Tom F

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.

Thanks for all the feedback, it is very much appreciated. So I don't have to cut the wires between the blades and the frog? I'm unsure why the smaller points don't have this adjoining bit underneath. I've buried my head in the sand for a long time with wiring point work, but want to get this right. Just something that is reliable and works with the slide switches.

Some advice would be welcome please. If I’m not careful, Ballamoddey could grind to a halt, as I’m approaching the area I’m most uncomfortable with……wiring. Scaca used the points manually and unwired, which was fine but relying on the point blades to supply the current has its issues. I would like to do Ballamoddey with fully wired points abs slide switches. Firstly, does the screen shot of the slides switches look about right? Secondly. I will need to hardwire these points, what will be required doing to them, as the smaller points look slightly different to the longer ones. I’d ideally like to get on with this sooner rather than later, otherwise enthusiasm I know will begin to ebb.

Had a nice visit from @BritishGypsum4yesterday. We did some Awdry research discussing MSR matters, before looking at the layouts. Ben was fettling my Royal Mail Land Rover in the photo. I then gave Ben some tips and advice on airbrushing, so took the opportunity to spray my MSR brake van blue. We went out for a lovely meal before some discussion regarding other types of road vehicles I’ll need for a 1937-38 layout. All in all, a great day!

With the top layer of boards now glued down, I’ve made a start on cutting out the formation for the Peel Godred - Arlesburgh over bridge that the MSR passes over on the approach into Ballamoddey.

Genuinely touched by your comments Night Train, thank you! I've learnt so much with Scaca, the only let down is my lack of electrical understanding. I have made the decision that on the new layout 'Ballamoddey', I intend to fully wire the point work.....so it will feel more like a proper model railway, than a diorama.

It would have to be early 1920s (at the earliest), seen as No. 2 would have turned up as army surplus circa 1919. I'd have imagined in those post war years the MSR would have tried their upmost to get the most out of the locomotive before deciding to relegate it to stationary boiler use.

Hi brack Yes, I've gone with a Kato Princess as the donor for Duke. I've imagined Peter Edward's went with as many reference photos of Prince that he found, or the Reverend supplied him with. I'm not a fan of the straight running plate, so I'm grateful for the kato model being stepped.

Indeed Ben... @fastforwardtt, I'd like to ask that you please do not post TV series related imagery, or others works with faces on in my thread. Any research regarding the Mid Sodor refers directly to the Rev W Awdry's own works, or that of the railways that inspired the MSR, i.e Ffestiniog, Welsh Highland, Snailbeech and Corris etc. @AY Mod just tagging you for reference Andy, should this issue arise again.

Morning! Neil that’s exactly what I was thinking of but couldn’t remember the name of the switches. It’s what I used on Cwm Prysor. I was wondering about if I could go underneath the boards with the wire before coming back up to surface level at the rear of the layout. So essentially putting a couple of 90 degree bends in the wire.

A productive day has been had. The boards are about there. The top layer isn’t glued yet until I work out how I’m going to operate the points (manuel wire operation looks to be the favoured option). Ballamoddey is no longer in my imagination….all 6ft of it!

Pretty much Tim. The track plan was heavily influenced by Waunfawr on the WHR. A friend has kindly done me a signalling diagram, which will possibly take some influence from the Corris.

Morning Mol We will indeed. We will initially see what locos were left after the sale of the passenger stock and ‘other’ locomotives. This will include: No. 1 ‘DUKE’ a small George England 0-4-0 Tender Saddle Tank. No. 3 ‘FALCON’ an 0-4-2 Saddle Tank built at Loughborough’s Falcon Works No. 4 ‘STUART’ an 0-4-2 Saddle Tank from Kerr Stuart’s.

Morning Rob, and Merry Christmas! Hope you received some nice Railway related gifts yesterday! I made a start on the boards (using foam board again) and the plan is to head to the shed and do some more work….however it looks like I’ve a few inches of snow to walk through this morning!

Thanks both of you! Well for those interested, I've set up a thread for the new layout:

Evening all on this Christmas night! Thought it was about time I showed the latest project I'm working on. Banner design courtesy of MRFS Is it Manx? Irish?.....Sudrian of course!! Once again the brainchild of Reverend Wilbert Vere Awdry. After acquiring a part built Corris No. 4 kit, and second Corris No. 3 kit, the time felt right to tackle the Mid Sodor Railway. Now for the history: The Mid Sodor Railway (MSR) opened in 1880 running from the coastal port of Arlesburgh, up the Arlesdale Valley and into the Central Sudrian Fells via Cas-ny-Hawin and the brutal climb know as the ‘Mountain Road’. The summit is reached at Ulfstead Road before beginning the descent into the terminus station of 'King Orry's Bridge' on the outskirts of the fortified town of Peel Godred. The railways fortune's took a downward turn when the North Western Railway built its electric standard gauge line to Peel Godred from Killdane. The MSR struggled on until 1936 when passenger traffic ceased and the line became goods only. Mixed reports suggest the entire route continued for goods traffic until 1937 when the 'Mountain Road' section closed from Cas-ny-Hawin to Peel Godred. The entire route closed 10 years later in 1947 when the lead mine at Cas-ny-Hawin flooded due to the failure of the pumping engine (former MSR No. 2, Baldwin tank 'Stanley'). Ballamoddey was the penultimate station on the route before the terminus at Peel Goddred. I initially plan to depict the station in it's final months of 1937 operating a goods only service. Over time I plan to move operation to 1936, and depict the railways passenger services (The Boat Trains known as the 'The Sudrian & 'Manxman' along with 'Parliamentary' and 'Picnic') I've been heavily influenced by the Welsh Highland Railway and Ffestiniog in the design and understanding of the layout. This hopes to be something rather special and a little more interesting to operate than Scaca Fell Forestry Crossing. Due to the RMweb server issue, all photos were lost from the thread. Photos resume here: https://www.rmweb.co.uk/topic/169184-ballamoddey-1937-on-the-mid-sodor-railway/?do=findComment&comment=4795534

It’s amazing how my border collie knows what to buy me! All good research towards the next layout! About to head over to my neighbours who kindly invite me in for Christmas dinner.

thanks Nick, you too!

Just a quick post to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! Things have been quiet of late. I've been working away researching the next layout (which has benefited from a couple of fantastic adventures in Wales). I've just started work on the boards, and I hope to share progress in the New Year. Merry Christmas or Nollick Ghennal! in Sudrian!

Fair enough. Apologies for being unclear. It's a Lenz 100 system (with controller) and external transformer: Price £200

Yes, going for a prototypical approach of this: