bcnPete

Thanks Mike - I agree it’s a form of art. I always ‘big up’ the lots of different creative tasks need to be performed to bring it all together and ‘play down’ the playing trains lark Actually I think I might sell the 33 and Lima Mk I’s back on as now the new Heljan offerings are available...and life’s too short... Thanks Rob... Thanks Robert! How’s Thurso coming on?

Again, very nice work off the bench Mark. Weathering looks spot on too. 46468 is getting ever closer to 46444

Nice work Kris - good to use photos and I always think if it ‘looks right’ then that’s the next best thing to scaled information. Look forward to seeing more of this...

How long do you have occupancy of the rear lounge? That’s looking great Rob - particularly like the end on view too. Are you going to add sides to your cassettes? Am thinking of putting something on my ones / traverser deck as the locos are big and heavy and am terrified of them hitting the deck from 4 feet up

I took inspiration from the Bond movies whilst they are in productIon Thanks Mikkel - I thought maybe you thought I was joking when I said I might do it in 7mm one day! Yep, mojo is back and I have been painting the first of the dries buildings over Christmas aided and abetted by glasses of red wine and Pink Floyd...expect to hear more on this later this month...

Many thanks Mark. I think I told Ian that I was thinking of doing a 7mm version was he was stood in front of my 2FS version a couple of years ago...will take me longer than he does though to finish it

Now we are talking - look forward to see this...soonish

Nice work Mark. I particularly like the weathered effect on the piston/connecting rods (?) Once again the scenic plank comes in useful for displaying your work and provides a suitable backdrop to allow concentration on the rolling stock

HNY all! New Year - New Project! Well...not quite yet...am 100% committed to completing Wenford dries first...however there has been an idea long in my mind to recreate my 2FS extract of Kyle in 7mm scale. Strange you may think to recreate an identical layout in a different scale...well, Ian Futers, long a hero of mine did it with Lochside I recall (P4 - 7mm) and for me Kyle gives the perfect excuse to run a blend of passenger, parcels and freight, all short trains. The idea first came about more than 10 years ago when I was living in BCN. Eager to toe dip in the senior scale (after all, I was the good side of 50 then ) I purchased a Lima class 33, a PMP conversion kit to make a class 26/27 and three Lima S/H passenger coaches. Said items all resided in the gloat box and were surpassed when the Dapol 08 arrived along with a few hoods...which eventually made it to my now ‘work in progress’ extract of Wenford Dries. So called ‘extracts’ as I choose a prototype and then due to space extract the ingredients to try and capture a sense of time and place of the area. Regular follows also know of my obsession with IKEA Lack shelves as baseboards, again something that came from BCN in 2007. Kyle in 7mm has been mapped out many times on different lack shelf templates, both1100mm long and 1800mm long as I enjoy the constraints they bring (Wenford uses 2 x 1100mm shelves) However even back then I realised that the 260mm width would just not capture the scene, only the track. The dock side harbour edge and the platform/station building in relief would need to be added to the width. Fast forward to now and my need to look beyond Wenford as a layout project. Coupled with the re-release of the recently announced Heljan classes 26 and 27 and a preordered Heljan 37/4 which I will tell you more about another time Mojo was low the last few months, so after a reread of some Ian Futers layout articles I dusted down the project to start pre planning. Current thinking is it needs a Scenic board circa 2m long and the same for the Fiddleyard, probably custom made. This would allow a 37/4 and three coaches. I also have a backup option using IKEA 1800mm boards although with this 7mm stuff it’s hard to manoeuvre them around the apartment...1100mm just about doable on my own The other dilemma I have is either to recreate what I did before in 2FS or to add more interest, model the other side of the station. (Link was posted here but it’s showing the image - assume that’s ok Mods?) Both would again be reduced in width to allow the water, so you get separate water, trains and mountain datums which give it depth. The other side of the station is not as well documented in photographs and also features an additional turnout on the run around loop having not been simplified in later years. This creates additional operational interest but am worried it crams too much track in...this one I am pondering some more. The lengths were first worked out using rough templates drawn over Wenford in pen on tracing paper. Here’s where the Lima stuff comes in use again to gauge train lengths. When you see the Lima Mk I’s think Heljan, Dapol or Darstead and when you see the 33 think Heljan 26/27 Following this I drew this in CAD approximately using dimensions based on Wenford but increased in width. Here I have flipped the layouts showing options of either side and also 2000mm and 1800mm board/shelf versions (1800mm not shown) Plan and indicative fascia elevation shown including my cheeky windows into the FY’s. In terms of construction, my usual cantilevered proscenium arch arrangement allowing 50mm ribs at the rear to support a hidden light at the front. For the FY this arrangement would be flipped with the ribs at the front fascia edge and possibly some horizontals to store some stock. 4 track traverser is assumed but I might have a separated head to allow loco runaround (2FS Kyle requires lifting and turning the locos...not as heavy as these beasts though!) Here’s a sketch of how the arrangement may come together... Following this, I decided to make a quick n dirty mock up. In 2FS you can do the whole thing, but whilst I didn’t feel the need to recreate all the 4m length of it, being an Architect I was keen to see how the cross section worked. An ‘extract of the extract’ if you like! That would show proportions, as well as viewing portal and general relationships between track and scenery...a lot cheaper than doing it all in timber first. The two different track arrangement were laid out in plan cobbled from some C+L paper templates. The first option represents the view as per Kyle 2FS with simplified runaround. The second option represents the other view as per prototype picture above... Here’s some pics of the full size mock up...again, when you see the Lima Mk I’s think Heljan, Dapol or Darstead and when you see the 33 think Heljan 26/27 - stay with me on this one Overall view from viewing side... Extract of harbour side, platform and relief station captured... This option allows some extra stock to be left in the siding.... Wagon left on harbour side whilst loco runs around train... Depth allows the three datums as per 2FS Kyle... From above... This represents Kyle as my 2FS one so would have a fence between tracks... So what I have learnt from all this over the festive period? Well a number of things: - I think the project is doable (either option still works for me) - 7mm takes up a lot of real estate (Adding the FY gives me storage issues!) - The harbour side on the mock up should be reduced in height (thanks Mickey!) - The width can be squeezed by 50mm giving 450mm overall depth. - The viewing portal will be increased another 50mm in height. The latter was based on Wenford of 250mm but that has a shallower depth so works ok proportion wise. This 50mm will also allow more mountain backscene. So that is where I am at...expect it to be a slow burn as I am committed to complete Wenford Dries first...but I think I have the all important ‘next project’ lined up. As always, comments welcomed... Pete

