Mighty

Thanks to all for your very helpful responses. I haven’t yet had a chance to put it to the test, but when I do I’ll show my workings! It’s all so new, but I’m have a good time exploring woodworking. 

On 25/09/2019 at 20:36, chris p bacon said:

I like the toys, I'm a chippy but have also made lots of birds and interactive stuff for the RSPB and the young ornithologists, including 30+ life size Ostrich eggs.....

Thanks Chris - I cant imagine how on earth you made life sized Ostrich eggs!

Hi all

I have been a long time follower on here, and used to have my own model railway before moving house, having children and you guessed it, life intervened.

With railway modelling on hold I’ve turned my hand to wooden toy making  for the kids who are 4 and 2 (and still a bit young for model railways. It’s simple stuff such as small wooden animals at first. You can see a couple of examples below. At least it’s given me the chance to purchase a simple scrollsaw, multi tool sander and so on...

My latest project is to make a small house, with a few windows in it. Problem is, I’m pretty new to woodworking and my school DIY didn’t stretch to this. My guess is simply to drill some holes in the wood, then use a coping saw to cut out the window shape, before sanding down. Is this the best way of doing it, or is there a better way?  

Any advice gratefully received, and apologies if this is in the wrong bit of the forum - I wasn’t quite sure where it should go!

Thanks

Chris

I've already got two on order from Rails, and have paid the £30 deposit for each, so looks like I'm going to have to stick with Rails for now, which looks to be a shame from the photos above.  Let's wait and see for the reviews.

Really pleased to see this LBSCR tank locomotive being announced and it will be a welcome addition for my planned future layout.  I was interested to see the pre-war post grouping option was 'SR Black pre-war' - I'm guessing this means that the E1s would have carried the unlined goods black with Maunsell lettering, not the fully lined olive green?  That's what it looks like from the first photo on the SEMG webpage, but I'd be grateful if someone in the know could confirm!

An earlier contributor mentioned the cost of the H2 at Hattons.  I have received the following email from Kernow just now and quote below for information:

 

 

Dear Mr White

You have the following Bachmann item on order with us;

31-920 Bachmann Atlantic H2 Class 4-4-2 Steam Locomotive number 2426 named "St Albans Head" in SR Olive Green livery

At the time you placed the order, Bachmann did not list a price for the item, but in order for us to be able list the item for pre-orders, without just making up a price, we had listed it at £0.01p.
This was on the understanding that once Bachmann announced the price, we would offer it to you at approximately15% less than the RRP, but let you know what the price was once known, with the option to cancel at any time if this price proved prohibitive.
Prices are now available, and although this does not necessarily mean the arrival of the product is imminent, we would be grateful if you could let us know as soon as possible whether or not you still wish to proceed, so we can adjust our quantities ordered from Bachmann if necessary.

The RRP of this item is £179.95 and we will be retailing it at £152.99.

We look forward to hearing from you in due course,
With thanks and regards,


Kernow Model Rail Centre

I'll be keeping my order with Kernow as I want to continue to support their commissioning of Southern stock (even if it is LSWR focussed rather than LBSCR!)

Chris

I asked if the seller would amend the listing, and just had this:

"NO I WILL LET THE WINNING BIDDER JUDGE WHETHER THEY ARE HAPPY WITH THE ITEM"

*sigh*

Thanks for the info, shame there's nothing that can be done.  Given I have a real Model Rail USA Tank on order, I won't be worrying too much!

I just noticed this so sent the seller the following question:

Given that Model Rail hasn't released the model as it hasn't yet been manufactured, how can this be sold and described as a Model Rail locomotive?  Is this not the HO scale (not OO scale) Hornby Rivarossi USATC 0-6-0?  IF so, it is not the same scale and will be smaller than other OO gauge locomotives.

I had the following reply:

"OH WELL"

Is there any way to report this to ebay?  I know if I bid on this and it arrived, I'd be annoyed as it would be knowingly selling the item with an incorrect description.   

Further to my earlier post about transferring orders to the new Maunsell liveried 02, Kernow sent me the following update a few days ago:

Dear Mr White,
thanks for your phone call yesterday regarding changing your order for the 02 tank.
I've now had a chance to clarify the situation with the boss.
If you are changing your order on a 1 for 1 basis, we will honour the original pre-order price, except where in your case, yours was ordered at the pre-VAT increase price which was subsequently increased to £94.99 shortly after.
In summary, I have now cancelled the order from yesterday and re-input it today at £94.99.
Thanks for your understanding,
regards,
Greg

 

 

Many thanks to Kernow for the clarification from one loyal and happy customer.  I've several other items on order with Kernow and I'm very happy to support an excellent business.

Chris

Just to update everyone, Kernow have announced a seventh version of the O2 in Southern Maunsell livery fitted with push pull gear, numbered 207.  It was announced today on Facebook via their e-newsletter (non facebook link here - http://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/index.html?action=23)

The pre-order price is £104.99, price once it is in the shops is £119.99.  One small word of warning, I had ordered my Southern black liveried O2 way back in January 2011 at the then pre-order price of £91.99.  Unfortunately, on changing to the Maunsell liveried one, the pre-order price is £15 more expensive.  Whilst I'm slightly disappointed that the order couldn't have been held at the £91.99 price given I was only asking for a livery swap, I did decide to change my order in the end as I want to support the shop.

Pricey, and way out of my reach, but I shall be somewhere along the route with a camera, as I'm sure many others will be. Hopefully the Steam on the Met will be a little more in my price range!

Saw this in Ruislip when attending a funeral nearby, so didn't have a camera handy.

