big T

Thank you matey! I have a few things to do to it still - signage, Rainwater Downpipes, Gutters, and Roller Shutter Doors. Not looking forward to the main shed building, mind you! I might need a few pointers on this! Ive got another 2 x 37's and a rake of tanks due soon so pics to follow........! Trev

Hi Peter I agree with the others - that Spoon is looking good, and that ballast formation looks the business, especially with the different heights of the dogs and cats. Top drawer as usual! Trev

Looking good Col - the last time I saw pics of the layout, it was just track. Where did you get the point rodding from? Trev

I had a new arrival yesterday in the shape of Bachmann 37013 in Mainline Blue. This is number 24! The loco is already weathered to a good standard, and will in time receive sound, further buffer beam adornments, and coupling bars. I also had a quick test run of a couple of loco types and a few TTA's over some hardstanding that I laid the other night to check for clearances. There appear to be a few high spots, but nothing too drastic. I will try and do the infill pieces in the four foot this weekend, and will then look at in-filling ballast, painting, and adding weeds in readiness for the next item on the programme - a larger shed building. Apologies for the awful background - I have had to remove the backscene in order to get to the far lines! Thank you for looking! Trev

Hi matey. Glad to see youve been scooping in the Chibbles haha!. I see the "K" has gone from 1K50 from 189's headcode blinds.... That big 'ol building is certainly looking the part mate with a bit of colour on. Very subtle. Do you know DP of Coalville? - he's been up at PF recently.

Good to have you on board me old fruit! Cheers, Im getting the hang of the flippin things now, however Im still not happy with the body colour, I still think they need to be much darker. So I understand. Did he have 47522 off you recently? I did see that on FB and it looked a real whopper. Top job! Sleepers procured apparently. Ive not seen him for a few weeks as his diabetes is giving him jip the poor old f*rt! (I do wish he wouldn't post the hot tub pics...........enough to give an aspirin a headache!) More than welcome to pop up the treble 4 for a sesh mate. Treeb

Thank you matey Being in the midlands, I was spoilt for 'proper' ballast workings, - Doggies, cats, Seacows, Sealions, Whales, Tope, Rudd and Mermaids. We had (and still have) some quarries with decent outputs such as Mountsorrell, Croft and Stud Farm. Lets not forget Cliffe Hill, Hartshill etc! Trev

A week off work decorating, plus no laptop equals no updates! I did spend a fair amount of time in the garage, and have done various tasks on layout and stock, some planned and others not so. I finished a further three MGR wagons (2 x HAA's and 1 x HFA). These involved the usual buffer removal and replacement, coupling changes, brake discs, renumber, weather etc. On two wagons I changed the cradle colour, and I experimented with acrylic paint, and painting of the stock colour cradle to mask the plastic look. Im still not 100% happy with the colours and finish of a couple of them, and intend to address this soon. This is the result: I also thought it would be a good idea to fit two speakers to one of my Heljan 47's, 47476 'Night Mail' the majority of the work involved with this was hacking up the fuel tank, fitting the speaker, making a baffle and splicing the wire from the chip to accept a second speaker. (the tape is to hold the fuel tank on while the glue dries.) I also did some work on the hardstanding required at the station end of the layout in readiness for the next shed. There are some more pics to follow and I will post them when I get the chance. Thanks for looking! Trev

Hi Tom hows it going? Thanks for your kind words. Im learning new stuff all the time - every day is a school day etc, and compared to others on here, don't really feel like I have any skills. Indeed Im really frustrated as only one in ten things goes how I've planned, dries properly, doesn't melt or look a load of old ****. Doggies - anything goes really, suppose the first thing is vac braking. as they were generally vac only, they would have to run with a vac fitted loco. Formations could be anything really, but generally ran with all other types of wagon - mainly Seacows, Catfish, etc. Alternately they ran on their own, ranging from a couple to a good rake (20 or 30) usually with a Shark.... Hope that helps a bit, if not check Flickr out - always a good point of ref. Cheers Trev

Thanks matey. I hope so. I've done 4 now and its a whole load of fun. not! Trev

Cheers matey much appreciated! Trev

Thanks mate - about 25!

