PUASHP

Taken from the Railex 2019 exhibition website. Nothing like a deadline to focus the mind. Creating Cameo Layouts - The Challenge, All Gauges, Model Railway Journal Cameo Competition Finalists – the six best layouts entered in the MRJ Cameo Layout competition will appear in public together for the first time. The standard of modelling is expected to be among the very best.

Glimpsed through the doorway of the waiting room a passenger waits for the next train due at 10.30. Complete with suitcase and newspaper although he looks to be falling asleep to me.

Thank you for the positive comments on the Metro tank. It has a Perseverance compensated chassis. Believe it or not the kit was started in the late 1980’s so it’s taken a while to complete. I had the number plates in the box so that’s why they are fitted, many moons ago my layout was to feature a location much closer to London but that never happened. Weathering and fitting the DCC chip next weekend and it’s almost job done.

Suitably modified, excellent advice. It’s as if it never existed.

Back in April posted pics of a GWR Metro tank built from a very old Wills kit. Finally got round to finishing the last few bits and painting. All that is left now is to add a driver and fireman, coal in the bunker, lamps, fire irons and weathering. Hopefully running soon.

Sounds very logical and not something I’ve considered before. I’ll do some more research and I can always remove one of the name boards but keep the two flower beds as the station master is obviously a keen gardener.

The gardener has been busy again today planting the flower beds on the station platform. The same Artex,sand and brown paint mix was used as per the allotment. Small stones added as a border and the flowers are made from Woodland Scenics Polyfiber and scatter. Thin wire is used to give height to the flowers at the rear. Lastly a spray with hairspray to keep it all in place.

Painted the nameboards in dark stone and white, and added the cut out name boards before fitting to the platform. Planning to have small flower beds in front of each sign.

Font was downloaded from the GWR e list group which you need to subscribe to and then go to the download page. It appears as GWR SIGNS in the font list. Just checked as there is a GWR Nameboards font which looks the same.

Well spotted, they are on the list of things to do, along with steps to the signal box, station building interior etc. I like to get a feel for the building and make sure it looks right before adding the extra detail. Currently I have 25 detailing items on the list still to do. Today it was work on the station signs. Cast white metal from Springside Models, soldered up with low melt solder. The name is printed on photo paper in a GWR signs font. Painting still to do.

Put the finishing touches to a bit more rolling stock today. The wagons are as follows: Cooper Craft GWR 5 plank open O11, Cooper Craft GWR 4 plank open, Cambrian SR 12T open, Ratio GWR Iron Mink with new brass roof and brake gear, a pair of 1980’s vintage Alfie open wagons, one as a GWR and one LMS, and finally the new Hornby GWR brake AA15.

Finished and planted.

The photo is Abbeydore on the Golden Valley Railway, taken in 1935. There was the same design at Clifford on the same line. Not sure if the loading gauge wire should be white not black so I may change the colour.

Wooden GWR loading gauge. It is scratchbuilt from old plastic spruce and rod, and some brass wire. Just needs weathering when the paint dries.

Fully planted ground signal and the appearance of telegraph poles. The list of detailing items is getting smaller, next up a loading gauge for the siding.

Completed allotment Cameo.

Veggie plot nearly there. You can see the white area where I need to fix the shunt signal for the siding.

Veggie plot nearly there. You can see the white area where I need to fix the shunt signal for the siding.

The station master has been tending his small vegetable plot today, it’s amazing how fast the vegetables grow. The earth is a mix of Artex, sand and brown powder paint. Once dry some additional colour is added. Potatoes are medium green clump foliage and carrots light green. Cabbage is represented by coloured tissue paper wrapped in a ball and secured with pva. I’ve got the runner beans and compost heap to add.

The answer is maybe. They were panelled but it is possible some were plated over. I was looking for passenger stock I could run almost out the box as I had nothing suitable so although the Hornby model has its flaws it is plausible this coach was played over.

Roof is hand painted Life Colour dirty black and roof dirt acrylic with some black weathering powder. Point rodding is from Wizard Models nickel silver square rod. I hope this helps.

Wow. Love the look of the platform section from this angle. Adding the properly weathered locos and stock really brings the layout to life. Love it. Well done Paul

Finished the coach, just a bit of final weathering to do. £20 and a few evenings work so very happy with the result as all the extra bits came from the scrap box. Next time I’ll photoshop out the join in the backscene, sorry.

Whilst I’m deciding what further detail to add, and before I get round to finishing the fiddle yard and control panel I’ve been working on a bit more stock. My aim is to be able to have 5 trains for an operating session. I’ve been working on a late 1930s passenger. The clerestory is a standard Hornby whilst the bow ended brake is from their railroad range. I’ve put on new roof and end detail, some new bogies and buffers I had in a miscellaneous box of goodies. The body is weathered ready for me to finish the underframe and reassemble. Forgot to mention the body has also been lowered on the chassis to show less of the sole bar. As a quick and cheap stock build I’m happy with how it looks so far. The loco is a Bachmann re gauged to EM and converted into a 74xx.

Bit more testing tonight.