marc smith

No problems Paul! If it were'nt for good folk like yourself, we wouldn't have such invaluable photographs. I know I'm not alone, in being interested mainly in locos - when I was a lad. I just failed to take note of what the locos were transporting - i.e. the very reason for them being there!!!! Please post some piccies on this thread - if you get time... ...I'm sure others, who haven't seen your collection would be interested. Thanks again for taking the piccies - I don't know what I'd be modelling now if you hadn't Cheers again Marc P.S. You must have spent pots of money on film!

Hi Pete, In the photo is the "main" board of the layout - with half of the run round loop. It's a tad over 3 feet, and I will trim it a little, once it's nearly finished. (my original plan was just 2 feet 6 inches, but it was somewhat limiting!) The sector plate will be a separate board, comprising 3 roads. I built such a sliding sector plate for Hendre, using drawer runners. but I used ply for the moving surface - and it warped! - Even though I coated both sides with PVA. I've found the insulation board to be fab. Apparently, it doesn't warp - so far, I've used it for a few models, one of which was the min-space O gauge layout, and this seems to be the case. The sector-plate as planned will be a tad under 3 feet. However, I'm thinking about adding a loco release at the end of the plate - perhaps this can be hinged, or removable...... ...we'll see. I've been really itching to get this one up & running, Steelworks layouts seem to be gaining interest - 2 of the other local Cardiffians are also planning steelworks based layouts, (Wayne 37901, and Brian r) and I'm sure these will be great models. I've seen photos of Brian's progress, and it's looking really good! Chatting to Hywel, and while planning this one, it occurred to me that when you do see a steelworks layout, they either seem to be portraying the whole works (nothing wrong with that, if you have space) or they represent loading/ unloading bar-section, or even sheet metal. I've not seen another rod-mill trype layout, as per Cardiff rod-mill Of course, I stand to be corrected here - I'd certainly like to see a model of one. I do like the look of those coils of wire- can't wait to fill all my wagons with it! I've also planned something a little different, re the final presentation of this one.... ...but more of that later. Cheers Marc

P.S. Forgot to mention, but many of the buildings for this layout have been built, or partially built - So it shouldn't take too long to get this one finished..... I'll post some pics of the buildings at a later date. Marc

