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Hi Steve, Many thanks for your kind words. Yes, they do look very realistic and the mouldings are superb. The luggage barrow sat on the platform next to the stationmaster and porter is also part of the fabulous Dart Castings range. Simple and quick to paint up using just acrylics. I really like how some of the models have querky features such as sleeves rolled up and hands in pockets. I always tend to see figures on layouts at exhibitions just standing around looking as though they aren't doing anything. In reality, people tend to either stand in groups or if they are on their own it is usually for a particular reason, such as the porter here. The Dart figures are superb to give the impression that a conversation is underway if they are placed just right. Kind regards, Chris

Good morning everyone, Easter is almost here which means (hopefully) increasingly brighter and sunnier days as well as the changing of the clocks, hurrah! As it has been fairly decent weather of late I haven't tinkered about quite as much. However, today is rather drab, so perfect weather for keeping dry and doing some modelling bits and bobs. I thought the platform here at Berry Pomeroy needed a few more figures to add to the population. The Monty's Models range from Dart Castings is ideal and highly detailed so here we have a painted and assembled selection of station staff. Unfortunately, the photos didn't come out as sharp as I'd have liked but they're acceptable for now. The spring steam gala at the SVR last weekend was wonderful, especially with so many gorgeous GW tank locos in steam, 4566 and 1450 being very photogenic. I always have a soft spot for these two beauties. I may post some pics from the event in due course should anyone be interested to see. In between trains can be a quiet and relaxing time, especially in summer. So relaxing, in fact, that Ted the porter has found time to doze off at the far end of the platform away from the watchful eye of the stationmaster! As yet, John, the stationmaster, doesn't seem to have noticed with him being in conversation with Sam, the other porter on duty. Now what could the conversation topic consist of? Football results from Saturday? The wife? Or perhaps some chap called Beeching? Who knows, but we're too far away off the beaten track for anyone to bother with us... Chris

Thanks Bob for your kind words. Yes, I agree about Bert. Perhaps at the same time he is wondering when the chap who has been cleaning/repainting his box will shift his ladder? Apparantly, he disappeared for a quick tea break...2 hours ago! Chris

Many thanks for the kind comments from John and Andy plus the 'likes' from the other kind folks too. I really enjoy photographing the layout in the evening lighting conditions just as much as modelling and running trains too. A decent camera makes a difference and, even though I am by no means an expert photographer, I rather like how layouts contain 1000 stories by focusing on small areas, scenes, people, animals or just objects. It's rather like having many small dioramas knitted together. Many thanks, once again guys, Chris

Hello everyone, Well, the weather has warmed up outside at least and the days are starting to get longer. Hurrah! I do love Spring time and listening to the bird song beginning to chorus again. I took a couple of nice shots last week during an afternoon of modelling and running services. On a lazy summer's afternoon in between trains, the quiet, serene atmosphere around the yard allows a mischievous magpie the chance to perch on Mr Dobson's scarecrow in his nearby allotment. The weather must be grand given the state of his broccoli and sunflowers! July, 1956. Enjoy your modelling and moving, progressively, into Spring, Chris

Hi Kavan, No indeed! From the stories I have been told by my grandparents, King St and the surrounding areas used to be quite a cracking place to be with plenty of cinemas and theatres, such as the Hipperdrome, to visit (or to climb over the toilet block wall as my grandmother used to do and get in for free) and plenty of temperance bars serving hot vimto which is where she met my grandad and the rest is history. It was nice to see today in town that the old hotel (I think it was formally a pub until recently) next to Wallgate station has been restored and I am told will be turned into living accommodation and apartments. A fine, grand old Victorian style building. Thanks for now, Chris

Hi Steve, Just to update you...I telephoned the guy at CooperCraft yesterday and asked for a refund on the non-existant GWR luggage trolleys and workman's tools that I ordered way back in June 2015. I must have chosen the correct time to telephone (during my dinner hour at work after teaching all morning and dealing with some pupils who had been little rascals all morning) as I didn't allow him much opportunity for excuses and fobbing me off. Success! I achieved a refund. Job done! Incidentally, I've since purchased some GWR luggage trolleys from Dart Castings and I believe that they are of better quality as they are white metal as opposed to plastic. Once again, thanks for the advice earlier this week. Kind regards, Chris

