Sophia NSE

The layout is very much in hop country so it might be an idea to invest in a couple of "foreign" coaches. I also had a play with the roofs on my coaches

So I finally got round to buying baseboards and had a play with some track A simple branch line terminus that shouldn't be any problems to wire up (electrics aren't my strong point) A single platform for passenger services and a fenced off bay platform for goods A small engine shed with a row of trees behind will hopefully conceal the exit to the fiddle yard enough

The LCDR did indeed have an R1, distinguished from its R by larger bogie wheels and a larger bunker

I have exactly the same problem as I want one to bodge into an LBSC B1

I could afford a plastic kit or two

I'd best get myself painting an R1 grey then!

Looking good. You'll be sending trains to Chart Sutton in no time! (It might take a while for me to send them back though )

Oooh that's a cutie!

Longest loco on the layout will be a C or O1 class 0-6-0 so the runoff will be long enough for that. I was tempted to give the bay road a canopy for extra cover but its not entirely necessary. I'll have to make the shed long enough for the 0-4-4T in that case. I'm wanting to keep it as simple as possible but make it as good as I can

The Loose Women's Institute will never get old! I've also wondered how the KESR would have crossed the mainline. I'm hoping to give that exact impression of a backwater branch with occasional bursts of life. I'm more than happy to take on any ideas and suggestions anyone might have

It's time to get the layout planned and as it's SECR I've put it in here to keep it away from the modern image riff raff So, welcome to the Kent village of Chart Sutton between WWI and the very early days of grouping. This branch was the intended but unbuilt KESR Maidstone extension and was built as far as Chart Sutton until extending further became too expensive and the SECR gave up on the idea. The line runs from the leafy Kent countryside, up the Loose valley and into Maidstone (my place of birth) at the West station, where passengers can change for London bound services. Anyway, enough waffling for now, you want to see the track plan, right? Absolutely no technology spared! The intention was for a second platform to be built upon extension to Headcorn, but that obviously hasn't happened. Passenger traffic will mostly be a couple of clerestories behind an 0-4-4T so the platform needs to be long enough to accommodate those and a luggage van. The bay will be for goods and is fenced off from the main platform with direct access to the street. It will also be used to store the passenger stock at night. The small engine shed could either be for the passenger loco or for a station shunter, whichever is more feasible. The baseboards will be from Scale Model Scenery and measure in at 1655mm by 225mm for the main scenic area. Hopefully I can get what I want in there. Trackwork will be Peco code 100 as its what I already have. Are we all still awake? Good!

Having seen South Park Quarry for myself, I can tell you it looks a lot bigger on YouTube!

Fabulous news! Can't wait to see it finished

It was lovely to meet you! I love how tiny the O1 looks next to the Schools in your video

I'm sure I can find something to do with the C class

Today the Q1 went on a visit Also a fabulous time was had on the Bluebell Railway with @BlueLightningand @Skinnylinny. Gary was also kind enough to donate his bashed C class, so thank you to him for that!

Its an R1 on a K's 14xx chassis with scratchbuilt bogie

And so, I have succumbed to this pre grouping malarkey. An SECR Q1 in wartime grey

I painted the Q1 wartime grey I blame too much lurking in the pre grouping section and being convinced by @BlueLightning! Next to it is a new addition to the Chart Sutton branch; a director's saloon An idea shamelessly stolen from @Skinnylinny, slightly altered and given a coat of paint to represent SECR livery

A Brighton B1! Well that's my plan when I get myself an M7 body, plus extra parts

Managed to drop the Chart Sutton branch coaches down to a more acceptable level. Time to work on the couplings next Also, I will not paint the Q1 wartime grey, I will not paint the Q1 wartime grey, I will not paint the Q1 wartime grey...

I think I have an 0-4-4 addiction

So here's today's level of modelling insanity. Plenty of fettling but no unladylike words were necessary for once! Plus another lump to park it on A K's chassis from a 14xx that a certain northwestern box shifter was flogging off at an affordable price due to the body (the part I don't care about) being a bit rough with parts missing. The new boiler extensions actually hide the worm gear completely and the chassis works so I don't need to mess with it at all

An absolute schoolgirl error has been made upon consulting my copy of Russell this morning. The cab on the Q1 was approximately 2mm too low and today has been spent rectifying this Hopefully tomorrow will be dry long enough for a coat of primer to go on I also couldn't resist popping the buffers in temporarily

As tempting as it is to backdate further and go wartime grey, there's just something about lined Southern olive green