The Black Hat

More updates: The roof as worked on starts to get put into place for testing. More panels need fitting to the far side and then the white pannels also above the tiles have been more fitting in this photo. Photos of the roof again from another view. This has the positioning being measured so that the columns can be sited as to where they will be. With the bay platforms being covered first, the seats and platform furniture is being added. Ticket barriers are being fixed down and screens are in place for where passengers will arrive into the station from the smaller station building. More soon...

Hello all, More of an update over things that have been going on over the last few weeks. Lately there has been quite a lot of superglue used in the masses of roof work that have been done. I was planning for the layout to be ready by autumn but think that date might slip. Each of the pannels of tiling attached comes in three parts before being then put onto the roof structure. This has one underside of green wood pannelling, then tin foil and finally the grey on top. This is to stop the effect of light bleed from the LEDS that are then slung under the roof or on the columns that are then used to fix the roof in place. It depends where the roof is as to which area the lights are placed. Given the size of the roof sometimes they can be hard to fix in place. It means I have broken some of the green struts that are at the top but these can be replaced and fixed back in place. The roof then is a lot stronger when these are all done. At the moment there are two sections of the main station board that are being worked on simultaneously so as the build can progress. The other section of roof that has been done is the end of what will be platforms 1 and 2. Please forgive the industrial quantities of clutter that gets placed around as things get built. More soon.

The re-run might have the black end on one DBSO even without the gubbins on the front for the SGT. I think if theres a re-run it will be a different coach.

A fair bit of Southern stuff reduced. Mainly stock and the mark downs are quite large.

So... class 89. Very nice. About that class 220/221/222 or class 185?

Thats what I am planning with my layout Briganton - as I didnt have the space for the mainlines past Darlington so its based on a station that is very similar to the real thing. The build of this work for York is truely stunning. If I can help with advice for cameras then Id be happy to.

Read it again.

Big? I am thinking something 0 gauge then... If it were 00 gauge, then possibly: Class 50 Class 60 Q7 But if honest, if its big, I am thinking in terms of for the company. So thinking a "new Unit" (duck for cover) and thus to be an HST!!! 220/221/222... 185 an also ran.

The Black 5 and 8F have been an open goal for ages. As much as Hornby like to do something to protect their range - I just see these two, plus other Stanier's as being something that is perfect for more steam engines to be done as "DCC: The Next Gen" (as Im calling it) where sound and lights are standard, smoke/steam as optional. Given this puts popular choices all back into the range for a retool, as well as others that have not been done yet, it just means that these two stand out more and thus can see more than one company doing it. Duplication becomes a risk but with these I just think its likely. Could be wrong, but will find out soon enough. As for others, will the Iron-clad stuff be an option, I think some birdcage stock sat around for a while, but was limited edition. (I don't know as its off my own region). Think your Fowler tank might get done by a new tooled Ivatt tank from someone... and milk tankers - yeah, think your onto a winner. But its sat amongst a fair few other things to do. Personally, Id love a J21, but hope that doesn't miss out as Next Gen wipes the slate clean.

Ones to me that are screaming to be upgraded are the Black 5 and 8F - which I think must be due, especially the latter. Hornby has been ok with its Black 5 but the 8F hasnt been DCC really at all. In terms of diesel then its got to be the class 50 and in terms of stock then Mk. 3 and HST must be being looked at by someone. I also think (for some reason) that the High output ballast job must be on the radar, given a lot of it would be the same wagon in formation done over and over and over again as needed for the size of your rake on the layout. The really obvious ones though remain class 185 and 220/221/222...

If I was Bachmann another network rail DBSO would be what I'd be making ASAP much as they quickly did the other HNRC 20...

In order to get to the stage ready to build the roof over the platforms, the details needed on the platform have to be done first. With the station having pay platforms, lights and buffers needed to be added at the right height to then complete the ends of the bays. With the lights taking their power from the track an extension over the track has been built to hide the stand for the lights and add some detail. Railings around the end of the platforms complete the scene and match where the yellow line on the platform finishes. The space behind the railings has all been measured ready to take the barriers, displays and details ready for the roof to go over.

Some more photos of the work being done. The station over roof continues to expand. Actually the frames for most of it are done. The central span on the board with the platforms and no building is left to do, but I am hoping to build this in stages so that parts can be lifted clear. This shows the extenstion of the roof to cover the ends of platforms 1 and 2. The building shown is another new kit that has been painted and built to match the rest of the station that will be on the other side. Here is a rather crude but nonetheless effective way of adding the dirt to the walls. Matt black paint is added via cotton bud and then rubbed on to weather and darken the station walls. These are then glued to the wood, which will then form a part of the station retaining walls for the roof. Additional pillars and brackets have arrived and these are painted. Hopefully this weekend should see more of the station roof going up and into position on the main station building board.

