SteamingWales

Just had a watch of @Jenny Emilyreview (very much enjoyed it btw) and I think this is the first time we have had a proper up close look at the Hornby offering. I then followed up with both her's and Sam's Trains look at the Genesis stuff to get an idea of details on both offering. Having done this I am firmly in the Hattons camp. They just seem to have a lot more detail both under the chassis and the ends are miles better with the separate steps and lamp irons vs Hornby's moulded ends

To settle your curiosity. I will be buying 0 Hornby coaches, got a Hattons Departmental livery on pre-order and yet to decide on a pre grouping rake. All unlit

I did the same. Been wanting a Clan since I started modelling. My wish has now been granted

Bit of a snub on Hattons but I will be sticking with them as the range is wider with more livery and coach choices. Wouldn't a more sensible option be to retool the Clerestory coaches instead? Still era 2 and not competing, but complimenting Hattons

OMG, OMG, OMG. The Clan's are back!!!!!!!

Bit late to the party but a retooled GWR Siphon would be nice

Thanks @marc smith, glad you like the layout I know there was a reason for not choosing a 3-way but can't remember of the top of my head. I surprise myself sometimes with the Scalescene stuff too, luckily if you mess a bit up can always print out another It's pretty grim in Aberystwyth today as well!

A little more progress today with ash piles and water crane drains. Ash piles were created using some spare polystyrene glued to some thin card and then covered in masking tape. A rough hole was chiseled out of the already glued ash layer blue blob glued in place and then ash on top. Some areas need going over again due to slip on the steeper bits but pretty happy with the look. Another pile will appear in due course next to the coaling stage Before starting the ash piles I released I hadn't but the drains for the water cranes in and almost plonked the ash pile where the drain should have been. Holes cut in the ash ready to receive drain currently being painted 

Looking good so far. Really do love Scalescenes kits

The slow but steady progress continues with the shed. Name change Living in Aberystwyth my interest in the Cambrian and Carmarthen lines has been growing so wanted the shed and locos to reflect the lines (rule 1 exemptions apply obviously) Shed ballasting Adding the ash layer has continued. No proper photos but hopefully previous photos show progress with it. I have found the Hattons solution is too dark, good for an oil spill, not general ash so a weak wash using Railmatch roof dirt sufficed to give the dark colour and more uniformity as the gluing wasn't done in one go resulting in different glue mixes drying different colours Backscene I have finally started to think about the backscene above the retaining walls. Taking inspiration from the Scale Model Scenery Ultra Low relief terrace houses I have created my own built using grey card and Scalescenes brick paper. Each has individual details with different windows and a faded sign courtesy of Scale Model Scenery. Aiming to create a grey cloudy day on the layout but don't know at the moment whether to attempt this myself or buy a ready made one Shed Workshops These have now received chimneys and the corrugated roof. Just need to add pots, window sills and lintels It's taken me a while to figure out how to link the main shed to the workshop from the outside. It will be linked using a bit of concrete hardstanding so now the shed staff will have any easy way to get around Electronics Fitted the NCE PowerCab panel into the board and the point motor Little details Finally to finish some 3D printed wheelbarrows arrived from a site called 3D Printing Corner. Just some nice little details to add to give the shed some character Happy modelling 

A new "allocation" to the shed arrived today with Ex-GWR Mogul 7310.  Very impressed with the model, despite it arrived with the left buffer and dart loose in the box. Nothing a bit of glue won't fix. Full update on progress to follow.

Having put 7310 back together and run in I'm very happy with my model Just a shame about the QC but everything was there are easily rectified. Time for her to join the rest of the fleet at Cambrian Shed- 

Mine has arrived and looks like I got a Friday afternoon model One buffer rolling round the packaging and the other one basically hanging off. Doesn't look like they have been glued!!! The smokebox dart is also missing. First looked as though it had broken off but there is no stub within the door and you can fit a 0.7mm drill bit in. Whilst looking at the tender it spat out the whole dart Not a good start to my Dapol loco experience Hopefully it run, then I'll give it some TLC it deserves as apart from the bits falling off this looks to be a great model and echoing what others have said it's up there with Bachmann

Christmas come early

These look awesome @tmc. Definitely tempted to pre-order one now, question is which one

Not bothered about the wait. They arrive when they arrive. Though I would appreciate it if they arrived after the 20th which is payday for me

