Waverley West

Hi Peter, Thanks. The photos are a little deceptive as I have left slight traces of the ribs (or at least intended to!), as per the prototype. For the blue/grey Mk 1 in the picture I used Railmatch roof dirt toned down with weathering powder. That's what I've used for most of the others I'm working on at the moment, but I've also used GWR Freight grey for a couple, as roof colours on Mk 1s in particular seem to vary quite a lot. I used Railmatch weathered black for the InterCity and ScotRail ones, again toned down with weathering powder. I managed to get round to painting the wheels for all the Mk 2s with a frame dirt/roof grey mix and doing some final weathering last night (I like to put a dirty wash into the door frame recesses in particular), so after a quick dusting with weathering powder and reassembly, they will be finished at last, well apart from maybe some Keen corridor connections/couplings anyway. Yeehaaa!! I've only been working on them for three months on and off... Cheers, Dave

Hi Peter, The 47 looks great. It's a shame the loco Bachmann chose doesn't lend itself to easy conversion to some Scottish examples, otherwise I might have bought a few. Maybe they'll bring out some other large logo examples in the future. I like what you've done with it though. Nice and understated. Cheers, Dave

Hi folks, Thanks for the feedback guys. Always appreciated. The blue/grey DBSO (they're officially DBSOs by the way, rather than DVTs because they have passenger accommodation) was built from a Hurst Models kit many moons ago. The ScotRail one was bought on ebay. Both are in need of an upgrade really (lights in particular) but they'll do for now. The long-running saga of my Mk 2ds has still not drawn to a close. All they need now though is some final weathering. I am also looking into the possibility of fitting them with Keen Systems couplings. I have recently been distracted by moving onto one of my Bachmann Mk 1s. I removed the excessive roof ribbing on this and painted the interior and fitted passengers. I was so pleased with the results that I now have 5 more Mk 1s going through the works. They are all to be renumbered as Scottish examples and fitted with Keen Systems couplings and coach ends. Hence the delay to my Mk 2s. Work on 37043 is also ongoing. I really wish I would stick to one project at a time. I might actually complete something then! Anyway, that's enough rambling. Here are some shots of various coaches nearing completion. First up, a couple of shots of the modified Bachmann Mk 1s... Next, a ScotRail BG, produced by replacing the InterCity red stripe, renumbering and the roof ribs removed. The roof was then resprayed (but still needs final weathering). Next some ScotRail Mk 2ds... A closeup showing the ScotRail window destination stickers... Next an InterCity BSO. This has had wire handrails fitted either side of the guard's door... And finally some InterCity Mk 2ds SOs... and a closeup of the window stickers again... That's all for now, folks. Hope you like them! Any comments welcome of course. Cheers, Dave Waverley West

More great progress, Mark. The layout is really beginning to ooze "West Highland atmosphere" now. I like the reverse curves too. Are you going to fit the buildings and platforms with working lights? That really would look good I think. Keep sharing, please! Cheers, Dave

Hi Alex, I've just seen the shots taken in the garden and can only support Trains4U's comment. It was only after seeing those shots that I really realised just how big this is going to be. Mad but brilliant! It's looking good so far, too. Cheers, Dave

Hi Peter, Yeah, cash can be a problem with DCC, especially once you've gone down the sound road and you already have a reasonably large fleet. IMO it's worth sacrificing a few extra locos to fit ones you already have with sound, but then I can't talk, I have quite a few locos sat in their boxes awaiting the funds to buy sound chips. I don't run locos now unless they have sound fitted. That's what sound does to you I'm afraid. There's no going back once you've started. I'd see a doctor about that interest in 7mm if I were you. That really could damage your (financial) health if it develops! Cheers, Dave

Thanks Mat. It's true in that the Waverley part of the layout fits into 6ft 6in x 3 ft. The entire layout though is around 16ft x 8ft at its widest. I don't have any other sites on this layout (apart from my youtube site, but I post all my videos on here too). There is the original RMWeb thread though: http://www.rmweb.co....t=31806&start=0 This also has a layout plan but MR used my plan in the end, so it's the only one I have I'm afraid. There are some shots earlier in this thread (or maybe towards the end of my last thread) which I think show more clearly how I fitted it all in. Cheers for now, Dave Waverley West

I seem to remember adding my support to the DCC proponents too... Must admit it came as a surprise to discover that Llanbourne wasn't DCC.

Yep, DCC's the way to go, Peter! You know it makes sense. Get a sound loco or two and you'll never look back. Couldn't agree more about Bachmann doing a loco without the flush front at both ends. I might have bought a couple of Large Logo ones if they had for conversion to Scottish examples. I'll just soldier on with my trusty Heljans in the meantime though. Nice pics again by the way! Cheers Dave Waverley West

Superb, Chris, just superb. Thanks especially for the "step-by-step" guide too. That was fascinating. I'd be interested in seeing photos of the rest of the layout too. Cheers, Dave Waverley West

