Rhysb

Mike,

Looks great with the curtain attached. I am speaking with the back scene people about making up the back scene for Wessex Junction based on my Somerset panorama's. Could you not use these for Oak Road?

Thanks

Rhys

Sorry Ian, Missed the new topic! Looking forward to this as never got to experience the previous Exford!

Thanks

Rhys

Is that fence the right colour Mike?

Looks great bud

Looks great Scott, looking forward to more updates!

Any plans to put in 3rd rail?

During my day job, I recruit for the UKs Waste and Recycling Sector......so last night, I thought I'd do some recycling of my own and turn this.....

 

Left Overs.jpg

 

.....in to this.....

 

Post and Rail.jpg

 

....and then in to this....

 

Looks like a paddock.jpg

 

....and then ran out of material!     All being well, I'll have some more bits and pieces to continue running it parallel to the end backscene by the end of the week. 

 

The whole idea is that the post and rail fence has trees behind it up to the backscene and separates the camping field from the woods.

 

And talking of camp sites......someone sneaked in and parked their bus on it.........

 

Camp Site.jpg

Do they not know that Glastonbury is not on this year??

What brand are those spray paints in the last picture... 

Hi all,

Just a quick update of where we are!

As many of you know the house move is shortly upon me so while this will be brilliant for the space dedicated to the new layout it meant that the old one needed to be packed away. The other half was away for the weekend so before everything got ripped up and boxed away it was time for a final running session.

Stalwart of the Wessex Junction layout, here a class 158 heads south to Portsmouth on the mid morning Cardiff-Pompey rotation:

Shortly followed by a new member to the fleet heading north. 205 Thumper heads to Avonbury from Romsey and Southampton:

On the other side of the layout we see a stone working heading back towards the Mendips. Traction must have been in short supply as a tractor was drafted in for this one!

Meanwhile normal service resumed with a class 59 on a similar working

Finally some good old 47's. These images hopefully show the variance in liveries operated on the WOE during 1992 and 1993. 47474 is shortly due to be renumbered into 47712 with the NSE flashes etc.

Firstly 2 pass each other on the farm bridge in the Wylye Valley:

474's last service before she heads off for re-numbering:

So the inevitable deconstruction of the layout will begin. It may be a few months before the first signs of life in the new house but will keep posting updates on the track plan and reworking of the loco's

Thanks

Rhys

That's another show under my belt and more good experience gained.

 

The New Forest Show (Brockenhurst) went almost without fault and with invaluable help from Dave, Ian and Rich (Rhys was apparently watching some excuse for a football team lose in the Championship play off final so didn't make it  ), we had a great time. Shorting out the DCC control is becoming less and less as we start to get used to moving stock around the layout and nearly every point motor behaved itself! To be fair, there were very few running issues and I'm feeling rather proud of myself for managing to build a fairly reliable layout.

 

On Saturday, Ian brought some more of his 80s stock so that we could mix things up a bit from the modern day HSTs, and on Sunday, we had Rich's 90s trains providing a nice distraction from the blue and green snakes. 

 

For me personally, it was a chance to play trains at a very relaxed show, and for the crew to be able to answer questions from visitors on layout building, DCC control, scenery techniques (I'm not sure I'm the best person to be asking) and how we made our trains look weathered. 

 

Lessons learned:

a) Make sure I mark up which boards fit on top of each other for stacking together - it will save time in packing the layout up!

b) Hurry up and get the barrier for the front of the layout to stop people damaging the scenery

c) Remember to charge up the drill during the show so that it doesn't go flat when taking the layout down!

d) Try and allow enough space between the neighbouring layouts so that people don't keep knocking stuff off the track, or opening up board joints due to the layout being rocked.

e) Fix the board joint issue between the Ansford Road Bridge board and the Station Yard board!

 

All in all, it was a fantastic weekend and on behalf of myself, Dave, Ian and Rich, would like to thank the New Forest Model Railway Society for inviting us along with Oak Road and making the exhibition very enjoyable. Would we go again, or recommend the show to anyone else? Most definitely!   

