Hampshire Hog

Thanks for that Shed, Paul does a brilliant job doesn't he. Best regards, Kevin.

Its all looking good David, you are doing a great job, I will continue to look in. Best regards, Kevin

Many thanks to PaulRHB for the Transit van above, the skillfull modifications he has made to this van enable a superb set piece to be put together on Leaford which can only enhance the layout for which I am eternally grateful. Best regards Kevin.

Many thanks for you kind comments guys, although I can not take credit for the last batch of pictures as they were taken by my good friend Nigel Crow, it also nice to hear from Jamie again, where ya bin mate? Best regards, Kevin.

Many thanks for yours and Chris's company yesterday and for the fantastic photos, hopefully we can do it again soon. Best regards, Kevin.

Hi Pete, the building uses two modified American "Centenial Mills" Walthers kits, and as acknowledged previously on this thread the idea came from one of my favourite layouts Hull Miniature Railway Society's "Wintringham Haven" as featured in the June 2006 Railway Modeller, and as for building another exhibition layout - it is doubtful in the near future as I am happy with Leaford it keeps me occupied maintaining it, building new stuff for it, and just running it, it is nice to just turn it on - play trains - and then just turn it off and walk away when finished, incidently Pete what was the name of your layout that you exhibited back in the 80s and 90s? Here is another picture of Leafords "Kremlin" Best regards, Kevin

Hi Pete, the only exhibition I can recall further west that Leaway Park attended was Weymouth (actually at Portland) but what year or much else about it I cannot remember, I do remember that I enjoyed myself though. I have been catching up with some jobs I have been meaning to do on Leaford such as finishing of the yard in front of the "Kremlin" building. Best regards. Kevin.

Hi Pete, yes we did take it to Brockenhurst but my memory deserts me when it comes to the year!! And to echo Pete many thanks to Nigel both for the filming originally and along with Paul for bringing back happy days by posting on rmweb now.

Hi Mark, I am glad that Leaford rekindled a few memories for you, hopefully the next picture will do the same, the Powell Dufryn wagon featured belongs to my good friend Nigel Crow who called in yesterday, these wagons are on long term loan for which I am grateful, Nigel good to see you. Best regards, Kevin.

Hi Ian, what a good idea, I see no reason why that could not be done, if you are thinking of doing this there is some fettling and filing necessary both to the chassis and coach bodies to make them fit. I have now painted all three roofs on mine to be the same shade of matt black? and after studying the difference between the Replica Coach and Bachmann it is the tumblehome on the Replica that is slightly more severe (I wonder which one is correct?), the windows are not quite so flush when fitted, and the cantrails and details are not so fine. - and probably 25 years of course. Best Regards, Kevin

Many thanks to Paul for his excellent panoramic photo and explanation, maybe a photographic journey on the layout may help to explain the workings of Leaford, To hidden sidings under Leaford Town is the starting point. These hidden sidings are a typical ladder junction starting from 1 single track to 7 sidings, 37516 starts off with a heavy steel train. She winds herself out of the yard crosses a level crossing leading to Websters Engineering. and now enters the oldest part of the Layout Leaford Junction. This was the original exhibition layout, she crosses over a crossover and takes the direct route to Leaford Town via Leaford Millway Road. She disappears under the lap top cunningly made to look like a road bridge and begins her climb up the ramp towards Millway Road. She then rattles through Leaford Millway Road usually with her horn blasting. The driver then applies brakes ready for her stop in Leaford Town Yard. Again a simple ladder junction fanning out into 6 sidings plus a run round loop, a branch forms the junction heading to Leaford Town Station and a small industrial siding. 37516 drifts through the yard and comes to a halt. She then uncouples and runs around her train. She is now ready for the next part of the journey to Leaford Docks, with horn blaring she heads for the docks complex. (freight only except for specials associated with cruise ship arrivals). and in no time at all she arrives. she carefully picks her way along the dockside and brings her load of steel to a halt. As well as the hidden sidings under Leaford Town their is additional hidden sidings (5) under the docks branch. and a further fiddle road nestles behind the layout with a further 5 sidings (usually reserved for computer controlled passenger workings) Obviously with many hidden sidings and other parts of the layout out of sight, the only way to see what is going is with cameras and a monitor screen. I would imagine you have dropped off to sleep by now or have moved on to a far more interesting layout. Thanks for looking, cheerio for now, Kevin.

Hi Ian, the reason that a CEP chassis was used is to maintain electrical continuity for the operating head and tail lamps of the unit, also as a DCC user you only need 1 chip to operate and the Bachmann coupling connections can be used.

