Huw Griffiths

A number of weeks have passed - and there's finally some further progress on my build. (Caring commitments have been a bit of an issue recently.) Some things have gone to plan - for some others, I've had to dream up new plans - which probably explains the rather odd title to my build. Anyway, here goes: A few days back, I fished out an old pack of Preiser HO model railway figures - some of which I had previously painted - some others had just had fleshtone paint added in a few places. Not having a full painting "kit" immediately to hand, I set about a few of these using OHP marker pens (far from ideal, I know, but I'm not too worried - I'm viewing this whole enterprise as a "chainsaw" exercise). At this point, I should also add that a small number of figures in the pack had got damaged in storage - due to several tyres from EFE buses having found their way into the same bag some years back. (I'd tried doing some homebrew repaints - with "varying" degrees of "success" ... .) The lesson from this is obvious - but I managed to salvage some of the figures concerned - and used them in this build, with the damaged bits hidden from view in various ways. In case you're wondering about the rail replacement bus driver sat on the steps of his bus, reading a map, I commuted by train for a number of years. I also encountered a number of rail replacement buses - the drivers weren't always from the area. I can remember one of these guys asking me for directions, along roads neither of us had seen before (we got there OK, but it helps that I've got a good sense of direction). Another "Plan B" involved the "rail replacement coach". I always intended the bus to be as rough - and disreputable looking - as possible. Well, I think it's fair to say that it looks rough ... . I also intended it to carry a "registration plate" reflecting this. When vehicle inspectors encounter a commercial vehicle that is not in a fit state to be used in service, they often issue a prohibition notice - called a "PG9". I originally intended to use this on the "number plate" - but this turned out to be unworkable. I didn't have any "number plate" transfers that could be adapted to this mark - I didn't think I'd be able to generate clear enough "white on black" lettering in a small enough size using my home computer and printer - and I also wasn't sure it would have shown up properly in photos. Instead, I decided to use "PG9" as a "route number" - and I used the smallest transfer lettering I had for this purpose. A number of years back, one shop was selling off loads of transfer letters very cheaply - so I acquired some. At the time, I tended to use the stuff when labelling control panels on electronics projects. My favoured method came from the pages of a 1970s edition of (I think) Everyday Electronics - place a strip of good quality clear tape (usually "Sellotape" or "Scotch tape") onto a clean, flat, surface and apply the letter transfers - then apply another layer of tape to protect the letters against scratching. Another option involves using PVA glue as a "varnish" - but here I used tape. One of the photos includes some of my "labels" on a scrap of red styrene sheet. With the bus "company" label, I stuck the basic label onto some thin white PVC insulating tape - before using a scalpel to cut it to size and apply it to the model. For the "destination screen", I used black insulating tape as the "base layer" - then applied the transfers (and a strip of white tape, for the blank destination), followed by a layer of "Scotch tape" In case you're wondering about the "bus company" name, some bus operators make a point of buying cheap (ie rough) old buses for contract use - they sometimes come from dealers painted all over in white (sometimes called "dealer white"), to hide the previous operator's identity - these vehicles are sometimes described as "contract motors" (although I'd imagine that a lot of people just call them "bangers"). The patchy paint job on the bus was actually a bit of an accident. Initially, I tried painting it all over in white (actually thinned Tipp-ex, from a pot that had dried out before I was handed it to throw away). I wasn't happy with the way it looked, so I tried using paint thinner to remove the Tipp-ex. Unfortunately, I also ended up removing quite a bit of the green paint that had covered the bus when I acquired it - but I thought the resultant patchy paint job worked quite well here, so I left it. If you're also wondering why the British Rail logo looks rough, this is because it's built up from layers of different coloured insulating tape. I'm not sure I'd choose this method again. The paint job on the train is even rougher - but then what do you expect when the "primer" is old Tipp-ex, with some dried bits in it? The yellow colour came from some leftover yellow acrylic paint (probably left over from about 20 years ago - but I digress). The leaf on the line is just a scrap of coloured cardboard - itself taken from an offcut - recycling inaction in action. (I know - I was into recycling years before it became fashionable - I even recycle my "jokes". That's right - I even recycle ... oh, never mind ... .) Anyway, since I wouldn't be able to fit a convincing tree into the space available, I decided that how the leaf got on the line was best left to the imagination. All I know is that it's held there using a spot of PVA - as are the train, the bus and the figures. Meanwhile, the train interior is built up from scraps of styrene. This even includes the seating strip - which consists of 2 strips of coloured styrene sheet, glued at an angle and stuck onto a strip of clear plastic to raise the seat height. (Well, like most of this build, it seemed like a good idea at the time ... .) The "blob" towards the rear of the train interior is a bolt, with the visible bit of the thread introduced to "business end" of a paint pen. From various photos, it can be seen that the train was removed and returned to the scene several times. I'd noticed that it seemed to be slightly "nose-heavy" - the bolt was an effort to counteract this. Anyway, that's enough waffle - here are some photos, for what they're worth ... . Finally, here's a photo that shows that the whole build fits inside the prescribed box: Anyway, that's enough from me. For better or (more likely) for worse, I've had enough of scenery, so my entry's finished. I'll sort out my comments - and which photos I'll use - in the next few days. I suspect my next experiments are more likely to involve something I'm more comfortable with - motive power - but I'm not expecting the chance to do much with that any time soon. Regards, Huw.

