Chris Chewter

Thanks for the suggestion. I did try polyfibre, but when I pulled a lump of green woodland scenics polyfibre out of the bag and glued it on, it still seemed a little chunky. I might try polyfibre on another tree and see how I get on. (That reminds me, my daughter had a bag of polyfibre left over from a stuff your own bear kit at Christmas which I thought I could dye green, but I fear it may have been thrown out!)

One of the problems I faced when experimenting with TTS, is the speaker is absolutely huge in comparison with other sound chips. I fitted the A1 tornado chip to an early Bachmann model, but found that trying to fit the enormous speaker in was a real pain. It wouldn't even fit in the tender! In the end I swapped the speaker to a Zimo sugar cube, which seems to have worked, and allowed me to fit the speaker in the smoke box. I'll try to get a video of the loco later and post it up for reference.

Spurred on by adding sound to the pannier, the videos show just how sparse everything looks on the layout without trees, so I decided to set about adding foliage to the wire armatures, now covered in plaster and sprayed with an over coat of grey, and a light coat of brown. Using hob-e-tac glue, I originally added some static fibres as before, but found it was too thin, so added some coarse turf, and the trees were transformed! Looking much better, I decided to check my reference photographs and noticed that the scots pines are not the vibrant shade of green I had used. Instead they were a lot darker, hence why I also purchased a woodland scenics shaker tub of conifer green! So I stripped off the light green and reapplied. Now they look alot better and I feel spurred on to finish the remaining trees. The one significant problem in using plaster to coat the trees, is that they are now prone to cracking if the armature twists even slightly!, so I now have to drill slightly oversize holes to prevent twisting the trees into overtight accommodation holes. For future trees before spraying, I might apply a single coat of latex, but its too late for the pines which are all plastered and sprayed and ready to go. Another set back is that four trees has finished up my supply of hob-e-tac, and used an alarming amount of coarse turf scatter. So with credit card in hand, an order was placed with one of the online retailers. Just need to await delivery before I crack on. I think it might be another month before I fit sound to the 14xx!

The 28xx on the viaduct does look good! As for the model railway, its privately owned by Dave Boot. Its certainly one tidy looking model! Unfortunately its not on display at the GWSR. The only model at the GWSR is at Winchcombe in the mail coach. There's a video of it here:

A couple of extra videos taken with better lighting. However better lighting shows the flaws! So much work to do! However this one of the pannier on the run round I didn't think looked too bad:

I picked up one of Gooderz sound chips from the Chinnor and Princes Risborough railway shop. Easily one of the best sounding DCC chips I've come across! I'll try recording from a different angle with better light as the model progresses.

The pannier performance mystery has been solved! Last night I received a comment on Youtube asking whether the capacitors had been removed. Now I'm not the greatest advocate for their removal on the basis that the TCS M1P the loco was previously fitted with was able to perform with these still fitted. It also prevents the DCC chip from being removed and the loco sold on the open market should circumstances change. However I have removed capacitors in the past to sort out performance issues, so I know its sometimes necessary. Also, because it's unlikely this loco shall be sold on, I decided to snip them out with immediate performance improvements! I just need better lighting to improve the video capture, however things like finishing off the cottages face a higher priority at the moment!

Its funny the things that spur you back into making progress on your layout. I've fitted the railcar with a sound chip from Howes, and its really added back that missing dimension that you don't get when the locos run silently. I've also fitted one of the Panniers with a sound chip from the Chinnor and Prices Risborough railway. The sounds are fantastic, but its now exhibiting some strange running qualities: I presume i need to change some CV's to get it running smoothly, but does anyone have any ideas which ones to adjust? (Sorry for the video quality, but I wanted to demonstrate the issue rather that get a cinematic video.)

Does anyone know if there is any update on the expected delivery date of the 611 controller?

Another carton of Woodland Scenics lightweight hydrocal plaster arrived arrived earlier today, so after the kids went to bed, I spent some time trying out coating two tree armatures to see what they look like. I just need to let them set before spraying them, so I'll post progress once they've received a coat of grey and a light mist of brown. I've also got some polyfibre to try to bulk out the branches, so i'll also give that a trial. Whilst the plaster trees cure, I decided to continue with the cottages. These have received a thin coat of plaster, which has been sanded to remove any high spots. I've then set about scribing in a random stone patten into the plaster. Hopefully this will give a stone effect once sprayed up in Cotswold colours. I've noticed that the white undercoat has resulted in some of the door detail being lost. Next time I think I may need to cut a little wider. I'll see what they look like once painted up, but I may need to 3D print a few doors on Shapeways to sit over the top. Fingers crossed but to me its coming together.

Well no doubt many woke up today to a covering of snow. After my kids excitement of the snow wore off when they found out that it is actually very cold outside, I decided to escape the bickering over what they were going to watch next on the telly, and decided to try rescuing the pines. Attempt 2: Apply some filler! The only filler I had was some Woodland Scenics lightweight hydrocal left over from making rocks, so some was mixed up and slapped onto the trunks. The trunks were then sprayed to tone them down and a pine was put into place to see how it looked. Certainly an improvement, although it does look a bit on the knobbly side and far too thick! Probably because the trunk has had four coats of latex and some filler slapped on! Also any flex in the trunk let to cracking and bits of trunk falling off! I hope this is because the latex is underneath these experimental pines leading to too much flex. So I need to select another armature to apply filler to in its entirety. Thankfully I have a few to choose from! I just need to purchase some more filler as I've used my last carton of Hydrocal up! I think I'll also try to pick up some DAS clay and I'll give that a go on another pine. However I think the latex pines have had their day, and will need to unfortunately go in the bin!

