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I went on Saturday morning with my brother. A little gem of a show and, at only £3 for entry, an absolute bargain! Roja

Salutations! Back to the workbench, or in this case dining table, after a good weekend. Went to Derby Roundhouse on Saturday with my brother and thoroughly enjoyed it. Came away with some ideas and even spent a few pence on one or two essentials! Back to business! I decided to start on underframe details rather than the roof via the bogies! I'll probably do these next time. When I built my first attempt at a mbso I made the various cabinets for the tap changers, auxillaries etc from plasticard with the aim of using these as masters for resin casting, but as I changed my mind about this, I opted for using card as a quick and easy way. The various parts were drawn on my computer, without marking the tabs for gluing, printed directly onto card then cut out, cutting the tabs by eye, lightly scoring the fold lines then folding andgluing them together. These are all the various cabinets for a three-car set. I haven't made the air cylinders yet: I thought I had some tube of the right diameter, didn't check and now have to order some! The parts for the mbso picked out and the rest put safe, then they were glued into place, using superglue, on the underside of the chassis. Once dry further etailing parts, such as hinges etc, are added using various thicknesses of microstrip. Once these are dry the card is given a coat of button varnish, and once this is dry several coats of frame dirt. Further weathering will take place when the model is completed. That's it for now, next on the list are the bogie sideframes. Happy modelling! Roja

Couldn't resist! Initial trial fitting of the body. Just needs a wee bit of fettling in one corner, but fits pretty well as is! It relies on an interference fit to hold it in place, but a spot of blutak or similar could be used if needed. Away to Derby! Roja

Hi, onwards and upwards! The ends and internal strengthening partitions are next. For these I use 1mm thick card. The body is to the Mk1 profile so I use a suitable template to draw around, in my case a brass coach end from Comet. I measure the thickness of the body sides then subtract this from the drawing. if you don't do this then the overall width of the model is a bit excessive and could cause later problems with clearances. These parts are then cut using a new scalpel blade, held as vertically as possible and using several paces of the blade. Once cut out, I use 7 for the motor coach, the parts still need a little more work. The one at the passenger compartment end is left "as is", but the one at the guards end has the curved section removed as it is at this end where the roof is flat and the pantograph is situated. Depending on how you are motorising your model, and which coach you are using for this, a false floor could be fitted, the five partitions adjusted accordingly and the body assembled, however I use the excellent powered chassis from Replica Railways, which Gareth very kindly sets the wheels to EM for me. The greater depth of the mechanism is a small price to pay for their quality, but it does mean a changing the depth of the partitions before assembling the body. One body side was placed into position against the chassis, the top edge of the mechanism noted then the partitions shortened accordingly. Whether by luck or good measuring, The pieces removed aren't wasted: I cut them into squares, then triangles to use as corner strengthening fillets. Now comes assembly, and for this I use a glue with plenty of grab, in this case Rocket card glue. I take one side, and using firm pressure between my fingers and thumb, the side is curved to match the Mk1 profile, then one end is added, checked for squareness and held in position until secure, usually a few seconds, then I work my along the side, adding the partitions either side of the doors, and on between the passenger and guards compartment and finally the end one, making sure each is square before adding the strengthening fillets. I leave it for a couple of minutes then add the second side, starting at one end, gluing each partition in turn, checking for squareness again then adding more strengthening fillets. Happy that all is good the body is then left to dry thoroughly. So far so good! Going to the show at Derby tomorrow, so probably be a little tired to do much until next week, then it's on with the roof. Or maybe the under-frame equipment! Have to decide which! Happy modelling, Roja

Glad to know I'm not the only one to try and do something that looks easy, and fail, sometimes several times, before doing it the way I should have done in the first place! I even make a memo to myself: "Don't be fooled if you think it's going to be simple because it probably isn't!", but I keep forgetting to read it! Roja

You are not alone! I would need to win the lottery, buy a mansion with a suite of outbuildings then find a way of living longer to build all the layout ideas I get from watching films such as this! Roja

