BritishGypsum4

Hello Mike. I bought the Branchlines kits about two years ago and need to make a start at some point. They do look fairly accurate. I saw a pair of these on a layout at the Guildex show at Telford one year and being a sucker for oddities I bought the pair. I also got the Narrow Gauge version off eBay last year which I made a start with on Sunday. I took only a couple of shots but I need to do more before I post photos. When I get a bit further on I'll run the rule over them to see what they are like and compare them to the drawings I have in the Colonel Stephens book on the Railbuses. To me they look right for what I want to achieve and will fit nicely. As to complexity I must say that I do find the instructions nice and easy to follow. The Std gauge ones look slightly less fiddly than the narrow gauge one to build but I will know more as I progress.

Certainly wet my appetite to get on with some modelling. Looking forward to see how your layout progresses and I like the look of that track plan. What ideas do you have for the coffeepots? I take it they will be scratch built? I've just bought a book Vertical Boiler Locomotives and Railmotors by Philip J. Ashworth and Vic Bradley. Some excellent photos and the odd drawing with rule on it to show size. I look forward to sitting down and reading it through

Well it was great to get to Kendal Model Exhibition today. A chance to get out of the house and stretch my (rather sore) leg(s). Been having trouble with an old knee injury and sciatica playing havoc with my hip. Will have to sort out the photos later tonight and post them. All were inspiring in their own way, showing that it doesn't matter what scale someone uses, there could be a good idea with regards scenery, trackwork, general design, right down to the trains that are running. Batterdale kept my two interested in trying to find lots of different cameo pieces. Kept me entertained too! So much I didn't see half of what ran past as we hunted unicorns, flying pigs and foxes on the tick sheet. Also my youngest loved the scene on Kirtley Bridge of the washing line and the chickens. I've been told that whatever I build has to have them! I hope they don't mind an ostrich either.... I didn't get chance to buy much as they started to get bored with looking at trade stands so it gives me a good excuse to head to York and spend there....

Many thanks Bob. Those two photos of the passenger trains are wonderful. I do look forward to this coming weekend to see the layout in action at Kendal. Regards Ben

Very inspirational Bob. I aim to get something into the garage over time and this is layout that has plenty going on and yet would fit nicely into the footprint of my garage. Out of curiosity, how many carriages will the platform hold?

Here are just some photos of the kits I have to build both narrow gauge and standard gauge. First one is the Branchlines kit for the Ford Railbus. One will be powered and one unpowered. MR Brake van. I think this looks a really bonny looking carriage and fits in with the whole idea of a light railway that I want to do. It'll keep me quiet for a bit. I have others which I have done or still to finish off

Thank you Ade. When I work out how to "shrink" my photos to upload more than one I'll be sure to post some up. I'll be doing a bit tomorrow in the attic so hope to take some then too. Very true indeed and hence why my initial idea of one side being a fiddle yard to terminus and the other being the same but for narrow gauge appealed to me at first. It meant I could have some straight sections in and I'd accept that as I can use it to test my kit building out but it also means having some scenery to also take photos of. I'll certainly keep having a think about it and see what else I might come up with.

So I have been browsing on this forum for a little while now and I love seeing how everyone takes a challenge and works through it to get to a successful conclusion. There are many different layouts that I have enjoyed viewing and I have found it rather inspiring to say the least. So here's to you all for taking the challenge and building something. Here's to all of you who get so much enjoyment from the hobby and are happy to share pictures, thoughts and ideas to everyone. It has certainly helped me to take the plunge and to start to model. So the title of this thread will give you all some idea of what I am working with. I have, at this moment, a small space of 10' 6" by 10' to play with. Well, to be honest I have a lot of boxes and packaging up in the attic which is causing me a headache of where else to store it so it isn't in my way but we'll ignore that slight snag for the moment.... I have enjoyed reading the micro layout threads and trying to think of some ideas of what I can do. I have also read both publications from Gauge 0 Guild with regards layouts and small spaces. And so to the attic.... I did think of a roundy roundy layout and accept that the curves will only allow me to run short wheelbase stock. Not really a problem. I enjoy tank engines and I also like light railways. I have also seen the track plan for Selsey in the Peco publication that came out last year and I think I will aim for something similar. The main difference being that I want to have a narrow gauge feeder line as well. So that will use the opposite platform face. I like oddities so I have three Branchlines kits with regards Railbuses. These in particular are the ones that Colonel Stephens used on several of his railways. I have also got the narrow gauge version too. So we'll see how this all goes in the end. Currently though, and probably to the horror of some, I aim to just make some of the many kits that are currently cluttering up the boards that are up in the attic. I want to make space and store them in larger boxes (carefully!) and then begin to sort a track plan out and go from there. Finally (and to the horror of most again!) I am using the boards that were in the attic when my wife and I bought the house. It used to have a four track 00 layout that had been made for the children. They are well screwed together so I do not think there will be any issue with them. Any point work will be an bit awkward so I might think of various methods with regards to changing points.... There are shelves underneath the boards which certainly restrict any working underneath! I will have to rescan a drawing I did and upload it for you all to have a look at what I did come up with for the space. Also there are three track gauges 32mm (std gauge), 16.5mm (narrow gauge) and 9mm (miniature). I have a little diesel for the 9mm track and an Avalon kit of a bogie coach. I have a number of pieces for the 16.5mm gauge track including two kits of Talyllyn as well as a Mercian models kit of Prince. So plenty to keep me busy

