bmthtrains - David

EMU classes 800, 390, 350, 319, 321 - are all available in N gauge. 313 due next year. David

That’s exactly where they are based on. The glimpses between them over a fence to the main line and the ROC will be very similar to north of Rugby. David

I’ve put up both boards for a few hours as I’m trying to decide whether to have one or two industrial units at the front. Two seem scenically correct but does block off more eye-level views of the layout. As I tend to take a more ‘helicopter’ view of the layout I am leaning toward having two. David

I’ve switched boards today so I can make a start on some of the basic land shapes at the other end of the layout, and mock up up some the scenes. Some engineers are checking if the signal gantry location is correct. David

There’s been a permanent way possession at Hunters Lane today, all in aid of getting the first two OHLE portals up. Network Rail worked hard so the afternoon’s Pendolino services could start running again. David

Ah! They look like the N Brass ramps I’ve used as well. I will need to check whether my 321 has the same problem. David

A couple of quick snaps of the right hand board as I’ve spent an hour extending the grass embankment down to the left end. I’ve also added more trees and bushes, a fence at the rear, and mocked up the low relief building that will sit behind the edge of the ROC compound. When I get the left hand board out now the difference is startling - I forget how much further on the right board is! David

The portals are now painted (not attached to the layout yet though) so I had another go with some focus stacked pics from my iPhone. The one with the portals in is a little off but they do give a much more realistic view of the layout. David

I’ve managed to contact the makers of ID backscenes and they said they changed the image a couple of years ago. Thankfully they can print the old one on demand so I’m hopeful I can carry on without too much scenery ripping up going on! Today I have added a few cars and people to bring the road scene to life. David

I’m having a bit of a backscene disaster. I used ID backscenes 501A summer sky on the layout, and the left one has rucked badly. No problem I thought, take it off and just get another one. Unfortunately it seems ID have changed the image used on the backscene, but kept the same number and the same picture of the old sheets on the outside of the tube. I now can’t make the sky on both boards match, and can’t replace the right hand sheet without ripping off all the scenery… As the only way of finding a correct set of sheets is opening the tubes and checking if they are the old one, I am not hopeful of finding what I need, so scenery ripping up may have to commence… David

If you check their website the estimated arrival is September/October so probably soon. David

I’ve not had much time in the past 10 days for hobbies, but this evening I managed to build the second OHLE portal. This one has standard N Brass register arms but my own etches for the upright support arms to represent the UK1 equipment that was installed during the WCML upgrade. In the next few days I’m hoping to prime and paint both of the completed portals. David

Having had a look through the initial range, what is surprising is they’ve gone for express trains, so long ones basically. Perhaps this is to attract OO modellers as the smaller scale makes them more of an option, but as an N-gauger there’s not much to tempt me as going larger actually makes this more difficult. This may suggest the direction of competition - scaling down not up, which is interesting as it may cannibalise their own OO sales. I’m definitely interested in trying some TT, but I’m not sure what would get me parting money - shorter trains certainly, so maybe a tank engine or similar? At the moment I’m struggling to find an angle that works compared to the benefits of N gauge. David

That’s a huge investment from Hornby - a big range of locos and rolling stock all due within a few months, and very reasonably priced. Interesting it’s all web exclusive though - hard to develop the scale of the biggest range won’t be in the shops… David

Thanks both! For rails I always use enamel paint for just that reason - acrylic doesn’t like sticking to unprimed metal. A fine brush with some Humbrol taken from the stirrer (a matchstick) rather than the tin as well so the paint is a bit thicker. Tonight I have made up the first of the N Brass portals with my own catenary etches on. It looks a little high given it’s near the bridge but there’s enough space for the imaginary support wire to dive down - the contact wire position is correct to clear the bridge. This is a unique portal on the layout as it is taller but also narrower than the rest so it has been hacked about a bit. If I have time tomorrow evening (and the energy) I will give this a coat of paint. David

I’m a little perplexed by the OP’s unrealistic expectations, but it does raise the useful discussion of how little of railway operations is actually understood by modellers, myself included. I see the hobby very much as a visual one, so getting things to look right is more important to me, but there is certainly room to learn more about how things move and operate. Personally though, I see exhibition layouts as entertainment so I want to be entertained. This means lots of trains moving, not deathly accurate recreations of specific shunting procedures and timetables. What I does turn me off is unrealistic landscapes and settings - weird tunnels that appear from nowhere to cover the tracks and tiles of scenery that don’t actually exist. Get the look and feel right and I’m sold - operational procedures are quite far down my checklist. David

The bus is a Tomytec one from Japan with a smidge of repainting. A lot of the Japanese vehicles are excellent (and right hand drive!) and only marginally out of scale at 1:150 David

Today I finished off the street scene around the bridge, adding the forward embankment, adding the sky infill panel to disguise the gap between the bridge and backscene, added some trees, and put in the fence and bus stop. Just need to order some people to populate this area now. I also couldn’t resist a quick mock up of the line using a spare 3-track portal and a bit of old fence. I’m in the process of making up the new OHLE complete with my replacement etches to go with the N Brass portals. David

Perhaps going for something simpler? Especially if this is your first layout. Achieving a simple smaller layout might give you the boost to try something more ambitious later. Is there an aspect of the hobby you enjoy most? If it’s scenery for example, try to minimise the work involved in the other aspects - baseboard making, electrics etc. If you stay in N gauge Kato unitrack is very popular and can be weathered well to make it less ‘trainset’-like, or perhaps switch to a larger scale? David

Final job of the day has been mocking up the edge of the Network Rail compound at the rear of the board, and placing a few vehicles before I decide which are going where. The backscene has made a huge difference I think. David

I have also stuck down the right hand bridge and road and merged them into the scene. Next job is to add the trackside details to the other board and glue the car park surface in place. David

After a productive day I have now weathered the track - lightly as this is still quite ‘new’ ballast, and added some of the trackside details David

The buddleia is a Martin Welberg bush cut in half and then trimmed into shape with the tips brushed with glue and purple flock powder added. The tricky bit is when you cut the bush it starts to fall apart as it’s just strands held loosely on a sticky base. Removing that means holding it together tightly by hand as you work. First attempt I was left with twigs! David

I’ve also finally come up with a buddleia that I’m happy with (the pva is still drying so the white bits will disappear soon). Lots of these to make at some point, but another feature of modern railways that I rarely see in N (or any gauge really), the degree to which weeds cover much of the trackside environment. David

Axle counter boxes in N gauge - I can see why so few layouts include tiny details like these, very fiddly to place! David