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John as ever sincere thanks for your kind message, indeed to to all who have commented on this news. A new modelling challenge, but first house move, then something called decorating…

Since my last post, life has changed dramatically. My wife and I, prompted by our son, are selling our home and moving. This has sadly meant dismantling, not only the layout but much of my little empire In my loft. I had built the buildings / structures  so they could be removed. They have been, and are safe. The baseboards and scenery have gone. 
My new home has a garage which will house a new layout. It won’t accommodate Water Orton though, not nearly big enough. I have also downsized my amount of stock. Many locomotives had not turned a wheel in years. Lessons learnt. I found when checking, it wasn’t my kit built or comet chassis that needed attention, but RTR left idle on my stock shelves. The sale of a large proportion of my stock, has contributed much needed funds, to little expenses, such as stamp duty..solicitors, estate agent, etc fees.

On a positive note I have been designing a new layout Coleshill (Forge Mills) 
 

This station was closed in March 1968. It was situated a few miles up the line from Water Orton on the Leicester route. This will also allow those trains, I have retained to run on this new layout.
 

I am currently looking to build the distinctive station building. I will rename this thread in due course and outline the build.

The two photos…Water Orton layout just prior to demolition…appropriate the last train was a pair of class 20s and brake van…quite poignant as they went past the empty sidings. The second photo Coleshill..lurgi gas works will not be appearing on my new layout. You will note I have totems for both

possibly 247 developments ?

City of Coventry in LMS red, using its license on my layout.

Nicely done buildit. I have built any number of these chassis, together with the high level kits motors and gears. Please  update with your progress

best wishes Brian

I’ve been looking for a project since the conclusion of my Gresley Garratt build. I’ve been tempted by Farren’s Claughton build, and an etched kit of a Flatiron. These might yet be added to the roster. Just to prove how easily distracted I am though, I’ve been reading about the early Swindon DMUs, in particular the early 79 xx series. These were the forerunners of the Scottish Class 126. The early series started their lives on Western Region trains Birmingham Snow Hill to Swansea.They were notable on having two different cab ends. The standard Swindon as per the class 120, and a gangwayed end cab, enabling them to be run either as a three or six car apparently. A kit has been ordered from Silver Fox models.

All of these units found their way to the Scottish region. In 1971, together with some of my spotting mates we did a Scottish Railrover. On a dark dank rainy August night we bunked Leith Central. This former passenger terminus was by then a DMU depot. Long lines of DMUs including any number of the prized 79 xx ones were there some with engines idling. The place was empty of human life apart from my mates and I…

I’ve commented on this before, promoting an informed post from Eric ( signal engineer) 

In the last picture of the cravens unit, amongst all the steam age infrastructure…all about to be swept away. The modern looking lamp at the end of the pathway leading  down from Minworth Road bridge. These lamps were seen from a different angle in my friend Don’s photo of Scotsman taken a few months later than this in September 1968. What a waste , the yards the path led too, had mere months before closure. The Cravens units weren’t long for this world either in 1968

Cravens set from March 1968. It’s a great view of the infrastructure and landscape. The pathway on the left, used by many railway workers leaving the yards, often to walk a bit further from the Minworth Road bridge, to the Dog Inn. 

More diesel photos at the station. The Cravens unit taken in 1968, the peak slightly later. 

The Claughton looks the business, like the Austin eight as well.

best wishes Brian

For some reason I too am having problems when clicking on layout topics thread. I eventually located the Carlisle layout thread by doing a search in main headings. Having located it selected “follow “ for any updates. 

Good Afternoon,  looking good, may I ask what you are using to line out?. The tender looks very good indeed .

best wishes Brian

Farren, Yes, I could have  added 69999, but that would have stretched reality a bit too far!

I’ve been following your Claughton build ….very nice work. I appreciate your care in lining it out, looking good. I will if I may go to your thread for some details on what was used for the lining. 

Garratt greetings. 
 

