SHerr

Brill, thanks for that. I think the finish (not gloss) as much as anything helps the SLW model. It also looks better around the front cowling gaps etc but a good effort by Bachmann.

As you have some SLW versions as well, I’m interested to know (as I’m sure are many others on here) as to how near the Baccy one gets? I couldn’t criticise it for not meeting SLW standards but it certainly looks pretty good. Only £30 in it in real terms but for me a 24/0 would only be an occasional visitor so it may make sense. I have a SLW 24/1 on order so it would need to stand up and score fairly well in the comparison stakes. many thanks

Great news, the benefit of this rather than a longer coupling is you keep a nice sized gap. Now you just need to persuade someone to help us all and make a kit or RTR of the PAB’s to mix into the rake!

A couple of other options, there are 2 lengths of the fixed couplings as per photo below, yours/Bachmann look like the shorter one. As per above the coupling looks too short so pushing the wagons apart. I presume you can order them, I happened to find it looking for something else. the other option, after posting some of the links earlier in the week to the eBay seller, I ordered some of the slot in NEMs that arrived yesterday - mattymay05 is the seller. Photo below with an NEM tension lock which if anything pushes the coupling out too far but will certainly go round corners.

Having posted this link I then noticed something else on Google, initially a range of NEM sockets to go on the Bachmann type fixed coupling holder. The link was to an eBay page then when clicking on the sellers other items there appears to be a fascinating range of NEM adapters including for Lima plug in pins. Search mattymay05 in sellers - looks like the answers to all your needs - I will certainly be ordering a number of different ones!

One other option with the couplings, Parkside used to do the NEM housing as a separate accessory (the one the you push the adapter up into rather than the one that you just slot the fishtail straight in. Sorry for the dreadful description, they presumably have a name but I'm not sure what it is! With that you will have a bit of play within the coupling and be able to use smaller ones. Link below - no connection to Kernow and others probably have them, just the first one that came up in Google. https://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/27251/PA34-Parkside-Dundas-Mounting-Blocks-for-Bachmann-36-027

I have some foil insulation that needs to be installed, I’ve got it up on one side of the loft but not completed the other side yet. The Cabin is a Bachmann Scenecraft item of I think a fairly typical BR office/prefab. I think it needs repainted but looks pretty good for the ones I’ve seen over the years. Yes the station building is definitely still in the plans and will be facing the main viewing side so more visible. Bury St Edmunds is not far off in size so still viable as a bigger town. I still may think about re-working the roof to look more British but that will be some time away. I did take a photo of the station but didn’t post it, so as you ask…

A few quick photos of the work undertaken- everything is very rough/loose to get a feeling of size and fit of stock. The main baseboards will be extended about 6inches in width to give a better feeling of space. I’ve also just ordered 3 Trains4u Warflats as MoD services ran around the Dereham branch - any advice on what’s best to go on them for circa 1985/6 would be appreciated.

Thanks for the comments, I did wonder what was going on when I saw all the likes but much appreciated. Not much has happened of late but more evolution is coming! The last posts were after I changed everything around to create room for a second layout and that has taken on some bigger changes. Basically the side of the loft that is in the last photos has been taken on by ‘Foyers’ a 60s might have been on the shores of Loch Ness which I’ve been focusing on. I have been spending a bit of time lately working through potential track plans for the 80s layout which as it happens I’ve got to a point over the last few days where I had a track plan that I like. The layout is still very much mid 80’s Norfolk/East Anglia but will become a through layout as a sort of mash up of the Ely to Norwich and Ely to Ipswich lines. The main inspiration for the plan came from Diss but very much has that Anglian feel with a small yard, good sized grain facility as well as a Feriliser warehouse and the station building now right at the front. I was going to post something shortly but as you’ve rekindled the topic here’s the working basis of the track plan. As it happens whilst you’ve been tagging ‘likes’ I’ve actually been laying out some track loosely to see how it looks.

Looking good, out of interest, what make is the tall signal in the top photo? And do they work? Signals are something that’s always scared me, I tried a Dapol one and when tightening the nut I must have over done it and it split the casing and dislodged the mechanism. Tried to fix it and couldn’t so gave up as a bad job.

Looking at the advert for this with Kadee's fitted reminded me that I keep forgetting to ask a question, are the current 45's now fitted with correct height NEM sockets? I've got 2 older ones that are a complete pain with Kadee's and some of the current prices may tempt me to sell the old ones and upgrade if the NEM issue is corrected. Many Thanks

Is there a thread on the new layout or are you using this? Will be interested in seeing what rises from the ashes. I always think it’s best to start afresh if your not happy, I’ve tried to tweak things in the past to compromise and it never really works. I often try to loose lay the track and play trains for a couple of weeks/months. I often find that what looked a good idea doesn’t quite cut it and best in the long run to be brave. Good luck with the follow on.

Agree, I’m mainly waiting for the HTO/HTV announcement that I seem to have missed!!!!!

Brilliant, thanks for the replies. I’d better order one now!

I have a question that may have been asked before but I can’t find any reference so apologies is going over old ground. I’m interested in 37001 in blue and notice it has multiple head codes available. Will it also come with a domino option - if not is it simply a case of making one up or is there something in the headcode box detail that was different?

