Georgie!!

Evening all, I have been working, again, on the little corner at the back of the layout. I have decide to put some security fencing up around the equipment box. There is also a worker hidden behind the fencing carrying out some work. I still have a couple more ideas for this area, including more workmen and other bits of clutter. One job I need to do is weather the brick walling in places and look at adding graffiti in some spots too. The warehouse buildings still need to be painted too. I'm expecting a parcel tomorrow that contains some more bits to help me get started on the next area along the back of the layout as this is the next area for me to focus on, after this its then along the backscene along the right hand side of the layout. Then I'm sure there are many more areas. All the best, George.

Layout update time this time. The main area I have begun re-working/tweaking was around the back corner of the layout near the road bridge. Something has always bothered me around that area, so I had to pull bits up and make little changes. The first thing to go was the Bachmann equipment hut. I had seen that Wills kits had brought out a equipment hut and it looked a good kit, so I got it and may I say it is a great little easy kit to build. Once painted up I plonked it on the layout in a similar position to where the Bachmann model was sat before but I have extended the road a little further back. Another little was the CCTV cameras also by Wills. These where simply painted up and placed between the yard lights. Some other bits of clutter have been added like the stack of pallets and cones. Also new to the layout is the warehouse backs used for the backscene. These still need painting up and detailing too before sticking in permanent position, they are just placed there at the moment. The only thing I'm thinking of adding here is some more security fencing, but around the green equipment hut with trackside workers working on site. Here is an up-to-date-ish photo of the area: Once I can more or less call this little area complete it will then be onto the next area, which is part of the backscene that runs along the back of most of the layout. More to follow soon. All the best, George

I get my locos done by Cairnsroadworks. I only have two locos with sound at the moment, but I will be adding more sound to locos once I have sorted my class 66 fleet, when I concentrate on other classes of locos. Cheers, George

Hi Chris, I didn't paint the loco. I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to painting locos I simply prefer to get them done by someone who knows what they are doing. With regards to the nameplate I will have to get back to you on that. Thanks though for the comment. Cheers, George

Thank you for the kind comments. To be honest I haven't yet seen the real 727, 743 and 746 either. 66703 seems to be the loco that follows me about. I have seen photos of 743 on a few different workings, seems to be kept busy. Thanks for sharing the photo. I was also wondering if anyone maybe of some help, I would like to take my layout to a exhibition, but I'm unsure as to how to get my layout noticed and/or invited? If anybody could be of help with advice please feel free to drop me a PM. All the best, George.

I have another loco update today, but for those who don't like class 66's, I'm sorry. The first loco is one I have wanted since it was released from the paint shop, is 66727. The nameplates are to be added, but they are not ready yet, so we will say its to have a naming ceremony yet. The loco is just awaiting permission to enter the fuelling point: The next new loco is Royal Scotsman twin, 66743. Another loco I have wanted to go alongside with 66746. Here the loco is having a quick exam and fuelling up too: I also have an update to do on the layout itself as I have changed a couple of areas around the layout. I will have to get some photos taken later on before it gets dark. All the best, George

On a rather dark and cold Saturday morning a new loco arrives to the fuelling point. Captured in a tiny bit of sunlight 66732 'GBRF the first decade 1999 - 2009 John Smith-MD' is seen waiting permission onto the fuelling point. I'm afraid it is another class 66 and I'm afraid I have a few more to join the fleet. But, I do have plans for some other classes to add, this will be in the near future just waiting on the real thing and model manufactures. All the best, George.

A quick photo stop from me. 66709 'Sorrento' is preparing to leave the siding and 66738 'Huddersfield Town' is on the fuelling point. I haven't had much time to do much to the layout these past couple of weeks, but its certainly looking like it needs a tidy up. All the best, George.

66746 Royal Scotsman livery, seen stabled on the fuelling point earlier on this afternoon. You can just see the white lines that are safe walkways for the drivers. All the best, George.

Haha, I do agree they are far too clean. I'm going to have to get them, and the others, booked in for weathering I think. Cheers, George.

Thank you, Steve. Yes of course, its something I have spotted on a couple of photos on the Internet then spotted it also on the Aberdeen Kirkhill layout thread on this site. There work on the fuelling points is fantastic. The crash barriers are just a little kit from Noch. I think Gaugemaster do a kit also, here's a link for you: http://www.hattons.co.uk/128821/Gaugemaster_Controls_GM381_Roadside_Crash_Barriers/StockDetail.aspx All the best, George.

