bridgiesimon

hehehehe, I totally agree. I would love to think this will get to a standard high enough for the shows. I get the feeling that it is different enough to get the interest for invited as well! Having now sorted out how it is going intot he stare room, trackwoirk can begin. Simon

Here are the piccies as promised, firstly during the fitting of the curved backsacene, one advantage of constructing them at work, space and loads of clamps!!! This is the completed framework with the structures loosely in position. Now an overview of the layout on its legs, I know this will upset some people as I am building it at such a height, around 1 metres to track height but it is my preferred level to work at. The station will be nestled into the side of a hill with the hobbit holes burried into the hillside, from below track height to around 15" above it at the highest I am thinking. Next job is to sort out the spare room to get enough space for this and Polpendra at the same time, ooer!! Then I will get started on the trackwork, longitudinal timbers with occasional cross members deeply ballasted intot eh scenery is what I am thinking at the mo, peco rail and buried peco pointwork with sleepers removed. Deep burying the track will help hide all that away as I do not have the confidence to build my own track, I actually want this layout to run well!! Simon

ooer, nearly a year to the day since the last update, oh dear mega bout of shame my way please!!! Anyway, I have a batch more hobbits painted as well as a couple more buildings. I also have now completed the construction of the main scenic board for the project complete with curved fascia and open frame work ready to start laying track.I will add a couple of piccies tomorrow assuming there is no rain and I can set it up outside to photograph. So the p[roject is now back on track, sorry terrible use of phrase there! Regular updates to follow..,., Simon

Also could get you a few odd looks explaining about your g string hanging oin the layout!!! hehehehe Great looking layout!! SImon

This layout is really strting o coe alive, I am very impressed woh your foresight through the planning stage, I look foirard to the opportnuity of seeing this layout in te flesh and a show. Congrats Simon

Well the toddler is out and I am delighted with the pictures, they are GREAT!!! I use a Gaugemaster hand held controller so should be ok. D9020 Nimbus, I agree with what you are saying which is why it is such as difficult decision, much more limited operation but much better running, very difficult one to call. Shame I cannot afford to just get enough stock to run both eras but it would mean selling the kettles to buy the tin boxes! Anyway am still not sure what to do but appreciate your comments, very useful to have other peoples ideas. Simon

One thing I have for my exhib layout is an info sheet on the front listing some details to look out for, I find that people will stop for longer to look for all the hings on the list - may be worth considering? I am impressed though, this is a great piece of modelling Best wishes Simon

Yeah, Nailsea 12-13th March and Cheltenham 14-15th April are the only 2012 exhibitions booked so far Simon

Thorncombe show yesterday was a most excellent day, mega congrats to all involved!! Thursday issues of Railway Modeller for Polpendra article, sounds like it will be worth it, I have been told that the photos are most excellent! As for the layout, I have rebuilt the area above the road bridge to widen the road as I have not been happy with how narrow it is for a long time, a bus actually fits along there now. I may well look at along the front of the cottages on the hill as well to widen it along there as well to match. I am Seriously considering an era change for the layout over the winter, I am still very frustrated with the slow running qualities of many of the steam locos available and am considering changing from 1958-62 to the earl diesel only era, maybe 1966 - 1970. Still loads of variation but being all diesel any running issues are likely to be very rare, no more hands from the sky!! This would mean loco wise - class 03. 08, and the hydraulics - class 14, D6300, hymek, warship and maybe a class 25. in a variation of greens and blues. I am aware that the freight side of things may be less but I am sure options can be developed, maybe an opportunity to rebuild the cattle dock as disused, althoug the elephant will need to have a new home. Anyway let me know what you think!! By the way, somebody picked me up on having an elephant as a fantasy for the layout, saying that he has seen photographic evidence of a pair of eleohants in the cattle dock at Axminster, He thinks that they had been transported there for collection by Billy Smarts circus people!! Not as excentric as i thought I was!! Best wishes Simon

Looking forward to it as well, should be a great show! Simon

Polpendra will be appearing in the December issue of Railway Modeller, confirmed now! I am really looking forward to this. Simon

,the other will be a tank transport train- What well wagons were used for this traffic and does anyone do them in N? They don't have to be from one company and I will need about 8-10. Christ knows how I'm going to shunt them, but finding the right stock is my main problem! I am going to make a quick photo plank this week and will put up a few shots of the latest rolling stock shortly. As far as I know you should be l;ooking for Warwell wagons, built in 1942 for the purpose of hauling tanks. Be aware that many British tanks are too large to fit the loading gauge, US Shermans were small enough though! http://paulbartlett.zenfolio.com/p152864854 kit from Parkwood models, now owned and sold through the N gauge society. I believe they are planning to do transferes fo these at some point as well. Suitable vehicles, possibly try GRAmodels - http://www.gramodels.co.uk/ Good luck ith the project Simon

Cheers, would love to say all my locos run like a dream but got hit with a reality check, 'steam locos in N' hehehe, Russel has sorted some troubles out for me though, really knows his stuff!! Off to Swindon next weekend, clashed with N gauge show - aaaaaargh!! bad planning but cheaper !! Simon

Hi Bill good to see you on here, I have only just found your work, looking great, would like to see it in th eflesh at the shows one day. Tsaw a very busy day at Plymouth exhib a few wees ago, did I se you wandering around! Best wishes Simon (ex Bodmin club geezer)

