Andy_C

A quick photo of the tip/railway room. I'll tidy it down again once the ballsting of the station board is complete. I can't run anything anyway, whilst ballasting, as all my point motor rod holes are covered...

The 1st photo shows bubbling after PVA'ing the ballast to the siding next to P3. I'ver no idea why this happened at all. All glues, alcohol mixtures used were the same as before. It did settle back down after 24 hours, so thankfully will only need a bit of remedial work. The 2nd image is of the ballasted track between P1 and P2. The track hasn't been cleaned off, or any stray bits of chinchilla sand removed yet. I tend to do that at the end of the ballasting of a section or area. I'm very pleased with how this has turned out, as the track ballast for the original stn was flat like this. I may need to add a little very fine sand in before weathering, but for now this is ok. The third photo is of the point work, just ballasted, feeding the entrance to the goods sidings at Mansfield. The original diagrams didn't have a loop around the stn in this way. This loop has been added to aid running and functionality. The gaps in the woodwork are where Belvedere St Bridge will be modelled. I've left a bit of latitude as to how this will look. The wood may need cutting further to get closer to the track work - again another TTBD. Not far off the station side ballasting being completed, now. Another couple of good sessions should sort it. I then intend to look at the station platforms, and weather them pre fitting. The track weathering will then dirty the platforms and edges up even more.

Hi there, My research has cost me quite a bit of dosh! In all seriousness, if you need any station maps of the Town (current) station, PM me? As you are local, I can always do Costa if easier! My interpretation will contain many original features, but with some artistic licence to aid functionality and make it more of a 'model' than a 'toy', hopefully.

Fab. Liking the ballast shading…

Hey! Hope you are ok. I suppose it saves me a bit of money, having to wait until then.

When is the Fairburn actually due?

More ballasting, plus cleaning out points from ballast laying that had dried. No point motor foul ups this time. Phew. A couple more solid sessions should have the main areas done. I'm not doing the station area fully until I've weathered the platform edges. The goods yard will be a seperate stage, and I'll start that once I've an idea of where things are going within there i.e. goods shed, goods yard entrance building, cattle dock and small engine shed etc...

My friend @Duncan. An I spent a good hour on a troublesome double slip, believing Farish couldn’t have got the b2b’s wrong on a brand new Class 37. Nuff said. I’ve linked him into this particular reply, as he’s a wizz with this kind of thing… The DCC concepts gauge isn’t expensive. If you have a vernier gauge then you might get away with checking with that?

Hi I had this issue with code 55 eletrofrog double slips. In my case it was a 9f and a Class 37 that’ jumped’. The front axle on the 9f wasn’t correct, and neither were several in the 37. A DCC Concepts b2b gauge was used, and 99% sorted the issue - on 5 out of 6 double slips. The sixth one then needed a bit of delicate filing. Sorted. Hope this helps. Cheers, Andy

@Davexoc - thanks for your response. As I progress on my layout, I do ask questions of various other threads regarding techniques etc, and It's v nice to get a response. Not all do so, which is a shame, really. Once I've ballasted my layout, I'll set up a couple of sample sections to test paint on - saves ruining the actual layout! :-) Thanks again, Andy.

Nice rakes! What combo of colours did you use for track weathering post-ballasting?

Ballasting….😒

Just thought I'd chuck this in again :-) Especially as I currently have at least 9 of their home LMS signals in use. A couple of home junction ones would be very useful.

Very inspirational. When i get to seriously looking at constructing the viaduct for mansfield, i'll be in touch to ask you how you did yours? Any photo's of it's construction will be very useful. Kind regards, Andy.

Excellent progress. I would counter some of your comments, to a degree. Sometimes priorities have to be given to what time you can spend on which bit. My example, as you well know, is the diesel shed and the building that would go with it. It’s one thing to get an ‘out of the box’ building, and not alter it. But it’s another to alter its structure, colour and detail to make it ‘unique’?

+1

A loco motor mounted 4MT would be lovely. i have two tender driven ones - they are ok runners at best.

Somewhat ‘battered’ concrete shed concourse touched up, plus the Dapol signals from yesterday DCC’d… 08 for cosmetic purposes… Diesel shed doors, coping stone foundation plastruct for the coaling stage, and platform ramp for P1/goods platform further painted.

Do ‘we’ like the buffers?🤔

No photos from this weekend in terms of my project, but took several photos at the Doncaster show. These were mainly viaducts and housing, for future reference. Purchased a few bits from Squires whilst there, but resisted the urge to buy more rolling stock. Last night I ballasted the inside of the tunnel - Kirkby side - with woodland scenics ballast. The same brand was used for the start of the viaduct. My aim is to mix that ballast with the chinchilla sieved ballast, which I like the colour of very much. The WS ballast will stop abruptly, and the chinchilla ballast will then continue - replicating replacing a stretch of ballast/line etc. The viaduct at Mansfield looked this way, according to several photos I have. I thought it would look different, as well. Today, whilst waiting for the paint to dry in the half-decorated kitchen, I fitted three more Dapol home signals and wired them up. Why didn’t I buy a crimping tool earlier?😏

Went today. Good mix of layouts and stands. Squires did well out of both me and my mate... @Duncan.😉

The blog format is excellent. Put the link to it under your name on here?

I think expecting fab stuff each quarter is a bit optimistic. I’ll be happy to see the Fairburn sometime this year - I’ve only been waiting 2+ years for that. Plus Rapido and Dapol have a couple of bits coming out I’ll be acquiring(Class 44, and Ivatt 2-6-2 respectively). Each to their own (era and collection) of course….

That rock effect looks very effective, Duncan. I'll be poaching that in due course...

This - works nicely with code 55 N Gauge track. Well worth a practice on a spare bit of track 1st, tho? Another thought is have you tried the magnets under the track? The N Gauge Dapol ones work ok done this way. Just a suggestion...