Barry Ten

Laisdcc decoders are my current choice for inexpensive ones that do the job required. I've been using them in a number of hard-wired conversions of old Bachmann locos and they give great control straight after installation. I've just bought another six for future jobs.

They're on my "don't order from them again" list I'm afraid. No problems with Jura.

It's just plonked there at the moment but as mentioned, it'll probably be relocated to the other side of the layout, where there'll be another platform (which can be a bit wider). I've in mind a small cottage-like building a bit like the current gift-shop.

I've added a bit more to the surroundings of the station, with a rendered wall with an archway through it, topped off with some tiles. It's just two bits of Wills sheet sandwiching some foam core. Those cast balustrades have been in my scrap box for donkey's years, but they'll work perfectly in this context... although I'll need a few more! I also made a start on a bit of improv/ scratchbuilding of a generic clocktower, based on a Faller kit I made ages ago but which never found a home ( although it might have been ok on my French layout). I've added a rectangular base to the tower, embellished with bits of plastic card to suggest a unity with the Faller bit... It's not there yet but I hope it will start looking "of a piece" once painted, using the typical Portmeirion colours. If I do end up using it, it might not be in this corner. Finally, I'm happy with this Wills station but I think it'll work better on the other side of the module, the Minffordd side to pick up on Mat's post above. The station on this side needs to be more "Clough". Be seeing you.

Thanks Mat, sorry I didn't see your comment before now - much appreciated! I think "Rover" has to make an appearance, either as an actual one, or a cameo with film crew, actors etc. A helium tanker is a fine idea!

I think a good, big, general model show will be very welcome and long overdue, so I hope it does well. It's on the same weekend as the Taunton RMweb do, though, which creates at least a partial clash for me.

I think he meant April '24, not 24th of April. I heard a possibility of Pete Waterman's layouts all appearing, in joined up form, provided they can address the H&S issues of not having access walkways at regular intervals.

Excitingly, that's my checked shirt and pair of hands on the rail at the back. Dave and I were looking at the large 7mm Midland layout back-to-back with the LNER one depicted above. While the modelling on the Midland one was exquisite, it suffered a bit (in my view) from having no lighting, and not much moving on it while we were watching, with the one passenger train we saw suffering a series of derailments as it entered the scene. The LNER one was better lit and seemed to run very well. Perhaps we just caught the Midland one at a bad time. The highlight of the show for us both was the GWR/LSWR 7mm one that was fully scenicked all the way around. Sorry that I didn't note the names of any of these. I certainly felt there were enough nice layouts to justify the admission fee. Yes, some dross as well (at least one layout with an incredibly tatty backscene that was in sore need of repair or replacement) but I find the key is not to attempt to see everything, but identify a few really good layouts and just soak them in. We also spent a lot of time at Copenhagen Fields and South Pelaw because, even having seen them before, they can stand to be looked at again.

I'd never heard of Fuchs until another conversation earlier this afternoon, with someone who's just had eye treatment. Hope all is resolved satisfactorily, MJI.

6B - it's in that little video I posted yesterday.

That's the one I used. I can vouch that it works.

After experimenting with powdered graphite and various grades of B pencils, both of which worked to a degree, I bought a pure graphite pencil from ebay. The way I use it is to scrape it across the rails at a few strategic points, leaving a fine flaky residue which then gets worked around the track by trains. I also scrape it across the flanges of locos, which has a similar effect. I've used it on Code 40 N and 009 track.

The last thing I'd notice in that shot is the track gauge (the track just looks "right") but I'm immediately drawn to the over-thick sides on that coach. Not a criticism at all, just an observation that there's a lot more to railway modelling than a few mms here and there in the trackwork, and I wish the great 00/EM/P4 debate could be buried once and for all.

It's a wonderful layout and it was very nice to have a quick hello. @wenlock and I very much enjoyed the Warley experience although I think we may have wandered into the wrong hall at some point.