 

....."Ruislip Lido - Overflow Car Park"

I can get you a photo of that, living in the next town. Interestingly, the 'overflow' bit is literally true - the new car park they are planning to build will be at serious risk of flooding, hence the need for the overflow car park!

Excellent news that Steam is coming back to the Met. I really have missed this over the last decade and some of the other events look really interesting. I do hope that this might not just be a one off, even though it is part of the 150th celebrations!

Great project and a nice and unusual prototype locomotive as well. Subscribed and paid for one at the same time - top stuff.

Outstanding, but rather curious that there is an LSWR layout in Middlesborough. I bet there's an interesting story behind that one! Do you have a link to any more photographs?

Gilbert, the card on the bookcases looks great - a definite improvement and leads the eye into the most important part of the photograph - namely the fantastic layout!

Regarding the bottom of the bookshelves and the brackets, the only thing I could think of that might work is a roll of stiff paper in the colour you need pinned to the bottom of the bookcases and then to the wall a foot below. That would also prevent the darker shadows which I think are the only thing that's really distracting the eye now. A quick mock up shouldn't take too long to try out on just one section.

Andy's method would work of course, but this way might be a bit easier on the wallet!

All the best,

Chris

Hi Ian,

 

The problem is that the top of those book cases is over 10ft above floor level. The fiddle yard baseboards are 3 ft wide. To reach the top shelves I have to stand on the top level of a stepladder. It's precarious and I always worry about dropping something 7ft onto the layout, not to mention falling onto it myself. I am not confident of being able to get anything, however lightweight up there, and to ensure it stayed where it was put. I think the fact that I would then have to remove the boards when I wanted to get to books, which I shall need to do makes an accident waiting to happen even more likely.

 

As usual, I should have thought things through better,perhaps I could have removed those shelves and relocated them below baseboard level. Too late now though, so Photoshop looks like the only option. I do appreciate your time and suggestions though.

Gilbert

Perhaps fitting flat-faced doors on the bookshelves might work? You could then paint these the appropriate sky colour you are after, or at least to match the walls. A bit of DIY and maybe a pain if you are looking for the right book, but discrete labels on the doors would assist searches and also prevent having to photoshop each picture?

Love the layout, the photography and the thought that goes into Peterborough North. This thread is one of my 'must-check' ones each morning and evening when I log on. Thank you for sharing it with us all.

Kind regards

Chris

The following info might be of interest...

 

http://www.semgonlin...ck/GatesInd.pdf

Larry, forgive me but I don't really understand the link. Would it mean, for example, for set 372 (the Maunsell period one), that it would have operated solely in the Portland area? Is there anywhere I could get a brief history of where this set would have operated in the period it was in that livery ('20s and 30s)?

I am truly delighted, though sorry that the news leaked out early. I will be after one of the Maunsell lined sets and I think it will look fantastic behind the 02 when it comes out as well as the M7.

Well done Kernow. I am so pleased that they have commissioned this and believe that Kernow are demonstrating the future of this hobby. If they produce this to the same quality as the BWT, I reckon they will be on to a winner and I hope they have many more years of commissioning Southern models.

An RTR LSWR push pull set! Wow...

As a Southern enthusiast and modeller myself, I have to say I'm really looking forward to seeing this layout develop. Do keep posting updates, and I can't wait to see what you plan to do.

All best

Chris

Here is another one

 

David

David - fantastic stuff. Can I ask if you have set out how you've painted the wall anywhere and provide me with a link? I'm struggling to get that mortar wash right and your effort is quite brilliant!

Many thanks

Chris

Also, try looking at Derek Hayward's excellent website with photos of the Blubell and surrounding disused lines for an idea of the lie of the land. It may help with scenery and give you a few ideas.

It can be found here.

Mighty, Thanks for your comment. It was my ambition to set out to create the atmosphere or feel of the bluebell railway. My layout may not be 100% accurate, nor the new buildings accurate... but it it looks to me like the buildings on the Bluebell and at a glance most people recognise it.

 

As for your Questions:

 

Adams Radial was a K's kit with a white metel body. This was brought from ebay, it was going cheap so i brought it, repainted to L.S.W.R pea green, and found a number of things weren't right. tried to fix the problems myself but i only have limited knowledge on this so i gave in and seeked help. Its needed alot of work more than thought and I apprciate the help Graham is giving me.

 

Which Ballast are you refering? Horsted's ballast is a bit of mess to be frank lol. its very patchy from where new track has been put in.

 

The new lighter ballast the sandy colour, is N gauge ballast / Fine OO ballast. Brought from ebay, just over ??1 for a large bag. OO is ??1.70.

The other ballast the older stuff, is a mix of that sandy colour OO balast and Gray OO Ballast, both of these were not fine, and by ease of removal, i vacumed it up in a new hoover bag mixing the 2 togther and thus creating an odd blend of Ballast colour.

 

All Ballast on East Grinstead is the same N gauge Ballast used on the new sections.

 

Hope this answers your questions.

Matt, thanks so much for getting back to me - very useful information. I've an idea to try and turn my layout into a Kingscote!

Thanks Owen, kind of you to say.

 

I love the Bluebell railway to mainly why i built the layout, as I can't get to the place very oftern to enjoy it. The Adams radial (Which isn;t featured in this thread) hasn't turned a wheel yet, its still away as its had some issues, and the preoblem was beyond my ability to fix, so a good friend of mine from the club is having alook at it, I hope it will run one day

 

Thanks for your comment

Matt, this layout really captures the feel of the Bluebell so well, and the carriage shed and repair works look so like the real thing - a very impressive effort at scratch building if I may say so!

Out of interest, where did you get the Adams Radial, and also, what ballast have you used? I've been looking for something like that colour myself but keep coming up against greys and blacks.