gc4946

NEWSFLASH! Both Horniman Park V2.0 and Westfield Priory boards ceremonially joined by a specially modified Fleischmann Profi track piece instead of an (unavailable) golden spike. Westfield Priory link: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/64666-westfield-priory/ This vital piece will benefit both layouts in the long run as I can have a longer run out for my Westfield Priory trains which had only been able to run only 4 feet on that layout. Space permitting, in the long term, I could procure a similar straight length of board in order to make an elongated double track oval.

Once I've decided if I'm going for double track (or not), I'll design the scenery for version 2.0. It won't have a station - this layout is modular and any stations planned will be on separate board(s). In terms of scenery, I'm using the four separate boards in a positive way - features will be designed so they begin or end at a baseboard joint, e.g. grassland will reach the edge of one board and the adjoining board will have a road or a footpath. Unlike the first version, I can work on one board in my living room at any time and store it there for the duration of its construction.

Welcome to Horniman Park V2.0! The earlier layout, Horniman Park http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/25758-horniman-park/ has just been scrapped except for the baseboard. I live in private rented accommodation on an annual renewable tenancy agreement, but had to move just over a year ago. My earlier layout survived the move pretty well but because the living room was smaller, I had less chance of running sessions and couldn't leave the board out there for long periods at a time. Any other repairs or improvements on the layout were therefore limited as I then had to bring the entire board into the living room from the spare room. Instead of one board, the oval circuit is made of four equally sized but smaller units, each of which can be worked on individually. Each board is 597 x 715 mm. They are solid fridge/freezer wooden doors with laminate covering bought from B&Q. They're strong enough not to need any additional bracing and for my purposes precisely constructed to the nearest millimetre unlike some of my earlier woodworking projects. My living room floor's pretty level with a hard-wearing carpet pile so I can butt all these boards together without problems. However, if I ever move to a property with an uneven floor where minor packing between floor and baseboards isn't sufficient, I'll use the old stripped-down Horniman Park version 1 baseboard for support. Each module so far has these features: - no trailing wires permanently attached to board for transformer or power pick-up; - use of standard Fleischmann Profi track geometry (their radius 3 is 483.5mm) with 50 mm gap between end of track and baseboard joints and use of standard straight track pieces linking each board; - can be packed away in its original cardboard packaging and stored safely away. I haven't decided whether to use single or double track although my experience has been that a second track hasn't been used so much. Construction's reached the stage so that I ran a Limby class 67 to test things out. For now, I made a trade-off between the chance of running trains against more detailed scenic work. However boards can be stacked ready to use in my living room, unlike Horniman Park version 1.

I won another unmade PC Kits 50' LNWR composite on a well-known auction site, this kit represents the version in LMS fully lined maroon. Maund's book on the Wirral Railway (Lightmoor Press, 2009, p.131) states these carriages were drafted onto the Wirral lines lettered as "Wirral Section No.1" on the ends. Subsequent pages show them marshalled as BT+T+C+BT, it appears later-built elliptical roofed types were mixed within these formations. However it'll take some time to assemble an authentic set and I may compromise on having a three-coach set together with an ex-Wirral Railway example as a strengthener. Page 97 of the above book shows 0-4-4T no.8 coupled to an ex-Mersey Railway 4-wheel brake 3rd with centre brake compartment and GWR-looking panelling which could be a cut and shut job from Ratio's GWR sides married to other scratchbuilt parts.

Bachmann produces a bogie well wagon http://www.ehattons.com/32831/Bachmann_Branchline_33_901E_45_ton_bogie_well_wagon_in_BR_grey/StockDetail.aspx However I don't know if the Baldwin would fit in the well space.

I'd be very interested if DJM announced the John Summers/ICI limestone bogie hoppers tomorrow!

