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Hello everyone, With having a much needed week off work this week, it has given me the opportunity to delve into some modelling and to get the camera out also. It seems we have some new additions to the fleet here at Berry Pomeroy. Just as well that I didn't go through with my New Year's Resolution of not purchasing anymore locos First off, we have one of the new 14xx/48xx/58xx tanks from DJ Models. I have purchased two of these, one of which, 5819 slumbers outside the shed before duties commence. These are stunning models and surpass the old Hornby versions. Finally, no rubber traction tyres anymore and we can actually shunt at slow speeds with them! This one is beautiful just like the other one, 1420. I always do like these locos in black, lined or unlined. Secondly, we have 1365, one of the cute 1361 class locos of which there were only 5 built. This is a Heljan model and runs like a dream after spending 30 mins on the rollers this afternoon. Here she is undertaking a spot of shunting around the yard. I also purchased one of the 1369 locos too back in January. The fun part is yet to come with the fitting of crew. The cab opening is rather small! Chris

Morning all, Things are ticking over nicely as per usual on the layout at Berry Pomeroy... However, we're excited currently with our own model shop developments as we have recently won a small business award from none other than Dragons' Den star, Theo Paphitis! We got to meet him in person to collect our award and to chat to fellow Dragon, Deborah Meaden on the day as she was one of the guest speakers at the event in Birmingham. Plenty of exciting times ahead now that we're in Mr Paphitis' inner circle of business... Here we both are collecting our award from Theo Paphitis. I am on the right whilst Kevin, my business partner for the model shop, is on the left. Enjoy your modelling, Chris

Greetings everyone and I hope 2017 has got off to a good start? Not a lot to post about so far here on Berry Pomeroy as 2017 heads into February (which is good because January is so depressing). However, I have been working on detailing up my Wickham that I purchased over the festive period. She now has some occupants inside, one of which looks to be taking things rather lazily on the back seat with his legs almost hanging over the side. I am in the process of adding some detailing bits and bobs to the ballast load on the trailer too but for now this is such a superbly running little model and a Western Region one too which was a surprise when I looked at it up close in the shop. Chris

Hi Kevan, That's excellent news! Glad to hear that you're getting back on track. All the best, Chris

I hope everyone had a relaxing and joyful Christmas? A new resident loco has appeared on the branch this week in the form of 14xx tank, 1470 in this gorgeous livery. I have been awaiting eagerly for these superb models and it did not disappoint. The detail is exquisite and such smooth running. Also, 1470 is well suited to Berry Pomeroy as she was often the branch loco on the Ashburton line for many years in the same livery, circa 1952. Happy days! There are also another two additions to the fleet which will appear in due course... Chris

Hi Dave, Superb! The new 1366 panniers are gorgeous little models. I too purchased one last week and it is equally as exquisite at shunting. Enjoy using it and excellent updates on the station scene at LM. Cheers, Chris

Well as the festive season is upon us and work draws to a close and to be put on hold for a couple of weeks or so (hurrah), there'll be plenty of time for spots of modelling and running sessions on the layout. Recently, I have had odd little maintenance jobs to do on it. Bits of greenery, foliage and scenic details to just nip up with a spot of two of glue and add a few detailing bits here and there, such as old piles of sleepers in the yard as as well as topping up the coal pile in the yard from the mineral wagons near the bunkers. I do often like little odd jobs such as this of an evening to pass the time. Here are a few photos... One of the yard workers seems to enjoy having a good natter with the local 'Bobby', especially when it involves a bit of gossip about the young rascals who live in the village and their antics. Best keep an eye on them! I rather like this shot. Not much to see really but I wanted to grab a focal point of the period road sign for the small lane going over the fiddle yard entrance brick bridge and up the hill towards the village somewhere beyond (probably a good 1/4 to 1/2 mile away knowing the GWR!) Finally, a local pick up goods rolls in behind prairie 4560 and we glimpse the guard inside his 'toad' patiently waiting holding his flags in hand. Enjoy your Christmas time and may it be a happy, peaceful, joyful and filled with modelling delights for you All the best for the New Year, Chris

Evening everyone, Again, it has been a few weeks since I last posted on here but the modelling does continue, even if it is just odd bits and bobs such as loco or yard detailing of an evening. I'm certainly looking forward to some rest over the upcoming holiday period...more time for modelling and layout running too! Last month saw the SVR's final steam gala of 2016 and it didn't disappoint. Always a good turn out with locos I managed to enjoy some photogaphy on the Sunday and the cold and rain didn't spoil it either. I was quite pleased with the results for an amateur photographer. 7812 'Erlestoke Manor' glides effortlessly into Highley. '813' hammers up Erdington bank in reverse heading towards Bridgnorth. Such a shame this gorgeous loco wasn't paired up with those lovely toplight coaches. My personal favourite - 4566 and 7812 storming Erdington bank...the noise was wonderful! Anyway, back to some modelling...I finally managed to secure the second of my Hornby Collett coaches, a corridor third to match the third brake. I didn't give them much thought when they first came out but they certainly have grown on me. With a touch of weathering on the lower part and closer couplings, they are used regularly here at Berry Pomeroy. Here, 7739 awaits departure with the set. The fireman takes a breather before the journey commences. Chris

