McRuss

Today I finished another video update of my layout. The film was shot about 6 weeks ago, so it is not quite up to date. Markus

During the last three days I worked on a Metcalf Post Office/Village shop kit. To improve the finish I painted the corners of the main bulding grey, the corners on the lean on structures will be painted to. To improve the look of the roof, I used Noch/Redutex 3D slate. In the next days I will finish the building by adding the roof on the dormers, painting the remaining corners and placing the chimneys. I placed the shop in the heart of Leckmelm so that the community of Leckmelm is provided with everything they need. Markus

Hello Andy, the ready painted signalbox looks great. Maybe you could add a variant with stone and wooden walls instead of the brick and wooden walls. Markus

The weekend before easter I held an operating session on my layout. On saturday morning we started with a traditional english breakfast. After all of us, where saturated, we started the clock and we could run the trains to a timetable These time we've got some premiers. Since the last operating session many things have changed. Unfortunatly we only could run one timetable. I haven't made pictures on saturday but on sunday I could made some photos from a Farish 3MT on the layout. Markus

Hello Mikel, the Rotring letter stencils were used in a time when no CAD programs were used for technical drawings. But usually it wasn't used with a pencil, instead ink pens like these are used. http://www.architekturbedarf.de/index.php/katalog/showarticles/100800-1-rotring_rapidograph.html For aligning a ruler was used. Markus

Hello Andrew, could you borrow me some of your building speed for my layout? Markus

During the last week I contiued with the scenic work at my Leckmelm module. Markus

Hello Frank, your stationmasters house looks very impressing. Are they only available with the brick texture or are there other textures e.g. stonework available? Markus

Morning, due to a flu and an otits media I recently didn't made much on the G&D. But the last three days I could do some work on it. First I made two Lasercut kits that I have for some years. I also finished some wagon kits that I started a few years ago. Yestetrday I glued down most of the ties and turnout ties. For the turnouts I'm using Fasttracks jigs. I still have to glue down some ties but most ist done. I altered the trackplan an made a runaround track from the siding that sits between the tracks form the fiddle yard and the track to Sorethroat. I also glued down the track between the fiddle yard and the Gorre station throat. The track diagram for the engine facility was also changed a little bit. I inserted a fourth track wich will be the Caboose track. The second track from the left in the engine facility is fixed temporarly because I have to sort out the track distance between the two engine shed tracks. View from the future fiddle yard to Gorre the engine terminal left the track to Sorethroat with the new runaround siding. For the turnouts I use Fasttracks turnout lasercut ties. The new runaround siding will hold a steam engine and three 40foot boxcars and a caboose or a steam engine with five ore cars and a caboose. Markus

Hello Phil, thank you for your post. At the moment I'm not sure what I will use for Gorre station building. A bit of history of the Sorethroat Branch. Around 1900 a prospector found cinnabar in the mountains near Sorethroat. The local businessmen at Sorethroat decided to fund a railway from Sorethroat to Gorre. Here they could connect with the G&D. Within a short time the line was built. Because of the restricted space at Sorethroat the Sorethroat & Porkbelly Railroad built a turntable at the end of the station so that the turntable could be used for running arround the train. At Gorre there was no roundaround sidings, because the S&P got trackage rights on the G&D. In the early years of the S&P G&D president Vanderslip decided to built a Cinnabar Smelter at Gorre. During the 1920s the S&P got into financial trouble and was acquired by the G&D. During the Great Depression in the 1930s a massive landslide burried a large part of the line to Daphetid. Due to the lack of revenue on the line to Daphetid. So the line was never cleared. After the takeover of the S&P there were plans to built a wye at Gorre, but with the position of the cinnabar smelter these was not possible. In my timesetting for my G&D we are in the years after the war. The G&D is a bit of anachronism. Because there is a lot of rolling stock and vehicles would suit an earlier period. Markus

Today I finished the benchwork, but I couldn't get enought 3mm MDF for trackbed, so I couldn't transfer the entire trackplan. I decided to add two storage tracks between the two headshunt tracks on the right. And there will be another industry siding which will sit between the right headshunt and the Engineshed. When have so far completed the trackplan I unboxed my entire rolling stock and placed it on the transfered trackplan. Over the years I've collected quite a lot. I think I won't need any boxcars in the near future. Mantua by Modelpower 2-6-6- Articulated. My biggest Engine, but I think it will only appear only sporadic. on the left a Mantua by Modelpower 0-6-0 Goatswitcher, on the riight the above mentioned storage tracks with the ore cars and gondolas from left Frateschi/Modelpowar 2-8-0 Oldtimer Consolidation, Roundhouse 2-8-0 Oldtimer Consolidation with soundchip, Mehano/IHC 0-4-0 Docksider on the left, a passenger train to Sorethroat is waiting for passengers, than there is a storage track with some boxcars and Cabooses etc. on the third track stand a passenger train which arrived recently, and on the outermost track on the right waits a goodstrain for departure. Another view of the future Engine Service Facilities. Where the G&D boxcar is standing there will be a siding for coal, sand, end spare parts. View from the future statonbuildung. On the left the goods train with the articulated locomotive. On the right the passenger train to Sorethroat. View from a raised perspective Another view from the opposite direction And a view from my eye level A listing of my locomotive 0-4-0 Docksider from Mehano/IHC 4-4-0 Modern American from Mehano/IHC 0-6-0 Goatswitcher/Camelback from Mantua by Modelpower 2-6-0 Mogul (mit Sounddecoder) from Mehano/IHC 2-6-6-2 Articulated from Mantua by Modelpower 2-8-0 Consolidation from Frateschi/Modelpower 2-8-0 Consolidation from Roundhouse (mit Sounddecoder 70ton GE Switcher from Bachmann Spectrum (mit Decoder ab Werk) Except the the three mentioned engines I'm not sure if the other engines are DCC chipped, One of the Mantua engines is chipped, but I have forgotten which one The passenger cars are from different manufacturers 2x Short Heavyweights from Rivarossi (Pennsylvania RR Paint scheme) 2x Overton Coaches (1x Baggage, 1x Observaton Car) from Roundhouse/MDC factory painted G&D paint scheme 2x Oldtimer Passenger Cars (I think they are made by Modelpower) I changed them to the G&D paint scheme 1x Oldtimer Baggage Car (I think also from Modelpower.) I started changing the paintscheme, but haven't finnished it, so it is still black on one side. The goods wagons are from different manufacturerers and are partly purchased via Ebay. If I'm right there is an old Varney SP Boxcar.. The are from Roundhouse, Athearn, Roundhouse/MDC, Tichy Train Group, Walthers, Bowser, Red Caboose, Intermountain, possible one or two from Life Like, and three byi Mehano/IHC Güterwagen. Markus

