PeterH

Did I miss something with the Hattons/DJM 14xx/48xx etc? I’ve got one and have been entirely satisfied with it but it seems rather dismissed!

And another of the charter set now lit! I’ve already done the two RB for the set so now onto 6xFOs to repaint from blue and grey into intercity livery, not looking forward to doing that!

Hi all. I’ve been getting on with a few bits and pieces, mainly the control panel and starting to wire point motors etc. Just waiting for some bits of wood to arrive before I can continue laying track and wiring. I needed a change of work for today so decided to crack on with the coach lighting on this brake coach which has been sat on my desk for months. Previously I was using track pick up, bridge rectifier, capacitor and light strip but I found it a little unreliable and when you have 11 coach trains they drain a lot of power! I’ve therefore gone down the button battery, reed switch and light strip method. I’ve cut the gangway door off one end (I use paper corridor connectors so the hole will not be visible) to allow access to the battery to replace it when it runs out, saving the need to open the coach. The light strip is powered via a reed switch and a second one for the tail lamp. The tail lamp can be turned off if it isn’t at the end of the train for example.

Did some bodge wiring to get a train moving today. Once there are a few more trees, bushes and tunnel smoke effect are done I think it will be a great corner for videoing!

I’ve been busy today adding lights to the GCR High Level Entrance. Replacing the mock wall lights with Just Plug ones from Woodland Scenics. The stairs are lit by 2x grain of wheat bulbs on a different circuit.

Hi all. It has been a while since my last update; I’ve been spending a bit of time doing some scenery in one corner of my layout. Still very work in progress, I’ve got the base cover of grass, turfs and dirt down and the next job is to finish painting fencing and telegraph poles and add then and then trees, bushes, shrubs etc. Below are a few photos of the build. I’ve also done some collaboration work with a friend, he has kindly renumbered my N15 to 777 ‘Sir Lamiel’ in 80s guise whereas I have weathered his Mark 1 coaches.

So the lining on 5305 is now complete thanks to my friend. I need to sort out the steps and cylinder drain cocks however first I need to get the decoder sorted out. It is an older Black 5 model and the DCC chip goes in the front. I think there may be a compatibility issue with the new decoder fitting to the board so I may have to get it looked at by a club member who knows more about DCC!

5305 is a little further down the line, picked out a few of the shiny bits. Got to neaten the front and the wheels still. Transfers next for it, as soon as that’s complete I’ll order up a Locoman DCC sound chip. I’m also getting my 00 gauge layout at home sorted out. Aiming to get it running over the weekend.

Took a few bits of the club for a run. 46229 can just about handle the SLOA rake without any need for fettling, as can 4468. 4472 and 7029 had serious problems just running - both have had bullfrog snot treatment so could be that. Some attention to coach lighting is also needed but that’s planned anyway. Mixed results up there!

Another Shakespeare Limited loco complete and ready to test when I head up to the club next - see if it can manage the full train! I would love to get the LMS 5155 coach in LNWR livery it used as a support coach in the 80s. Only place I’ve seen it is Golden Age so I don’t think there’s much chance of getting it anytime soon! Also keeping an ear and eye out for a decent Duchess sound decoder. At the moment all DCC steam sound is compared to the 2x Locoman sound decoders I’ve got, haven’t found anything matching that standard yet for what I want!

Just finished working on 4468, bringing it up to ‘88 standard to accompany my other ‘Shakespeare Limited’ fleet.

A BR Black 5 model I’ve had for years has made its way to the spray booth for a coat of ‘silk black’, just given it a layer of satin varnish as well. Turning it into 5305 Alderman A.E. Draper which did a few Shakespeare Limiteds as well as some Santa’s Steam Specials out of Marylebone. The support coach for it will be interesting, it’s like a blacker version of engineers olive green. Mix my own paint job for it I think.

The front of 4498 has been repaired, new numbers and another lick of gloss varnish. Weathered it with coal dust just to tone it down a little.

Unfortunately wen taking the name board off after the show, this happened - that black tack must have been quite heavy duty! Tacky wax next time!

Bit late but the Milton Keynes exhibition in February was a half success for the train, didn’t complete a single full circuit on the Saturday without a derailment. Some fettling overnight with corridor connections and couplings and on Sunday it was lovely! Some photos of it during the show.

Getting on with 4498 quite nicely, just need to add extra weight, fit crew and reassemble and it’s done. Support coach pretty much there as well. I’ve also nearly completed a model of Clun Castle as she appeared in the late 80s. Just some weathering and the usual details i.e. lamp and crew to complete.

Nearly got half a SNG!

Unfortunately the decals didn’t work for me, I think it is because I used inkjet paper in a laser printer, I’ll try printing them again on a friends inkjet printer and hopefully should get better results. If not I’ll have to resort to transfers from Fox. Anyway, while that is going on the model of Bittern has arrived and the conversion to 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley 80s guise has started. One side of the tender is looking great, the other one not so. I rubbed the letters off too enthusiastically on one side and took some paint off. Going to have to repaint that side, silly me!

Next stage of the support coach build, printing some decals...

So the current project I’ve got on is to recreate the SLOA Pullman of 80s railtour fame for a club (South West Herts. MRS) layout, Silverbury based on the Chiltern mainline. I’ve slowly been amassing the necessary MK1 Pullmans and BCKs. I’m hoping to renumber and rename the model of Bittern Hornby are releasing later this year to 4498 Sir Nigel Gresley - to go with it I’ve been creating a representation of the support coach used by the A4 Locomotive Society painted in mock Coronation livery.

Hi all, It has been a while since I’ve been on here, other things have taken me away from active railway modelling however now I’m back! I’ve got two layouts on the go, a GCR London Extension themed roundy roundy which has been a long-term ongoing project and a 009 freelance layout I suppose roughly based on the L&B in location. Current project I will elaborate on in the next post...

You get about 5m of lights, can be cut to the required size.

Ah yes, whoops! I’ve got a fly zapper in the BrewShed where I was working, gives good atmospheric lighting!

I must say, the pick ups have made coach lighting a doddle! One one left to do.

The Crimson 2-4-2T certainly look the part! Very good livery application. Most pleased with it! Now for crew, coal and lamps.