MANTY1

Bit of help from the boss here. Took us ages to achieve how we wanted it. Now to add detail (when time permits )

Thanks Simon. Thats very useful. Regards Roger

Sorry not been about for a while so missed this posting. Will try to do some more shots soon. ?? Is there any way you can get a notification that someone has added a reply to a post you have made or are following. Without having to open up RMWeb. ? I'm certain I ticked a box for notifications but don't seem to get any ?? technology challenged methinks.

Thanks Kevin, So now the fun begins, looking forward to it and hopefully making my locos look better. Will let you know how I get on. Although may take a while as I am a bit busy (and I'm retired !!!!)

Well the postman delivered these today. Inspired by the earlier photo's and postings on here (Little Muddle) I want to make my loco's a bit more realistic. Advice please :- I use acrylic paints so I assume a coat of grey (or white) primer first. What colour blue should I use for their overalls. Any advice appreciated as this will be my first foray into painting "little people" Hope you can help. Apologies if this is the wrong place to ask this, but as I saw the locomen on here this is where I got the idea.

Not a lot of progress lately (time constraints) and I'm Retired Change one piece of straight track so that hopefully a fiddle yard can be added later. Also rewired some of the connections, mainly as I have treated myself to a Prodigy Express DCC controller. What a difference that makes to the slow running and ease of control. Added a 2" extension to the front so that I can put a small coal stage in the front left hand siding along with a water crane. Also make the coal yard near the bridge a bit less cramped. I fell in love with a Hornby Duchess Loco (City of Nottingham) and had to buy her. Runs well and have had it DCC'd. Not really the type of loco for my area but too good to miss, so it can visit occasionally after running a "special" (see pic.) Will take some more shots shortly.

You will notice I have weathered the track as well using Railmaster Dark Rust Enamel brushed on to the sides of the rails. Seems to have worked OK. The sleepers were brushed with sleeper grime.. Feel free to make any recommendations you see fit, as this layout is my very 1st attempt at a layout. I'm not sure whether I should have used a lighter ballast but hopefully this darker look is OK for a sidings area. Have a good weekend.

Last week I laid some more ballast and also had another play with my static grass applicator (tea strainer style) which for me works very well and for the price (under £25) am very pleased with. Need to position and weather the buffer stops properly and then fix the wall. My thoughts (too many) are that this area of track and sidings are the other side of the bridge from the local station (which will be the fiddle yard) so gives me another reason for its existence. This photo !!!!! The local DMU is resting between services in the siding before its run back into the station to collect passengers for the run to the main town. The 14xx is resting (time for a brew) after bringing in the local goods and shunting the wagons. With the layout in its current position on the windowsill then there is no room for a fiddle yard, so the plan is to make a small one that can be attached anytime after the layout has been taken off the sill. Then I can run trains off the board and give it another reason for being there. Well thats the theory anyway. Funny how after looking at other forums on here you get ideas for expansion and also creating a story (albeit small) for the models existence.

Great article in BRM. Giving me ideas(don't tell the boss) about my main layout that I hope to start next year. Amazing modelling, so captures the real thing (imo)

Hi Back from our holiday, so thought I would show how we are getting on. Am going to use Natural Scenics dark grey ballast in a 50% N guage 50% 00 guage which we both think looks good. Very helpful they were too, also included a few small samples of other items which will help with other ideas. The warehouse has had an extension platform fitted which I think improves it. The canopy was changed but needs weathering down, looks too shiny. The small building to the left was a Metcalfe one which I cut in half, hopefully does the job. Been testing the track and "yes" doing some shunting, seems to work OK. The morning goods has been sorted and stored in the back siding, later the 64XX will take it away and peace will return. The Hattons 14XX will move back to the coaling stage after the goods has left. What an excellent little model that is, so smooth and slow running. Must but some footplate crew, maybe the Modelu ones they look great and I like the idea of the fireman leaning over the cabside. Uncoupling is by an extending magnetic rod (hand of god) which lifts the couplings which have pieces of staple superglued on top. Works for me anyway. Starting to look better now some scenery is in place, just need to get on with ballast and ground cover (eeek) Pics not the best as being on the windowsill a lot of light behind.

The boss decided we should clear out the garage today Which was a good idea really. Sorting through a few odd bits came across an Ikea shelf 31" x 4" in pine with with raised edges (slightly higher at the back) Immediately thought "this will do as a small fiddle yard" for those odd times I take her off the windowsill. So that won't be got rid of, and next time I take the board of the cill will measure up for possible future use. Also realised that with all my thinking about what to put on the board, the one main thing that started to slot everything in place was the backscene. It was surprising what a difference it made and gave both of us a bit more inspiration. Just playing with ballast at the minute before deciding type snd size to go for, Have a good weekend.

