87023Velocity

Hi Mike, Just looked via my wifes FB account and it is similar but he has added sand pipes and footsteps which I still need to do. Cheers Simon

Thanks for the comments Mike. Regards the 87, it may be someone elses as I don't use Facebook. Cheers Simon

Wow, thanks for listing those workings Dave. Quick scan of the list, Intermodals in the yard sound interesting, think will need to do a model of 08909 in Mainline blue with its Cockney Sparrow. Is the picture of WN175R the old style signal? Cheers Simon

Thanks Jeremy and Swifty for posting those pictures. The sidings at Dallam have certainly seen a variety of traffic and uses over the years! Currently stone, previous flows have included chemical tanks around 2007-2008, van traffic, steel wire, p-way machines, mods to engineers vehicles to name a few along with traffic to the adjacent mail terminal. Cheers Simon

I know, it does cross my mind quite a bit. However it is good to have a challenge every now and again. Cheers Simon

Thanks for the comments guys, looking forward to the day I can actually run trains on the layout. I could at the moment but need to keep up with all the scenics etc. Yes Cav its at Wigan this October 1st/2nd and also booked into Stafford for 2018. Cheers Simon

Hi, Bit more work undertaken on what was the old Dallam shed. Its now received its first few coats of blue paint which was airbrushed on, used Humbrol 89, which from photographs looks a near enough match. If no more coats of paint are required, then all the windows and doors will be fitted along with the roof. A shot of the progress so far, 43068 brings up the rear of a southbound Cross Country working as it slows for the Warrington stop. Cheers Simon

Thanks for the kind comment. Been slowly working on the embankment at the front of the layout. Also been planning the small industrial estate for the front of the layout between Bewsey Road and Folly Lane, the strip of white paper to the left of the rear power car.Also another Virgin Cross Country train has been purchased, Dapol HST with a buffer fitted power car. Also picked up a Farish class 90 which I am thinking of respraying into Belguim SNCB blue as 90128 as it was still in that livery during 2001 working mail trains. Cheers Simon

Hi, Track weathering has been progressing, all 4 tracks of the mainline have been sprayed. Each line i.e. down slow, were masked and sprayed seperately. 60052 on the MGRs heading to Arpley. Also managed to pick up 4 Farish Mk2 TSO's in Intercity Swallow livery. To complete both Cross Country rakes just need 2 more Virgin TSO's to form a full Virgin liveried rake and 1 Swallow liveried MK2 for the second rake which will be formed of 5 Swallow TSO's and Virgin liveried RFB and BSO. Better keep my eyes peeled! These Swallow liveried MK2's will need the roof sections spraying the correct shade of grey, orange CDL warning lights fitting, yellow footboards and finerwheels. Cheers Simon

I have just posted in the Bargain Hunters page. There are 3 listed in Hattons pre-owned section for £67 each, reject returns maybe? Cheers Simon

Thanks Jeremy, trying to resist the temptation at the minute to lay the fiddleyard as I know I will spend more time operating than working on the scenics.Had a bit of spare time, so fired up the compressor and had a go at spraying the track. This is a mix of Humbrol browns & black thined down for spraying. Also added a few weeds around the edge of the hardstanding.Rail heads need wiping over. Cheers Simon

Bit more done on the layout over the weekend. Kerbs added to pavements and the corners finished. Give way road markings also added. The embankments have also had various coats of pva brushed on followed by strips of paper and diluted pva. Once dry 2 coats of Raw Umber acrylic paint was applied. Still lots to do. Cheers Simon

Thanks Porkie! One thing I have just realised from that last picture is I really need to start looking at road vehicles. The warehouse for instance has an awful lot of trailers in there during 2001, think quite a few were James Irlam curtainsiders, another thing for the 'to do' list. Cheers Simon

Hi Cav, Nice work on the Grampus the weathering is spot on. Regards the ballast load, as Lee mentioned, I would use your own ballast. Is the load going to be spoil from a track renewal? Spoil is alot heavier than fresh ballast so height of the load would be different due to possible overloading. Cheers Simon

Work has continued on the Folly lane bridge road and Dallam Lane. The road has been done using 800 grade wet and dry. The pavements are 1mm thick card with 1200 grade wet and dry. Pavement on the corners need finishing, kerbstones to add, road markings to complete then some patching and weathering of the road surface. Once happy the road deck will be fixed down in position, hence the reason it looks abit wavey in the picture. Cheers Simon

Hi Cav,Thanks for comments, looking at doing the 92's one with SNCF branding under the cab and the other with Railfreight Distribution branding. Regards the PFA's, could a rake not work through BoT? Cheers Simon

Nice work on the wheels Jeremy. Agree with the comments above, think you should give those 86's a run! Cheers Simon

Hi Jeremy, Thanks for the comments, both will be finished in Railfreight Grey, possibly one with large EWS Beastie sticker on the side. Going to look through pictures that Dave Skipsey (Beast 66606) has posted in the WFRM sub section and also Flickr for ideas. Cheers Simon

A parcel arrived today which I had been looking forward too. It contained 2 class 92 kits by 3DR designs, see here http://thefarishshed.com/class-92-kits-from-3dr-designs/ It requires a Farish class 60 chassis. First inpressions are very good. Did a quick trial fit using one of my 60's as a donor. The body has been moulded with location ribs inside as per the 60 so it is correctly aligned. The parts supplied. Not shown are the etches for the side grills and windscreens. Not sure if I will get them ready for Wigan as got alot to do on the layout. Plan as mentioned above is one for the Farish Intermodals and one for an Enterprise working, possibly OTA's. Cheers Simon

Work on the yard area/Dallam Lane continued this evening. The embankment and groundwork either side of Dallam Lane has been formed using polystyrene blocks cut roughly to profile. There needs to be a small retaining wall added aswell from the bridge along the embankment. 60052 on mgrs head towards Warrington Arpley. Also managed to finish laying all the cork in the fiddleyard ready for track laying. Cheers Simon

Hi Tom, To echo what others have said, superb work and very neat. I did a double take with the shed as I thought it was in 4mm not N gauge! Cheers Simon

Managed to get another hour or so in the garage this evening. Started to look at making the base for Dallam Lane which meets Folly Lane at the bridge. This has been formed from a strip of 3mm hardboard. This will be built up with strips of card then scenery added. Also started the weathering of the concrete hard standing for the sidings area. So far 2 seperate washes have been applied, one with Humbrol 121 then a second with Humbrol 166. At the bridge end, the washes have been applied in an arc shape to simulate the traffic marks, fork lifts, trucks etc. There are going to be quite a few additional colours added along with using weathering powders. Hopefully you can make it out in this pic. Cheers Simon

After a busy bank holiday weekend, I managed to have a spare hour this evening to look at the PFA kits. Got one nearly finished, just buffers and couplings to fit. Going to cut a piece of lead to fit to the container floor for weight. The container is loose at the moment, these will be fixed in position once painted, transfers applied and coal load fitted. Only another 19 to go! Cheers Simon

Hi Porkie, Here is the link. Its the Chivers kit basically. http://www.slimrails.co.uk/ Cheers Simon

Thanks Porkie, also looking at ordering some OTA kits from Slimrails for the Mossend to Arpley timber service.Looking at pics online, could do with a 92 for this service though. Cheers Simon