Barry Ten

I used Chris Leigh castings for the bogies, and Genesis ones for the ends (they were a tiny bit crisper than Chris's castings) but I think Genesis offered the bogies as well. I suspect they all had their origin in the same mouldings.

Although I didn't take any pics, there was an absolutely gorgeous (and huge) Rapide at this weekend's Large Model Association show at Much Marcle, near Ledbury. It flew like a dream and to suitable musical accompaniment over the PA.

Here's my much older 1/72nd Airfix Sea King, without doubt one of the most challenging kits I've built, because the fit of parts was so ropey...just getting it into some kind of finished state was a relief! I think they issued a re-tooled 1/72nd model a while after I bought this one.

Agreed, I've been waiting for a decent 1/48 Westland Sea King for a long time... it looks like a fabulous kit from the reviews I've seen.

One of our resident sopranos:

I guess there's no danger of hearing the Portescap whine😄

A bat got into our house just before lockdown, ending up on the inside of a bedroom window ledge. I phoned the Bat Conservation Trust and was advised how to safely handle the bat and take it to a rescue centre. From that experience, we ended up becoming members of the trust and buying an inexpensive bat detector, which is great fun. Our bat was a soprano pipistrelle, by the way. After a few weeks it was back to a healthy weight but rather than release it back in our area, it was released from the centre as by then the travel restrictions were in force. We've had a serotine bat near us, too, as well as the two species of pipistrelle.

I've got some serious foreground view-blockers on my French layout, as illustrated here where the track runs behind this block of buildings: I tried various permutations of the scenery (I'd already made the buildings) but it didn't "click" until I tried putting the buildings in the foreground. In the case of this layout, it's not so much about getting unobstructed views of trains, as replicating those encounters with the railway one gets when travelling through a city, often little more than tantalising glimpses of over-bridges, embankments, sidings, trains in the distance etc. It wouldn't work for everyone, but it encapsulates my experience of French railways where it's tended to be the frustrating glimpse rather than the long, studied view. That said, there are bits of the layout where the trains can be seen much more easily.

I like a "looking up at the loco" angle if I can get one.

Many thanks all. I'm quite pleased with how it worked on the day; no major issues but one or two things that could benefit from a tweak or two. It did pick up an invitation to another South Wales show next year so this is unlikely to be its only outing. However, it's going up in the loft for now, not because I'm fed up with it, but because it's stopped me working on any other modelling projects for a while and I like to hop around!

I enjoyed taking Paynestown to the Barry show organised in support of Alzheimer's UK. It was a very nice day out with plenty of friends involved with other layouts and just helping out, with much thanks due to Brian and Paul Rolley for instigating the event and making the whole day relaxed and convivial. By happy coincidence I was also collecting for a separate Alzheimer's event so my bucket was plonked on the same table as the layout! I brought along a rubber mallet, not to scare people but to give a gentle tap to the back of the layout in the event of any locos stalling! It proved quite handy and presumably an improvement on the hand of god! Thanks to Dave Stone for the pics above, and for helping out with operations. It was also good to see our chum Roger drop by for an hour or two. I also took a few general snaps of the layout in action. Thanks all who dropped by, and who left some money in the bucket!

I took my valleys-themed layout out for the first time today, to a small show in Barry organised for Alzheimers fundraising. It was great fun and the layout performed quite well. Many thanks to Dave Stone for helping out. I brought a rubber mallet to scare the layout into behaving itself. Seemed to work! Al

It might be a weakened motor - I've had one (connected to a DJH gearbox) that was gutless and slow. The loco would run fine under test, but couldn't pull anything. The wheels wouldn't slip under any circumstances, which indicates a lack of torque. That could be due to an over-stiff chassis, gearbox, or weakened motor. If the wheels slip, I always take it as a good sign that the motor has lots of power, it just isn't being transferred to the rails efficiently, but that can always be resolved with more weight and/or better balancing.

I only heard about it because of a chance mention over a pint at Railwells. I'm not sure I'd have spotted it if I didn't then go looking...

Constructive as ever.

I made a short vid of the Enterprise, warts and all!