Thanky you for your replies. I will have a thought about extending the headshunt, but when I did this than not with a 40 x 40 cm (8x8") area, because I don't want to much of the upper level above my Inverlael station area on the lower level.(lightning etc.) Simon, I know that there is space for a wye, but I would like to keep the electrics as simple as possible, and with a wye I had to add a circuit breaker or some other electronic gizmo. And on the left the siding which is there is the receiving track of the Gorre Cinnabar Smelter, which recieves Cinnabar ore from the Cinnabar mine at Sorethroat. Markus

Hello Mark, thank you for your reply. I know that the headshunt is short. But I only want to run short trains. And I don't plan to run through trains from the fiddle to Sorethroat. But maybe I could increase the length of it, The depth ot the peninsular is 6 inch wider than first planned. Usually a goods trains will arrive from the fiddle yard, Then the wagons will be shunted to the industries at Gorre, Wagons for the Sorethroat branch will be stored at the track which is situated between the runaround siding and the branchline. Then the shunter will pull the wagons out of the track und will propell them along the headshunt. The rout will then be changed and the wagons are pushed on the branchline track where a engine is waiting for them. Markus

Hello, today I started with the benchwork for my planned G&D Sorethroat Branchline. Here the trackplan. What I built today is the benchwork for Gorre, and then I will built the fiddle yard. After these I will expand the layout step for step. Markus

Yesterday I applied the ballast and scenery base on some parts of my module. For glueing down the ballast I tried the method which is shown by Modelrailroader. For these I applied 70% Isopropyl Alcohol after I put down the ballast. Then I waited a few minutes so that the alcohol could soak in between the granules. Then I applied diluted woodglue (You could also use ballast glue or Woodland Scenic glue) For the scenery base I also used a Modelrailroader methold. First I applied Noch scenery glue, then I put down my different scenic materials in layers, e.g. sifted dirt, Blended turf, gravel, clump foliage etc. After these is done I applied Isopropyl alcohol and waited a few minutes, so that it could soak in the scenery materials. Then I applied diluted woodglue. I placed some buildings on the module to look if the look right. on the right a Severn Models kit. Markus

Hello, great to see the new trackplan as a reminiscence of John Allens G&D. I hope to start construction of a second level in my railway room. In the lower level is my Garve and Ullapool Railway and on the second one I plan to built a G&D inspired branchline. Markus

Yesterday and today I continued with my work on Leckmelm I painted the rocks and the scenery base. Markus

Two days ago I painted the gravel loader. Now only the railings and ladders are missing. Markus

Last saturday I joined an operating session held by a friend of mine. Markus

During the last few days I continued with my work on Leckmelm. First I made the hillside. For the base I use extruded Foam. Then I covered it with Polyfilla. After the Polyfilla was dry I tried rock castings. I purchased a Woodland Scenics set a few years ago, but never used it. So I gave it a try, and it worked. I made some rocks and glued them with a Acryl Deco glue in place. Yesterday I started with building the gravel loading facility. I used a sketch from the Goods and not so Goods page. But I modified it a bit. http://mike.da2c.org/igg/rail/12-linind/m-quary.htm The loading facility is now nearly finished. Only some details and the paint are missing. Markus

I also made a new installment of my Video Blog. Markus

Since last friday it is possible again to travel from the fiddle yard to Ullapool, because at Leckmelm 2.0 all track is laid and wired. At the first test I got a short circuit somewhere and it took me two long days to realize that it was not the wiring, I simple forgot to isolate the frog from the turnoutblades. So I made the cut with my Aldi Dremel and since them it worked. Markus

Today I continued with the tracklaying at Leckmelm. The track of the throughline is now in place. The loading track for the station is glued down as well. Markus

Hello, there is a small supplier from the Netherlands, that offer some 3D printed cars for british N scale. At the moment, it is a Ford Transit (van and bus), Citroen 2CV and a Mercedes 123. He also offers a telephone Kiosk, letterboxes and a police box (Tardis) Today I received my ordered 2CV and Ford transit set (one bus, one van) Here are the Ford Transits in comparisson to a R Parker Ford Transit Here are the link to the manufacruter http://railnscale.com/ And the shapeways shop http://www.shapeways.com/shops/rail-n-scale?section=1%3A148&s=0#more-products Maybe, if there is enough interest he will also offering a Renault R5 in 1/148. Here a picture of the primed RailNscale cars. In the middle is a R Parker Ford Transit for comparison. And here are some pictures of the painted vehicles. I hope these is of some interest for you. Markus

These morning I continued with the work on Leckmelm. Markus