SparxD428

Today's mantra was "must get on with finishing the layout and not run (m)any trains". So to work this afternoon. Firstly, significant progress has been made on the final building. Due to lack of brickwork and the fact virtually everything on the layout is brick based, plan B was executed to make a nice stone set of flats. A bit posh for the area they sit in on the layout and loosely based on buildings on Baker Street. Just need to make the entrance and add the finishing details but its looking a lot better than a white card rectangle now. From Workbench to planting location. Balcony railings since added. Not the easiest location to photograph as its actually a bit hidden from the viewing side. Flatter view from the scenic break side Been working on the pavements and some yellow lines/drains etc. I have some drainpipe drying ready to be attached to the terraced houses. Chimneys also added today. Over at the station a lazy Sunday as a 33 is parked with vans for Southampton Quick breather at the fuel point Whilst rover gets a break from all the hiking on platform 4. Meanwhile, on the Central Line that elusive train is still,, well elusive.. Once the final corner is completed I could say the layout (ground level and above) could be considered "complete" although I have a few things to detail and tidy up naturally. Attention will then turn underground to sorting out a roof, lighting and further tunnel track for a possible future running line as opposed to the current cameo with no trains. Cheers, Stu.

One of those nights where Paddington was closed. Acton Green was swarming with Vacs tonight. Cheers Stu

OK so this one didn't go exactly to plan. Awkard numbers and nameplate to shift meant I had to get the paintbrush out, which just made things look worse ! So then I painted the grey roof Matt Black. Which although the paint can was labelled Matt black was the most striking GLOSS black I've ever painted. As I was painting it I though this isnt quite right but got too far down the line to stop. So after a bit of a mix of painting and weathering, cursing and swearing, a slightly overcooked 50028 has emerged. And due to the chip failure she is currently running on 20's chassis - my sound one. So at least it moves well and makes noise. Just a bit of chassis weathering now to contemplate if I keep 28 on this set of wheels. As you can see from the photo's I have gone for the discolouration due to overwashing method for the blue followed by lots of grubbiness. It actually doesnt look too bad to be honest but I would have preferred it to have been a bit smoother. A few pics.. Forgot to put back the ETH box on the first one Refitted for these Think I need a break from butchering vacs for a while now ! Cheers, Stu

Right on both counts sir. Not a bad days purchasing. Both vacs came fitted with DCC chips but the one in 31 was faulty. So body from 31 has been turned in to 21 and is running on 35's chassis whilst the paintbrush is out on 28. Although removing the numbers and nameplates on 35 is much tougher than 31. Guess that batch must have used heavier print finishing ! Luckily as I'm doing 28 as it was pre NSE through 1986 and first half of 87, it will be in a tatty state so excuse to overweather a bit for realism. Bizarrely I never got a photo of 28 in LL of my own but there are a few excellent ones online showing it looking battered in 86 and 87. Cheers Stu

So a last minute decision at lunchtime was made to head over to the Alton MRG show to see what's happening and if there were any bargains to be had with my remaining railway funds. I came away £200 lighter but Vac heavier as well as getting some rolling stock I've wanted since starting this layout. I digress, a little running session began with:- 50029 on the Down Midnight (1C02 2359 Padd-Penzance Sleeper) Now with added SLEP which need to be renumbered to WR examples in the future Meanwhile next morning on the previous night's 1A02 21:35 from Penzance... ...a new visitor also purchased today. A quick visit for the basic works attention and a new identity.. 50021 has arrived at Acton Green. Close up shows the number backing barely visible to the eye. I will carefully deal with that later. And so the "Up" shows the other SLEP in IC livery also purchased today. So what I really should have been doing was weathering 43003. But thats for another day as there is another loco about to enter works. This will be revealed in due course but I bet you can make an educated guess at what it is..and what she will emerge as. Cheers Stu

After a week away an hour this morning continuing weathering one of the HST power cars. Trademark oil slick down the sides of 43002 Will probably use a lighter wash on the underframes and sides to make it blend nicely to finish the job. Then just the same is needed on 43003 Cheers Stu

Super job on that shed framework. Very impressive. Cheers Stu.

Spent most of the afternoon tidying up the old Lima 47402. Hacked off the old moulded couplings and after much swearing managed to get something more modern fitted to the front as well as tidying up some of the detailing and dulling down the high intensity headlight I fitted at the No.2 end to something slightly less bright than looking directly in to the sun. Now going to have a week off modelling due to work, maybe contemplate starting the tube station "roof" and finishing the buildings and wall near the wagon works. Cheers, Stu

Also started weathering 50026 today, as well as the HST roof pods. Been experimenting with the spotlight positions to try and get some better light for photo's of the layout. A couple of more pics hopefully with better lighting. Seems I am in posting overload mode today. Away with work this week so all will be quiet again soon. Cheers Stu 50014 on Parcels, 50024 Fuelling & 50029 on an Oxford turn at Acton Green HST weathering started. Oily roofs all round.

