Great Eastern Lady

Hello everyone It has been awhile since my last post and I thought I’d wait until I had something worth posting . I am about 3/4 through building my cattle dock but I would like to put working lights on it , thinking of using those by Modelit (Anyone used them) , and I have build a wooden cabin that I got free in a magazine a few years ago. Going to attempt building my station building from scratch as the kit I had didn’t really look right after I started it and then I tried kit bashing it and that was a disaster so that went in the bin and all the other station building kits out there just don’t give me what I’m looking for, so wish me luck . I have started on the shallow cutting on board 1 and I’ve also ballast the track using cinders and ash which took two attempts after I totally mucked up there first one, still I hope it looks ok , oh and I’ve finished the point rodding on board 1 Does anyone know where I might be able to get GER platform lamps as I’ve looked around and can’t see anything that’s even looks close I have attached a few photos Regards Jayne

Hello Everyone Well I have been doing a bit of work to base board 1 . The platform has been built using a Metcalfe kit , it was my first go at a cardboard kit and I have made a few mistakes. Had to another rh medium point after breaking the other one , the track has been weathered using Woodland Scenics track painter . They aren’t too bad except for the tips getting worn down very quickly . Got a Wills point rodding kit , so that’s the next thing for board 1 Couldn’t help but take a few photos with my J15 and D16/3

Hello rmwebbers I would like to welcome you to the humble beginnings of Little Framling , a fictitious ex GER branch terminus on the borders of Suffolk and Norfolk. The layout will consist of three 4ftx2ft6in boards with a 5ft traverser fiddle yard with five roads. The three main boards are made of 25mm kingspan with 9mm ply on the ends and 6mm ply on the sides with internal batons for added strength. The result is so far very light and quite strong boards. The legs for the boards are yet to be built. i am using Peco code 100 streamline Electrofrog points with Peco set track. The layout will be wired for full DCC with a few isolated sections until I can afford to get the controllers and code chips for the locomotives, once that is done then the isolators can be switched out. i will be using kadee couplings on all the wagons and locos, the carriages will only have kadee couplings on the ends. I am using 22x11x2mm Neodymium magnets in pairs mounted under the tracks for the uncoupling I have added a few photos with the beginnings of the first two base boards

@Junctionmad I have some other connectors that I can use should the others prove to be problematic

Hi @Izzy , I solved it , just needed an extra dropper and to make sure that the alignment of the motors and frog switch is dead right And I have checked everything as you advised

I decided to go with @Izzy idea in the end of full dcc wiring but with a couple of isolated sections that can be easily switched out Now I have started on building my new layout and laying track but I’ve got a problem already , I have attached a couple of photos Top siding will lead to a cattle dock , and that’s fully powered no problems Middle is the carriage dock , although I have a dropper in the middle no power at bottom is the main platform road , I have power in a straight line but as soon as I switch the point and run over it the loco stops on the point I am using Peco 100 Electrofrog and I have isolated the frogs

After a burnt finger and thumb , four semi melted sleepers and lots of colourful language and 90 minutes I have finally (fingers crossed) wired my first points

@AngusDe I’m only planning on having two , and hopefully I’ll be wiring them up to work with the points on the loco siding and the loop

@ikcdab @Gwiwer Thank you it was for the added realism that I was looking at

Has anyone used these on their layouts , I have a couple of places that they can be used Just wondering if they’re worth using

I’m going to be using code 100 on my BLT, along with some set track straights . I won’t be using flexi track as I find it can be a bit fragile Plus my layout needs to be portable and code 100 seems to be a bit more sturdy for the joints

I’m not that particularly clever when it comes to electrics , even wiring a plug puts the fear of god into me I was going to fit two 100 code double slips onto the BLT I’m just starting to build , but after reading this and other threads I think I’m going to remodel slightly and just use normal turnouts

Well now the big reveal has been and gone and there are a lot of happy bunnies out there with the W1 and the Thompson Pacific’s and all the other big and wonderful locomotives. I was a bit disappointed as there is nothing for me and quite a few others who are probably modelling the same as me and that’s ex GER Ex GER coaches and rolling stock , just a little bit of what survived into nationalisation G58/J17 0-6-0 T26/E4 2-4-0 M15R/F5 2-4-2T not much to ask for but would go so nicely with the J15 , D16/3 and B12

@Harlequin I’ve already got some 100 streamline points , so might as well stay with it

Everyone seems to build the ubiquitous GWR branch line , probably why there is so much available for them Good luck to your friends O gauge layout

@Harlequin I was going to give it a fictitious name anyway 4ft is a bit long for me , I was going to use four 3ft x2ft 6in boards , makes it easier to handle and get into the car , if and when I need to Also I’m restricted on the space a have to work , only two boards at a time at the moment , until I can get the room I’m planning to use cleared out Also I was thinking of using a couple of small additional modules for scenery that can be easily attached Im using Peco 100 Electrofrog points, medium and small , mainly for space and because it’s a branch line , so I cannot really see the point in using the large ones If the weather is good next weekend I should start on the building of the first two baseboards

@Harlequin I have to say , I do like what you have done , I might even use it((wink)) Are they three 4ft x 2ft 6in boards

The thing is , you can go as per prototype but that would be open to much criticism as in this isn’t right and that isn’t right Also it would involve much scratch building and I will be honest it is far far beyond me , also even though I have the book there is very little detail and photographs on the back siding and buildings So using a bit of model railway license Im keeping the bits I like and changing a few bits and then leaving out the bits I don’t need Any way off out over the weekend looking for base board materials

@Harlequin I have the book on the Framlingham branch and I am fully aware of the track plan The layout I am going to build is roughly like it by removing the the long back siding and a few others and adding an extra loop I hope to make it a bit more interesting for me if it was as per prototype I would be running one engine in steam , and I don’t think anyone at a exhibition would enjoy that too such besides to try and get it one hundred percent as per prototype is beyond me and would take up too much room

Hornby could have just made a kit where you could hack your own P2 and rebuild it into a A2/2

All the best @gwrwill I’m sure to will look great when it’s done

After @DavidCBroad had planted a seed in changed the three way for two normal points I went back to the drawing and made another couple of changes. by getting rid of the double slip and amending the goods loop and goods sidings. I think it looks better and more workable

Thank you all for the information, I will certainly look into it all

@DavidCBroad I’m looking at the baseboards being 3ft x 2ft 6in just for ease of storage and transport, the points are medium radius for the main line and run round loop and small radius for the goods yard . I think you are right about the three way , I was a bit in too minds whether to or not The layout sketch is only rough and I’ll probably amend a few bits here and there

Well hats off to Hornby , but alas nothing for me , my purse can breathe easy maybe next year I’ll get the F5 and E4 I’m after