I also have the lighting kit to add to the Klingon cruiser, so good to see your progress. I must have posted this before (probably lost in the image crash) but here is my fully-lit 1/350 Refit1701. I have the 1/350 TOS Enterprise to do but am waiting until I find the lighting kit at a reasonable price.

I have the same Klingon kit to build. Yours is looking very nice. Qapla'!

Paynestown's public outing is coming up fast, and inevitably there's a rush to get a lot of jobs done, compounded by the fact that I'm travelling on the two days prior to the exhibition! I think it's nearly there, though, provided I get a good weekend of tasks done. Other than adding additional wagons to the stock box, by way of converting their couplings, the other main job has been further tidying up of the fascia, ready for its final coat of paint. I've opted for a satin warm grey which I think ought to work, but as ever the proof will be in the pudding. The main "presentational" job still to be done is to add a piece to the lighting rig, to support a small nameboard. The rest of the work has been on the scenic detailing side, with a few jobs still awaiting. Here's a grab-bag of random views and angles, with a few comments: This is the view I was keen to preserve by not wrapping the backscene all the way around the right hand side of the layout. If there was a conventional backscene, you might just be able to get a small camera into this position, but not your head. A similar view, showing the train waiting to depart. The Dapol bracket signal is a pragmatic compromise between "correct" and "functioning"! I've built some working signals in 00, but I couldn't wrap my head around such fiddly task in N, so the Dapol option it is. The idea is that the taller of the two signals controls departures from the main platform, while the shorter one is for the bay. Anyone who objects will be automatically entered into a raffle to get the commission to build an accurate working replacement. Still waiting for departure, this time with the terraced houses prominent. Still much painting and final finishing needing doing here. Evident in the earlier shots, I've added a barrow crossing here. I'm holding off on a representation of point rodding (let alone signal cables) for now, as I don't think I've got the skill to do it justice in N. I can just about get away with tolerable rodding in 00, but I feel it might draw attention to itself more than the absence does, if that makes sense. The chapel is now fixed down and some rudimentary scenic work has been attended to around it. Dropping the camera down even lower hints at the kind of low-level, looking up the hillside angle I really hoped to capture. Sonic's 56XX still impresses, especially with a touch of weathering to bring out the exquisite detail. I've got two more of these, but I'm no closer to adding new numbers/decals to them than I was six months ago, so it'll be just the one for now. Fortunately, the three other panniers can pick up the operational slack. A close-up of the goods shed showing some enjoyable clutter from Langley castings. And a final close-up of the 56XX. Such magnificent locos - tons of presence for just a tank engine, I feel. That's it for now. Thanks for reading, and following along to date.

Along with the Big Boy's Bumper Book of S&D track diagrams, I gladly picked up a copy of The Titfield Thunderbolt at Railwells. A lovely book, copiously illustrated and written with real affection for the subject and the people associated with it.

I picked up a copy as well. Despite the hefty price tag, I knew it would be a set of volumes I return to time and again. Just glancing through it over the weekend while still in Wells, my purchase was more than rewarded by some shots of Shillingstone that were new to me, including views from angles I'd not seen before. I would think it essential for anyone with an interest in the S&D. The slipcase presentation feels very posh too.

It was very nice to see the layout today and have a chat!

I should add that I very much enjoyed the exhibition as a whole, with a good variety of layouts on display. Thanks to all involved and here's to another splendid weekend in Wells next year.

I very much enjoyed the quality of the modelling but I struggled with the height of the proscenium arch - it made for uncomfortable viewing for me as I had to stoop.

Still looks as if there is a lot of electrification to be finished on the Aberdare line, with masts in place but no sign of cabling (yet). The last time I took the train to Cardiff, too, I thought there were still quite a few bits with no masts in situ. Two public foot crossings that I'm aware of, in Cwmbach and Mountain Ash, have been sealed off for months with no guarantee of when they'll reopen. A minor nuisance in the scheme of things but frustrating if they've been on your regular running routes for years. I see there is tentative planning for a possible extension to Hirwaun, with land purchased for a new station in Llwydcoed. Someone mentioned to me that the trains might run on battery beyond Aberdare - is this feasible with the tram-trains or a possible future development?