Firstly, I hope this initiative gets off the ground. I'll certainly visit the centre when it opens and couple that with a visit to Hornby's visitor centre at Margate. I don't know what criteria will be for layouts to become part of AIMREC's permanent collection. Layouts such as Frank Dyer's Borchester, resurrected a few years ago, and other popular layouts reported upon in the media over the years (if still surviving); I'd include layouts illustrating some of the trends modelled over the years: GWR branchline termini; Shunting plank layouts; Layouts using novel and unusual methods of construction; Layouts built to a strict budget And finally how the chosen representative layouts will be conserved for posterity.

Recently I won on an auction site two PC Models kits of LNWR 50' non-corridor stock in their original LNWR livery, a composite and brake third. They were drafted onto ex-Wirral Railway lines after grouping in 1923 by the LMS to replace aging Wirral Railway stock, some of them retained LNWR livery for a short while before repainting into the LMS style. Although the PC Models kits have long been discontinued, they're a timesaver for me as I couldn't have reproduced the ornate LNWR carriage livery anywhere near their standards, however I may investigate using parts from Ratio 50' LNWR corridor stock such as the roofs and underframes to replace some of the original PC Models kit components.

Yes, it was in L&Y livery during its time with the Wirral, except that the Wirral's oval brass numberplates replaced the L&Y crest. I bought two postcard prints of the loco, one of them shows No. 6 (the 6 is obscured) on the front bufferbeam, but haven't yet come across anything showing the rear bufferbeam, but photographic evidence from other Wirral Rly locos show they also had No. x painted on the rear bufferbeam. Due to its late arrival at a time of economy measures for the railway, the loco never carried the full Wirral livery. I may consider painting a wagon and/or model a carriage in their livery to redress the balance but I didn't want to pass up an opportunity to model a loco that's available in RTR which represents something personal to me.

The final piece in the jigsaw arrived this week - a LNER J11 representing the ex-Great Central. Originally I was planning to wait for Bachmann to produce the J11 in Great Central lined black. However, at the Pontefract model railway show, I tracked down and bought a copy of T.B. Maund's "The Wirral Railway and its predecessors" published by Lightmoor Press. On reading through the book, I found I could bring forward the timeline of the Wirral Railway livery well into 1923. Page 132 of his book says: "It is thought that no. 6 [the ex-L&Y 2-4-2T] was originally allocated No. 10638 in the L&Y series but it is extremely unlikely that it carried it. It is known to have been painted in LM&S red with crest by June 1924." I've always liked the transition era just after BR was nationalised so I thought I could do the same with the LMS and LNER in 1923. The LMS quickly withdrew the ex-Wirral rolling stock to be replaced by ex-LNWR bogie stock, which carried its former owner's livery for some time before it was repainted into LMS maroon (Maund, p.131) it appears from photos that ex-LNWR 50' arc-roofed and elliptical roofed carriages were drafted to the ex-Wirral lines running in four coach rakes. Therefore for mid-late 1923, I could justify owning stock in Wirral, LNWR and GCR liveries, as well as the then new LMS and LNER schemes. If I can track down any of the former PC Models LNWR non-corridor kits with their printed acetate sides, this could be achievable. Also owning a J11 in LNER livery has other advantages - they're more appropriate for mixed traffic work and some were drafted to the ex-M&GN in 1936. The only additions I would make to this collection would be if I moved and found I was living somewhere where the predominant pre-grouping companies weren't represented in my fleet.

Courtesy of NtasticShop from the N Gauge Forum http://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=19220.30 The PDF flyer sent to them mentions all the new train set and pack releases in OO and N: "Anniversary Packs Train Sets 2014 is a very special year for Bachmann Europe Plc, celebrating 25 years of producing high quality model railway products. This pack has been produced to commemorate the 25th anniversary and contains a OO scale Jubilee and a Class 47 in a metal tin with a numbered certificate. £249.95 RRP" The same locos will also be offered in N, no details of liveries and numbers assigned for either loco.

66705 - oops - mistake on my part As Bachmann's the main distributor for EFE I can see more tie-ups with the railway side of things including exclusive commissions (and in the future) new tooling.

