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I seem to recall that it is a very wet 'ole! Having trawelled google images, I note that there is a lovely little cameo http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/47/Blea_Moor_Tunnel_mouth_-_geograph.org.uk_-_328680.jpg there. Bothy for the P-way gangs, and that lovely fishtailed distant banner repeater. Just look at those telegraph poles! (note the staying on the one closest to the camera, and that the arms are on the London side of the pole (so we must be looking at the Northern Portal). The colours of the gorse above the mouth is beautiful too! Andy G

Jeff, The main thing you will have to get correct is the dimensions of the portal. It's a very distinct shape. I wonder if there are any drawings for it lurking? I know I haven't come across any, but maybe its worth an ask....? I haope you can get the surrounding land details lumpy and looking like that photo! Might keep you out of trouble for a couple of days! Andy G

I have some bad news boys...... ...Osbournes haven't got my nudes in stock ;-{ so the photo shoot is off for the time being, which is a pain, as I can't finish off the interior without them... I've also had to give up doing the lining this afternoon, a combination of paint that has past its best, a paintbrush that has now got a trendy Jedwood styling (but with bristles all over the place!) and the fact that the light has disappeared quicker than Jeff spending £100 on cobolts! I'll have to go out in the morning and pick up fresh supplies. Jeff I haven't read DJ's articles yet! Rob, I'm not sure how much help this will be (i've never made track...yet), but here goes! I think I'm right in thinking that you are having problems with the sleeper spacing? With your cardboard templates, once you have got the rails and chairs in place (and glued with PVA or whatever) could you not apply a drop of Superglue onto the chair/rail interface? If you leave it overnight, it should set solid and keep your spacing. Andy G

GOG is Gauge O Guild! Andy G

We all have to start somewhere. The last layout I had was 15 years ago and was built around the walls of my bedroom at my parents place. There was a very steep (similar to yours) gradient that you could just get a loco and four up! Quite a good layout to operate, but next to no scenery and everything was quite close together. The best layout I've ever operated was Frank Roome's Lutton. Stud contact O gauge in an 8' square bedroom, with a climb that must of risen 8" in 24"!! Proper Lever frames, interlocked, Block instruments, timetables, train registers Brill (He was an MOT inspector and boys from REME used to train on it!) I think the GOG have it, but I'm not sure what happened to the stock..... Andy G Edit: I got one of his signalbox ominbus telephones, and a wallet of drawings, but I haven't seen the drawings for years ;-{

Where did that line that disappears into the tunnel mouth go to? I can't seem to see it in the construction piccys! Did it go through the wall? Andy g

I get the feeling that one day (hopefully before you pop your clogs!) I'll have to get you to do some scenery for my (non-existant) layout. It certainly looks good (much better than I can do!). I bet there was still a fair amount of weight in that little lot... Maybe you should turn your house upside down and have the layout down stairs and the living space upstairs! Andy G

Alan, I suppose you are correct. In fact I do wonder if we will ever get back to having 'home' layouts back as the main type anytime. I also miss the plans features that you used to get, but again I suppose that all the draughtsmen that used to measure stuff have sadly dropped off the perch. The drawings I have amassed for older coaches and freight stock from MRC and MRN is fanstastic, but sadly they just don't appear in every issue as they did. I look forward to the day I can commander a room and get building! Andy G

I see. Would you still do it that way if you were upstairs in your house? I could never bring myself to do it, I hate woodwork, I'd rather do it in steel and weld it together! It does seem a good idea mind, nothing worse than a tie-bar over a support. I suppose that it's also useful for storing all your spare stock when your fiddle yard is full! Andy G

Ok Jeff you are going to have to run this past me again.... Why do you have effectively two frames? The very solid base I can understand, but why not put your boards on top of this, why the hassle of the risers?? BTW the undersides of some layouts are far more interesting than the top! Andy G (being denser than normal)