Yes ok, it will have to an evening though as I am working all the rest of the week, just let me know which evening will be ok for you. Bobster, Does that mean you have a blue and grey one on order or that someone is painting one for you? coz I would love a blue and grey one but painting that livery fills me with terror (all that fiddly white lining around the grey especially on the curved corners). Pete 75c, My thanks to you for your kind comment, it is appreciated. Another couple of pictures, Leaford Town yard shows evidence of some recent civil engineering work in the area. Cheerio for now, Kevin.

Yes Shed a couple in a tick, if you like me are fed up that Kernow only commissioned 2 car 205 Thumpers here is a possible solution for a Network Southeast centre car, using a Replica 63 foot Mk1 suburban coach, The Replica open seating moulding and glazing suitable for the 63foot Suburban Coach, the slightly shortened chassis from a Bachmann 4 Cep centre coach (as suggested by Ian aka Temeraire), 1 spray can of Halfords White Plastic Primer Paint (for overall coach colour), some Railmatch NSE Blue 243 - NSE Red 238 - Royal Mail Red 241 (for cantrail stripe) - NSE Grey 239 - Mat Black 205 (for coach roof and ends) - Weathered Black 412 (for coach chassis), some Tamiya 6mm masking tape, some Fox Transfers NSE Blue coach numbers F4754/1 and Network Southeast graphics F4231. The only extra thing will be another Bachmann Coupler as supplied with the 205 Thumper that means for DCC users you still only need one DCC Chip. It is not a perfect match but I hope that you like it. My best regards Kevin.

Yes, many thanks Pitbull they are Electroten, I am sorry for my lack of response over the last couple of days - but 87 year old mother in law had an electrical fire in her recently purchased flat luckily with no injuries and very little damage due to very quick action by the emergency services my sincere thanks to all concerned, lady luck was certainly looking favourable at us Thursday night. Anyway my thanks to Pitbull, Temeraire and RHBPaul for your company t'other night, I thoroughly enjoyed myself with much chat especially about a certain new introduction from Dapol, and along that theme here's a picture:-

Many thanks Martin, a Happy New Year to you.

No problem, when would be the best time? Kevin.

Many thanks for your comment Wayne, It may have been possible that some Dutch locos may have had executive grey roofs the same way that some large logo 50's had black roofs, I am by no means an expert on individual locos within the different classes of the day, but it would appear that not only Dapol are guilty of painting the roofs of their locos the wrong colour - below are examples of Bachmann. Hornby, and Heljan (two examples, the early and the latest 33) It is true that some of the examples pictured are weathered but I think it can seen that the roof colour is the same colour as the bodysides (definitely not executive grey) and in the case of the early Heljan 33 it is a brand new bodyshell, From previous experience back in the day when these liveries were current railfreight grey was always the chosen colour to replicate the Dutch livery Best regards and Happy New year. Kevin.

Go on Paul you know you want to - it really is a nice model under all the problems. Happy New Year, Kevin.

Unfortunately I couldn't cope with the purply blue Dapol 73 anymore and resprayed it into a more appropriate shade of Railmatch Rail Blue I decided to leave the yellow as it was in its weathered condition, now renumbered to 73 126 it heads a rake of 6 Lima 4 wheel "grainflow" Wagons onto the Dockside (these wagons were purloined for me by the forever eagle eyes of Nigel Crow, many thanks Nigel). Also pictured is the latest arrival to Leaford another Dapol 73 this time the "dutch" one, the first obvious livery problem was the light grey roof I resprayed mine with Railmatch Railfreight Grey witch has improved the situation but beware if you follow suit as it is not a perfect match ending up on the light side again, but I think with the roof weathered it will not be so noticeable, mind you I said that about the purply blue!! Best regards and Happy New Year. Kevin.

Ex works 73105 awaits time at Leaford Town with a postal working.

Yes of course no problem, and Phil and Scott too , if convenient for them. Best regards, Kevin.

Yep your right Pete, I have a Dutch one on pre-order but there does not seem to be much sign of it at present and I already have a sound chip for it - so my impatience got the better of me and ordered a Large Logo one before I left for work earlier today, probably the Dutch one will turn up now!! - and yes Pete you are right the Inter-City livery is probably the worst at present, it would almost appear that have taken the "Swallow" livery colours and painted them in the "Executive" livery style therefore bu##ering them both up. Scott just give us a ring when you are free. My best regards Kevin.