Great to see Dewsbury Midland still about, I’d subconsciously assumed it had died a death. Are there any up to date threads with the layout? It was always one of my favourites when in ‘blue era’. The 25 looks good as well.

Absolutely brilliant, hopefully this will also lead onto some of the other small barrelled TTAs, - Liquid Chlorine, Caustic Soda, molasses etc etc. I’ve always found it hard to believe these have not been picked off before. Well done to all involved.

Yes doors need a bit more thought for a serious model. Below is how I have tacked them but you have to make the cuts with a fine razor saw as a knife tends to splinter the wood everywhere. The problem then is making an accurate enough cut with a saw. The one below is waste as it went too small. I presume with laser cutting you could get something accurate enough to fit within the door frame with a thinner material and then glue some card behind to hold. They could even be produced or sold separately. I think part of the issue is the kits have a bit of an identity crisis- on one hand they are great pieces of bespoke semi specialist subjects but on the other their roots are still in the pop together card market. Personally as a modeller I have quite enjoyed turning a bespoke but slightly crude kit into something fit for the detail of a model railway but yes finer doors and windows would have made it easier, the other stuff is straight forward with a bit of care and patience. That’s ok as long as the price stays in a place to reflect more work is required.

Thanks, Much appreciated. It's not particularly difficult just time consuming and the Pop Up kit is a great template to start with and helps to position everything. I couldn't have got anywhere near by scratch building so worth the £40 for the kit. Framing the windows and Timber work having done it I'd say is essential to get a decent amount of relief . The brickwork is also needed as the gaps around the bays are far too big.

Slow but steady progress on the station building, after getting some more plastic strip I have now finished the timbering around the windows. I was also unsure initially whether to leave the upper rendered sections of the building as they were and just paint the wood. I have some clear textured plastic that I think was a cover from a bound report or something, but the dimpled texture looked good for render. After a trial piece which I painted I decided this would look much better as the wood grain did show through slightly. Cutting and fitting this tight has been quite time consuming (and boring) but i think will be worth the effort when painted. The photos don't really show up the difference at present. All the doors have also been completed - again a bit tedious, the Popup kit are fully recessed to the width of the main laser cut sheet which is too deep so i have carefully cut with a razor saw (knife splinters the wood) and then chipped off 2 of the 3 plys around the outside of the door. This means they sit a more realistic depth.

I always think it beggars belief that Hornby have never produced the standard Railfreight red or even Thames light blue OTA’s but keep doing runs of probably the least popular/common liveries - and no doubt then have discussion head office along the lines of ‘why do these never sell’. Nice work on the repaint, I’ve done 2 and they are absolute sods to do a tidy job on. Got another 3 to do as I got 5 cheap turquoise ones from a show along with a comment of ‘thanks, these are taking me ages to shift’.

A bit more completed on the station building. The whole main building halves have been glued together and I’ve completed most of the bottom sections of the bay windows, these were fiddly but not particularly difficult just needed a bit of patience with the ledges etc. I’ve also attempted the first bay window frames, larger section of Plastruct pushed into the opening and filed a little on the inside where needed. All seems to have gone ok but I did start with the best fitting gaps! Photo attached of an unfinished one for comparison. Again very close up photo looks much worse than to the naked eye.

Following a trip to the model and DIY shops yesterday I have stocked up on Plastruct sections and various glues so could get back onto the station. I have now completed all the timber framing, brick lower sections and glued the end pieces together and onto the flat roof underside. Luckily this seems to have cured the slight warp on the roof. A few (cruel) close ups but I am pretty happy. I have now started on what will be the tricky bit which is around the bay windows. I hav’nt quite worked out yet how to get the bigger window posts in and fill the big gaps.

I have been continuing with the wagon building bug, first up is the old Dapol Presflo kit - in essence a test to see whether it can scrub up well enough against the Bachmann model - considering you get 3 for the price of 1. I can't finish until I get some more superglue to fix the brass pipes etc but I am pretty happy to date. Next up, a little more adventurous is this; a Slaters NER Coal hopper converted to an Alumina wagon, strangely Slaters do the Alumina wagon in O gauge but not OO. There is a drawing on RMWeb that helps a little although conversion so far has been fairly simple. The tricky bits to come are walkways and the hatches on the roof. Link below to the real thing that appear to have lasted to the late 60's and there are distant shots of trains with generally 1 of these mixed in with Covhops and Presflo's. https://hmrs.org.uk/photographs/17t-bulk-alumina-wagon-lne-157330-wooden-conversion-in-train-f3r-lne-diag-82-steel-versions-either-side-part-lne-229084-on-right.html I've also completed the backscene board in the loft, along with getting the last 2 turnouts I needed allow most of the track to be finished although not yet glued down. I have decided to add an extra 'private' siding for the smelter which will add to some shunting interest.

I spoke to Phil about a week ago as I’d ordered a 24/1 by phone and hadn’t received a confirmation- it wasn’t a complaint but was just checking details hadn’t been written down wrong. Phil explained the size of the backlog caused by the 25 rush so as said above they are a small outfit and just catching up. When I ordered the 24/1 ‘end of the year’ was mentioned which is fine as I need to save up for the sound upgrade. I took ‘end’ as literally that ie December and not Q4 like some do! probably not a lot to share of worth until it’s ready. One of the green 24/0’s that went to Scotland in 67/68 might prove tempting as well to join the 24/1!