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Some snaps yesterday at the Scaleforum Multi-venue event in Devon.

Coming through Teignmouth on the return trip

Very sad. I've not spoken to Len for several years but C&L and P4Track Company components have underpinned my modelling for a long time. The bulk purchase of P4TC point kit components I arranged with him have eventually gone down on Lewes in the last 18 months or so. RIP Len.

And a rough roof

So, what is a mockup for? In some cases it can be as detailed as, say, a test build of a new etched kit; or it can be, as in this case, a quick and simple exercise just to get a feel for what the final build might look like, and to verify that it looks sufficiently like the prototype. Therefore, with Evergreen tube, stripwood and magic tape, the next phase in the main station area mockup has been the principal support columns and beams. As mentioned previously, I have had to make some minor changes to the column positions, with the guiding criteria being 1) the rows of girders have to be the same distance apart, and 2) the edge of the overall structure is a scale 8 feet from the platform edge as stipulated in the Network Rail plan. Some of the columns are not quite vertical due to drilling error on my part - the 'proper' columns will have brass cores (don't ask about the basal detail yet!) and I will find a way of ensuring their verticality. The process, whilst a bit rough, has given me ideas about what to do and what not to do when I start the 'proper' one. For one thing, this won't be like Liverpool Lime Street or Manchester Central in level of detail: frankly the upper bits won't be seen under 'normal' conditions so things like girders and trusses will be more 'impressionistic' making use of bulk laser cutting etc (I really ought to fire up the Silhouette cutter again) even though there is considerable detail variation. I'm not getting any younger and this is a solo project - I'd sooner spend the time on the trains and track etc. Anyway, here are some views and a couple of real photos for comparison. The double deck station building facade at the back is for now just the platform buildings stacked like containers in these photos. I might end the model at that point and kick the 'roadside' part of the station building into the long grass for now - I can print out some more of the modular elevations for mockup purposes. For the roof itself I did start on doing some profile sections first, but I'll probably just channel my inner Pythagoras and let the roof sections create the 'relief' on their own.

Taking the benefits of 3D a bit further, I've been doing some quick and dirty mockups of some of the station structures in true Blue Peter style with Daler board, PVA, magic tape and ply offcuts. So what you see here are the main platform buildings, the overall footbridge and staircases (floor only), the luggage ramp and the lift tower on the Brighton platform. The tinplate-like effect on the platform buildings is from cutouts of rescaled drawings of at least one pair of these obtained from the Network Rail archive print library https://nr.printstoreonline.com/ . What you don't see yet is the overall roof in the V of the station. I do have a plan of this from Network Rail, and an architectural elevation found on the internet, together with the station plan used to do the platforms, all of which are a huge advantage. However, there are minor discrepancies between them, possibly due to a difference in scaling in the horizontal and vertical directions on the NR roof plan (or in the printer I used to scale it up). It's not a lot (<5%), but to match with the station plan I may have to improvise a little.

I've not done much on this for the last year for several reasons, but I have just been sorting out the essential platform configurations using the plan I acquired from the late Glen Woods last autumn. That plan is more accurate than the OS map I originally used to do the Templot plan, so some of the Templot alignments are no longer correct and need redefining by the platforms. Fortunately I hadn't started to lay any track through them yet. I used a second copy of the station plan to cut out and use as templates to jigsaw the platforms in 9mm ply - thickness will be increased when I am finally happy with the shapes and clearances, i.e after track laying. Having got them into position overlying the overall plan, I fixed them in place with 6mm bolts. I could then remove the overall plan and replace the platforms over the original Templot base - showing up the need for realignments. There will undoubtedly be some sanding and/or spokeshaving to do when the track is laid to make sure stock doesn't foul the platforms. Next will be some mockups of the station buildings, including (gulp) the main overall roof. I went to Lewes a few weeks ago to take more photos and measurements (with the approval of the station manager) to add to the collection I already have.

Consolidated video of Scaleforum 2019

Hi, many thanks and yes it is, I recently put up some film of Eridge at that show. We did one more show (Carshalton & Sutton) with Eridge in that form; it was then dismantled because of baseboard warpage and rebuilt. The new version hasn't been to any shows yet but I filmed it in its clubroom in late 2016. There is an infrequent blog on it at

Responses from the FRS forum pointed me at Precision (I thought someone did European colours) who have some left in their 'clearance' section but not both the ones I need; more promisingly it was suggested that Halford's Hyundai Electric Red and Ford Ivory might be good substitutes - certainly easier to get hold of.

Is there a source of railway colours (enamel or acrylic) covering French stock? Or even close equivalent car paint. For now I'm looking for SNCF autorail red and cream. TIA

Thanks guys, considering I came out of hospital with my left arm basically a dead weight hanging off my shoulder the brain has done a good job rewiring itself Terminator-style. Could have been a lot worse. I can't quite do really intricate stuff yet but with the assistance of as many jigs as I can lay my hands on I hope to do most things and be back to 'normal' in a few months.