A massive step with regards the layout and just general modelling happened today. I've gone DCC . After much research I opted for an NCE PowerCab as recommended for beginners and I have to say set up was very simple. Wire the controller to the track, fit decoder to loco, plonk on the track and select an ID number and off we go! I've probably been having too much fun with just one loco (14xx missing face) just going up and down and playing with different features. Still need to get used to the momentum setting, may have over run the buffers and driven through the back of the shed quite a few times Unfortunately I'm too poor now to afford any other decoders, bar one for the new Dapol 43xx. Will just have to wait until next pay day. With the fun over for now it's back to normal the modelling tomorrow

Bit of track progress Dug out some spare bits of track to experiment weathering ballast and to test out the Hattons "Oil Spill" kit. Pretty happy with the results. I'm happy with the colour of the ballast weathering and the spill kit looks decent. The only minor problem encountered was small air bubbles forming in the spill kit when PVA was applied leaving holes in the surface when dried. Easily sorted though, just pop them with a kebab stick Onto the main layout.....

I'm really starting to like the EFE Rail brand. Nothing for me ATM but looking forward to future announcements. Not wanting to turn this into a wishlist but the Kernow O2 could appear, as well as some other DJM projects such as the Hudswell Clarke

Really like the look of these and could fully warrant buying one as it would fit in perfectly with what I like to model. I'm a little put off with the price though. £180 RRP for a pokey little 2MT!!!!! The unrebuilt MN costs the same and the new A2 variants are only £10 more. Quite happy to pay that price for a top link express loco but a 2-6-0?

https://www.keymodelworld.com/article/video-Dapol-product-update The Mogul got a mention in the GETS Dapol Product Update. (first feature) Summary from the video. The models were on the water on 28th September and expected in shops mid-November I think given that new revised date I might save mine as a Christmas present to myself (insert santa emoji)

Who doesn't love a good production line? Knocking out both of the Skytrex water crane kits this evening Started with glueing the main column and valve into the base as well as the extra wire details onto the crane arm and added the hose bag. For the time being I will be leaving the arm and column separate as the base is going to be glued to the bored to enable weathering in the base. Plus I'm also worried about clobbering the arms whilst working on other bits of the layout

Little bit of progress this evening with the shed roof successful weathered. Pretty pleased with it given this is my first ever attempt at weathering! Given I started building this shed in December it's pleasing to see it finally looking like an actual shed!

Another mega update. My own fault for not posting on here, basically just forgot Loco shed Following on from the previous post the main parts of the roof have been glued on and Scale Model Scenery slate strips added. Very pleased with myself and my maths. Ended up being left with half a strip of tiling, a lesson in efficiency Next job was to add the roof vents and then paint. I had originally planned to use Humbrol 31 Slate Grey paint but wasn't happy with the colour so went for a slightly darker colour which I'm now happy with. Just to weather it a bit now. Definitely want to add some gulls and poo! Concrete hardstanding Having originally painted this with a tan colour I was unhappy with the look so back to the drawing board. First job before the repaint was to cut out the footprint of the shed to give the look the concrete was cast. Original plan was not to do this but didn't want the "plonked" look Onto the repaint with a base coat of light grey (just bog standard poster paints) and then using sponges to give this a mottled looks with varying lighter and darker shades of grey and definitely much happier with this. Just to weather it a bit Ballast Next on the job list was to ballast the track. This is just the start of it as (again) it will need weathering. I also have the Hattons Oil Spill kit sat in the Hattons trunk (waiting for the Dapol 43XX to arrive before posting) to add to make the shed area really dirty as it's looking rather clean at the moment. Aiming for something similar to Grosmont Station on the NYMR Water cranes and coal stage Up to now the shed has been missing probably the two most important things. Coal and water. I don't know about others experiences but it seems rather hard to find tall water cranes for shed. A lot of the well known manufacturers seem to only produce platform cranes. I eventually stumbled across Skytrex and bought 2 GWR water cranes and also a very nice coal stage from the company. Very pleased with these products and can't wait to get the water cranes full built up but it was too tempting not to get them on the layout. Things are finally coming together, it's finally starting to look like a shed! Until next time (when I remember ). Happy modelling

EPs look awesome. I'm being tempted to order more and more different rakes as they just look so good. Can you share a photo of the fully removed central wheeler on the 6 wheelers? The YT video with Dave only gets halfway before cutting away