jamest

Hi Rob, It was good to meet you yesterday and see Peafore yard in the flesh. Good to to see all those locos got at least one run :-). This forum is great but it can't beat a good natter at a show. All the best for future shows, hope our paths cross again in the future. Regards, James

Hi, Really impressive stuff - you are telling the story of the layout build well - and making a fine job of it too. I have been constructing an inglenook too (Bratton Lane below) - but I stuck to code 100 and free card buildings to get trains running faster! - you are certainly doing the Rolls-Royce version :-)! I will watch with interest. Regards, James

Looks like you've timed it to perfection! Looking forward to seeing it on Saturday. Regards, James

If you make it to the exhibition be sure to pop over and say hello - I will be there with Bratton Lane, my shunting layout. And back to the traverser - I like the way you have 'lipped' the static end over the moving part - when I had one on Braybridge the moving part warped slightly over time/conditions and although it wasn't much, it was enough to leave an annoying step in the track. All the best, James

Hi, The traverser looks impressive and well made. Little tip.....look in Somerset for Minehead!! Sorry, couldn't resist.....if you are around Minehead on the 1st of August there is a railway exhibition just around the corner from the station in the 'Minehead eye'. All the best, James

Hi, Looking forward to seeing Peafore Road on the 25th. Regards, James

Hi Gary, Thanks for the info - the 'make it yourself' pointwork seems a bit scary to me - from a buying, and making, point of view. But as I progress in the hobby I'd like to have a go. But at around a tenner they seem good value for money - and not too expensive to muck up experimenting. Do you need a lot of extra tools or gauges? If you have time a couple of images might help - but don't let me distract you from the layout build - I'm looking forward to seeing progress on that too!! All the best, James

Hi, Been following your posts for a while as your space, and location, is the kind of layout that I am interested in. I have to say your baseboard work looks excellent - looking forward to seeing your layout progress. Can I ask a question on the point kits - since you say they are similar to peco medium radius ones - was it just a decision based on looks? and are they expensive? Regards, James

You've done a top job there - I remember the sad circumstances in which you acquired the basics - I'm sure the previous owner would have been more than happy with this. Looking forward to your next project! Regards, James

Hi, Fantastic layout - I'm planning, and re-planning.....and re-planning..... a continuous run in my garage at the moment as a glorified running in line for my locos and stock to stretch its legs. I only have marginally more length than you (14') to use for OO so I haven't got a hope of creating the wide open space feel you have - but I like the simple track plan and I think it could adapt well - perhaps with a river crossing on a lower bridge in place of your magnificent viaduct. I will watch with interest. Sorry if you've already mentioned this, but do you plan do exhibit? I'd like to think I could see this one day in the flesh. Regards, James

Hi Rob, Good to hear the show went well - looking forward to seeing it at barnstaple in July. Can I ask where you get your point levers from (in the last picture above)? I'd like a couple for Bratton Lane, and they look nice. regards, James

Hi, Really like this - very atmospheric and must be nice to have in the corner ready to go when you feel like it. Can I ask if you have added the yard light we can see in the second to last photo in post #33? I'd love one or two for Bratton Lane. Regards, James

I was thinking the same thing! There is something great about individual buildings on a layout that you will not have seen before - even if you do think they are simple and 'non-specific' - its a great skill to have and one I must practice more! Some great looking pictures above, thanks for sharing. Regards, james

I remember you mentioning being at Pecorama the day earlier, but you would have never known you'd had a tough weekend - we had a nice chat, which was good, as it was one of my earliest exhibitions since re-joining the hobby. I very much enjoy building layouts of this size, and pallet lane influenced my Braybridge layout heavily - even though it might not be obvious to some. Look forward to chatting again in July. cheers, James

Really nice layout - I also liked Pallet Lane and was lucky enough to see it at Taunton a few years ago. I've just noticed you are coming to Barnstaple in July - Thats excellent news for me! Regards, James

Hi David, I've encountered the same problem with filling in sleepers in OO and N. I tend to cut the chairs off and carefully create a u shape recess where the rail sits. But I have pinned my track before, not glued it, and this probably allows the track to flex up as I push the sleepers under. Regards, James

All that fun in such a small box! Really like this layout - still really impressed with the point operation - good job you played tested the layout fully before you hid the point wires and tubes. It sounds obvious but I'm sure a lot of us have pressed on beyond the point (no pun intended) of in-expensive return! All the best, James

Hi, I really enjoyed following Exchange Square and this looks equally impressive. Also a great thing to do given the sad circumstances of its early life. I will enjoy watching your progress - one question - what is the red tubing you use to house your piano wire? - It looks a really neat solution, and seems able to operate through quite an impressive 90 degree bend. All the best, James

