Adrian Stevenson

Hi Andy, I will give that a try! Thanks. Cheers, Ade.

Hi Guys, as I mentioned in a previously post, I had added a few temporary power feeds trying it here and there and all appeared ok? I started fitting the bus wires today. I began by fitting the black bus wire first, which is for the front rail in my case. Fitted all the black droppers to this. I then started fitting the red bus wire and as I added the droppers to this, I tested as I went along by running a loco. However, I have discovered a problem. This occurs after the first point when it is switched to run onto the main line. The loop and the engine shed loop both work fine. I have indicated the lines which run ok in yellow on the plan. I have fed to power straight to the track at the end of the head shunt, next to the cattle dock, as I had not yet decided where to put it on the bus. All the points have been converted and insulating fishplates added after the frog. I tried fitting a Gaugemaster frog switch to see it this was the problem, but no different, once the loco crosses the frog onto the mainline it stops? I have checked I have not done anything obviously wrong, like mixing up a wire to the wrong rail and I have checked nothing is bridging the rails to short it out. But clearly something is amiss. I tried jumping a wire from the one live rail on the loop to the dead mail line section, but this causes a short. I have also tried feeding the power after the point, again no good. The layout is still powered on DC. I don't have a circuit tester. Any ideas as to where I have gone wrong? Cheers, Ade.

I particularly like the "Wolf". I started a conversion of a Hornby A4 into one over 40 years ago when still at school with the help of my metal work teacher. Sadly I never completed it. Cheers, Ade.

Hi Ray, I paint the ply and use cork. I like the shoulder it gives to the ballast. But I am doing a layout based in the 1930's and the trackbed was maintained to a high standard back then, even on a Branch line. Ballast size is very subjective and is really up to the builder. Personally I like the larger course Woodland Scenics ballast. Cheers, Ade.

Hi Bob, so much good work has already been done it would be a crying shame to give up now. Is remote point operation that vital? If you are operating the layout at home for your own fun ( Isn't that the whole point (no pun intended) "fun" being the operative word) then why worry about the hand of God? I am, as you know, still at fairly early stages with my layout and my choice of point motors and switches are out of stock everywhere. But I am quite content to just change them by hand. Keep your spirits up! Cheers, Ade.

Superb!

I have a GWR livery Pannier tank which also has the offending BR smokebox number plate and shed plate. I removed the number plate by twisting it which convieiently snap off the peg leaving it slightly proud. By careful use of a scapel blade I shaved it flush. The printed plate was removed with a stiff paint brush and a tiny bit of acetone. A quick rub over with some soot weathering powder and you would not know it was ever there. I may now renumber the loco and add the number to the bufferbeam now. I will add to photo once completed. Cheers, Ade.

Hi Steve, interesting you mention David Jenkinson's mantra. I have tried to follow this with my own 7mm layout where I am modelling Malmesbury station. I have been doing a blow by blow account in the 7mm sub forum. Most of my (hideous!) compression is down to where the line runs off over the bridge and into the tunnel. This allows the station itself to be a fairly good representation. Cheers, Ade.

Well done! It looks fantastic. Cheers, Ade.

Hi Andy, you are always one for surprises! Great idea and I am so pleased you will be keeping SMS come what may. Cheers, Ade.

I must agree with Chris. The ballasting has really transformed it. Coming on great. Cheers, Ade.

That sets the station platform off nicely.

Hi Dan, yes it is a Heljan Large Prairie Tank 6110 2-6-2 you can see. For couplings these might be an option for you? I have not used them myself though. My days of doing 4mm were 40 years ago now and I just used the usual Tri-ang/Hornby/Wrenn couplings. http://www.gwr.org.uk/procouplings.html Cheers, Ade.

Hi Andy, I really enjoyed your and Jeff's visit. I used your favourite tool this afternoon (the hot glue gun ) to secure down the cattle dock, lamp shed and coal store. Gave the Sentinel it's first coat of GWR green too. Cheers, Ade.

Hi Tim, I gently used a glass fibre brush. Cheers, Ade.

A few pics of the Sentinel. Buffer beams repainted red. Coal load fitted. Lettering removed from the body and all glazing, makers plate and roof masked off ready for the respray. Cheers, Ade.

Now designing the last baseboard. This will taper off from 3 feet wide to about two foot wide. Length will eight foot. Reason for this is to not block access to the doors. The board will feature a small crossing over the line, known as Lover's Lane, then a small girder bridge over the Avon and finally into the tunnel. This will be severely compressed, but they are nice features to model. The fiddle yard will be on the remainder of the board. The fiddle yards will be cassette based I think? The height of the baseboards has been chosen to coincide with one of the logs forming the cabin wall, so only one will be need to be cut, as eventually the line will run down the garden about 40 feet. Cheers, Ade.

Hi Ian, the ref number would indicate it is the 4mm scale version. Cheers, Ade.

Looks great!

I have also fitted a smoke alarm. I have tomorrow off work, so Andy and Jeff are coming over to see the cabin and the layout. I am starting to get a few things for the cabin and have bought a new matching kettle today as I know Andy like his tea Cheers, Ade.

Here are some views of the layout with the goods wagons.

Hope everyone has survived the storm ok? We have had it bad here. I was on the cabin roof at 8.30am this morning as a few roof titles were starting to flap around. Luckily I had some mastic still in stock. My next door but one neighbour lost all the ridge titles to his house, which then smashed in next doors car and motorbike. Thankfully no one was hurt. This afternoon I have done some more work on the layout and taken some photos to share with some goods stock in place. This first shot shows all three baseboards now with the track in place. This copies the prototype track layout but was obvious concessions to space and not having handbuilt points. Overall I am pleased with the results.

Hi Ken, glad to see you are on the mend. The loco is up to your usual very high standard. Cheers, Ade.

Smokebox number plates are a BR thing. If you want a pure Great Western era loco, you need to get rid of them. Cheers, Ade.

Today's update. Here is the loading bay which I laid the other day. The big news is all the track is now laid! The cork underlay has also been trimmed to size. I have spent the whole day on the layout. I will be adding some more pics tomorrow. Tested the track and all runs smooth, but only DC at present. Cheers Ade.