Hi Mark, An airbrush is definitely worth the investment, especially as it enables you to model whatever era you want, rather than having to pick and choose from what is available RTR. Those overlays are good, but their biggest weakness is the lack of relief I think, which makes you (well, me anyway) not want to look too closely at them. They certainly look good from a distance though and with today's complicated liveries they definitely make for a good compromise like you say. If you do decide to go for an airbrush, go for the best one you can afford (I use an Iwata TR2 which I like very much) and buy a decent compressor too. Don't use aerosol propellants (which I did for several years). I struggled for some years to get decent results but I'm reasonably happy with the consistency of my results now, although I still have disasters occasionally! As long as you protect or remove the glazing on a model, it's just a question of wiping it all off and starting again, so you can't go wrong really. Yes, the 27 chip is a Howes one. I like it a lot, although I only have a 23mm speaker in there at the moment. If you could squeeze a bass reflex speaker in it would be even better I think. Space is a bit tight inside the Heljan 26s and 27s though. They're some of my favourite locos though, no doubt about it, so I'd recommend backdating Rannnoch some day, definitely! Yep, I do requests and I was thinking of doing a 108 video soon actually, as I do like the Bachmann units. Watch this space! Cheers, Dave

Hi again folks, Another one from Waverley West, this time a Howes 27... Cheers, Dave Waverley West

Hi Kevin, Just caught up on the latest developments on your thread. Absolutely superb. Looking through the photos, it's quite clear your modelling and photography skills just seem to keep on getting better. I love the night shot above in particular (the one just before Tesco's arrived!). It's so atmospheric. I had to look twice to make sure it was a model pic. Great stuff. Keep sharing, please! Cheers, Dave Waverley West

Thanks Mark. With your modelling skills, I'm not convinced about you not being able to get the same paint finish though! Thanks mudmagnet. The main modification I've made to my 108s is to change the destinations to something more suitable - they both have Edinburgh Waverley at one end. At the other, one has Kirkcaldy and the other has Dundee. I have also fitted sound and weathered them. They could do with full buffer beam detail really, as I don't tend to you them coupled up much. I have also installed passengers and a driver + secondman. Other than that they should be the same as yours. Are you sure the connections between the lighting boards and the pickups are making contact? Considering their age, the Dapol Mk2ds are a pretty good model and scrub up nicely I think Mick, though I'm no expert. I have experienced problems with sideways movement of my coaches. Bearings would definitely be a possible solution I would say, but it might be an idea to experiment with different sets of wheels. Some may be a better fit than others. I have some old wheels which seem to fit well enough. Hi Peter, Yes, I used Fox Transfer's lining. They're a good way of making the stripes, although they are still tricky to get straight enough. I drew pencil lines on the coach sides where they were to go and that helped a lot. I have a photo of a ScotRail Mk2 air-con coach in a NE/SW formation behind a 50 on Dawlish sea wall, so I think they roamed pretty far and wide! And yes, they should be 12mm wheels, not 14mm ones. Eagle-eyed PCM strikes again! Hi samkiller42, I have a couple of 150s as well as a 158 and 220. The 158 and 220 are in the loft, awaiting the time and money to fit sound in them. I have enough stock to run Waverley in 2006 mode, but unfortunately a fair amount of time and money will be required to get them ready to run. One day! The 150s are part of my sector mode era though, which will probably return to Waverley West soon when I finish my Mk2ds (this week I hope!). While I'm here, I thought I'd post a few more pics... Cheers for now, Dave Waverley West

Thanks for the feedback, guys! Here are a couple more videos of 27105 leaving Waverley with ECS in 1981... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ZjHB-b7YRo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hmGCSUzzGxQ Hope you like them! Cheers, Dave Waverley West

Good one that, James. Prototype for everything and all that. Don't happen to have a shot of Kestrel on a railtour at Waverley do you? Anytime during the 80s, I'm not fussy. Sorry Peter, you know me, I can't let a good hijack go! Cheers, Dave

Hi folks, A video of a Bachmann Deltic fitted with an SWD sound chip and a bass reflex speaker in the fuel tanks... Cheers, Dave Waverley West

Thanks Graham. Sorry, should have checked through the thread. Cheers, Dave

Hi Peter, Yeh, it would be good to see some Scottish stock on Llanbourne sometime. And that idea of a couple of 33s on a railtour doesn't sound bad either! A couple of namers perhaps. I have no justification for Kestrel whatsoever though. It generally only went as far as Newcastle on its East Coast runs I believe and that was back in the 60s too of course. I just love the look of the loco. It looks so powerful and sleek. Of course, with 40 years of advances in loco design, we now have the Class 70. Ahem. Cheers, Dave

Hi again folks, Well, the longer video didn't take long to do in the end. Here it is... 55007 heads north from Waverley bound for Aberdeen. The Deltic has been fitted with an SWD sound chip and bass reflex speaker. I hope it shows what a good job Steve at SWD did with the sound chip. Cheers for now, Dave Waverley West

Thanks guys, I'll get round to answering your questions, but I just have a quick video to post in the meantime. I hope this works, haven't done it for a while. Hope you like it if it does! 55007 Pinza arrives from the south at Platform 15 (and yes, I know platform 15 should be a bay platform!)... I have a longer one to make up but I need to find a bit of time to do it. Watch this space! Cheers, Dave Waverley West

Hi Peter, Nice to see some more photos of Llanbourne again. I especially like the 33. The buffer beam detailing looks great and the weathering looks a little understated and just right. Even I can't really justify one on Waverley West unfortunately though (says he who has just bought a Kestrel! Whoops, let the cat out of the bag there). Cheers, Dave Waverley West

Hi Graham, Am really enjoying watching this layout develop. There always seems to be something new every time I drop in. Can I ask did you make (or buy) the taps shown in the last photo? And what did you make the hose out of (wire?). Sorry if you've already mentioned it. I could do with a few like that for Waverley West. Like Peter and Grimleygrid said, looking forward to seeing some shots with the stock on. Cheers, Dave Waverley West

Brilliant, thanks for that Graham. Cheers, Dave