I gather it's short for "pirates downloaded free". (Other definitions are also available … .) Huw.

… Aaaarggh!! That spoils the fun!! Seriously though, you make a number of very good points there. A lot of people see something presented as "free" - and there's a "feeding frenzy". Don't believe me? Just try visiting a trade show - specifically any stand where they've got a box marked "please take ONE", containing a load of tacky, plastic items. Now switch your attention to magazines - and the sites offering "free" downloads of every magazine imaginable - including ones that only went on sale 5 minutes ago. Who cares if this stuff should really come with a "DVD and crossbones" logo? Who cares? Certainly not the people who stick this bootleg stuff online. Certainly not the people who see the word "free" - imagine this must be some amazing new bargain - and then some of them might even have the cheek to expect everyone else to tell them how to read their amazing "free" publications. I mean, it's all too good to be true, isn't it? In fact, you could say it's a "steal". I guess that's one way of putting it. Occasionally, "gauge societies" and "special interest groups" put one or two old issues of their magazines online, as "tasters" - and some of these can be very useful, too - like one group who put up a magazine in which a (then) recently deceased member described how he'd built a very decent model of a shunter loco (complete with usable drawings). Meanwhile, one gauge society have a very strong presence at certain regional shows - to the extent of often having a table full of "surplus" copies of some of their magazines from the last 4 or 5 years - magazines that, right now, are effectively providing me with a "how to" guide for the lion's share of an ongoing project. Thanks, guys. Although this last bit might sound like cynical exploitation on my part, I don't think it is. If I hadn't come across these magazines, I would not have been in a position to get this stuff any other way. However, now that I have come across them, I'm actively looking for sensible ways of getting to their major shows by public transport. If I find myself in a position to get that sorted, the society in question would be likely to gain a new member. They certainly haven't lost by putting this stuff out there. They probably won't gain immediately - but they certainly haven't lost. However, returning to the "PORTABLE document files" of commercially produced magazines, I suspect that some foreign publications have managed to make a go of this - even not being too worried if the files get passed around - but they've used a completely different business model to any major UK publications. The ones I am thinking of are paid for completely by advertising - and uploaded every few weeks to their website for free download - while regular readers are encouraged to register (free) for updates. Some of the articles and adverts in certain versions of these magazines also contain links to advertisers, who would be only to happy to keep readers supplied with various model making essentials. That's considerate of them - well it is, because that's what's keeping the e-zine afloat. Somehow though, I don't think we'll be seeing this particular business model appearing in the UK any time soon. Huw.

Although I don't know which former editor you're talking about, I'm not surprised he didn't like that price - it's even more than a model railway magazine! However, as for the "small amount of really good beer or cider" and the "gallons of cheap" pigswill, you're definitely talking sense there. Huw.

There are a couple of points here. £5, or indeed 75p, might not be "big money" (especially in a hobby where some of the prices quoted by even mainstream manufacturers for locos, rolling stock and DMUs can politely be described as "eye watering" - but then how many of us can actually afford to buy new RTR these days?). However, all these price increases everywhere add up - and a lot of people are on low, fixed, incomes, which aren't tied to the RPI (or any other measure of prices which is recognised by anybody in the real world). This means that, to try and "keep a lid on" costs, some people need to check, every now and then, if discretionary purchases are still within the personal budget. In other words, can I still justify that magazine or that show admission, both of which have just shot up in price. This was why I wondered if there might be a connection with "DVD-gate", which could perhaps be seen as a step in a cost cutting drive. Let's face it, I seriously doubt the commercial viability of having "DVD included" and "no DVD" versions of the same magazine alongside each other on newsstands - so trying to wean retail print customers off the advertised DVD might be one way of cutting costs. Another might be to say that no version routinely comes with a DVD - but offer annual "taster" DVDs and themed in-depth "how to" DVDs at shows and over the web. What to call them might be an issue in itself - I believe "Right Track" might already have been "taken" - and I can't see Warners coming up with a title called "Parker's Guide" … . Huw.