Thank you, William. Very kind of you to say so. The lighting is just the normal, soft lighting used overhead. A warm white glow is usually the best I find. Chris

Evening everyone, It's been over a month since I last posted on here but, unfortunately, there hasn't been much on the modelling front recently due to work commitments, a much needed holiday to South Devon (which was bliss as always) and attending exhibitions with the model shop. However, this weekend has been rather quiet so modelling has triumphed! In the early morning sunlight, 9608 brings the early morning pick up goods into the terminus in between the timetabled passenger trains. This locomotive has been weathered a great deal for an end of steam look and, whilst she is not used often, is different to the norm here at Berry Pomeroy. Here, we can see her scorched smokebox door, missing number plate and generally unkempt condition with grime layers and limescale stains. What on earth is going on at 83A depot? Surely this wasn't true? Chris

Hi Ray and Polly, Thank you very much for the clips of the sentinel. It certainly looks like a superb little runner. I may have to invest in one then for use on a shunting puzzle layout! I'm glad you enjoyed yourselves last weekend and I agree about the turnout, it was superb to see so many people and we did well on the trade stand over the weekend too. Keep up the lovely work on CQ and I continue to watch with interest as always, Chris

Excellent video here William. It's good to see the layout in a clip of locos and stock on the move The arm on your distant signal just needs a touch of black paint to finish it off, however. I hope you don't mind me saying? Superb and I enjoyed that 55 seconds of delight there! Best wishes, Chris

Hi Ray and Polly, Good to see you both and the superb layout too as always at Hazel Grove show. It was lovely to have a natter and see the lovely detailing aspects in person again. We enjoyed trading at Hazel Grove too with the model shop and we did well in terms of profit which was superb. I forgot to mention, I do like the sentinel shunter indeed. I didn't actually see it run but are the models smooth, slow runners for shunting? I have been toying with the idea of purchasing one for shunting around with. Lovely to see you again, Kind regards, Chris

Hi Dave, Superb detail on the platform! I have to agree, I use Dart Castings figures too here at Berry Pomeroy and they are sublime to paint and view in situ once completed. Nigel, the chap who owns the company, is a friendly fellow too if you happen to have a chat and/or make a purchase at an exhibition where he is attending with a stand. Keep the lovely photos coming and excellent detail! Cheers, Chris

And so here is the finished product which looks much better than its predecessor in my opinion. I always like the shorter but wider GWR nameboards on stations and the smaller font sits nicely. I did experiment and toy with the idea of each word on a separate line, having Pomeroy underneath Berry but, somehow, it didn't seem to work or look right on screen. Anyway, no matter, this is how it's staying and I'm pleased with it at last. Also, whilst today was a Sunday, Dr Anthony Bartley was down at the station this morning catching the 10:45 to Harbourton. Perhaps he's off to see a sick patient or to London for a meeting/conference next week? Who knows, however, Mrs Bartley was right in making sure he had his umbrella with him. We are in England after all and this weather of ours...! Enjoy your relaxing time with your modelling, everyone Chris

You're right there, Apollo. Not many independent ones left at all. There used to be a decent pie shop called Edward's Bakery down in Platt Bridge until I was gutted in an arson attack a few years back. Shame really. As for others, none I can think of except the main chain ones around the town centres. I see the old hotel next door to Wallgate station has now been renovated and the ground floor has opened up into a convenience store! There is a cracking little shop near me here in Standish called Jenny Wrens. Not been around that long yet but the pies are delish! Perhaps this Jenny Wren is one to look out for as an up and coming new pie stop shop? Chris

Well, it seems that things have been rather quiet of late here at Berry Pomeroy. It's sad that I find little time in the week to model in between work duties at the moment but an hour or so a few times in the week is relaxing and stress free before bed time. Anyway, I have managed to get round to doing one of the jobs on the 'to do' list - the new, better station nameboard. I do always look at the one on the platform currently and dislike it as it isn't very GWRish, so, here is the alternative improved version with proper GWR font for the name. The shorter board does look better and I'm looking forward to getting round to fitting in onto the platform later this evening. Chris

Hi Dave, Little Marley is looking superb. A lovely addition with the station name board and signal box one too! A pleasure to read the updates as always, Chris

