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John, well done on building the toplights, they certainly do blend in well with the rest of your stock and make the complete train look much more authentic. You put my coaching stock to shame, I really must get on with the kit that I bought from an infamous trader at the Nottingham show a few years back. Well done, Brian

I don't know how things will go today but the next stage of the modification was to build up the landform. Not having any polystyrene to hand cardboard formers have been put in place, the bridge itself hasn't been fixed down yet but is in place as a guide. Brown paper stuck down with dilute PVA was used for the covering. Two reasons for using brown paper, firstly it is stronger than newspaper and secondly, we had a roll in the cupboard. Next step, a coat of tester pot green before the detailing begins. That will be it for a while, the garage is now the temporary home to the contents of the garden shed which has got to the point where it must be replaced. Can't complain, we reckon it must be at least 50 years old. Brian. Edit for spelling

I must admit that I had trouble tonight, the first attempt the photos didn't appear even though the file names were there as I typed. I did manage three separate posts each with one picture. Brian

The bridge. For some reason today I have not been able to post more than one picture, wonder what I have done differently? Brian

The mock up

Third time lucky? The tunnel

It has been a while since I posted anything about Llanforen but I have not been idle. I have never been satisfied with the entrance to the fiddle yard through a tunnel so I have decided to change it to a road bridge. Looking through my books I found a suitable looking bridge at St Athan on the Vale of Glamorgan line so the next job was to make a mock up to test for clearances The old Hornby King is ideal for the task, if that clears anything will. The bridge is made from embossed plastic and the parapets use Wills stone walling, well I had some going spare. Next time I will show how I built up the land around the bridge. Brian I don't know what has happened to the pictures, I'll try again!

Members 4,606 posts Posted Today, 09:09 Yesterday, I had the pleasure of visiting the Elizabethan Model Railway Society at the clubrooms in Sutton-in-Ashfield, to photograph Ambleside. Thanks for all your efforts Tony, Gordon, Alan and myself thoroughly enjoyed the day. As you know there is still lots to do on Ambleside and the BRM is sub-titled 'a work in progress', that will be the case for a while yet! If the photos that you have posted are anything to go by I'm sure that the others will be just as good. Thanks again, Brian.

Chris, I know that you are the go to man for GW coaching, are you now the expert on cattle as we'll? Brian

Looks like an interesting project, I will keep an eye on progress. It is also nice to see another South Wales layout. Brian

I'm staying in Exmouth for a holiday and having read good things about the shop on here I made a point of finding it. I had a few items that I wanted to buy and was successful. Leigh, the owner, was very pleasant and helpful and I may find my way back later in the week. Plenty of stock and some bargain prices, I can recommend a visit. Brian

As always, superb photos and inspirational modelling. Brian.

I took my 47 up to the club on Friday for it's recommended half hour each way and it ran perfectly through the Peco code 75 track including double slips. Another member did the same with his on Monday. So far I haven't had chance to run it on my home layout with tighter curves. I really enjoy reading about Carrog, superb modelling all round. Brian.

No turntable at Barry so 4-6-0 engines on excursions went to Canton for turning, smaller locos and the ex LNWR 0-8-0s could use a triangle in the docks. I have no memory of seeing one of these but I do remember a very slick system of getting trains away from the Island. Looking good. Brian

I knew you liked it!

I remember van bodies being carted away from Woodham's leaving the chassis to be cut up and thus saving the locos. Brian

As requested a picture of Elizabethan Castle. I did this many years ago when there were several serious LMS modellers in the club and I was one of a couple of GWR modellers. What prompted me to do the model was reading O S Nock's Stars, Castles and Kings and the visit of Launceston Castle to the LMS and their request to buy some. We have a copy of the relevant passage to show disbelievers. Why didn't I paint the reversing lever? When we had another layout on display we had one of those visitors who knew it all and was telling us all sorts of things that were wrong so we asked him to look at the shed, he didn't notice the castle. Brian

Andy, it was good to have a chat with you but it's a castle. It did attract a fair bit of interest, along with the polar bear, so I will try and find a picture. Not tonight we are supposed to be putting the layout back up. Brian.

In my rush I seem to have put the same picture on twice, try this one. Brian

Wow, did I ache this morning. After four days a Quorn I can now relax a bit and get back to nice green engines, not the dull black, especially as I've had an e-mail from Hattons. Operating Ambleside all weekend didn't give me chance for a proper look at the other layouts but that is always the case as an exhibitor. A couple of photos of Ambleside. Still a lot of work to do on the layout, but I hope we put on a decent show. PS Postman just arrived with a box from Hattons, must go now! Brian

Ambleside back at the club room now, I'm now home with a cuppa and feeling the effect of four busy days. Thanks to the organising team and nice to meet a few RMWebbers. More tomorrow if I can wake up. Brian

Ambleside all set up, just the stock to put on in the morning and we are ready to go. Feel free to have a word if you are attending. There is still a lot of detailing to do but we hope that you will find the layout presentable. Brian

I will be going up to the club room this evening to help get Ambleside ready for loading into the van tomorrow. Let's hope the M1 behaves itself. See you there. Brian