danstercivicman

Hello, A short Youtube of trains running on my layout https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaW6vAXTfQs&feature=youtube_gdata Enjoy, Best Dan

Last shots of these before I sell them on... Got 17 locos and need to cut down to pay of credit card abit! Not much to update on yet- life has been very very hectic

Great stuff. Like you I am using the Dapol one on my layout- see blog, but this looks great and operates much better

Class 40 looks great

I like this ALOT! Makes my backscene look primitive and out of persepctive- this on the other hand is GR8!

Hello, I have decided that my layout will featured a named express called the - 'Thames-Guard Express'. The attached video shows how this train is made and some other passenger workings on the layout: I have decided that the 'Down Thames-Guard Express' leaves at 08.30am, it goes via Harton to Birmingham where extra coaches are added before running fast to London. The Royal Scots and Jubilees work from Birmingham to Hopeguard and the service is under Pacific power under the wires. The service is set to be reviewed under Beeching and the stock is suitably grubby! The Hopeguard stretch comprises- BSK, CK, SO, BSK onto which an RMB or FK or RMB and FK are added depending on demand. There is normally an XP van and often a fish van coupled up. Brush Class 47's are being lined up for this work. Other passenger workings include: 45xx and B set- Local 2MT Pull Push- Local Branch Lines 4MT and inter region suburban- Brake, Second, Composite and Brake (sometimes haulded by a Crab or 5MT) Semi-Fast- ex LMS Period 3 stock hauled by a mixture of locos and diesels. The 14xx/Autocoach is used for workers trains and local Branch serivces My overall idea is that the 4 coach sets can be extended or shortened depending on the requirements. Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybWB4oVFdhA

Hello, Some more progress- various detailing has taken place and I have also just got three Stanier Dapol coaches. Apart from the battery box on the Brake being moulded the wrong way round I am very pleased with these There does not appear to be many pictures of these running on layouts- so I have taken a few, first behind the Crab at Harton and then at Hopeguard to give an idea of how they look in action. Metal wheels are on there way along with another composite. I am going to make some of the composites into seconds otherwise my trains will have way too much first class seating. Ballasting is almost 100% complete and I am adding the small details now. I've also got my first bus, which with the destination of Walsall is designed to anchor Harton firmly in the West Midlands Youtube videos of the layout can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVydhlKWGKw Enjoy the photos-

This is great- I WISH i had put this much effort into the backscene- your doing the right things and your layout will benefit

Yes, given all the footage I have found of locos in the period I am modelling has them looking shocking its vital Weathering stock takes ages but I have found matt black and a few highlights here and there works a treat

I have weathered these- sadly they are now so grimy its hard to see the detail!!!

Some pics from last nights running. The final one shows the locos stored in the fiddle yard, where they await their next turn We also take a look at the locos being serviced at Hopguard shed- a standard 5MT, Stanier 5MT and an 8F await their next workings. The 57xx is the station pilot and the Crab has brought in a suburban working. The 4F has brought a short freight, whilst the Class 24 has come from further afield with a lengthy mixed goods. The 4F will then take this as a pickup goods/trip freight to the local stations. Enjoy! Videos can be found in previous blog entries Harton Station gents toilet is now built! Best Dan

Hello, I have been working hard on the scenic areas of the layout and have been working on the approach to Harton Station. I just need to add soem more cars, a bus stop and a bus shelter and then tidy up the detailing, but I think it looks alot better! See my Youtube for more layout running and updates !! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVydhlKWGKw So the pics- theres the updated station front, using a Scale scenes medium station (still need to build the gents), then some shots of Hopeguard shed and the railings at Hopeguard. Best Dan

Thank you, it is lots of fun literally a layout you can spend hours and hours on! More scenic work went on tonight and I added the headcode things to the class 24 (lots much better)

Looks amazing

Hello, Please find below the link to my March Update. Its much better than text for showing you what progress has been made. It also includes a load of footage, showing freight, passenger and light engine movements between the two stations Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkHrwMlmRBU&feature=youtube_gdata Dan

Hello, I have been working hard adding scenery to the tunnel mouth, shed area and the scenic break where the layout joins Harton! I have also ballasted 75% of the layout and am much happier with how it looks. Alot of detail remains to be added, particularly the small things that make a layout railway like. Enjoy!