 

Next up, Gaugemaster at the beginning of September.

I wish I had been in Brockenhurst now! :-(

I've never been a great admirer of the Metcalfe Kits but you've done a cracking job on them Rhys and you've captured the look of BoA perfectly

I agree Mike. They can be good bases to build upon but the standard kits do not provide a finished product. I don't like the fact they don't provide a solution to cover fold marks etc.

Hi all,

House move is dragging on so the layout updates have been quiet. This has given me the chance to continue to build any buildings or things that I can box away ready for the move.

So I have completed the other station building for the Westford on Avon (Bradford on Avon) station. As will the other building I have "edited" the metcalfe building to create something closer to the bath stone original. As discussed my layout is 1992-93 in era but I have kept the old GWR bits that are still in the station today to provide a bit of heritage.

Sited here with the other building. Very happy with these.

Saw this layout at trainwest today and was really impressed. My favourite at the whole show.

One question I have is regards the Backscene. In this post you mention it is an ID backscene but today at the show it the one in place looks like a custom one?

Also really liked the pylons.

Great job

Scott,

Nice to see your layout and looking forward to seeing it take shape. Nice to see another layout in the Wessex region!

Looking forward to the updates. The 159's normally just need a good greasing around the motor gears. Works for me!

Thanks

Rhys

Etched plates and numbers etc. have arrived for 47500 but I won't be fitting them just yet as I think it may take some time to remove the printed / current transfers and I don't want to rush things. Also a new set of vac plates arrived giving me another renumber option for the future.

Otherwise just a few late Summer Saturday 1987 trains run under twilight this evening:-

 

73137 with a late additional parcels service from Eastleigh to Clapham Junction, diverted via Reading and Kensington Olympia

20180317_202132.jpg

 

50021 Rodney crawls through Acton Green on 1V19 19:20 Manchester - Paddington

20180317_202535.jpg

 

Vac bashers have been disappointed as 47500 is turned out on the down midnight 1C02 23:59 Padd-Penzance 

20180317_202849.jpg

20180317_202912.jpg

 

Waiting for the last tube "downstairs" at Acton Green

20180317_203057.jpg

 

Cheers

Stu

Looks great Stu. Evening lighting adds great atmosphere

Thanks

Rhys

Great Work Richard, The spacing does make a great difference and looks great on your layout as well as Mike's. Looking forward to seeing how the branch line looks alongside the main tracks.

Bullhead code 75 for me everywhere being in the Wessex region in the early 90's!

Thanks

Rhys

I now have official confirmation that Oak Road will be attending Brockenhurst show in May, making that 5 shows this year - I never thought I'd get so much interest for a layout that's been a massive experiment! That's well and truly it now for 2018 because I just don't have the time to fit any more dates in.

 

In the back of my mind, I'm already hatching a plan for the 'Real Castle Cary' which compared to building Oak Road should be an absolute doddle......

 

......but let's get this one finished first!     

 

So you will be taking the train when you come to play trains at Wessex Junction! 

Hey all,

Apologies it has been a little while since my last update but I have some good news and some bad news...

Firstly better start with the bad news: I am moving house! Thus the loft will be staying and I need a new place to put the layout! Plus this has meant progress has slowed meaning less updates!

Now the good news. I am moving back to Somerset and my new house has a nice big outbuilding next to the garage which means I get my railway room! Fully insulated proper room and its bigger than my loft now so more space! This means we will see some additions to the track plan. The layout idea remains pretty much the same but the expansion will come on the Heart of Wessex branch line and I'm also looking to drop in a Mendip Quarry. It really will be all things Wessex!

Good news for Mike (Oak Road) is il be about 1 mile from Castle Cary so I'm sure I can help him out there!

Anyway I'm really happy as this means I'm getting the chance to really do things properly. The updates will not stop but just for a few months you will not see more landscaping and track but I am going to focus on the buildings and other things I can build for the layout now so will make things quicker when I get into the new space.