Thank you to all of you for your very kind comments, the photographer from the Railway Modeller visited on friday for a few hors and looks like a great set of piccies were taken, mega thanks to you if you are reading this Craig Tilley!!! Swindon show on 10-11 Sept, reading show the week later and Fareham first week of Oct. I now have a couple of new jobs - 93xx to re chassis, it is sitting on an old Farish chassis and I now have a brand new 61xx to swap under it for much better running and I have a detailed 94xx body awaiting a new chassis. This body now has separate handrails all round, several drill bits trashed as well! Piccies to follow Simon

Cheers Colin, Have got mega motivation to work on the layout because the photographer from Railway Modeller is visiting on Friday for a photoshot, the article has already been accepted and hopefully, will be in the mag later this year - WAHAY!!! Simon

I have spent a couple of hours today revamping parts from the old engine shed to add a ventilator type thingy to it, I think it looks better than before. Best wishes Simon

More piccies, please note that there are lots of updates etc cos I'm on holiday!!! A week to concentrate on the layout, oh and helping my son make a new clock, Apache helicopter, cooking, cleaning... Anyway, the farm area is looking a lot better with the buildings bedding down again and the area sceniced. Bloomin new green is showing up how much the fields have faded!! aaaaargh!! This is the new goods shed, based on one in a piccie I found online - http://www.martin.lo....uk/Bampton.htm. Just needs the new down pipes painting to finish. The replacement station building is based on the building at Crowcombe Heathfield on the West Somerset Railway but painted in greys to match a Cornish theme. This engine shed does need a couple of changes, just had a thought that there is no ventilation for all the smoke, oops!! Time to research and add something, possibly roof vents like the ratio kit? It also need a little toning and weathering on the roof, it is a little too clean and plain grey. The goods shed and engine shed are kept loose so that I can access the track to clean it, the goods shed fits into a shallow slot in the yard surface to align t and to help hide the joint, I hate gaps at the base on buildings on a model. Anyway, cheers for now Simon

Just noticed that the piccies show the old buildings - shortened Ration station building and Ratio kit engine shed and goods shed. These were replaced last winter with scratchbuilt ones , photos to follow! Simon

Thank you all, thanks for the invite Dave, it was a great little show, very friendly, in a great venue and just down the road - ideal! Colin I have to admit that when operating it, you forget that it is only 4' long! A clever track plan, cheers Mr Rice, does allow for interesting operation rather important for a whole weekend's operating without going loopy wioth boredom. I have been adding guttering to the main buildings and cleaning the trees today, amazing how the dust had toned them down, looking much better. Simon

Thank you I appreciate you kind words Missy, I really enjoyed that show, would love to be invited back one day!! Simon

Thank you Simon and others, I appreciate the comments, The track plan is based on one in a book by Iain Rice I have a sketched out one - This is an overall piccie taken by a mate of mine, cheers Rus! As for more piccies, only the ones I have taken, not top quality but here are a couple - The 14xx shunts the yard 45xx and B set in the station The hymek again An Ivatt on a parcels train including a Gresley full brake built from a N Gauge Society kit A kit built Z class rests during a running in turn. Also here are a few detailed piccies - The village garage Station Row I will add some newer ones after a tidy up etc showing some of the newer stock. Best wishes Simon

I thought it was about time I added my N gauge layout to the realms of RM web, the layout is called Polpendra and is based in Mid/North Cornwall around 1958-62. The layout consists of 2 boards, a scenic board 4’ long by around 18” wide and a cassette storage board which bolts on to one end. The first four pictures are the decent ones courtesy of Model Rail and taken by Craig Tilley for a Model Rail article a couple of years ago. Br green Prairie shunts in the small goods yard. Hymek runs around its train, a Western region B set. 14xx still in GWR livery preapres to depart from Polpendra station. A second view across the gypsy camp of the 14xx ready to depart. Anybody who has seen this layout will be surprised to see the front farm scene ripped up, a mega issue I have made for myself. The original scene showing 2 buildings and a small yard was made onto a sheet of plasticard which was then modelled, sceniced and added to the layout – big mistake plaster and plastic do not work together and the yard has come adrift. I am now working through rebuilding the area without the plastic sheet. Before the issues it looked like this - Then this happened - I have taken this opportunity to change a couple of things about the scene, replacing the stable block roof and adding a small rock face and rough stone steps to the field. The buildings need finishing with guttering on the stable block, toning down and blending on the roof but thinks are now progressing - By the way I am exhibiting at the follows shows, please say hello if you are there – Swindon, GWS museum 10th 11th Sept http://www.steam-mus...estival2011.htm Yeah I know, Polpendra is not on their list yet!! Reading, Southcote Primary School 17-18th Sept Fareham, Wickham Community Centre, 1st 2nd Oct A nyway I hope you like what you are seeing Thanks for taking the time to look Simon

I think I said something about, regular updates to keep the motivation etc going - FAIL!!! Anyway, the first loco is now all but complete, things have been really busy with my N gauge exhibition layout and lots of shows all over the place, a couple of weeks holiday and then back to work to construct the boards for Hobbiton End - working in a woodwork workshop has lots of advantages!! Yer tis - More soon Simon

There is a sketch track plan earlier in the topic, just looking for it and will add below - three quarters of the way day page 4! By the way, this is an excellent layout and a well written topic which I enjoy reading Thank you Simon