Arpleymodeller

It should sound more healthier! however you probably wouldnt notice a great difference up close.

Excellent work on the conveyor, it looks just like that of Toton TMD which is seen on Toton:The Works DVD. With all your attention to detail, Boxenby when finished will be the best TMD layout in the country! Regards Lewis

Hi Mark Excellent work with the ground works,greenery and ballast. Do you plan on adding a buffer stop or isnt there one on the prototype? Regards Lewis

All those Tractors!

Hello Here are the promised images of the scenic baseboard. It has now been completed expect backscene boards which will be added after track laying. I have positioned some locos with some rakes to show roughly how the layout will look like. The other board,which will be identical to this one, will be finished by around the end of November and start of December to allow tracklaying to be completed by Christmas.. Full operation should be underway by 1st January 2012. The two wil be joined by bolts and will form the rectange with central operating well. Regards Lewis

Hi Chris Thanks, I would like to see how your poroject is going, what are you thinking of calling it? Regards Lewis

Sounds great,ill be following with interest!

They do sound small however I have measured out what I want to achieve and the size fits ok. The curves as said are minimum 3rd radius equivalent with the outer curves 4th radius equivalent. All points will be Peco medium radius so the 'train set' look will be removed. 10ft x 5 ft would be better but space doenst allow it! The main purpose of the layout is to model modern MGRs and I can fit a 11 long rake of HTAs which is half of the prototypical rake and can fit 10 HHAs which is a decent length too. On the scenic aspect the main feature is a cross over with a chord which can be accomodated well. Soon when the baseboards are finished the design will show its merit! Regards Lewis

Well I said images to follow soon so I thought before I have some images of the baseboard ill upload these images of the majority of the current fleet positioned on the part built baseboard( the folding legs will be built tomorrow). One of HTAs that has been worked on. This will be the end vehicle so has been fitted with buffers and conventional coupling as per the real class 60 hauled MGRs. Buffers are Shawplan, the pipes are from a Hornby class 60 while the screw link coupling is from a Bachmann 37.

Hello Ken Yes there will be significant progress to show by this weekend. By Saturday the scenic baseboard will be fully built with a start made on the fiddle yard board. Images to follow soon! Regards Leis

Your APT looks superb! You dont notice the lack of OHLE at all, it would look good being hauled DIT by a 47 if you wanted to make it look more plausable. On the same post you said your dismantling the layout, are you moving house, will WW be re assembled?

According to WNXX 60003 and 60033 are being worked on at Toton? I never thought these two long term demics(out of service since 2006) would ever work again!

DBS and the old EWS did give the GMs much more attention and run into the ground the 'tractors'!

True,although more than 30 years separate 37419 & 37670 from the GMs!

37419,37670 and now 60007 and 60011- all these DBS red locos arent reliable locos! Unsurprisingly the only reliable DBS liveried locos are all GMs- 59206,67018,66097 and 66152 although 92009,92016 and 92042 are non GM DBS liveried locos too.

Hello again, Today construction work on the baseboards has began. By the end of today the scenic board will be completed except for the legs. I plan on building the legs and fiddle yard baseboard by the end of the month with track laying beggining some time in October. I'll upload some images later on tonight. Lewis

Amazing,the detail is outstanding

According to the lastest issue of the Railway Magazine,the Railway Heritage Committee have designated 60100 to the preserved as the last British built diesel locomotive of all time. Although 60100 would need a overhaul if it were to run again! Excellent to see 60007 back in service although the livery is no where near as good as Loadhaul Black!

Hello Alex Thanks for the photos,I too like 60s on HTAs-they seem suited to each other! The 60s I will be modelling will be all from the DB Schenker operated fleet although as the overhaul program gets underway their numbers will begin to rise. Regards Lewis

60077 added to the overhaul program according to WNXX,60007s return is imminent! The 60s are finally on the up again!

Hi Ben The scale is OO (I will never model any other!) The stabling siding will be able to hold 2 large locos such as 60s and will be used by DB Schenker for stabling locos that may take over from an in bound MGR while its at Fiddlers or just to simply stable locos while they are in between diagrams. Although in reality locos would be stabled at Arpley Yard it is being added to simply enhance operational interest. It could also be used to store crippled wagons while they wait for a mobile repair team to arrive by road!

Well Ive been planning this layout for 9 months now,cant wait to get underway with construction! Here is the trackplan for the fiddle yard

Hello again Ken, What I intend to do is to combine a number of places along the ex LNWR freight only line which runs from Warrington to Liverpool. I am planning on incorporating the cross over and chord that links Fiddlers Ferry PS along with the signal box and level crossing at Monks Siding and also add a stabling siding which in reality is a mile up the line adjacant to Arpley Junction where the line from the run round at Latchford turns off towards the run round facilities at Manchester Ship Canal sidings. I like the name 'Monks Siding' so although the layout will not be a completely accurate replica of the real Monks Siding the model will be a general representation of this line. As with regards to exhibitions I dont have any intention at the present to exhibit it once complete although as there will be a central operating well it does have the potential to be exhibited at a future date. Regards Lewis

Yes a signal box will be included,a scratchbuilt replica of Monks Sidings ex LNWR 'box. With regards to signalling the real Monks Siding retains traditional semaphore signals although I may use colour light signals for extra operational interest.

Hello Scott Yes heavy freight and no passenger trains,although I do have a Bachy 150 they have never visited the ex LNWR line,might sell it for a 70 or 66!