Andy R

Andy P; boy you work fast! Coming along nicely from where I am viewing. regards, Andy R

I am trying Les, but time is currently a problem, as well as my lack of electrical nuance ...thanks for your encouragement. regards Andy R

Les/John F; All good points between two fine modellers. Les, the latest pictures again capture the small rural branch well. Nice work. In my own efforts I have been reworking the wiring of the Peco points in the storage yard after I had not correctly wired them, according to my electrical friend John G. So, points pulled up and DCC retrofitted as per PECO instructions and off to Greerton (Tauranga) model shop for Peco accessory switches for underneath point motors. I probably should have committed to better point motors but I had so many Peco motors from past layout efforts that I wanted to 'recycle'..hence the wiring problems for my DCC. Slow but steady...! regards Andy R

Les- another lovely set of photos. Looking good. Simple, uncluttered BLT that's is deservedly popular with members and getting good feedback. Andy R

hi Les- hope you enjoyed the Hamilton show, which I am sorry to have missed. Back from an exhausting 12 day south island tour with 17 passengers, and the cruise ship season starts next Friday in earnest. Like the progress you are making Les, more than I can say for me at Hawkinsfield. Regards, Andy R

Gidday Les...nice little set of photos and looking good. I agree with you about using the coloured pencil approach on plasticard, and I thank you for putting me onto this with your earlier posts. It worked well with my recent warehouse. Sadly, I cannot make Hamilton show afterall. I have started my part time work with tourists from the cruise ships and this will cut down modelling time for the next six months or so. I am looking forward to doing something completely different! So, enjoy the show Les. I do know that they will be short of operators on the O gauge layout in the weekend so maybe you might ask for some time operating that? regards, Andy R

I've said it before and say it again...and again...this is a superb layout. Andy R

Nick - these pictures are absolutely wonderful...as said many times before and not doubt into the future. Good luck with next exhibitions and hopefully, with a video. regards, Andy R

later same day... modelling friend from Hamilton popped in today and we cracked into attaching the remaining PECO point motors under the related points under baseboard. Some minor tweaking with his help and job done! I cooked him lunch in return= a fair exchange of labour. Now I can proceed with wiring them into the CDU and power box and make up small control panels for each set of 4 points at each end of the storage yard (the small control panel built into the facia board somehow. As I cannot easily see the point setting when the BLT is constructed (see above discussion) I will use rotary switches to give operators visual indication of which road is set by the point blades. I do not intend to have them wired into DCC system yet -that for another time perhaps. I am a happy chappie this afternoon after Dave's help. On to the next wiring stage. regards Andy R

You are a young looking 85 John! I am only 62, so I should be able to handle the under-layout work for a while yet. I was being a little over dramatic in the post, but the cause is really all the model railway junk/equipment I have accumulated under the layout which is getting in the way. So, answer= remove the junk! I did ponder the mounting of the PECO motors on the baseboard top, but having cut out the baseboard top so that it is only where the railway tracks run (open top baseboard) I have not got the room to mount the motors adjacent to the relevant point- if you get my drift. It would require me to add outrigger wood to do this and I really don't want to. Hence the decision to go underneath. Its my fault- not planning enough in advance (and I'm a town planner by profession!!!!) Hence, I suffer the consequences. But really 8 point motors will not kill me off, and I've done 3 already. But, thinking ahead and further pondering on the point made by Les above (why not make BLT board portable), I think that is a real possibility. I think I will construct the BLT board, its DCC bus and its manual Bluepoint point controls/levers etc... as a separate entity making all the work easier as I can turn the board sideways/upside down etc and work on it separate from the main layout board, and then 'slot' the BLT into its location in front of the storage yard. As the BLT will have a new DCC bus- this can be connected to the main layout DCC wiring by way of a connector...easy-peasy. The branch will be single track, so that too can be 'connected' to the main layout at the join by way of some device to keep alignment. So, out of this little rave-on by me you guys have sparked/cemented the idea of a 'removable' BLT in my head, which is good, and which may allow me to use it for exhibitions with a temporary fiddle yard connected...the idea just gets better every time I think of it! regards, Andy R