Assuming, of course, that the higher price isn't a "one-off". I'm sure we'll find out very soon - and I'll find out at the same time whether I'll continue to be able to afford buying this magazine. Fair comment. I also wonder if there might be some connection with the recent "DVD-gate" malarkey: With the magazine marketed as being routinely supplied with a DVD, what happens to circulation figures if the DVD's missing from the print version of one issue? This presumably leads on to another question - would newsstand customers still buy the magazine if it were marketed as "DVD free"? Some people might even be mischievous enough to wonder which sort of clientele certain magazines might be targeted at - "Flannels" or "Sports Direct". Of course, I couldn't possibly comment. In fact, I don't think I'd be in a position to comment about the likely answers to any of these questions. I certainly don't expect answers to these questions - they're none of my business - but I'm guessing that Warners are expecting their recent "market research" exercise to yield some data. For the sake of clarity, I'd better make it clear that I also don't want to invite a slanging match here - on this or other issues - so I trust that nobody is about to "mistakenly" accuse me of chucking about a truckload of (non-existent) fireworks. If there is an answer tomorrow, I suspect that a number of people will be very interested. (After all, this does seem like "one giant leap" for a magazine price.) As already implied, I suspect that this answer might help to inform some paying customers' answers to another question - whether to continue buying BRM. Time will tell. Huw.

This doesn't sound particularly shocking - after all, I believe some people refer to model trains built from Lego as "L gauge".

I hope you don't mind if I chime in here. So far, there's been a lot of very sound advice - and you're likely to get lots more, both here and if you ask questions at shows. I suspect that a number of people here would agree with me that, when it comes to track, you certainly don't want the stuff that seems to find its way into Hornby trainset packs, for a number of reasons: It often seems to have steel rails - which could lead to problems with corrosion and poor electrical connections. Once you've decided on your layout, steel track probably also isn't the easiest to solder. You might sometimes see disparaging comments about "trainset curves" - a lot of the curved track in trainset packs is likely to be to their smallest radius, often referred to by names like "1st radius" or "R1". This is another problem, because a lot of modern RTR (ready to run) locos and stock seem to need curves to be at least "2nd radius" in order for them to run properly. Assuming that you go for Peco track, it is certainly possible to mix "Setrack" and "Streamline" track - but, before you buy any track, it would make sense to decide the rail height you're going for. Peco offer 2 standard rail heights in their UK range - "code 100" and "code 75" (they also offer "code 83" for US modellers - but let's not worry about this here). The code number refers to the rail height, in thousandths of an inch - although "code 100" is probably deeper than scale height for quite a bit of railway track (especially old track), a lot of older RTR models have wheels with coarse flanges, which could cause running problems with "code 75". These days, RTR locos and rolling stock often seems to come with wheels with a profile conforming to NMRA (National Model Railroad Association) RP-25 - which would probably run OK on both "code 75" and "code 100". Saying all that, if it were me, I'd still stick with "code 100" track. If, for some reason, the slightly higher rail height were perceived to be offensive, there are ways of disguising this - but I wouldn't worry about stuff like that right now. What's far more important is to ensure that the track works reliably - and everything runs smoothly on it. I've seen and heard a number of comments about the CJ Freezer track plans - and actually needing more space to build layouts than suggested by the plans. I've also heard suggestions that the (1950s) track that formed the basis of these plans might have been to sharper radii than that sold now. I can't comment about these suggestions (well, I wasn't even born until the mid 1960s!) - but it would certainly make sense to allow extra space. Meanwhile, some people use "Streamline" flextrack - which comes in long lengths, which you shape and cut to length yourself. You can get curve templates for this stuff. Although I've never used them, I believe you place one between the rails when shaping the track - and fix the track while the template's in place. You then remove the template and use it again where needed. Incidentally, when you see anything written about model railway electrics, you need to be aware that "12V dc" doesn't always mean 12V dc. Certainly, any RTR locos etc you come across will have been designed to run with a 12V dc supply. They'll also be wired so that, if the right hand rail is positive compared to the left, the loco will move forward. This is all in line with NMRA S-9. In practice, though, you'll often find that the voltage across the track might well be higher than 12V (some controllers used to output about 18V - and that's before you start talking about various "flavours" of pulsed track supplies. Also, DCC often involves a modified square wave signal which, apart from changing direction all the time, could easily involve even higher voltages. None of this should be a problem with controllers, locos and stock from reputable manufacturers - but it might be worth bearing in mind if you add track powered lighting or build your own locos at a later date. As for whether to use DC or DCC for control, I wouldn't try to push you either way. However, it's noticeable that a lot of modern RTR stuff is supplied "DCC ready". This means that, although it's designed to run on DC - and doesn't come with a decoder - it often includes a socket, plus a blanking plug. OK - if you were to fit a decoder at a later date, you'd need to make sure it has the right number of pins (or use an adaptor) - but this arrangement does at least allow you to decide at a later date. It also allows you to choose which decoder chip to fit. Even if you stick with DC, having a socket also makes it easy to isolate different parts of a loco / DMU, which some people (like me) might find useful for maintenance purposes. However, the most important advice here is to put yourself in a position where you can get sensible advice, from people who've "been there before". If there's a local model railway club, why not find out if they have any shows or open days - these would give a great chance to find out how easy these guys are to get on with. Large exhibitions are also great - if you find yourself at an exhibition where one (or more) of the mainstream magazines have a presence, there'll often be people there who can at least point you in the right direction. As a rule, I've found these people to be very approachable, very keen to get people interested in the hobby - and ensure that we stay interested. A number of these people are also members of this site - as I'm sure you'll find out over the coming weeks and months. There are also a number of other people, with significant knowledge of various aspects of railway modelling - many of these people have often shown themselves willing to answer questions / provide sensible advice as appropriate. Anyway, that's more than enough from me for now. You've got plenty to think about right now - and no doubt plenty more over the coming weeks and months. Don't feel that you've got to rush things. Regards, Huw.

