bridgiesimon

7 months since my last post, blomin eck!! Anyway, we have a show with Polpendra next week, Sat 21st June http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/events/7994-GloucesterModelRailwayShow We are really looking fiorward to this as we have not shown the layout since Januar, I will take some piccies and add as well as some vidz if I can. Hope to see some of you there. Best wishes Simon

The hobbits are on tour again this weekend, a trip down the road a little way to Doulting for the Shepton and District Club show - http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/events/9152-Mendip2014 Hope to see some of you there. Best wishes Simon

Pile of stuff and little shed at the front seems to work really well there. Best wishes Simon

That threaded bar system for hanging the lower level is genius, carefully noted for my future layout although it will be nowehre near on this scale (unfortunately Best wishes Simon)

That is the good thing about scalescenes, if you are not wholely happy then just print out another set and have another go. They look great for a first attempt though. best wishes simon

a caravan after Top Gear guys have been at it would be quite a modelling project, actually just a pile of scrap would do it although a little out of era for your layout so I had better just shut up then, hehehe! Away for Mum's birthday so will miss the Exeter show, bumholes!! Also with all the shows we are at with our layouts, I need to limit the other visits before my wife gets too grumpy, well grumpier than already! Best wishes Simon

Interesting comment about the blue tank, maybe just a works van or something sat there would be less obtrusive, great model such as it is I find myself agreeing that it is not really needed. what was the thoughts as to the use of the tank? This layout is looking better and better! By the way, very off topic but ain't it got interesting with the stroppies between the mercedes guys!! Best wishes Simon

We had a great day playing trains at Bideford, a super venue and seemed busy for most of the show. The workings for the water tank arm behaved ok, a few loco issues, possible as it was cold and the lasyout etc had been in th ecar overnoght but settled down as the day went on. Best wishes Simon

Looking forward to seeing the layout again, do you have any more shows booked? Best wishes Simon

hehehe, cassettes packed in the car already!!! For those who are confused, A stayed at my mum's in North Devon the night before the show, around 70 miles from home. got up in the morning of the show to find I had left the casettes at hom so a 140 mile round trip for them so we could actually run the layout - not happy with myself!!!! Back to using the packing check lists I use with Polpendra then!!! Simon

Raising Steam is a great book, you have my mega recommendation. What is really great about it is that the railway side of it has limited descriptions so the opportinuty to develop how it looks is very open!! It does sounds more standard gauge rather then narrow gauge though, mention in places of the corridors through coaches etc. If I did go towards that for a future layout, I think that the urban sprawl of Ankh Morpork would be ideal, imagine Chester but with dirt, dwarfs and trolls!! This is how I would invisage it - http://svenart.deviantart.com/art/Ankh-Morpork-14765357 A great image!! Best wishes Simon

Well now Mr Black Sheep, you strike again hehehe. There is now a water course above the chute, now cut, modelled and painted. Apologies, not a great piccie, taken quickly on my phone! When it is dry I plan to add some wooden planked sides and at the front to suggest a holding pool and control equipment for the water supply to the water tank. Best wishes Simon

Cool, I will be at Bideford with Hobbiton End, see you there then Simon

I agree, the water needs to be coming from somewhere. I am thinking that a small culvert to the right hand side of the rocky outcrop on the other side of the pathway above the chute would be the best place then model a sort of dam and small pond with some form of water flow control for the flow into the pipe and chute before is disappears under the path to the pipe. At least then it sugegsts the water is not flowing by the home. Best wishes Simon

I have been pondering, all thanks to Black Sheep, see message 312 (p13). He mentions that the straight water chute has limited character and I now totally agree so have built a new one, let me know what you think - I also picked up this little boat at the Taunton show for a couple of quid, although 00 gauge allegedly, I think that with a bit of reworking, it will make a great wagon load. I am thinking that a pair of flat 4 wheel wagons each with a pivoted cradle to load it on would look great. The plastic frame sat inside the main body of the boat is very chunky so will be removed and replaced with somet else, maybe a couple of simple planks for seats. Anyway, better get ready for work - always gets in the way of model making!! Best wishes Simon

Hobbiton End is out on its travels again this weekend, Southwards to Bideford - http://northdevonrailwayshow.weebly.com/ Hope to see some of you there! Simon

Hobbiton End is out on its travels this weekend - http://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/events/9048-StPetersModelRailwayExhibition Taunton for those in the area. Hopefully a couple of new additions should be ready! Best wishes Simon

Looking very good!! Simon

Sorry, only just got back to the thread, I am always interested in seeing piccies from the set, Living in Soerset means that the real Hobbiton is not very local. Best wishes Simon

It is a very good looking machine, also on my list for some point in the future. Would look good on the front of a Night Riviera rake. Best wishes Simon

Pendennis Castle, mock GWR livery? Sounds good though lots to do in not much time. Simon

Cantrail stripes now on my CAN DO list WAHAY!!! Thank you, the Replica ones are a doddle to use and I am well on my way to having my Advanza Freight 47 and my Fragonset 73 done. Am working between the two giving one section or stripe time to set while working on the other before swapping back. Best wishes Simon

Totally agree, the lower one is better, the higher one reduces the effect you have in such a large area! Best wishes SImon

plus quite few other jobs .... Hope to get most sorted ready for next show in Barnstaple (26th July) and Minehead (2nd August). Also, one booking for next year and possibly one other, so far. Iron Maiden etc on the sound for the music shop!!! hehehehe Simon

Another little delivery we have just had is this set of nameplates for the locomotives, specially done in a very cool font and with appropriate names I am sure I will need to expand the list for some others at some point in time but these are a good start. I am thinking that they will require painting then gently sanding to leave the letters clean and am thinking about using a dark green background instead of the traditional red or black to make them different and to match in with the green on some of the locomotives already. Best wishes Simon