SparxD428

Right then, where was I about six months ago with the layout? Same place I am now but good news today is I spent some time becoming reacquainted with operating trains to get back into the groove. Can't say I lost my modelling mojo mainly put it on hold for a bit. I will finish the block of flats and the tube station and then the layout will be complete. So hopefully by Christmas it will be done and then I can turn my attention to just running the layout or another small project if I feel like it. Just a couple of pics tonight of a quiet Sunday with a single mixed freight and the spare vac sat on the depot. I will try and post more updates once I get back into the swing. Cheers, Stu. 33004 parked up on weekend mixed freight 28 sits on shed idling

Well you may I have noticed I haven't posted much recently. This is largely down to work being completely crazy and long days/weeks at a time away from home , coupled with the weather and my youngest daughter's recently found love for football and all things football that now involves being a season ticket holder down at Reading and going to England home games when funds allow, the layout has pretty much gone on the backburner in terms of both time and funding. But fear not, I have a couple of weeks off coming up and have earmarked some time to tidy up the garage and spend some time in there working out what to do next. I think it will be a slow burn until the dark months come in then I imagine I'll be keen to get back out there. Hope to catch up also with the progress of others layouts on here as well as its nearly 5 months since I actually had a proper look here ! Probably be some new updates soon. Cheers Stu

A bit more work on the flats today as well as continuing to construct a mock front of a 1962 Central line train which looks poor when pictured, this is just to add to the cameo of the tube station until something real can be found. Spent an enjoyable early evening running trains,and an even more enjoyable later evening watching Liverpool dismantle City in the first leg though that will probably only rile City for the second leg ! 47593 has been put back in to (noisy) service after receiving some worn but useable donor traction tyres. A few pics, mainly Sulzer tonight Waiting time at Acton Green 47593 back in action rounding the curve from the west Close up and long shots 47402 on a down parcels with 50026 on a short trip parcels bound for Oxford Cheers Stu

Yes it is time. I am currently free next Saturday 14th April, or the first Saturday in May if you and the crew want to come over for a drive? PM or text me if you're free .

And finally the other video from yesterday. Cheers Stu

Thought I would try another couple of videos. First one here, other one will follow later Cheers Stu

That would have been a bit of an own goal to have posted my first video without any 50's on it !! Although to be honest I was just concentrating on not tripping over anything on the floor when filming.

Been doing a few minor things on the layout such as closer coupling of the old Lima unit and getting on with final block of flats Mk2. I also shot a video on the work phone - very basic no flashy stuff, and even setup a youtube page to host it (contents = 1 video and not much else). All very basic but thought I would give it a try so hope you can see it below, approx 1 and a half mins around the layout. Havent figured out embedding yet so just have the link below I'll still be posting pics as I find this easier but if the video comes out OK might get my head around editing etc. Cheers Stu

Coming along a real treat Mike. Cheers, Stu.

Hi Richard, Its looking absolutely fantastic so far. The open baseboards look like they are really going to work well enabling the snaking curvature of the track bed to stand out Great stuff. Cheers Stu

Etched plates and numbers etc. have arrived for 47500 but I won't be fitting them just yet as I think it may take some time to remove the printed / current transfers and I don't want to rush things. Also a new set of vac plates arrived giving me another renumber option for the future. Otherwise just a few late Summer Saturday 1987 trains run under twilight this evening:- 73137 with a late additional parcels service from Eastleigh to Clapham Junction, diverted via Reading and Kensington Olympia 50021 Rodney crawls through Acton Green on 1V19 19:20 Manchester - Paddington Vac bashers have been disappointed as 47500 is turned out on the down midnight 1C02 23:59 Padd-Penzance Waiting for the last tube "downstairs" at Acton Green Cheers Stu

Thanks Andy, Much appreciated.

A few more jobs ticked off the list of things to do recently, although work will soon curtail the modelling for a week or two probably after this weekend. I have applied a light weathering to 47500 and now just need to do ETH boxes and minor detail. Etched plates have been ordered and hopefully will arrive soon. Also I have fitted flush glaze to the No.2 end of the old peak and added some thin plastic for wipers. Again minor bufferbeam detail needed to finish this one off. Obligatory pics 47500 stabled outside the shed 45103 working a Padd-Wolverhampton General view tonight with 50014 on vans Cheers Stu

