Hal Nail

One option to consider is that if two tracks are coming into view from the fiddle yard/sector plate, you don't actually need to model the initial cross over. A train can appear on the main line, and the loco run round partially out of sight, then draw the train back out and reappear on the loop line. An old trick which allows you to accommodate longer trains

I can understand the desire for change - its a remote prospect admittedly but i have often wondered if i did ever finish anything, would it leave me unfulfilled? :) if you did the change and didn't like it, at least you'd have something to do converting it back!

I find it staggering it was signed off. Although that's a positive as I obviously haven't completely resigned myself to everything automatically being crap yet.

I didn't say there was. I suggested having to reverse to get into sidings when they could just as easily have provided direct access, was a bit odd.

Its having both crossovers in the same direction that seems unusual I think. Usually as you come off the main line you'd have a facing point leading to everything, not a trailing cross over you cant actually access.

Excellent thanks. I've got a reasonable idea of positioning and styles from modelling but when you get presented with a plank and told to paint a number on its a slightly different proposition! We have some old templates used to spray through then touch up but they aren't really sans serif and it makes a hell of a mess. I'd prefer to make up a master for each number/letter, use these to draw the required number and lettering on paper each time and then use chalk to transfer to the wagon and hand paint in.

Interesting - we are patching up a palvan door at Alton at the moment. It probably needs to be totally replaced sooner or later but for now we are just sorting the worst of the rotten beams. I think back in the 50's 60s lettering was done by signwriters so would vary a bit but as a rough rule of thumb, what size do you do your wagon numbers and WB/tare markings?

I'd have the left hand crossing from main to loop right over on the left with room for a loco but no more, making the loop longer. however the right hand entrance to the loop and sidings would be a facing point from the main otherwise you cant really access the lower siding properly. In fact to be honest its more arranged as if the head shunt is the main line - but if you do that flip the loco release at the left hand end

It's just that photo. The two eyebrows show in other photos on this thread.

I see they sorted the brakes out!

Thank you, I appreciate that!

To give an idea, Arun Quay uses boards smaller than those and is built from a lightweight polstyrene and ply construction in order to make it portable.

What do you scribe with and how do you keep it all even? I had a go at turning a SR even plank into an uneven one but found it hard to scribe exactly in the middle of planks and it looked a mess

1956 onwards. Do you have a specific location? I look up the locos allocated to my area then do a Google images search of "gwr + number" to find photos which will generally be from the BR era, unless it's a preserved one. Other sources, transport library, colour rail, rail online.

Another LMS van having strapping and bolt heads added. This one will be an unfitted version: I hadn't really appreciated until I got a book recently detailing when things were retro fitted how much unfitted stock there was c1956/1957 I was seeing double whilst staring at this which made this something of a challenge - even more so before I stopped and painted the straps black!

I think if I got to market first but my releases were still being discounted, I'd be worrying. The counter argument for some time has been that since Heljan's stuff sells well, the criticism is (perhaps) irrelevant. With more competition around focusing on detail and accurancy, that might not hold true forever.

Ironically, people are obviously recycling what you cull.

my kitten was playing with a dead rat in the neighbours garden yesterday. when I went round to collect it the neighbours were horrified. "i didn't know we have rats!". "You don't anymore", I said. Edit: its surprisingly difficult to flip a dead rat into a bin liner.

You are right, it is a theory. But it's a better one than the idea someone has gone to the expense of tooling a copy of something thats already sold through 2 batches, to flog at a price that won't remotely cover the costs incurred. Everyone makes it up as they go along - all that varies is the output!

Some stuff here. https://igg.org.uk/rail/6-livy/br/9-br-4864.htm

I'd ask on the thread for the loco where people who own it are active.

I've always thought it was a polite way of saying some people are staggeringly unobservant! :)

interesting looking at this again, has the whole thing been repainted leaving the lettered planks alone, or have the lettered areas been redone (in early style) at some point? I think the latter, as the light coloured bits of the end doors look in better nick. Perhaps in an attempt to mix paint they've come up with something lighter.

Funnily enough despite knowing nothing about cars, after numerous breakdowns I fixed it myself in the end by splicing in a fuel filter. I think the coating on the fuel tank was flaking off and blocking the carbs. Having got it working I then blew the head gasket. Bought an old Hillman Hunter for the engine which I had put in the Humber but it was hopelessly prone to overheating and in the end I gave up and gave it back to a garage. I did see it on the road once later on. When it worked it was very smooth. Sort of glided along!