CazRail

Today I got chance to build one board from the delivery of materials I had yesterday. I decided to crack on with the layout towards the Llangefni section, the next board to be built will be board 1, which will be the last board towards Llangwyllog. During construction... The finished board, I have fitted the dowels for board alignment, which is what is being tested here. The base layer of the polystyrene sheet ready to lay cork, then building the landscape up where required, and down where required.

To me, it depends where you're basing your layout, and on what. For example, if you're modelling a marshalling yard in the 50s, you'll be needing a lot of wagons, and a decent few locos and two or three shunters. A modern TMD for example you can have enough to populate the depot, and maybe some fuel tank wagons. Then again, its your own collection and you can have whatever you want in it!

Looking forward to see the Traws extentiom to your layout, I pass it daily on my way to work, so it will be interesting to see. How much of the mile do you plan to model?

Thankyou Nick, much appreciated. Had another couple of hours free at my Mam's today, meaning I could get on with some more work on the bridge. Today's task was the bracing along the side of the bridge, of which there are 3 each side on bridge 21. A very fiddly job but as with anything to do with scratch building, take your time and all will be fine! Overall view of the side with finished bracing. One side still needs finishing, the bottom bracket for the braces are all in. Compare the model with the actual bridge 21. I'm not working from any drawings or measurements, just photos and memory. There's 4 or 5 examples of these quite pleasing looking structures, as far as I know all within the Llangefni area. Comments welcome!

With the materials for the boards arriving on Tuesday, i decided to get on with the construction of bridge 21. I decided to scrap my first attempt mid way through the build, as I wasnt happy with the ends of the bridge sides. Therefore I started from the start with the bridge's superstructure, using 20thou for the main platework, cut to shape with strips of 20thou around the edges. I then used 1.5mm "L" section for the lattice work. As part of this I lengthened the structure by 20mm. The first version of this sort of bridge I made I used a sheet of 20thou as a base, but this time Im making a representation of framework, then putting longitudinal timbers and decking in top. Ill be using 4mm ply strips for the longitudinals, and will also be including a checkrail in the innermost rail as per the real bridge 21.

Some timber and ply on order, a bag of screws and some square brackets ordered. Ive decided to go down the route of making my own baseboards, which will be of the same or similar dimensions and fully compatible with what I already have.Ive chosen this option for more flexibility, compatability and cost.

Apologies for lack of updates, my technology is letting me down somewhat! However, I'm still regularly updating my Facebook page with little updates as I'm going along until I get a better/more reliable camera. I'm also glad to say that Llyn Cefni will be attending it's first exhibition in April 2019. All details yet to be announced. Cheers, Caz

Cheers Matt. The section through the Dingle and towards Amlwch look brilliant!

Created a Facebook page for my layout.. https://www.facebook.com/Llyn-Cefni-A-section-of-the-Amlwch-Branch-157984045069327/

Very interested in this? A few 175s would definately join my fleet! Maybe a cheeky 180! Any progress?

I'd definately be interested in possibly one 2-car and one 3-car. Maybe more...

Very interesting watch. Your idea with the bullhead in 60ft panels on your branchline is very good! Good stuff, Richard.

Looking forward to it!

We still re-rail bullhead all the time, a lot of it around Machynlleth's area.

I drive under it every day, and every time I do I look up at where the deck should be! I worked on that bridge clearing vegetation around it around 3 years ago, all grown back now. This is a model of a similar bridge which is in the Dingle to the north of Llangefni station.

Thanks, Nick. Some more progress this afternoon, with more styrene strip and Wills wood planking sheets...

Small progress yesterday evening by adding post and wire fencing for the railway boundary. I used the Scale Model Scenery product, which is very good although can be a tad fiddly. I think its quite amazing how just adding the fence makes such a difference to a layout. More to come, hopefully a delivery of materials for the bridge today.

Had some spare time tonight so I pressed on with the construction of my lattice bridge. Using a mix of Wills culvert kit and matching stone wall plastic sheet, I created the abutments and wing walls for the bridge, which were glued onto a piece of balsa wood for strength. Then, I pressed on to add the rails to the longitudinal timbers. First job was to dismantle a short length of Peco bullhead, and begin to cut the chairs away from the rest of each sleeper. This then allowed me to thread the chairs back on one rail, space them out, and then glue them to one longitudinal. I then did then same to the other rail and longitudinal and then by putting a sleeper either end of the longitudinal I gauged the rails and glued to the base. I then just test fitted everything together, to see how it looks... Not the actual bridge, but this will give you an idea of what I'm trying to achieve. Ok, the density of the lattice isn't correct etc, but I'm very happy with it. (not my photo) This is the actual bridge... (again not my photo) So there it is so far, This is definitely my most difficult scratch-build so far but I've had no moment of rage yet this this one! Feel free to ask questions!

Progress... The bushes lineside have been beefed up, and a path laid for the footpath, which crosses the line. For this I've scratch built a foot crossing from styrene strip. Ive also made the desicion to extend the layout further towards Llangefni, incoroprating one of the many small bridges in the 'dingle' which is the forrest/nature reserve in Llangefni. This gives me opportunity to scratch-build one of the branch's lattice girder bridges. An example of these is crossing the highstreet at Llangefni. Ive begun the building of this bridge, using Evergreen 20thou sheet and u-section for the lattice itself. In an attempt to make the lattice work uniform throughout the structure, ive chosen a 45° angle, and been working from the centre of the structure outwards. For the purpose of making sure the lattice is square and parallel, i created a little jig shown here; For the base, ive taken a piece of styrene sheet, strengthened with two strips of balsawood, which double as longitudual timbers to support the rails. The bits inbetween and either side will be 'boarded' either using floorboard plasticard sheet or styrene strip in the same way I made the foot crossing. Hope to do more on this this week, need to order more u-channel for the lattice, rail chairs and a length of peco bullhead. Ill also need to buy a couple of baseboards!

Looks great! Looking forward to see your HSTs passing on these curves

Been getting on with these wagons now, and theyre looking good. All built, so my attention moved to the wheels. I've never used brass compensation units before, and was apprehensive about buying some incase I messed them up. So, I decided to go with making some myself using CAD software DesignSpark and 3D printing them via Shapeways... They're fitted with 2mm shouldered bearings (Markits) and then have Cambrian suspension unit moulding on the front.

I'm not sure of the stereo, my dad's hobby is that! Nothing in terms of progress, but plan to extend the 'dry land' into the lake to blend it in a bit better. Im also getting ready to buy a second corner board and straight board to extend the layout both ways. Any progress and Ill post it up Thanks, Caz.

Got on this with this loco today... Currently waiting for the varnish to dry, then on with fitting it out and onto some chassis...