Mountain Goat

On another site I am on a member has a freelance 00 gauge layout and he has his own livery colour so nearly all his locos and coaches are in a lovely blue colour and it is very effective. He mixes steam from many regions with diesel and the whole lot somehow works! And though most of his models are older models repainted, even a new model if repainted the same way will fit into the scene. The kits I have made blend into my less detailed scratchbuilds because they all share the same painted style. If one was not familiar with certain kits, one would have to look closer to see if it is a kit or a scratchbuild as paint covers a multitude of inaccuracies!

It is why I have never done the journey by rail even when I worked on the railways and could have done it for free at the time. The thought of changing trains at such a large city station... The largest station I had to work into was Cardiff Central which was large enough as it had seven platforms in operation by the time I left the railway. Now at least I knew the method of working so I could fine my next train. I have to laugh. I was once waiting for a train which was my next working, and I was waiting on platform 6&7 area, I saw a driver who was waving at me on platform 1&2 area as he had found out that I was working the service with him, and we watched our train turn up on platform 4 in the middle of us. Luckily the survice was a duplicate to Newport and back that then formed a Valleys Lines service so the passengers had a train just before and a train just after. It normally came down from the Valleys, hence why I happened to be waiting on platfoems 6&7. But anyway. The thought of coping with crowded cities to change... We really neet to re-open the Carmarthen to Aberystwyth line but it may need to branch off Llandeilo and come from there instead along the old Llandeilo to Carmarthen trackbed as at Carmarthen, the need for a higher flood prevention wall may ake connecting with Carmarthen station difficult. Though nothing is impossible.

I did not see your reply. Just seen it now. Haha. It leads to 0 gauge! I am quite enjoying 0-16.5 at the moment. I remember being surprized that the last exhibition I attended (I could not face going last year or the year before) was a few years ago now (Doesn't time fly! I disn't think it has been this long) and I was surprized that most of the 00 gauge layouts I saw tended to be running done up and detailed older locos from the likes of Triang and Hornby, Lima etc... models made 20 to 40 years ago. I asked the odd person about them and most of the replies were that new models are lovely, but they are just so expensive! I can see their point, but also one thing that the older models had after being done up is consistency. I actually found it hard to find a model that had been produced in the last few years apart from on the trade stands and the odd DCC layout which had every loco (Or every other loco) on the loco depot type layout with DCC sound. It must have cost them a fortune! I enjoyed my time there but I find it difficult to cope with crowds.

Even if the average speed is low, it is a whole lot easier if one could go straight up rather then go the very long way round through England. This is the main reason to why re-opening the line would be a good idea if it were possible.

I will also add that what one views as bleakness does vary from person to person. For example, I found St Clears (Yay. Spelt it right I hope!) to be a rather pleasant little town. The only negative side which prevents people from calling in to go shopping there in recent years (And this has been very noticeable) was the decision to charge for parking. Now I found Whitland to be the opposite. It was like being in a wild west ghost town. I must have gone there on their closing day (Most towns in this area have a day of early closing or complete closing. E.g., Llanelli is on a tuesday). So I found not a lot open. I sat on the station to get back towards Carmarthen. I had about 45 minutes or more to wait for the next train. In all that time, once every few minutes the occasional car passed on the level crossing, and the wind blowing the station sign were the only sounds. The sign was squeeling back and fore now and then in the wind...... I was waiting for tunbleweed to pass! Like I said before. If it wasn't for Whitland being a junction station it was surprizing why it was kept open. Why was St Clears closed when Clarbeston Road was not? Those who tried it on with guards without paying were known to be dropped off at Clarbeston Road as punishment as it was so remote! It wouldn't surprize me if the population there doubled due to this! I never forget one guard telling me and other guards and drivers not to pick certain people that he had had trouble with and he had dropped off there. He gave us a good description. A few days later I passed and they were still there trying to catch a train! It is that remote! The placing of some stations puzzles me at times. And I have to mention Sugarloaf Halt on the Central Wales line (Heart Of Wales line). I was working a train and it was a rarity to stop there, but one evening after coming through the long tunnel the driver gave me one on the buzzer and started to pull in. Now while we are supposed to use the single door, a class 153 will just about fit both doors on that platform... Just! But when we stopped, I saw this young man with a tablw cloth on the platform and a wholw three course meal complete with lit candles and all accessories. Knives, and forks laid out, wine in glasses etc. He had the lot! I had to ask if he was coming on the train. He said "No thanks. I am waiting for my girlfriend". I hope they enjoyed. By the time we reached Llanwrytyd Wells and came back down they along with everything else had been cleaned up. I can remember another amuzing tale about that halt, but I have written a lot for now, so I better leave it for another time.

