wiggoforgold

I’ve stated painting the tunnel mouth. First it was sprayed with Matt black primer, which was then lightly over sprayed with Mig Faded Sinai grey, leaving the black showing through the courses between the stones. I decided the stonework should have a pinker tinge to it in keeping with the local stone, so it was drybrushed with various mixes of Mig “rotbraun”, earth and “new” wood. It was then given washes of Matt black, a grey/ earth mix and rotbraun, before being Matt varnished. The next stage will be the application of weathering powders.

Alex

19 hours ago, Captain Kernow said:

What a lovely next layout project, Alex.

 

Hi Tim. My messenger seems to be playing up. I've sent you a pm.

Alex

I forgot to add to my last post: Yelverton will be appearing at the Saltash Model Show on 8-9 October 2022. It will be the only railway exhibit.

In this picture, 6400 is seen about to depart from Yelverton with a Tavistock-Plymouth service.

Alex

17 minutes ago, mullie said:

Just found this, yet another follower. As you know I use Spratt and Winkle couplings (for over twenty years), currently using a variation on the 3mm mk 1 coupling. Once set up they are reliable and relatively easy to adjust. I find them easier to use than Kadees!

 

Martyn

Initial experiments with Sprat and Winkle couplings have been encouraging, and they are easier to fit to locos, which just have the loops.

This has come at a most appropriate moment. Upwell Drove's D2201 has failed and I was looking for a suitable replacement. This will do nicely.

Alex

Interest expressed

7 hours ago, MrWolf said:

 

I expect that etched plates for 2291 can be had somewhere.

Might I suggest 3D printed plates from Railtech? You can specify the number you want so they could do no 23 as well.

Alex.

With the baseboard tops in place, I’ve been experimenting with the track layout. I’ve decided to use peco turnouts apart from the  3 way. Playing with the track layout like this has enable me to make sure there are no cross braces where I will want to fit point motors later.

One of the design parameters for Lydbrook Dean was that it should fit on the back seat of the car, without obscuring the view through the rear window. The basic frames are now complete, and have been test fitted in the car to make sure everything fits.  I have managed to preserve sufficient leg room for the front passenger.

Nice to see you at Minehead Rob. The layout looked great, and it was a very good show, with lots of interesting layouts. I had a useful chat with Maggie Gravett about modelling trees.

Dom's photographs reminded me -I meant to ask you where did you source the small wooden station building on Bleat? I'm looking for something similar for the new project.

Alex

With Yelverton almost finished, and Diddington being a long term project, I’ve started work on a new layout. Set in the Forest of Dean circa 1962, it will be called “Lydbrook Dean”. It will be set on the former Severn and Wye line, and Ben Ashworth’s book “BR Steam in Dean” has given much inspiration, as has a short stay in the forest.

The layout will be 00 gauge, Peco Bullhead track with copper clad points. It will be DC, with the points controlled by Cobalt motors. Motive power will be various types of pannier, mainly Bachmann. Freight stock will be from various sources. I’m going to try Sprat and Winkle couplings instead of my usual DG, as I am finding the DG couplings too sensitive for exhibition use.

I’ve learned a lot from exhibiting Upwell Drove and Yelverton, and the lessons will be incorporated in the new layout. The overall size will be 8’ by 2’, and the folded layout will fit on the back seat of the car. The height of the folded layout will give unobstructed visibility through the rear window of the car. As part of the planning process I have made up a test piece to the overall size of the folded layout, and loaded it on the back seat of the care to make sure everything fitted.

I’ve sketched out a track plan. I decided to use the copper clad points because I had several in stock that I had made a number of years ago, including a 3 way which I particularly needed. There is a slight differential height between these and the Peco plain track, which will be addressed by packing under the underlay beneath the points.

The baseboard frames will be PSE , with tops from ply, the whole glued and screwed together, so that the PSE frame forms and “L” with the base board top. Where the boards fold, there will be a permanent hinge block at the rear of the layout, and a removable on (a la “Upwell Drove”) at the front. I’m hoping to be able to make a start on the frames later this week.

Alex

Thanks Phil. As I said on Saturday, it's always great to see other people's photos of the layout because it is fascinating to see how they interpret it.

Great photos.

Alex

48 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

I draw the line at the L&NER......

 

 

Nothing wrong with the LNER. I have a family group of J15's.

Sometimes I am brought to the brink of despair by technology. In my previous post I had intended to say a bit about the computer display on the layout, but my phone deleted the explanation when I was editing the previous post and I didn't notice until after it was posted.

The layout shows a sequence of typical trains from the last years of the line, run to a sequence based on the old timetables. I've put the sequence in to a Power Point presentation which is displayed on a computer screen fixed to the front of the layout  At the recent Exeter show one of the exhibitors was using a similar presentation and I've borrowed a couple of ideas from that to refine mine.

I'm looking forward to Edington (23-24 July) and hope to see a few of you there.

Alex

Looks great. Looking forward to seeing this at Exeter on Sunday.

Alwx

I  particularly like the 16 tonners. You have resisted the temptation to heavily weather them which I think is right for a period when they would not have been that old.

Alex