Having been largely incapacitated from modelling since July following a mild stroke, my wallet has been doing most of the work. Some early (riveted) OCEM coaches (Jouef, from Ebay) Later OCEM coaches by ModelsWorld DEV AO coaches by REE Postal coach by LS Models Pair of Piko 67400s The larger Italian cypress trees were made by John Farmer; the other trees are by MBR in Poland. My left arm and hand have now recovered sufficiently to start work on the fiddle yards. These are 5 ft long and will be cassette-based, with the main boards being Kingspan foam from Wickes faced with 4mm ply. I hope to be able to get back to real modelling (ogives, signals etc) in the coming weeks.

Hi David Yep, that's it - I obviously missed that photo. The Liliput pair includes a C10 like that - the angled section between the side and door is characteristic - and a similar A2B6 composite with the first class in the centre. Many thanks!

A follow-up non-OCEM question. I have two Liliput coaches ref. L350006 which, despite having the FRS' copy of Encyclopedie des Voitures SNCF in front of me, I just can't identify. They have inset end doors only, riveted sides (but may be rebuilt), square-cornered widows and nearly arc-roofed profile without any downturn at the ends. They have some characteristics of Bastille coaches but otherwise I'm a bit stuck. Does anyone know what they are? I can put photos up if necessary. One thing the encyclopedie doesn't have is tables of coaches by running number - maybe they just changed too often to make it a practicable proposition! Thanks and festive wishes

Is there any designation to distinguish between corridor and open configurations, or were they all corridor?

I understand from last night's Spotlight that track lifting has commenced and will take a couple of months.

In the book Sur les rails des Causses et des Cévennes (page 61) there are two photos of ex-PLM six-wheelers on a Beziers-Bedarieux train, hauled by BB electrics.

David, I've requested the Encyclopedie from the FRS library via Roger. I might be in touch about the dossiers, but for now I think I have enough info to work with. Joseph, I've got some 6-wheel stock (Fleischmann) and will consider some detached couchettes.

After nationalisation, would coaches have stayed mostly in the area of their previous owners, or did they become a bit 'common user'? Or to put another way, should I try and stick with Midi-purchased vehicles, or would (say) PO or PLM coaches be acceptable?

Many thanks all, useful stuff. I've just seen a copy of Encyclopdie des Voitures SNCF on AbeBooks for £232! I'll keep a lookout for copies of the Le Train references - I'll need much the same for the DEV AO stock as well in due course. I might try through the FRS as well after checking the Le Train catalogue. This is a bit like a French modeller researching Maunsells, Bulleids and Mk1s!

I've been doing some research into OCEM coaches for my 1950s/60s ex-Midi layout. It's a bit of a minefield to say the least, and I'm hoping I can call on the wider knowledge of this community to help. My understanding is that the basic classifications refer to class and number of bays/compartments, so that for example an A3B5 is a compo with 3 first and 5 second compartments, and a C10 is a 10-compartment 3rd; and that the overall length and bogie-to-bogie wheelbase can vary depending on the configuration. Then we have early coaches with visible rivets and later ones with flush plating. Am I right so far? The research has led to some other questions: 1) How long did the three-class system persist on the SNCF? 2) The OCEM classifications also include lower case code sequences such as 'yfi' - what do these mean? 3) Did secondary route trains have to have a brake vehicle? Is there a typical set of formations? 4) Is there a reference or book on this, similar to the HMRS book on Mk1s? I don't need too many coaches, but I'd like to get appropriate ones. For example I know the Midi bought 20 A8, 20 B9 and 150 C10 rivets-showing coaches; and 20 A3B5, 10 A8 and 15 C5D (?) flush-plated coaches. Models World do a set of three C10s, or at least Jura Modelisme/Million do; how do I know if these are riveted or not? REE, LS Models and R37 also seem to do various types. Thanks in advance for any advice.

Hi Phil Not a lot really has changed since Scaleforum a year ago, as documented above. Last autumn the team a) had a rest, and b) developed a plan to continue development and make improvements based on our experience at Scaleforum. Some activities were started, such as improving how the curved boards at the ends were supported so as to give better height adjustment and reduce set-up and break-down times. But then other global events happened, and with lockdown and the layout being stored in different places not much has happened since. On the other hand I did make a solo start on Lewes, which eventually is intended to join on to a modified viaduct layout.

Amongst the many fascinating photos on this topic was this little gem I'd never seen autorail remorques with this kind of motive power before. Here's my take on it - another handy train variant!

I recently acquired some extracts from a 1950 station plan, very kindly provided by Glen Woods, which includes a wealth of information on platforms, footbridges and buildings, signal and crossing positions etc. I've had the station area bit photo-enlarged (about x4.5) to get it to 4mm scale. This morning John helped me to set some of the boards up to try it out for size You can't tell from this but it is pleasingly very close to my Templot plan. Next time I can add the station junction board and finally finalise (for the final time) platforms and plain track alignments.