Pembroke Dock is not that bad as it does have areas of interest to lookat, but I will say that Pembroke is a rather special place! The castle makes the difference.

Aircraft carrier! Haha. Well. I used to think big, but to be honest, with thinking big there was so much track to clean which took quite a while to clean before one can run any trains that even my small big layout (I had crammed my boards full of track so I had a lot of track to clean in the space I had, even though the space itself did not seem that large)... So though the current little portable layout that I am building I thought of as being an "In between" to keep myself busy as I may be relocating in the future, I did notice the difference in that it does not take long to clean the track. Going back to consistency. When I realized the importance of consistency, which I realized before it hit me that it was an issue if that makes sense? I realized that after painting over the top of pre painted kits like those lovely Peco coaches, everything tied in well. But if I had left them in their immaculate pre painted finishes the whole scene would not have looked right.

While painting one of my 7mm scale figures, I decided it would be a good idea to add a pair of eyes. I had the little man a bit crosseyed, but it worked. However, I hid him in a brakevan as otherwize I would have to paint all their eyes! I may do this one day if I have the patience but for now I will just paint their little clothes!

Can a moderator delete one of these topics as I have ended up with two of the same topic by mistake. Thanks. Delete this one. We can use the other one instead. Thanks.

Take a look at various paintings of scenes by various artists and even if the painting looks crude and vague, if it has consistency it can be enjoyed and paints a scene in the minds of the viewer. So as long as the same artist has completed the same scene according to their own unique styles and abilities, and the scene is one that is a subject which pleases the viewer, we have success. We can apply this to our model railways. I was going to reply this to another post but I thought it best to give it a seperate thread, so I have copied and pasted it to be used in here instead, and I will add to it to finish what I wrote. With my modelling skills I have learned to have a "That will do" attitude with my 7mm narrow gauge. Turning to model in 0-16.5 gave me something which I lacked when I modelled in 00, and that is consistency, as in 00 gauge, I had issues of various consistencies from my scratchbuilding efforts when I was young, to my improved scratchbuilding efforts, to some of the lesser detailed RTR models and all mixed with more modern highly detailed RTR factory made models which along with a mix of kits and premade buildings mixing excellent resin ready made buildings with card kits and pastic kits painted by my own crude standards... It just was not looking right. But along with the change to 7mm narrow gauge, I origionally faced a problem. You see, there is little or nothing available in UK styles when it comes to locos and rolling stock that is ready made. Everything has to be RTR bashed, scratchbuilt, kitbuilt or kit bashed to get the desired results. I have found this to be generally easier to do then I had initially imagined but my efforts are not that great when compared to some of you who make real delightful models! But one thing I noticed as I carried on building in this new scale was that everything I made or painted had consistency. As long as I painted everything myself to my own ability using the same style of painting (Brushpainting. Gloss paints preferred for locos and coaches and matt paints preferred for waggons and vans if possible). Now by doing this, for what seems to be the first time in my life in regards to the hobby, I have a genuine chance of really achieving a scene which makes sense even though it will all be freelancing, as I am "Painting" a scene which will look consistent. The lack of consistanc I ended up with in 00 gauge meant that no matter how hard I tried, my efforts just did not seem to work, and until I changed scale and found this out, I was unlikely to have any success. Now my little layout is still a work in progress in its various states of build. My rolling stock and locomotives are in similar stages of build. But I am hoping that when it all comes together it will paint a nice scene which will make up for any lack of skills or detail, and it will let the skills and character of my handiwork shine through. (That is the plan!) So with that in mind, I am wondering if it may help others in their modelling projects in their own desired gauges and scales? And this basic idea of consistency can help many achieve a convincing scene. Take Hornby Dublo 3 rail. One can make it look good if one carefully selects appropiate buildings which have been made from appropiate materials which match the same style. If one buys a wonderful premade resin building from the Hornby Skaledale range and adds it on a 3 rail layout as it is, the lack of consistency will detract from the scene, and any lack of detail of the rest of the layout and models will be exposed. But if everything is consistent, one can create a lovely scene!

