GMKAT7

Bad case of loving you - Robert Palmer.

Good afternoon folks,

Well, just as I have got my Cambrian D1369 kit ready for LBSCR livery  painting what gets announced!? 😃

Anyway, an order will be going in for another LBSCR one, just have to be careful how I number the kit-built one.

Like Rob G (NHY 581), a brake van would be appreciated too.Cheers

Edit: spelling error (van not can).

Single vee hanger LBSCR model now ordered 😃.

Cheers, Nigel.

Lay lady lay - Bob Dylan.

Good Times - Chic.

Good evening folks,

Perhaps it's a Norwegian Blue wagon and has 'ceased to be'.

Or, blended in with the background?

Cheers, Nigel.

Wishing on a star - Rose Royce.

King in a Catholic style - China Crisis.

Oh boy - Buddy Holly.

On the road again - Canned Heat.

The court of the crimson king - King Crimson.

Back in black - AC/DC.

Good morning folks,

Seeing gwrrob's photos I am glad I have got a couple on pre-order.

Like steamingwales and Mark S, there are so many tempting new wagons appearing. I am tempted to acquire some more.

Good shout 46444 on the music, I will have an 'ear worm' now about Heaven 17 😄

Cheers, Nigel.

Angel of Harlem - U2.

The first cut is the deepest -P P Arnold.

When poets dreamed of angels - David Sylvian.

No one in the world - Anita Baker.

Breathe - Pink Floyd.

Take me I'm yours - Squeeze.

Hounds of love - Kate Bush.

Good evening folks,

To me it was a real change seeing Gregor Fisher in the tv series The Tales of Para Handy, compared to his Rab C character.

Being joined by some of the other Rab C regulars made it an interesting watch, not knowing any of the history of the stories.

Cheers, Nigel.

Edit:  I even started using the phrase "more steam McPhail, more steam" when we needed to get a wriggle on when out drinking, etc.

Of course none of my friends had a scooby what I was on about 😆

Good afternoon folks,

Having had an Airfix 14xx, which I detailed using the Iain Rice/Mainly Trains kit and then moved it on, I am keenly anticipating the new Dapol version when it arrives.

Having read of the horror stories about the Hattons/DJM one I gave it a swerve.

However, the 517 is exerting a siren-like call, to keep my SECR locos and SECR/LSWR/LBSCR wagons company.

They look so alluring in the pre-grouping livery.

Want yes, need no 😁

Cheers, Nigel.

Boys don't cry - The Cure.

Good afternoon folks,

Background 

Courthouse Green is the area of Coventry that I was born and brought up in Coventry, prior to moving to Derby in 1978 to work on the 'big railway' as an apprentice.

The front garden of my parents house looked over towards the Coventry Goods Avoiding Line, from Humber Road to Three Spires Junctions, and I often saw Classes 25, 40 and 47 trundling up and down on mixed freights, container trains (Chrysler car parts) and the like.

There was a local goods yard, but this was known as Bell Green Goods after a larger nearby part of the city. Latterly this ended up as a car delivery location (Silcocks), using only two sidings of the former yard. As a memorial to a vanished childhood the layout will be known as Courthouse Green Goods.

(Un)reality

The starting point for the layout/shunting plank is Rob Gunstone's (Mr Sheepbloke) micro he built early in 2024, otherwise known as 'The New Year Quicky'. The basic board is one of Rob's IKEA shelf layouts, which he had laid the track on and wired up. Track is Code 75 for the main layout, with Code 100 Set track oddments for the fiddle yard.

Edit 1:  The main board is 1100 x 260m, whilst the FY board is 590 x 260mm. So, I think within the micro layout limits.

I acquired the layout from Rob, along with another IKEA product - a 'Presby' shelf. In addition, I also acquired a Drewry (03) shunter and a Swindon Type DH 0-6-0 (95xx). Rob also let me have his spare copy of the Iain Rice book on cameo layouts, perfect for the new layout.

Having looked at various threads on RMWeb for inspiration I have now taken the plunge and started the scenery basics. No track laying and wiring required (bonus) so onto the track basics.

Humbrol 29 Dark Earth was used as the initial track colour and this was followed up with my own home-brewed weathering mix, basically Humbrol 29 mixed in with Revell Aqua anthracite and other various black/grey oddments.

Next stage will be ballasting, using DCC Concepts ballast, Shed/Steam colour mixture.

The photos show the basic plank layout and the FY, which I am toying with making scenic as well (will need track painting etc).

The photos also show the proposed location of the main/larger structures, to be supplemented by huts various and the other usual railway clutter. The buffer stops are all Peco for Code 75 track, just loosely positioned until the ballasting is complete and they are painted.

Structure acquisition/completion is to run alongside ballasting, etc - kits have been purchased already for this.

Edit2: Although inspired by Rob G's rural/bucolic layouts and others such as Captain Kernow's Bethesda Goods. I am also drawn to the 'hemmed-in' urban/industrial look, such as Captain K's Callow Lane or Gilbert (Chris') Cropper Street. So, the full scenic treatment is still TBC.

The photos show the layout in BR (SR) mode, but since my collection covers all BR regions except ScR, pre-grouping SECR and pre-WW2 LMS, it will necessarily be a 'Hi-Ho silver lining' layout (everywhere and nowhere, baby).

Anyway, enough blather for now, on with the ballasting and building!

Cheers, Nigel.

Good morning folks,

As an adherent to Mr Wolf's theorem I have managed to collect 7 Panniers so far, but moved on my 2 kits to make room for a couple of Bachmann prairies (1 x 45xx and 1 x 4575) plus a Hornby 61xx.

All eBay buys, which seemed to be bargains at the time.

However, the force is still strong and next year should see the arrival of number 8, the Accurascale 57xx.

Which may make the others look sad 😢

The Bachmann ones will still soldier on though, and the Rapido 15xx is slowly building up mileage on my test track whilst the shunting layout takes shape (layout thread to follow shortly).

Cheers, Nigel.

Edit 1: Layout thread now started in the Micro Layouts area, under the title of Courthouse Green Goods.

It will not reach the level of Kevin's scenic delights, nor those of Bethesda Goods, Aston-on-Clun, Stoke Courtenay or Rob G's  amongst many wonderful inspirations.

Edit 2: Just to be contrary, my layout thread shows a B4 playing with wagons various, kit-built and RTR (Rapido, Kernow).

Me, Myself, I - Joan Armatrading.