Tom F

'Arrival of the empties in 1943'

Hi everyone! I decided to take a break from posting this week, as I felt I was running the risk of saturating the thread with photos of the layout. I have been busy working away behind the scenes though. The layout is now fully operational with working fiddle yards. I've been working out a sequence (depicting 1942-1945) so I can now disappear into my own little world and play trains. I now have more rolling stock to build. As well as finishing 'Skarloey' I have some RNAD/War Department vans to build along with an 'on loan diesel' to build. This gives the layout three locomotives to work with during the 1940s period.

Driver Bill Thwaite backs down No. 3 to ‘Thie Ushtey’ as fireman Ben Valentine prepares to have the hose at the ready. Looks to be plenty of water this morning.

Morning Rob! I can confirm that the track work is indeed peco 009. I'm going to have to acquire some more in due course, as I'm planning the next Skarloey layout with my friend @BritishGypsum4

It is a grey autumnal morning over the eastern district of the Island, as No. 2 heads up the valley. A combination of damp rails and fallen leaves have made this a difficult journey for the crew.

I'm absolutely loving taking different photos of the layout. I think it's fair to say, this is my favourite location. It has a real remoteness and isolation that perhaps I crave deep down myself.....a reason I enjoy my hiking I think. 'It's 1946 in the Eastern District of Sodor. The diesels on loan during the war have gone, and with No.1 'Skarloey' in poor mechanical condition the full weight of the railway's existence lies fully on the four little wheels of No.2..... 'Rheneas'. On a cold October afternoon, Rheneas heads up to the quarry with No. 4 'Beatrice' on the last slate pick of the day.'

I was very touched this evening that my friend Tim Dunn (transport/railway presenter, writer and broadcaster) tweeted out some of my photography of the layout, with a lovely write up.

Thanks Ade Yes, chose against allowing comments as I feared it would be the same old 'why don't they have faces?' or 'are you making a series?' For those interested, here it is:

"Right old boy, let's drop off these empties, pick up them loaded ones.......and then we'll head home"

"Trucks!" snorted Sir Handel, "TRUCKS!" "Yes," his Driver repeated, "Trucks." Sir Handel jerked forward; "I won't!" he muttered, "so there!" He lurched, bumped, and stopped. His Driver and Fireman got out. "Told you!" said Sir Handel triumphantly.'

Good morning from Ward Fell Quarry!

Thanks Chris The sea foam I went with is from gaugemaster. Quite expensive using for the entire tree rather than just branches, but for my autumn period they have worked great. I wasn't going to post another photo for a bit, but here is one I hadn't shared from yesterday. No. 2 simmers by the aqueduct, waiting for a loaded of set to come down the incline.

Yes No. 7 'Ivo Hugh' is a bit too late for my modelling period. I'm pretty much covering up to 1960, which covers the period before the quarry closes and the MoD take ownership, plus before the loop line opens. The sale of the quarry to the MoD funded a loop around Skarloey Lake, used predominantly in the summer months.

Possibly, it would nice to join Scaca to the next board. Something I'm very much keeping in mind.

Thanks Benbow! I'll keep posting, just possibly not as much. I will have rolling stock updates, and I've current two 4mm landrovers on the workbench that need weathering. I also need to make the fiddle yards for Scaca Fell too. I just know what I'm like and I'll either over saturate or bore people with photos. Plus, Scaca Fell is the first in several Skarloey layouts to follow: 1. Scaca Fell Forestry Crossing (which includes the start of the exchange sidings at Ward Fell) *Completed 2. Skarloey Station (based on Abergynolwyn), the passenger terminus of the line, 3. Glennock (intermediate station, based strongly on Aberllefenni on the Corris 4. Cros-ny-Cuirn (first station out of Crovan's Gate, based on Rhydyronen on the Talyllyn). I'll also be depicting the road running along the side. I'd then like to also do some dioramas depicting: 1. Rheneas Station 2. Tunnel Portal (northern section) So this thread has plenty more to discuss as we go along

Well, there we have it! For all intents and purposes, the layout is scenically finished as I've just finished adding the additional pieces of bracken. I'm just waiting on the deluxe materials water for the aqueduct which should be arriving this week. I'm sort of sad we have reached this point, as I've loved seeing it come to life. I'd had a vision of how I hoped the layout would look, and that has helped to keep my focus throughout. The next stage is working on a way to attach the layout to some foam board fiddle yards. My current thoughts are to use two pieces of 6mm ply to act as the touching faces between the two boards, and use bolts to secure the alignment. I'll be cooling off from posting as much now. I don't want to over saturate the layout's exposure, and I've stock to be getting on with, in particular No. 1 'Skarloey'. I just need to build up the confidence to tackle making the piston rods, cross heads and motion bracket. Thanks for all the lovely support. I've thoroughly enjoyed putting this layout together and escaping to this lovely little bit of Awdry's Sodor.

Thanks Rob. I do like the depth B&W seems to create. You lose any sense of where the layout starts and stops. About to go and add some more bracken, but in the mean time. Here is one from this morning, with a little write up: 'We crossed the infant Ben Glas stream via a shallow section, and then began the climb up the hillside. It was steep and tough going through the undergrowth. Moss and bracken were thick in places, with the occasional tributary stream requiring some navigation. This wasn't an issue for my border collie Lass, who bounded on ahead with unwavering enthusiasm. Finally the hillside gave way to a slate fence and through a gap in the trees we saw the railway. The old Fletcher Jennings locomotive of 1865, No. 2 'Rheneas' was clanking and wheezing about the sidings. The paint work was dirty, with steam leaking from a majority of places. To have struggled up the valley in such a run down condition........ A Gallant Old Engine indeed!'

East Central District of Sodor -1954 Skarloey Railway's No. 3 'Sir Handel' is filled with water at 'Thie Ushtey', before heading down the valley with several loads of slate for export across the island, and beyond.

On cold autumn afternoon in 1954, the crew of No. 3 'Sir Handel' quickly get the tank filled at 'Thie Ushtey'. With a biting wind coming down the valley, they do not intend to hang around.

A couple more shots, added a bit more autumnal ground cover in the form of leaves. The downed tree trunk, was an inspiration from yesterday. After leaving Abergynolwyn, we noticed a tree had come down across the ravine.

While I was out yesterday the final batch of seafoam arrived, so I've started adding a scattering around the front of the layout. It's a case of trying to find a balance of not making the front look bare, but not overdoing to effect photographs of the layout. So I'm trying to go with gaps in between the trees that allow for nice cameo shots.

A special day all round yesterday!

Just heading out the house (yes it is 4.15 in the morning) as myself and the border collie embark on the closest thing to an adventure on Sodor! We are heading down to mid wales to go hiking, before travelling on the Talyllyn Railway. So before I go, here is a shot of No. 3 'Sir Handel' heading back to Crovan's Gate. I must admit I'm getting a bit of a Corris vibe from the shot.

Last one for today: 'Heading home...'

That's the rest of the fencing added! Rheneas takes water at 'Thie Ushtey' (I had got my earlier Sudrian translation wrong)