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Hi, this is one of those dilemmas that everyone will have their own ideas on but you are the one to make the decision! For my two penn'orth, unless it can be easily seen for most viewing angles, I'd go with only one pit, and that being the outside one. However, as I've said, it's up to you to go through the pro's and con's of each idea and then decide. Roja

Hi, operators not taking the time to complete the coupling and brake test operations is one of my bugbears when watching a layout at an exhibition. Once maybe operator error but two? That's when I walk away no matter how high the standard the rest of the layout. Bit like spoiling the shop for a hap'worth of tar! Roja

Hi, I agree. Also needs some subtle weathering and I would also paint the footpath kerb, the ones I've seen are always a different colour to the path and road being made from a type of concrete. Roja

Perfect! Roja

For us of a certain age I think it should be Sage! Roja

I agree. The top of the clump will be fairly well covered in leaves but the underneath just an open mess of stems. I'd add a wee bit more foliage, and some changes in the tones of green. Bramble foliage turns slightly paler, or darker, depending on the species, then gets patches of different shades of brown and beige the later in the year towards autumn. Depending on how late in spring your model is set maybe a few white flowers would help too. Roja

And brambles! Lots of brambles! And nettles! Did I mention brambles? Roja

Experts! Best definition I know of an expert is someone who knows more and more about less and less until they know everything about nothing at all! Roja

You've got to have Tunnock's and Irn Bru delivery vans somewhere on the layout! Roja

Bigger Muddle?

I wholeheartedly agree with this! I seriously think that the model designers never actuctually "look" at the real thing to see what it actually visible! Even enlarged photographs of rolling sock doesn't show all the pipes and undergubbins that they insist on adding unless said vehicle is upside down following an accident! I feel that, for some modellers, it's a case of bragging rights! I know this view will offend some, but that's what I think! If you can't see it on the prototype from the lineside if the train is stood, let alone passing when you're stood on a platform, then what is the point? Surely what is more important is how close the external visible appearance of he model is is to prototype and how well it runs! We run steam locomotives and diesels with electric motors so why don't people complain about that? Imagine, a steam powered 4mm black 5 with working brakes, or a Cl37 with diesel engine, generator, traction motor to each axle,train heating and brakes coupled to a rake of mk1 coaches with wqrking brakes and steam heating! Then imagine the cost! If people want all the bells and whistles then fair enough, but, and it's a big but, what about all of us who just want a model that looks good and runs well at a reasonable price? I model EM, but most of my stock is used, kit or scratchbuilt. It looks good but lacks all the underside details because my philosphy is if I can't see it when on the layout why bother with it! Roja

Hi, I've built all sorts of turnout formations in both N an EM, including, in N, curved single slips and curved 3-way with a minimum radius of 8 inches! Unfortunately I don't have any photos of these. I enjoy building turnouts, but the have to be accurate to work well, and you have to be happy with their appearance or they'll annoy you to the point of madness! The curved 3-way took, I think, 6 attempts, before I was happy with it. I recently built a double slip in EM, which works okay, but I have a couple of niggles about it's appearance so, when I get the time, I'll either rebuild part of it, or maybe in it's entirety. I thing I do is only use copperclad sleepers in the critical areas of the turnout, such as support for the crossing nose and associated wing rails, and 4, sometimes 5, timbers to which the blades are soldered and 1, maybe 2, either side of the tie bar and 1 at the end of each road to assist keeping gauge and when laying with other track. The rest of the timbers are wood strip. As a rule, unless it's one of the critical areas, I only use 1 copperclad sleep in every 3 or 4 to maintain gauge. Also, I've never been too concerned about the thickness of the copperclad. A thin shim of card or plasticard under the timbers in question can be inserted when the turnout is laid, and/or during construction, and this subterfuge is easily hidden when ballasted. I have bought copperclad of a nominal thickness which was actually thinner, but worked around it as suggested. After all, like everything else, copperclad is now an expensive commodity, so I try to waste as little as possible during construction. Roja

Depends on the time of year. From mid summer to late autumn bramble fruits will range from a pale white-ish green through to glossy black with a hint of purple whilst raspberries range from the same pale colour to a nice pinkish red. Apart from that, in 7mm, there's not much difference in the appearance of the plants. Roja

Mm, brambles! Being Glenfinnan, maybe there should be some wild raspberries in the mix! Roja

Is it me or is that kink near the turnout getting worse? I know it would be a PITA to fix but it would be well worth it both for appearance and running. Roja

Well, that's an interesting article! I may have research further the use of a K1 chassis with some A4 parts! That's going to be sometime in the future, though, and, as ever, dependant on funds! Still.... Roja

Modellers Law strikes again! I've just opened my download copy of Railway Modeller and guess what's in it? Gresley K4 described! 😂 Roja

Hi, that is a train of my dreams! There's a place for expresses but I prefer gentle meanderings giving time to appreciate the views! Roja

