Andrew Cockburn

Looks good so far, like the design, both for the baseboard, fiddleyard etc., also the "Inglenook" design. Will be interesting to see it progress further ....

Looks like an interesting concept, but just one possible flaw. Is having sidings under the bridge/scenic break a wise ploy, maybe in view of the need for uncoupling? Otherwise, I look forward to seeing how it develops further. And this is your very-first venture in N Gauge? I can recommend it, having "taken the plunge" myself a few years back, what with my own industrial offering, entitled "Nutt & Bolton" (see attached picture). N is indeed a useful space-saver, and as I've found, you can cram an awful lot of detail, operating potential into a small space. Good luck with North Bridge!

I too have a bit of a fascination with old/abandoned/disused railway lines, and features associated with them, particularly old tunnels! But re your own project, I think you have a good theme for a model, and I look forward to seeing it develop further ....

What a splendid model, the standard of modelling is first-class, I'm most impressed!

Looking good so far, a simple theme, but quite effective just the same. Look forward to seeing how it develops further.

Looking good so far, will be interesting to see how it develops further. I've constructed one or two shunting layouts in my time, but never one with only a single point (minimum for me has been three), but still, this would tend to go along with my motto/belief, that even simple layouts can be fun/interesting, can be up and running in a reasonable timescale, and are also a bit more "maintenance friendly", ie the less wiring/track there is, there can be less things to go wrong/put right!!

The wiring in the above pic looks slightly complex, but I'm sure it will function OK, while of course having it colour-coded always helps. And I too have employed the wire-in-tube method for point control, rather useful, particularly on small layouts such as my own, ie it tends to save a few bob on point motors, and also of course means a bit less wiring under the layout ....

What a novel idea! And I too have a built a few small, micro-shunting layouts in fairly quick succession, one of these was entitled "Short Street Sidings", which you may/may not have seen on another RM forum. This particular layout follows a similar theme to your current project, ie in that it has it's own means of storage, only in this case (quite literally) a flight case, purchased from Maplins (now of course defunct) a while back. Anyway, this looks like an interesting project of yours, and I look forward to seeing it develop further .....

I thought it might be a joke! For I can't ever recall seeing a controller such as that before, and yes, I think a Bachmann version may just prove a bit more reliable!!

OMG, that looks like a rather antiquated controller! But still, if it works, then that's all that surely matters. And I too am rather familiar with the "hand of god", can't really be avoided re wagon coupling/uncoupling, unless you employ a purely automated system, which I must admit, I've no real desire to do ....

Looking good so far!!

Whatever takes your fancy! No hard/fast rules re railway modelling, as you say its a free country!

Looks like an interesting plan, with plenty of scope for shunting operations. I too am a fan of small-scale/limited space shunting layouts (I currently have six, one of which, believe it or not, is stored in a flight case!), it will be interesting to see how your own concept progresses .....

Nice weathering jobs there, while the burnt-out brake van really looks the part!

Nice job, well done! I may have a go at a gritter myself sometime, only as a bit of a challenge, I may try scratch-building the rear hopper from plasticard, balsa etc. etc.

Nice collection of HGV's etc. you've got there, and nicely weathered. I think that after I've completed weathering work on my locos, I may just give some of my own road vehicles "the treatment", for they appear a bit "toy-like", and a bit of toning-down will I'm sure enhance their appearance ....

@ 37114 - That would be a good idea for a future project, a gritting truck! The rear body at least on such vehicles is a bit of a challenge due to it's shape etc., while in common with the sweeper, there was a fair bit of "tackle" on such vehicles ie pipes, cables, and the apparatus at the rear which actually spread the grit on the road. But as I said, maybe an idea for a possible future venture. I was also maybe contemplating doing a bin lorry, after all, all it is is basically a cab/chassis with a rectangular box sitting on the back, so again, possibly an idea for the future ....

@ saxokid - thanks for that. Yes, I feel that the little 03 really does look more like what it was intended for now it's undergone a "weathering job", plus its more in keeping with my preferred theme, ie industrial shunting. For I came to the conclusion that my locos and wagons looked a bit silly on my grimy, weathered, worn-down industrial layouts, hence the rather bold decision to weather them all. I must admit, I was a bit apprehensive at first, for I'd never before used weathering powders, only a pot of Humbrol matt black paint, with which I covered locos and wagons, and then wiped off with a bit of kitchen roll or tissue. However, I did a bit of reading up on the matter, watched one or two videos on Youtube, which made me a bit more confident, and having now "taken the plunge" am rather happy with the result!

@ saxokid - Yes, I must admit that quite a few locos and wagons do appear "toylike" when unboxed. Not like they'd appear in real life at all, unless of course, they were fresh from the factory!

This is the picture I meant!

@ philJ W - you mean like the one in the picture below? Might be interesting, dare say I may be able to come up with a scale replica!

A while back, I constructed a vehicle with a bit of a difference, i.e. a OO Gauge road sweeper, based on a Johnston model of the 1970s. Such vehicles are not readily available in OO, either in kit or ready-made form, so the only solution was to construct my own, by kit-bashing a Langley Models Ford D type white metal lorry kit. The chassis and cab were constructed as per the instructions, though the rear body was formed from card balsa, roughly in the form of a “squashed circle”, while small details such as pipes, brushes etc. were made from scraps of wire, balsa, plastic, pipe cleaner and other bits and bobs. Once assembled, the vehicle was given a gloss yellow “paint job”, in common with the livery was which prevalent in my own area in the 1970s, while black stripes were rather painstakingly painted on the back of the rear body. All-in-all then, a very satisfying and interesting model to have undertaken, one which I feel has added a fresh dimension to my OO layouts.

I think that a touch of weathering has certainly enhanced these "monsters" ....

@ saxokid - yes, it does look as if it's "done the rounds" as it were! I have to say I'm quite pleased with the way it's turned out after undergoing "treatment", I think it looks far better this way, particularly as I tend to model industrial-type scenes/areas ....