There's also 25-2014, the anniversary set whose contents haven't been revealed yet. The only thing is both locos named "Silver Jubilee" have already been done in the past, a Jubilee no. 5552 in black with silver boiler bands as a limited edition (ref. 31-150) and 66 705 as a limited edition in GBRf livery (ref. 32-727Y) Of course Bachmann will reveal something totally different ...

I am very pleased with my NRM version of the 2BIL that I bought just before Christmas. Yesterday I posed it with my own modified Portsmouth Corporation Leyland TD4 open top bus and Southdown all-Leyland PD2 to represent what could have been seen in Portsmouth around 1956. I realise in its present condition 2090's air horns wouldn't have been fitted then but I can live with it as all my pre-nationalisation carriage stock are of those types which are now preserved. If I can clear enough storage space at home the NRM's rail blue version could follow as I can repeat the photo of 2090 with matching Portsmouth and Southdown buses that were around at the time of its withdrawal in 1971.

I've been working on another bit of the jigsaw - my station footbridge. It's been adapted from Hornby's R076 version which I bought damaged and missing its cast iron supports by shortening the platform end staircase and fabricating new footbridge supports. The footbridge will need painting and blending into the scenery, but I can now plan where the railway fencing goes and by implication where the pavements go.

I think I've solved the situation of having two incompatible uses if I want to change over from being a football ground to a shopping centre and vice versa. My solution is a separate, detachable sub-board made of thick card left over from the base of the Peter Rabbit fold-up box for each of the buildings. I cut up pieces of mounting card as footpaths (currently in light colour) either side of the sub-boards. The difference is that the shopping centre uses engineer's brick paper and a semi-circular red brick decoration on the approach to the main entrance Whilst the football stand base will be plain grey and will include a wall with an emergency exit. I can either glue these sub-boards to the base of these structures or keep them separate. However keeping them separate means they can be stored more effectively away in a box.

There's evidence that 2090 was in use whilst preserved in blue: On 10 September 1977 http://www.sixbellsjunction.co.uk/70s/770910br.html and images taken on the day: http://andygibbs.zenfolio.com/p726940309/h6CC7F283#h6cc7f283 http://andygibbs.zenfolio.com/p726940309/h22B8A10C#h22b8a10c also in Brighton Lower Yard on display for Southern Electric Group on another date: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tunnel_one/9576238513/

R3259 would be the preserved NRM unit 2090 in its livery around the time of its withdrawal on 11 September 1971 before it was restored in green. During that time it was stored at Preston Park for several years with other National Collection stock including the Lord Nelson and Q1 steamers, source: http://www.bloodandcustard.com/BIL001.html see entry for 2090. R3258 would be another numbered unit, the specific number hasn't been chosen at the time of Hornby's announcements.

I only mentioned Showbus because it was another big event I attended which illustrates my thoughts about how I prioritised what to see and do because I only had limited time at my disposal. This year I considered going to Warley but in the end didn't. If I went, I would have gone on Sunday and focus on seeing the layouts. I would have skipped the traders except to visit Bachmann, Dapol and Hornby to see what they had in their display cases.

This year I went to a similarly-sized event, Showbus, arguably the biggest bus gathering in Britain, at Long Marston, based on part of a former airfield larger than the hall used to host the Warley show at the NEC. However I only knew about it happening a few days before my stay in Warwickshire and admission was