Hi all, A few folk on this forum have asked what I’ve been doing, as I haven’t posted too much lately. Well, I’ve been busy exhibiting, and building wagons for my latest project – a steelworks layout, based in South Wales. I’ve mentioned this micro-layout to several other modellers, and at last, I’ve made a start! The layout will be around 6 feet, including fiddle-yard, and will represent part of a rod-mill, where steel coil is loaded into empties, and marshalled, ready for dispatch. Again I want to make the period flexible, so the stock will represent mid 70’s to late 80’s, and even early 90’s traffic. All my designs seem to be micro-layouts these days, but the intention with this one, is that it could be expanded at a later date – or even connected to Hendre Lane (but, one stage at a time eh?). The plan is actually a mirror of Hendre, but this time the track in the foreground forms part of a loop. Running round and loading will take place on a sliding sector-plate to the right of the layout. (Until that next section gets built!) Wagons are mainly plate wagons, plus variants from Parkside kits. Later wagons such as SPAs and OCAs are built from Cambrian kits. During the 70’s, BR ex- LNER plate wagons – coded KEV, were used to carry coil, and are a simple conversion from the Parkside kit. Vertical stanchions were added to the ends – I used plastic strip for this, which is a tad too chunky - Perhaps in hindsight, I could have used brass strip – but I thought this may bend too easily. However, looking at photos of the prototype, it seems the stanchions were always bent about! I just thought it could look wrong in model form. Another variant, the KRV is a much more complicated conversion – with everything above solebar level being scratchbuilt. I’ve only done one so far, and haven’t yet got around to painting it, as you’ll see from the photos. In later years, further variants of plate wagons and trestle wagons were used for internal movements of coil and scrap coil. One or two examples have been seen at exhibition on Hendre Lane (although they would never have been there, in reality!) Painting these wagons in the lurid bright blue colours seen at Allied Steel & Wire was quite satisfying, as was making up scrap coil loads. These were actually my unsuccessful attempts at winding my own coil! OCAs and SPAs are in original Railfreight livery – some of them very careworn, rusty and faded. If I had a pound for every one I saw in such condition……… A variant I must make is the SEA wagon – there used to be a kit produced for this conversion, which is sadly no longer available. On to the layout itself, I’ve used foam insulation board as I did for my min-space O gauge layout “Clarbeston Northâ€. It’s nice & light, and easily cut to form contours. Before adding the backscene / ends, I will glue strips of wood to the underside, to create a basic framework for the backscene to attach to. This worked well on “Clarbestonâ€, and if it can happily support O gauge, then 4mm should be no problem. On this note, I had a bit of a cock-up with my trackwork (my own fault!) and had to rip up a point. It was glued in place using PVA – and WOW! Had it stuck well! No worries about the strength of the board when using PVA – honestly. Track again is OO, with points by Peco, although when finished you won’t be able to see much of the pointwork. I’m again using Exactoscale sleepers, but I wanted the headshunt in the foreground to represent track that has partly been re-laid. I’m using exactoscale concrete sleepers for this, Although the rail is code 75 bullhead, and rail for the concrete sleeper types should really be flat-bottom, I found that the base of Peco code 75 rail (being a bit broader than my finer code 75) fits the concrete sleepers OK. It’s not a tight-fit, but as I’m modelling this bit of track with several sleeper types (seen often enough in prototype track!) this adds strength. There will also be some dummy track on this layout – I find that disused track is not often modelled, so I’ll include some well rusted, overgrown track here. Thanks to Paul Bartlett, for his superb website on wagon types, and thanks to Brian R and Wayne C for their help and info - Brain really is a mine of useful info! Special thanks to Hywel Thomas, for letting me see “Morfa†and look though his huge collection of photos. In my youth, I foolishly never took too much note of wagon types – but I’m glad someone did. Just where would we be without such invaluable photos now? Cheers all Marc

Hi, that lamp is looking really good! I find that even with proprietary LED lamps, from the usual suppliers, I have to use additional resistors - otherwise they are over bright. I especially found this to be the case with some buffer-stop lamps I bought from express models. Hopefully, the extra resistors will protect my lamps further.....? Also, I fitted some German made LED lamps inside a depot building. I was being lazy, and wired them in circuit - along with a depot-wall lamp, by Express models - Big Mistake! The wall lamp blew, after not much use! I suppose the other lamps had very different resistance values..... But I won't be doing that again in a hurry..... Nice neat job, and as you say, with the cover on, you can't really see the LED. Best Marc

Smashing layout! Well deserved pic of the week too! Just love the whole feel of this layout...... you have captured the atmosphere of the Scottish branch really well. Nice to see BR blue era is alive & well. Particularly like the buildings at the rear right of the layout. They look particularly convincing. Marc

Stu, this is another masterpiece from a talented modeller! Just love it!!! :D Haven't got anything original, by way of a decent name for it, but maybe because the wood in the original piccie was what spurred you on to build it.. "Wood Lane"? - bit dull, I know......maybe "Dullwood Lane" What is the size of the completed diorama? Perhaps derive a name from that? Cheers again matey. And "well done" once again! Marc

Hi Pete, Missy is right! Now you're modelling in a lot of scales! (bit like me really! - I recently got some n gauge stuff, to add to my O, O-16.5, OO, EM.... ) Looks a good plan though - I just wonder how much those 2mmFS curves can be squeezed? Marc

Nice weathering on that OCA Richard. The load looks good too - all sorts of bits n pieces, nicely "grottied" and natural looking. I can see that you + Darren are "egging each other on" - both layouts are really looking superb, and I think you shouldn't underestimate the progress you've made (nothing like a deadline to get you modelling quicker though eh?). Best Marc

