it is, I'll flip it to the other end of the layout where there is more room. I also think the long right siding will have the diary on the end. I wanted to make sure the milk tank can come on the back of the coaches and be simply uncoupled and run into the dairy. It will also create further interest as other supplies are delivered and block the tanks in. Planning then required to move out of the way before the milk is due in and out. There is a small water crane up at the end of the station. I've a tank somewhere, but couldn't find it at the time. Wider shot showing the two other sidings. Should create some space.. I need to then sketch in the platform etc at the back.

Yes, but SWMBO gives me a wicked look as I was only going to be an hour in the workshop. But by the time you have battled with that lot, it's been a lot longer!

It makes you wonder why Peco make it so hard. I've a small radius code 100 point and there is a gap so I can get cutters in, the 75 is buried in plastic. You've really got me thinking about the NG... I'll start laying out the track, maybe, just maybe..