bridgiesimon

As you may have noticed, during the issues the guys have been having on here, I have lost all my piccies from this and my other threads, aaargh!!! Yes I do still have them saved but I liked to use this as a link to resource for people interested in how my layouits have developed as well as being interestign to look back myself. I am afraid that I do not have the time, nor the inclination (sorry!) to go through and re-load all the missing images but if anyone is interested in seeing some piccies of the layout I am sure I will calm down enough to add some in the future!! Best wishes from a very upset Simon!!

Sounds like you have had/are having a nightmare with this. Disappointingly, it looks like a majority of the images from my threads have disappeared and not just from the last year - Polpendra, every image throughout the thread start to finish Hobbiton End, from page 7 (July 2013) to date Ankh Morpork Light Railway threads also seem pretty empty, aaargh!! This is a mega job is I was to try and scour through and re-attach all the images!! I am not sure that I can think of appropriate words to use to describe my level of frustration today!!! A very unhappy Simon

defo another vote for the overcast skies much more prototypical for the UK than sunshine ad blue skies lol!! Best wishes Simon

I have been talking to a mate of mine, he is also putting together a rake of N gauge ones, we are considering talking to Precision Decals about getting sheets of them done, he is a great guy and has done transfers for us in the past for other projects. Best wishes Simon

Did you have any luck getting these done? I now have a rake of nearly 40 China clay hoods that need the ECC logos for the hoods, all the other transfers done from the N Gauge Society sheet. Best wishes SImon

very neat respray. I have a few on the go, cantrail stripes next, very apprehensive about it as they are very fiddly and hard to get straight arent they. best wishes Simon

Absolutely stonking model making!!! Best wishes Simon

I love the range of transits Richard, the only thing I am not sure of it the size of the steering wheel, it seems to dominate the interior. otherwise, they are great, Will defo be after soem of them as and when/if they will be available. best wishes Simon

An additional comment I would like to add is that more recently, i use a permanent marker such as a Sharpie to blacken the etches for the MBD couplings before assembling them, other than the part to be soldered. this helps to make them less visible than the bare brass etch. I found that paint would run off too quickly. Best wishes Simon

yes, that is correct, I solder the dropper to that rectangular tab that they suggest you cut off. gives a nice area to solder the wire to for strength. Best wishes Simon

Great work so far, I use MBD coupings on my Polpendra layout and have found them to be superb and yes, I do solder the wire dropper in place though I do not use the wire provided. I cut a length and bend a short bit at the end to 90 degrees and slide it through the coupling the solder it into the side of the loop which has the longer tab. Will try to sort a few piccies tomorrow if you want me to. They are fiddly to get the hang of assembling but I found that once I got in my stride I can assemble a surprisingly big batch in only one evening. I use them on the layout with electromagnets as permanent magnets will cause unwanted uncoupling. The biggest advantage of these is the delayed action, with my layout I can uncouple and shunt a wagon or several to the end of the siding and leave them there without recoupling. One other thing to keep an eye out for is that over time, they may adjust themselves as they get knocked etc, especially during exhibiting - lots of vibrations during travel etc. Despite all the issues, I wholly recommend them. Best wishes Simon

I agree, it defo needs somet to finish it off. Best wishes Simon

Oh yeah, another project I have been working on was a Christmas pressie for my Harry Potter fan of a wife, I made her a Book Nook model for the book shelf based on Diagon Alley - Not the best piccies in the world but hopefully will give you the idea. Best wishes Simon

Ok, I have started adding lighting to some of the more recent structures this week having ordered a new roll of LED light strip. That is where the issue started as you can see in the first piccie, the lights are way too white despite being warm white so what to do... (Defo need to sort out that window on the front there, that frame does not fit at all!) The answer for the lighting? Eat sweets!! In particular the toffee coins and orange creams from Quality street so that I can use the plastic wrapping to cover the LED light strip for a much better colour - Here is the row of 3 shops. I know, very untidy but this was a quick tester before doing things for permanently. Also lights in the eatery - This has highlighted a couple of places around some windows where there in light leakage issues to sort out, oops!! I have also been developing the area around the large warehouse the the right hand end of the layout with a upper level walkway, windows and a paint job. Mega disappointment is that the guy I used to get the laser cut MDF windows has suddenly gone dark, no responses via Ebay/Facebook etc so no longer available. I do hope he is ok, no real way of finding out though. Anyway, that is what I have been up to, what do you guys think? best wishes Simon

October!!! Ooer, need to update things!!! I will add piccies this evening of the latest developments. Best wishes Simon

This scene is looking great, especially like the inclusion of the long tree trunk, it makes the scene really realistic! best wishes Simon

That could so easily be a piccie of a model railway, I thought it was at first!! such a useful image for details isnt it. Best wishes simon

Gargoyles are on the shopping list for the future so will defo be added in a few places. that garden one is very cool, lucky you and I agree, red eyes would look great!! Best wishes Simon

these look great, if you wanted an easy addition to the train, some of these trains ran with a VGA van for all the straps and accessories. Best wishes Simon

cheers guys, much as the idea sounds intriguing, I think I must decline the offer of jelly and pickle for the river lol! I do agree that swamp dragons must be included somewhere, not sure where yet though. Best wishes Simon

Quick update time, with lots of help from Russel, cheers mate, I now have a stormy cloudy backscene and am rather pleased with it, what do you guys think? There will be another large warehouse style structure this end with a track leading into it for loading/unloading (accessible through the backscene) which should help hide the access trackwork as well. oops, little blurry, sorry! Now I notice the missing chimney in the corner which will hide the corner brace. More to follow. Best wishes Simon

Very odd choice to sell those in one bulk lot! Best wishes Simon

I use Halfords grey plastic primer for N gauge with no issues of details clogged up - primed loco bodies, 28mm scale figures and a few days ago, a selection of n gauge whitemetal figures for painting - no issues at all! Best wishes Simon

Another hint for suitable vehicles for these wagons - Butler Printed Models - 3D printed military vehicles, very good price (£2.48 for a Scorpion) although not the best detail on the planet but more than good enough for a moving train and as they are 3D printed plastic they are very light so no top heavy troubles, Now those post 1976 Warflat wagon kits are out, I had better order some for my box of already painted Scorpions, scimitars and strikers. Best wishes Simon

No need to apologise, if all this encourages one more person to find and enjoy the discworld books it is well worth it!! Working through adding the backscene images to the boards today, slowly but surely, images to follow when completed. best wishes Simon