Hi, what a lovely damp morning! Anyway, to continue my project! One thing needs to be done before cutting out the parts and that is to scribe the sides of the slam doors for the guards area and the join lines between the sliding doors. I use a marking tool from an old drawing set. It's not too sharp but leaves a nice mark. For me this is probably the hardest part of the project as no matter how I try I can't hold a steel rule steady enough to make the mark so I do them freehand! Any slight mistakes here can be masked by judicious touching up and weathering later. It's easier to scribe these lines now as the sides have to be gently curved to the mk1 coach profile later. And although it might seem easier to add other details such has hinges and handles for the slam doors these are liable to damage during the build so I left them off until later in the build. Once these lines are scribed the parts are cut out. I should add that the doors are made exactly the same way as the sides except for the addition of tabs on the side for gluing into the place. You should now have a nice kit of parts ready for assembly. Now the parts are glued together to make the sides. I assemble them using a steel rule to ensure straightness. Once any necessary adjustments have been made the rule is removed and the sides weighted and left to dry. While they are drying the next thing to do is make the ends and internal partitions, why I'll do in my next post. Roja

Hi, after the last post I realised that I didn't mention how I mark out where to glue the glazing on the reverse of the sides. I do this by using the chisel blade to cut a vertical and intersecting horizontal at each corner of each section. This ensures the glazing goes in the proper area. For the 303 both the mbso and dso have three main sections with two sliding doors, so the glazing is added separately to each component, but for dmu's and other slam door stock it can be added in one strip. Anyway, once the glazing is reasonable dry, I usually leave it three or four hours, it's time to add the backing pieces. These are cut free from the plain sheet and glued on the reverse of the sides, making sure to line them up properly with the cut marks as used for the glazing. a heavy weight is then placed on top of the sheet and left for at least overnight to make sure it all dries flat. Roja

Hi, well, here we go! What I'm going to share may not be everyone's cup of whatever is their favourite beverage, but it works for me. The results are not dead to scale models, but they do reflect the character and essence of the prototypes. I hope! Anyway, I'm happy with the way they are turning out. The one I'm showing the various stages of building is the cl303 motor brake second open but the technique is basically the same for the 303 driving trailers and some dmu's I need. The reason for choosing the mbso is that it has both sliding and hinged doors so I can show how i make both. I start by using a drawing program, in my case the one in the LibreOffice suite. For those that don't know LibreOffice is a powerful freeware program that Microsoft Office compatible. I find the drawing program very useful in my modelling. Using known dimensions from the diagram book, provided as a pdf from the Barrowmore group, and some other measurements, such as window spacing etc, a line drawing is produced. I know the diagram drawings are not strictly to scale, but dimensions such as window spacing can be reasonably accurately calculated. I also add an extra millimetre or so to the height of the side drawn, at the bottom edge, to allow for the curve of the tumblehome. It may not be necessary to do this with some prototypes, and more may be needed with others. Drawing like this only takes a few minutes as all the lines and shapes are dimensioned and can be easily adjusted. Windows are drawn once to size then copied into place, which saves a lot of time. I know the corners of the windows should be curved but I don't both. If you feel the need then do so, but not doing them simplifies cutting out I add them with a spot of paint when the model is finished, if I remember! The colour of the lines can be changed to denote different sections, but I only use black. I then print this drawing, check it, and if happy, copy the drawn side and flip vertically to make the second side, then save the file, giving it a relevant name but leaving it open on the screen. I then print this onto white 160 or or 166 gsm card. I then colour the sides using the program's built-in feature. Now here is a case of "do as I say, not as I do!" What I should have done is open another file, fill it with 3cm x 3cm squares and filled each one with the colour, changing and noting the colour settings for each one until I made one that was close to what I was looking for and used that. What I actually did was fill the sides with a colour, printed it, changed it, printed it.... well, you get my drift! Luckily, BR Corporate blue is a very forgiving shade in this respect, being a matt finish and not weathering particularly well, so variations are commonplace. If I was to do other liveries then I would do what I suggest I should have done! Once happy with this shade the sides were printed onto the same weight card, the file given an appropriate name and closed. Next, the coloured sides are sprayed with a fixative, which is allowed to dry before the window openings and sliding doors are cut out. You will see the sliding door positions in both pictures. Originally I was going to use these on the model, but decided to make them separately with a larger border for fixing in place, and I couldn't see the point in editing the drawings. For cutting I use a chisel blade, a scalpel and patience! Once the windows are removed you could use a suitable colour marker pen or pencil to colour the white edges but I don't bother. They are not really noticeable and could be mistaken for metal surrounds. The basic line drawings are a cut a little different. The top edge of each widow is cut accurately, but I allow a millimetre or so extra around the other sides. When assembled, this gives an impression of the thinness of the prototype sides. Glazing comes next. For this I use overhead transparency film. It comes in various thicknesses, is easy to cut with a pair of scissors and glues well. I cut it into strips, the width of which is slightly greater than the depth of the sides. I use a contact adhesive, in a tin, and spread thinly with a cocktail stick or piece of wire: much less messy and wasteful than using a tube. Make sure you spread it thinly, and go slightly beyond the edges of the body. Carefully place the otf in position, press well, then leave to dry. Phew, time for a brew! Roja