"The heat is on ..."

Really? Do you mean people actually fishing out (and handing over) some of that folding stuff at the bottom of those deep pockets - the pockets that are known to be so much deeper than the length of their hands? No. Surely not. That would spoil the fun of aisle-blocking at their local WHS "reading room". It most certainly would not do ... for some people. It's that scary "buying" malarkey again, folks. Strenglich verboten ... apparently. That's more like it. OK. By now, some people might have sussed that I like my humour slightly dry. On a couple of occasions, I've even been accused of being cynical (perish the thought). There are, however, some serious points here: Some people have been known to take an interest in telegraph poles - whilst completely ignoring the (far more electrifying) OHLE that can be found on lots of railway lines in mainland Europe (and some in the UK, too - but not too many, if certain people have anything to do with it).This will not do - sparks will fly! More annoying still are those guys who insist on clogging up the aisles of their local WHS, reading the print off the pages of magazines. I know some people might not be too worried about some publications - certain "red top" newspapers seem to have a reputation for being "grubby" anyway.However, when I check the contents of, or (Shock! Horror!) buy a copy of Railway Modeller, MRJ, ModelRail, Hornby Magazine, or Garden Railways Magazine, I prefer to hold a clean copy, one on which I can still smell that fresh, aromatic, ink on the pages. You know - this might even make it worth my while buying a copy - especially if the content is of interest to me. At this point, I guess I should also point out that other model railway titles are also available - some of which make major contributions to the running of this site. I suspect that someone from Warners might be along soon to tell us all about some of these titles (if they haven't already ...). The comment about some magazines being difficult to read on electronic devices might interest some people for different reasons. Some people might have encountered the free US e-zine Model Railroad Hobbyist. Although some people in the UK might regard MRH's subject matter to be slightly "niche" (US and Canadian outline railway modelling), I never have any difficulty finding articles of interest to me.However, in the last few years, I have noticed that MRH is routinely offered in both "landscape" and "portrait" formats - specifically to allow for reading on a wide selection of devices. Finally, I come to where people are most likely to come across copies of BRM (or any other railway modelling magazines). I'm sure we've all been stuck in doctors' or dentists' waiting rooms where there's no reading matter actually worth the effort of reading - or where the waiting room table only holds old copies of Readers Digest, Country Life, Top Gear Magazine, or Condé Nast Traveler.OK, it might be interesting to read about, say, the "Moses Bridge" in the Netherlands - but I can think of one person who might like to read about stuff like "how to kitbash some coach and brakevan parts into a model railbus"*. (*Other projects are available.) Unfortunately, the typical choice of reading matter found in waiting rooms might suggest that a number of people aren't railway modellers. Even more scary is the thought that a number of readers of model railway magazines also might not be railway modellers - collectors, yes - modellers, no. ... And on that bombshell, it's time to end. Huw.

