Steadfast

Thanks all for the kind words, it helps keep me going when the motivation runs low!

Hmmm Intercity you say Alex. I do love Intercity Swallow livery, and I have a 50 to be working on. Covering over the First Great Western branding in places wouldn't be too hard. Throw in an RfD clay 37 for good measure of course...

Here's some pictures of whats been going on lately, filling the big open area at the front of the layout. It's all just loosely placed at the moment to see how it goes, there's more to add as well as some fuel storage tanks. Residents of Bristol should keep their eyes on these in particular...

The container is Dapol, the truck an Intertrans (Farish) model which is meant to look like an owner driver's custom sprayed metallic rig with a scabby trailer from the company he's doing work for. The van bodies are Farish VBAs, the crates are PG Models Ammo crates and the forklift is a GHQ kit. Think that's all for now

jo

So only 3 weeks to go until Showcase. Work is progressing on lots of little jobs, tidying bits up and some new additions.

Here's the current progress

More soon!

jo

Best looking? No competition...

Mind you a Western on matching stock does have a certain ring to it...

I'm surprised no one's mentioned my second favourite...an iconic classic

jo

Got a feeling it's 66745 again today. It was at Gloucester yesterday. I presume the return is tomorrow?

jo

Oooh what a colour for a 60! Nice progress on the 37 too. I do like the etched doors with integral handrails - it was these and the windscreens I was thinking of for the newer model 37. Hmmm too much else to get done before 37038 comes out again...or is there?

jo

It was looking rather less charred on Monday when it worked 4O51 Wentloog - Southampton.

Here's a link with a picture of the smouldering 70 http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-17632580

jo

About 2 hours earlier you should get 60063 on 6A11 Robeston - Theale. Other than that, not much hope I'm afraid

jo

Nice work there Simon, interesting new 37 bits from TPM. I wonder if they'd fit the new model too....I beleive red is correct for DRS 37 fans by the way. I must get round to fitting mine really.

What livery will the 60 be emerging in?

jo

Nice pic - I still can't get used to 60054 being red. I still think of Petroleum sector when it's mentioned!

Here's a few recent red 'uns from me

60007 stabled at a very quiet Margam Knuckle Yard on a Saturday evening 24/3/12

60007 thunders past Charfield loops with 6B47 Westerleigh - Robeston empty Murco tanks 30/3/12

And finally today:

60079 approaches Brinkworth with 6B33 Theale - Margam. The unusual Sunday running was due to the train arriving at Theale around 400 minutes late the day before. Amazingly it had taken 55 minutes to reach here from Theale - normally it takes about 2 hours 1/4/12

jo

Today's Theale - Robeston empty tanks approaching Shrivenham (annoyingly 10 miles west of the sunshine ! Grrrr............)

I feel your pain with that - it's a location I've yet to 'nail' 6B33 in the sun. Got it in various dull and semi sun coniditons there.

Yesterday we drove to find the sun, forecast said Didcot cloud, Reading sun. So Lower Basildon and Pangbourne it was.

Here's 60074 running a bit early passing Pangbourne with 6B33 Theale - Robeston. It was nice to see 60074 out and about again

jo

Must get my FGW Mk3s finished......and the 150!!!

 

Later;

STU from EGDL

Hello Stu,

I'm looking forward to seeing your FGW stuff - I know it's been on the go a while. Which reminds me I must finish the 150, its currently only decalled on one side...

Lovely layout and based on an interesting prototype by comparison with most TMD layouts.

 

Even painted darker, I do think the Noch hedge lets things down. It does look like a moustache or perhaps a draught excluder. You could certainly do better with carpet underlay. Or if you really want to go for the "full monty" some brass etched tree bits.

Hi Joseph, I agree it's far from perfect for the time being, but I've been weighing up options. Now cheaper devices are available, I may well give static grass a go like Pete suggested, or maybe some of the "Kermit Dandruff" used on the other bushes on the layout

Jo, who cares what 60054 is doing on Laira, what a great set of pics !

I like it!

Ive followed this with interest from the start, loved the way the scratchbuilt structures were executed, especially that roofline and now youve produced a cracking set of pics. The first of 60054 had me double take as did the high overhead 153 shot.

To get anyone to double take in OO is an achievement but to do it in N is brilliant.

Cheers Jon, coming from you that's quite a compliment! As you've shown, natural light helps! As for the Loadhaul comment.... hahaha don't worry, it'll be large logo! Loadhaul's for 60s

Trying to put my finger on it, I think it's a combination of the very even, unweathered colouring, and the lack of any window bars in the glazing - I am not familiar with the prototype but having a single pane of glass that large *looks* unrealistic, even if it is authentic.

Hi Ben,

Here's a photo of the real thing - dividing bars and all http://www.flickr.com/photos/dmc1947/5759380103/

The one piece glazing was thrown in to get it finished for its first exhibition, and was something I was planning to return to, but had forgotten until now!

Also, I am especially impressed with the weathering on the underframes of your units and coaching stock - care to share the technique?

Of course - it's nowt more than a couple of jars of Railmatch enamel! Previously I'd only used Frame Dirt and Sleeper Grime, whichever came to hand, but the 153, 60054 and the mk3s use brake dirt too for the first time.