Hello all, More updates on the layout. The magnets have been placed under the trackwork at the north ends of platforms 1, 2 and 3. This is because here the railtours needing to change engines or be shunted to platforms will be pathed and thus have engines needing to be removed. Here the magnets for the Kaydee couplings are placed under the boards. Testing underway for where the engines will be placed on the layout. One of the newer models to arrive and be repainted sees 5972 Olton Hall being used for testing after being worked on. The VGA wagon is used for ease just to test the coupling system in use. With these in place it has been time to then put down the platforms and ballast the trackwork. This has all been done, for platforms 1, 2 and 3 on the next board, meaning that slowly one wing of the station is heading towards completion. More on all that soon.

I almost bought a Blue Pullman set for that exact purpose. But always thought for the cost it was a step too far.

Sorry but doesnt your point 2 defeat point 1. People will complain about price and yes some of these will be those running on an analogue set not wanting the digital stuff that comes fitted as standard. But those able to buy expensive models are likely to be older, even if those from 30 onwards with a job and disposable income that then buy the models that are selling out. Your also not including pent up demand for stuff given production delays and transport issues so new things are not meeting demand. Older people will not be the only ones baulking at costs. Watch what happens when price of all models rise 10%+ because of inflation. Bachmann are already pricing themselves highly and almost out of the market already - comments here being evidence of that too. There are a number of issues that effect what is made and by who at what price. Some of what you said might might have been okay overall but many will know the market they are in and what they can get for that money. The balance of how much you pay for a model and the value it is - will be massively tested in the coming years and force companies both new and old to get that balance right, or risk not selling products or at discount - thus effecting everything you have said.

As my layout features an ECML off the main route through the north... time for some extra traction to be on a long term hire agreement.

So would I... I'd love to get a model with one.

I'd vote for a centre car! Would be great.

Hello all, A further update on how things with this build are progressing. Over the last few weeks I have been busy on making many of the parts ordered for station build fit together in a way that will allow the station to be built up. Happily, that day has arrived, although there will be much more of what has happened to continue. In order for the columns to be ready to take the trainshed, they need to be first cut to size. The ones ordered needed to be 0 gauge to get the height. These then were cut down to be the same size as measured for the prototype. The good news is that these actually fit perfectly the right size overall once cut. They then need to be drilled through - no easy feat in of itsself, before then having a tube attached to the bottom that will then allow the column to be fixed through the platform and baseboard to be held in place. This too can allow the wiring from the lights to be pushed through meaning that they can be connected to the board later. The green brackets have also been painted and drilled on the joint to accept a metal rod that was cut from a paperclip! That being the perfect size when noticed sorting the stationary at work. The bulbs for the lights are then held on the bracket, which then has the wiring wrapt around the bracket and then down through the tube before then being stuck to a bar that goes across the top and joins the brackets together. With the columns sent to the end of the wire they are lowered into place before the brackets are then fixed in by pushing down the wiring. Finally the bar is added at the top. You then have the columns, in place and set as below. The bad news is that this is now past the point of no return. Should bulbs break or wiring to them fail, then they will be highly unlikely to be able to be replaced as it means opening up the whole station. The good news is that they are quite robust so should be ok once its all in. With the columns in place they are then clamped onto the roof. This then has them glued into position - even more past point of no return. The roof is now attached to the columns and seen for the first time resting in place. Finally, a photo of the roof being fixed down. The columns are being attached while the glue is being used as a weight to hold it all together. More news and updates soon as the station starts to be built up. Hopefully progress should be good. I was hoping to have the layout into exhibitions at Shildon in October, but having contacted organisers in advance they can not confirm its attendance, which is disappointing. I will see what can be done or if the layout can feature elsewhere - but for now it needs building so I am working on that.

That idea for the 3 car 144 is going to get irresistible...

Class 143: Provincial Blue, Tyne and Wear Class 144: West Yorkshire Regional Rail Red and Cream stripe, Regional Railways standard.

Would also depend if you then can use several liveries at smaller runs to then cover the need of the tooling changes for a whole run, ie, 250, plus 250, plus 250....

My latest list of suggestions would be: Steam 8F, Black 5, J21, Hall, Standard 4MT-T... Bagnall Victor/Vulcan Diesel HST, Class 50, Class 40 Units Class 185, Turbostar's 170/171, Voyagers 220,221,222, Class 153/155, Class 141, wildcard - class 151. Stock, NER clerestory, NER matchboard, Chaldron wagons Mk.3 HST stock Continuous welded rail trainset, Bogie Scrap Wagons (JNX?)

I was wondering if the raft of photoshop ideas would soon show up. Things like the strips need to match the width and height of stock done but its heading in that direction. Just depends if there is the demand for a range of what ifs'....