winterbournecm

I intend to matt varnish one clean one apart from the data panel & nacco signs and apply a little brown weathering powder and see what happens.

Hi fellas - thanks for the support! Ian I think a panel is quite technical for a manual Signalman like me. But a nice idea! You're right Rick. I enjoy having a mix up of coaches, blue/grey with NSE or Intercity sprinkled in. I dont really go back beyond 1979, but dad does, so we'll have lots of blue & yellow with green & maroon on his monster layout later this summer. Traction mag has thrown up some wonderful images during the "change-over" a peak in green with a small yellow panel on a complete rake of blue & grey, Blue westerns (1967) with maroon coaches. Dad has famous cine footage of 3 x warships on the Up Riviera at Hayle, two blue and a green sandwiched in the middle! Glory days eh? I was tad young for 800's on the main lineas I'm 1969 vintage. Making a start on the harbour scene soon, so will be popping over to your thread occasionally!

Here are some pictures of my recently purchased Dapol, Kernow Models limited edition Silver Bullets. I'm delighted with them. The weathered bullets sit on the reception at Sandy Hill Close up of the end detail on the wagons. Contrast between the gleaming Dapol standard wagons & Kernow specials. The wagons in the carriage sidings for effect.

I HAVE THEM AT LAST! Here straight out of the shop this afternoon. I'm not going to say much, I think they're awesome. I'll let the pictures speak for themselves... Hope you get some soon.....

Hey - I'm early turn PZ so can pop in later to collect mine - wont hold my breath though.

Here are the buildings almost completed. Just need gutters etc... and signs for the pub. Here's the real Sloop pub in St Ives: Here's my 00 gauge attempt: Here are the cottages:

I think a preserved class 60 would be popular. Is there any way of running one without the silencer? The 37/9's had very little thrash when they had silencers fitted. I bet they'd sound fab with that deep growl unleashed!

Found a shot of 37413 (I think) passing Par in the early 90s with the down Bullet empties, obviously when they were being cleaned. Pity it wasnt a sunny day though.

Hi mate - lovely new photos. Love the thousand with the clays - looks like the loops at Lostwithiel (where I am today - early turn in gloriuos sunshine - no 1000's though). I'm about to start on the harbour scene on my layout and wanted to know what you used for sand. I love the dunes and steep cliffs you've done. But being a Hayle man, I would wouldn't I? Cheers mate

Now that I have the signals done, I have started on the last scenic area of the layout. It is in an awkward spot, about 18 inches clearance infront of the plated over garage door. It is a recessed area, with the tracks some 10 inches high running over a bowl shaped harbour on a viaduct. The viaduct is almost set track curves so will be a wooden structure on piers (like Hayle - the town I grew up in). The scene with have a Cornish theme, with a slipway and buildings loosely based on St Ives. I dont have room for the Tate unfortunately! The habour walls and some cottages are almost done, and I need to start constructing the layers of cliff / grass bank now. I brought some polystyrene ready carved cliff face when in California, and dad is planning to get me some more soon. It does look the business when painted. I'm looking for accurate OO gauge yellow sand for the bay, any ideas?

Thankyou for the kind comments. I love the modern image tag, sometimes BR blue seems so retro these days. There were hardly any BR blue locos running at the recent WOE show at Carn Brea, so I wonder if we are a narrow band of guys modelling this era. There's so much RTR bang up to date EWS freight vehicles that the BR range is a bit flat. Be nice to have a proper Freightliner flat, iron ore wagons etc... I'll upload some recent running evening "visitors" from the future.... A Pendolino 390 sits in plat 2 at Mount Charles Dorset Voyager runs into Mount Charles 57011 runs into the Reception at Sandy Hill with a freightliner service

A lovely arrival from Rails heralded the new Dapol silver bullets which sat well at home with 37671. Two weathered ones to follow: Finding a bit of time to crack on with Tregrehan harbour & viaduct. Will post some pictures of that soon.

