turtlebah

That would be my shoddy point construction! First time id ever built my own turnouts so we had a few teething problems, particularly with the crossover. Maybe one day I’ll replace it...one day

Only just picked up this thread. What a great layout. Uncluttered and atmospheric.

the driver obviously wasn’t concentrating for this particular movement. Rest assured he’s been suitably reprimanded for not following procedure.

Yet more playing trains rather than modelling! I did manage to finally tidy and sort the train room so I’m kind of prepared to crack on with the next phase. I’ve also started to install the lovely signals made by Mark Seward, which hopefully I’ll have fully working in the next couple of weeks. In the meantime here’s my latest attempt messing around with video software.

In the centre road a class 22 is awaiting further instruction regarding it’s next duty as a hall class brings in a parcels train. Jubilee Class 45659, Drake, is ready to leave with a train for Shrewsbury. A sign of the changing times with a hall class demoted to an all stations stopper for Kidderminster with a rake of non-corridor stock. s

An interloper, Elder Dempster Lines, waits in the centre road at Wolverhampton - West Park having just been turned and serviced after bringing in a football special from the south coast (Wolves -v- Southampton).

It’s been a while since i last caught up on this thread, but the progress looks awesome. What a lovely little layout this has turned in to, full of atmosphere.

With the afternoon sun streaming into the modelling room i couldn’t resist a quick photo op! Llanfair Grange heads off with a local service to Leamington via Snow Hill, whilst a Black 5 brings in the late afternoon stopper from Stafford.

A few pics from a running session this evening. A busy morning at Wolverhampton West Park 6965 Thirlestaine Hall is ready for departure with a semi fast to Shrewsbuy, whilst an 8F awaits a clear road with a short engineers train stabled overnight in the old warehouse sidings at West Park. Llanfair Grange enters platform 2 with a cross country service from Oxford. A 122 waits in the centre road before it’s next trip along the branch to Wombourn. Another Hall class draws into platform 3 with the 2.12pm semi-fast from Hereford. This time a standard class 5 is at the head of a Shrewsbury service, whilst the class 122 waits in platform 2 with the Wombourn branch service for Brettell Lane. The parcel vans are stored in the centre road ready for the evening parcels to Snow Hill. Other station shots Llanfair Grange with the cross-country service from Oxford via Worcester. The fiddle yard bridge supports are being erected (rather slowly). I really must try and do some modelling rather than just playing trains

Happy Christmas everyone! Due to a new addition to the family born 8 weeks ago, modelling time has most definitely taken a back seat. I did manage to get a couple of shots today of small progress. A standard class 5 waits to depart with an all stations stopper to Shrewsbury whilst a Hall waits for the signal to return to shed after bringing in a cross country service from Banbury. Ive started work on the high retaining platform wall in the background, which will hopefully give the impression of a terminus built into a steep urban/industrial cutting. I’ve got a couple of weeks off over Christmas and hope to squeeze in an afternoon of modelling whilst the little one is napping. We’ll see though...

Now the track weathering is pretty much complete, other than a bit of rust powder to the rail sides and some black patches where locos stand in the platform roads, i thought it was time to get on with the buildings around the station. To start with i wanted to get the canopy up to try and bring the picture to life and to gauge various heights surrounding it. The roof and supports are a mish mash of Peco & Dapol canopy kits with fair bit of plasticard added to bring it all together. Defo needs some tidying up and the structure sides and roof covering needs to be completed, but the basic structure looks pretty good for now. A Standard class 5 waits in platform 2 with a stopper to Leamington Spa, whilst the Class 121 pauses before returning to Stourbridge via Wombourn.

Modelling Sunday - the disused siding is starting to take shape.

Hi Terry, Earls Court is a super layout. I’ve seen it a few times over the years and a perfect example of how less is sometimes more. It’s been one of the layouts that inspired my own attempt at modelling and got me back in to the hobby. Looking forward to seeing it back on the circuit soon and hopefully I’ll get a glimpse of Rossiter Rose at Ally Pally next year. All the best, Nick

thanks chuffinghell! Long way to go...

After the unplanned, but required additional ballast fixing session I managed to get the airbrush out today and get the first layer of track weathering down this eve.

After getting the airbrush out this evening to finish the track weathering, i instead ended up lathering on a final layer of ballast bond. I found the airbrush kept disturbing supposedly glued down ballast (obviously not). Hopefully all set up for track weathering one evening this week, after which i must get on with the station building and retaining walls, which should really help the layout scenery start to take shape.

Thanks, Bob. Such a debate indeed! To be honest, i wasn’t aware of the proposed line, which could provide another potential service into West Park. The CH MRC website has some very helpful links on it.

Ballasting is now pretty much complete on the station section. The warehouse sidings are still left to do, although I’m not totally sure what sort of finish I’m going for there yet so that last section might have to wait a while. On to airbrushing the ballast and track next. Hopefully I’ll get some piccies sorted tomoz eve. in the mean time here’s a semi fast service to Leamington Spa leaving platform 3.

Thanks Bob - to be honest I really wasn’t sure regarding the ‘e’. Some research said with and other sources without. Good to get confirmation from a local. Any ideas why they dropped the ‘e’?

I used the same method for the C&L shallow sleeper track. Using traditional pva just didn't seem to work as the ballast ended up everywhere. It takes longer, but i to like the additional control of painting in between the sleepers.

Ballasting is almost finished and so I managed to get a bit of track weathering done. A class 122 with the local service to Wombourn waits for the signal in platform 3.

Absolutely love the work here - excited to see how things progress

Thanks saxokid