mikeandnel

Hi Gary Did you ever get your photo of E4 class 'Midhurst'? I have also built this and could send you a photo if necessary Michael

I am also glad that this topic is still alive. I started it in 2013, but since then have developed Parkinsons and also passed my 84th birthday. Since I last posted, I have been busy, with some help from Ian, laying the basis for a model of Midhurst, West Sussex LBSCR station in EM gauge as originally built in 1866. Track is laid and ballasted with sea ballast, the wiring is done, and everything works.. Backscene is also done. The board is fast approaching the time when scenery can be started. The station building, signal box and loco shed are built and are currently being wired for lighting The turntable is wired and rotates and I am receiving a lot of help and advice from various MERG members with the electronics. All locos and rolling stock of the period are built and ready including 'Jenny Lind, 'Inspector' (with a figure of William Stroudley!)and other locos in Improved Engine Green livery Hopefully photos will be forthcoming when the 'shakes' stop Best regards to you all

Gary Don't give up the posting. It is very informative and highly interesting to see how a layout can be constructed and stocked on a budget. I for one would miss your postings. As a member of the Brighton Circle, I don't even feel that anyone should criticise what you are doing. I don't think that the recent comments were meant to be critical, they were just a bit of 'nit picking'! Courage mon brave! Michael

ChrisN If you are looking for 4mm LCDR rolling stock, My list is available on tepedekiev@aol.com Michael

As an aside Craig, where are you located. Would like to know more about Itcham, as I am doing Midhurst LBSCR as it was in 1866. Can you contact me offline at tepedekiev@aol.com please? Michael

Just off topic but I notice that Craig is thinking of a LBSCR terminus on the Sussex/Hampshire border. I think there was only one and it is under construction in my 'den' Midhurst 1866. Problem is that it not very photogenic at the moment, otherwise I would add it to my blogs Maybe in a few weeks Michael

Does no-one use a bow pen any more? Michael dJS

I would define 'scratchbuilding' as any thing that you create from raw materials (invariably because, either you cannot buy what you want or have the talent and time to make your own, which also gives a lot of satisfaction) Michael

Hi Gary What guage is the layout? Michael

Peter, Have read the book. I want to try your methods so can you please dvise which variation and version of Serif Pageplus you are using Michael dJS

Hello Peter Received the book. Absolutely brilliant. Rading it will no doubt throw up questions, so hope you are ready for that Regards Michael dJS

Peter, Does your book 'Using Printed papers in Railway Modelling' give simple details and instructions on how to create printed wagon sides, adjust the colours, etc If not, does the next book offer this facility. I ask because I have tried to create same using both Word and Published and can't get my head round it. My results are pathetic!

Hello Edwardian Can you advise what scale you are modelling in and how much room you have to play with. Can then probably have some suggestions Michael dJS

Well, it has been a long time since my last blog entry, mainly due to the onset of Parkinson's Disease, which has curtailled my modelmaking somewhat, and old age (82 and counting!). Also my wife decided that it would be better if my layout was moved downstairs so that she could turn my room into a guest bedroom. Obviously no sense of priorities.! Anyway the move has been made and I now have an 'L' shaped area 15' x 8' in which to start building Midhurst LBSCR station and environs as it would have been in 1866 when first opened In this I was able to obtain a track and building plan from the NRM and this is extremely well detailed, even to the thickness of the tarmac on the station approach and yard.. Due to my own partial incapacity I am being helped by two gentlemen by the names of Ian and Simon. Others have helped with locos in the past, especially Gareth. Simon is helping with locos and rolling stock and the turntable, and Ian is, at the moment, starting to lay the track. Loco shed is built out of real wood and ready for use, station is assembled but still needs detailing and a canopy, for which the canopy colums are already in house (courtesy of 5 and 9 Models, and the canopy brackets are from Scalelink). Ian is intending to build the goods shed based on Baynards. and the Saxby & Farmer type 1 signal box which had an unusual verandah.. Track plan will not need to be compressed too much, and will include the connection with the LSWR line on the bridge over the Bepton Road, as well as the pedestrian footbridge which joined the two Midhurst stations together to protect transferring passengers from inclement weather. exit from the station track area will lead in a curve to a 'fiddle yard' working on the cassette system, using acrylic bases and aluminium angle. All running lines are being done in 4mm EM Gauge.Track is Scaleway and turnouts are a mixture of scratckbuilt and Marcway. Ian is scratchbuilding the 'ladder' of track at the station 'throat' Going back to model this period means that many of the locos and much of the rolling stock that I have built over the last 40 years will become surplus to requirements so I will have to find new homes for much of it.. There is nothing worth while taking photos of at the moment but as the build progresses I hope to be able to keep you updated and will post photos as and when there is something to show.

