bcnPete

Bryn - Thanks - Good suggestion re the angle. It needs more thought on which pieces are detachable or not and a few structural considerations also need to be resolved. I guess if I construct it too soon it will restrict access to working on the layout somewhat. Need to ponder this in my sketchbook over the festive period inbetween watching recycled movies on the Beeb and copious amounts of mulled wine :icon_e_biggrin: ...

Update - Still awaiting my package of tools/equipment from the UK to get cracking again, so thoughts again turned to the backscene. After reviewing a number of other terrific layouts on the forum here, it occurred to me that perhaps it might be better to intoduce a 'proscenium arch' type enclosure to view the layout. This would align with Moorswater viaduct, with the lines passing through as a cut out. The resulting top of the frame could be used to run some small discrete strip lights along the front edge. To get a feel for it I have added it to the 1:10 scale model, which can be seen in the attached photos. I now have to ponder materials suitable for its construction. I am still in two minds as now the concept of the layout is changing. Originally it was supposed to be a layout constructed on 3 Ikea shelves which, due to the absence of a dedicated railway room, would allow the shelves to be removed, the layout worked on and then the shelves returned back on the wall. The construction of the shelves as bought, whilst are not ideally suited for baseboards, are lightweight, cheap and pretty solid. My concern is that with the introduction of a Ply or MDF front and backscene will make them too heavy. Foamboard as an alternative may be prone to damage due to removal and reinstatement of the shelves on the wall <img src='http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_confused.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':icon_confused:' /> Comments on the proposals would be very welcome <img src='http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_biggrin.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':icon_biggrin:' /> A notch is cut to allow the mainline to pass through... The fiddleyard screen height datum is set by the viaduct...

Thanks Bryn :icon_thumbsup2:

Thanks Bryn - you mean its not available anymore? I need a few rakes of those for KIAB...

Hey Bryn - pleased you found time between shifts to make good progress - the TOU is a neat and discrete solution for the blades. Also like the 12T van - assume that's one from the shop?

I wouldn't get to crest fallen about it James...it's just that redoing the concrete will enhance an already very nice model and take it to that next level...

Nice one James, Perhaps try and make the concrete match the support structure for your bridge [before Banksy gets to it ] as that was a terrific representation of stained concrete. Pete

Its Microstation V8i by Bentley...soon I need to swap to Autocad as that is used more in Spain...

Hi Mark - many thanks for your kind comments - including a viaduct is something you know all about of course...but at least mine is much shorter to build than yours Pete

Update - a little progress last night with board 3 as I have now laid the cork sheet below the trackbed. Unfortunately I cannot lay the track as am awaiting delivery of a new soldering iron and solder from the UK - giving myself the benefit of the doubt, I am guessing my soldering started to deteriorate from poor to absolutely shocking, possibly due to the only solder that I can find here was probably meant for joining water pipes together <img src='http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/icon_eek.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':icon_eek:' /> So I would rather not progress the buildings further at Moorswater until the EASITRAC turnout and the alignment of sidings has been completed. Also began to get a feel for the backscene, which you may recall will meet with the parapet of Moorswater viaduct. It will need a rethink of how the turnouts [there are only 2!] and isolating sections will work as without the backscene, they would have been screened by trees. I have made card formers around the Fiddle yard cassettes area and as per one of the comments received the other day, this will be the layout nameboard. For sure, its going to be tall as a backscene, but once it runs along the length of the layout I think it will work well and hopefully give the layout some depth. A few pics and a sketch attached... Overall view of Fiddleyard enclosure... Bachfar 37 emerges...will need to rethink those switches... Close up - Coombe Junction Signal Cabin has been mocked up in paper to get a feel for the size... Sketch showing layout with nameboard panel...

Rich - They look great, both in folded and unfolded state - nice to see another 2mm FS layout on the forum - watching with interest :icon_thumbsup2: Pete

Rich - The Expo is in July, not June so you have another month Pete

Nice turnouts - do you have a track plan that you can upload - sounds simple and appealing...just my cup of Tea :icon_biggrin:

very original Missy - love it :icon_thumbsup2:

David - Thanks - It looks like it was blackened but wore off after some bouts of heavy shunting perhaps! Pete

Agreed...time to hack off that coupling though ...

A very nice idea - I particularly like the siding towards the rear which will really give depth - am watching with interest...

Nice work Jo - do like grubby locos!! The front end detail with all the trimmings + weathering, I find particularly compelling.

I agree with Jim. Ron has done a great job, but all credit to you for supplying the excellent layout in the foreground. The two work in perfect harmony! Pete

James - Thanks - Little by little and who knows, maybe one day, a taste of the fame you are currently experiencing ...

A very neat solution Bryn - look forward to see some more after your night shifts tail off.

Bryn, Hi I will make the bases in fairly stiff card but will apply various plasticards etc as most of the buildings are either stone and asbestos or crinkly tin cladding. Once painted and rusted they will receive a good dusting of white to represent the clay as portrayed by the excellent Wheal Elizabeth layout of this forum. Pete

Rich - Thank you, It's early days for this board but I think the gritty industrial nature of it, will provide a nice counterbalance to the deserted leafy green station of Coombe Junction. Many thanks again for that article that you previously sent me on Moorswater Dries - It is coming in very useful at present in terms of photographs and understanding of a clay dries. Pete

Update - A little more progress on Board 3 last night. I have started to make the bases for the buildings in grey card and once I am happy with the profiles and the openings are cut, it will receive a cladding of evergreen corrugated sheet, lapped as required as per the prototype. Sorry about the cut down toilet roll holder...it's just that late last night I was looking for an 'off the shelf' cylindrical object that could represent the stone clad drum...it will be replaced by something more suitable soon... What has become evident, is that more of the trains will be visible from the 'viewing side' as I was a tad worried that they would disappear and be swallowed up by the dries buildings - The cassettes can hold a class 37 and 8 clay hoods which is how I have based the run-a-round loop. All track for this board will be EASITRAC and I have all the components, so once I crack completing my first turnouts for the Boxfile Kyle layout, I can start here and begin to bed in the buildings. A few pics attached...

Thanks '179. Yes I am going to try and include the small crossing you refer to...I remember standing at that very point 20 years ago and poking my camera towards the dries buildings as I knew one day I would model it...now I wish I had done a complete photographic record of all the buildings etc including trying to sneak around the site as all the photos of the dries seem to be taken from the same vantage points...