Andy, Thanks for your encouragement - and your kind comments. I'd be surprised if any of the materials I used were to cause anyone too many problems in this "department". The PVC "Palfoam" / "Palight" is very clean to work with - it offers a bit of resistance to a #11 X-Acto blade, but I've found it very easy to cut. I'd definitely use this stuff again, without hesitation. 4D Modelshop sell the stuff - and they've got a guide to working with the stuff on their website: http://modelshop.co.uk/Content/DynamicMedia/cms-uploaded/files/4D_guide-foamed_PVC(3).pdf I can't remember whether my base is 2mm or 3mm thick - I guess it doesn't really matter, as both hold their shape pretty well - but the 1mm stuff would almost certainly flop around a bit. The floral foam generates a bit of dust (actually less than I might have expected) - the green stuff having a smaller "grain" than the grey - but, as supplied, this foam wants to break up a bit. Both are very soft and a bit brittle, really (especially the green stuff, which seems to cut like butter) - this was why I was able to shape these foams using a sanding sponge. For example, when I shaped the ballast / trackbed, it started off with a rectangular cross section - and took 1 or 2 passes with the sanding sponge to give a clean bevelled edge. You might be wondering why I even considered using these foams - and why I painted on some water based PVA craft glue (using a flat #12 craft brush). Well, I don't know if you're aware of some of our friends from the USA talking in terms of "chainsaw layouts" - layouts or modules that are so cheap that, after completion, they wouldn't be worried about introducing them to the "business end" of a chainsaw. That's right - I'm treating this exercise as a "chainsaw diorama". This might also explain why I was happy to use a Tri-ang signal here - for once, it doesn't need to be realistic - it's not as if I'm planning on holding on to my entry after this challenge finishes. Scenery's never really been "my thing", so I don't have a reputation to maintain or lose. I just wanted stuff that would be cheap and easy to work with. For example, I've recently seen Hobbycraft selling housebrick sized blocks of both types of branded ("Oasis") foam at £1.50 a pop - with their "own brand" equivalents at £1 a pop. At prices like these, experimentation becomes affordable. A number of years back, I came across another phenolic foam marketed as "Lexathane MFP-5". This stuff came in packs of 2 sheets - about A5 size - with some instructions suggesting the use of epoxy adhesive to glue it and seal it against light knocks. (I'm not sure, but I seem to recall there might also have been some mention of thinning the epoxy using something like acetone - but please don't quote me on that!) Right now, I don't have any epoxy adhesive at home - so I decided to try bonding the stuff with some contact adhesive I got from Lidl a few years back. This stuff worked extremely well. As for sealing the foam, I tried PVA, which seems better than nothing - but the PVA doesn't seem brilliant for bonding. I don't know how well the floral foams would stand up to being carried around on a baseboard - certainly as manufactured (or sold in places like Hobbycraft), they are susceptible to knocks and fingernail damage. When I pressed the piece of track into a strip of the grey foam, it offered a bit of resistance but not very much. I suspect the green stuff would have offered even less - in the past, I've been able to press objects into the stuff and get clean impressions. OK - I don't have a layout (though I've seriously considered building a depot-based "novelty" switching microlayout, with all switching done using a turntable and a traverser). I don't know if I'd risk using any phenolic foams on a "proper" layout - as I haven't got a clue whether any of the foams might react with anything else - but I might be tempted to give it a go, as long as there's nothing there that I'd be worried about damaging. Huw.

No. In his initial post outlining the challenge, Phil Parker said that: Entrants must build a diorama that can fit in a standard 8-inch square cardboard cake box – the sort available from shops that sell cookery items. You don't display the model in the box (unless you want to) it's simply a guide to the maximum size, a bit like the cages you find at airports to show how large your suitcase can be. I suspect the confusion might have arisen because these boxes are often 6" high. Just for information, Phil later added that there'd be no problem with people turning their cake box on its side - giving base dimensions of 8" x 6", with height of 8". Ultimately, the entries are required to be able to fit into a box of dimensions 8" x 8" x 6", with no stipulation of which way round the box rests. Huw.