Well it has been seven months since I posted the last entry in my blog and this will probably be the last one. I have reached the age of 81 and am now suffering from Parkinson's Disease, which means that I am now unable to hold things still while soldering or detailing or lining. Other than that, I am fine!. I have posted a request for help in completing some of the kits which are still not completed and have had one gentleman offer to help, but could do with more help as there are quite a lot to finish. I am still able to run my stock as I can place it on the track without too much difficulty and will continue to enjoy my trains until circumstances dictate otherwise. I have met a lot of nice and helpful people while being part of RM web and will continue to ask questions and make comments whenever the opportunity arises. The comments that I have received in response to my previous blog entries have been very encouraging, and I certainly don't want to give up the hobby which I have enjoyed for more than 40 years. May I wish you all much pleasure in the hobby for the future Michael dJS

Bon Accord I agree with your info and that is why I still prefer to model in the way that I do, which is not to weather or deface stock with 19th century liveries that have also taken a long time to create in miniature fore A typical example below:

Of the three, I would recommend the Falcon Brass version, providing that you build with a photograph in front of you. It is a good kit for using most of the parts to 'scratchbuild' the Class O1 loco. You may have to do a little bit of 'hacking' but the end result should be result in personal satisfaction. I have built one and finished in South Easstern Railway lined black livery, and I have a spare waiting to be built when I can get round to it. Michael dJS

Mike Can't see the picture. Is it me? Michael dJS

Mike, Many thanks for the second instalment. This is absolutely first class and is like being tutored. I don't think of anything else other trying it myself as soon as the domestic authorities stop saying;' you spend far too much time up there!' Keep up the good work as it is much appreciated. Best regards Michael dJS

Mike This is absolutely marvellous and many thanks for going to the great trouble of spelling things out in words of one syllable. I think that even I can understand what you are describing so I am anxious to see if I can do the same thing in Photoshop CS2 or CS4. I look forward to the next instalment with many thanks again. Will let you know how I get on. Best regards Michael dJS

For Mike Oxon I don't want to 'grow' my own layout but would appreciate some detailed guidance on how you create your own lining. I have transfer sheet and am reasonably computer 'literate' but my efforts to create lining have not been successful. I have Photoshop and countless other programmes for graphic creation, but would be grateful for some instruction. My needs would be SER/LCDR/SECR and other pre-grouping lococ/tenders Thanks Michael dJS

Coachman and others The first lesson from your posting is not to throw away anything! I keep my excess bits in a 40-drawer miniature cabinet and have seperate boxes for most loco, coach and wagon components, and I use it a lot when I am scratchbuilding or when I prefer to modify a kit. Some of my bits date back to the 1950's! There are many small suppliers out there, even for people like me who work on models of the 1840-80 period but some of them take some finding. I agree that it would be useful to have some idea of how many of us period modellers there are, and what we do, because that would enable us to feed ideas and sources to and from each other. My personal interests are LBSCR/SER/LCDR so if I can help anybody with info or? Michael dJS

(Quote: but I wish they would catch up with the 21st century) What Mike Oxon says above I agree with completely, but surely some of us who model the 19th and early 20th century originate from a time when life moved at a slower pace, so we are used to some sources being long winded! Michael dJS

This discussion was getting a bit off the subject, wasn't it? As a retired petro-chemical engineer my abilities could not have been further from those necessary to build a loco from the 1840s or a goods wagon from real wood in 4mm EM gauge, but I still do it and I am now in my eighties. If you want something that can't be bought, try and make it. You might be surprised at what you can achieve Michael dJS

Hello Pete Mcfarlane & Paul Price Thanks for the comments. They are most encouraging and appreciated. Michael dJS .