mudmagnet

Hi Well the layout is packed ready for the Barnstaple show at the weekend. Planning to set up tomorrow night along with the club's layout Tawbridge. Come along and say hello! Plus, you can have a close look at the details inside the shed! As a bit of joke (Mason) - I have made a coat hanger from a piece of wire and has now been glued to the bench inside the shed! The photo shows it, rather cruelly enlarged several times larger that it actually is! also, as mentioned previously my son's new purchase has made its way onto Orchard Road. Just need to fit a decoder, I thought I had a spare one, but can't find it so will need to get a new one and hard-wire. I did have a problem getting the body off, with it not wanting to come away from the buffers, then realised that the buffers themselves pull out. Heh presto - the body came straight off!

The overall shots give a great sense of the size of the layout - very useful. I do like what you have achieved. The space on the layout works very well - you have spaced everything out well, resisting the temptation of squeezing too much track into the space avaliable - I think that you have got the right balance. I would like to built something this large in my garage one day, but will stick with the portable layouts for the time being myself. Do like what you have built though.

Thanks Andy! It looks like there will be a new addition to Orchard Road, well at the next exhibition at least - my son (spending some of his birthday money which was burning a hole in his wallet), has bought a second hand Lima class 47, so wanting to get a decoder fitted and then wants to add some weathering! He is also quite keen on adding the pipe work on the front!

hi Neil, I think in the short-term, I will print a few photos for display on the front of the layout. Hopefully I will have a bit of space around the layout so visitors can be invited down the end of the layout to get a better view! Not sure about the coat hangers - but in theory could be possible! I may just have try just for the sake of it!

Thanks. As mentioned before, I just wanted to see how far I could go! Some details are Bachmann (lifting jacks, oil barrels), PH Designs (mesh crates), Knightwing (oil drum with pump, lockers), Dart Castings (foreman) The rest is mostly scratchbuilt from plasticard / wire etc. Most of the inspiration / ideas come from various books and observations, plus items that I would expect to see. A few people have suggested items as well, such as the oily rags.

Hi Nell, Coat hangers !! I'm mad, but not that mad. The 'coat' is simply glued in place with a spot of PVA. A few more bits may indeed get added onto the table yet! The roof is a completely separate unit and clips onto the four walls and not sure how I could hinge it up. I thought maybe a clip-on mirror onto the backscene may work, but I won't get chance to have a look for anything before the next show!

The bench, table (with newspaper) have been glued into the shed, along with a coat hanging on the locker! This is on side that is not easy to see from the front - I may need to have a mirror on the backscene so that visitors at an exhibition can see into the shed! Also, just another shot at the end of the siding with one of the OCA's loaded with scrap! Probably won't get much time for more updates until the weekend.

Hi Lee Thanks for the comments - I've had great fun detailing the inside of the shed. It's not something that is seen very often - just wanted to do something a bit different! Richard

Hi Dave The table is 12mm high! I am so used to adding details to 7mm narrow gauge layouts, I thought 'I wonder what is actually possible in 4mm?' Of course there are limits, but I find that adding the details brings everything to life. I decided a while ago that I did not want many figures, so have to make up for 'signs of life' using various details! Also, keeps me occupied! Hi Darren, Certainly going a bit mad! Thanks for comments - I just fancied having a newspaper on the desk (don't think that it is a NotW though!) Hi Neil, I had thought about a flask / mug sat on the table! A packet of fags may be a little extreme! I've seen a few packets of fags modeled in 1/12 scale and they look fantastic, just think very feasible in 4mm. A few years ago there was a7mm exhibition layout where there was a figure actually 'smoking'. Can't remember the name of the builder of the top of my head (Martin something I think), but have the articles of his layout in the Raiilway Modeller. Sadly he died a few years back. Hi Mike, Thanks. I have thought about a few animals hiding in the grass, but not got that far yet. Richard

Well, the oil cans have now found their way onto the layout and have been glued in position - a couple have ended up in the shed and will show up in photos later. I've also made a bench and table, complete with newspaper - another mad moment. All painted, but yet to be glued in place!

Nice work on the roof Neil. Looks fine to me, although as mentioned a little more soot / oil around the exhaust would look good. Other then that I wouldn't do anymore to the roof. Like Cav suggests, would be worth having a go with the powders on the chassis - just keep it clear of the wheels etc.