Take a look at various paintings of scenes by various artists and even if the painting looks crude and vague, if it has consistency it can be enjoyed and paints a scene in the minds of the viewer. So as long as the same artist has completed the same scene according to their own unique styles and abilities, and the scene is one that is a subject which pleases the viewer, we have success. We can apply this to our model railways. I was going to reply this to another post but I thought it best to give it a seperate thread, so I have copied and pasted it to be used in here instead, and I will add to it to finish what I wrote. With my modelling skills I have learned to have a "That will do" attitude with my 7mm narrow gauge. Turning to model in 0-16.5 gave me something which I lacked when I modelled in 00, and that is consistency, as in 00 gauge, I had issues of various consistencies from my scratchbuilding efforts when I was young, to my improved scratchbuilding efforts, to some of the lesser detailed RTR models and all mixed with more modern highly detailed RTR factory made models which along with a mix of kits and premade buildings mixing excellent resin ready made buildings with card kits and pastic kits painted by my own crude standards... It just was not looking right. But along with the change to 7mm narrow gauge, I origionally faced a problem. You see, there is little or nothing available in UK styles when it comes to locos and rolling stock that is ready made. Everything has to be RTR bashed, scratchbuilt, kitbuilt or kit bashed to get the desired results. I have found this to be generally easier to do then I had initially imagined but my efforts are not that great when compared to some of you who make real delightful models! But one thing I noticed as I carried on building in this new scale was that everything I made or painted had consistency. As long as I painted everything myself to my own ability using the same style of painting (Brushpainting. Gloss paints preferred for locos and coaches and matt paints preferred for waggons and vans if possible). Now by doing this, for what seems to be the first time in my life in regards to the hobby, I have a genuine chance of really achieving a scene which makes sense even though it will all be freelancing, as I am "Painting" a scene which will look consistent. The lack of consistanc I ended up with in 00 gauge meant that no matter how hard I tried, my efforts just did not seem to work, and until I changed scale and found this out, I was unlikely to have any success. Now my little layout is still a work in progress in its various states of build. My rolling stock and locomotives are in similar stages of build. But I am hoping that when it all comes together it will paint a nice scene which will make up for any lack of skills or detail, and it will let the skills and character of my handiwork shine through. (That is the plan!) So with that in mind, I am wondering if it may help others in their modelling projects in their own desired gauges and scales? And this basic idea of consistency can help many achieve a convincing scene. Take Hornby Dublo 3 rail. One can make it look good if one carefully selects appropiate buildings which have been made from appropiate materials which match the same style. If one buys a wonderful premade resin building from the Hornby Skaledale range and adds it on a 3 rail layout as it is, the lack of consistency will detract from the scene, and any lack of detail of the rest of the layout and models will be exposed.

Two issues. Does one include interiors which is a lot of extra work, or does one just but something like black card behind windows? It is a difficult decision. One could show interiors where doors are opened etc and do a bit of both? The problem with interiors is that once one starts with one room, to get consistency, one needs to do the whole lot! The effects can be stunning though if one has the patinece. Either way, go for it and have some fun!

What do you call a monkey in a minefield? A baboom.

Jumanji is scary. It should be 18 rated!

Dr Who. The music was enough! Another was a kids program where if a child decided to put their hand in a hole in the rocks, something would grab them and they would be stuck.

The Ghost Train.

Fishguard is actually quite a nice looking place.

About a decade ago I bought a Sylmasta resin casting kit and the number of times it came in handy! Beware with the resin. A little goes a long way, so maybe an idea to have spare things you want to copy just incase. The rubber moulding material that comes in the kit goes quickly so I only made two moulds, but all the rest I pressed into Playdough to cast into as ok, Playdough may not be ideal but it works. All my casting was done using the single mould method. Think of the typical plaster casting if one wants to copy a footprint in the mud and you get the idea of what a single piece mould is like. Here is a picture of me making a copy of a 7mm narrow gayge coach side i to Playdough.. The resin I use (Sylmasta G26) from the kit turns white in about 20 minutes, and I have removed parts from the rubber moulds at this point, but it is better to leave them for about two hours to harden up as they are soft and can distort if one tried to move them too early.

I will say it was quite a bit of work to fit so not for the faint hearted, but to see those moving con rods makes it worth it.

If you already have one, would it be an idea to copy the part in resin? Use Playdough to make a mould if needed.