Hi, you can cover the parts of Metcalfe buildings with different brick papers and add details before assembling to get a different look from the generic one if you're not confident scratchbuilding. Roja

Well, it's been some time since I posted on here! Life, family and such stuff sometimes gets in the way, and for several months modelling took a backseat,, but things have progressed over the past couple of months. The hiatus gave me time to have a serious think about things. Firstly, I've cut down the number of cl303's I was going to build. It now stands at 3, down from a possible 9! Don't ask why 9, but in my defence I will say I like them, even though I have never seen one in real life! However. finding adequate storage, let alone building them, was a problem, which leads to the building part. My intention was to make various masters then resin cast various components, and in an earlier post or two you'll see my attempts at making the masters. They were okay, but I found working in plastic tricky, particularly trying to mark straight lines and then cut them. I found a way that works for me but I still wasn't entirely happy with it. Then came the question of resin casting. It seemed like a good idea but, after looking at the initial costs, casting complex shapes and the possible failure rate, plus the physical problems I have using just one hand made me realise it wasn't for me. I still wanted 3 303's so it didn't leave many options. 3d printing was discounted as too expensive, as was commissioning a set of brass etches, and parts from DC Kits also discounted for similar cost reasons, if they were available. That just left doing cut-and-shuts, which meant searching for suitable donor vehicles, which didn't fill me with joy, but was doable, as certain members on here have shown. Then a flash of inspiration: card! Cheap, easy to work, and could be made very rigid by using shellac or button polish. I've already built a small experimental baseboard for an N gauge layout using A3 corrugated card sheets and postal tubes, sealed with button polish and the result is very strong as well as light. One day I might even get some track laid! Anyway, I bought a couple of packs of card of varying thicknesses and set about experimenting, and after some false starts I think I've come up with a way that works for me. More to come in my next post, hopefully this weekend! Roja

Hi, a low wall with the spear top was really common, especially before the WW2, when a lot of the spear tops were cut off flush with the top of the wall for the 'war effort'. You can still see walls like this in various places, although it did sometimes survive intact. Were I live both can be seen within a 2 minute walk. Roja

Gorse flowers all the year round, hence the saying "When gorse is out of blossom, kissing's out of fashion!", and that never happens! Roja

Be thankful the locals weren't duck hunting with shotguns!

Hi, Iain Rice, in his book Designs for Urban Layouts has a layout called Virtua in Industria which uses what are basically three dioramas on a common theme, in this case an Alkali works, mounted vertical like shelves on a wall and linked by cassettes. Not for me, but I can see the potential and it could be easily modified to utilise a Billy bookcase, especially in N or 009! Roja

Have a look at Ken Pattersons' 'What' Neat this Week' on Youtube. It's a monthly programme which has been going for several years, and although American, a lot of techniques are applicable to British modellers. Ken's is a professional model photographer and uses foam board to produce dioramas of various sizes to photograph models and his personal layout has foam baseboards. Well-worth watching, even if just to see him clean his dioramas with a hosepipe! Roja

Hi, be probably quicker, and easier to do, than trying to remove the fogging within the confines of the coach, especially with the interior details in place. Roja

Compared to stuffing sprouts mushrooms are a doddle! Don't ask!

