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About 2 years probably Geoff. The same thing happened with my MK1 BSO as well. I look forward to someone announcing a Steam heating van now I have the bits on order to build the one pictured on page 4.

On Post 74, I showed a photo of one of the lorries from a container haulier I used to work for which were based in Parsons Street. While the Seddon Atkinson tractor unit has been on hand for years, the trailer was more problematic as most of the trailers available from Corgi, EFE, Oxford etc are either much more modern combi trailers or the older trailers are flat beds. By the late 70's most of the trailers on the fleet were skeletal trialers (i.e. just a chassis without a floor) and were either 20" or 40" versions of which there is no rtr version so scratch building was required. I was initially tempted to make a 20" trailer (in reality 26" long) but based on the photos decided to go for a 40" trailer but with a 20" box so I can model some of the chassis detail. The 20" box is fitted on the middle set of twistlocks, the trailer being fitted with 12 in total so it can carry either 2 x 20" boxes, 1 x 40" or a single 20" box. If carrying a single box then it is located on the middle pins for weight distribution reasons as putting it on either the front or rear pins would overload an axle. I purchased an RTI 40" trailer chassis in the hope the bed and chassis would be separate but this proved not to be the case so in the end used the wheels, axles and suspension block. First off the chassis rails were secured to the suspension: Then the cross members were added for the 12 twistlocks as well as the landing legs to support the trailer when not connected to a Tractor unit. The RTI legs are not great so I cut the wheels of the bottom and made my own legs. I decided to add a fair bit of detail as it is likely I will keep this trailer and unit for prosperity when the layout gets sold at some point in the future. I added a winding handle for the legs as well as the handles for the twistlocks from brass wire: Final job was some mud guards prior to primer and painting, the wheels are only loosely in place as they will be fitted after painting. The box needs a lot of weathering, James Makin has done an excellent job on a Genstar box on his workbench so will try and do similar.

Lovely layout, I look forward to seeing it finished in it's new guise.

Holiday time this week and a great opportunity to make some more progress with the layout. I have made most of the Fiddle Yard today. I wanted the fiddle yard to incorporate a table area of some description for storing stock and cassettes at exhibitions. Due to the length of the longest siding which can accomodate 3 carriages and a loco, I have decided to separate cassettes for Loco's and for the carriages. The locos and shorter cassettes will then be stored on the table area when not in use: Mandatory area for Pint glasses/mugs, a bit smaller than ideal but not the main priority in the design The end of play for today. A hinged cover and the cassettes to follow. The controller will also be on this board as well.

I am fitting the motor from the Hornby super detailed model to a Lima shell and chassis, it is about 2 hours work and runs well. The bits are quite cheap as you can get a chassis unit from one of the models suffering from Mazak rot for less than £30, I cant find a Railroad chassis that cheap (Photos on my Parsons Vale thread) Converting the exhaust from the Mirrlees to EE is straightforward, you can touch the paintwork up and hide with weathering to avoid a full respray, there are some photos of one I did years ago on my Pallet Lane thread.

Hi Andy, The model you have is of a 110 Land Rover, the earliest that can represent is 1982. Oxford Diecast do a series 1 Land Rover which is from the Mid 50's and would be suitable for the early to mid 70s although a Series 2 would be most appropriate and were common place throughout the 70s and early 80s. I know Oxford do a Series 2 in 1:76 so they may do one in 1:148 at some point.

I am about to block a bidder as they have bid on 2 items of mine for the item not working on arrival as I suspect the issues are caused by buyer and I am getting fed up with Ebay's return's process which is weighted highly in favour of the buyer: Item 1 - Fully working loco. - Eventual buyer emails me while auction is live offering a lot less money than the price they paid. Also asks if it DCC ready (it was) as they use DCC - Buyer wins auction, then on arrival says loco is not working and their is a problem with it. - I offer to repair and send back to them which buyer says they would consider - I receive item and buyer then instantly requested a full refunc - I check the loco and the underframe tanks are loose which they weren't when dispatched suggesting buyer has removed bodyshell - On removing the shell I find a wire loose near PCB with the hallmarks of being dislodged during the attempted fitting of a DCC chip I managed to resell the loco for similar price but at the cost of 2 lots of postage to get item to buyer and back Item 2 - Loco parts - Email exchange during the auction, buyer asks if 2 parts are the items for version A or version B of the loco (Mine are version A). Eventual buyer's questioning leads me to believe he wants version B, so I tell them so accordingly and which version of the loco to buy from. I am then surprised when they win the auction - Package dispatched and buyer leaves positive feedback on delivery day, I reciprocate - The next day buyer says the 2 parts in question don't work and they want to return them. I am yet to receive them but will test on return, if they are working then I will be refusing a full refund. My only regret is not banning this bidder earlier as they are costing me money. Ebay's return process basically means they will take the money off you and is weighted very heavily in favour of the bidder, even if there return request is suspect..