Looking good Richard, I particularly like the colours + tones you've achieved, in the view of the 08 by the huts. Very nice! I think you're underestimating your progress mate..... ATB Marc

Hey Pete, Modelling several different scales / gauges can be distracting... but it can work out OK. It's fine to concentrate on one for a bit, then shift interest, as long as you keep the one on the back burner in mind. In fact, it can be good to put a layout aside for a short while - you get to look at it a bit differently after a bit of a break.. I managed to build 3 layouts in 18 months (2 different scales)... my next is the steelworks project (which will hopefully be finished by October) but I'm planning a really tiny 7mm diorama too. ...All this and I still haven't started the 7mm layout I'd originally planned! Oh, and cos of Roger (Rouse) I recently acquired some n gauge stuff too..... (but was a bargain, honest dear!) Braty Bridge (aka Roath minor, the crate) was a complete distraction from my plans, but it got me thinking about different plans too, ...if I'd started the steelworks or the other 7mm layout after finishing Hendre, I probably wouldn't have even thought about doing "Clarbeston North" ...sometimes, distractions can be a good thing! Hope the 2FS stuff goes well - post some more pics + reports... Marc

Hi Richard, Have to agree with the comment above - the progress looks pretty quick to me too.... I know what you mean re protecting the layout! Hendre was built into a box, so that I could control the lighting + set the scene at night too....the box has helped protect the layout definately! My old EM layout "Ogmore Road" wasn't suitably protected. I made covers (from off-cuts of bath-edging-strip) to protect the rail ends from damage, when in transit - but everything else was pretty exposed... Chimneys, trees etc were occasionally knocked about - I did seem to move house a lot at one time, so it happened a bit too occasionally! Also, my pal Dave Stone's fabulous EM "Lesser Wenlock" (MRJ issue 72 or 74?).... we were taking it to show somewhere, years back... we picked up another pal of his en-route, that person chucked his overnight bag over the back of his seat, into the back of the van.... result - CRUNCH!......part of the roof, and some of the chimneys, valencing etc were broken! If you haven't seen what a beautiffuly modelled building that was.... Daves a tall bloke, but there were very nearly tears! So Richard....good move protecting a fab layout, which I'm sure will get some invitations. Be sure to contact the good captain Kernow, for a SWAG invitation - I think he's got a lot of folk lined up already for next year... Hopefully, I'll get the my steelworks layout done soon, and get my invite I really do like the Taunton day, and It'd be great to see you there. Best Marc

Richard, This layout is just looking better + better all the time! Nice work mate - re your earlier pics of the layout when packed up; your woodworking skills are certainly neater than mine... It all looks very well protected - nice forward planning. Scenery has really added to it all too. And you've got some nice details in there. This is definately one I'd like to see at exhibition... where are you hoping to take it? Marc

Hi Pete, Yes, those Skytrex hooded wagons look great don't they! Tarpaulins are very hard to model well, but skytrex have done the job for you....and very well too. I'm sure you'll be able to get an ECC transfer on there quite easily. Keep up the modelling, and don't let those 7mm thoughts go..... Marc

Looking good James! Can't wait to see it up & running.... Marc

Hi Richard, This is coming along nicely! I can see you are paying plenty of attention to detail, and making a nice neat job. I, like so many others are tempted to rush some stages, to get on with things a bit too quickly. But as I say, I think you're avoiding that. Re those continued sleepers - some long grass, and a few rotten old sleepers stacked/strewn around and about the area would really add to the suggestion of the track once joining the rest of the pointwork.... Keep up the good work Marc

But Randall, Standing on the tracks at Maenol was against regulations! Nice convincing shot! Marc