If you're worried about wrecking your models, why not pick up a few Dapol loco kits, make and paint them up in pristine condition, then weather them down? You'll never get good at weathering unless you practice, so dive in and give it a go!

Thanks for the suggestion. I have four wire armatures which I'm experimenting on so I might try a bit of mod-roc to see what happens. Given that I have another 15 wire armatures ready to go, it seems a waste to simply bin them! In addition, after looking on the 4D website, I don't think their pines look any better really, and I'd like to spend my cash on sound decoders rather than trees!

Still having a bit of a tree crisis, so I'd be grateful to know what people think. The Scots Pines consist of a wire armature twisted and coated with latex, sprayed with grey and brown, and static grass applied to the branch tips. Perhaps I'm being fussy but it doesn't seem quite right. My other option is to coat the trunk with plaster rather than latex and see what the final tree looks like. The final alternative would be to commission some pine trees from 4D modelshop. So the question is, do I run with the latex trees, or do I give up and commission the trees?

This fella does 3d prints off Shapeways which might help. Not too sure if they work out cheaper or more expensive for the area you need to cover. https://www.shapeways.com/shops/recreation21?section=tram+track+inserts&s=0

Those are some nice looking trees! How have you gone about making those or are they commissioned? They look far too big to be off the shelf.

Thanks Wigan Wall Gate for the links. I knew there was a 2+2+2 formation which in my opinion would make a nicer 6 car set, but couldn't find the evidence. https://www.flickr.com/photos/25924336@N04/2480757032/in/photolist-7sz4ee-bt7P1b-7CZJad-abFhch-5hriPz-i2m1Rw-qG9UWn-9NdUNk-bqFN8i-7URt5m-d7jVwA-ashxXf-dNPNCs-rndvpP-9MqBa-eHAoHR-4KtgLX-9rv51B-7Kr4oW-TMFMDE-d7jRiS-25yGns-97CZ8F-4MdwCY-9iXnfy-3N7eya-qz1wPN-VB8Epa-5ghMvU-hC2LW2-caVu5Q-EQ1NQJ-geXp4-7SKj8t-eHxE7D-geXiS-67g46z-8xNkk-5hrjix-eCU1nM-dmQ6vA-9xuYT4-4ZAMuD-afDvCc-6SrGrY-fB6WPN-4LAx1f-mT5QbE-hs92Yf-7SNmCb

Some of the comments above have already been addressed in the N gauge topic. In particular things like the fact that the APT-P is made up of two sets yet the flyer only has one number has already been acknowledged by DJ Models. The second set number is to be declared as the project develops. Regarding the set formations, with the help of various others on the forum, we have found every varient being proposed. In fact, DJM Dave mentioned that the proposed sets have come from photographic evidence. To recap: 5 Car Set with black surrounds: Tring https://www.flickr.com/photos/129410758@N08/15579235170/in/photolist-nuHSwL-a4oSft-jzqGW5-qXMnq8-7fymNs-a4PgDv-pwS6uJ-8HprNy-8ey3Nt-nuHSkJ-9XJmKU-r8DYpd-dFFWJK-pJFDQW-8Hmj8Z-h9KCGQ-81ySzc-bLChUx-8HpqQ7-p32vrN-9wntMA-EFmeWf-bvKzdb-iuEQN6-djzGk5-iuFtfn-6R3Mth-gnj4Nn-bvKyGG-6Lch79-oHfSFk-bRZg7z-bhAVC8-ryRnwL-b4S3BH-rRjyMW-diPFNy-rbwbn7-XcHaH9-9wntzC-ed5y3i-j4GdNt-nuHSqU-G7ADW7-ekTLpg-9GswPC-crXNzY-8mJTNz-5AyamP-8eBktE 6 car set 7 car set https://www.flickr.com/photos/71592768@N08/12192686576/ 10 car set Not too sure on the formation proposed by DJ Models, but the following youtube video suggests a 10 car train: 14 car set Plenty of evidence as this is a full pair of sets. DJM Dave has posted here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/128477-n-gauge-crowdunded-apt-p-warley-announcement/page-3 at Post 70 about the sources used for the proposed sets. We just need to let this project get some traction to see what DJModels and Durham trains of Stanley have proposed. Very excited to see this going ahead!

Thanks PaulRhB, that's what I understood. However Hattons have removed the original SR Green Manning Wardles (Exe and Taw) from their website. They both still sit in my pre-order list giving me the slightest glimmer of hope. Ah well, lets hope they still turn up and instead do some modelling whilst I wait...

I presume that was the 9953 release of Exe rather than a re-release of the 9951 SR green version. I can't help but feel disappointed. Exe in SR green was released in very limited numbers, and Taw appears to have completely dropped off the radar (Its certainly no longer on the Hattons website as far as I can see!), I feel frustrated that Heljan are concentrating on new releases of the Manning Wardle when orders on existing variants are still pending and left in limbo. Looks like I better pre-order an SR green Yeo before that sells out, but presently there's no guarantee that even Yeo will arrive!

I’ve been emailing Mick from Durham Trains re the descriptions. Like posted above, I just used the Warley code and found the OO variant, but I agree that it could be clearer. Hopefully Mick will have it sorted soon!

Well that's at least one order for a OO gauge five car set made with Durham Trains! Looking forward to seeing how things develop!

Further to my original post earlier today, we've found most of the formations to be correct. However we are still missing the 7 car set. The flyer indicates that this is proposed to be with two power cars, therefore it cannot be any other combination than a 3+2+2 formation. Regardless how many times I've trawled through the books, I cannot find an APT with that consist. Any ideas?

Ha! You're right! And I had an eye test recently! Better ask for my money back.