If you checked out some test posts I did elsewhere on this site, you'd be aware that this thread hasn't quite caught up with where I am in the build process. The filenames in this thread might also tell some people that any progress I have made on the build has been a bit intermittent at times - not that I've lost much sleep over this. There have been a couple of factors at play here - caring commitments (elderly / disabled parents) - and scenery never having really been my specialist subject. This might explain me being prepared to use non-standard materials (like floral foam) and a Tri-ang signal in my build. It might also explain why I don't really feel that I know what I'm doing - so only the foam elements (the bridge and the "fields") and the fences have actually been fixed in place. Everything else has been roughly positioned, a few seconds before I take a photo - so I'm sure some stuff will appear to move about. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take photos of a couple of build steps (one pair of hands ...) - although there wasn't anything exciting to see here, I'll try to fill them in as I come to them. I'll start with the fences - these came from a Ratio #519 "Mess Van / Store" kit. This 4mm scale kit is essentially one of their Clayton style Midland Railway clerestory coach kits - minus most of the chassis parts - but supplied with compartment partitions, various picnic furniture and some fence panels. I hadn't managed to find a use for the fence panels - until now - so I cut up a couple of pieces, glued them together (at various angles) using PlasticWeld - and pressed them into the green foam either side of the track on my build. I then "painted" all the floral foam with cheap, water based, PVA adhesive - I wanted to seal the surface, to reduce the chances of bits breaking off (I think it probably worked to some extent). In case you're wondering why I needed to add a bridge to this scene, I don't think it would have been possible to fit a full-length train into the available space. The bridge offers a scenic break - and I deliberately kept it small, to ensure that very little of the train would actually be visible. At this point, I could imagine some people wanting to see this mythical train. Well, one thing's for sure - it isn't an accurate model of any train I know. Instead, the shell was thrown together from scraps of BR Mk1 coach models - a random mix of partwork and Replica offcuts - with holes added at the front to vaguely mimic cab windows - while the interior consists of scraps of plastikard and clear styrene. I haven't taken any photos of the interior (I don't think it's anything special), but I would be able to do this at a later date. These photos bring the thread up to date with the build. It isn't complete - but, as originally planned, there aren't too many major elements left to add: Although a bus parked on a bridge has become something of a cliche in railway modelling, I was thinking in terms of the bus being a "rail replacement". In the past, I've travelled on a number of these. In my experience, they've often been operated by the sort of operators few passengers would actively choose to travel with - unsuitable vehicles - often very rough - take ages to turn up (and even longer to get anywhere) - and driven by people with no local knowledge. This might explain the "distressed" look of my bus - when I add it, the registration number ("PG 9") should eliminate any doubt. I'm also thinking of adding a driver looking at a map - but I haven't yet decided whether he'll be in his cab or stood outside the door. The KitKat advert included a train driver, stood outside his cab. I was thinking of having him reading a "red top" newspaper - and see no reason to change this. The suggestion of railway employees using a high pressure water jet to try and dislodge one leaf (amongst the backdrop of an already overgrown track) certainly sounds amusing - but I'm not sure if I can do justice to this. I'd rather leave it out than make a mess of it. As for other people, some people might recall my comment in a "MM&M" thread about train spotters turning their attentions to rail replacement buses. I doubt if anybody would be surprised by me saying that I had my CBC entry in mind when I made the comment. Right now, I've got some unpainted model railway "people" in a cupboard - I intend to find them in due course - and I'm sure some of them will find their way into my entry in the near future. While I think of it, you might have noticed the lack of windows etc on the "train". I'm still thinking of sticking on bits of old PC Models coach sides, which include windows. If I don't do this, I'll decide what further action is appropriate. As for the yellow front of the train, currently it's anything but yellow - something else which I intend to sort out in the near future. I hope to complete this build in the near future - if I do, there'll be further posts here. So much for what is essentially a scenery project, using scrap (and cheap) materials. I'm not planning on doing any further similar projects in the near future - as I'm rather more interested in motive power (especially "D&E", trams and railcars / multiple units). I'm reckoning on my next project being something along these lines. However, I wouldn't suggest holding your breath, unless Andy's planning on a "motive power" challenge some time soon (preferably very soon, as a good friend of mine has been trying to persuade me to build an O Gauge railbus - by next April) ... . Huw.

Now that the bridge was in place, I came to the fields, either side of the track. I don't doubt that it would have been possible to add something really detailed here, but I just wanted something cheap, quick and easy to throw together. Here again, I opted for floral foam - albeit, this time, the green "wet" foam. (Apparently, this stuff is so called because it can be made to retain water. I'm not worried, as I've never been remotely interested in flower arranging. This is probably just as well, in view of my hayfever!) Anyway, this green foam cuts cleanly, using either the same snap blade knife previously mentioned or a standard replaceable blade craft knife, like an X-Acto (or clone) with a #11 blade. As with the grey foam, I cut some of this into sheets (I probably should have cut some of this stuff slightly thicker). Contact adhesive also works well with the green foam. Although the train is yet to put in an appearance, I really think it's crying out for a signal telling it to move. Here, I used a Tri-ang R43 home signal - for no reason other than that it was available cheaply. Any further and the train would need to turn up - so this is probably a good point to take a break (if only because I haven't yet painted the front of the train yellow). Huw.