Only two for now, but two weathered ones in the bag as well. This is right at the extremes of my era... NICE though Very pleased with them. Will I be tempted with the matt varnish & brown weathering powders though hmmmm

Hi there, I'm a Signalman in the area who also covers the Mobile Operations Manager role so have PTS. This area is regularly patrolled for the clip cupboards we have there. I was there officially! It's difficult to get close ups without being inside the complex or railway side, which I why I grabbed them when I did! Oops didnt realise they weren't the correct wagons

As promised - some close ups of the Silver bullet graveyard at Burngullow. A few points of note: The wagons seem to be simply brake dust / running dirt - no clay residue at all. They weren;t absolutely filthy as the Kernow ones seem to imply. I would suggest that a coat of matt varnish and some brown weathering powder would tone the ex works one nicely. Note how the running numbers, ID plate have been cleaned at some point. Who knows - these wagons may once again take Cornish white gold away from the Duchy!

I forgot to mention. There are U Tube clips of the layout. Follow the link from this one to find more - happy viewing!!

here are two exploded versions with some text added. I have also added some construction shots to illustrate the dual level complexity of the layout. The station before decorating began The far corner Isis plant taking shape How mad is this? The Sandy Hill area, which the lower levels had to be done before the "lid" of the yard was put on Sandy Hill station baseboards Platforms in The plaster embankment being made

I have drawn a trackplan, but have omitted any writing on it to aid viewing it. I will do some exploded versions to show the detail up close. I havent drawn the hidden sidings under Mount Charles station for obvious reasons, but there are five long roads under the main station which can accomodate 6 coach rakes of coaches. The freight is mainly set up for each trip as required, though a MGR rake is pretty much permanently out on the layout. This simply uses the reception roads at Sandy Hill to run round (a bit like Didcot) and have a engine change from time to time. I wanted a layout with a lot of operational interest. It combined some of my favourite features e.g. Alex Dock Jn Newport with its double ended yard. Bescot TMD with a little station in front of it. A 4 platformed terminus like Penzance, but with more freight handling. The new yard at Paddington for aggregate unloading has been included at Mount Charles. A branch to accomodate the units and give "newbies" a bit of experience without doing much damage! I also liked the idea of the locomotives needing a run to the shed for fuel or servicing, which is where the TMD being set away from the main station came in. it's always nice to see locos charging away from the platform ends to shed - a bit like Paddington - OOC or Kings Cross to FP. The shed turners are always busy. The layout has two main operators, the main station and branch/yard. Both can work independently but need to be in constant communication for moves, especially fouling the main lines. Another controller is provided for the hidden sidings and a third person can set up or withdraw trains from the main layout as required. The hidden sidings are the layout's achillies heel, but a neccessity unfortunately. The # symbol shows where the branch dives under the layout & re appears, and the * symbol shows where the main lines run underneath the layout to/from the storage area. The layout is essentially a squashed "S" shape. It's a difficult layout to draw actually!

Fantastic work there. As a Cornish Railwayman working around the district you've done wonders. Nice to seeit set in modern image too.

Thanks for the comments, I realised 50050 doesn't have the grab rails, but thought altering the front may be a disaster! The rockfaces are essentially plaster paris set in rubber moulds and then painted. I have a selection of shots of work in progress on my web site.

142's visit the weathering shops. The FGW is Yogi's...

Thanks Owen, I'll draw one up today and scan it in. The 37 and 47 fleet are the back bone of the layout really. Must upload more class 50 photos. Heres a couple 50050 Fearless waits with the Paddington 50035 with a stopper at Sandy Hill

Last ones for tonight! A running night from last year, good turn out. The terminus with semaphores at Bishops Bronescombe Hopefully you've seen most angles of the layout. There's still a harbour & viaduct scene to do, but this gives a flavour of the layout, scenery, stock and locomotives that I run.

Sandy Hill yard, Low Level & Branch to Bishops Bronescombe: Loco holding sidings: Crane road, Jasmin Alan estate Overview of area General yard view including S&T compound: 25 on the branch Arriva 150 passes the Panel box The Bronescombe tripper 08799 does the honours: The Low Level station:

Coronation Street around to Sandy Hill High Level: 47591 having backed off an incoming arrival The Panel at Sandy Hill: Looking back along the cutting at Coronation Street: Cornish 37's in abundance. 37678 in the headshunt of the yard with 37670 & 671 departing with the cement. Sandy Hill High Level station & MPD: 47148 assits a dead 56013 through Sandy Hill The fuel roads: The MPD on a Saturday - note books ready: EWS day with brothers visiting locos