My thanks to members for their 'likes'. I have ventured under the baseboard in amongst the mess of my layout to start fixing point motors underneath the storage yard points (which are PECO c.75 large and curved) and I am getting too old for this kind of contortion believe me! Its hard work screwing small screws up into my home-made PECO point motor holder and baseboard to fix them (a simple plasticard plate with holes in the right place to fix the motor metal lugs and then put screws up through other holes to fix to baseboard underside- easy to make and no cost) Managed three yesterday afternoon before my back and neck succumbed to the effort of it all. Maybe one-two per day is best at my tender age...only need to do eight. regards, Andy R

Night before rugby world cup starts here in NZ. Early mornings to see our main games...its a hard life. Two photos from the other nights session; across the Hawkinsfield yard from the Dorchester end. The passengers on the island platform appear to have anticipated a Fijian victory over England and have decided not to make their way home to the west country, or the Twickenham fast food has caught up on them! In an earlier post I have explained why there is so much activity here at Hawkinsfield -the storage yards are being reconstructed... Andy R

I'm sure you will find a way around it Nick and produce another stunning video of the stunning layout. regards, Andy R

Nick; I just love your little layout...! The Deans Goods is an exquisite loco to have at your disposal. They just look the part of a branch line I reckon. My kit-built one is not behaving at all so cannot run on Hawkinsfield as yet. I will have to admire yours instead. Good luck with your next exhibitions and look forward to reading on here how they went. Any chance of another video Nick? I so enjoyed watching the previous ones as I obviously cannot see the layout 'in the flesh' so to speak. regards, Andy R

Thanks to John, Sweven and Les for your comments. You guys have 'hit the nail on the head' in regard to the basic problem I have been weighing up in my mind about the layout design on this side of the room; how to place the storage yards for max radius on the main line and getting storage length v's the location of the branch terminus in a practical, user friendly way. Those following my topic will remember I raised this in earlier posts and had feedback on various possibilities- in the end I have to compromise whichever way I go (the dimensions of the room do not give many options really). In the end I have gone for good visual feel for the BLT in the front of the storage yard, and its ability to have manual/lever point operation over the easy access to the yard for such things as maintenance- which is the point well made by you all. I have three things in mitigation of my decision on this storage yard issue; 1. I will leave a small hole at the top corner of the baseboard as the main curves out of the storage yard towards Hawkinsfield (the viaduct end if you look at the layout plan) through which I will be able to pop up if I have to and clean at least half the yard rails or put out derailed stock etc. It will be tight and I therefore need to keep exercising regularly=another bonus! 2. I will be able to put my small hand up through the gap between the BLT baseboard and the storage yard board to access rail- at a pinch. 3. I will have to have no backscene directly behind the BLT so I can still reach over the top when standing on a small stool (this is probably the best way forward), but will need some careful thought about how the back scenic/building treatment of the BLT area is carried out. The natural/normal approach would be to have low-relief buildings, trees etc along the rear, but this may not be so easy without a backscene. I can see in my minds-eye some landscaped bank interspersed with buildings to 'soften' the back area; such as maybe some 3mm scale buildings of low-relief along the back to enhance visual perspective but disguising the low-relief buildings with trees, hoardings, fencing and the like (such as I have done on the new warehouse at Hawkinsfield goods yard -see earlier photos).This requires further thought, but I may just have to bit the bullet on this one and proceed as per point 3. This is what I love about the hobby...playing around with ideas and seeing what may work and what looks ...yuk! There are just so many facets of the hobby to think about and problem-solve. Anyway, enough of the philosophy and on with the point motors for the storage yard and making sure they are correctly wired for DCC (using PECO electrofrog here rather than hand-made). I must consult with my friendly electrical advisor John. More photos when I am in the mood. Thanks again for friendly comments back on my last post. regards, Andy R

A quick update of progress on my revamp of the layout storage yard, which I have relaid to increase the sidings from 5 to six (3 in each direction). I am now finishing off feeders from the DCC bus wires up to each section of track laid and starting to install point motors below. The storage yard is to have electronic points as it cannot easily be reached by hand (there will be some access by hand from below, and behind the terminus if possible). As stated on earlier posts the main station and the terminus will be controlled by manual levers along the fascia. The latest photos show the new formation of the storage yards. I have also indulged in some new photos around Hawkinsfield station, which is where most of my stock is standing while the storage yards are built and powered. Hence the 'high' level of activity at Hawkinsfield Junction- not a likely scenario even in the heady days of the late 1930's! But its nice to see the layout through the camera lens even if it shows up little issues- and it does! regards Andy R

