gismorail

Phil this is fantastic ...... some real gems, the Wrexham area has interested me for years . Having been born in Shrewsbury and lived in Wrexham for the first two years of my life and the rest of my childhood spent in Chester with a spell as a boarder at Ellesmere College you can understand my interest. I'm hoping that you collection will include some pictures towards the Chester Northgate and will follow with interest

Awoke early this morning to feel to house doing a 'rock & roll' impersonation ....... some very heavy metal rock toooo

:sungum:Well Dock Green what can one say..........looks good in the photos on RMweb but to be honest do not rarely do it justice. A real gem this one seems so much wider in real life and the whole layout is well balanced. It was good to meet you in real life sir and your good lady . Best layout in show in my humble opinion well done Chaz you should be proud of you efforts.

The shame is that it's modellers like this stop younger members getting in our hobby

Yes its a loco that I would like to see in RTR form but think it could have a wide appeal Stainier 2-6-2 tank in 4mm but would probably sell well in 7mm

I remember many years ago attending a Manchester Model Railway show when it was held at UMIST 'that's how long ago' and there was a scale model of GWR station as it was on a set date.(name withheld to protect the innocent as it were ) It was to be fair a fantastic layout probably a very early P4 gauge and was presented in a very professional way, lots of photos displayed on the front valance showing how exact the layout was and to be honest it was I think more of a business than a group effort, even the trees seemed to be exact copies. One of the exhibitors was at the front of the layout explaining to viewers how exactly it was to the real place and how it all ran to the exact time table for that particular day .... I think most of you will understand my drift at this point...... As I was admiring the layout and comparing the scene to the presented photo's I noticed that a telegraph pole on the layout only had one cross member on it but the corresponding one in the photo clearly had two cross members. Well within ear shot for the guy from the exhibiting team I pointed this out to my friend ............ to say that looks would have killed is an understatement, even a second visit an hour or so later was met with similar glare!!!! Sorry but some people do set themselves up for a fall !!!!

How about a demonstration which shows how to convert a P4 loco to course scale 00

Hey is looks good OLE is not easy to model especially as you seem to be scratch building it and wow like the headspans look very good not an easy task will watch with interest.

I wouldn't worry about it their a open minded lot the scousers I should know my partner's one. Anyhow if there were any thieves about the Jinty would be on bricks with no wheels !!!!!! Anyway was.nt the Jinty pinched from Preston shed

As your a Lancashire coal field fan I reckon the engine shed in the layout was inspired by the one at Walkden Yard ???

Make a nice scene in KL a coach trip with all these folk arriving to do some train spotting

wow fantastic modelling inspired design will follow with interest

What a gem of a station great to see that the original features are still retained. Do I feel a layout coming on here ????

Only just picked up this project have to say will follow with interest. Love the pictures of the 'den' re-build ...... what is about us modellers we can always find space for a layout can't we !!!!! did notice on the picture of the baseboard outside that you have some more yard space to build over ...... future layout extention maybe...... Really admire your foresight on this project must have spent a lot of time scribbling before the idea came together. Gather you mastered the templot system in the end something I must get my head round. Keep my the good work and updates

Tony, Thank you so much for the information regarding your shed. I live in 'An area of outstanding natural beauty' so I do need to get planning permission but having spoken to the planners prior to moving here there should be no problem just require a ' householders' application. Once again thanks for the advise which I will keep in mind.

Just to add to others comments regarding weathering on your layout ......excellent...... I feel that you have got the general tones right on both models and scenery. Its very difficult to fund the fine line between express passenger stock that in the main was keep in fairly clean condition but still had that 'worked hard' look. Often far harder to find this level of weathering compared to a grubby 8F that never saw a cleaning oily rag.With regard to the 'smoke effects'.... yes think you got it right and it does give a sense of ' motion'to the picture. I have been following your layout building for quite some time now and have found it a great inspiration. I am currently planning a bespoke shed build in my garden and have been trying to find as to whether you did any articles regarding the building of you shed prior to the building of the layout. Would be most grateful for any information regarding this subject and any pitfalls that might have encountered.

Have to say some truly excellent shots of this much loved area of the network. So much atmosphere I can understand why Barry Norman produced a layout design based on Stockport Tiviot Dale in his book 'Designing a Layout' (page 90/91) The extra effort of going out side the shed to get the approaches right would be well worth the final scene. I was showing my eldest son the above photo of the class 40 at Woodley Junc as he's well into 'old school fords' and he was telling me that at current market prices the train of Mk1 escorts would be worth a fortune ( a real mint one can command a price of 20k ) Keep the shots coming really look forward to new shots.

Prehaps its should be a 'saddle of panniers'

Chester a roman town ........ also served by the LMS. GWR and LNER !!!!!!

Wow now thats some railroad, must be the American version of Pete Waterman

Very impressed with the back scene really does give an excellent depth to your fine layout will follow this with interest

Well I can only repeat what all the other's have already stated ' brilliant'. When you have got your senses back and the burns on your fingers have healed fancy doing the train shed at Chester Nothergate , Nice and easy 4mm with straight roof construction he eh Very impressive will follow this tread with admiration Martin

Another O gauge outsider good man will follow this topic with interest. Am surprised you have'nt insultated your new shed though - I have lined minewith kingspan insultation board and finished it off with plysheeting including the floor area - it really does make one hell of a difference, but know how it is ,once the sheds up the layout has to be built, !!!!!

Earlier on in this thread Max stafford was wondering if these coaches ran in North Wales........the LNER ran into Wrexham Central from Chester Northgate and Seacombe on the old Great Central lines...... would this suburbs have been used or were the coaches more Great Central / ex Cheshire Lines. Looking at some of the pictures of trains on these lines there sure was a real mixed bag of stock.

This looks like a gem in the making, have often looked at the same page in the NorthWest book myself and thought what a good model Baccup would make. Like your comments about canpoies and platform width thats the type of consideration I would have to solve before laying down track. You peseverance with the templot system is interesting, prehaps I should have another look at it again myself. Will follow your progress with interest.