ManofKent

GNSRY complete with Jenny Agutter figure?

Nurse, those screams...

I think you might need to consider adding something more rigid to the bracing, glue and weight down. Good luck.

Out in The Fields - Gary Moore and Phil Lynott

Thanks I tried cutting card, but whatever infill leaves massive gaps if the blades are operational.

I've drilled acrylic successfully using a dremel to make a 1mm pilot hole then a step drill bit.

I'm not sure of the best section to ask this in, but when was steel dockside walling first widely used in the UK? 1950's or much earlier? Thanks

I ended up buying a pack of 18, 19 and 20 to trial. With Oxford wagons I liked the 19's best (might need to go 20 with longer tight curves, but 19s were fine for a single ST222 (short/half length R1) and short Ys.

On less positive notes, there are barely a handful published photos of the Faversham Quay branchline, and whilst I'm aiming for flavour of location rather than accurate model I wanted to try and include key elements. There are two photos of one of the cranes and both show a 1-2tn crane with a corrugated cab. For those old enough to remember - think the 70's/ early 80's Hornby/Pola coaling stage crane. After a couple of weeks searching I found one on the great auction site in the cloud. Sadly when it arrived it was that Curly-Wurly moment (or Wagon Wheels for those who liked the horrible things) - I remembered it as being much bigger when I was a lad... It's titchy barely suited to HO, more TT scale and would look wrong anywhere other than at the back of a deep layout. It's going to be a case of scratch-build (maybe using a Wills lamp hut for cab?) or try and find something that resembles the manual crane (beefier than the Wills yard crane with cagework girder jib).

Little visible progress so no photo update of layout, but I've been busy playing. The track has altered slightly - there wasn't enough of a gap between the rear sidings and front sidings (right on previous picture) so I lifted some of the track (the joys of laying track with Copydex - highly recommended - made it fairly easy) and replaced a short section with a little flexi. It moves the sidings a little close to the front, but still gives me enough room at the front for coping stones, and the compromise will allow room for a simple water tower and fueling point next to the shed. It will also allow a small structure to fit between the two pairs of sidings. Probably an old van store to give it a local flavour (there's 30+ old BR vans dotted around what used to be the main timber unloading sidings and is now a boatyard). I'm modelling mid 50's so can't go for ex-BR but there are early 20th Century SECR van kits which could be justified...

I look forward to seeing more of this. I grew up in Sturry and know Fordwich well. Chislet had closed a couple of years before I was born, but there was still plenty of evidence of the colliery for many years. If I stand on my head that engine shed looks very much like Snowdown's.

As someone who hadn't modelled in 35 years I found it a really useful challenge - it's certainly easy to spot your mistakes in such a small area Keeping them together makes sense - I've spent plenty of time looking back through past entries to see different approaches to small spaces. What's the next challenge (now that you've got all this spare time on your hands @Phil Parker )? Kitbash a Dapol Engine Shed?

Any tips or thoughts on infilling points between the blades? I'm wanting to inlay much of the track with stone setts. I'm fairly confident in adding extra rail to create a flange gap before filling with DAS on the main sidings, but I could really do with having one or two sets of points infilled. Points are Peco short Ys - no interest in track building at this stage. I thought I'd look at other layouts for inspiration, and thought of Chris Nevard's Brewhouse Quay, but discovered he'd been crafty/sensible and avoided cobbling the points. Only thoughts so far are make sure the gap between sleepers is full of DAS, paint then affix a slim piece cut from Wills sheet, putting up with large gaps to ensure good running. Any ideas or pointers welcome.

Yes I could only find the Balerno kits, which look good if you're happy with late period Caledonian - I couldn't find anything turn of the century (to be honest finding photos isn't easy!). RTR coaches you've got the old generic Hornby 4-wheelers in a supposedly CR livery but they're pretty basic. The proposed Hattons ones might be okay if generic again.

Played around with clearances and decided the small engine shed will fit at the end of the second siding from left on photo above - will act as a scene blocker for line out (far left) and be at the opposite end of the layout to the timber stores and workshops (seems more logical than right next to flammable sawdust/timber!). It's going to be very simple pretty much like this prototype (although if I include the added lean-to it will be brick not stone) - https://www.irsociety.co.uk/Archives/12/a_small_industrial_loco_shed.htm I tried holding two sheets of Wills corrugated sheets back to back and decided it was just too thick but as there will be no doors I need to see corrugation inside and out. Thinking going with their clear corrugated glazing sheets and painting them might be easiest over a frame of 3mmx1mm strips.

I can't help with the Kadee size - I think I'm just going to pop down to the Hobby Shop and buy a packet of each of the three sizes they stock and try and see.

I'll be interested to see how the Balerno coaches go. If an when I get back to my vaguely Loch Tay planned small layout rolling stock is one of those big issues I've got to tackle. Suitable PO wagons and even visiting NB wagons are available rtr but there's very little else.

Look at Peco's short streamline Ys to save a lot of length. Also consider the maximum loco length you'll run - you can fit a Peckett's wheel base on as little as 41mm (excluding buffers) for the end of a runaround - you might get away with 120mm ish for an 08 if you have the buffer as a wall-mounted beam after the track. Anyrail is worth downloading for a play (it's free) but be aware of things like clearance for passing wagons etc. I found it allowed to produce overly optimistic plans!

Personally I prefer simple paint to photographic or pre-printed backgrounds, but it's hardly a universal viewpoint. I've seen some hand painted backdrops that look great and many more where the execution isn't up to the modelling...

Track laid and tested - I used the Peco pre-soldered fishplate connectors for ease and they're discreet enough for me with holes drilled through the baseboard. Copydex to glue everything in place (beer can weights) avoiding the point bars. Seems secure enough. I've drilled holes under the points bars incase I go with rods - still undecided whether it's worth it on such a tiny layout. For testing I used a a basic Bachman 36-560 I'd picked up 2nd hand for £5 complete with transformer. I was going to replace it with something more sophisticated, but as I can get something approaching a crawl out of a Hornby Railroad 0-4-0 using it I might not bother - pleasantly surprised what a basic controller can do. I've started cutting back one edge of the foam to install the quay wall, but that's going to take some time to complete, and I probably ought to decide what track I'm inlaying first, and finalise building locations...

Congratulations Ben - your composition and photos really gave a sense of atmosphere. Definitely a worthy winner. And well done to everyone else who took part - I thoroughly enjoyed seeing all the different approaches to a difficult challenge.

Thanks - I might add isolators to that top siding and add a third feed between the upper pair of points where the toes join.

Impressive work - that's very nice scratch building. Where do you source Palfoam, and did you have it cut to size for the background? I've been using Foamex which is similar, but only goes down to 3mm.

There's an excellent article on Canada Street in MRJ 245 - the close-up photos of the modelling are superb. I bought it for Gordon Gravett's Arun Quay - one of those issues that makes you very humble about your own abilities, whilst filling you with inspiration. Regarding the ballasting, another technique I've seen is 3/4- 4/5th fill gap between sleepers with DAS or filler before just topping up with ash.

Cork has dried so ready to cut holes for point rodding and power feeds before laying track. Probably a daft question, but it's been 35 years since I last built a layout, and first time I've used electrofrogs - can someone check my wiring plan? DC only, electrofrogs throughout. Orange blobs represent switches, green arrow shows insulators between two sections - idea is I can run either all live or just one half. Thanks!