simon b

Hi guys, does anyone know where I can buy decals for Penn central locos in the uk? I've a few HO e8 units I want to repaint. I did look at ordering direct from the US but the postage is just silly. Cheers.

Thanks for the tips guys. I'm not going for 100% accuracy with this, rather that if it looks right it is right. I'm basing the layout in the New york area, so planning to run trains from the New Haven/Penn central. The Long island Railroad is also something I have an interest in, particularly the GP38 + FA1 power pack combo is something I would love to model. Though I think those came in around 1976? If I wanted to model the 90's I could run Metronorth FL9's and FP10's for something different.

That's looking great, I'm impressed with what you have achieved in card. The trainshed over the IC tracks is something I may have to recreate for myself. Which Faller kit are you planning to use for the main building?

Yep, it definitely works better with the track plan flipped around. The base board is an old one I had laying about, and the track is old peco code 100. I'll start a layout thread for this at some point, but at the moment I'm trying to use up old bits of track and other things that are going spare. I think I'll build a long REA building along the back track, then I'll decide if it's going to be in use or converted to a passenger platform.

That's a good idea. If I model platform 3 as a former REA track so that it looks like it was never actually connected to the terminal building, I could build some sort of temporary elevated walkway to link it to the rest of the station. I'll have a play around with some different ideas I think. The other option of course is to model it with the REA building still in use, and just keep passengers to the island platform.

Thanks for the links, the rail express agency seems like the sort of thing I'm looking for. Though as you say it would normally be separate from the passenger platforms, I did think it was an odd looking platform arrangement but was trying to do something with the middle track as opposed to just stabling loco's on it. It does look more believable with just 3 full tracks up to the building, I might build that as it is and plan an extension later.

Hi guys, I'm thinking of building a commuter station set in the 1970's, and looking for help on how prototypical this layout plan is. More specifically the location of the baggage platform on the plan, has anyone ever seen a staggered platform setup like that? The station building will be elevated above the ends of the tracks with stair ways down to the platforms, I did originally plan all the tracks the same length with no baggage platform but thought that it would add interest.

I used normal flat bottom fish plates to join it up, the rail heights are the same.

Thanks. Walthers parts are going to be used quite alot on this layout, I'm building a few low relief kits to sit on top of the wall behind the station this week.

Started to get the platforms made up and fitted over the Easter weekend, these are made of Wills paving sheets and Peco concrete sides over a plywood base. They will only be long enough to hold a 2 car epb on the scenic section, though will continue under the scenic break a short way where they are in line of sight. They cant go any further than that as I need clearance for a medium radius crossover just out of sight under the station building. Also modified some old door hinges to align the two baseboards, simple but effective.

Love the way this is shaping up, E8's just look so good in PC black. Do you have any more pic's of the US version of Kilmister?

Nothing wrong with that cliche, it helps set the location. What plans do you have for the other end of the layout?

Loving the look of of this so far, certainly has the London atmosphere about it. I cant work out from the pics where the coal yard part fits in, could you take a pic of the whole layout or make a plan of it?

That looks an interesting micro layout, is the platform going to the left of the brake van in the first pic?

And a few more to give an idea of what I want to create...

So an update. I, like most people at the moment, have a lot more free time than usual, so decided to do some work on this project. I've finally settled on a name and location for this layout, "Leadenhall Market". The story being that the widened lines didn't terminate at Moorgate, but made a turn south down to Leadenhall market, and then on to a junction with the East London line at Wapping. This gives me an excuse to run freight and a few EMU's up from the southern region, via the ELL connection at New cross. The old layout was laid with peco code 100 track, but with the introduction of the new bullhead track I felt a rebuild was in order. The new layout has a dedicated space along one wall of our spare room, this being 9ft 7inches total length. In order to save time (and because I already had it) I've re-used an old layout board cut in halve so it is only 1ft wide. This will mean running smaller trains but a more manageable layout to operate. It took a few days of playing about to come up with a workable track plan, but I'm happy with the result. I have the end of a station area where trains enter the layout, and then on to "Market sidings" so I can include some shunting action which the old layout didn't have. I've already cut and pinned down the track, here's a couple of pics of things so far...

I've borrowed this pic from the excellent Adrian the rock website, the cutout is quite noticeable. Link here: https://www.roscalen.com/signals/Banbury/South.htm

Hi all, for my next project I want to model a 1970's coal depot so need some 21t hopper wagons. Hornby have produced exactly what I need but they seem to be sold out. The 2 items are : -R6691 BR 21t hopper wagons 3 pack -R6843 BR 21t hopper wagon Can anyone help me find these please? Ta.

Keep going, the coal depots on LT metals are an interesting subject.

That certainly is a rare pic, it's the only one I've ever seen of a train actually in the sidings!

These sorts of things are quite common in the war-gaming community, but are very expensive. This one being a good example: LINK

Anyone have one of these kits they want to part with? Cash or paypal waiting. Ta, Simon.

Thanks for the help gents. How unusual is the setup here? I've mostly seen coal drops as a stand alone structure, never incorporated into a major viaduct like that before. Would certainly make for an interesting model.

Hi all, does anyone have any pics of the coal drops at the old Mile end station out of liverpool street? Looks like it was an unusual setup being built into the viaduct of the mainline, but pics seem to be non existent. Ta.

Yes. I pin them to the board at one end, gently bend them to shape and pin into position. It's easier to see in person, but this is a left hand one bent into a Y point.