P.C.M

I do like your loco fleet, but the Bachmann MK2 in in Scotrail looks great, I am hoping Bachmann bring out some MK2s in Trans-Pennine livery , but it looks like I will be doing the same as you, and repainting a few. Cheers Peter,

I'll tell you one thing, I aint starting again I have permission to move the freezer, she's not happy though I am always in the you know what, its just the depth that varies. Anyways here are a few pics to show you my plan. As you can see all I need to do is remove the end 2' board, I will get a longer fiddle yard as well. Cheers Peter,

Thanks Jon, and TT3. I am having a BRMA meeting March 20th so you quite welcome to come along, though I might do an RMweb meeting at some point. I have been having a think about the extension and I am not really happy with a few things, one of which is the senic break to the fiddle yard and how the junction looks, I thought I would have more room for the tunnels. Anyway this got me thinking about a plan I worked out a few years ago but didn't follow through with it due to the expence of trackwork and boards. Plus the thing is, it will turn Llanbourne from a terminus to a roundy roundy. It will mean removing the end 2 foot board and building a new senic board or two. to join the recently built fiddle yard board. I have worked out that most of the track from the extension can be used. Should I leave as is? or go for the roundy roundy. Let me know your thoughts. Cheers Peter,

I love the damage to the side of the loco and the nameplate, but that detail behind the windows is superb. Cheers Peter,

Hi Jon, Glad you like the layout, I will take some pics over the next few days as I am going to run a few trains to make sure all the new trackwork is ok. Hi Keith, I will put some in a box for you, 28 today, had a swim after work. Cheers Peter,

Hi Kevin, Keep the pics comming, it's a great layout. Love the MOD stuff. I have a pic somewhere of 47517 in that livery, I had forgotten it had the smaller numbers. Cheers Peter,

Hi Alex, Looking good, though I would be more worried about doing the transfers on that many wagons than building the bogies. Cheers Peter.

Here are a couple of pics for you. Cheers Peter,

Hi Bob, Just had a cool spell, but a few weeks ago it was mid 30s all week. I am about 40km South of St Kilda on the Mornington Peninsula 5mins walk to the Beach, went for a swim with the daughter when it was hot the other week, still bloody cold in the water though. Glad you like the layout, the Brickwork is Wills, I think its course stone, not the cheapest way of doing it but it does look good. Cheers Peter,

Hi Gary, Thought we had lost you, I haven't heard from you for a while. Hope you can make it over next year, hopefully I can get the extension working by then. We have had a cool spell here but I don't think it will last for long. Cheers Peter,

Hi Michael, Glad you found me, I have a BRMA meeting planned for March but if you are down this way let me know. Cheers Peter,

Hi all, Just a quick update on the extension, things have been moving very slowly just latley as I decided to replace some points then had to wait for them to arrive, then a week of hot weather stopped me doing anything. Last week I managed to get the trackwork finished again, I also moved the coal yard siding over to make more room, I also fitted a Kadee magnet while the track was up. Things are now running again, so the next job is to build control panels. I did mention that I was going to put a crossover near the junction but this made things look too busy and was going to change my nice flowing curves, plus the cost of two more points and motors was going to push the extension even more over budget. I am going to make it look like the crossover has recently been removed and have some trackwork laying around and fresh ballast on the track. Cheers Peter,

Hi Mark, The station building is looking great, shame about not getting enough time to do more modelling, but I know what you mean, this time of year does get a bit crazy. Cheers Peter,

Hi Kevin, Like Grimley, I like the last pic with the Scorpions on the MODAs and the VEA vans behind, It reminds me of when I worked at Eastleigh East Yard, and used to see the MOD trains coming and going. Keep the pics coming would love to see more. Cheers Peter,

Hi Doug, I am getting some cash together for a class 25, I have already worded Jeff up on reprogramming it for me so I can run it on Llanbourne. thin end of the wedge me thinks. Good luck with the track colour, best advise I can give you is look at plenty of pictures, preferably from the area you are modelling. Cheers Peter,