Hi mate Yes I did. It works a treat Trev

Cheers Sam! Hopefully the following ones will be slightly better! (Ive noticed that unfortunately the handbrake securing iron has fallen off somewhere!) Aaaargh! Cheers for the kind words Trev

MGR wagon developments......... This is the first, and lessons have been learnt. Im not overly happy with the appearance of the red hopper saddle. More changes to be effected with the next one. I need a silver pen........ Thanks for looking! Cheers Trev

I will echo the above comments Ben, it looks like an interesting idea for a layout. The idea that Speedlink and wagon load traffic continued successfully is one Ive thought of for a long time. There is something appealing about a line that have been downgraded to branch lines, with overgrown sidings. I will be watching developments with interest. Cheers Trev

Does anyone know if a kit is made for a TUA? Similar to this one: Thanks Trev

TTA reference material (This is 58261 taken by me at Long Marston a few years back): Cheers Trev

Hi mate That's a bigg'un! You've done a cracking job - it looks right at home. You must have done a few bespoke buildings now. How do you get your head around dimensions of the original buildings and converting them to 00? I ask because I have to build a similar looking shed (but not on such a grand scale) for my layout and Im wondering about how to approach it as regards height. Glad to see a few nospeds put to good use on stone traffic. Carry on the good work! Trev

The tanks assembled, with 37116 on the sharp end. Trev

Hello Adrian. I use a fibreglass pencil to fade the logos out. Then do a base coat and weather over that Hope that helps mate Trev

Spent a couple of hours "relaxing" yesterday assembling instanter couplings and making a start weathering my first HAA. Goodness only knows why, as Ive got a big list of stuff to get finished at the station end of the layout! Ive added brake discs, new correct style Oleo buffers, instanters, and brake pipes. I weathered the chassis, the hopper itself and the structural retaining band, leaving to dry in a sealed container overnight. (Tabby cat hairs plus wet models don't mix very well....) how they get into the garage defies me....anyhoo I digress. Seeing as I still had some of the weathering mix left in the paint cup of the airbrush, I decided to weather two recent additions to my TTA fleet. The TTA's still have some work to do - mainly the buffers, air pipes and axle boxes I will hopefully get some photos of my HAA work later. Thanks for looking Trev

Morning Sam! As I always seem to say; "its getting there" - I think that will be my epitaph haha! Ive just had a quick tally from my stock list and its my 23rd...! 37 Bachmann 37035 Dutch 37 Bachmann 37035 Dutch Transrail 37 Lima 37104 DG all over grey 37 Bachmann 37104 Railfreight General 37 Bachmann 37114 EW & S 37 Bachmann 37114 RFD General 2 tone Grey 37 Bachmann 37116 Transrail one off blue 37 Bachmann 37261 RFD General 2 tone Grey 37 Bachmann 37289 BR Blue 37 Bachmann 37325 Large Logo Blue 37 Lima 37403 BR Green 37 Bachmann 37404 Large Logo Blue 37 Bachmann 37419 EW & S 37 Bachmann 37514 Railfreight Metals 37 Bachmann 37671 RFD General 2 tone Grey 37 Bachmann 37692 Railfreight Coal 37 Bachmann 37693 Railfreight Grey, large logo 37 Bachmann 37694 EWS 37 ViTrains 37698 Loadhaul 37 Bachmann 37796 Railfreight Coal 37 Bachmann 37798 Mainline Blue 37 Bachmann 37702 Two Tone Grey 37 Bachmann 37803 Mainline Blue Doh! Trev

Cheers pal, very much appreciated Kettles? eek!

Hello matey hope youre OK Thank you! I need to do a bit more on the roof, and bringing it to a matt finish. Ive seen them recently and they are clean - typical steel frame construction with Polyester Powder Coated (PPC) finish. - same construction as wrinkly tin sheds//distribution depots etc that I work with on site. Ive always liked 796. typical that they actually do a stock one now Ive got this! Oh well!! Ive tried to convert him many many times, but alas he is a Sulzer man through and through. If you see him, ask him the story about the pair of heavyweights he had from Lawley, BANG! He is adamant that a single good 47 will out perform a pair of nosepeds! We all have our crosses to bear haha!!! Cheers dude Trev p.s if youre ever in the area loike drop over