A short clip:

I've made a start on a very small 009 project inspired in equal parts by Portmeirion and the TV series The Prisoner, filmed on location in the late 60s. Discounting a childhood visit to Portmeirion in the 70s, the roots of this project go back about 20 years to a visit to the Dutch narrow gauge museum in Valkenberg (near where we used to live) and an exhibition weekend where there were layouts and a selection of second hand items. I came away with a Hampton waterworks 0-4-2 and a couple of bogie carriages, the latter a bit worse for wear. I did nothing with either the loco or the coaches for about 15 years until I gave them all a service and repaint, as well as repairing various damaged bits. Next, I acquired a Peco set track starter pack, a couple of additional points and straights, and laid out an oval on a sheet of foam board. I settled on Portmeirion as the theme because I thought it hadn't been done before, could be recognisable, and lent itself to a small, whimsical representation. The idea is that there's a tourist train running from just outside the village in the wooded approach, down almost to the sea- front. For inspiration, one can rewatch The Prisoner: There are also many images and angles on the web. Wanting a bit more background, though, I picked up this very jolly walking guide which offers some insight into the various filming locations as well as useful close-up shots of architectural details. The idea is to scratchbuild and/or adapt from kits the majority of the buildings on the layout's small footprint, but they'll be "essence of Portmeirion" rather than close likenesses. Provided I emphasise the Italianate touches and the typical colours, I hope that it'll say Portmeirion, or suggest another village built to similar principles. Obviously the layout is very much a train set rather than anything offering sophisticated operation, but three trains can be run, backing them in and out of isolating sidings in turn. I tried putting a passing loop in but the small size made it a bit silly, so I just opted for the sidings. Despite the scary geometry of the dead frog points, everything runs fine, even the noisy Ibertren chassis under the original water works loco! Of course I haven't been able to resist a couple of Quarry Hunsletts and a Small England, beautiful models that they are. The official colours for the line are cream and dark blue for the coaches, and cream and mid blue for buildings. I'd like to paint the locos dark blue but I need a stiff drink first, the lining and decoration is so nice! Be seeing you!

You may already be aware of it, but there's a rather nice layout plan for Swansea Victoria in one of Iain Rice's books.

Perhaps they snip off the edge of the sheet before packing the model for markets where the Swastika can't be depicted?

On the subject of Swastikas, I understand the sensitivities around not including them in kits, but the approach on the Meng decals for the Mustang was a new one on me. To get the "kills" Swastikas on the side of the P51, one transfer had to be laid over another. In other words, the Swastikas were there on the decal sheet, just in two halves.

Aberdare - Cardiff, at least, which joins the Merthyr line at Abercynon, is still Sprinters. Someone working for TFW told me we might see electric trains after Christmas.

Richard Maunsell didn't have railway modellers uppermost in his mind when he designed his engines, but I don't think they look right without the front steps ... unfortunately they are often a pain if your layout has train-set curves. Hence a compromise, plastic steps fitted (Bachmann didn't provide any with their Lord Nelson) but allowed to adopt a mildly jaunty angle if necessary. Once painted, I still think they look somewhat better than no steps at all. I imagine it's possible to set up some kind of side-control on this type of bogie, but none of my efforts have been successful. As it is now, the LN manages the slightly tighter radii on my inner loop (seen just exiting the tightest section) and has room to breathe on the outer loop. I also managed to fit the front steps on Hornby's more recent LNs.

Not without dismantling it, which I've not been inclined to do just yet as it runs nicely. Does this look like your handiwork?

Here's another "not actually an LNER" U1: This is a DJH example built and painted to a very high standard. I didn't make it; it came from the same estate sale that also provided the Mike Edge G&SWR 4-6-0 I showed a while back. It runs well and has very neat tender pickups. It was a birthday present from my wife so I don't know how much it cost, but I consider myself lucky to have it. Somewhat different kettle of fish, but I'm in the process of repainting a Bachmann Lord Nelson from BR green into Southern malachite: This one was originally Sir Francis Drake, but I'm planning to rename/number it as Sir Richard Grenville, immortalised in the 1976 Al Stewart song "Lord Grenville"! Another Al

Thank you for the download, a very interesting and successful piece I felt. On the subject of period accuracy in films, I think you are right in that it is as much to do with what's expected as to what is strictly accurate. I think I recall that in the film Apollo 13, which is highly accurate in many respects, the computer displays in mission control were made to look slightly more up to date than would have been the case in 1970, because the typical audience member wouldn't have accepted the reality as it was, which would have been mostly just columns of numbers on tiny screens.

It's actually a bit shorter now (the layout, not Dave). Dave's adjusted the height down an inch or two to allow for folding legs on the main board.