CoombeTown

After a lot of research, wow these polls are starting to make me dig now! I will vote for 6 & 8, Focus of 8. However, I would only purchase 6 should it be available in an ENPARTS livery to make it applicable to my late-50s period. That being said, the livery would definitely provide a nice opportunity for some variation from the classic freight grey and brown.

Funny you should mention railcars Robert, although an AC is very tempting to my locoholic self, I do have one of the new AEC railcars from Heljan en route as I type! Payment was taking and shipping notified this afternoon, with a following wind should arrive before the week is out

It was wonderful to meet yourself and the team at Copenhagen Fields @justin1985. It was great to get up close to the layout in a different environment, I'll add some pictures here when I get a chance to retrieve them off the camera. Your suspicions are correct with the buidlings, each is designed to a reasonable degree in CAD, in the case of the Goods Shed, different bodies were used to design the laser-cut ply core and then the plasticard and 3D printed layers around that. I find it easier to get the 3D sizing correct in this way first, and then use 2D drawings to create the mockups in the pictures. I can put together some images of the CAD if people are interested in seeing the interaction of the bodies?

I can confirm that my example had been dispatched from Camborne today. Hopefully it will arrive in the next day or two and then I will be able to provide pictures.

2 weeks of heavy engineering works on Coombe Town has seen the traverser fiddle yard partially replaced by cassettes. The aluminum strips are still to be drilled and attached, along with another, but it's good enough to run whilst waiting for some improved weather. Revised handles and end stops have also arrived from the printers to complete 3 cassettes. Another 2 are running without for the time being. Whilst I had the board out I also took the opportunity to re-wire the signal switches, the original connections to the control panel was causing significant twitching, so these are now mounted in the facia. The picture above shows 1668 with the right of way for the first departure to the new fiddle yard and beyond.

My choices are 3,8,9,10. The Fruit C for variety in the world of short vans. 8,9 & 10 as would be ideal for a short milk train with plenty of variety. Although I think 10 is more likely from Oxford than one of the others. I would agree with Trevor, a Mica would be nice but isn't a must.

I would go for at least the L22, but additionally if available, would go for an L21, L23, L25 & L26. The L22 because of that Bristol-Plymouth formation, who wouldn't. L21 & L23 starting to imitate the West of England TPO with some accuracy, the L23 as mentioned could come from the L22 so makes commercial sense. The L21 to provide some variety of coach length. The L25 I think would provide some nice variety from the nets and I like the overall look of them. As mentioned, they got around a bit in later life as well. L26 I think would be an opportunistic add on to the K40 I voted for previously, these vehicles also migrated in later life so have use to more than just us Western modellers.

Kernow have posted that it's expected in July on their Facebook page so it does look that way.

Two pronged progress. The Goods Shed exterior is now being painted and I've started constructing the roof. So far just the framework which will be painted separately to the planks under the tiles. Prototype cassette handle also arrived, although I got the height a little wrong. This has been revised significantly for the final set.

I've used Rizzla paper attached with some slaters solvent before. The solvent makes it very easy to push into the corner and get a good finish. Should probably add, I'm a double Reed player not a smoker!

My choices would be 2,3,4,5,7,10 & 12. Focused PBV: 2,4 & 7 I only voted for one monster, so focused choice would be 10. Reasoning: 2 lasted a long time and is something a bit different to the others so would add some more variety. 3 & 4 seem to be very common so would be useful for a WR parcels train and appear in my research a fair amount. 7 for its conversion opportunities. 10 for similar reasoning to 2. 12 as mentioned in my response to the previous poll, is a key feature of WR parcels workings so is a must have.

The walls are now structurally finished! Countless cuts my fingers and a few run ins with super glue has led to the finished final wall below. Now it's time to move onto some filler and some external colour. I'm really happy with how this is coming together. I think it's not too bad for a first large scale scratchbuild!

