Temeraire

Evening Stu I hope you're well mate. '10 is looking good so far, it made me remember a pic I took back in the day at Basingstoke. 50010 Monarch at Basingstoke with 15.10 Waterloo - Exeter 7th June 1988. I always thought it was probably one of the best pics I took with my first SLR camera. hope its useful!

Evening all Since the last update all the mainline ballasting has been completed as well as weathering it all. It's kept me occupied through this latest lockdown, and I've found it quite relaxing to shut myself in the shed with the radio on just getting on with it! The four track area. Compare to the last post for the difference. A bit further along at the junction and tunnel entrance. Close up of part of the tracks close to Exford Park station. Another view of the same area. So there we go another task ticked off the list. The sidings and stabling point will be ballasted later as things progress but at least the mainlines are complete and the rails all cleaned up so running can take place when I just want to play trains. Next on the list is the 'Dawlish-esque' cliffs/embankments from the tunnel area around the sweeping curve to the other side of the shed so watch this space.

My three arrived this morning and a very nice model but anyone else had transit damage? All three of mine have broken buffers.

Looking as good as ever, Happy New Year Pete.

Off until next Monday Andy and won't be furloughed, medical company so we have kept busy! How's things with you, hiding from everyone I guess? Happy New Year and hope to see you soon(ish).

Hi Alex, Happy Birthday and hope you and the family had a good Christmas. With the sleepers placed the sheer size of the layout is becoming more apparent and you're going to need more locos! While you've been sticking down the sleepers (how many by the way, are you keeping score??) I've been ballasting, amazing what lockdown boredom can do eh? Hope you have a good New Year and I hope to catch up sometime when BoJo allows.

Evening all I hope everyone had the best Christmas possible under the current circumstances and are looking forward to a hopefully better New Year! With time at home and no visitors, I took the opportunity to spend some time in the shed and made a start on the ballasting of the mainlines. Monday saw the junction completed. Whilst yesterday I spent most of the day getting as far as the last crossover. Finally this afternoon saw the completion of the four track mainline up to the scenic break. Having the heater on while out there helped with the drying as the Monday work is already dry and rock hard! Next I will cross to the other side of the layout and make a start on the double track through the station site and on round to the junction to finish, after which it'll be time to throw lots of paints at it to give it a more realistic colouring. Happy New Year to you all.

Hi Rich Unfortunately no I don’t have a camera truck, maybe I’ll invest in one once the layout is a bit more ‘scenic’. Spent a few hours this afternoon painting the concrete sleepers ready for ballasting, still a little to finish tomorrow followed by fitting the catch pits and then there’ll be no excuse for not ballasting anymore!

All looking great Stu, look forward to seeing the Christmas arrivals! Have a good (as you can) Festive season with the family and hopefully we can all get together in the New Year sometime.

Hi Steve long time no hear fella, don't understand quite what is taking so long with the 59 I'm sure there were painted samples at Warley last year? Thanks for the nice comments about the shed and if you're ever this way drop in, but perhaps don't park your artic outside! If not I'll catch up with you at the MidHants if they ever give Lion a running day! Where are you living now, I lost track?

Another happy customer!

What strain they’re loaded with polystyrene!

Morning all Been a few weeks and not had a lot of time in the shed with decorating and work taking up time. What time I had was spent making, painting and laying concrete trunking alongside the track, adding dummy point motors and concrete bases for relay cabinets etc. Last week the Accurascale wagon delivery finally arrived and last night I got time to unpack them and see how they run, especially as the dedicated traction arrived this week! (Given up waiting for the Dapol 59). Once a couple of issues had been sorted the wagons ran well round and round and up and down to the FY and so I thought a video might be in order! There maybe further updates in the next week or so as the NHS App last night told me to isolate for 10 days. Shame!

I ordered and paid in June 2019 my order is 45XX not heard anything yet.

Was looking at Google Maps for something else and came across Rhymney Leon. Platform with runround and sidings. Could develop a 'what if' based on it?

I'm guessing not many Leon, although Buxton had the depot/fuelling alongside the station, but it adds to the interest and operating potential! Good to see you back.

I'm sure my 'friend in the know' will be able to suggest something! Looking good so far.

I remembered wrong! The other line up is from 19th October 1990. Scrap lineup 1 outside Laira depot comprising 50021,16,20,40,37,50,04,35. 19th October 1990. Viewed from the opposite end. However I did take a pic of '001 later. 50001 Dreadnought at the head of another Laira scrapline, minus nameplates a week after its withdrawal. 25th April 1991.

Hi Iain Two pics of that scrap lineup in the Ocean siding taken 24th February 1991. 26 & 43 in the middle of the NSE four. From the other end. Scrap line up 2 outside Laira depot comprising 50028,43,26,45,40,21,20,42. 24th February 1991. I've got another line up including Dreadnought if you're interested?

yeah bloody nuisance!

yeah fancied a cup of tea!

No North Devon this time, I've still got some of the soil left from before. Did you ever use what I sent you?

Afternoon all Having just returned from a few days in Devon I thought I'd take some up to date pictures and post a state of play and where its going next. I mentioned previously that backscene boards had been added all around but these had not been pictured yet. Starting at Exford Park station (to be!), you can see the backscene and the scenic break behind the DMUs that are at the platforms that will run up to the board joint from the scenic break. Looking back the two lines in the middle are the goods through loop and run round loop. The two sidings will become a cement terminal based on Exeter Central. The curve at the far end of the shed where the two lines reach the junction on the Right. The Celotex foam will form cliffs/embankments similar to those at Dawlish hopefully! Behind the backscene here, the two lines are beginning their descent to the Fiddle yard. In front are three engineers sidings accessed from the Goods Loop. View of the Junction and tunnel mouth that will be based on Kennaway Tunnel at Dawlish, with the hill built up above, once the track below is ballasted. There will then be a path rising on the Righthand side from roughly baseboard level to above the tunnel mouth. What will be the view from the top of the hill (when its built). View of the stabling point towards the scenic break at the door end of the shed. We now have a four track mainline with the rear two tracks from the FY below and the two inner 'relief lines' that circulate on the top level through the station. The reverse view from the scenic break. View of the door end of the shed with the lifting flap and removable bridges and the two scenic breaks. Closer image of the difference in height between the top scenic level and the FY below. The difference in track heights is around 290mm. Lastly a view inside the 'Underworld'! So having had a period of just running trains to thoroughly test the running is satisfactory, its time to start on the scenic side of things! Time to source some ballast.