That sounds better than what I've been thinking of - my thoughts were just to have the train driver, leaning against his cab, reading a newspaper. When I get to the figures, I'll probably try your idea, to see if I can make it work for me. However, I'd probably better get back to where I've got to so far: After obtaining a standard 8" cakebox from a local craft shop, I cut a scrap of "Palfoam" rigid PVC foam to easily fit inside the box. In fact, there was a small bit missing from one corner of my newly cut "square" of PVC foam - but I was able to work round this. Actually, I wasn't too worried about this - as I wanted to have as much space as possible available for the train - so the track runs at an angle to the base. I now needed to make the road section, to go on top of the bridge. To make best use of the space, the bridge and road are triangular. Using a pencil and a wide plastic rule (a tradeshow "freebie"), I marked the edges of where the trackbed would go. I then placed a diecast bus (an EFE Bristol VRTSL3) across the trackbed markings - as close to the left hand side of the baseboard as I felt I could get away with - and placed a rule with its edge where the edge of a straight section of road surface would need to be. This allowed me to cut a triangle of photo mounting card, to represent the road. As I wanted to ensure this card wouldn't sag under the weight of a diecast bus, I also cut a triangle of the PVC foam - which I fitted to the underside of the card, using double sided carpet tape. The next step was to check everything so far would fit together - so I put a piece of straight track (supplied with Issue 1 of the "Your Model Railway Village" partwork) along the middle of the area marked out for the trackbed - stuck a cheap loco on the track - put the card "road" on top of boxes, either side of the track - and put the diecast bus on top of the "road". Finally, I drew round the bus, using a pencil. At this point, I mocked up the bridge abutments, using more rigid PVC foam. Although my mockups won't find their way into the final version of my build, they were used for checking dimensions. Now to the track - this was from the same partwork that yielded parts for the train. However, I wanted an easy way to simulate ballast / trackbed. A few weeks ago, I got some grey "dry" floral foam - and used a snap blade knife to cut a couple of sheets from one "brick" (actually very close in size to a modern house brick - but I digress). I then cut a strip from one of these sheets, to fit the space marked out on the "baseboard" for the trackbed - put a bit of contact adhesive under this strip and positioned it in the marked space. Now, I put some adhesive under the "sleepers" of the partwork track - and pressed the track into the foam - before using a sanding sponge to bevel the sides of the "ballast" / "trackbed". At this point, I used my bridge abutment mockups to check clearances. This led me to the last call for the bridge abutment mockups - as cutting templates for some of the grey floral foam, from the same block as the "ballast": The grey foam could now be cut into wedges, using the snap blade knife and the indents left in the foam. The wedges will end up as the bridge abutments - (and are actually slightly higher than the mockups used to mark them out for cutting - but there's still no shortage of vertical clearance available for them inside the box). At this point, it was possible to see some visible progress. The wedges / bridge abutments were stuck to the board, using contact adhesive. Next up were some decorative strips, from the "sheets" I'd initially cut out of the foam "brick" - these represented bridge parapets, buttresses etc and were fixed using more contact adhesive, before I added the "road" I'd prepared earlier (no prizes for guessing what I used to stick it in place). Now, it was time to try parking a bus on the bridge (I'm not sure the bridge would be complete otherwise). Although I tried the EFE Bristol VR (and it fitted inside the box, with height to spare), I wanted something a bit lighter. I had a plastic bus model - a Concept Models AEC RF, which actually fits into the same "footprint" as the Bristol VR, but has a lower roof. I'd initially painted the AEC in "dealer white", before I decided to strip the paint. In the process, this model ended up looking distinctly "distressed" - which only reinforced the effect I wanted to create. (I'm afraid this photo didn't come out as good as I might have liked - but there's still some "fine tuning" to be done here.) I have done further stuff with my build - but this seems like a convenient point to break the post - more will follow in due course. Huw.

