steve22

Looking at Dobbin's enlarged photo s/he seems a very solid beast. 

Nice work, all coming along.  Is that tea or coffee in them mugs keeping you going or maybe hot chocolate whilst you work on past midnight?!

My wife and I love the view up river from Barmouth bridge.  You've taken on a big challenge there.  Best of luck and hoping you can keep your sanity.  (That's the polite way of saying: 'I trust this is a labour of love and I hope all that repetition doesn't drive you nuts!')

Slightly OT (as in wrong era) but just to say that growing up on Meole Estate I have vivid memories of hearing trains passing by on the Cambrian line or 'the Welshpool line' as me and my mate Anthony termed it.  We'd often cycle across to Meole Village and sit on the kissing gates at the crossing just to wait ages for a single train to pass and the loco was nearly always something we'd seen before!  Steam hauled back then, and double track there up to Hook a Gate.  Wishing you all the best with your plans.  

Ray, your posting is as informative as ever.  Lovely to see a line-up of four Warships too - yummy!

I must say they look really good.  Thanks for reminding us of an old advert too.

'Billy Cotton Band Show' - that brings back memories!  Sunday afternoons was a very happy time in my younger days, also listening to Jimmy Clitheroe, The Navy Lark, etc.  I vaguely remember a Milk Bar in my home town although it wasn't somewhere I ever went into, I don't think.  But certainly a key building to model for that era.  Thanks for the story background to your modelling; compelling stuff.  Wishing you all the very best with your improving eyesight.

Job, it's been quite a while since I came over to 'this side' of RMWeb (been watching the Layout Topics threads for some time) but I knew it was high time I paid your work a visit once more.  Once again I see some excellent modelling. I always feel that I can walk along your streets, and travel back in time too. Some interesting advice you're giving us too.

Andyram, you always provide an interesting read.  I've no interest at all in organising something like this and I know I couldn't anyway, even if I tried.  That said, if you read the second part of what you say, it all seems like it all goes quite 'swimmingly'. However, the first part lists some of the worries and pitfalls of being an exhibition manager.  Articles like this one will be useful advice to anyone else attempting to do something similar for a school event or whatever; to be aware of the rough as well as the smooth.

Here's hoping that it proves as you say, a 'cracking show', I'm sure there's many punters out there looking forward to it!

Looks good.  I see you seem to be letting the cat help you. Sighting it's superior eyesight along the lie of the track by the looks of things..?

'Jess' looks rather nice.  Those other touches like the white paint around the tyre rims sets it off.  All the best with your 009 work.

Gents, your several comments about the valances had me searching out my 'The WR Diesel Hydraulics' compiled by Hugh Dady, Ian Allan 1989, p40.  A Norman Preedy picture there of D6320 in green at Gloucester Horton Road shed with a couple of side valances missing and the comment, "It was common for the bodyside valances to be missing as they had a tendency to fall off!"   If they fall off on the model then don't knock it (or glue it), Dapol are going all out for realism! 

Ray, your photos are excellent as ever and show what a fine looking beast this Class 22 is.  

Interesting tip there, making the rail over-length to bend it then cut the surplus off.  I haven't been as resourceful as that, although with my previous 00 gauge layouts I've made use of Peco Setrack curves mixing varying radii to make transition curves that will fit where one radius alone would not fit.  I then cut the final bit of curve to length.  But I might well give your way a try next time.   

100,000 is some going!  Well done and congratulations too on reaching that certain age.  

Very atmospheric.  Apart from what looks like a temporary dangling bit of wire in the second photo you could imagine that shed being far greater than the size it probably is.  Best of luck with this one, you'll no doubt have fun.

It does look like the right width.  Presumably you have to be very accurate with your track laying first (and only?) time.  Best of luck with the rest of the layout construction.

Some intricate modelling there, a real work of art.

'Here are some photos just for fun'.  And I'll bet it's fun that you have playing with that set!

Sorry, I don't know about the dimensions but you seem to verify what my brother suggested to me about attaching name and number plates using a satin varnish.  And as you say yourself, to apply sparingly, well within the edge of the plate. As ever, always something to learn from your postings and the usual excellent clear photos as well. Thanks. 

Great to have the photos showing all your work, back, front and inside. A very interesting read.  Thanks. 

Job, you capture the atmosphere in everything you create.  Great stuff, once again.

The title of your Blog caught my eye.  I'm working on a Cyril Freezer plan that has an incline that can be made very gradual one side but will be maybe twice as steep the other way.  I'm thinking of ways of moving the fiddle yard along a bit; just about room to do that and allow for a more gradual slope either side.  It will be interesting learn how your City and other locos cope;  1 in 60 seems OK but I suppose you can never be sure until you try these things out.  

Sorry to learn about family health issues, Andy, as well as friends passing away or being ill themselves.  A great pity too about double-bookings.  We know how much this Event means to you and all the effort you put into it so it's good to read that you've secured a couple of your 'top targets'. 

All the best with your own layout plans and the work still to put in - the Day will be a good 'un, you'll see.

"Back to the beginning - but better!"  A Nice and very apt phrase. 

Just to echo other comments here - especially the 'WOW!'   Great modelling.  Well done Tony and thanks to Phil for showing us this amazing model railway.

Steve.