And without further a do... Here is something I have been working on...

One of the stations on the layout "Westford on Avon" is a tribute to Bradford on Avon. This will be a pretty much copy of the actual location but as the whole layout is inspired by the Wessex region it won't be exact.

The first photo above is the view from what will be Platform 1 over to Platform 2 where this sits. What I have done is use the Metcalfe kit but added proper bath stone texturing which is what the actual building is constructed from. This is scale scenes sheets as I could not find any plasticard or formed stuff that looks anything like cotswold bath stone. 

The real station today has been kept in a heritage look with the GWR chocolate & cream dominating structures so "Westford on Avon" will be the same. I have added 90's regional railways signage mixed with heritage posters and GWR "nods to the past!"

Above another view towards the platform side of the station. I will in time add the valance to the platform canopies but can't decide on what to do there yet. Whether to use the one supplied in the Metcalfe kit which looks great or try and exactly match the one at BOA. We will see!

Above opposite end of the station as viewed if standing on the end of platform 2. Below is some views from the other side: firstly from the taxi/drop off/bus stop area, secondly the view from the car park and finally with a bus added for effect!

I need to add some more finishing touches but once it is on the platform with benches etc in front and other furniture I think it will look good. I will look to clad the roof with some proper plastic sheets for texture and also add some internal lights.

Im happy with this first attempt and I'm sure as my modelling skills get better i will rip it up and make something a little bit more scratch built rather than kit bashed but happy for now.

Now onto the Avonbury (Salisbury) station buildings aaarrrrggghhhh!!!!

Thanks

Rhys

I was cringing at the thought of travelling from Paddington to Penzance on one of them!

There really is nothing like the good old HST and a mk3! I think they have borrowed the seats from the new Easyjet series!

Like the lights Mike, Platforms are looking really good and coming together nicely. Looking forward to bringing some DMU’s into the bay platform while you wizz some HST’s round.

See you bright and early on Saturday!

Rhys

Hi Jamie

 

It funny you should think of Bescot, I took lots of pics of it when I was planning the layout! It was definitely used as inspiration as well as Hedge End station near Southampton which I also spent time looking at. In the end I used the Scalescenes download and built it the opposite way around to give the station entrance at the end I wanted. It was also stretched by an extra 20mm and the cardboard overlaid with plasticard sheets on the roof and walls to give relief and extra strength.

Layout looks great Ian, really looking forward to trying to remember all the routes for the Romsey show. Your right in the fact that the chalk bank is less pronounced now with the extra greenery. Great job.

Pretty sure the scalescenes kit is based on Trowbridge. I built a mockup sometime ago for my layout too but this was dropped for Bradford on Avon.

Ian,

Love the detail in the station area. Adds some great atmosphere!

Rhys

Platform looks great Ian! Is the brickblocking, drains etc a texture sheet or a card sheet?

Thanks

Rhys

Stunning layout! Really captures the area. Cannot wait for more photos of this layout! This is definitely followed!

Are you able to post a panorama image showing the layout in the loft?

Thanks

Rhys B

Ian,

Looks great, like the little retaining wall.

Surely won’t be long until we can play trains at Tidworth again!

Just found this and really enjoying the setup so far. Have no input to offer on the station I'm afraid as I'm very much in the 'lay track and ask questions later' school of planning, but it is already looking good.

 

Looking forward to more. Good luck.

Rich

Thanks Rich, appreciate your comments. I have always admired your Oxford Road layout particularly the underground section. Always made me want to do a London terminus!

Haha no problem Mike! That suede stuff is probably one of our most toxic aerosols!! Bet you can’t wait for our new water based no smell stuff!

PS it’s Plastikote not Plasticote! I’m always thinking of the SEO haha!!

Looking forward to seeing the pictures!

And for some action shots!

Former NSE class 159 (now SWT) heading south to Avonbury (Salisbury) from Bristol Temple Meads to London Waterloo:

Thanks

Rhys