WCML100

Great News!

I look forward to seeing your renditions of these Mick! I have started to sort out my JGA’s in preparation for mixing them with the HOA’s!

Another new arrival in the fleet are these amazing Accurascale MK2b coaches in West Coast Maroon colours. These will be used in a secondary West Coast Railtour rake, seperate from the other rake used for Flying Scotsman. The two coaches are 5747 and 5748. These are most definitely the best coaches I now own. The close coupling is brilliant, with a very small gap between coaches. The detail is wonderful, including the under frame and windows, yet still feels incredibly robust. The lighting is great and the interior finish is the best I have seen in RTR market. Well worth getting some if you can! I certainly will be adding the MK2c’s to match when they arrive. So here, enjoy some nice sun-kissed photos of these amazing models.

Yeah agreed. These are both shot in similar lighting positions in roughly the same spot for comparison. There is still a colour difference between the Bachmann MK2a and the loco… Accura MK2b: Bachmann MK2a: It certainly makes for interesting viewing 😂

Hi all, a quick question! Just been catching up on this thread and had a few questions. It was briefly touched upon on the two engine types in these units (perkins / cummins). Is it easy to determine which units have which type of engine? Also can anyone confirm if there is 2 versions of the sound file from Bachmann to reflect this? Or is there just one generic file on the factory fitted examples? Or is it one engine type or the other? Thanks in advance

WCRC examples arrived with myself Friday. I had a good look at these over the weekend to determine my overall thoughts. The more I look at these, the more I think that Accurascale have got the colour correct. And feel the camera does make them appear ever so slightly lighter than to the naked eye. They must be the best RTR coaches we have seen in 00 gauge, the detail and precision on these is something else. The close couplings look and work wonderfully too. I am very much looking forward to the Mk2c’s in this livery to arrive on Greenford too! *ps some MK2d’s would be very welcomed!

Time for a big update on some progress on the layout with plenty of work being done over the last few weeks I will begin with the Upper station level. I think I may have mentioned previously but we just weren’t happy with the height of this board. When comparing with photos, the top of the locos on the lower level were in line with the height of the rail head on the upper. This was definitely too much when looking over these photos where it was much more mid height of the body side that it should be level with it. So we removed upper section and the struts supporting it. We then cut some new ones which were to the height we thought looked much better on the eye (this took some time that by the time we had decided b&q were almost shut for the day!). This has now all been put back into place and definitely looks better on the eye now. Unfortunately during this process we had to rip up the eastbound central line track (the line towards the front of the upper level), as it was directly above the screws holding this board into the old struts. The bay line also sustained a little bit of damage when we were doing some work previously when adding the legs and the board alignment pins and clips. So, after a quick trip up to AGR model railway store for some new track to replace the old, the sleepers were removed, all the sprue clipped off and thrown away and the sleepers re-attached and spaced correctly. We then re-added the droppers to the bus cable underneath. One thing we never got round to before was doing any of the sprue removal, sleeper spacing or droppers for the westbound track over the back of the board so this was all done at the same time. We also took the opportunity to give the eastbound line a little bend inwards at the west end of the station which is prototypical, and something we missed previously. With the height of the upper board and its track now in place and ready to be glued down, our attention then turned to the next board. First to tackle was the bridge section going over the road for the upper section. Previously there was nothing in place for the level here. So we replicated the same height as just made on the station board to carry over. Next was to then position and glue into place the bay line incline so it could meet the Greenford branch chord under the two Central line bridges at the other end of the layout. With the height now reduced were purchased a 2% woodland scenics incline riser, where we previously had a 4%. This was enabled by the reduction of the height on the upper section and in turn allowed for a more gradual incline on the approach to the station, which over all looks more realistic. We aligned this to where we were happy with the angle and then started to glue this down with a layer of cork too for the track base. Once this was all fixed into place and the glue dried, we then cut the track to fit, with the usual sprue removal and sleeper spacing before soldering the droppers on the underside and drilling holes for these in the baseboard. On the back of this, I felt like it was time to finally re-tackle the cork on the chord that connects the font lines (NNML) and the Greenford branch and bay. This was ever so slightly out of line since we re-aligned the down main last year. So the old was ripped up and promptly replaced and alignment all tested. The usual base layer of cork was cut followed by the track underlay also. I went a little further than previously as we have decided on the final alignment where it meets the bay line (more of this to come) - but the main reason for this was get everything together for the bottom of the incline of the bay so all the heights were in keeping. Next job will be to finalise the track laying over these sections. After further research, it looks like the sleeper and chair type was neither the bullhead or flatbottom type that peco produce so we have ordered some code 83 and pandrol chairs which mirror the prototype in this location best. We will also be using this track type east of the junction too. One of the other items we looked as was cutting out and lowering a section under the incline of the eastbound central line. After one of our site visits, we noticed the ground level under this incline (where there is arches over the surface) was a fair bit lower under the rest of the track heights around it. So we have cut this out and lowered this. We will revisit this once the arches are in place and use plaster cloth to mould the levels together over the different heights and around the supports for the arches. We recently filmed a video showing @Chris37044’s Class 150 (soon to be a 950) testing out the new incline and freshly laid bay line… The next things on the agenda will be getting the bridges sorted. The abutments may prove a little of a challenge as they quite individual and not the same as one another, but something we need to do to allow the terrain to added. We will also look to start glueing all the track down on the upper station board now it has been sorted. We are also looking at getting the signal box custom built along with the semaphores required for the layout. These are key points to really setting this location so we are keen to get these as accurate as possible. If any of you know anyone who can help with these please do let us know. That is everything covered (I think!) more rolling stock updates on the way soon!