A while back, a KitKat advert featured a Class 24 loco and some wagons on a railway somewhere. "So what" - you might ask "- a number of the things were built - so what was so remarkable about this advert?" Well, said train wasn't moving. "Again, hardly remarkable." It wasn't moving, because there was a leaf on the line. "Yawn! Hold the front page!" OK - so trains being cancelled for what seem like very tenuous "reasons" hardly sounds like front page news to a number of commuters (and former commuters) - but this advert struck a chord with me. However, using the concept for a Cake Box Challenge entry turned into a voyage of discovery for me - in which I set out to explore some cliches - and led to me trying out some non-standard materials and methods in the process. My build effectively started on the Sunday of this year's "Ally Pally" show, when I worked out the main elements of my entry: Base - "Palfoam" rigid PVC foam, cut to fit inside 8" cakebox. Track - straight length, from a "first part" work, supplied with BR Mk1 SK coach model. At last, I've found a use for this track! Trackbed - grey "dry" floral foam. Train - cab end of generic multiple unit, thrown together from leftover bits of partwork coach. Interior built from various bits of scrap plastic. Signal - secondhand Tri-ang R43 home signal, set to show "proceed". Bridge - grey "dry" floral foam, with photo mounting card used for road surface. Bus - secondhand (and "distressed") Concept Models AEC RF. Exact type wasn't critical, but I wanted it to look rough. Trackside fences - leftovers from Ratio #519 "mess van / store" kit. Fields - either side of track, below bridge. Green "wet" floral foam. Leaf - this will probably be a scrap of insulating tape, stuck on top of one of the rails. People - model railway "people", yet to be painted and placed. So much for what I wanted to include - hopefully the build might be slightly more interesting. Huw.

I certainly hope so ... joking aside, I'm sure he does. I guess this could have been much worse. He could have been installing OHLE ... . Don't worry - I'm fully aware of your reasons for avoiding the stuff on project layouts. Much as I personally like the stuff, I was just using OHLE as an example. (My main interests have always been D&E {BR Modernisation Plan onwards} - and, of course, trams.) To be fair, I wasn't looking too closely at how the soldering iron had found its way into the photo. I was just trying to make a weak joke about the wording of an advert elsewhere in the same magazine - so I wanted to quickly find something that might possibly be perceived as more shocking. Of course, with my background, the soldering iron just "jumped out" as looking "not quite right" - but this stuff seems to have taken on a life of its own. Huw.

(Cue some "Rag 'n' Bone Man" single ... .)

Here's another photo - more testing. This time, you can see how the "dry" floral foam used for the trackbed could be shaped using a sanding sponge. Thanks again for looking, Huw.

Before starting a CBC build thread, I thought I'd better do a photo upload test: Here are a couple more - just as random. (Don't worry - the real thing's no better!) That's enough from me for now, Huw.

Scary!

"Quack! Quack! Oops!!" Seriously though, the ad that really "bugged" me was the one on page 145. Let's face it - when I was a student at the Polytechnic of Wales, if any of my electronics lecturers had caught me holding a soldering iron like that, I'm sure they would have blown a fuse … . Joking aside, it's obvious that photo is posed - I'd also be very surprised if that soldering iron (certainly the tip) had ever been turned on - but it should be interesting to see all the skills used in refurbing that layout. Huw.

Thanks for the clarification. So minuscule amounts of verbosity shouldn't be too much of a problem - but it's possible that you might, perhaps, find it somewhat preferable if we refrain from needlessly subjecting your readers to unnecessary utilisation of sesquipedalianisms …. Seriously though, you initially had me worried that my entry might have been ruled out on date grounds - which would have been somewhat irritating, as it's almost complete. Emailing photos of my completed entry by 12th October isn't likely to be any problem at all for me - in fact, I'm likely to find it much easier than remembering how to post photos of the thing in an RMweb thread. As for my entry, I'm not expecting it to fare too well in any voting - partly due to the theme(s) being stuff that irritates the **** out of most people on this site (me included) - partly because I've treated the exercise as a chance to experiment with materials not normally associated with railway modelling - partly because I'm not convinced that I really know what I am doing. Anyway, that's more than enough from me for now. Regards, Huw.

Not the motor, perhaps - but a lot of them are supplied fitted with metal gearboxes, whose output shafts are about 3mm diameter, with a flat on one side of this shaft. Some suppliers have started supplying them with pairs of plastic bevel gears with round holes slightly too large for this shaft and too small for a 1/8 inch axle - with small split pins - and suggested that people drill holes in the shafts to take the split pins. I suspect these 3D printed gears might be a reaction to this. Huw.

I visited this show today - and thoroughly enjoyed it - well worth the trek from Cwmbran on service buses. As expected, there was a good mix of good layouts / modelling and interesting trade. I also liked the Bristol MW coach which provided today's station shuttles. I intend to attend this show in future years (assuming the show runs on Saturdays, when I can get buses from Cwmbran to Cardiff). Huw.