Platform 1

Brilliant!  Gave me paws for thought...

8 minutes ago, Dungrange said:

How does an inbound train access your head-shunt to then propel into your kickback sidings?  It looks like it would need to proceed to a platform road and then reverse out on the outbound track to your bridge to access the head-shunt, which seems a little convoluted.

Yes, you're right!  It would mean interesting operation, but uncertain how prototypical it is.

One option would be to convert the headshunt into a siding, then put the kickbacks and lead up a level as though it's part of a high-level goods from elsewhere.  That way I get to shunt and simmer but there's no visible connection between the two lines.  It would be visually appealing, but lose some operation interest?

Hi Barrymx5,

Thanks for taking time to comment.

I'm not really a fan of turntables because they take up space, are difficult to build, and are often fiddly to operate.  Though they can look impressive, especially with a smouldering Castle on them!

I should have mentioned that my preferred eras are mid-60s and end-80s-early 90s.  Envisaged location is Wessex/South-western areas, mostly suburban passenger and light goods and/or parcels.

The fiddle yard is in a tight alcove with a sloping ceiling, so I'd need something very ingenious to handle cassettes.  Hence the planned 4-fan tracks at the right-hand end.  Something to think about there!

The curves into the station area are also tight at 20 inches radius which is going to look naff, so I need to ease that a little - it's constrained by the board join.

I've also realised that the station area is almost a Minories layout.

Tony

Mmm - nice!  I think sometimes one tends to be too self-critical.  The slates are a fine rendering (!) with a few nice chips and bumps per the prototype.  Wish I had the patience to come close...  :-) 

Hi Nile - despite thorough searches before I started this, I failed to find your thread, so many thanks and good to see great minds think alike!  Let's hope my coaches turn out as good as yours.

I did take a look at Revell, Gunz, and Tamiya, but found their colour ranges less useful for rail models.  Thanks also for the tip on GW - I'll go and annoy them when I'm next in town.

A question: when you thin Model Color for airbrushing which thinner do you use?  Vallejo do two, one for MC (70.524) and one for Model Air (71.161).

Still following: great to see it all coming back together again!

Nice ripples - and the bridge is starting to look pretty interesting now.  Fascinated to see how your reed beds will develop, having never attempted any "water feature"!

Tony

P.S. Mrs Platform 1 would never approve a pic with an untidy bed - even if in the crew quarters ;-)

But look what you've learnt on the journey!  Onward and upward

Mmm, yes, Anneka...

But this is a great post because it shows modelling as it happens and that people's efforts don't always look like Liverpool Lime Street or Manchester Central (which are fantastic but can be demotivating). Most of my efforts look like your Goods Shed Mark 1, so full marks for telling it like it is!

Thanks Mike - I've always dabbled in electronics since I built my first (valve) radio at 14. But the SMT stuff is too small for me now, so keep experimenting whilst the bits are still cheap and big enough to handle! There are lots of good tutorials on the interweb, so just dive in...

Best wishes,

Tony

P.S.Your microscenes are fantastic!

Quite an achievement, representing many hours' work, despite the "rat's nest"! Did you consider using multi-core cable?

Nice piece! Wiring - or lack of it - is where serial buses realy score.

I'll be really interested in how things develop when you have a few devices wired to the CBUS and how you trace any faults unexpected challenges.

I've had some interesting discussion with MERG at exhibitions - very helpful and knowledgable folks!

Knockout solution! I thoroughly sympathise with the masonry drilling issue - breezeblock is a real pain!

Did you know you can get something called "Mis-drilled hole fixings"? (I have no link with this company) My local (independent) DIY shop sometimes has them, but never when you really need them ;-)

This looks interesting - lots of scope for operation and scenics! Will monitor developments in due course...

P.S. Hope this little number doesn't get crossed wires, or hooks any phoney exchange jokes

Happy New Year Missy!

These trees look great! I'm plumping for 1 Birch, 2 Larch, 3 Scots Pine, 4 Oak, 5 Hawthorn? Not that I know much about dendrology... Nice van too, do I get a bonus point for the wood connection?

Tony

Nice neat felt... interior lights...? Nah, must be a new van! :-)

And so small! Your eyesight must be 20/12

Remember your face-mask when cutting MDF James - this stuff is suspected to be a carcinogen . I also find it blunts jigsaw blades in no time

Have been following your Marple and Paxton Road, but as others have said, this (and your blogspot) is getting interesting. Good luck!

Well done James, very well deserved - will look out for a copy .

Not at the NEC today then?

Tony.

Hi MIssy,

Is this page any help? It's for a two car unit and a different decoder, but the wiring colours should be the same, so it may help. Also shown is a CV programming table.

Tony.

Hi Jim,

Yes, that's really helpful - If only I'd blogged here sooner... All I need to do now is add the little cream bits to all the seats!

Many thanks.

Tony

Tut! Someone left the lid up!

Fantastico!

Welcome back to the hobby. I've been out of it for 20 years so I know how it feels to start over.

Thanks for your good wishes - I guess I've a long path to catch up! Hopefully it'll be fun when this 'orrible MTK nasty is out of the way...

Very effective! It may be a trick of the light or camera angle, but do the inside fishplates foul the running wheels?

Your other blogs are always interesting too

Tony