Hi Andy, You must have seen the link to this one in my signature! This one hasn't moved on much recently and is currently gathering dust under my sons bed. I might have confused you with some of my threads measurements - there are two scenic boards each 48" x 18" so the approach (with engine shed) is on one board and the station on the other. Realistically you can only really fit a loco and two coaches in the platform. Cheers, James

Hi again, Thanks for the advice - I'm definitely going to the show now! I've already looked into the GOG and was hoping to speak to them at the show with a view to joining. I plan to start small and build up from there - I do have a bit of OO stock and some of it could be trimmed to fund other projects - but I'll definitely keep most of it, you never know! I'm still relatively young (although my kids wouldn't agree) so I hopefully have time to build a collection. I must admit I was not expecting those second hand prices - thats better than OO! But I suppose there is a bigger market for OO second hand stuff. I was keeping an eye on the 08 that Dapol plan to release and planned some sort of inglenook arrangement that allowed me to build, bodge or buy my wagons as I go. Its funny you should mention the 35 though - I really like those and these 'smaller' diesels are what really interest me. I'm still learning about the 'real' railway - the interesting side of the Barnstaple branch line disappeared before my interest was sparked in railways. I certainly don't know enough about engines and their historical details and 'rivet' positions. But my modelling skills are ok and growing and I really like the detail levels you can get to with O gauge. I'm not afraid of a challenge and I realise you've got to make a few mistakes along the way to your modelling standard. And best of all this forum is a great way to get advice and inspiration - thanks for the kind offers of help. Thanks again, and have a good Xmas, James

Hi, I remeber seeing your original posts before and I've just caught up with the rest of your posts today. I've only scanned through but I'm following now and plan to read through in more detail later. I have to say this is one of the best things I've seen on the forum. There are a number of impressive efforts on here but I'll bet most people would gladly trade in a body part for this layout, and your obvious skill. I have modelled in OO for a while but have always been tempted by O gauge. I am a little put off by the cost but I'm sure if I was a bit more focussed with my spend it would not be too more expensive over OO. I plan to go to the Bristol show in January to suss things out, but do you have any advice for someone planning to start out in O gauge? Thats probably an unfair question with a very long answer, but I'd value your opinion. By the way, I'm interested in the same period as you. All the best, James

Hi, Very nice - how big is it roughly? I echo all the positive comments above - and you have finished it off well with the 'picture frame' too. I think that is the advantage of small layouts like this - its basically a three dimensional picture. Thanks for sharing it. Regards, James

Hi all, Back again with a small update on the scenic progress. I've added the walls on the station approach board - they are scalescenes brick papers which, if you've followed my other layouts, is my preferred method. I probably need to invest in some other colours - but for now red brick it is. I packed behind the wall and applied plaster bandage to create a shallow bank behind the wall: I've also added a raised bank in the foreground that will help break the scenes and disguise the baseboard join. This is plaster bandage covered polystyrene against a 3mm mdf front fascia contoured to suit. I've painted one side brown from a Wicks tester pot as a base for static grass, the other side will follow when fully dry: I've decided to put a raised station car park behind the bay platform with a staircase down to the platform. I felt this better matched the wall coming over from the approach board and solved the problem I thought I would have if I left this area at track level. It will look better with walling and greenery: Looking at this I need to tidy up the ballasting around the base of the platform walls - One disadvantage of the scalescenes stuff is that it does not mix well with diluted pva! Cheers for now, James

Hi all, I'm back with Greenwood again after Braybridge's only exhibition of 2014. I have several ideas in my head for other layouts, but my son is badgering me to get back to this, and I must say after an afternoon of mucking about with it my mojo for it has returned. But I have a question on the goods facilities. I have a cattle dock that I'd like to use but I'm unsure of the best location. I want to plant it properly but before I do I'd like to get an opinion on the best place. Shall I place it in the loop: Or in the goods line behind the goods shed? I've placed the entry brick arch in place and plan to run a short wall along the track from it. I will then have a grass embankment angling up to the back scene. This will blend to the cattle dock, or maybe the signal box. I've started to paint the area around the track with green scene textured 'yard filth' which will be weeded and weathered after the wall is in place. I've also filled the plain internal walls of my loco shed with scalescenes papers: Cheers, James

Hi all, I've finished the platform surface and I'm very pleased with the results. I've always had a bit of trouble with surface imperfections/bubbles when using large areas of Scalescenes prints before but this time I stuck with 'prikstick' style adhesive and it is mush more forgiving than brushed PVA. But Scalescenes do recommend that type of adhesive to glue to the card so I suppose I should have listened! Because my platforms are slightly higher with the wood underneath there is a gap at the bottom of the side walls but that will be filled with PVA and ballasted to hide it. The pictures show some of the furniture I've acquired - I liked the 'Blue Anchor' Bachmann station building and so I've also bought the signal box too. I have a GWR pagoda shelter too, but its buried in the garage at the moment! Regards, James