Thanks Rob, Yep although I transferred it to a blog as I prefer the different sub headings then endlessly trying to scroll back to find something! Here’s the latest...

If you are looking for a long term solution Rob, as a fellow newbie to 7mm scale I am using the foam inserts from Jon Burnham. I have seen Jon at the Wycrail and Tolworth shows 2019 and I recall he does inserts for all scales as I bought a few off him for my 2mmFS rolling stock with plastic cases. The 7mm ones can fit two within those ‘Really Useful Storage Boxes’ 48 Litre capacity. The length accommodates my old Lima Mk I coaches bought a few years ago so would have thought it should accommodate a class 37 too...hope so as I have one on order Jon sometimes advertises on eBay and I have an email address for him - if of interest I can PM the deats.

Great image! Hassocks is about 5 minutes away from where I grew up...maybe I was stuck behind this vehicle once

Great work Rob - That whole scene is working really well. Just remind me...are you going to have a Fiddle stick at one end or is the headshunt enough for a loco and a wagon?

Thanks Mikkel - yes some flickering I could live with as that is how I remember them...however this was just outright irritating as it was sparodic. Yes, there is only one BV as you say...it’s a 2032 battery I recall so quite common so it will be good to see how long it lasts...

Thanks Kris - good idea, never thought of that! I guess the only thing is you would still need to remove the roof to change the battery...unless the battery was housed under the chassis. Come to think of it, the battery and switch could have been housed under the chassis so no need to remove the roof

Happy Christmas all, A quick update on the Brake Van kit started previously. Prior to painting I wanted to explore installing a working tail lamp. After various searches I found one by ModelYard and after a few helpful email exchanges with Rob, he sent me a kit and a wiring diagram. The intention was to power the lamp from the track using wipers on the wheels fashioned from a kit previously bought at a show. The lamp was set up and various wires fed through to the underside of the chassis to link up with the pickup arrangement. This then proved to be troublesome as I found it difficult to get the spring action of the wire against the inside of the wheels. The lamp was on when on the track but upon moving the BV they slipped off and the lamp flickered...but not in a good flicker way! So a quick reorganisation the day after with the wires trailing on the top of the wheels...again, the same result So after another conversation with Rob, I decided to go old School and run it off a small battery but with a small inline switch that Rob provided. For this to happen I had to modify the roof to make it removable to access. This needed to be done anyway as the sides were bowing inwards. A few experiments with various layers of plasticard enables the roof to now slot in and out, whilst realigning the sides. I also took advantage to remove the curved rain strips to the roof which was subject to comments on the last post. So now it can move to the paint shop. Rob of ModelYard was very helpful and should I require more lamps I won’t hesitate to go back to him. As always, comments welcome... Pete Roof removed - the bowed sides can be seen... The crude inserts which enable the roof to sit properly... Light off... Light on...

Some lovely additions to the fleet there Mikkel. Liking that second pic showing the cast body with the brass and white metal additions - final pics look fab

Ha! Cheers for the giggles Mikkel I agree with Mike, that dung looks fantastic...

Lovely stuff Mikkel - Beautifully detailed Am guessing the load just escapes gradually where not wrapped same as when you follow a tractor with straw/hay

Sorry, only just noticed these replies...Thanks for posting Stoker... Ha! Let’s hope that never comes back as an idea. One thing my (French) wife cannot fathom is why it was ever thought it was a good idea to put carpet in a bathroom

Superb Mikkel! Not sure how I missed this at the time Could have been during my RMWeb down time due to loss of mojo... But the festive season is allowing me to catch up - Fabulous and as always a compelling engaging story, brilliantly told! Inspiring Happy Christmas to you too Sir

It's not all beer and Ivatt 2MTs on the 46444 workbench.... Just all beer then Nice work there Mark - can’t comment on the kettle as don’t know much about Black 5’s but it looks good on your scenic plank all the same. Liking the CCT and great news to hear you got it running now after some years wrestling with it. Painting and weathering nicely done as is a given with your work Beer and Scottish Class 37’s on the work bench next?

Thank you - excellent compilation. Love the smokin’ 47

To release trapped wind from excess beers and curry?

Sorry to hear this but completely understood and it’s rule No. 1! Thanks for sharing it though and I look forward to see the next project