mudmagnet

I must say congratulations to all entries and especially to Dave for Waton. Thanks to Andy for organising. One thing is very clear - the results are very close and goes to show how good each of the entries have been modelled and presented. Well done to all.

Hi A couple of night-time shots! Light source being an LED head-torch. Comments welcome.

Hi, About time for an update. I have not been doing much to the layout over Christmas, but have been working on some buildings for my club layout. However, I have been able to get a little work completed on the layout in the last couple of days and have brought the layout in from the garage (too cold out there to spend too long) to run the locos. Most of the scenery has now been finished and few extra details added - these being a few bits of 'junk' partly buried in the grass, which has been growing again (thanks to Grassmaster). I have added weathered barrels from the new Bachmann range (good value for money) and glued these around a few places. There are some old pipes rusting away in the grass and these can just be seen in one of the photos. Only a bit scenery to add in the corner and behind the shed to finish, then I can move onto the interior of the shed. I will also be added a few lights when I get chance. A new class 25 has been added to the fleet (thanks to Christmas) and has yet to visit the weathering shop, with pipes etc to be added to the buffer beams and the couplings to be replaced with a wire loop. I still need to finish pipe work and little weathering to some of the other locos, so should keep me occupied for a while. I have spend a couple of enjoyable hours operating my NCE Powercab, which is head and shoulders above the Dynamis (although the Dynamis is a good start into DCC), but have a problem with the accessory decoder to operate the points which needs to be sorted. I do have a MERG accessory decoder to assemble so this may find its way onto Orchard Road.

Hi Marc, Part of the layout was planned, but some of grew as construction went along, realising that view points developed as I went. An example being the trees at the front, providing a good view blocker. The Grassmaster is the Noch version and I must say works very well. It does take a little practice to find the best technique, but Darren was a great help - he has had plenty of practice on Torrington!!! I think that you do get what you pay for! I know that it is expensive, but the results speak volumes and certainly adds so much the realism that can be acheived. Talking or realism, I like to weather my buildings, rolling stock, locos and details. Pristine locos and wagons do not look right IMHO. Have great Christmas everyone (along with plenty of modelling time) Richard

Hi, A scene on Orchard Road through the trees.

Hi, I have finished my three Parkside BR van kits (I bought these a couple of years ago and took them on holiday for something to build in the evenings, brought them home, but didn't get round to painting them) and given them a light weathering. One is shown on the layout with one of my class 25's.

Hi Jimmer, Many thanks for your comments - glad to read that Orchard Road is one of your favourites!!! The three main points are Peco medium radius - i.e. from the bridge into the depot and the two fueling roads. The fourth point, the one kicking back towards the bridge is a small radius. Ideally this would be better with a medium radius, but on the basis that I already had this one, I thought that I might just use it! Mudmagnet.

Hi As a change from blue engines, I have attached a photo of two recently completed mineral wagons (couplings to be added when I can locate my packet) on Orchard Road. These are unlikely to ever 'run' on OR, but posed for the photo. These are the Parkside Dundas fitted wagons, built as per instructions and then painted and weathered using acrylics. The inside of the wagons were painted using watered-down acrylic (artist tube variety), which streaked and went patchy on the plastic, producing the results seen. A little more 'rust' has been drybrushed in places and 'rust' washed into the corners (which can't be seen in this photo). The exterior was weathered using Cidatel washes and dry-brushed acrylic.

Hi I have borrowed Darren01's (as in 'Torrington' of these parts) Grassmaster and have added some grass along the front of the layout and in front of the trees. Still a bit of work to do on the scenery to finish it off, but thought that I would share a photo of the buffer stop at the end of the fuel off-loading siding and grass growing around the pipe work. Unfortunately the colour is not quite right - a bit low on light source, but did not have chance to take any photos earlier today. Whilst moving the layout around (from hall way back into the garage) I took the opportunity to photograph looking towards the bridge, taken from the baseboard joint - a view not easy to photograph when both boards are erected. A few more jobs to do, such as finishing the scenery and adding a few details (not much do do though). I can then make a start on the interior of the depot building.

Impressive looking buildings there Marc! The weathered sign has come out very well.

Another photo, with the light coming in from the side.

Hi I have temporarily set up the NCE Powercab on the layout over the weekend and found it easy to use. The locos are run better and smoother on the NCE when compared to the Dynamis. Just need to set up the point accessory decoder. However, I did have a problem with the transformer that was supplied with the set - i.e. it did not work. I borrowed a transformer from a friend, which enabled me to use the NCE. I sent the transformer back to the shop (which arrived yesterday) and a new transformer arrived today - all working perfectly now. Many thanks to Bromsgrove Models for their rapid response.

