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What have all these carriages got in common? They're all from some of Hornby's latest production ... but are examples of rolling stock which ended their BR service in the sidings in and around Fratton station and yards in departmental and internal user roles. I lived not far from Fratton's yards in my youth and often noticed the wide variety of types stabled in the sidings, including departmentals and stock stored prior to withdrawal and scrapping. My collection has another twist in the tale - I could have modified them to represent how they appeared at Fratton in my youth, but chose to represent them in their normal service condition. The three examples below are my starters in this collection (NB not re-numbered yet but own the correct versions) : 1. LMS design CCT M37320M to dia 2026 on to lot 1636 at Earlestown 1952. Internal user 083319, stores van, transferred 3/78, scrapped 1986. 2. LNER CCT E1263E, to dia 6 York 1939. Internal user 083318, stores van, Fratton Yard, scrapped 1986. 3. SR TO S1336S, built 1933. Internal user 081901, also DS70313, office at Fratton from 1961 until withdrawn in 1987, when purchased by the Bluebell Railway. I've no recollection of seeing either of the LMS and LNER CCTs because I suspect at least one of them was kept inside the goods depot (later owned by National Carriers Ltd) until scrapping. I own a Bachmann Bulleid BTO, of which a prototype example was an occasional visitor to Fratton yard during the early 1980s. It was painted in olive and lost its corridor connections, however, as it wasn't easily visible from Goldsmiths Avenue, I've yet to identify its running number(s). Sources: "Departmental coaching stock, second edition including internal users" by Roger Butcher and Peter Fox (Platform 5, 1985) SR carriage data from http://www.bluebell-railway.co.uk/bluebell/pics/1336b.html Scrapping dates from www.departmentals.com

There are significant developments since I last reported: 1. Due to lack of room to store the shopping centre and office buildings off the layout (they couldn't be permanently fixed down on the layout in the room I have available at home), I had to scrap them. Instead I'm reusing some my scratchbuilt football ground accessories ex-Horniman Park version 1 and will fix them to the board. Fans have only a few yards walk from the station to see the match by entering through turnstiles opposite the footbridge and exit is via large gates (yet to be built) near the catering block (the smaller balsa structure). The toilet block is at the other end. Apart from the footbridge which will have to be removable, I can stack the board vertically and still have them fixed on the board without too much risk of damage. 2. The rails at the sidings end of the layout will all be modified so there's a 50mm gap between the end of the rails on the board and the baseboard edge. This will allow standard Fleischmann 100mm track pieces to interface with the boards on Horniman Park V2.0.

This morning I rang Rails to check if they were in stock before travelling, as I want to examine and test run one before purchase. However they haven't received their allocation yet and I'll have to wait next week or the New Year.

They've used the underframe of the refurbished version The refurbishment resulted in the double set of doors for the luggage van nearest to the carriage end, replaced with a seating area with entrance bay.

To illustrate my point, I photographed the bogie on the trailer 2nd in NSE livery from their first batch. It shows the wheels are clipped into an internal sub-frame and when pushed along the track, the carriage is nowhere near as free-rolling compared to those equipped with pin-point bearings. The first photo shows clearly the wheels have no pin-point ends. The second photo shows the wheel rims more closely which I then checked against Kernow's images and they appear to be identical. I'm happy they've corrected the compartment mouldings and hope the motor's performance better this time round.

Correct me if I've got it wrong, I've looked closely at both Olivia Trains' and Kernow's images tonight and it appears this new version's trailing B5(S) bogies still have wheels mounted inside internal sub-frames, as opposed to being fitted with pin-point axles. In the first batch of releases, when running, this arrangement resulted in increased drag and resistance. I'm eagerly waiting for reports on performance before deciding whether to use some of my Xmas money to buy this EMU.

Ah, that's the livery that I most remember about the 4VEPs in my youth ... I believe 7830 was allocated to Wimbledon from new. In terms of Hornby's model, I hope they've substituted pinpoint axles on the non-powered bogies this time round instead of inside bearings used on the first batch.