Unfortunately I couldn't get to Cheltenham today so I am gutted to have missed seeing this, in so many photos posted from the weekend you would struggle to tell this isn't 4mm. I hope Andy takes this in the constructive way it is is meant but the Land Rover in the picture is way too modern for the layout, that type of Land Rover is from the early 80's so wouldn't be seen near a Hymek or D6300. As both a blue diesel and Land Rover fan it detracts a little on what is an excellent layout.

Thanks for sharing Neil, the Malago Vale one is of interest for my current layout, the lighting is very different to most of the photos I have seen.

Thanks, they look good, will get some of those.

Interesting read, it was an inspiration to me, the only time I have seen it was boxed up in the BMRG club room. I recall it was owned by Geoff Endacott rather than the club and hence it was never on the club radar in my time to get it running. I agree with Steve's comment that this needs the right stock (detailed Lima rather new Bachmann) stock to be in keeping with the layout.

Hi,I am trying to source some 4mm water taps, ideally mounted on posts for my new layout. GEM used to do some which are ideal but they no longer seem to be available. Please can anyone suggest an alternative source please? Thanks

One of the things I find most enjoyable about building a new layout is building the buildings, and even though 2 ready to place buildings will be used, both will be modified. Due to my inability to sleep more than 6 hours a night, I had a few hours this morning to work on the stores building. I like how this one is turning out and thanks to the links to the great photos posted earlier in this thread I have some good reference material. I have added door handles and lights this morning.

Re the Exeter train, in later days passengers travelled down on a normal service train so your observation is correct. Rail Express did an article on Motorail trains many years ago including sample formations and called this out.

More work last night, I have made the doors and doorsteps for the stores building while Dave came over to progress the weathering on the 2 coaches I acquired back in January. Every so often I like to visualise how the layout is coming together with some stock on it, so far so good:

Thanks for sharing this links, some great photos there.

I had similar experience, emailed on a Saturday, response on Tuesday, I paid straightaway and goods arrived Thursday. As ever in life I like to make life easy for the person to do what has been asked so put all the of name, code, scale, price, description in my email..

X31 bus goes from Bath bus station to Corsham and passes close by the venue. Alternatively a shuttle bus from Bath Spa if network Rail will let you?

Lima class 31 is a good model shape wise and in 2 hours you can fit the mechanism from one of the self destructing Mazak rot Hornby version. I am building my second one now, and thanks to the cheapness of the Lima loco and broken Hornby chassis you can make a good loco and have change from £70. Add another £30 for Laserglaze and etched grilles and respray and you have a top drawer loco.

Not yet, but I will have that pleasure when the new layout is finished in a years time... I converted to 3 link 15 years ago, as I wanted to model diesels with full sets of snowploughs and pipes and they are the only real options in this case. They are not perfect and for a carriage siding they will prove a challenge more than with my previous layouts. The hand of god is not great but having operated S&W and Kadees I find the shuffling back and forth equally disruptive. Maybe the future is a DCC controlled electro magnetic 3 Link?

Thanks Keith. It is a short wheelbase, 1977 Petrol series 3 I bought it semi on Impulse back in 2002 and have had it ever since, although it is standard there are a number of new parts on it now, including the chassis which is a galvanised replacement. I built a model of it some years ago which will appear on the layout with a suitable horse box. Thanks, I am curious what your question was?

The underframe is a work of art, amazing detail

It is, 2.25 petrol series 3, plan is to be back on the road next year all being well!!!

Following on from my last post, the control panel has been put on the layout and then joined to the previously installed track feeds. With the help of my daughter and the Hornby class 50, the layout has been tested and works as planned. Next time Alan comes over I will set the layout up and let him start to fathom out the operating sequence and panel. With the panel installed thoughts turned to the building to hide it. Post 94 from Tim V came just in time as it includes a clear shot of the stores building next to the water tower. This is ideal for the purpose as it appears to have no windows and is a straight forward rectangle, albeit with some nice details such as the outdoor light and associated wiring. As with most of my scratchbuilt buildings I start with a thick card shell, the card being artist mount card offcuts acquired some years ago, the stash will outlive me. It comes with the advantage of the edges being chamferred to 45 degrees, a bonus for making corners: To this brick work was added to 2 sides, although only 1 will be visible and the corner won't be visible either so the join is a bit more visible than I would normally accept. The roofing felt is fine wet and dry, doors and their furniture etc to follow. Viewed from the fiddle yard end, the building will sit slightly under the footbridge,

No probs, just ordered an OCL box myself for a model I am making of the first type of lorry I drove.