The photos I have of Washford show the track side as being rather dirty around the doorways but the loading area rather cleaner. I've tried to replicate this with the weathering before I complete the outside and glue it all together. Pretty happy with this but may add some more "smoke" to the back to give it a bit more of a grubby feel.

I have to say Chris, I prefer this one, leaves room for the siding to be used other traffic as well.

The cattle dock/ loading bay is now complete and awaiting weathering powders, which will happen alongside the Goods Shed. The shed itself has been painted off-white on the inside which is a mix of Humbrol 28 & 34. It's seen here out in the garden with the cattle dock while I was playing with the camera to see what it will look like when complete.

Thanks to @BMacdermott for putting this together, I've just been drawn to the ANTB thread. My vote would be for 4 & 5. Focused vote would have to be for 4 as you simply can't have a Western Region parcels train without at least one.

Suffering from a lack of motivation recently, so I've slowed down slightly on the railway. On the plus side, after a session that in the garden yesterday I have got stonework that I am happy with on the end wall of the loading dock. I have used a base coat of Humbrol 250, then streaks of Phoenix Dark & Mid-Sandstone, all brought together with a wash of Humbrol 113 which much better represents the Somerset sandstone. I've also added the rusting to the cattle dock bars completing the base painting there. The sleepers for the buffer stop are currently being painted on the workbench, and I am also re-designing the fiddle yard to replace the traverser with cassettes. Operationally it was becoming a bit of a pain as it is slightly too short and picking up locos all the time is very irritating.

As an experiment I thought I'd try using the method Hornby Magazine used on their stonework in a recent issue to paint the loading dock. Safe to say, my choice of colours meant that it looks a bit zebra like! However, it will be attacked with weathering powders to try and blend it all together, after all it will almost never be seen... I will try a different combination for the end wall at the end bottom of the embankment, so all is not lost. On the otherhand, @MrWolf's method for woodwork has done me good stead on the cattle dock. The metalwork will get a base of decalfix and rust powder tomorrow before the whole lot is varnished and weathered together. The main shed is also bumbling along, so hopefully an update on that at the weekend.

I remember seeing something about provision for sound being in the guards compartment? Maybe it's a speaker enclosure? Although I agree, it's a bit intrusive.

Fencing on the dock is now complete. Just a few sets of gates to build now.

And there was me sat trying to work out how to paint the exterior of the loading dock on my layout. Very nice work indeed!

All the wet weather has deterred pub trips so I have been making lots of progress this week. The outside of the office now complete and has had an initial shot with filler around one arch. It shall receive a coat of primer to help identify other areas that need a touch up. The interior has received a coat of off-white mixed 8-1 Humbrol 34 - 103. It will also receive dark brown up to the waistline to finish the effect. Finally the third main goodshed wall has been clad, and the base for the cattle dock constructed using Wills Setts. With this completed the loading dock is also ready for a coat of primer. The cattle dock fencing will be painted separately before installation.

Further progress this week. The Goods Shed office is now clad in plasticard internally and the windows painted. The cattle dock/ loading platform has also been faced with stone work and the timber edging built up. I've also realigned the Goods Shed siding so that it runs parallel to the loading platform, there was a slight issue between a horsebox and the woodwork when testing clearances!

Despite my social life getting busier, some progress has been made. Having the Goods Shed in position has created quite a nice view across the yard as trains enter scene, but we'll have to wait a bit longer before the office and cattle Dock complete the look. Which sets up the progress cladding the plywood shell quite nicely. The clear 3D print parts around the rail entrance don't show up yet, but will after some primer has been added. The road doorway is yet to be completed. I also realised I was didn't have enough Stone Plasticard so had to order some more. Refusing to pay postage for 1 sheet, I ended up purchasing another of the wonderful Hornby Collett coaches. Crimson & Cream for a change, now just need them to produce a B-Set to the same standard!

I note that the second batch of Class 25s will be provided with cables and connectors for speakers. Given they are still in production, will this also apply to the railcar/ will they be available as spares?