Yes, it is indeed a new fav of mine! I was nervous about getting a tender drive loco, but she runs like a dream and pulls like a beast! The Bachmann 5MT struggles with the same load and thats after a shed load of weight has been added to it!

Hello, Some more progress. I have heavily weathered the Hornby 4F as I was not really feeling the weathering it came with- see what you think? Also I have made big progress ballasting and have decided to move the provender shed to the main yard. Here it will become a hazardous chemical/explosive store shed. It didn't have enough clearance in the main goods yard, and I probably just going to put a crane in the goods yard at Hopeguard or construct a custom made goods shed. I have found a problem with the scalescene's method of construction- water makes the ink run nasty! So I am going to have to varnish all these buildings and the platforms! I have been adding grass cover to areas around the layout and its starting to get there! I've also done a fiddle yard view showing where the locos and trains are stored 'off scene'. Some more goodies are coming from Hattons this week! Enjoy! Dan

Hello, Last night I worked on some areas of the back scene and had a good running session with freight and passenger workings. I have started to ballast more of the layout and identify areas where I need to put in more work Enjoy the pics! We have a 4F on freight passing an 8F stopped at a signal to gain entry to the yard. We have a 45xx running round its B-set and heading back towards Harton, We have the 57xx on station pilot. The Pull Push service from Harton comes into Hopeguard with its Ivatt 2MT and then there is a Jubilee powering into Harton with an express. Not to mention the some other loco's! Best Dan

Very brave, let us know how it goes, I tried this once and the cleanup meant I threw the track away

Hello, Brief update! I have finally been able to secure a 14xx (The Hornby one for a decent price) so I have added that to my Autocoach (which I have detailed) it really adds a nice flavour to the layout and I am sure once it has been weathered that it will fit right in! The idea behind the 14xx and Autocoach is that it allows local workings into...what would be North Wales, maybe a forgotten branch line or a workers service? Also you can see some of my weathering on the 5MT. The 4F has had crew added and will be HEAVILY weathered soon! The 45xx is also a new arrival and pulls a Dapol B-Set (to be weathered and re-numbered) the B-Set is runningr eally well on Bachmann metal wheels. Now... I have a problem. The PECO hydraulic buffers are too large to allow locos to reverse through the points. What can I do? I am going to try creating some smaller buffer stops- any feedback welcome? Best Dan

I have made some progress. Adding Peco buffer stops and adding some detail signs to the end of the platforms. I have gone for the hydraulic type buffer stops. I have also worked on the goods yard at Harton and have added a small loop for shunting. The platforms are also nearing completion and both stations now have 'do not cross the line' warning signs. Still lots to do- ballasting, finishing and of course finishing the backscene. Overall the layout is huge fun to operate with almost limitless combinations of shunting and freight/passenger workings. Because the layout has two stations, a marshalling yard and a off scene fiddle yard. Freights can be worked into Hopeguard then split into trip freights to Harton. Freight can also be worked from Harton to Hopeguard then assembled into longer workings and sent 'up' the line to the rest of 'Britain'! Passenger workings include local suburban stock, B-sets and the expresses which are all MK1. Again milk and XP vans can be added to these- still need to get the fish vans, Hopeguard is a port afterall! I am considering adding a small engine shed and siding at Harton to go next to the goods shed- what do you think? Best Dan

Like it,nice layout

Finally I have been able to get on RM web and I would like to introduce you to my layout called Harton and Hopeguard. The Layout is located in my basement and has two fictional stations. One- Hopeguard is 'set' as a medium sized port terminus between Chester and Holyhead. Harton on the other hand is meant to represent the entry to the LMR, either near Chester, or towards Birmingham. There is then a fiddle yard, which represents all other destinations. I think its probably easier to view the youtube so here is a link- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zmqJcHZtP8 (copy and paste URL) Comments/feedback welcome Very best Dan