Hi, just a wee bit of proof I've done a few things recently! This is a Hornby CR pug repainted from it's blue livery to a more workaday BR livery and converted to EM. It need a small tender, which is the next project. Next is a K4. This is a modified Hornby B17 body attached to a Bachmann K3 chassis and cab with new steam pipes. It needs hand rails fitting, for which I was going to use the existing holes, even though I know they're in the wrong position, but now I'm beginning to have second thoughts about moving it to the correct position. They both need some more work. More weathering, expecially their motion, crews added and new couplings. Paints are acrylic and the transfers a mix of Railtec and Fox. I'll convert the K4 to EM at a later date but for now it'll run on Whitfield, once I complete the wiring. I know the weathering looks a bit blotchy, but there's a good reason for this, as I tell myself! As a change from all the layouts that feature fine weather, and the occassional frosty/snowy ones, St Mungo's is going to be set in a heavy rain storm. This means researching the appearance of trains, and in particular steam locomotives, and how rain changes this. I had to make a choice, trains in motion or stationary, as this changes how they look, and I choose stationary as St Mungo's is a terminus. So boilers are relatively dry but other parts, such as the top of the footplate, are wet. All good fun! And not forgetting the rolling stock and infrastructure! Plenty of scope for puddles! Onwards and upwards! Roja

That gate post is going to get a bashing leaving some scratches on the trailer! Roja

Hi, definitely animal carcases, although I can't be certain as to what they are: pig, sheep or even calves. Before WW2 farm stock was allowed to grow larger than to day, especially sheep and pigs, until being processed for our comsumption. If they are being imported I wonder where they were from? Roja

Hi, I must admit that, like many others, I'm really impressed by the standard of your work with these kits, and their speed of construction. Are you some sort of sorceror who can manipulate time so that you can build these and still get on with normal life?😄 Roja

Hi Philip, I have a bit of a butterfly personality when it comes to modelling! I keep it under control for sometime then it escapes and madness follows! I've always like the ES1 since seeing picture of one in the Observer Book of Locomotives way back in the early 60's! I shall get one sooner or later! The Cathcart Circle had the wires put up in the early 60's for the Blue Trains. Dmu's rarely visited so it's only natural that my branch should have wires too. I'm currently figuring out a way I can add the third rail in a way that it's fairly easy to add/remove when needed. However, in my Universe St Mungo's has a direct link, via a circuituos route, to Glasgow Central that is not electrified so I have an excuse to run cl100, 101 and 107 dmu's plus a 120 on the scenic Land Cruise that used to run. The advantage of a small layout, such as St Mungo's, is that the way the station is portrayed - the building is low relief and mostly hidden by the platform canopies and the signal box off scene - is that it's easy to change companies and eras, especially with what few vehicles and figures will be on it. It wasn't designed with this in mind but it's a happy accident! After posting on Dewchurch yesterday there is a possibility, just a possibility, that Southern and Great Western stock may be making an appearance too! I have an appointment with a shrink on Friday!😁 Roja

Well, I'm still here, still weaiting for the move, but I haven' idle. At least, not all the time! St Mungo's is still packed away, but I have a feeling that it will soon see the light of day so I can detail and weather the track after checking the electrics. I have a Scalescenes canal wharf boxfile to complete. This is to EM gauge so it can be attached to my distillery boxfile. I've converted a cheap Hornby CR pug to EM and repainted it black. It needs numbering and weathering. I'm going to build a tender that was attached to some of these loco's so that I can place a dcc chip, and possibly a speaker, inside it. Shapeways have several variants on their site, regarding size and coupling options, but the postage charge made my eyes water and my heart skip a beat! Scratchbuild it is then! Awaiting converion to EM, and some other bits and details, is a Southern Pride 2EPB unit. This will form part of the stock for when I run St Mungo's as a Tyneside terminus. One day I'd like an ES1 locomotive, and a couple more emu's. Currently I'm at the stage of adding transfers to a K4 I've cobbled together. This is a modified Hornby B17 boiler added to a Bachmann K3 chassis with the Bachmann cab. This currently in OO. One day it will get modified, but I've also got a small roundy roundy layout, Whitfield, just so that my partner and I can watch something going around in the limited space we have, and the K4 will run on this. I need to finish the wiring on this then the scenics can start! A future project is for a V4 locomotive. I already have a V3, which is for Whitfield, but I love the V4 so I just have to have one! To help with this project I have a Silhouette cutter coming this week. It has now got to the stage where cutting straight lines by my usual methods is becoming a bit more hit and miss so a cutter will get a lot of use with future wagon and coach projects. The model will be built from various thickness of plasticard with brass bearings and parts from other loco bodies from the scrapbox. Frames for the loco and tender, as well as the tender body have already been drawn up. I know a lot of you will hold your hands up in horror at the thought of using plastic for the chassis, but, even with a lot of added weight I'm not expecting to break any haulage records! After all, St Mungo's is only 4'6" long without the fiddleyard so no 10 coach trains here! My roundtoit pile has grown steadily. Mainly buildings but also locomotive, rolling stock and signals. Oh, I'm also planning on making a start on building some turnouts for a future layout, Kayingham. And if that wasn't enough, after a bit of thought, late last night, because of the nature of St Mungo's, and the way it can be used for a variety of eras and regions, and after making a couple of posts on Gopher's Dewchurch, I realised that, by only making a few small changes, I could, in theory, run any region between the years 1890 to 2000, maybe more! I think I'm really in need of some help! Know any good, cheap psychiatrists?😅 Roja

Mm, a couple of Panniers, a Mogul, B set.... Argh! Roja