hi Andy Thanks for the comments. The ballast is Green Scenes, which I find is very good and not too large granules. The ballast and paint has been painted by washing in over a period of time a mixture of acrylics (from DIY store tester pots) until the desired colour is achieved. Oil patches are acrylics (same pots) mixed with acrylic gloss medium and dabbed on were appropriate. A little blue has been added in places to the gloss medium to try to give an oily sheen. The fueling point is a Knightwing kit, largely assembled as per instructions, then painted and carefully weathered with washes and dry brushing. I am very pleased with the depot and judging by the number of comments, other people like it as well. I still have the doors to make and then finish the interior. Richard

hi Pete Glad you spotted those! Although it took me a little while to work out the best way to assemble the baskets complete with feet, I got there in the end! I am very pleased how they turned out and with a little weathering certainly look the part. I still need to add some bits and pieces inside to a couple of the them though. The platform went together very well, although I did find the casters a bit tricky. Richard

Hi Darren Glad you like the photos. I will have a look at the rock colour. The rocks round here do vary from area to area and certainly redder the further south you travel. Should not be too much of a problem to wash some colours into the rocks, although they are not too red around here. Next job is to add some grass along the front of the layout close to where the office has been positioned - cue 'grassmaster'. Richard

Thanks for comments. The first picture is only possible with just this one board - i.e. putting the camera where the baseboard joint is and aiming towards the depot. The last photo was taken with the layout in my hall-way, the light coming in from the side - certainly casts an interesting light!

Andy, Coming on nicely - all looks very good and I particularily like the weathered stock. To my mind 'clean' rolling stock and locos do not look right - yours look very good indeed. Look forward to seeing the sidings / shed area develop. Richard

Hi A very productive couple of days. SWMBO away for the weekend, so brought the layout indoors and used the dining table to set up one of the boards as this is easier (and warmer than the garage) to work on. Finally managed to cross a few jobs on the list - (1) reclad the brick work on the depot building, (2) add pipe work from fuel off-loading to storage tanks, (3) added fencing along rear above rock work and (4) additional office building. I have attached a few photos. Whilst one board was on the table, I took the opportunity to take photos not easily accessible normally when the layout is assembled. There are few details / bits and pieces to add around the office building. I will probably add some 'low-relief' tress behind the depot building and still need to finish into the corner of the board at the end of the factory building and will likely be the next task.

Hi Pete, Although I have been pleased with the Dynamis as a starter set into DCC (this was purchased before NCE offered the powercab starter set at a sensible price), there are a few limitations (as mentioned on other threads so won't repeat here). I have not found any problems with loosing the signal due to interference, but did have a slight problem when exhibited the first time, where I did not incorporate a shelf on the layout to sit the receiver. The receiver was balanced on a few boxes and not very practicalbe as occasionally the receiver was nudged. Part of the reason for going down the DCC route was to minimise the use of a control panel or additional parts to carry to an exhibition. I operate the 4 points via an accessory decoder, using the Dynamis and found a little awkward, but workable. As far as hands on use - I do find that you need two hands to operate comfortably and that the joy-stick took a little time to get used to. However, my 13 year old son had no problem (could be something to do with Playstation / ExBox). The NCE can be used in one hand, which is a help when operating. I will stick a piece of Velcro on the back, with a couple of corresponding pieces on the layout - I have used this with DC hand controllers and is very useful when you want to put the controller down. The NCE will also give me the flexibility to operate from the front of the layout, sat in front of the fiddle yard, but will need to change the Bachmann couplings to auto-matic / semi-automatic couplings (Sprat and Winkle / Alex Jackson / etc) so that I remain seated at an exhibition. Ir have not yet decided which to use. I will not use the Kadees, as in my opinion not appropriate visually for my rolling stock - these do work very well, but best suited to an American outline. The additional functions on the NCE will be helpful - e.g. being able to read the CV's. I have also found, with limited time to operate that the NCE operates the locomotives more smoothly (all fitted with Bachmann 3-function decoders). In future, I will likely use TCS or similar. the first one to change will be the Bachmann class 08 as I feel that this would benefit from a better quality decoder. I think that the Bachmann decoders are good value for money and operate fine on Dynamis, but perhaps limited when using a better DCC system. Richard

Hi Not much progress to show on the layout at the moment, but have made a start on the pipe work from fuel off-loading to storage tanks and hope to get most of this finished over the weekend. I have also now bought a NCE PowerCab as an upgrade to my Dynamis and need to set it up - i.e. fit socket panel etc.

Hi Marc, Your buildings capture the look of the steelworks very well. Look forward to seeing these weathered (up to your usual standard no doubt) and then in place on the layout. Do you have any photos with these placed on the layout or are you saving this for another time? Richard

hi Mike, Thanks for comments. I decided to build my own depot, mainly so that I could build something individual (although the Bachmann shed (s) look OK, you do see a few around now) and that I couldn't find anything that fitted in to what I wanted to achieve. I also enjoy scratchbuilding as much as possible. I have exhibited Orchard Road earlier this year at my local club show (last July) in its un-finished state (when is a layout ever finished??). Due to show again next July at the club show when OR will be more or less finished. I also have a couple of invites within the South West for next year, but always open to offers!! Hope your own depot building goes well. Mudmagnet

hi YVM Thanks for your comments. glad to read that I can provide some inspiration. Does help to use a Grassmaster for the long grass though (I borrowed one, which I need to do again for more grass). Mudmagnet

Orchard Road, circa 1979 .....

Finally for now, a photo recently found in an a collection, taken by a local trainspotter, circa 1979 .........