Thats it. My bad! I blame the hangover from last night! 😅

i think dcc concepts dcc supplies maybe worth a shout. I think they handle all of dapols ‘spares’ as well as returned stock sold off cheaper. worst case put the body up for sale, im sure it may come in handy for someone else so it isn't wasted 👍🏻

A waste of time if you ask me, when Cavalex’s offering is that good…

Loving my new West Coast MK2b’s which arrived on Friday with me. Straight on the layout! The stay alive is brilliant. I turned the power off friday night and they are still going! 😂

That WCRC colour looks spot on! I see you mention crimson lake? who makes this paint? thanks

add the FEA's to that list too

Glad to hear you tried the chinchilla sand! Looking forward to seeing the results!

thought so. Thanks for confirming 👍🏻 a DB red 66001? Yes please from me* 👍🏻 *DB Schenker logos preferred (but I would take either!

I am sure I speak for others when I say it is great to see this level of transparency from the manufacturer - And even better to see feedback taken positively and implemented. Very much looking forward to seeing these arrive on the layout!

Not sure if this has been asked before, (also meant to ask yesterday at ally pally but forgot!) - will the sound upgrade option be compatible with previous Hattons 66’s?

Following on from the recent purchases... as the weather has started to warm up we have been hard at work making improvements and working on the layout again. One of the side tasks we have worked on is some ballast testing. With neither of us really having any experience in ballasting before, a few youtube video tutorials were in order. Once we had taken in some tips and tricks, the next question was which ballast? I had some which i have had for years in a cupboard left over from a failed previous project which was sitting unused (some woodland scenics mid grey medium blend) so tested this, along side a recommendation of chinchilla sand. The chinchilla sand first came to my attention watching one of New Junction's recent videos where he was tackling ballasting. He also tried both the woodland scenics options and the chinchilla sand. He opted for latter. So we got scrap bit of ply wood and laid some track for some test ballasting! Half and half of each ballast type... The chinchilla sand results were very positive with (in our opinion) the colour more realistic and size too. However the woodland scenics option was more robust and held up better once glueing. The Chinchilla sand seemed to 'crack' in places along the ballast shoulder mainly. Over all I think we will progress with the chinchilla sand as it gave a more satisfying look and feel - we will just have to work on compacting the ballast shoulder better to prevent the cracking in future tries. I think using a siv would also be beneficial to get the very few larger pieces out. Oh, and I should also mention the cost is only £4 per bag, with the woodland scenics alternative at more than four times that these days (unlike what the price tag on my 10+ year old tub says!). Would love to hear anyones thoughts and feedback on this.. there are some comparison photos below - with the woodland scenics offering the more white / grey colouring and also being larger in scale. Please note that the application was very rough and will be better when applied to the actual layout. The sleepers will also be weathered / painted before ballasting too. Woodland scenics to the left and chinchilla sand to the right… Plenty of things nearly complete coming off the workbench soon, and some big jobs being completed on the layout too so stay tuned!

Another recent new arrival for my birthday courtesy of @Chris37044, I might add. Is this limited edition Hornby Class 67, 67026 in DB Diamond Jubilee livery. One I have always had my eye on and soft spot for, it fits in well with our narrative for the diverted MOD runs through Greenford. It managed to work the route a fair few times with this livery, and like 67003 in Arriva Trains Wales colours, in a variety of formations too. A great present and it being a limited edition release too makes it all that bit more special. It is currently DCC fitted with the intention to upgrade to sound at some point as it is will all non sound locos and units on the layout. I look forward to running this along with some MOD rolling stock in tow… for now enjoy some photos of this stunner!

Looking good, track colour looks spot on now! Regarding ballast, I have been experimenting with Chinchilla sand (£4 a bag from Pets at Home). I got the idea from New Junction on youtube, thought as it looked realistic both colour and size wise, is was worth a shot being so cheap. May be worth testing it out for yourself!

I think this hits the nail on the head. The Bachmann offering is miles better, especially if you pick one up second hand which prices are favourable. All the liveries have been covered by Bachamnn except for the LSL black and newer West Coast Umber and Cream.

Haven't seen this version of the class 88 before...

The more I read / see about this release, the more i wondered why they bothered?

That gangway end is something else! right down to the little dotted markings (not aware of the technical term for these!)

Looking good mate! Colours look spot on!