Don; Appreciate your points; its the visual outcome that is important. Both of us seem to be getting nice results from our respective approaches. And, yes like you I have been inclined to use some scraps of polystyrene for the tree bases when this warrants. I haven't had many 'large' trees yet to deal with, but tree planting is to continue over time to get a more lush landscape. I have only put some token trees in so far. enjoy your modelling... regards Andy R

Don; Hi -my name is Andy R and I just thought I would say that I have also used the cardboard strips technique on my layout Hawkinsfield. But rather than use an approach of small pieces of newspaper put on with PVA bit by bit I cover the cardboard strip skeleton with sheets of brown parcel paper cut to size/shape and then brush the PVA over that paper to let it soak in and bind the whole together. Then I paint with any old brown/green slush to seal and provide a base for the landscape materials. I have found this approach to be quick, minimal mess, and strong but light enough to get the basic landscape shapes. Then I put on old carpet felt/scatter etc to work the landscape up. The only downside I have found is in planting trees- the technique does provide little support for tree trunks into the ground and these need additional support and glue to keep them upright- but nothing good glue cannot fix. Have a look on my layout thread if you like.. there are a couple of earlier post photos of my approach. regards, Andy R

Andy P- the back scene is well painted and the trees particularly are very nicely done. The scene starting to unfold well. Its good to watch things like this unfold on RMweb. reagrds Andy R

David- thanks for our reply to my query. The layout photos are inspirational for those of us working on or towards BLT in our layouts. As said before by so many...very nice work. regards Andy R

Tony W; Many thanks for your reply Tony- my original query was directed to Tony Gee (I apologise as it wasn't clear- so many gifted modellers called Tony... in this thread) and indeed I have seen his reply which is informative as ever. But, then your lovely reply has also been really informative and the photos very clear and illustrate your approach very well, so my thanks for that. The various comments about couplers and what people use or have problems with continues to be very informative, so again, thanks for the forum to share these views Tony (W). regards Andy R

David- stunning modelling and oozing west country atmosphere. Are you contemplating any 'waethering' of buildings and landscape or is your preference for relatively clean lines? Just a thought looking at the pictures. I for one would also be interested in a track plan of the BLT if you have such a thing; it captures the isolated branch scene very well. regards, Andy R PS -please note the weathering comment is not a criticism David, but an observation that seeks to understand your modelling approach. Andy R

Hi Tony- very helpful comments. Can I PM you on your 'own design' couplers or is the design written up anywhere for others to consider? regards, Andy R

Tony; I found your observations very interesting and its good to see how different people approach this practical topic. I asked several questions on this issue over on the layout topic a while back with John Flann's Hintock and woody's Much Murkle for example. Their respective approaches both support 'hands-off' operations using different systems. As you observed for a layout like LB there may not be much shunting and therefore the coupling/decoupling challenge can be done with minimal manual intrusion (but still using horrible tension-locks) to the look/aesthetic of stock. But where a layout is designed for or is seeking to have significant shunting movement to support its operational potential or objectives (as has been discussed in posts above in this thread) then the question of which couplers can efficiently support a more intense shunting regime soon looms large. Then, any of the current systems are a compromise and there has been so much written about the various options that I for one, are still far from about which system holds good advantage. Perhaps its a case of which system will assist hands-off operation (if that's your bag) with a minimum of aesthetic impact while not costing an arm or a leg! Living here 'down-under' makes affordable access to the common UK systems (other than tension-locks) more difficult, whereas access to quantities of Kadees from USA is much easier. Anyway, I for one am interested in seeing what further range of views emerge on this aspect of this great hobby. Thanks Tony for providing the forum for us to all share our thoughts on this and other interesting stuff. regards Andy R

Tony; I like how you pop in and make comment and observation on the layout or its history as is appropriate to the topic flowing within this thread, or any other you feel works. I like your idea of the occasional 'diary' entry which I think would take pressure off you to keep up commentary on a regular basis and allow you to comment when and how you think might be of interest. I do think that there will be a lot of interest in how and what if feels like to operate and its idiosyncrasies...judging from the amount of comment by members on Buckingham amongst other 'great' layouts. Keep up the good work Tony. Andy R