It's been a short while since the last update on here at Berry Pomeroy, mainly due to having a lovely week's holiday in North Norfolk as well as other outdoor activities. A visit was paid to the NNR at Sheringham and it is a lovely line as I had never visited before. Also, I managed to get down to the Bure Valley Railway and this line was a pleasure. Such lovely scenery and a thoroughly enjoyable journey of 45 minutes each way. Very highly recommended...oh, and such a well stocked model shop too at Alysham. A large amount of time (and money) was spent there. Ooops! Also, whilst staying over in Cromer, I stumbled across a lovely little model shop too opposite the Tourist Info place. Not much in the way of locos or rolling stock but great for the detailing items that are sometimes difficult to get hold of and the chap is very friendly too. Recommended for a look in if you are in the town. Anyway, here we have a selection of photos in between some modelling bits and bobs ongoing here at the desk. Dukedog, 9028, comes to rest at journey's end after arriving with the 13:46. 9028 runs around her Hawksworth coaches ready for the return journey at 14:05. It looks as though the carriages could do with a wet sponge and some soapy suds. Still, a tad gentle weathering helps to show their hard work in service. Chris

Ballast Bond works an absolute treat and used it on a couple of recent layouts, most notably my Berry Pomeroy one. Quick and easy to apply using the plastic nozzle, it slowly runs out of the tube and lightly covers the ballast before spreading by itself and soaking down. So much so, it didn't even disturb the ballast. We were so impressed by it that we now stock it in our model shop and it sells well at exhibitions too, thanks to recent publicity in mags. Safe to say, I'll be using it in future over the old PVA, washing up liquid mixture faff. Chris

Absolutely! I fully agree. Rain? What is that? Cheers, Chris

Hi Jules, I know the feeling, although the joy with our layouts is that when summer is over, it isn't really over on Mayshill or Berry Pomeroy! Enjoy the rest of the warm weather this year. Cheers, Chris

Thanks, Jules. Yes, I agree about the greenhouse. I'll stick with the small one that is already on the layout. Perhaps another shed might come in handy, perhaps a different type/design such as a potting shed? I thought the cold frames with the kit also looked a tad on the large side? I placed it on and near a figure and it dwarfed it. Unless they are supposed to generally be like that? Not heard many updates lately from Mayshill. Everything ticking over alright? Chris

Hi John, Thank you very much for your kind comments. Yes, this layout was designed based on the Operation Build It plan in mind with some slight modifications but all the essential elements are there for a BLT. I think I purchased a few of the magazines but the layout baseboard was mostly constructed and trackwork was laid and wired within a couple of weeks before testing commenced. BRM magazine produced a good handy guide to building a basic BLT a while back. It was Phil Parker's design of Edgeworth. Did you catch it? It was an interesting read and development and I picked up a few detail points to use here, such as the station detailing and rail painting, for example. Chris

Hello everyone, Well after a morning's walk to the post office in the rain, it was soon decided that today would be mostly an indoor affair - the plus side being that rainy days can be spent as modelling days, even in summer I have been pondering for a while now whether the small allotment by the railway needed something extra. Perhaps another building of some kind or another focal point of activity. In the end, I purchased one of the Wills kits last week - a small(ish) greenhouse with a couple of cold frames. I have to admit that I did enjoy building these after dinner time this afternoon but I soon realised that the cold frames look rather on the large size! Well, I think so anyway, especially for 00 gauge when compared to some of the figures on the layout. As for the greenhouse, this is lovely but was a tad too large when placed for fitting on the allotment. Ah well, it will be saved for future use. I also thought the greenhouse needed a bit of colour inside, so out came the scenery and "flock box" (technical terminology, there) to cobble something together. Small bundles of flower patches using a rough base soaked in glue before adding some static grass and a splash of orange and white scatter material for flowers. The small bundles are left to dry before cutting to shape when required. Perfect for little tubs or in greenhouses, such as this. So, as the greenhouse and cold frames didn't fit the part, the "flock box" stayed where it was. After some careful planning, the result were these lovely runner bean stands. A simple wood frame with flock material attached and a sprinkling of red scatter for the flowers. Careful observations in my grandad's garden reaps rewards with things like this. I'm happy with the results and it suits the small space much better. So, before I knew it, the afternoon had ran away towards tea time. However, it was still raining outside. What a difference it was yesterday - I was in Bridlington yesterday afternoon too on the promenade in the warm sunshine. Maybe I am being punished for straying into Yorkshire, haha? Seriously though, it was a lovely ride on the line from Hull to Scarborough and back with a stop off in Bridlington. Finally, here is a distance shot of the station at platform. I focused the camera on the raised flower bed on the platform. Perhaps the stationmaster works at the allotment on Sundays or in the evenings? His skills may come in use if he does. That's all for today. Chris