Hi James, I am trying to get some cash together for 25095, I heard a friends 25245, Bachmanns other sound chipped 25. I think its the best factory fitted sound loco yet. A friend of mine is going to reprogram it for me so I can run it on Llanbourne which is DC, I wont get all the options, horn sound etc but I just want that Sulzer thrash. I did notice that Bachmann haven't painted the tail light surrounds but thats an easy fix. Another thing is the steps on the body side will need plating over, as you said it does have other faults but with a bit of work they do look alright. The question is will you be able to stop at one Blue diesel. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Dave, Check out Scottish Region in the 80's by Bruce, in the Gallery section, there is a lovely pic of a class 27 near Waverley, and in the six foot there are a couple of concrete sleepers. No worries, Banger Blue, Glad you like them. I saw D200 a few times and had haulage once, though I wasn't as lucky with other 40s, I saw a few during 85 and 86 but missed them when they regulars on the North Wales coast. Hi Mark, A class 40 to Penzance and getting paid for it, nice. Hope the wife is ok. Thanks Mark, I never saw a 25 & 40 paired either, thats what I like about modelling trains as you can do things you missed in real life. It has been a bit hot but I did manage to get something done the other day. I haven't really made any progress though, as I have ended up replacing some points for new ones, as the most recent Peco points have a slightly tighter frog which improves the running, hopefully things will be running in a day or two, back to where I was about two weeks ago. I am also in the process of moving the headshunt and coal yard siding over a bit, to give me more room at the front of the layout for coal storage etc. I will post a pic in a day or two. Cheers Peter,

Hi, I had a chance to take some pictures at Llanbourne today. First was the 08.58 4J09 Vans from Bangor, The train is booked for a 47 but 40122 worked the train today. A while later at 10.25 the 7K11 Ballast departs to Crewe. 25109 was attached to the front as it was needed at Chester. Cheers Peter,

Nice, you can't beat Scottish class 37s. Cheers Peter,

Hi Dave, I must agree with Mark, your photography justs keeps getting better. Your Deltics are looking good, how many do you have now? Cheers Peter,

Hi Dave, I knew you could do it, I think the ballast colour looks great on Waverley West. The colour on Llanbourne is basically on colour once its all mixed up, I might try Railmatch sleeper grime when I ballast the extention. I do have an airbrush but I haven't used it for years. most of the ballast on Llanbourne is brushed on , though when I first built it I did use spray cans for some areas, most of which has been painted over since. No worries Richard, As I said to Dave my Airbrush is at a friends the last thing I used it on was some coach roofs a few years back. Tha cable trunking is plasticard cut into 4mm strips and scored every 7mm 'I think' to make it look like the lids, put this down before ballasting though. Hi Banger Blue, By 1986 40s were a bit thin on the ground but I do have a couple, watch this space. Thanks Mason, The point rodding is made from MSE cranks and stools which I have also copied and made my own from platicard, the rodding is Evergreen .020x.020 rod. There are signal pulleys on the MSE crank etch, but I haven't used used them. Here is a pic to give you an idea of what it looks like before painting. Hope that helps. Cheers Peter,

Hi mate, It's a bit warm out there at the moment, been in the mid 30s all week. cooler for the weekend though, any loco requests? Cheers Peter,

Hi Richard, Glad you have found me and that you like the layout. I have weathered my track with thinned Humbrol colours, they are Matt black 33, Natural wood 110, or Khaki 72, and Leather 62, I have also used Matt brick red 70, and a bit of white 34, mixed in. Best thing to do is have a play with the colours and see what you are happy with. Well used track is normally darker. Hope that helps, and keep going with the blog people will find you eventually. Here are a couple of pics for a bit more inspiration. Cheers Peter,

Sorry it took so long, hope this helps. It's not the best picture but gives a good idea of what I am doing. Cheers Peter,

Thats a super picture Brian, I think if you allowed 25s and 26s you would be close to ten locos, I am thinking you will be getting a 27 or two when they come out, so ten locos shouldn't be a problem. If you do ever build a layout it will have to be a big depot. Cheers Peter,