Work's begun in earnest. I'm evaluating a non-scatter material approach to ballasting, in conjunction with Fleischmann's Profi track, using Woodland Scenics' green grass vinyl mat (RG5132) and applying acrylics of various shades to represent ballast and ground cover. There's still a lot of work to do on the platform but I now have all the SR concrete fencing needed for the project.

Having looked at my stocks of materials and parts available, I'm planning completion of the station as a quickie Xmas and New Year project. It'll be an ex-Southern Railway station because I own a lot of Ratio concrete fencing salvaged from previous layout attempts. I may invest in another identical 715 x 147mm board to model a similar SLT based on detail elements of London Midland Region's Willesden Junction and the Barking bay platform at Gospel Oak.

After some deliberation, I decided to go for the simplest option, to dedicate one 715 x 147mm board for a single line terminus. I looked through my platform bits and pieces and the only way I could create what I wanted was to cut up another standard-sized Underground Ernie platform section married up to a set of scratchbuilt steps. This platform can comfortably hold 2 Mk1s or their equivalents. The other advantage is this SLT can be displayed in a case and could allow me to go to town over the detailing in a way that wouldn't be possible with the main oval track boards because they need to be stored in their cardboard packing when not in use. This photo shows the SLT board in relation to the rest of the oval circuit (NB - not all the curved sections were erected)

Model Railways Direct has now given a revised delivery date of 22/12/2014 http://www.modelrailwaysdirect.co.uk/Hornby-R3143-BR-Class-423-VEP-Blue-Grey/ However, Hornby's website still shows expected date of 9/12/2014.

I'm revising both sets of names: Keyser Tubbs Junction will become: Tubbs Road Junction - there's no possibility that I could model the actual Willesden Junction in any shape or form ! Becco Road/Falconbrook will become: Longhedge - this will act as a staff halt for Stewarts Lane depot and for nearby residents, if I want to run it in Southern Region mode.

This is one possible scenario for using the siding: A unit terminates in the main platform (formerly a bay, but the platform beside the line which curves away has been removed). Expresses, light engines and freight pass by. I might call this Keyser Tubbs Junction, in LM Region mode, after the pioneering Keyser's (K's) loco and rolling stock kit manufacturer's first location in Tubbs Road, Willesden, London, running AC electrics to/from Willesden depot ... or, as I own a 4VEP, in Southern Region mode, the 101 terminates at the other end in south London at Becco Road (Frank J. Vescoe owned Bec Models shop in Tooting, London and produced kits under the Bec Kits brand http://www.themotormuseuminminiature.co.uk/1907-e1-class-tramcar.php) Another possibility is to name it after one of South London's lost rivers, the Falconbrook http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falconbrook a stream that flowed through Balham, Clapham Junction and Battersea where it entered the Thames.

Post-1993 surviving 117s had both high-vis headlights and radio roof pods fitted: Scotrail: http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/gb/diesel/dmu-heritage/117/117301sr.jpg North London Railways/Silverlink: http://www.railfaneurope.net/pix/gb/diesel/dmu-heritage/117/br117.jpg

Bought two new items of rolling stock, transcribed codes below: R6595 J. Hackett & Co. 6 plank open SK101-P90568 R6595-02-852 R6682A LNER CCT TAL05-P91483 R6682A-27-852

A train pack would have been a good way to introduce newly-tooled carriages or wagons into the range, however it's not easy to synchronise the tooling process and production slots of a brand-new tooled item, with the timescales of a production slot of a re-livery. The GWR WW1 ambulance set could have heralded the introduction of model GWR toplight carriages including one corridor 3rd numbered 3639, preserved on the West Somerset Railway, http://www.wssrt.co.uk/latest-news-from-the-trust see 23 June, 9 July, 30 July and 27 Sept 2014 blog postings however Bachmann thought it was more expedient to bring out their LMS carriages dressed up in appropriate style instead.