On the workbench.. Or rather in the process of being worked on I have things like these. This is my much altered and adapted Smallbrook Studeo Cadera diesel, but with a difference. I already had bought a new Toby the Tram engine model to use when I bought the kit, but though the mechanism runs nice, the more I looked at it, the more I thought that the loco chassis really needs external frames. Looking at my 00 gauge collection the Lima class 09 chassis just looked the part. Nice chunky looking con-rods with the external frames I wanted, and it has the possibility that it may just fit! Uhmm. May just fit? Haha! I made it fit! A lot of alterations with the build along with adapting the chassis and I have reached this stage (See photos). A LOT has been altered to make it fit. The footplate frame has been altered. The steps were narrowed to keep it within my loading gauge. The grill has been internally milled and a cloth grill added so the motor can slightly push against it to get it to fit. Yes the grill is set back slightly from the front of the locomotive but the whole body had to be shifted backwards on the footplate frame to enable it the other end of the motor to fit. And you know when people build cars known as sleepers and they cram a big V8 into a smaller car and the V8 tries to stick out the sides and top of the bonnet (Hood)? Well. It was a like this with trying to cram in a lovely large pancake motor in this body. (Naturally the chassis was turned round so the motor sits at the front of the locomotive which gives a lovely flat surface on the chassis for the cab). The bonnet top was turned around 180 degrees and milled out to the point that if I milled it any further, the milling bit would have gone straight through. The sides of the bonnet were also milled by hand from the inside. Plasticard was used to extend the height of the bonnet, so the sides and the grill front assembly sit about 1.5 mm to 2mm higher (I can't remember what thickness plasticard was used). I then needed to compensate with the cab by adding a whole new floor (To hide the hole which the origional motor and chassis would have made), and the cab instrument panel had a plastcard panel below it to hide the motor under the bonnet... And then the rear of the body where the fuel tank sits was now jutting out the back off the end of the chassis, so it needed to be sanded down to bring it relitlvely flush with the rear bufferbeam. It was all quite a lot of work extra, but the end result of having this chassis makes the model look right. I have not been bothered to make the model look like the prototype it is based on because all my models are intentionally freelance. The cab instruments are a mix of a rough idea of the instructions but more of the cab layout based on my experience of some of the main controls used on some of the cabs I travelled in when Inused to work (E.g. class 150, 153, 158 etc), so it is a mix between the two and it looked believable in my eyes. It's roof has not yet been fitted as it awaits some train crew, and there are a few small details to be added, along with buffers and dropbars (Couplings). The bufferbeams were deepened as the kit was made to be used with tension lock couplings, so it looks better. The other bufferbeam details were removed as I like my models to have a simple but solid characteristic look to them.

Experiments In Point Control. I am using the term experiment as I am not yet entirely satisfied with this. Don't get me wrong. It all works, but the twine is in high tension in use. It has not failed on me but I do want to change things to ease the strain on tje fishing twine, or to adopt a slightly different method. But here goes... I had previously cast myself some resin wheels with thoughts that they would work on waggons. They do but they are a bit too crude, as resin was not exctly the best material to use. So they ended up being used for point control instead. The micro switches are intended for point frog switching. There are also stiff paperclip wires used for holding point levers in their tensioned position. The thoughts I have are to provide a more direct route and move the point levers positions. To save long lengths of twine from one board to the next which are easy to connect, but I am wanting to avoid friction, I plan to position levers on their own boards. I have also had thoughts to use rodding for the points and retain these levers for signals. We shall see. It is all an experiment. The last but one photo shows a method of amplifying the pull of the lever for the furthest point on the layout, and the last pic shows the wheels used near the levers and one of the white cable tension adjusters made out of plasticard which needed five holes rather than three to prevent the cable from slipping through and losing its tension.

Wow. Your loco looks great. It goes to show how large those locos are (Or how small some of the UK locomotives are... Yes we did have larger ones again!). I don't know why but those Baldwins were not really liked by the traincrew, but as they were available cheap after the war to some of the narrow gauge companies, several of them found their way into regular use. It could have been the different conditions relating to the enviroment in which they were designed to be used? I expect the same could have been said about UK designed locomotives that found there way to parts of the USA on occasions? I was talking about this this morning. How different designs had to be used in different countries and even localities within those countries due to a lot of different reasons... It is fascinating how each country adopted different ideas according to their specific needs.

I wanted to challenge myself to build a waggon using just lollypop sticks and tea sturers (Apart from the wheels and couplings... I have yet to fit the couplings. So here is the build in picture form. I hope it comes out in the right order.

One can see the height difference between a tension lock and the home made couplings.