It's been another busy week / weekend on the layout. Yesterday I visited the Basingstoke show and met up with Ian (Temeraire), Scott (Pitbull), Paul (RHB) , Mike (Scoobyra) and Dave along the way. Purchased a few bits and bobs required - DCC chip to put the last 50 I purchased in to service, some scenics, tools etc. And one bigger purchase (see later on). In terms of work, this week I have completed more of the weathering of my HST set. All bogie underframes now done and lower sides of the carriages to simulate the dust and like they used to have sprayed up the bodysides. And finally the dummy car was completed with oil marks too. A couple of hi res pics hopefully shows this up OK The population of Acton Green also increased yesterday with some outrageously coloured clothing to the fore (well it is set in the 1980s) so a few more people have been dotted round in positions and situations. Also some more flower beds have appeared at the station. And as promised before a pic of the information boards. I actually typed up a load of info in MS paint with real destinations in A-Z order. I know its unreadable but I made the effort ! I finally got round to building and painting a free market stall kit I got ages ago with a copy of Railway Modeller. As well as adding the shop displays More trees and foliage have been planted around the front and embankment sides of the layout. Another EFE .Routemaster was bought at Basingstoke for the massive fee of £7.50 (no pic) And finally, for £60 I got this... 47500 - a Heljan example which needed a little maintenance but is running OK for me although I only used a DCC26 chip (1.5A max) and it runs a little warm. No detail kit was with it and it came with a nearly welded on body and black buffers/beams. So I have commenced stage 1 corrective action and painted the red beams/silver buffers Next step will be to weather it up a little and then craft some ETH boxes I have also started building another new block of flats to replace the last unfinished set as I wasnt happy with them at all. Cheers, Stu

Hi Scott, Good luck with this one good to see you back mate. Nice to see you contemplating NSE era as well . Cheers Stu

Today has been all about the Underground. First, the station needed a roof. Not quite the sweeping arc I wanted but with the materials (and skills ! ) available its not a bad effort Then it needed some lighting fitted. I used Railroom electronics strip 12V strip LEDs - the ones that split into blocks of 3 if you want. So I duly separated and soldered 7 of these in series After tidying up the wiring the station was returned to its location under the layout. Currently I am using an old Hornby 12V transformer to power these lights. Further work will be done at a later date to complete the tunnel mouths and the track in to the tunnel to another strip of 4 foot board and track. Due to the height it will still be an "in and out" terminus shuttle. When I can procure a 4 car EFE Central line train. And then fit a motor. And lights.. I also made some platform information boards this week showing timetable information. I'll post some pics next time. Cheers, Stu

Had a little evening running session tonight under the layout lights. I am thinking of adding a few more in strategic positions but for the main body of the layout I'm pretty pleased with the lights. Took a few lower resolution photo's to see if they come out better than the 16Mpx ones I have been taking which seem to be picking up things I cant even see by eye !! Also if anyone is attending the show in Romsey I will be there this Saturday as part of the Tidworth crew helping Ian (Temeraire) and Mike (Scoobyra) of this parish so come over and say hello. This assuming of course we all don't get snowed in / event called off due to the weather Cheers Stu A couple of pics from under the lights tonight.. 50024 on Shed Nightlife on the overbridge and the West Ealing Road Think Horn Lane tube may need a couple of extra streetlights nearby Meanwhile the down still runs (again .. I'll get bored of the SLEPs soon honest 1) this time behind 50021

The man on the gate has a new cabin to sit in as I wasnt really happy with the first effort and after seeing a couple of better efforts decided to improve on my first draft. So he now has a bigger cabin, a desk, a clock, a map and unfortunately in true Reg Prescott style I made a shelf but it was so thin it fell off the back wall ! On other fronts Rodney's weathering is complete, and also Warspite has had a touch more weathering to dampen down the underframes and buffer beams. Only 1 (poor) pic tonight. Cheers Stu

Really looking forward to seeing number 39 as the finished article. looking absolutely fantastic so far. Cheers Stu

Refreshments are looking good for Romsey next week mate. Although at first glance i thought that was Adolf Hitler outside the fuel point office ! See you Saturday Cheers Stu

Liking Illustrious very much there Andy. Cheers Stu

Hi Cornwall, Good luck with this project. With regards to baseboards sometimes it is better to construct a layout from 4x2 boards as it can be easier to construct, whether the layout will be portable or fixed. Is the space you have to work in 8x4 ? Cheers Stu

So a few more minor details completed on the layout today. Firstly, I quickly constructed some information screens for the station using some metal rod for the poles and card for the screens. quickly painted with acrylic and hey presto. They look pretty OK on the layout but the camera here doesnt flatter them. Meanwhile at the wagon works, a cabin, a barrier and a bored man reading a newspaper have appeared. Again this crude construction is from card. I have actually half glazed the front window and fully glazed the side one. And also the entrance to the speedlink platform now has a security gate. And finally on the fleet front Rodney has had some weathering done to one side. Again not sure if I've overdone it but it looks pretty Ok in the flesh. I'll go over the yellow ends with a darker brown colour I think to offset the lightness of the weathering on the blue. Cheers Stu

Seriously impressive layout coming along here Stu. Cheers, Stu.

Brief update. Some "board" fencing has been created around the wagon works which is drying at the minute. So excuse to turn the lights out and run the last knockings trains as night falls. HST running ECS to OO. And with all the lights out except those on the layout 1C02 tonight will be hauled by 50024 Cheers Stu