Russ (mines a pint)

You have done a cracking job with this , full of atmosphere, cheap to build what's not to like. The water tower was a great transformation and view blocker, You will always spot something in your photos after taking them its annoying but then its good cos you can go back and correct it.

Looking fabulous , hopefully the next or maybe adjoining step might be an inglenook style layout even that doesn't have to take a huge amount of space?

you can add extra weight and pick ups to both locos you should find this aids better running . - the lima loco will have adequate weight but more is better, both will only pick up on 2 wheels each side if unmodified - adding extra weight will help - adding extra weight AND extra pick-ups will have them running almost as sweet as more modern stuff. checking back to backs will help the Hornby loco as others have suggested . You can add extra weight by looking out for cheapo non-runners or using lead shot or liquid lead, or improvising.

good decision going with the pli lining in the boxfiles . There was a layout based on Laxford in the pre-grouping era in a really old RM possibly 1970's , cant remember what scale but it may have been 7mm or P4 amazing what you can fit in N , though I find it a bit fiddly. Good luck with the layout it looks good already

have you done a search on RMweb there is a few threads. 'Halts as Termini' is one I remember also I am sure someone did an N gauge version (possibly based on it rather than an exact representation) so there will be more info/photos in those threads? https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/search/&q=Ynysybwl

coving can be used with some success to partially hide box corners , either polystyrene for ceilings or timber types used for skirting and floorboards- according to what you are going to put in front of course as it then gives a lip between the coving and original box, but it might be worth experimenting with? -the other option would be go with bendy MDF but this isn't cheap and brings a lot more woodworking into what would have been an easy baseboard?

looks very good so far -always up for ideas regards pre-cut easy to assemble solutions regards baseboards

Got one too, whether it'll get built that quickly? - I've tried boxfiles before and generally massacred the structure of them at some point and made them unusable, so for the price of a couple of magazines it's worthwhile getting the lowdown on how to do the basics, also downloaded the freebies warehouse and office buildings to practise on too.

Particularly like the way the transition from full ballast to cobbled yard has been done, very effective. Hope there is more to come.

RIP Paddy Ashdown Yes he seemed to have more appealing qualities than some of the mainstream politicians all credit due both he and the already RIP Charles Kennedy they both took their party forward. - I have managed to vote for him or his party a few times either tactically or in local council candidates who actually want to do something -BUT I kind of totally lost track in 2010 when they went into to coalition and again when I moved to Scotland as the local team seemed to think they were entitiled to the seat _ I'm looking forward to the day that politics is comprehensively overhauled in the Uk - he had a lot of good ideas on that , and worked for a living at times too

If it fits on the layout why not there are plenty instances of train locos doing the shunting especially at outer ends of rural lines where no shunter may be available .

Have a number of books which contain pics of the Ballachullish branch there is a mixture of ex LMS and LNER non corridors plus a few mk1 suburbans too but these seem to be less. All types are definitely shorter than standard 64 foot Mk1s ,there were some 64 foot mk1 suburbans but these aren't them? think the ex LNER Thompsons were by far the most common. https://www.flickr.com/photos/dubdee/4179118370

Good Answer! - its off scene so wouldn't worry -as you have a pub at the side you could maybe have an overhanging pub/brewery sign at a suitable height to make it even more off scene, check with highest item of rolling stock obviously … First chance I've had to look at this whole thread but layout looking fantastic so far as are your other ones, and loving the thread for the sense of humour/banter too.

the only way us Northeners could ride on them was when a couple of them were used on Stalybridge to Stockport shuttles in the late 80's - def better than a p*c*r but what isn't ? have a couple of pics somewhere but easier to post this link https://christrerise.smugmug.com/DMUs/Class-122-Bubble-Car/i-XdqX7VD - more interesting is the branches they were used previously, some survive some don't, I'm pretty sure the Looe lines of the day wouldn't have survived without these?

Yep for my case that is now all clear - car was registered in Derry has a Derry reg was serviced there for first 3 years, the following service / MOT etc is in Helensburgh (all before 2014) - then it has remained in Scotland ever since. Like I said it was more out of interest as it was obviously UK reg and no problems getting mot history - tax or insurance it just seemed odd that it could be classed as an import , but going by your post it becomes perfectly clear! For a while the test station that did motorbikes here was without a tester , meaning the bike had to goto Glasgow for test, a round trip of 280 miles - luckily it passed - think the tester might not have been amused if I'd returned with a defect fixed but that much mileage from the previous test all totally legal of course as you are allowed to ride/drive to the MOT station.

