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Evening Dave,

Amazing layout, I always look forward to your updates. Regarding the trees, I do not think there are ever enough trees adorning most layouts, so more the merrier in my opinion.

Regards,

Martyn.,

Evening David,

Great work as usual, all those photos have so much atmosphere. It has to be one of my favourite layouts, up there with Hursley and Ditchling Green.

I notice the retaining wall is still missing a plump wood pigeon, or was it to be a seagull ?

All the best,

Martyn.

Dave,

Your eye for detail is amazing, the internal sides of wagons is so often forgotten, let alone to go for so much added detail, brilliant.

And thanks for the heads up, Portsmouth is about a 20 minute drive for me, so I will finally get to see the layout.

Martyn. ( with the returning mojo, at last. )

Wow, lovely work there Dave, looks like I will be making a trip down to Taunton next year.

Martyn.

Hi Dave,

Fantastic attention to detail as usual, not only is your modelling first class but you also have an artistic flair and this really shines through with your work.

Always look forward to these updates,

Martyn.

Wow ! This layout will be up there amongst the best in the UK when completed.

Best wishes,

Martyn.

Hi David,

Yep that's the one's, I have a chap that said he would have a go using MDF and laser cut but I would have thought 3D would give a finer result. If you can find the exact dimensions I would think Dave Rainer would be able to produce them, he's the chap who produced the slab and bracket chairs for me, and very good they are to.

Regards,

Martyn.

Hi David,

Your layout is really starting to take shape now, and it's going to be up there with the best in my opinion.

Regarding the platform edgings I am also in the market for some, are the ones you need like a large blue engineering brick with a tread patten on the top face?

Regards,

Martyn.

Hi Dave,

I also brought a " stop block kit " at Telford, I just had to have them although I am still nowhere near ready to build and install them. I took some photos of exactly this type of stop block taken at the East Somerset Rly, and the plan was to have them made by 3D printing, so I ended up having some rodding stools commissioned instead.

Yes it is great to have the space for a roundly roundy but being a lone modeller I sometimes wonder if I have bitten off more than I can chew, but it is not a race and as the building of the baseboards are nearly done, I can hopefully look forward to some serious track laying this winter.

Regards,

Martyn.

Hi Dave,

The layouts looking great, I'm afraid I am lagging behind with mine although saying that I had a quick measure up the other day and only another 15' of baseboards to build before it becomes a roundy-roundy.

I like the buffer stops are they the ones from Ragstones? And your choice of ballast is that from Woodland scenics? Sorry for all the questions but that layout of yours is turning into one of the greats in my opinion.

Regards,

Martyn.

Hi Dave,

The layout is really starting to come together now, the p/way is one of my favourite parts of the hobby.

I did not even think of MSE'S stools, rodding, etc. As up to now I've had " blinkered vision " of using C&L's version, so thanks for that info  Dave as you have definitely saved me a few quid.

And if I remember rightly MSE also do a version of the other facing point lock, the one with the lifting bar.

Your getting ahead of me now regarding the layout, I have just completed the fiddle yard and this Saturday I will be buying some birch ply to hopefully finally make a start on the scenic boards.

Enjoying the updates,

Martyn.

Hi Dave,

I think that double bridge is a great view blocker and with some well planted greenery it should fit nicely into the surrounding scenery. My plan is fairly similar on one side of the layout but I am going for the easier option of a girder bridge supported on brick supports and this bridge will be a single roadway leading down towards the station area where there will hopefully be a camping coach situated.

Martyn.

Hi Dave, regarding the point/signal levers I will probably go for the MSE  one's and operate them through a micro switch to the Servo/Tortoise. Although years ago I saw one of these lever frames being used mechanically on an EM layout and even the Facing point locks were operational, amazing.

Regards,

Martyn.

Hi Dave,

Funnily enough I have also been racking my brains regarding the naming of my layout, although I am still making baseboards at present ( 3 down and 11 to go !! )  I did name the layout Selborne after a beautiful village on the Sussex/Hampshire border.

Well all was fine for a while, but for some unknown reason I decided that the name was a bit shall we say " dull ".

So I have now decided to go down the " double barrel naming route " with " Church Norton ", I think it sounds a bit GWR- ish, although Church Norton is a quiet little hamlet just along the coast from where I live. Still modellers licence so who cares !

I have made a start on my fiddle yard and have used copper paxolin sleeper construction for the pointwork, but I will be doing the same as yourself on the scenic side using ply sleepers and C & L parts. I am still undecided regarding the point control, I have whittled it down to either the Tortoise motors or go down the servo route, but whatever I finally decide I want to operate the points through use of a lever frame.

Your trackwork looks great, you have managed to capture that natural flow which you cannot achieve with the R-T-R equivalent. Regarding the video clips I'm afraid I cannot help you there, I find it hard enough wiring up the points !

Keep up the good work, it's coming on a treat.

Martyn.

Hi Dave,

Thank you for the picture of the underside that will be a great help, as on the Slaters instructions it does not show both the brackets that support the handbrake rodding.

I also like to add some weight to all my rolling stock and I was going to put some lead sheet on the floor on the inside of the wagon, and then cover it with some of that marvelous straw you have been using. But it seems like you have managed to pack enough between the brake gear, so if you don't mind I will be copying your method.

All the best,

Martyn.

Hi Dave,

I model the western region circa 1955 so a lot later than yourself, but I noticed the diag W5 was vacuum braked from as early as 1905 so the only other major changes after that date was their liveries ( I think ).

It's just that I'm building the Slaters cattle wagon diag W5, and I am trying to get my head around the brake gear. Is there a handbrake on both sides of the wagon ? The kit instructions as you know are fairly good but I am not sure with reference to the hand brake situation.

Regards,

Martyn.

Cheers Magic Monkey, as usual I'm on a different planet .

Martyn.

Can I ask you what was the BR green paint you have used, that is one of the best colour matches I have seen.

Martyn.

Can I ask you what was the BR green paint you have used, that is one of the best colour matches I have seen.

Martyn.

Surely there must be a solution, how would you remove the ballast from between the sleepers let alone in between the pointwork without damaging or lifting the trackwork and we are talking 2mm here . Wish I could come up with some answers for you missy, I think you have to try the touch up with paint idea first.

Martyn.

Hi Mark,

I don't know how to put the images on this blog, so I made up a gallery so you can have a look at them there. Sorry but my computer says " NO".

Martyn.

Hi Mark,

Yes I do have a few photos somewhere of the 42xx, I am only at the cylinder stage myself so there is no footplate for reference purposes. I will see if I can post them tomorrow.

Regards, Martyn.

Hi Mark,

Yes I'm afraid Horsetan is correct they need leaning back a bit more, they look like a white metal casting ? so it shouldn't be to hard to shave some off at the back of the cylinder. I am presently building a 42xx with a straight footplate (7mm) and there is actually a slight cut out to be put in on the footplate valance to miss the cylinders, although that does not affect your model as the footplate rises over the cylinders which then exposes the slope you need. Enjoying your blog,

All the best, Martyn.

Hi, I will be following your blog with interest, as I remember Gordon's article well and this method has been mulling around in my head for a while now. I just need to take the plunge .

All the best Martyn.