richard w

Very true, I was just rushing with the descriptions for the pics. I quite like the old BL stuff, but the marina never really grabbed my attention. Especially when it got those black bumpers and the nasty dash.

I would like to do a video on that. However I've found it quite difficult to film so far. It’s quite a complicated little project to get across in a format that’s easy to understand. What I might do instead is post a more detailed explanation on here and then the video that goes with it could be simpler. I'll have a think about it.

Had a nice little running session tonight and took some photos... 47322 heads out onto the mainline with a speedlink service. 58041 rounds the banked curved headed to Didcot with a typical rake of HEAs. 50034 and 47834 await their next duties. 47322 passes with the speedlink. A Paddington bound NSE service awaits to depart behind 47715. 37506 is spotted rumbling west with a heavy steel train. 47322 and 37506 pass on the mainline. A variety of traction sit idle in the yard. The speedlink heads east on the branch. 37506 passes light engine. The local signalman heads home for the day in his 1978 morris marina.

Thanks for all the kind comments above guys! I've been busy again this week working on one of my 56s. I picked up 56040 a while ago at a great price and have set about making it correct for the layout. Although 56040 ran in these colours during 1989 it didn't have the modified roof vents the model has and it also has the large square headlight. I've been working on backdating my model and will repaint it to 56048 (which had the smaller headlight the model has). First job was to modify the roof vents. This is the first time i've done anything like this and think it looks ok. Once painted and weathered it should look fine. Revised black vents now removed. I believe this was a mod that loadhaul did in the 90s? Plasticard backing plate added to support the new vent. Vents made from more plasticard. Ready for paint

Its coming along very nicely. Excellent stock too!

Some more work done today. Mostly detail work and weathering. Latest layout update is below. Enjoy

Hi Neal The loft doesn't have any insulation but I do have a heater. The layout itself doesn't suffer from any temperature related issues and has been fine for the last 5 years. The only issue I do get is me! It is sometimes just too hot or cold to work up there. Thanks

I have set track curves on various hidden parts of the layout which require wider spacing. I kept the spacing the same on the rest of the layout so things didn't look odd when approaching tunnels and changing to set track.

I've continued to work on the scenery around the station today. Most of the ground cover has been dug up and started again. I've also made a nice uneven path to the signal box and started work on some track side details. I've got a long way to go with this area, but I think it already looks much better than before

Hi Will This particular section has been redone with Woodland Scenics stuff. I used a mix of soil and earth coloured turf for the base. The clump foliage i've used for the small bushes is olive green i think.

Looks great Ian. I've been following Exford Park for ages but somehow I missed Tidworth! Will take a good look back through this thread. Keep up the great work.

I've been working on some of the older scenery tonight. I was never happy with the grass I did at the baseboard edge around the paved sidings. I find less really is more when working with static grass.

Many thanks for the kind words above guys! I filmed another layout update last night.. Went to edit the footage and discovered a huge smudge on the camera lens had messed up every clip I'll be trying again tonight.

Been following this with great interest over the past few months. I've ordered one even though its out of my era by about 12 years! Having seen the quality of previous Rapido models I'm very much looking forward to this one. I wish Rapido every success with this new venture and hope it brings future UK models.

Hello, my name is Richard and I’ve been lurking around here as a guest for some time. I've been helped and inspired by loads of stuff on here and thought it’s about time to show some of my efforts. Some of you may already know me as the creator of Everard Junction which features on YouTube. I started the layout in late 2009 and have been working on it ever since. The basic idea was to create something which was reliable. My previous DC layout had very poor track work and caused huge issues every time I used it. Everard Junction was to be bigger, better, reliable and above all Fun to operate. Era - British Rail sectorisation in the late 80s. The previous layout was the typical 60s choice to allow a mix of steam and diesel. When planning the new layout I thought back to my childhood in the early 90s. I remember seeing NSE and IC liveried trains rushing passed and wanted to try and recapture that. Location - Somewhere not far from the great western mainline with connections to Reading, Didcot, Bristol, Bath and Birmingham The trains I saw as a child were running through Watford from Euston (so were probably a mix of class 86 and 87s). I didn't have the skill to build OHLE so I settled on diesels running in the liveries I remember as a child. To get more variety I backdated to the late 80s. This made research much more difficult as I wasn't born until 92! Stock - Diesel locomotives and DMUs of the period I've developed a great fondness for most of the mainstream diesels of the period so I try to have as much variety as possible on the layout while still remaining prototypical. You will see examples of classes 08/20/31/33/37/43/47/50/56/58/60 running on the layout Control - Lenz LH100 Back in 2009 there wasn't so much choice when it came to DCC systems. I went for a Lenz and it's been fantastic. Track - Peco code 100 streamline I've always used some Peco in past layouts and been very impressed. Everything is code 100 due to the various set track curves on the hidden parts of the layout and helixes. Track Plan The layout is basically a horseshoe shape with a helix at each end and a lower level to run trains continuously. It takes about 3 minutes for a freight train to complete a loop of the layout. Passenger trains take about 1:30 to 2 minutes. Here are some pics of the layout in its current state.. Let me know what you think