I wasn't worried as such more like curious - I came to the vehicle by Gumtree which does a basic check of reg no. for Write-off, Accident, Finance etc info , I also checked MOT History online for mileage etc , checked the Vin no's matched etc and that it was tax and insurable.. and its probably worth more in bits if anything goes seriously wrong so certainly wasn't gonna pay extra for an enhanced check.

figure of speech as to not having a dpf its pre 2007/8 ish which seems to be the cut -off point for making diesels unusable for normal motorists

All very interesting - A couple of useful ideas as to what the case with my own is : Its actually on the V5 docs - Yes we know that to be true - I didn't want to get political on this but this has been made more than apparent by the ' Brexit negotiations' I would imagine that this car must have been supplied to the UK dealer - which must also have supplied cars to nearby parts of the republic due to its border location - the thing which I think is odd is the dealer was using with its UK ie NI registration when doing the first 2 annual services etc. whilst the DVLA considered it to be out of the country lol … From my own point of view I got this cheap as a stopgap between a potentially expensive repair on a newer vehicle (DPF woes) - its straight, drives well , full years MOT & service history and covers everything in soot and clag so I'm happy!

Bought a car recently and asked if the numberplate came with it as it looked like a private numberplate , as wanted to check out its history as it said it was an import- the insurance and history checks turned out ok -was told it would have to come with that numberplate as it was originally registered in Northern Ireland, sure enough all the history is ok but cant see why it is an import? looking at the bills and service history the first 3 years where outside UK yet seems to have been serviced by the Nissan dealer in Derry but I suspect the original customer was outside the UK part of Ireland ... - should it not have had a republic of Ireland numberplate for that section of time? - the service history shows the NI numberplate throughout? Just curious … price was fantastic but just gonna need to know what I need to say when the time comes to sell it in the future - its an oldish motor so assuming they were just taking advantage of economic situation at the time , no political comments please

I've just had a thought that this project maybe the one I revisit over this autumn/winter months - got a baseboard about ready to go , a couple of pannier tanks and half an idea of a trackplan which is where I had the block last time round. - basically suggestion of a run-round with the station and goods yard with a moveable cassette to perform run-rounds etc. Its not big or clever but it might get finished hahaha Justified the order of a new peco bullhead point just for evaluation purposes, let you know how we get on . My facebook friends on here will realise there is absolutely no chance of updates if the weathers good I'm out on my bike be it motorised or pedalling lol

Rob by far the most difficult thing with going back to Peco I ever found was cutting to length and getting neat joins - with handmade track you very rarely need to cut anything bigger than a single rail - need to do it though as I am a small/simple layout person and getting the track done in one hit kind of appeals...

Time available is a big factor too not just track but stock conversions- I've gradually talked myself back into OO even though I've been using scale trackbases and still copperclad points I have still not manged to complete anything that sustained my interest long enough to get to the scenic stage which is the bit I really enjoy! Looking forward to seeing what you come up with this time, every confidence it will be a nice layout From what I saw of the Aberystwyth mails at the Yorkshire end it was usually a 31 - which must've been swapped somewhere before Manchester?Crewe?

This was what first interested me in this location as far back as the 1980's - oddly if you google the name Lochty in realtion in it brings up Ian Futer's various diesel depot layouts with the same name , for the closest representation you have to look out for Lochend , which used a simarlar track plan to the real Lochty. Buildings based on Eyemouth as I recall as full passenger facilities provided- have magazine article cant remember which mag/date. I was over in Fife a couple of weekends ago and also picked up the KFRPS book 'The East Fife Central Railway' as Keefer recommended. The last few years of BR operation give lots of pics of the 05 shunters and a kind of light railway type of atmosphere, which I personally find even more inspiring than the Lochend interpretation. ​The building looks great and hope there is more to come!

Liking the canal feature- have you thought of using car repair resin for the water- once set it has a opaque brownish red hue and is very appropriate for canals and stagnant water. Much cheaper solution compared to Woodland scenics too.

bit more info and a couple of photos on Phil Parkers blog? - but probably not as much info as in the mag or they wouldnt sell any? http://philsworkbench.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/Didsbury%20Green http://philsworkbench.blogspot.co.uk/2017/12/is-that-new-layout-project-in-brm.html