lapford34102

Hi, Have you looked at this ? http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/129726-3-way-tandem-turnouts-in-templot-can-now-be-created-automatically/ Stu

Hi, Tim and I had a good day at Shenfield. Thanks to everyone who stopped by for a chat or a look. I did slightly get the impression that some were a bit baffled as to what Wessex Trains is/was/where etc, hopefully the potted history helped. Anyhow it seemed to go down quite well and ran well though had a minor glitch 10 mins before opening but all sorted. Thanks to Steve for stepping up and taking his turn particularly when helping the young lad operate for a good part of the afternoon. Obviously a youngster of impeccable taste! Good to meet David again. Forgot to mention about Hornby Pacers so I'll pm you. Actually took a pic of my own layout this time - did have to write myself a note though :-( Also many thanks to those who have commented at the show or on here - appreciated. Dave - to answer your question came away with a Parkside SR PMV and a Farish Warship - mull that over :-) Many thanks Stu

Hi, Slightly belated but just to say what a good day we had at Shenfield. Many thanks to Ken and the team for getting it all organised with it's usual impeccable efficiency. I didn't get round as much as I would have liked but you can blame the usual suspects for that - they know who they are.....! Now Steve, where's the photo's so I can remember what I was looking at ? Cheers Stu P.S. Lidded cup purchased :-)

Looking forward to this, always a good show. Have got http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/125196-portwey-wessextrains-oo/ all ready to go in the back of the car. Should probably chuck the sonar in as well judging by the problems at the Dartford Tunnel yesterday. Look forward to meeting the usual suspects (!) again. Stu

Hi, Will be at Shenfield with Portwey. Not much to report what with grandparent duty over the summer hols, non modelling things and getting Sheepcroft sorted for Loughborough 1st/2nd Sept. Did notice Railtec Transfers had some new stuff of interest such as 3D printed DMU door pushes that are probably worth getting as they aren't easy to mask or repaint. Cheers Stu

Nice to see some vintage Tri-ang buildings getting a new lease of life. Still have plenty of Stu

This should be worth following. Looking forward to this Stu

Saw this at Lyddrail. Great layout and nice to see well done 25kv in an urban setting. The units were excellent but found myself rather taken by the 2 sound AL's. Stu

Rather irrelevant comment but I'll bite. Why ? The French managed to design and build the Rafale on their own after they pulled out of IEP. Maybe the powers-that-be have decided it's time we got back in the warplane game seriously again. A link with the Swede's in this area already exists via BAE and Saab. The mock-up looks remarkably similar to a paper design they came up with in the late 80's though undoubtedly updated for contemporary technologies. Whilst the F-16 and F-15 are still produced and are capable aircraft they are products of the 70's however updated they are. The F-22 is unlikely to be available - or affordable - for export in the near future and the F-35 is not exactly a single platform solution. Perhaps they are looking at future gaps in the market. Stu

Hi, Pleased with the way it's gone and after a couple of afternoons hiding from the sun it's nearly there. Stu

Hi Nick, Thank you and was good to have a talk at Wrecrail. For a first outing it went well with almost no problems though even the leisurely pace with which things happen at that show indicated the fiddle yard layout needs some tweaking. Will need to attend to that before Shenfield in Sept. In all it's glory(!) with celebrity operator Mr Wade at the controls. Thanks to everyone who stopped by and had a chat. Stu

Hi, Excellent day and great fun. Suspect i spent more time in front of the layout than behind it so thanks to all who took a turn with the controller.Good to talk to a number of people who took the time to have a chat, including Chris.... :-) Thanks to the Crew, one and all for getting today organised and especially Bev for looking after us so well. Cheers Stu

Hi, Managed to scrounge a couple of hours to do a bit more. Thanks to all who've commented or tagged this. Progress with the graphics etc though still some way off completion. With glazing temporarily popped in to see how it looks On my way to Wrecrail tomorrow, should be fun..... :-) Stu

Now there's a thought. There'd be a certain irony having the Millennium Falcon on the side of a Pacer...!! Having sourced some more white decal paper have printed these off. Rule 1 - print off more than you need - accidents happen (voice of experience here) Cheeers Stu

Bits all sorted for Sat, looking forward to it :-) Stu

Quick update. Thanks Steve, was half hoping to get this ready for Wrecrail but next week's a nightmare so rather unlikely. Anyhow....... Glazing temporarily popped into a body to see how it looks. Not a perfect representation (see Martyn's pics https://ukrailwaypics.smugmug.com/UKRailwayPics-2/Wessex-Trains/Wessex-Trains-class-143/)but better than not trying at all. Rough print of graphics to get the size right - or wrong in this case, still needs tweaking a bit. Stu

Hi, As I've mentioned over on my Portwey thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/125196-portwey-wessextrains-oo/page-2 was happy to get a RealTrack Class 143 unit at DEMU's Showcase. Having made a start over there thought it worth a separate thread. Minus all the vinyls Wessex liveries are pretty basic, simply a body colour with contrasting doors so the basic repaint was quite straightforward. As it was basically the sides and and bit on the inner ends that need re-painting the roof, cab front and inner ends were masked up to retain the factory finish. The basic livery is yellow doors and blue body. As no-one really knows what colours Wessex used I decided on a warning panel yellow for the doors and a dark blue from Humbrol, gloss finish which at least provides a decent surface for the transfers. As the vinyl on the DSML covers the toilet window that section of the glazing was cut off and secured separately. It may well need a thin blanking over the top to get the levels closer but we'll see. Whether it's the 150's with their "feathered" vinyls, the 153's with either their runic markings on the black version or the odd celtic writing above the windows on the red one all Wessex units seem to have an awkward bit. On the 143 it's the writing on the window droplights. Whilst the graphic bits are home baked I needed some custom decals for the writing so got that done at the same time courtesy of John at Precision labels. Rather than paint the droplights I've a sheet of thin painted plasticard to put the text on and put behind the windows. Been tackling the droplights this afternoon. As mentioned some thin plasticard painted blue and marked out for the window spacings, apply transfers and check against glazing. Actually not too bad a job and a passable result. Securing it behind the glazing will probably stretch my ingenuity ! Cheers Stu

Had a surprise at DEMU@s Showcase. There, on DCKits a handful of RealTrack Class 143's that they must have found down the back of someones sofa. As I was having trouble even finding a secondhand one this was a RESULT :-) An impressive bit of kit and interesting (!) to dismantle. Anyhow that's done. Have given the chassis a good run and DCC'd it plus made a start on the interior colours. Need to get some custom decals sorted so won't be ready for Wrecrail but should be ready for Shenfield. Stu

Who's doing the ribbon cutting at the opening this time ? Stu

Shamelessly filched from elsewhere and hopefully not a retread It was Grandads birthday yesterday so we gave him a new cigarette lighter and some strong aftershave You should have seen his face light up.

http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kent-business/county-news/model-train-firm-secures-18m-loan-facility-184170/ Well chosen pic....... !!!! Stu

Hi Steve, Rather busy week but to answer your question - yes and no :-) Yes in that it can now been seen in polite company without having to slap a Work in Progess notice on it. There's an old adage of a layout never being finished and I'm sure I'll probably keep doing tweaks to it. Drewry "evolved" somewhat if you compare photo's during it's lifetime. As Wrecrail, it's debut, has been brought up the list so far is Shenfield, Broadstairs, Derby, Faversham, Stafford plus two others in the pipeline. Stu

Clive, are you accepting Euro's on the door ? Just wondering......... :-) Stu