bridgiesimon

That crane is looking awesome!! I am mega impressed with it!! Simon

'I have spotted that I need to paint the inside of the loco shed!' I have found the same, now I have a digital camera, I do take piccies and then study them cos I spot issues etc in the piccies that I do not see on the layout in front of me! Having said that, your layout is most excellent and a I also agree, the weathering on those loco's is mega!!!! Best wishes Simon

I am now well on with my least favourite job, ballasting!! Looking ok so far though will need weathering down quite a lot! (piccie very pale but was taken on my phone) Not wetted or glued yet though, still dry. I am stopping for a break before getting the mini sprayer out to wet it and dribble the glue mix everywhere. I have just nicked a small sprayer bottle from my wife and emptied the remains of her glass cleaning spray stuff to use the bottle as it sprays a superb fine mist, ideal!! Simon

I saw these HSTs att he recent Thornbury show and was blown away, stunning!!! Sooooooo tempted but will power held on for now, too many project on the go for a while but... Simon

Jack 00, I have done a FGW 158 in N gauge using Electra Railway Graphics vinyl sides, worked really well and very easy!! Just completed the Ginsters one as well. Ths project is looking great, good luck with the exhibition Bill, I know what it is like, I am exhibiting in Bideford on the 26th and have a few issues to sort before then, also my new layout has its first exhibition in July, thought I had months, now only weeks - aaaargh!!!! Simon

Having had the cloudy sky on the layout for the last 24 hours, I have totally changed my mind and so will be using it for the layout. Airbrush out this evening for the loco. Simon

Oh yeah, I have built a small side seated coach for the biggies as well, I plan to build a short rake of 3 or 4 of these to run on the layout. Simon

Ok, some of the big plans have been developed, some not. I have not got the airbrush out for the little tankie yet, hope to have a go at that later though. Firstly the backscene, 2 versions to choose from, only blutaced into place for selection at the momen, I think I prefer the blue hazy on ,myself but interested in others opinion as well. The Summer Day The Cloudy Day The other little project I have been working on yesterday and today is a little vertical boilered tram/loco/thingy um, er.. not sure how to describe it - It is built out of stripwood and plasticard with a fleischmann chassis underneath. I have to finish the roof and then paint a driver. The original loco had a metal body and so to balance the weight, I have a white metal driver to add which balances it quite well. The paper, tarpaulin sides will be glued on properly after they are painted and weathered so that is why they do not look that well fitted. Anyway, more to do. best wishes Simon

Quick question, would you be prepared to talk through a demonstration/example of how you weather your stock, your technique works exceptionally well and I am sure I am not the only one that could learn a lot from you. Best wishes Simon

Totally agree, the weathering on that collett goods is awesome!!! Simon

Big plans for today, I have already been sanding down the sides for the storage cassettes so will be assembling those, I aim to also get the airbrush going for the loco and aim to cut and add the backscene as well. I have just been running my previous locos to find that I have already added coal to the tender of the first model I built so will probably stick to coal power, memory is a wierd thing! I have also been thinking about coaching stock again and have some sketches for short 4 wheel coaches with side facing seating as well as the more traditional style. Open coaches for the biggers and then some Hobbit/Dwarf sized closed coaches as well. Still having an issue finding suitable sitting figures, may end up having to some conversions which will be time consuming,that is the problem with the war gaming ranges, not many figures sitting around a battle field!!! Will update later. Simon

I have been wondering the same myself, none of the tenders on the locos are loaded yet so still time to go for a wood burner, Just a mention to anybody int he area, I know I hav mentioned it before but the ayouts first show is linked from Mudmagnets post - Barnstaple model Railway Exhibition July 27th!!!! Simon

Maybe if I build a second similar model it will end up Puggier than the first? Oh dear, time to duck!!! Thanks for the feedback, I am planning to get the airbrush out and spray it this evening. Simon

