Tom F

She’s wonderful….. a little madam too at times! A true companion!

Thanks Rodney Just a case of cutting smaller transfers off a Fox sheet to get the right look (2mm N and 1mm O) A nice surprise was waiting when I returned home from work yesterday. Had to be checked first by the railway inspector of course!

Another piece of MSR rolling stock finished. Here we have a (WHR) coal wagon, circa 1936 condition. Coal imported at the Port of Arlesburgh and then transported in wagons taken up the line to Peel Godred, supplying local coal to villages and the outlying settlements. Special thanks to a friend who knows his Fes and WHR history, in pointing out that a number of WHR wagons were never painted, just heavily weathered. This wagon was painted 'mig' old wood, (a pale beige colour). Weathering followed initially with washes across the planks, to simulate the old wood grain, before finishing with powders to depict coal usage.

Thanks Ian I find they go together fairly straight forward. The only mess up I’ve done is folding in the wrong place as I wasn’t looking instructions!

Today marks the first piece of rolling stock for the Mid Sodor Railway.....finished! 'MSR No. 2 Brake Van. The Van was fitted with Vac gear so that it could be utilised as a passenger break, and therefore painted MSR passenger blue to match the coaching stock. Its duties however would more likely see it rostered on the MSR's daily goods 'The Horse and Cart'. I am really pleased with how the blue has turned out now weathered and given a spray of Humbrol 'Matt Cote'. For passenger stock and locomotive No. 3 'Falcon', I'll retain the gloss finish as the weathering will tone it down just enough. For this brake van though, a more matt finish was appropriate. The Greenwich couplings have really blended in too.

Been a bit quiet over the past few days. Not felt myself, and just trying to get my head together. The modelling has helped though. Tonight I've built a coal wagon (WHR prototype). One of various types used on the Mid Sodor railway, however it’s dwarfed in size by the one the local railway men call…. the ‘Big ‘un’! I also made a decision to buy a certain 4-6-0T. It will require some remedial work to make it right for the layout.

cheers Jay! Well the good news is the Greenwich couplings work with the magnets!

Morning all! Quick update. Sadly the sale of Cwm Prysor has fallen through, so the layout is available for purchase.

My friend @Quarryscapes is in the process of making me a wiring diagram for the layout. I have the wire in a tube on order from Eileen's Emporium but it hasn't arrived yet. I'm probably going to leave the point wiring until next weekend. My aim this week on an evening, is to make a start adding the greenwich couplings to the wagon stock I've made. I really also need to make a start on putting together loco 'No.4' too in the next few weeks.

Tonight I've cut the lengths of track on Ballamoddey. It is starting to feel like a real place. I'm particular pleased with the curving nature of the main line running through the station. I need to make a start thinking about wiring (groan).

Thanks Neil. It is making me chuckle how much smaller 'Cora' is than the Glyn Valley and Welsh Highland van!

More MSR stock branding this evening. Touch of homage to the WHR van fleet with some of the branding. Hope to weather them this weekend.

Brake van brigade on this very cold January morning! Just about ready for weathering.

That's really useful! Yes thank you. I've ordered some wire from Eileens (the switches look very similar to the ones I've ordered from amazon, so hopefully we should be ok).

Thanks Bill! Well even though my focus is now on the new layout, I'll make sure to keep some cameo photos coming for this thread.

Some photos from today's lovely trip up the Eskdale valley.

Start the new year with how you mean to go on…..with trains Happy New Year!

I hadn’t twigged I was setting up the scene with that shot! ‘45 minutes later…..’

'The Military Patrol watches on as No.3 'Sir Handel' passes by with empty MOD vans.' Scaca will begin to take a back seat as Ballamoddey takes shape, but I just wanted to thank everyone for the wonderful support. So, as they say on Sodor... Blein vie Noa!

Happy New Year Neil ....or for us Sudrians, 'Blein vie Noa!

Thanks for all the feedback and advice. It’s greatly appreciated. Some tweaks to the track plan now utilising a Y point which works better. Line to the goods shed bearing off to the left, to the right at an angle, the coal line. I was very much inspired by the angle of the coal line at Beddgellert on the old Welsh Highland I am now thinking ahead to wiring the entire layout (I’ve just about got my head around the points). The layout will be analogue. I’ll need three isolating sections, both lines making up the loop and the sidings. Both sidings can be one isolating section. I’ve never done isolating sections, so this will require some help. Here is the plan:

Ah I understand now. Right I’ll give that a go today! I’d forgot I’d need the cut in the track too.

Thanks Butler I just don’t want to get into a mess requiring buying new point work. The larger point seems easier to deal with.

Morning Paul Ill be honest, it’s still confusing me (I really I’m a bit thick with all this). I’m very tempted to leave the point as is and avoid any cutting. I would still like it powered and rely on point blades, so what should be wiring exactly? Just the green frog wire?

Many thanks fo all tis Paul. So for my smaller point, which doesn't appear to have a frog wire, would doing something like this look right.