The Fatadder

Not any more, after looking at the photos & reports by people who had already received theirs I decided that for me it wasnt up to the standard I wanted & cancelled my order.

Thought this might be of interest to steam types Just noticed on Hattons website (looking to see if their Kestrels had arrived) and saw that the Clan is now listed as being in stock yet. Not got any photos up yet, but I suspect on past performance they will be added tomorrow.... It is Clan Buchanan which is available first (I'm sure that means more to you than to me!!!)

Continuing from my thread on oldRMweb, I have made a little more progress on my rake of Foster Yeoman PTA The underframe ribs are now completed, adding the reinforcements to the outer headstocks and the wider ribs over the bogies. The headstock reinforcement was fabricated with the chopper set to carefully cut along its length to get the two heights (a further small step needed removing from one corner to allow clearance over the packing pieces which support the ribs. Whereas the ribs themselves were cut from 60thou strip laminated either side of a further piece of 60tho to get the width. This ensured an accurate cut (the chopper dosn't like really thick plastic). Given that the bogie bolts go right through the middle of the rib, I fabricated it in 2 halves with a 3mm gap in the centre for clearance. Once this was completed, the other major task was preparing the inner headstocks for Kaydees, In order that they could offer both inner and outer wagons, Lima moulded one headstock attached to the chassis, and the other to the body. The chassis mounted headstock was lost when I started this project (when the old chassis was binned) so to save time these were replaced with plasticard (with the kaydee hole cut off model). For the other end I kept the lima headstock (for strength), so it needed the holes cutting out. Thankfully the plastic used on these wagons is very soft, so it was a very quick job cutting out the five holes! The below photo shows the current state of the work: The next job is going to be fitting the tops to the ribs (10 thou evergreen strip), followed by the underframe equipment. Once this is out the way the final job will be preparing the bogie retention bolts (which are going to be counter sunk into the floor of the wagon, then glued in place.) After which it will be ready for painting (or more to the point doing the other 5 wagons!) I've just dug out the bogies I brought for this rake a long time back, and they were a lot worse than I remembered. As such, its not going to be possible to finish until new bogies are available, which is probably the reason why I havent done much more on this..... That said, I have been looking at how I am going to finish them, My link from Paul Bartlett may provide the inspiration to get another project finished. A long time back I brought one of the intercity Models etched kits for the second wagon in that set, while the floor is bodged beyond use, Im thinking about soldering up the sides and bogies and using with a plasticard chassis to add something a bit different to go with the rake. I have been wondering what to do about the livery for them, it seems that there was a change of livery in 1989, but I was wondering if this version (Caib branding with the big Y yeoman logo) had appeared in 88... My thinking at the moment tends towards an ex works set in the new livery and a very weathered set in the old. Or doing a set in Yeoman and a set in ARC... To go with it I have a set of 12 POA boxes (in Yeoman and Tiger grey), a set of PGAs (mix of Hornby and Lima awaiting detailing, although the latter is very tempting for gunnul conversion.....) And of course a couple of 59s which are part fitted with Bachmann 66 innards (and desperately want finishing...)

Coming along nicely! Is there an estimate on when its going to be finished? Just thinking that I am going to have to make sure that I manage to get down to devon to get a proper look!

This blog aims to cover the development, and eventual construction of my next layout, Bodmin Central. The layout is based around three assumptions detailing how the town of Bodmin developed in this alternative reality, Firstly, I have kept a number of closed lines open, covering both the line to Bodmin General, and the second branch to Wentford (which will be further serving the north Cornish coast. To further ensure maximum interest, the Wentford clay works will still be operational (and rail served) insuring significant freight traffic. Other rail served works on the line (such as Fitzgerald Lighting), are assumed to be fully operational. The second assumption considers the population of the area, in practice the population of Bodmin is just too small to require the sort of intensive passenger service that I would ideally like to operate in exhibition conditions, to counter this I have decided to assume that in this reality the population of Bodmin is significantly higher. This is then further compounded by taking a summer setting for the layout, allowing additional summer services (based upon the Wessex trains 31 rake). The final assumption is that due to the increased usage, the line was rebuilt in the 80s using modern flat bottom track and colour light signals, The main reasoning for choseing this boils down to wanting to try something a bit different (given few layouts have accurately modelled Flat Bottom track), this will be modelled using the Colin Craig range of parts (that are due for release soon), all signals will be scratch built and fully working. My modelling covers a couple of distinct periods, principally the 80s (covering 84/85 and 87/88) and post privatisation (covering 98/99 and 04-06), as such the layout will be designed from the outset to allow for easy conversion between these two periods. With replacement station signs, road vehicles and some other details, with the possible addition of some interchangeable buildings (although that will only be if the joint between building and ground can be adequately hidden. Specification: P4 DCC Turnout operation by Tortoise motors controlled by a single control panel Cassette based fiddleyard, sized to be able to hold at least a 5 coach voyager Much be able to be operated by a minimal number of people, preferably 2 or less. Operation wise, there will be freight coming into the station to run around and head up the branch (and vice versa), this will be mostly comprised of china clay wagons (Tigers, Clayhoods, CDA, bullets along with Vans), along with a mixed bunch of trains serving other speedlink type stuff. also tempted to add some kind of cement facility (off sceen somewhere) as part of my 'improvements' to Bodmin. Passenger wise it will mostly be a unit railway, with plenty of variation. Some liberty will be taken with the TOC boundrys to get a summer south west trains service terminating here (allowing use of my 159s), with local services by Wessex (or Wales & West) 150/153/158, along with services by Virgin XC. Track plan. The track plan is scaled from an accurate map of the area, following the general path of the existing line, however there has been the addition of the extra platform, and switch back siding to add a little extra interest. Building wise there will be the main station building and signal box (both based upon the prototype) along with two 80s prefab platform shelters (this is one building which because of how these structures weathered, will need one set for 80s and one for later). Other prototype buildings include the road bridge and the engine shed (the original) which I am aiming to convert into some kind of small business. The rest will be fully dependent on how much space is left... At the moment a rough copy of the templot plan is slowly taking shape on my floor (alas I didnt calibrate the printer, so the actual templates are worthless), the idea here is to get a good impression of the size required for the layout, along with checking point motor alignment, points over baseboard joints etc. I also hope to get a better idea as to the area available for other buildings.