Gilbert, This RTR v KIT/Scratchbuilt is beginning to become more of an issue I think, but the effects manifest themselves in differing ways. During the last couple of months I have been going through old Model Railway Constructor, and Model Railway News (and I now may start on old RM's too) scanning the drawings and the articles that take my fancy. The early issues (upto, I would say, the early 80's) have many layouts that feature very fine kit or scratchbuilt locos and stock, and the plans pages have article after article of scratchbuilding wagons and coaches, but the scenery on this layouts is often diabolical! Now it would appear that with the advent of much finer RTR locos and (some) other stock, the skills are now being diverted into the scenery, which is light years ahead of what it was, but it does make very boring reading in some periodicals where all the stock description is just the reading out of the manufacturers list. Has the RTR industry also caused the lack of longevity with layouts these days too? We very rarely read about layouts built into bedrooms or garages these days, the models all seem to be exhibition ones, which seem to be replaced as soon as they are finished. Is it the fact that there is such choice of locos that people just need to build layouts to allow them to buy more? For me, I like a mixture. I've chosen to model in the late '20s early '30's era, in an area where there are very few RTR available, so I have to kit-bash or scratchbuild. Not that I'm in the league that you show above, I have but average skills, but i still find my bumbling efforts very satisfactory, and as a result, my layout will not be the same as everyone elses. It will also probably take the rest of my life to build! Andy G

Jeff the last two mails should have hit your inbox, and I'm off to hit the sack! Andy

Now stop that Jeff, it's just scary, you reading my mind and knowing what I'm going to say! I hope I cheered you up a bit! Andy ;-}

Jeff, Funny enough I've just sent you scans on 9F's, including the Crosti ones. Lots more to fill your inbox! Andy G

Jeff, What the heck is that post about? I can't see what offence could have been caused by the second bold statement. Please don't call it a day, without you this thread is nothing! Andy

I agree about temperatures, here in work I like it around 16-17oC, which at this time of year is cold, but does mean that when I have to go out to the gates, I don't get too cold. I often come in and its 24oC, mind you one lad we had, used to have it over 30oC! Tell me about faulting. Mind you, I still have my 'tone sets' that I got out of skips when I worked for telecom. They do make finding a fault (or a single wire) so much easier. How are you wiring this DDC stuff up? Is it on seperate small sections, that are isolatable for fault finding? Andy G

Jeff (and all the others) Sadly I'd like to provide compromising shots of my 6 nudes, but sadly, living as I do in the sticks, the nice postwoman hasn't put them through the letterbox yet. And as I'm on late turn at the minute, I doubt I'll have them on Monday either. Showed my beds and pillows to the Mrs this morning and she was very impressed (which makes a change!). Just as soon as I get them I'll get something posted on here (I bet that will get me moderated!). As for the Apathy, I'm glad it's not just me. I've painted the compartment walls brown, fitted two toilet tank fillers to the roof, painted the torpedo's grey, and had a look at my MR 54' brake compo, and put two more sections of side in (For a photo look back on page 54 ish!). I've got a bit of side to make, and having cocked the first attempt up I've had enough. I can't do anymore painting as it won't dry before I have to wrap everything up to go home either. Hopefully tomorrow I'll be able to find the correct gauge earth wire for the solebar vac pipe (the one I brought in is too fat), so I can get that superglued in, and the underframe painted black. I might even start the lining (Sorry Larry, I'm chickening out and just doing the black, not the yellow edges...). Now if you want to see impressive amounts of wiring you should see my Strowger Telephone exchange racks! I have two UAX12 exchanges. (that meaning Unit Automatic eXchange number 12's, they were designed to give villages automatic service, my racks date from the mid 1930's). One exchange is original in that it was never modified for STD (thats Subscriber Trunk Dialling, ie any calls to telephones in other areas had to be done via the operator) whereas the other one has been modified to provided STD and has the equipment for the old Pay-on-Answer payphones. The racks are lovely and small (2'6" square by 7' tall) but with equipment front and back, and a huge hank of cables running up the middle. The wiring between racks I have had to provide, the best part of 400 wires! Makes a nice noise, and you can see what happens! Andy G

Talking about viaducts in the garden Larry, While on Holiday in France this year we ended up in a toyshop and found some German brick modelling kits. They have real bricks in them, measuring about 10x20 mm. I did wonder if they would be suitable for making garden railway buildings (Maybe not in 4mm scale). I wanted to get some for myself, but wasn't allowed! Andy G

