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The loco fleet has been having a bit of a change around of late with some of the Peafore Yard stalwarts venturing on to ebay, with 03121, 03382, 24081 and 40135 currently up for sale to make way for the recent class 31 and 50 additions. I will be sad to see those 4 go but the SLW class 24 in particular is just not suited to the new layout. I was hoping that the class 50 would be straightforward renumber and weather but not being a huge fan of the class, it wasn't until I read the "Trethosa" thread that I realised how much work the Hornby class 50 needs, particularly the roof and cab windscreens. I have ordered the bits but the loco will be on the backburner for a few weeks The other new addition is this collection of class 30 and 31 parts. The plan is simple. Strip out the Lima Motor bogies (done), detail and respray the body, convert to a class 31 , replace with the Hornby 31 mechanism, bin or sell what is left: This is what is kept from the Hornby 31: This example of the Hornby block is the worst I have seen and disintegrated on removing the motor: The Lima battery boxes are removed and replaced with the Hornby moulding which is a better job: The next task is to cut some holes in the chassis for the original non motored end which I will do this week

I started work on my second Hornby/Lima hybrid today. I am integrating the Hornby mech into the Lima chassis. I will post more photos on my layout thread but the photos below show how brittle the chassis become: The raw materials: This 31270 was one of the worst I have seen as there was evidence of cracking through out the block: On removing the motor from the block (with minimal force) this happened: This doesn't bode well for my original hybrid which utilises the Hornby centre section of the chassis. At some "sooner rather than later" time this will need to be replaced I

Quick question for those who have fitted them, how easy are the PHD grilles to make up? They look great but look incredibly fiddly?

Seems to be bad in Hampshire, one of the guys who works for me took 2.5 hours to get from Chandlers Ford to central Southampton..

Caught the 05:54 ex Chippenham to Padd this morning, got there ok but station was like skating rink. Sure enough they closed it 40 mins later... Luckily reopened now and back home all ok. Phew!!!

Sure, the photo also shows the latest progress with the houses on the backscene as well:

Aah, I never heard that one Chris, must have been a good 30 years ago or so I presume? The first train ran last night as I have now soldered up the droppers, 08950 did the honours

Lovely layout Dave, yet again another corker!

The 2 class 03's from Peafore Yard are now looking for a new home as they are surplus to requirements from Parsons Vale sidings, and I am unlikely to model Avon Street again!: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_nkw=&_in_kw=1&_ex_kw=&_sacat=0&_udlo=&_udhi=&_ftrt=901&_ftrv=1&_sabdlo=&_sabdhi=&_samilow=&_samihi=&_sadis=15&_stpos=SN13+9AP&_sargn=-1%26saslc%3D1&_salic=3&_fss=1&_fsradio=%26LH_SpecificSeller%3D1&_saslop=1&_sasl=robowst&_sop=12&_dmd=1&_ipg=50

Sad news, I had planned to buy a split box class 37 from JLTRT in the next couple of years. The Heljan model is nowhere near as good as the JLTRT model and costs not much less unfortunately..

Thanks Adrian, I probably will at some point build a VR but they would have been the 2 door variant with centre staircase which is quite a hatchet/respray job and will have to wait until the layout is finished. Aesthetically I always preferred the bustle fitted Atlantean and Fleetline and I regularly saw HHF15 on my way to school so always had more affinity to it than the VR. It always stood out as at the time (early 90's) it was pretty rare to see any decker other than Badgerline/Cityline fleet in South Bristol

Finally finished the bus this morning (final weathering and driver to follow):

Thanks, I am just doing bits and pieces, the main focus this year is finishing the Land Rover, next year will see a lot more work on the layout, especially if Geoff wants it for Calne 2020...

I have made some recent progress with the layout albeit at a snails pace due to other commitments. A start has been made on the wiring with the switches installed in the control panel. The layout will be wired for cab control so that 2 trains can be moved at once although this does add in it's own complications it will make exhibiting at shows easier when there are 2 of us as well as certain shunting moves will be more straightforward. I have also added the dropper wires for most of the layout but have run out of wire so have ground to a halt there. Further work has been done on the scenery, I have sanded the original layer of polyfilla and then added a second layer, particularly to the gardens at the front of the layout as the change of gradient was rather pronounce and left the gardens with an unnaturally flat surface. The cliche bus on the bridge is finished now as well.

Very impressed, I have recently purchased a class 50 and thought the Hornby model was ok (rad grilles accepted), clearly not! I will digest properly later but you have inspired me to do some work on it. Look forward to seeing the layout build continue.

I only keep my Rail Express subscription going because of the quality of the modelling section, that said even there are a number of issues I have flicked through quite quickly as I lost interest in the modern scene after 1996. Potentially it could go standalone but Model Rail tried that when it split from RAIL in the mid 90's and quickly broadened away from their modern image only approach and I imagine the economics are even more stacked against it now.

Southampton had loads as well

Thanks Andy!Sounds like I had a lucky escape at Peterborough, Phils Badger-esque Microphone was distracting enough. I narrowly avoided appearing on the BBC local news a few years ago when exhibiting at Trainwest. BMRG had secured a slot on the news and I was asked to do it as "I didn't conform to the social stereotypes" but I had to give it a miss as my wife and I were planned to go out for dinner so as I value my marriage I politely declined, Hedges Hill cutting went instead.

It is 9 days of filming, not sure if you need to do work outside of that. It is certainly not 9 days straight, I once did 5 solid days when I had to get Pallet Lane ready for its first show, followed by 2 days exhibiting it, I nearly keeled over.... If you put 6 people on building a layout, for 9 dyas I think you would be amazed how big a layout you could build.

Just to follow up on my earlier post, I have found out some more details from the Researcher: - The filming will be done during May and June, you need to be available for 9 days. - You need to form a team of 6 people, they are looking for 12 teams, all over 18 years of age. Unfortunately both of the above criteria rule me out and realistically mean that it is most suited to be retired club members. They definitely are not looking to portray the hobby as nerdy, and were at pains to point out they want to show the creativity and quality of railway modelling. I wish them well but think unfortunately the attendees on the program will reinforce the stereotypes due to the restrictions on time etc.

I dropped them an email, this morning, to find out more, got a call with them tomorrow to find out more about it. My wife actively encouraged me having done some TV work for RDF/Channel 4 previously.

1800 ex Paddington to Bristol is only 1 x 800 set tonight due to staff shortage... Stood in vestibule with 14 other people, already been stood on twice.

Thanks 159220, I will try and book both trips on IET's and will hopefully get at least a 50% success rate. Kids are excited because they heard the IET's have free wifi, I haven't broken it to them that so do the HST's....

Not had it happen on a Hornby one but had a crank break on a Bachmann one before...

Sadly it seems the ex Wensleydale Railway BRUFF has been scrapped, pictures of it on Flickr with it's cab missing, it seems Rush Green Motors have a customer wanting loads of crew cabs for Bedford TLs..