Hi Clive, I was going to suggest the Railcar Association site. Full of useful information. In the book British Railway First Generation DMUs by Stuart Mackay on page 89 there's a colour photograph of the opposite end of what might be the same formation. Roja

Hi Brian, I can see what you're doing now! I'd still change the feather on that signal, though, as a head shunt wouldn't be considered the main route. An alternative would be to use a shunt signal access the head shunt and a standard signal to control access to the main. But, as I said earlier, Rule 1 applies, and changing it means more work! Regards, Roja

Hi, I love the layout, and your modelling of the station! I was looking back through your posts and something niggled at me, and now I've seen it I cannot un-see it, if you know what I mean! It's regarding the signal guarding the junction to the mine. The feather be on the left instead of the right! I believe a feather is used to indicate a diverging route from a main route, which, as signalled, means your mine branch has precedence over any train leaving the departure road heading for the mainline. Sorry if I seem a bit of a pedant! it's any easy fix, but then Rule 1 can be applied! Regards, Roja y train leaving the station

Hi, thanks for the info! I've never heard of the Edinburgh electric tram, let alone the Carstairs one! You can learn something new every day! Fascinating stuff! Roja

Hi, the loco is reminiscent of the electric locomotives built for the line between the aluminium smelter at Kinlochleven and a wharf on Loch Leven a mile and a quarter away with extensive sidings at both ends adding another 3 miles of track!. Two were built by Dick, Kerr Company and were delivered in 1908 and were followed by a third on, built to a similar design by Metropolitan Vickers, 1947. The overhead line supplied 500 to 550 volts from the same plant that provided electricity for the smelter. It was the first electric railway in Scotland, and lasted until 1960 when the track was dismantled. Roja

Hi, well it's been a few days since my last post so I thought it was time to update on my current state of play! I've hardly touched the 303. I need some bits for it, and some other projects, so it's been put to one side until I get them. As I'm not working to a deadline I'm going to purchase what I need when I go the Wigan show next month. I can get what I need from there, save postage and have a chat as well. That's not to say that nothing has been done! I've watched a couple of videos on Youtube, including one showing the arrival of the 303 at Bo'ness, which was useful in showing the mbs ends as it was unloaded from it's transporter. I've also done a bit of modelling too. I love unusual wagons, and the one I am currently building is certainly unique. Dia 1/303 was a one-off 6 wheel cable compound tanker for Scottish Cables Limited, so I just had to have it! Mine started life as an unpainted Dapol milk tanker, of which very little remains! In fact the only parts that I've used, or will be using, are the solebars, tank barrel, filler cap and steps. The Dapol chassis proved to be a little narrow for easy conversion to EM so the solebars were carefully sawn off and attached to a piece of plasticard. The wheel wheel centres are slightly out, but by not so much you would notice so I left them be. The brake levers were pared away as they are the wrong style and are both at the same end of the chassis. The wagon was vacuum-braked with double clasp brakes on the outer axles, and rather than use the Dapol ones I used some from a cannabilised Dapol prestwin kit. This kit has, and will, supply some other very useful odds and ends. The tank barrel needed some work to make it appear a bit more like. First I removed 5 mm from its length and filled in the holes where the end supports had been. Then it was wrapped in a single layer of 0.5 mm plasticard to increase its' diameter. The tank body colour with the white lettering was drawn on my computer, printed out then glued to the barrel and this was then attached to the chassis. It was done at this stage because photographs show the lettering under the straps that help secure the tank to the chassis. The wooden baulks are strips of limewood I had left over from my N gauge days. It looks better in the flesh than the photo, and there's still quite a lot to do, such as on-going tidying up, buffer beams, end stanchions, strapping, tie-rods etc. The grey parts are from the prestwin and the wheels just some OO ones used to gauge the position of the brakes. These will be replaced by EM axles after the Wigan show. It's proving to be quite a challenge but one I'm enjoying!