Mikkel

Top gear!

Superb. They are very appealing little Toads (what an odd sentence!). I really like how careful you are with the research. It throws up some interesting new perspectives every time. As you say, it's surprising that there was just one all-meat trip every day. Railway myth busting :-)

That makes a world of difference Al. I like the pipework etc you've added too. You have a superb eye for taking RTR models and making them into something really special.

Many thanks for these great ideas for making proper sheeting. Rich, those Rizlas look brilliant, never would have thought of it! They have just the right faded look. Fantastic. Ian I'm much impressed by our lettering skills - I had assumed they were printed! RMweb is such a resource, I never cease to be amazed :-)

Sounds like a pretty challenging field trip, but one you won't forget. And you actually used the train, which is a nice thought. But it sounds as if you'll soon be brought in for questioning by the MOD! The drawing by Brunel is fascinating. Almost artistic. I wouldn't have thought the colouring was necessary from a practical point of view!

You've done it again Frank. This layout has had a very distinctive style right from the start, I think, and it just gets better all the time. I can't quite put my finger on what that style is - but it's something about the combination of the rustic nature of real wood and stone on the one hand, and the neatness of the way things are positioned and coloured on the other. Anyway, words can't say it, but it's brilliant!

Buckle? Cleaning up? Looks pretty d**n good from here! :-)

Many thanks for posting this, Ian. I've always been slightly mystified when people said they did these things without a lathe. Now I get it. Great illustrations and well described, and the results look like something I'd pay a lot of money for :-)

Thanks Jon. Looking at the Code 100 rail in those photos does annoy me a little. I'm not a fanatic about track at all, but in close-ups like this it does affect the visual impression, I think. Makes it all the more interesting to experiment with the C+L track. The dray is described in this entry. The kit is actual for a coal traders dray but I decided to keep it like this. The loading dock surface is very fine sandpaper (can't remember the grade, sorry) and the edging is from good old Peco. I painted some very wet polyfilla into the join between the sandpaper and edging. There are more details on the gwr.org.uk site here (scroll down). You're probably right that Woodcourt would accept a whiskey after work if hard pressed, but he does have a reputation to think of :-) Ah yes, that's why the ropes are not tight! :-) The photo I referred to above does in fact show that the sheet is "drawn back" from the upper cupboard doors on one side so horses could enter. I tried modelling it but the Smiths tarpaulin paper doesn't lend itself well to that sort of tampering. I've been thinking of alternatives, and would like to experiment with cling film, if it will take paint. Very interesting. Did you make that earlier version yourself? Must get the latest version of GWW, does seem to have significant improvements.

Wonderful work. Those clack valves are very neatly done. Quite amazing how much better they are than the w/m ones when you see the comparison! Great photos too, btw.

Ian: Note that I haven't actually seen any evidence that *race horses* were ever transported in cattle vans - that's just something I've dreamt up for this story. Dave: Very interesting, thanks for that info. The caption to the photo in GWR Goods Services does say "lesser" animals, which is probably a good term then. On the issue of sheeting, my inclination would have been to use two sheets, but I thought I had best follow the prototype photo I had.

Relieved to hear you have saved the dairy Ian. Was worried there for a moment!

Whew, you had me worried there for a while Jokes aside, great shots and modelling as usual. That Jinty is very photogenic, second shot looks particualrly good, I think,

Jon, is this the longest blog entry ever on RMWeb? :-) I think it might be, so good thing that is totally fascinating stuff! Your style and the careful documentation of each step and issue is very captivating. I also like how you then switch to your round-roundy :-) Quite a contrast, but another great project, just with a different angle (its all about the angle, isn't it). The fantastic detailing work you are doing here is similar to building a whole layout, I think - in fact, in a way your 47 project is a whole "layout" in itself. Oh, and those windscreen frames look fantastic.

Be careful with your bets gentlemen, you haven't seen the end of this yet! Would be fun to do a jockey - spots and all - but perhaps of limited use on a model railway :-) So the stencilled numbers are dates! I've always thought they were some kind of measurement - but did wonder why they were all different. D'oh. Never mind, I'm not happy with the sheeting on that cattle van anyway and want to redo it. It was a bit hurried, and the ropes have come loose. Also I see now that there should be 5 ropes per side (good photos in GWR Goods Sheds part 2A, p58-59). I did consider doing a sheet of the earlier style which had the full "GWR". But an overview photo in "Edwardian enterprise" suggested that the style seen here was in use by 1914. The idea for this came from a photo in GWR Goods wagons part 2A p52, which shows a cattle van sheeted with a single sheet for carrying horses.

"Surely you do not intend to transport my prize-winning champion in that ?!". Mr Bull looked incredulously at Woodcourt, the Station Master of Farthing. Woodcourt was acutely aware that the situation required all his diplomatic skills. "I'm afraid this is our only option" he replied "and we do convey horses in cattle vans quite frequently. The sheeting will keep her from panicking." He decided not to mention that the only horses ever carried in cattle vans were lowly farm animals. Faced with no alternative, Mr Bull finally gave in. "But make sure to tighten the tarpaulin better. Those ropes look slack and I won't have my champion go down with pneumonia!". Heaving a sigh of relief, Woodcourt made a mental note to remind the staff of the sheeting regulations. Those ropes did look rather slack! As No. 535 moved the van and its valuable cargo out of the loading dock, porter C. Walker realized that he now possessed some very useful inside information. After that ride, chances were that Mr Bull's champion wouldn't live up to its usual reputation at the races today. Best get some bets in. Meanwhile, Woodcourt was happy to see the horse move off. He congratulated himself on solving the little crisis, and wondered if perhaps the day would turn out well after all. Little did he know that his troubles had only just begun... Go to part 3

No pressure, mind... ;-)

The Normandy sand sounds interesting. A bit hard to see the effect in these photos, but if you take a sharp close-up it would be interesting to see.

Those curves look tricky, nice job Nick. Surely, somewhere in the jungles of Borneo there must a bug which resembles this loco :-) I take it you've abandoned the idea of the diorama with the boiler being lifted in/out. Probably a good idea, we want to see it running.

Lovely shots Jules. I really like all the fencing, it gives a lot of character.

Looks good so far Chris. And don't you gentlemen encourage him to slow down :-)

Hi David, very interesting to read this and see the Dean Sidings 517. It does look like it needs a good deal of work, but it sounds like you have it worked out. Will be very interesting to see this develop.

The whole concept of "lake" is tricky. Witness the debate on Barry railway lake - which btw includes an interpretation of "chocolate lake": http://www.gwr.org.uk/nobarry4.html Well spotted :-) Driver Oberon also shares his name with a Dickens character.

Somve very nice stock there, and really well built. The Lowmac looks really good, you wouldn't think it's an old RTR! I like the b/w photos. There's something about the light that adds an extra touch of "reallness".