I'll aim to come and see it at the Kendal show. Would really like to see this inspirational layout in the flesh

Thank you! I will have a look at some point and get one ordered. Currently busy making some of the simple but nice Peco 0/16.5 kits that they do. I will look at getting a chassis soon though then I can have another look at the kit

Really? Wonder if the person in question has been told to "Get his finger out?"

I know you have been keeping me entertained with your modelling Tom and showing me photos as you've been completing different kits and different items but I really cannot wait to see how it all goes together on the layout and how you will bring to life the Railway Series in model form. It won't be just a "Thomas" layout but a layout of a branch line terminus in its own right. Me thinks a timetable a long the lines of what Rev. Awdry had for his might not go amiss?

There is a book by Simon Bolton which is about scratch building and he goes through all the steps required to do a J15 but as he says it is equally suited to other scales. That one in particular is in 4mm. He also has a section on doing a diesel. It is called Scratch Building Model Railway Locomotives. Ususal websites to find this would be Amazon, eBay etc.

I'd still question that to be honest! Plus it is a minor detail but one that Rev. Awdry never clarified. There are plenty of websites out there with regards to the buses alone. Bertie could be a Regal or a Lion to name just two. For modelling it all depends on what you can get and what looks right or one that you are happy with. The mine was half way along. I'd agree with the possibilities of the two twins being used for occasional freight workings as and when necessary.

I'll get on with the timetable now.... Proving to be a right challenge in the case of making sure that the trains cross each other correctly as well as trying to make it realistic in running

Many branch lines didn't have a turntable. You don't need one when a locomotive is designed to run in both directions equally well which a tank engine is designed to do. There was never a turntable at Ffarquhar, both the illustrations and IOS support this. Good example of tank engines running in reverse on the main line is on gradients such as Shap and the Lickey incline. Bank the trains to the top and come down the other side to start the operation again. Not only that but you have the Stanier tanks, Fairburn and Standard tanks. All designed to run trains in either direction and that they did well. In response to the question of larger locos being used there is a line in Tank Engine Thomas Again about waiting for James to pass with a goods train. Love how people use wiki... Nowhere did the Rev. Awdry actually state what type of bus Bertie was (or Algy or Bertie for that matter) nor what Terence was. It also depends on what era you take the books to be written in as to what was around then too. Unfortunately Rev. Awdry did contradict himself with the odd date here and there. As an example of this he stated that Henry's accident was in 1935. However he says that Thomas and Bertie had their race in 1948...... But that story came out before Henry's accident

David Goulder's Big Bertha. I have the album and worth getting. Some of the songs are funny

I echo LNWR18901910's comment. Especially using something so small as the Ertl model to begin with but then to also go R/C too. Amazing

I do love the Garratt. Utilitarian maybe but useful machine indeed. I always wondered why the Rev. Awdry didn't write about the 0-10-0 banker from Bromsgrove, Big Bertha. In fiction he could of had it saved and doing the same job banking trains up the hill. Cracking video

Thank you! I have saved the page. I will need to look over the instructions and see what size wheelbase it requires.

You might say that using toy items isn't proper modelling but then what you have done follows your brief to the letter. You have set out to model a beach railway and it looks great. The fact that you used toys doesn't matter, but it is the end result that matters. I think you have pulled it off considering you didn't give yourself a lot of time.

Hello I have a Springside models 7mm scale kit of the little LYR 18" gauge Wren. The box and instructions say it requires an Ibertren "Cuckoo" chassis Does anyone have one that they are wanting or willing to let go? Or does anyone know if there is another chassis that will fit under this kit?

This surely must have the makings of a great competition and I look forward, as a visitor, seeing the layouts in the flesh at the show. I certainly can't enter it this year but would be tempted for the following year if this is going to be a regular thing. It also allows others to gain inspiration for small areas at home.

Indeed. From a modellers point of view it is almost like a free for all in terms of what you might fancy running. To bring in a certain amount of realism then challenges what might have been possible with regards rolling stock and buildings. All good fun!

I'm always intrigued in how people come up with ideas for small compact layouts so eagerly watching developments on here.