Thanks Neil. They are quite good fun to make and unique. I have a few now and each one is different. Less then two weeks to go to the Barnstaple show and want to get a view little bits finished inside the shed. In another mad moment (thanks to a suggestion by Darren01), I have made a few oil cans. These are quite small, being only 3mm tall and the photo does highlight the crudeness! I will glue these in place later, but will probably feel a little lost in the shed, but I know that they are there and will hopefully add to the detail in the shed! These have been made from a view small pieces of Evergreen plastic strip and painted with acrylics - as normal.

I am very pleased with the way that the Mermaids have finished. The moulding detail is very good. I did have a few difficulties getting the underframe / brake details together underneath, but persevered and all done. So much finer than can be achieved with the RTR offerings. I also have a Shark brake van, just needs to be finished.

Looks very very good Dave! I will look forward to seeing the loco in the flesh at Barnstaple show in a couple of weeks and will need to get some photos on Bridport Town. Any more thoughts on the next station on Marshwood Vale?

I have used a TCS M1 in my Bachmann 08 and what a difference! I would recommend you have a look at the TCS. Several friends use them and are generally very good. They are about twice the price of the Bachmann decoders, but worth the extra for control and configuration. I have also used a Lenz Standard in my Heljan 33 and this works very well. These are the 'base' Lenz decoders and certainly appear to be better than the Bachmann ones. That seems to be true with decoders!

Thanks Neil, The Mermaids (like the other Cambrian kits) aren't the easiest to put together, but do make great looking models. The level of detail is superb and probably better than most RTR (although some is getting close). I am very pleased with how they have turned out - need to get them finished and then add a couple of Dogfish so that I can run a 'Mer-Dog' train.

I've made a couple more scrap loads and sheet loads - see photos below. I've also painted the wheels (thanks Pugsley) and also the buffer shanks as noted elsewhere on another thread. Also on the list to do are the Cambrian Mermaids - need to add the decals and then weather. I have a few photos showing the weathering that I want to achieve. Hope to get these done in the next few weeks and will post photos. These will simply be loaded with ballast, but not sure at the moment whether to make removable or permanent. I have added some weight under the chassis, but not much space for very much. These have been sprayed using Citadel black from a can and then the white bits picked out.

Hi I was hoping to get some more bits glued inside the shed, but had a few problems getting things to stick in the right place - a bit frustrating, so will change slightly what I had planned. Hope to get this sorted in the next few days! I did get chance to tweak the weathering on my OCA wagons, so thought a couple of photos would look OK, so have attached these below.

Hi Not much progress on the shed interior, but hope to get a bit more finished over the weekend. Just noticed that now reached over 31000 views - thanks for checking the thread out! Only two weeks to go to the next exhibition in Barnstaple (30th July) so want to get a few bits finished before then!

Hi Ray, Good to see that you are making progress. My only observation so far - the road in front of the fiddle yard / cassettes looks a little close and may be difficult to provide the scenic break. Could this be curved away a little?

Hi Neil, I like your weathering - very effective. I would suggest spraying with a matt varnish to prevent the weathering powders rubbing off.

Neil, The weathered blue has come out well - enough weathering and staining without being OTT. The 08 also looks great - not my colour scheme of course, well done nonetheless. A few more bits and pieces would be good, but don't overdo them. My only other observation would be that you need something inside the building to create a shadow and to hid the non-railway stuff behind. Perhaps the top of a roller door as well.

Hi Chris - still a few more things to do! I will stop one day though as there is a risk of over-doing it! There are few electrical details / lights that I want to add and this will probably be about it! As mentioned before, I wanted to add quite a few details inside the shed and keep everything outside more sparse and keep a sense of space. Thanks DP - I enjoy adding the details and I've not seen many sheds with detail inside - so wanted to do something a bit different!

Hi Neil, I would agree with the colour for the shed - a pale blue would look good. A light weathering with a pale grey with a little silver over the top would be good. Keep the silver to an absolute minimum as you only want a slight shine on the top faces of the profile. You could also wash a darker blue into the crevices in the profile and a little build up a the bottom to represent where the rain has washed the grime down. I would probably avoid any rust if you are representing galvanised steel as this does tend to protect the steel well, as unlike painting. Grimleygrid, thanks for the comments about Orchard Road.

Coming on very well. The banks along the back make a good change and allows some 'greenery' to contrast with the oil / fuel and general muck. The porta-cabins and other details sit nicely in the scene.