I remember them very well in blue/grey in my youth. When they arrive in the shops, I'll examine it closely to find out its running numbers and therefore its allocation history (hope it's a South Western Division numbered unit...) as well as any other detail and mechanical improvements. As I already own their NSE refurbished version, and also taking into account of how much room I have at home to store it, I've yet to commit myself to buy one.

For my representation of London, I've now chosen a model representing the name of the capital in its own right, as opposed to being an add-on to an existing model. In an earlier instalment I described how often I've changed my mind about owning a model containing the name of London and settled on owning a Hornby Pendolino coach re-named as City of London to ring the changes with my version of City of Birmingham. From now on the Pendolino will be known as City of Birmingham and my London representative is a London Midland Siemens Desiro. My preferred supplier had only just restocked the 350/1 variant in their livery. I wanted that sub-class because they were fitted for dual-voltage operation, so increasing its operating appeal. Some were sub-leased to Southern in 2009 to run Milton Keynes-East Croydon services in order that Southern's own 377/2 dual-voltage Electrostars were freed up to cover for the late arrival of First Capital Connect's 377/5 units on Thameslink services. http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=27362&page=2

This is another of my locos I've bought in advance at a modest price even though my mum still hasn't decided where's she relocating, so I've covered my bases. I've opted to model a class 31, 31428 North Yorkshire Moors Railway, over a GNER class 91 as it's much more operationally useful in my railway collection. According to images I've consulted on the web, it was recorded as far south as Rugby and Bletchley on engineering duties. My choice will represent the loco in refurbished BR blue as running between 1998-1992 and the Lima version (below) will form the basis of that loco http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/984_1_23064.html Until matters are firmed up regarding my mum's move, it'll be retained unmodified.

All seven of my "white" boards have been joined together for the first time, making the layout size 2145mm x 1345mm and only just fitting onto my living room carpet. This is my best photo available of this setup due to the light and difficulty in getting a photo from above showing the whole layout, but this was a milestone that had to be recorded! This highlights some track alignment issues that need resolving.

This was my acid test for the new siding - see how easily my Hornby 4VEP could be accommodated. It passed my test with ease, but then it had close couplings and a set of four Hornby (ex-Airfix) Mk2ds only just cleared the points due to its wider gap between carriages.

I've revised my ideas on what should be on the 715 x 297mm board. Instead of a station, I've gone for a section with pointwork so I can run sidings off the modular oval. The photo below shows the setup with the 715 x 297mm board feeding a siding leading to a platform bay, whilst the main line curves round on the 715 x 597mm board. The 715 x 147mm single track board butts onto both other boards, extending the siding to the platform bay. Platform sections are from my collection of bits, mixed and matched, and I still have some pieces left over to make another platform if need be.

Just realised ... I could actually build a double track station with deviating branch line junction and mount it on a standard 715 x 597mm board. However I'll need to investigate whether I can interface the track geometry of this with the rail ends of my "Westfield Priory" board. (1st photo added after resizing due to it being too large for uploading)

I've decided on a modular approach with my ex-Bachmann Underground Ernie platform sections, recovered from my earlier attempts. Pieces have been cut and shut together, as well as scratchbuilding ramps and steps to form two possible platform arrangements. The biggest job was fashioning the curved platform deviating from the straight. I've always fancied this type of platform so I cut and shut sections, but I've yet to fill any gaps, sand down or repaint my work but the basics are there to proceed further.

Today I did more work on the station board. The back story is that prior to track singling in the 1970s, the station consisted of an island platform with minimal booking facilities all accessed by a footbridge. As part of the rationalisation work, the footbridge was demolished and steps and a ramp were installed across where there was a second track. Track's been laid allowing for 50mm gaps at each end of the board and platform sections adapted for their new role. Steps and ramps have been made from offcuts of plasticard but much work still needs to be done regarding painting and detailing.