Jon Gwinnett

Bravo!

If I can make a suggestion, the doors don’t look overdone to me, but I wonder if each might not be more chipped where they are slammed into the posts?

Blooming marvellous video, absolutely love it

Apologies to the Ercalverse for going off topic, but I’m generally very satisfied with Roco universal couplers, positive, light action coupling, not too hard to uncouple, delay latch built in, and nicely close coupled. I’ve bought some HOfine hooks to fit to my locos, as an experiment, and the Marklin close couplers offer the facility to shunt with a magnetic pole (I like to be involved in operation, so hand throw points with Caboose Hobbies ground throws and so on).

I don’t operate fixed rakes, but if I did, I’d be tempted by Fleischmann profis (or more likely the cheap Chinese knockoffs!) as they seem more robust than Roco close couplers, but not really suitable for shunting as they require a good whack to bring them together (or so I’m told).

That is brilliant!

49 minutes ago, ian said:

The restaurant car is a newly acquired replacement for an existing one with poorer paintwork. I had omitted to check the couplings before I added it to the train.

What “vintage” of couplings are you using? I recently acquired some modern Marklin Shimmns wagons and they came with something akin to the Roco universal coupler but with a magnetic hoop, which seems like it could be a game changer for using with magnetic uncoupling poles.

Nicely done 🫣 

Didn’t know DB operated slip coaches 😉

A modelling blue peter badge 😀

Love the near flat, but also how splendid are the two workaday LM design wagons in the heavy shunt photo. Chapeau sir.

Do I spy Clyre Valley coaches in that last photo?

To me, to you, it’s pure communism 😂

We were down in York for a few days at the start of this month, and I did find myself trying to visualise bits of your railway in amongst the hoards of Harry Potter fans…

Oh I really like that, wonderful nooks and crannies, real character.

What sad news. Peter’s layouts always inspired, and I throughly enjoyed his articles. 

Agree with Paul, looks splendid as is, and while some additional growth may improve it, it’s nicely restrained so far, and very effective.

I do love these updates. One observation, based on nothing more scientific than watching the Plattling webcam, is that nowadays the trip locos seem to do some of the assembly themselves, so your shunter move to position the local for departure could be done by the trip loco itself. I offer this not as criticism but rather in the hope it might enhance play value operations in some way. Alas I cannot offer any solution for the yard lead, although I rather think the added complexity adds it’s own dose of play value.

I think what I love is that this is so very obviously a model railway, and yet it has so much character.

Oooh the suspense…. 😉

3 minutes ago, ian said:

For those whose grasp on unreality is tenuous the ferry dock has been added. There is now no longer a potential drop to the floor for unguarded rolling stock.

I’m firmly in that category, but inquiring minds are wondering what stops an enthusiastic Rangierlok from punting a wagon right through the ferry and onto the (sea) floor beyond?

28 minutes ago, doctor quinn said:

How about moving that free standing chimney to the end of the plant, set slightly forward of the back scene 

Now that’s a sensible suggestion. I like it.

Would something as simple as a tree work to break up the unwanted sight line?

What’s the story with the deadly blue boxes? 
 

Also, is CKD short for Completely Knocked Down or is it an obscure Eastern European rail company I’ve not heard of before?

This thread is dangerous, my delight in the story telling and the sheer fun on show, made me inadvertently () take a look at models by the big M on eBay… I’ve not succumbed yet, but it’s a slippery slope.

Ah, this will be the evening Herr B persuades the local seismologists club to examine the sub-strata. Alas for Herr B, nothing will be found…