Hi Richard, I know what you mean re not making miniature mock-ups, but I do like to play about with cardboard boxes etc on a plan... ..that way personally, I think you get to appreciate proportions and relative sizes of main structures better. I find it helps a lot with composition - even though I usually have a clear picture in my mind. But that's just me + my approach...... I like the idea of some lifted sleepers - or even some still "in-situ". As you say, that may mean you need to reposition the huts - but then maybe structures were added / repositioned after track-lifting???? You can always try it out.... July isn't far away - the time will go quickly! Still, as I always say, there's nothing like a deadline to motivate you! ....or "If it wasn't for the last minute......nothing would ever get done!" Cheers, Marc

I agree with James re the trackwork.... That warehouse isn't looking "knocked up" - looks rather fine to me! I'm drawn more & more to small dioramas thes days - (small layouts too!) but the idea of a photo backdrop is becoming more popular. It's great to have somewhere to plonk your stock, to take some piccies. Also, it's an idea that could be expanded - you could always make another, to expand your scene, and end up with a modular layout! Great stuff, keep us posted Marc

Hi Richard, Some nice progress there! Keep up the modelling. The more I look at this layout, the more it grows on me. I think the balance of the whole thing looks right. I do like the look of that additional siding, just in front of the main road into the depot. Though it's just one extra road, it does give you one or two further options for movements. Some would have put this behind the main road, but by putting it there, you've formed a view-blocker (which gives a tantalising glimpse of what is entering the depot) and which can be moved or replaced by another vehicle.... That bridge looks great too - although it looks a tad brighter in your later views. Perhaps (+ this is only a suggestion) you could hint at the additional siding once having been connected to the other trackwork - something you see in a lot of prototype photos, especially in the 70's & 80's, but rarely modelled....just an idea.. Cheers again Marc

What on earth is a "Wilton Worktop"....? Hope it's not some euphamism .... Thanks for the info re Daves layout.... Would really like to see an article, so I'll keep a look-out for that compendium. ..and if I'm ever near Beer (the place!) Catalyna was a terrific example of lighting on a model.... ..Shirley built it to represent lighting over 24 hours. There was even a sunrise + sunset. The latter was particularly effective, as the sky changed colour to an ever deepening blue, as lights came on in the houses / buildings.... Marc

Randall, Just wanted to second Stu's thoughts (re the pic looking great, not the height issue ) That ballasting is so like a coal facility - just look at one of the "Industrial Railways In Colour" books, and I think you've got it right.... Cheers Marc

Hi Dave, Thanks for that - I'll quiz a pal of mine who seems to have every issue of MRJ plus all the compendia..... But if you come across anything, please let me know - it was a fine layout, and an inspiration to us all - even though it was probably built 20+ years ago! I helped a friend exhibit his layout "Lesser Wenlock" back in my GWR EM gauge modelling days, we were near Dave + Shirley, and stayed in the same hotel, in Utrecht.... ...they really are both fantastic modellers, and were a real pleasure to chat with... haven't seen anything by them at recent shows - hope they are still modelling.... Cheers again Marc

Hi Richard, Re the comments on the couplings - which look great by the way (very neat work there...) Don't know if you caught a glimpse of Stubbys ingenious idea, on his super boxfile layout "Porth Bythan".... It is a system a little like the Spratt & Winkle couplings I use, but it uses the couplings already on the roling stock, as it comes out of the box. Stu has used a very neat solution, to the challenge of automatic uncoupling. Using the standard Bachmann tension lock couplings, he attaches (by superglue) a small piece of wire (cut from a paperclip) to the base of the dropper part of the coupling. When a wagon stops over one of the strategically positioned magnets (buried under the track) the coupling arm is lifted.... This might work well with the sort of bar you have installed on the 25.....? Marc

Richard, This is looking fine! Some people tire of Diesel dopt layouts, but scratchbuilding your main depot building means that you give it a look of individuality. Nice building - like the concept of the low-relief buildings at the end too. Spot on with the locos looking nice & weathered & matt, rather than out-of-the-box-glossy-plastic! Also, you've got a fair bit of track there, without it looking cramped....but plenty of scope for movements too.. I can see this being a winner... Marc