Step by step that applies to the 153 and mk3s, once the chassis is separate from the body:

- Pick out the details in correct colours (orange wheelslip kit, yellow springs, rusty exhaust etc)

- Brush on a relatively thick coat of Sleeper Grime, let it dry for 10 mins or so

- Take a soft brush, about 8-10mm dia dipped in white spirit. Wipe most off on a piece of Kitchen Roll, then use it damp to remove most of the paint. On the 153 this left it in recesses etc, and on the mk3s it gave a streaking effect down the skirting, around panel joins etc.

- Brake dust was airbrushed over the bogies, ends of the underframe for that thrown up by wheels, and plows

- A light - medium coating of Sleeper Grime was then airbushed to blend it all together. On the 153 a very wet brush of white spirits was used to remove the excess from the solebar, steps and plows, leaving a brown residue in the corners

HTH

jo

So the photo of a confused cat was the result of a quick photoshoot in Sunday's sunny weather. Here's a few of the kind of thing I was aiming for, trying out some new angles. Some work, some don't. I'm not really sure what 60054 is doing on Laira, though...

A 153 goes into the shed for maintenance

Various stock stabled outside the depot

Some overviews

153 comes off the depot, followed by the 60

08947 waits to drag a power car out for refueling

43136 is the power car in question, having undergone bogie maintenance

And finally an SPA was left here last weekend after some engineering work

Any thoughts on what works and what doesn't please guys? Thanks!

jo

These switches would be much easier if I had thumbs...

jo

Hello Mick,

Nice work! You're tempting me to crack out some Farish mk1s, lots of plastic and the yellow paint! I've a few yellow things planned, please keep tempting me!

Looking forward to the next update

jo

Dave,

If you go down the road a hired in Riviera 47, don't forget the smoke machine....

47848 complete with smoke billowing from the underframe, leads 47839 through Culham on hire to Colas working 6Z48 Burton - Dollands Moor. The train was held at Didcot whilst the fire service saw to 47848 10/9/09

Taken from http://joalder.smugmug.com/Trains/Class-By-Class/Class-47/19680346_wJhKGn#!i=1646546334&k=7QPFvzb

Great to see the layout progressing too!

jo

Hi Ian,

A great looking layout, lots of nice details and plenty of interesting rolling stock. Top stuff!

The Theale - Robeston (T,Th,S) loads to 24, and watching Dave's video of the Lindsey, that had 24 tanks on too

HTH

jo

It's 60039 John, being used as a shunter at Eastleigh.

Here's some recent 60 action from me

60071 at Gatcombe near Lydney working 6B13 Robeston - Westerleigh 27/1/12

60091 on 6B33 Theale - Margam between Coalpit Heath and Winterbourne, Bristol 28/1/12

60091 rolling through Westerleigh village with 6B13 from Robeston 2/2/12

60071 passing Acton Turville on 6B33 Theale - Robeston, luckily running about 15 min early 2/2/12

jo

Yeah it was so tempting to leave with more than I did lol! I know what you mean about the O scale stuff

I'll do a proper workbench thread on the 50 once work commences, but yeah, the surgery will be rather, erm, involved! The steps aren't a problem, they're a separate moulding so just ping them off, then fill the holes. Making replacements to the 50 style could be, erm, interesting!

jo

Oh I don't know...Loadhaul on a 60 looks like it was designed around the loco's shape

jo

Enjoyed reading through just now, especially your experiences with foamboard. I'm thinking of using it myself as weight will be a key concern for me really, so it being very lightweight will be rather good!

Cheers, foamboard is definitely advantagious in terms of transportation, just be careful every time you throw a point that the layout doesn't slide away!

jo

Cheers Lee, yeah the Farish 60's a good model. Hopefully the next layout will let me showcase my Brush fleet rather more

jo

So...it was mentioned before, and I said no. But I was in East Somerset Models yesterday, and saw a Farish bodyshell for sale. I spent the rest of the day thinking how best to achieve what I want...that is, a class 50!

The body will be given a nose job and detailed. The bogies are from the new model 37, at this point its sat on a pair from what will be DRS 37038. I plan to get hold of a spare pair, and the black rings that the bogies clip into. This will be used with a spare motor and a home made chassis. These bogies are a world away from those used on the Farish 50 (and old style 37) chassis, so it's worth the effort to use them

Now, paint wise, LoadHaul is oh so very very tempting, but I think more than likely I'll be doing Defiance in Large Logo with a grey roof, as it was for most of the era of the layout

More soon, including a car park update

jo

6B49 runs from Llanwern to Swindon Stores, which is just next to the Kemble Line, not at South Marston. I believe it supplies BMW (Mini) with steel.

6B50 is the return, and can depart anywhere between 13.30 and 17.30 depending on the load

jo

Whilst it looks like there is some material missing to allow bogie clearance, don't forget when viewed head on, the bufferbeam is angled in towards the bottom, as is the part of the solebar where the lower step is mounted. This means when view 3/4 angle, the lower step looks further forward than the upper one, as per this photo

jo

Yep the different greys are being done. One of the Bachmann guys pointed this out to me on the Farish sample at the N gauge show

jo