I must apologise for not posting any updates on this ongoing project. The big news is ... I'm at a crucial stage now - eleven locos already bought, one more to buy! The final loco will be a Great Central Rly class, but I'm waiting to see when Bachmann's forthcoming J11 will appear in pre-grouping livery. My most recent addition has been the NRM/Locomotion's Lancashire & Yorkshire limited edition 2-4-2T which will be amended to represent Wirral Railway no.6. At one stage I nearly truncated my collection by not planning to buy Great Central and Somerset & Dorset representatives. However I reorganised my storage space and representatives of these companies are now (or will be) included. I chose the S&D's 7F 2-8-0 in black because this will reflect another aspect of locomotive construction, that of a design updated after the 1923 grouping but still appearing under the auspices of the joint committee which was dissolved in 1930. Not originally planned as such, but because of their participation with the Midland in the Midland & Great Northern joint venture, I also bought a GNR Hornby N2 in LNER lined black livery. I held off plans to modify and repaint locos in this collection pending on how they're going to be incorporated into my existing rolling stock operations. My latest thinking is the Wirral and Great Central locos will form a pair in pre-group condition. The GCR had running rights over the Wirral Rly as far as Seacombe so that seems a natural pairing to make. To run alongside locos such as my streamlined Duchess, Crab and GWR Hall, representing the late 1930s, Chester area, the LNWR G2A will be in LMS livery, and the GWR 28xx will have "shirtbutton" markings. The J72 could be re-numbered to represent one of the class allocated to North Wales or the Wirral, passing through to/from Gorton works. A small group of locos will represent the situation in Norfolk during 1934-1936, to go with my Hornby B12 no. 8572: The Midland 4F will be re-numbered 3913 to represent one of the locos loaned to the M&GN during 1934-36. The Midland 3F will be modified and repainted to represent the rebuilt version (LNER J41) in their final M&GN umber livery. The J17 will be repainted from incorrect GER blue to plain LNER black as 8217 (the preserved loco) Hornby's N2 is likely to be re-numbered as an example in 1930s condition, which lost its condensing gear when they were transferred to Scotland, which will run with my Hornby D49 Cheshire (which I already own) and a NBR Glen class loco to be added at a future date. The M7 and Terrier will both retain BR lined black. Finally, the S&D 7F will be re-numbered as LMS 13809 so it can run alongside my LMS Crab and 4F to represent the situation pre-1949 on the Somerset & Dorset.

Before I start ballasting I wanted to firm up my ideas of having a fiddle yard because the area taken up will have some impact on how much of the layout gets ballasted. The main criteria that I wanted from a fiddle yard for "Westfield Priory" : 1. A covered area large enough to hide trains away from public view (this is 36 cm/14 1/2 inches long). I can easily hide a Mk3 carriage or its equivalent train length. 2. The entire structure removable for cleaning and track maintenance. 3. Cater for storage of trains off the track and be easily accessible when needed. 4. A detachable, yet robust backdrop that could be easily packed away. and finally ... 5. The whole assembly to be packed away into a suitable larger box if I had to stack the board away. This is my early concept, using one of these fold-up cardboard boxes available in many finishes, held together by press-studs, which are available from The Works and other stores (usual disclaimers). This lid is made of pretty sturdy card and can hold quite a few models inside the tray without distortion. I glued balsa wood to two sides of the lid to form a bridge and combined tray. The sides were cut into separate pieces from the base, the card is thick enough to stand up inside the tray. I can have one end of it open in order to easily handle the models in and out of the tray and can vary the backdrops. There's still a lot of work to do on designing suitable backdrops and integrating the entire structure onto the layout. In due course the Peter the Rabbit finish will disappear!

I'd go for both the ICI and John Summers' versions of the bogie hoppers. Also original Freightliner FFA/FGA container flats done to 21st century standards.

Peter, Thanks for posting photos of your ex-LSWR carriage stock, it looks like anyone considering a mass-produced version has to carefully choose which types to reproduce, taking into account the tooling costs involved and likely demand. The lavatory brake 3rd in your final image is modelled with sliding doors to the guard's van. Whereas the Bluebell Railway's preserved example has opening double doors, I'd go for the preserved version as people are more familiar with that type. I'd wait to see how the Gate Stock sells as that was a most distinctive design in its own right which could be modelled as a compact two-coach set.

Hurray! At long last, tonight, I've run my first train on this layout - a Hornby 101 DMU being converted into a 2-car power-trailer formation, running on the isolated right hand line under DC power. More tests will be done on the rest of the layout under DC and DCC power. Last night I carefully glued down most of the plain track, but left the points alone. Tonight I'm checking platform clearances and have marked out in pen where the platform should be glued down. Once testing has been completed to my satisfaction then ballasting and weathering can begin.