Northpoint

Latest from here. I've been working on 2 things: a covered unloading area for the brewery wagons and steps leading up to the platform. I'm not too sure what to do about the station entrance. I thought about maybe a photo background but it's getting the perspective right. General view

That's most likely what I shall do, Rich!

Oh well - it looks like I'll have to scrap it all and start over again...

Yesterday's post Today's post A bit more MIdland looking!

It's time to start thinking about it again! I have e-mailed all those that have been before but if aybody is interested in coming (with or without module), please PM me with an e-mail address so I can a: add you to the list of attendees; and, b: keep you up to date with further communications. Details: The weekend of 24/25th September. Armitage Village Hall. WS15 4UZ For those that haven't been before and are interested, the normal format is to start setting up around 8am on the Saturday, go through until whatever time on Saturday evening and break down mid-afternoon on Sunday. Buffet lunch on Saturday, takeawy Saturday evening, hot meal for lunch on Sunday and tea/coffee & biscuits all day long. There is a cost attached (venue, refreshments, etc) and it normally comes out at about £15-20 per head, give or take, depending on how many attend. A guaranteed fun weekend with the opportunity to run trains as close to the prototype as you will ever get.

I guess it's time to start thinking about the summer - June 1th in particular! The 2016 Trent Valley North American Modellers show will take place in the usual venue at the usual times. For those unfamiliar with the details: Saturday 11th June, 10 am - 4 pm. Armitage with Handsacre Village Hall, Shropshire Book Rd, Armitage, Rugeley, Staffs, WS15 4UZ Admission: £6 Free car parking; light refreshments avaialble. The following are scheduled to be there: Layouts: Agawam HO Dave Long Brett HO Martin Hogg Burlington Jct HO Chris Prior The Car Works On18 Arry Dodd Duncan's Mine II HO Steve Grantham Fort Myers HO Ian Lampkin Freemo HO Derby Freemo group Goose Island HO Dave Murray Highland/Lakeside HO Chris and Jack Gilbert Millers Crossing HO Roger Nicholls Modular N Black Diamonds New Field HO Jez New Tilley Yard South HO Rob Strachan Traders: Anoraks Anonymous - as many of you know, a large selection of pre-owned models. Mech Models - Barry now has an account with Walthers so there will be much more available from him compared to last year. John Sammans - another good selection of pre-owned models. Linda Tinker Books - a large range of pre-owned US books, many hard to find. Simon Ansell - specialising in N (occasionally HO) laser cut structure kits. Look forward to seeing you there.

As the sun is shining this afternoon, I thought I would take a few more pics. The Jinty resting in the siding. A yard crane has been added today as well. The class 25 arriving on a parcels train. An overall view of the layout with the 3F arriving on a freight. The DMU arriving. Were Morris Minors that popular back in the day?

Here's a very fortunate find - Base Toys lorry lettered for BRS North Derbyshire. It could most likely have been seen at Ashbourne (assuming it is from a prototype!).

Having seen Andy this morning at the Gresley open day busy weatheirng, it inspired me to have a go with a couple of wagons.

Hence the need to replace it with a more Midland looking one..!!

I've been making and adding ground signals this afternoon. Made from styrene rod for the post, square styrene for the lamp, a disc cut out of 20 thou with an office hole punch, arm and balance weight from scraps. Sprayed black, face picked out in white and red decal stripe.

Now we skip forward a couple of years....

I've just discovered this on ebay: Probably more in keeping than the one currently on the layout.

The tank was Fleischmann actually but still excellent considering it is no more than a circular pancake motor. The diesels were Piko and they ran extremely well too.

That's alright, Andy. It's not as if you're the first person to ever do that on this forum!! Back to the comments about weathering and decoders - I wholeheartedly agree, although I was rather pleased with the effect on this one. I would add though that I am still always disappointed with the quality of the running with the majority of UK locos I have experienced. Some of you will be aware that a lot of my modelling time is spent in the realms of the USA, Germany, Holland etc and I'm afraid many of the UK offerings are still a way behind the latest US and Continental models. Strange, given that thye're probably all made in the same factory these days!

I'll look forward to that Andy. US themed after your experience at Nottingham?

Thnaks, William. Yes - the Bachmann 3F factory weathered and factory installed DCC. Still needs its Kadee couplers. I'm pleased to see that manufacturers are at last realising that weathering is more involved than just a spray of earth coloured paint across the bottom half of the model!

Here you go...

I guess it's because the project was always to build a small layout and the terminus suited the space. The use of Ashbourne for the name was more a "stick a pin in the map" and came after the layout had been conceived. I never really considered the history until the other day. I would like to think it is a plausible "what might have been" and I'm surprised the Midland didn't have a go at it. I went to Ashbourne for work this morning and parked in Sainsbury's car park which is next to the station hotel. I could see what appeared to be the parapet of a bridge, presumably from the old right of way.

North Staffs wasn't it? Or LNWR?

... and a couple more photos as requested. That's all I have for now. I'll try and get some more later in the week.

That's a good question. I haven't thought about that in a lot of detail but I have 2 possible scenarios: 1) a junction on the Duffield - Wirksworth branch following the Ashbourne - Belper road via Hulland; 2) a junction on the main line just north of Derby following the A52 via Mackworth and Brailsford. As for Ashbourne itself, again, a couple of scenarios, both close to the town centre. Much of the residential development on the east and south-east side of the town is unlikely to have been there in the period I'm modelling (early 1960s).

Re backscene - whilst I used the Gaugemaster one on the original layout, I noticed it has a curious mix of bare trees and trees in leaf! I have decided that this one will have a minimalist backscene - blue paint with a bit of painted foliage. Although, if we get a decent day in the next couple of weeks, a trip to Ashbourne (not far from here) might be on the cards to see whether there are any useable views of the town that could be photographed and used on the backscene.

I didn't realise it was 6 years ago that I last posted in this thread. A lot has happened in that time.... First, the original layout was sold! I'm not really sure why as soon afterwards, I built it again, but this time as a mirror image. It languished in my garage in a semi completed state for a number of years until I dug it out earlier this year and the appeal reasserted itself. So, here is Ashbourne (Midland) mark 2. It even has a lighting pelmet now: Still a few things to do before its debut at the Sutton Coldfiled show on 23/24 April. It can also be seen at Derby on 7/8 May.

F1 on the controller to turn the bells off, Andy!