Hello Kev, These are superb photos posted up by Apollo. I recall stories from my uncle of times gone by when he would stand on the lattice bridge and become enveloped in the smoke from passing locomotives underneath. Such a shame that this bridge no longer links King Street with North Western station. I do agree with Apollo, this part (and in particular, King St) is a disgraceful part of town. Anyway, it looks like the layout is coming along nicely, Kev. Keep us updated! Kind regards, Chris

Hi Andy, Thank you. I agree on both accounts here; the signalman does look spot on now and finishes off the scene very well and I also have to agree about how beautiful the South Hams region of Devon is. I love holidaying down there! I think in many years to come, retirement beckons in such a location. Kind regards, Chris

Hello everyone, As mentioned in an earlier posting, we have our signalman here at last at Berry Pomeroy. Thanks to some kind advice from Nick (the kind, skilful gentleman who owns Much Murkle), I managed to source an excellent model who looks the part here on the 'box and finishes the scene off nicely. For now at least... So, here he is! Being such a warm and sunny afternoon, Albert 'Bert' Draper has taken a breather from a flurry of activity in the yard and stepped outside to rest on the balcony of his 'box. I rather like this photo as the lighting effect is nice to give some June 'sunshine' and also highlights the detailing inside of the box too. It always makes me smile when I glimpse the levers inside the box during a running session as I really do like the detailing such as this. Finally, the lighting works well here too to give the effect of strong summer sunshine making shadows on the bridge of the signal arms. Chris

Hi Steve, Just caught up and am now "following" your blog. Lots of super detail here. Well done! Is that a Collett Goods I see resting alongside 6412? Kind regards, Chris

Hello again, Steve, Thank you for the additional info. I seem to remember having to call him as he does not respond to emails. In all honesty, my partner and I have our own online model shop and we considered Cooper Craft as a possible supplier, however, the answer to this is definitely "no". I'm not sure what the guy actually does all day as, apparently, he is only in the office from 2-4pm. Bizarre! Anyway, I shall let you know what happens next week and I'll have a search to find your blog. Thanks again and kind regards, Chris

Hi Steve, Thanks for the info about Cooper Craft. I understand your predicament fully and I am so glad that I have finally found someone else who knows the problem I am on about. Even at exhibitions as an exhibitor and as a punter nobody seemed to know what I was on about when the subject did arise. I'm glad you have managed to obtain your refund and this is definitely on my hit list for next week after the arrival of some new platform trolleys and barrows from the excellent Dart Castings. I have contacted the guy at Cooper Craft before a few weeks back and he wasn't particularly helpful, nor did he sound as if the broken machine is going to get fixed anytime soon. I did mention that the website does need to be altered to refrain from taking payment for orders that are never really going to be fulfilled if he is clearly moving at a glacial pace. I'm not sure how that business is surviving in all honesty. By the way, I cannot believe that I haven't managed to catch your blog thread on here up until now. Very lovely indeed! Do you have a thread within the 'layout topics' area that I can follow? Kind regards, Chris

Your little puzzle looks like it's coming on great here, Rob. I do like a good shunting puzzle layout. Plenty of entertainment and opportunities for untangling yourself from knotty situations. I often think that shunting puzzles are an excellent idea for developing logical thinking, forward planning and keeping those little grey cells on their toes. It may even be just as useful as solving mathematical puzzles, such as sudoku to keep your brain active. Superb though. I continue to watch with interest! Chris

Afternoon all, The last time I posted on here it was bitterly cold and even more so today. Groundhog day indeed! Hurrah! The new signalman has been appointed (since last update on here) and will soon be found on or around the signalbox in situ in due course. I am looking forward to getting round to including this important chap on the layout here. Also, an order has arrived with some new luggage trolleys and barrows to sit on the platform to add extra detail. Unfortunately, I ordered some directly from Cooper Craft way back in JUNE last year (Yes, I gasped as well when I searched for the email order confirmation date) and they still haven't arrived. There does seem to be issues with production of certain items after speaking to the owner so I managed to find some alternatives. Just beware if you do or have ordered anything from Cooper Craft, there may be leaves on the line...until further notice. However, I do hope it gets sorted soon as they do make some excellent products indeed and I have missed seeing them in stock at the local model shops around the area. However, to keep things ticking over, we have a shot here of 4666 engaged in a spot of light shunting around the yard with some containers. I do love pannier tanks, particularly the later variants with the remodelled and enlarged cabs and this fine model is one of my favourites. Lovely and smooth for shunting and nicely detailed externally. A perfect pannier indeed! Chris

Hi Russ, This looks an interesting thread developing here. I will certainly follow with interest. The station building looks great so far. Chris