When you do start to scratch build wagons, just let me know, I have plenty of drawings! I've also got the MR/L&Y/LMS wagons books, and fine reading they are too, sadly they will make you want all sorts of wagons then! It would appear that all you have to do is decide on which side of Hellifield you want to be! Andy

Gilbert, give it a go, they will not be right next to Peter's so as long as you take your time, you should be able to come up to a good standard. It's always difficult trying to match what someone else has done, but it usually only takes time and patience. If they don't work out to your liking I think you know a man who can. (My bumbling carriage building efforts are nothing like Colin Parks (see Tin Hal in scratchbuilding forum) but I am getting better with every coach I make, as I learn.) Hang on, why don't you ask Peter if you could build one with him? Then you'll be able to pick up some of the tricks? Andy G

Jeff, Can you not turn the viaduct upside down and score into the polyfiller the correct courses (propable skewed as it's on the bend..) using a compass? I have to say that it does look magnificent. Do you have any original timetables? I'm sure that there are a few on here with them, and you might even strike it lucky and get the rolling stock appendix (That gives the formations of the passenger trains, if not a trip to York will get them from the D Jenkinson archived material). I suppose you've also got to get loads of wagons built too haven't you? Andy

Can you get Elgoods Black Dog up north? I'm possibly in for a trip, although 'tis a heck of a journey in a Morris Minor GPO van! At least you'd know when I'd arrived! Does this mean that I now have to start building up more of my MR stock? I need quite a few MR carriages anyway, but I'm not doing locos, I don't do DCC! (In my dads bookcase there is, plinthed, a MR 3F halfcab built by Frank Roomes (Of Lutton fame) that has been converted from stud contact to 2 rail, it used to run very well indeed, but I'm not going to DCC it!) Time it right and I'll be able to provide a rake including a dining car... (BTW has anyone reading this got a copy of Lacy and Dows MR carriages that a drawing could be copied from for me please?). I think that having visitors for proper operating sessions is a must. Now have you got a timetable sorted yet Jeff? Andy G

Jeff, That first one is sublime! Really gets the grey moodiness of the real thing, and also makes you think that it is a typical S&C day, damp! You just need a pair of MR compounds slogging up the grade, with a lovely rake of Bain square and round panelled celerestories.... The second one, sadly, shows the fact that you haven't got the inside of the arch sorted...I hope that isn't going to bug you, when you view it from the front (will you turn into Larry here??) I hope your pleased? Andy G (Editied for cack-handed spellings!)

Bill you are naughty! I tell you something, I'm blinking tempted to purchase her too. Not quite sure what I'd do with her, but she might be the one in the carriage, she is, afterall, getting undressed! (but then again she comes to £6 all in, so a bit out of my league!) It shouldn't be too difficult to get that partition wall down... But I have a better idea. In the 'tool shed' (aka layout extension room!) he should start building Ballinluig on the Highland.main line. Including the branch off to Aberfieldy. Now that should keep him busy, theres two wonderful viaducts over the Tay and Tummel on the Aberfieldy branch, and then there is all that scenery for him to do. Oh, and I can bring my stock up for an outing (although he'll have to keep this one proper, ie with NO DCC!) The weather here is now frosty, gritter has been over the crossing already tonight! Andy G

Jeff, I used the lower oven which is the warming oven, you know, the one where they put new born abandoned lambs to warm up so that they can survive! The temp in the main oven was over 200F wheres the warming oven was about half that. I also only left them in for about 10mins, just long enough that the cap got a little soft, but everything else was ok. Having warm paint does make things a little less globby. The nudes are on their way from Osbornes Models. (http://www.osbornsmo...s-6-22012-p.asp )I've gone for the nude bathers, sadly there is only three standing, one in an odd pose on her knees (O-err!) and two lying down. I'm sure that I'll be able to use the others in the beds with a blanket over them (3rd class only of course, we don't allow this type of girl in 1st!). Osbornes take paypal (which is fatal) but they are also cheaper than Gaugemaster and have them in stock. The progress is looking good. I like that shot taken looking across the Viaduct's backside, could you do the shot lower down to show what it looks like from a more real viewing angle please? How many miles of wire have you used now? Andy G