Etched Pixels

TWOCing is a criminal offence - you can't get insurance against 28 days in the nick !

Dave - I don't think your pointwork actually works out - you need the loop to be about the same length as the platform so you can run around a train matching platform length minus small loco. This is the piano line I built - it's about 3ft long. With 4ft you'd be able to extend enough to run around a B set and maybe add another siding. http://www.rmweb.co....2&hilit=llanast As it is it can handle a two car 57' DMU, a 14xx + autocoach, and just about a terrier + 2 x 48' ex SECR push-pull set. With hindsight I'd have made it the 4ft and added an extra siding. The neatest twist on the Piano I've seen is this rather neat layout http://kidmorengauge...dmore-yard.html

The devon red soil is ok, although I end up filtering out most of the 'texture'. The others I found much too lumpy for N - maybe good for O gauge work ?

First trip made it - one problem with what appears to have been a deliberate blocking of a level crossing and some superglue in a token keyhole. The police were taking statements after the incident. Lots of crowds at Porthmadog

150's are a bit pricy, especially given a 210 is four cars and two are centre cars. I was thinking at least initially of introducing a hacksaw and Bachmann Farish mark 3 coach to one another, cleaning the print off and then having them make friends. For the body overlay then using vinyls. I think the shell is strong enough to stand being cut and shut, and also to survive having the doorways added. Does mean I can do other EMU noses now I know how the process all works, but the lack of 20m centre cars is going to be a problem - as it is with a lot of the potential other EMU stock.

210 / early 317. The later 317 and the 455 have different light clusters and the like. Basically I fancy trying to build a 210 for Wadebridge over Christmas and needed to make the ends for it.

Just got back the first castings from a first adventure into actually making new white metal casting masters. (forgive the lousy image) The master itself is layers of brass to build up the levels, plus top detail layers all then glued firmly together with the help of a vice.

The GWR 4 wheel coach people have gone even madder. What recession ??? http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260678194346&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

On the texture front some of the existing small buildings in slate would be great - including existing ones This sort of building in thick slate blocksf: found all over North Wales http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/topic/3249-corris-original-track/

I have a bet riding on the WHR having to do some fast work and link with the WHHR terminus on a regular basis the moment they start "serious " services. The public are not going to stand for "Sorry but the road is all blocked again so you can't go where you wanted, can't use the bar and don't get ice cream". It's a service and if it takes two hours to get a train over the crossing every time someone parks in the wrong place or breaks down anywhere in the vicinity it'll soon get a very bad name. With the pending massacre of public services a "car blocking a toy train" is going to be so low on the police priority list it'll simply not get dealt with - even assuming you could actually get a recovery truck through the summer traffic in any reasonable timescale. I doubtt we'll see WHR trains running into the WHHR in a hurry - for all the reasons mentioned plus weight, length and clearance, but I can see some hurried "change at Pen-y-mount" work having to be done. Let us hope (for the sake of both railways and my bet ) the reported improvements in relationships pan out into something good Agreed btw on prices - and I do wonder if the little railways like Corris will do well out of the recession as you can "do the steam train" for a fiver and by the end of an hour junior in many families is probably now bored again of trains and wants the toilet 8) Alan

My brain hurts http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280570369051&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT 50 quid and counting for a generic mass produced non GWR prototype four wheel coach in GWR colour.

I really like the way you've re-interpreted the Piano line into an industrial setting. I built one in N much to the original design and while its fun it doesn't quite work as credible track layout - putting the fiddle track further back and using an industrial environment makes it look much more believable

Actually its an X-Fish Test etches for converting the N Gauge Society sausage van & stove-R chassis into the LMS van in question. I've just glued it together quickly and dropped the roof loosely on top to check it fits - still need to remove the battery boxes (no electric eels in transit clearly) and add the bracing along the bottom of the axles.

501 doesn't have enough doors, Tyneside ones ditto. So it really does seem to be a Mark 1 style 2EPB from MTK or similar.

The BR ones all had the toilet in the middle did they not ? Maybe its just ... wrong 8) Correcting this - 2HAP apparently had the toilet so it is indeed a Mark 1 style 2EPB but with the scaling out so presumably MTK. Oh well that at least makes the underframe and motorising much easier.

I picked up a box of interesting bits a while ago and in the bottom were some bits of etched EMU stuff and white metal. One is a BHE 2-EPB the other a bit of a mystery. The bag it was with contained a BHE 2HAP underframe white metal set, four sides and some what appear to be BHE plastic roof/floor/sides etc. Only it doesn't seem to be a 2HAP because its shorter than Mark 1 length and the windows are wrong (no big windows) for a Southern 2HAP. It seems to be an SR species 2EPB which is intriguing because I've never seen reference to a kit of one anywhere. Anyway I figured I'd build it but now need to work out what is is to get the roof and underwear right

It's not just the ebay people though. Watching collectors paying £20 plus for an old Minitrix N gauge HAA hopper is just bizarre (and rather annoying as I need a couple more to weather and finish a rake )

Some old Bill Bedford sides that were kicking around, Ultima bits for most of the rest. The roof is a cut and shut of a longer one so eventually I ought to move the brackets. I've just ordered the bogies for it from 2mm SA shop, which fortunately carries the non-Gresley bogies used under these full brakes. And a quck unusual angle photo down the platform of Aeonian Hills. I really must get the oil lamps wired up next time I'm doing wiring work..