Phil Bullock

Cracking stuff and excellent photos Nice to see D163 with its non standard small yellow panels - IIRC that went through at least two versions on that loco... Kind regards Phil

More excellent phots Dave J8877 - in contrast to LMS2968's post, I suspect the punters behind 31162 will be very lucky to experience anything like that sort of velocity over the S&C! Phil

And what did the Romans ever do for us? .........

Wow! Custard Dip livery - yellow cab doors - and a red buffer beam... Looking forwards to seeing that replicated! Hee hee Phil

J1270 - Disc headcode Class 40 in GFYE - wonderful!!! That livery seemed to really suit them More smashing photos thanks for sharing Dave Phil

That would be Wales then! Phil

Cracking project! Many happy days there back in the 70s...that soap factory certainly dominated the scene Looking forwards to further developments Phil

Nice pictures of Larford Martin ...always feels like home with the Malverns in the background There were plenty of sand quarries in this area IIRC - another was by the site of the engine shed in Kidderminster, sand was of such good quality it was sent to Swindon for making foundry moulds Kind regards Phil

layout is currently 12 x 9 and transports in a LWB transit or similar which I have to hire .... Need to make sure Mk2 version fits in same vehicle! Phil

Nice thought Andi - will look at that when track plan comes along although gradients and curvature may be limiting factors Phil

If we go down this road its just the components Andi.... Phase 2 would work as an add on but we think this would be so much better.... No good for local shows that can only accommodate a 12 ft layout though.... Phil

Heres a rough sketch of initial thoughts REBUILD ROUGH SKETCH.xlsx Phil

Thanks Clive - thoughts most welcome! You are spot on re the odd shaped boards - we already have those on phase 1 at either end of the fiddle yard and as you say they can be awkward Key design factors to be considered are minimising the number of board joins but by definition on a layout this size that's pretty difficult Initial thoughts for the new build are that we will end up with a layout 27 ft x 10 ft. 4ft by 3 ft boards as as standard so a run of 9 front and back with a 4 ft by 2 ft board at either end between the front scenic boards and the fiddle yard boards. The cunning plan then is to bolt together a scenic and fiddle yard board face to face to make a projective box for transport - but nered to be lightweight monocoque construction with integral back scenes - and with deep enough frames to accommodate tortoise motors. Sort of predicts 5mm laser cut ply construction....and separate legs for lightness too Phil

Hi Paul Its the weight of the boards that's the main reason.... Will get a plan of thoughts as to how the rebuild could look up before too long... But deff not EM! And probably not hand built track either..... Hope all is good with you? Phil

Spot on SRman... So what are the other problems? Shorts take out the whole layout - no power districts Lack of room in the fiddle yard - not enough roads or room between them to easily take trains on and off What else is good? Operationally our main line train formations are popular The depth of the layout attracts many positive comments regarding perspectives - as does the scenery Coupling loops allow superdetailing on both ends of locos Some other matters are a pain but we will live with... Hornby close couplers are not easy .... but their effectiveness is worth the hassle Likewise removing the signals every time we transport is a pain, can we avoid that I wonder? Anything anyone else who has seen or operated the layout would like to comment on? Cheers Phil

Fawlty diversions over - for the moment. Thoughts are turning again to phase two ... or perhaps not the phase 2.... Because by building a second phase we are perpetuating the faults with phase 1 ... which as I get older gets heavier! 4 x 4 boards with 10" deep modroc scenery are not light, and the curves from the junction to get under the Oxford line are far too tight to look their best on a main line. And Jimbo thinks the scenery at the southern end looks more like rugged Yorkshire rather than gently rolling Worcestershire. So perhaps a complete rebuild instead? What are the successes of phase 1? Well ... DCC for starters - ECoS has been brilliant, and the single bus connectors between boards have been very reliable As have SMD82 accessory controllers, frog juicers and tortoise point motors. Copper clad sleepers at board ands have also been very robust So these we will perpetuate The lawn is now calling - more thoughts later Phil

Yep we use those figures too! A thin wash of black over the face creates features and shadows - makes them look even better Phil

That's good to hear the local context from Stationmaster - many thanks Phil

Is there a suggestion these shows are for personal gain? Am always very happy to support shows with a clear charitable aim but would not want to get embroiled if that is not clear Phil

Absolutely! HAve just laid our last Heljan Western to rest on the back of this offer RIP D1013 .... meet new D1013 Got the new plates in stock from Extreme etchings at DEMU - loco is fathers day/birthday pressie from Jimbo, thanks very nuch! Phil

We have an ECoS 50200 on Abbotswood All routes programmed in and throttle aps on Ipads via a wireless router Works a treat Phil

Ah That's this plan.... http://www.monbiot.com/2008/12/30/the-open-veins-of-wales/ Phil

IIRC from Peter Smith's book Unrebuilt WCs reversers were interesting contrivances One engine was a very strong performer in one direction but pathetic in the opposite direction - until someone checked where centre was on the valve gear and then looked at the reverser with the gear set in that position - at least 10% cut off registering in the weak direction. Hence it could be driven with the reverser apparently set for the opposite direction... This would of course be much more apparent on the S&D with more tender first working than on the main line Phil

Hi Martin Yes indeed - Was only discussing that with Jimbo yesterday if you cross the river at Llanstephan on the rickety suspension bridge and take the left turn towards Erwood pretty soon you start wondering why the road is so straight and level and has bridges in keeping with railway... Can just see and hear an Ivatt Class 2 with a couple of coaches echoing up the valley... The part of that line that I have never sussed is further up at Marteg where the formation leaves the Wye valley and heads up the Marteg en route to the summit and drop down to Llanidloes How on earth did the railway thread through the tight gorge there? And is this derelict line on the Welsh Assembly plan to create a north - south rail link that doesn't cross in to England? Kind regards Phil

J1795 - cracking shot of the early exhaust port arrangement on D7562 Thanks Dave Phil