Just for fun thought I would create a scene that in theory could have happened in the early fifties. Three Garratts 47994 on the down slow Heljan body comet chassis …47998 Kitmaster body scratch straight sided tender comet chassis, on the up freight line,  lastly on up slow 47968 Ks body comet chassis. The next two photos 47968 crosses over from the up fast line to the up slow line, to Nuneaton. 47994 again on the down slow having travelled on that line from Whitacre. The original Midland signal cabin, altered from two Ratio kits bears witness.

Dignity restored, large high level motor added to the Claughton. The performance greatly improved.

I have been following Farren and his model of a Claughton on his thread. I have been impressed on his thinking outside of the box, to accomplish fitting a Hornby chassis to the Jidenco kit.
Manna is also, an accomplished modeller, in this respect. Gents will send you details on PMs where to send the cheques too!

A modeller on Farrens thread has shared views of his Claughton in fully lined LMS red. I’ve commented to John R, that it has triggered thoughts of my own along those lines. I must add not towards repainting Alfred, but acquiring a new kit…DJH perhaps. I just need the second mortgage to be approved.

Hello Andy

Funnily enough my friends have discussed doing this. The surviving members of WORS have migrated in the main to the West of Birmingham,  hence the relative ease, we have in meeting up in Stourbridge. A couple of our team though have migrated north, Eddie to Scotland and another, Ron to Durham.

This has not stopped all of us meeting at venues like York, or the SVR. The local team have, as stated, discussed meeting up at the Dog previously . I will put the feelers out and report back in due course

The Pro scale A1…This ended up as scrap. The irony,  if presented with that now,  given my current skills I would delight in making it into a more acceptable model.

Some serious modification to those frames, I’ve always admired those modellers who go off piste , as it were. My first serious adaptation was trying to correct the flaws in the Lima crab. Heart in mouth, as it had cost serious money to my younger self. I have had some expensive failures mind, a Pro scale A1 for example…lesson learnt, always check squareness of a model before soldering. In that case followed by painting and lining. It never looked right….I know no sugar Sherlock. The attempt to remedy it, some time later…disaster….wheels and motor salvaged for future models. 

Good morning 

I appreciate your problems with the rtr chassis having fitted comet cylinders and motion to a Hornby Stanier 264t. This was necessary as the rtr motion brackets came adrift….spares are like hens teeth. This involved lots of metal removal, one burnt out mini tool motor. I don’t have dcc , is that a problem fitting to the kit chassis if you go down that route?

LMS lined crimson, absolutely!

best wishes Brian

Hello Farren as promised, following this with interest. You didn’t hesitate with that Patriot chassis did you. Are you going with the caprotti or walschaerts valve gear? Finally what livery? Best wishes Brian

For the record the urchin balancing on the wall in the photo of the 9f is Don. The photo being taken by his older brother Neil. Don is a celebrated railway photographer, having any number of his work published. Neil, who is sadly no longer with us, together with Don, were fellow members of the Water Orton railway society. We used to spot from a makeshift den erected against the wall of the cattle dock , in the old goods yard. We used to travel all over the country, and since then a number of them, the world pursuing our rail enthusiasm. I meet up with some of them regularly, their enthusiasm for the latest units, well not quite my cup of tea,  in any event though, always good to catch up and reminisce . Don recently recounted how he had clambered through fields, over fences, through culverts and then underneath the M6 to get to the other side, just to photograph a Royal Scot on Shap. His photo wasn’t published ,but another photographer, who accompanied him on this trek , had his similar shot accepted by a national magazine. 

Just posted this in my corresponding thread in kitbuilding…almost same viewpoint on the wall, some years earlier

Almost same location on the wall, some years earlier courtesy of my friend Don Taggart

A 1982 photo, taken from the Dog Inn wall, class 56 on the up fast to Derby, recreating the excitement that location had when a train travelled past at speed.

original track layout still in place at the East jct

A great shot of a class 56 taking the up fast lines to Derby in 1982. The old track layout still in place.