This afternoon I did some more work on the fuelling point. I have painted the crash barriers, they just need a second coat, also, a few little details have been painted and glued into position. Hopefully it now looks a little better than earlier today: Tonight I plan to paint a walkway for the drivers and begin painting the fuelling canopy and walls. Cheers, George.

I have slowly been working away with bits on the layout, but work keeps taking up most of the time. Since I started building the layout there never has been a proper fuelling point. Something like a pump or a little shed housing the pump has been placed on the layout, but I have never been happy with how they looked. So, after many weeks searching the internet I have come up with a little fuelling point. I have used the Knightwing kit as a base, then added some corrugated shape plastic sheets for walls around the canopy, protection for the fuellers. I have also removed the security fencing and replaced it with crash barriers. In between the track, in front of the fuelling point, I have fitted some square mesh. I found that most fuelling points have some sort of drainage/spillage for fuel and most use the square mesh type stuff. I managed to find a roll of anti slip stuff for rugs from Ikea that is perfect for the mesh. There is still a lot to do before I can say the fuelling point area is complete. All the pumps are ready for painting as are the crash barriers and there are a few extra little details to also paint or plonk in position, but before any of that I need to add some fuel spillage in between the mesh. The photos are a bit crude and show that there is still a fair amount of work still to do. Hopefully next update it will look much better. Cheers, George.

Was a nice half hour at Deighton station today with two workings passing through one being 57s and the other Freightliner 66s. It was the same working as Russ (4630) above. The two 57s where travelling at a fair speed too.

I too caught the same working as Russ (4630) as above, but caught the pair of 66s up/down the line at Deighton station. Just as I was photographing the pair a 185 unit sped past the opposite direction, kinda made me jump.

66731 'InterhubGB' and 66718 'Sir Peter Hendy CBE' stabled together awaiting there next turn of duty on the RHTT sets. Cheers, George.

47830 passed through Deighton earlier this afternoon working from Hunslet yard to Crewe passing at 13:14. It was a nice surprise to see the 47 as I was expecting a class 66.

Great video, Nick. The 37 looks and sounds great!

Thank you for the size of the building, Mal. 2inch is too wide for the area I would like to put the building as it would mean it would be well into the siding. I decided to go to the fuelling point this morning to see what activity was there, and a fair amount happened in under an hour. The photos were taken from the road bridge, the work on the footpath is completed and open to use but the road is still closed. To start off with 66719 'Metro Land' starts up and begins preparing to leave the siding: Then, just as 66719 reaches the bridge its held by a ground signal (other side of the bridge) The reason why it was held appeared around 10mins later, 66709 'Sorrento' having just come off an intermodal working: Even once 66709 had arrived 719 still couldn't move off as another arrival was due in and after a few more minutes, 66702 'Blue Lightening' arrived and headed straight for the fuelling point stop board: Then after 15mins 702 was allowed into the fuelling point: All the best, George

Hi Mick, Thank you for that. I never thought about Wills before, I will have a look around the internet. That's good that they can be cut down if needed. Cheers, George

Now that's the type of building I'm after. I will have a look around for a Pikestuff kit. Thank you, Nick.

Hi Nick, Thanks for that, yes I have seen it, I think though that it will be too deep for where I would like it to go, but its exactly the type of building I'm after. Cheers, George.

I managed to get a few minutes on the layout earlier, mainly working on the road bridge, but isn't yet photo ready. The other area was the backscene. I'm still struggling to find any suitable type of low relief warehouse or something similar, so for now I have chosen to go with a bush style scene breaker, but a warehouse behind them would be better still. The other item I have been working on is the brick wall that steps down from the road bridge. It steps down in 3 stages. The first stage I'm looking at creating a used car dealer. The second will be spare land for sale with junk laying about and the final stage will is just overgrown vegetation. I only need to add some flowers for a spot of colour. Hopefully the photo will show what I mean about the stages. The other update is that I have gotten myself a new DCC system. Before I was using the Hornby Select controller. It was a ok system, did what I needed it to do, but sadly the other night it took a fall from the dinning table onto the laminate flooring below. It was still all in tacked, but the pin where the power socket connects to the controller had snapped and pushed itself inside of the controller, and no, I did not push it... honest. So, I have now invested into a NCE powercab system and it is ten times better than the Select controller, sorry Hornby. My trains run so much smoother, but I'm still working out how to use it. That's all for now. Cheers, George.

This evening GBRF 66726 'Sheffield Wednesday' passed through Brighouse at 18:10 working 6M33 from Arcow Quarry to Pendleton Brindle Heath. Thank you to the driver for giving a wave to my daughter and a little toot as he passed us.

Now that would spoil the surprise if I was to say Hi Mark, Thank you for your kind comment. All the best, George.