... and right on cue the postie arrived with some nameplates to complete this transformation. The numerals and plates seemed to come off easier on this one. Again I need to weather the numbers and around the plates but this beast has arrived at Acton Green on a Plymouth - Paddington additional.. No longer number 11 , its now Didnt notice the wonky buffer taking the pic Not a bad effort all in all for my skill set Cheers Stu

So the first identity change is completed. OK so it didnt go 100% to plan. The dinner plates on the Ark were a pig to remove cleanly but one side came off cleaner than the other. Having read all the advice for removing numerals and transfers etc. I decided the only way was to use meths, cotton bud, lint free cloths and the corner of a craft blade. If you are careful enough (and believe me I have a clumsy habit now and again !) you can remove the numerals in reasonable time. I will need to add some weathering to the numbers and around the new nameplate area to dull the effect of the dinner plate issue. No longer the Ark, but 50 029 Renown Plates need cleaning and weathering above Not a bad angle One down, second one underway Cheers Stu

The tools have been purchased for a couple of the vacs to undergo an identity change in the near future. I will be changing 11 & 35. Starting with 35. Unless it all goes tits up removing the numbers and plates..!

Superb layout thanks for moving it to the layouts section. I just love that cracking picture of 37408 , really captures the atmosphere and era perfectly. Cheers Stu

Looking good mate. I will see if I can arrange a Saturday in Mid/Late February if you and the guys are free? Would be nice if 7 , 37 and 46 from your stable could run through Acton Green sometime soon. Will let you know ASAP. Cheers Stu

My Domino Table has arrived (as it was known by Doncaster Works) Bit of a bargain from Rails Of Sheffield. Its 1987. 50026 on a running in test train. No detailing/weathering as yet, making sure she is running well first. Cheers Stu

Wishing you a speedy recovery Andy. All the best Stu

Looking very good mate. I am available for crew duty on the Saturday 3rd March for Romsey if you need. Cheers Stu

After only a week it seems the temperature at the front of the garage has warped the 3mm MDF that the wagon works is mounted on so the wall is already about a scale foot off the ground. This means I will have to glue the blighter down. Hey-ho thats decided then no change to this in the future, it will always be a wagon works. On the plus side I can just about park an old "dead" (DC) loco on the out road occassionally as it just about fits one. Also today I have ordered a Domino Table. Red White & Blue is arriving some time this week which means I may finally now have the guts to change the Ark to Renown. Or Agincourt. Possibly.. Cheers Stu

Continued with the wagon works today making some roof vents from card, then some painting and weathering. In between the tracks had the first ballast and weeds put down as well as a small wall around two sides of the scene. Hindsight is beginning to suggest I should maybe have had this scene rotated 90 degrees in the corner but its taken so long to finish this corner I will leave it as it is. A couple of pics in situ (awkward to take ! ) Plenty of small details to do still but its getting there. Cheers Stu View from inside the layout, the normal viewing side And from over the backscene at the end of the layout

Tidied up the garage today sorting out a lot of the Christmas debris for the tip as well as going through a lot of the offcuts boxes of card, materials etc. and thinking "Do I really need that?" I only have 4 shoeboxes full of the stuff as well as a crate of wood, so decided to streamline a little to make the garage much more habitable for an evening of running trains. 45103 makes a rare turn on an inter regional service 33004 on a trip freight Route 47 bus to Monument is a bit off track, er...think I need to do new route blinds for this one. Shunt move brings 47402 down to the blocks on the speedlink platform to release the 08 Hope to have some time to continue the wagon works tomorrow and final block of flats. Cheers Stu

Thanks Mike. Happy new year to you. Hope to catch up soon at the next show or running day. Once I've got through a busy January schedule I think its time some of the crew came round and crashed some trains on Acton Green ! Cheers Stu.

Bit of bonus on call modelling time today. Construction of the wagon depot low relief back end has started. Made from foamboard inner with mountboard outer card and brickwork is the Wills flexible brick sheet. Waiting for the paint on the wasp striped doors to dry before further work will be done. Attached a couple of pics on the workbench, and then where it will reside on the layout. The doors can only be seen when you stand on the other side of the layout and I will cut down to shape the "inside" backscene to make it more friendly to the eye. Once this is done just need to crack on with the filler building opposite and the exterior depot walls. Pics attached Cheers Stu

Finally decided to put the back end of a wagon works on the difficult corner. I am building it on a separate 3mm piece of MDF so if in the future I don't like the idea i can just lift it away. Not worth putting any pics up yet as its just painted board and 3 bits of track stuck down to it. I will be making a small wall round the outside of it to avoid it looking out of place. It may not be massively realistic to have it over a bridge but hey-ho, at least it will fill a space and give the scenics a sense of completion finally. Hoping to get some time at the weekend to crack on and get some pics up. Cheers Stu

First of all I hope everyone has had a Merry Christmas and is looking forward to a happy new year. Not really been up to much on the layout but have purchased a couple of Esso TEA wagons to increase he oil rake and have done the first level of weathering on them. Still unable to get that final corner sorted but have a new idea yet again ! Just a couple of pics today hope to do a bit more weathering over the weekend. Then in the new year definitely hold a running day. Cheers Stu

Hi Ian, As we talked about at the show, just remembered to dig out a photo of 149 I took back in the day. Not the best quality but you can see the number height on the cabside above the cast BR plate. Thinks yours is spot on from memory. Cheers Stu