Evening everyone, I have to say how cold it has been over the last few days. Perfect weather for brisk walks in the glorious low winter sunshine and for keeping warm with a spot of modelling indoors. The scene here at Berry Pomeroy couldn't be more different with warm summer sunshine hazing through the sky to keep everything warm. Building on my previous post, I had a dabble last week at an era change over and reverted the layout to more of a late GWR style to appearances and running. Other than changing the stock and vehicles around, not much needed changing over. The colour schemes were the same and the grubbiness could still be kept on from weathering. I mean, despite many rose tinted ideas and what we sometimes read in books about the wonderful GWR of old, stations, locos and stock must have accumulated a fair amount of "road dirt" and "muck" as anything does. However, no rusty engines with missing cabside number plates and steam leaking all over the place in these days. So, I changed over the station poster boards with GW ones from the excellent trackside signs range (I actually prefer these designs over the Western Region ones). And the change of era did allow me the perfect excuse to run this gorgeous loco. It has been suitably weathered with some "road dirt" but not overdone. The 'B set' has also gathered an amount of dirt and needs a wash down in the yard pretty soon but adds nicely to the 'off the beaten track' branch line scene. All in all, I did enjoy the era change. All frieght wagons were suitably weathered as well and frieghts were handled by 6757 pannier tank in the same GWR livery. The layout has now entered this week back in the 1950's with everything changed over just as easily. Success! A nice change of scenery...sort of for a week! Enjoy your modelling out from the cold, Chris

Hi Ben, Just caught up with your lovely layout. Super photos of a very isolated but beautifully scenic location. Super modelling of the slanted bridge (am I right in thinking that this is called 'Hangman's Bridge'?) Keep the super photos flowing! Cheers, Chris

Hi William, You can get just as much enjoyment and fun out of a small layout on a limited budget so I wouldn't worry. In time, you could create a different layout with a design for what lies on the other side of the tunnel? Using our imagination is what makes this hobby so fantastic! Super photos and weathering and it's great to see a fellow younger modeller on here interested in the steam era too. Best wishes, Chris

Evening everyone, Just grabbing some time here in between duties marking a pile of maths books from work (urgh) - a toss up between marking equivalent fractions or doing some modelling has no contest I'm afraid...still, I suppose it acts as a reward after doing my "homework". Anyway, I began experimenting with an era change over this weekend into late GWR period which is taking some getting used to but I'm sure it will come in time. The new coal bunkers in the yard have had some extra detailing around them since this photo was taken but I much prefer this area now with the improved space and is more visually appealing. Also, the goods yard area has had some minor additions since this previous shot was taken but I do like this very much. The grainy image setting on the camera does add some age quality to a shot sometimes, especially helping in poor lighting conditions. Anyway, back to work before some modelling can be done... Enjoy your relaxation therapy in your modelling, Chris

Hi Jules, Lovely new additions here to the fleet, as well as the handome new coaching stock! I do like your new Siphon G van. Best wishes, Chris

Hi Nick, First of all, may I take this opportunity to thank you for taking the time to chat with me when I saw you during the Stafford show on Saturday and to congratulate you on such a splendid, bright, highly detailed and pleasurable layout. You have a true talent here and someone to look up to for modelling inspiration! I am ever so delighted that I managed to view Much Murkle in the flesh finally. This was by far my favourite of all the layouts in the show (clearly which is why I kept returning and often walking past for a glance even though I didn't always stop to watch closely). My friend and I were discussing the layout at length on the train back home up't north and were saying "Eeee, it were a belting layout to see finally" and I also wondered how did you manage to model the ivy growing up the goods shed and the poppies in the field on the embankment? Best wishes and thanks again for your time, Chris

Hi Andy, Thank you for such kind comments! They are much appreciated Normally here at Berry Pomeroy the branch terminus is operated with GWR authentic stock and locos but sometimes a regional interloper does creep in from time to time... Thanks again, Andy. Chris

Hi Nick, Lovely photos in your recent updates as always! The one with the cows in the foreground give the feel of a lovely warm summer's afternoon/evening. Superb! Looking forward to seeing Much Murkle for real at Stafford this weekend too. Keep the super photos coming. Very inspirational! Chris

Hello there, Out of the January blues at last! Hurrah! And to celebrate, we have a rare visitor in the yard at Berry Pomeroy doing a spot of shunting. I do have a soft spot for Jinties, even though they're not GWR breed. Enjoy your relaxing modelling! Chris