Back from a great few days with family. Looking at ballast at the moment. Testing a bit of "Natural Scenics" Dark Grey and Guagemaster "Granite" Wait until it dries and go from there.

Have also got one of these Airfix, I think. Have purchased flush windows and also mine has the Dart cast fittings underneath, been in storage for a long time and find that the bell has gone astray. Does anyone make one ? This layout is amazing, so enjoy watching developments.

Hi Sun VI Hope these pics come out OK Had to take it into the other room to get a long shot of it, so have done it from each end. The Dark patch down the left hand side is where the Brick wall had fallen over, didn't see it until afterwards As I have said before this is only meant to be a test track and help with scenery skills etc. Can do quite a bit of shunting with her, and who knows, maybe one day I could put a fiddle yard at the bridge end, but not useable when it is on the windowsill. Have to say I am learning a lot, been a long time coming, just have to see how we get on. Regards

Hi Colin I will have to bear that in mind for the future What I have for this diorama will do me. I had so much trouble (technology challenged ) decided what I have done will have to do. Am enjoying card building and developing the scene, hopefully stand me in good stead for when I go for a layout and fiddle yard. Have decided not to rebuild the Scalescenes warehouse, but with the "boss's" help we have changed the awning to a grey tile which makes it look much better for this situation. Will post a couple of more pics soon, when it is finished. Regards

The Victorian Walling is an excellent kit from Scale Model Scenery (download version) Printed onto Matt self adhesive paper and well pleased with the look

The backscene has arrived from Art Printers. Excellent help and service from John. So next thing was to fit it. Had to lift it up a bit to get the houses at the right height, but fence/walling will cover the bottom. See photo. Very pleased with the look and the Railway Building on the left (also an Art printers one) The Scalescenes warehouse will be rebuilt in a darker redbrick. Waiting for a ballast sample to arrive. The small shed to the left of the warehouse is a Metcalfe one cut in half.

So we slowly move along (well it is summer!!!) The track is down and operating. Just need to make sure all is OK with conections then to fix it down. All short radius points for this diorama, but all works fine. The little Hattons 14xx is a cracker, so much so I treated myself to a 58xx as well. Have a new backscene on order from Artprinters (what a helpful chap John is) which we feel will suit this setup better. Then I can start to fix the Railway Building (also Artprinters) etc. Looks like I will have to build another Scalescenes Low Relief Warehouse, but this time in Dark Red Brick. I appreciate this track layout does not look prototypical, but after all it is really a testtrack & (steep) learning curve. Am staying with standard couplings for now and have fixed small pieces of staple on top of the each arm. A telescopic pointer with a magnet on it makes an easy to use uncoupler. Hand of God yes but it will suit me for now. You can just see the uncoupler clipped onto a magnet on the front. A few pieces in place but this is not fixed, just to get ideas. So there we are for now, sorry the pics are not brill (must improve the focus) but bit difficult with the board being on the windowsill (light issues) Your thoughts would be appreciated.

Incidentally, although not in the plans at present, there is no reason why I couldn't put a small fiddle yard past the overbridge, but would not be able to use it on the window sill. Thats something for the future maybe.

Moving slowly on. The track is laid and wired, so the baseboard is now on the window-ledge. Did away with the 3way point couldn't make it work so decided not worth it for this test track/ diorama. Have had a little play with my new "Terrain Cover" static grass applicator in the front left hand corner. Not bad for a first attempt. Am thinking will put "coal staithes" front right near the bridge. The Scalescenes warehouse (reduced height) will probably look better with another one alongside it. Unsure what to do at the left hand end and also what to do as a backscene, still its early days and as its my first attempt willing to try different ideas. If you can help would be appreciated. Like the Art Printers warehouse at the left hand end, but not sure if its overkill or looks right in this case. Need to be sure before ordering the proper printed set.!!! Sorry about the depth of field on the photo's, will try harder next time (lol)

Hi Steve. No I haven't seen it, will have a look now. Thanks.

Well that wasn't very successful !!! Laid the track, wired up, but no way can I get the 3 way electrofrog point (early model with 3 wires to frogs) to work. Tried every which way to wire up the PL10's but for some reason couldn't make it happen. I'llkeep the point for my next effort The other areas plus points worked fine. Remember they are being operated by the "hand of" So decided, as it is really a test track and diorama then I will go back to short radius points. Removing the point has meant the track doesn't lay right so reckon it will be best to start again. Never mind, all part of the learning curve.

Just seen Colins post which talks about the accessory switch. I think that might be my best answer as I'm manually moving the point.

Maybe thats what I should try first Colin. Regards

Thanks for that Booking Hall. Excuse me being silly, but if I'm using "the hand of God" to switch the point as its on a windowsill and only a test track, can this still work without a point motor.?