Sounds like a good idea, maybe going more chunky with the ballast could work, I will try it on a test piece. Love the link artizan, especially the yellow brick road, very novel!!! I have been building my next loco - You may be able to see that there is actually a Dapol terrier under there somewhere! I am going to add strips of plasticard under teh boiler to smooth out where the Terrier is I think. Haivng the terrier at the front is ideal as I have access to the front NEM coupling pocket for the Dapol coupler to clip into, I have ordered a pack of the boxes and the mounting jig available to fit the other coupling onto the tender. More detail needed then paint, weathering, coal and a crew required but I am rather pleased with this so far. Simon

Ages since the last update, not too much to report though, I have been playing around with Dapol auto couplers and have decided to fit them to the stock, beyond that, I have been trying to design and concentrate on the stock, a couple of additional locomotives on the go and a few ideas for the coaches. The storage yard is now fited with the track and cassette connection system, if you can call it that, and all works. I have also built a batch of cassettes which now require track added to complete. Still trying to decide how to ballast the track, I have plastered over and cleared a setcion of track on a short board and decided it looks rubbish so that is out, the next trial will be with deep ballasting with sand to see what that looks like. I am aware of the ballast requirements and issues but want something that does not really look like standard railway track from somewhere around here, if you kow what i mean! I also have a sky backscene all printed out ready for fitting before much more scenic work can be completed. I will add a few piccies soon. Anyway best wishes Simon

That is a good hint about the Kleer, I will do that right away. I have been playing around with some of these this afternoon with the possibility of using them on my narrow gauge layout. Decision made, I like them!!! With the conversion kit they are easy to fit and work reliably - Well done Dapol!! Simon

That crane is starting to look awesome. I really like your work, any ideas what these cranes run with? Am wondering what stock would be needed with it. Best wishes Simon

most appreciated i will keep that in mind, esp for when i start the weathering of them all. best wishes Simon

I have been looking into the info in more depth, I am modelling in N gauge and the Graham Farish EWS livery seems to have a smaller sized print 'EWS' - http://www.petersspares.com/images/_lib/373505d-graham-farish-46-tonne-glw-hea-hopper-wagon-ews-9014643-0-1350999354000.jpg so am thinking that I should be ok for those, I have 21 now so aim to develop a selection of different liveried wagons to expand the rake to a final length of around 36. I know, chickening out of going for the full 50 but my layout would never hold that many anyway (not that I have started it yet!!). Best wishes guys Simon

Great idea Davis, one to look into!! I am based in Somerset Mr Mozzer. Once again, thanks for hte comments peoples! Simon

Just read back, interesting comment about the ladders, so for my era, I need to remove all the ladders then as I am modelling beyond 2001 - possibly around 2008 ish. Thanks for that, excellent info. Simon

Ages since an update so here goes, work getting in the way agin but some development has been completed - All the building are lit as you can see below, this was taken before I finished the scenery over the right hand side house hense the drastic light leakage!!! - Not a great piccie, taken on my phone! I have now built a storage yard board complete with shelves for the cassettes I will be using for train selection and storage, next job is to lay the track and finish the cassettes themselves. Not a great piccie, taken on my phone! Most the scenery is now plastered, the only 2 sections not done are to the left of the station building which is waiting for a flickering LED fireplace unit to be fitted, and the area above the tunnel which will be fixed and blended in when the track onto the storage board is finished. My son and I painted all the plaster green this evening, white bits are the rock faces and pathways ready for different colours, what a difference a pot of green paint makes to the layout visually, it is really starting to look like a lump of countryside at last! I am now working on stitching together a suitable large image for the sky backscene Ok, better get on with it then. Best wishes Simon

Ideal so in the era I model I can get away with running a rake then, most appreciated both of you!! I have now just bought another 15 listed on a certain site! Best wishes SImon

Not a lot more to add, I am developing my 2001-2000 and something stock for a future layout and am wandering whether to expand my short rake of Farish HEA wagons in EWS livery to a full rake or to shift them on. Any help in confirming when they were replaced, especially in the South Wales/Bristol area would be greatly appreciated. best wishes and hopeful Simon

I would alos be interested if you decided to do some N gauge stuff. best wishes Simon