Karhedron

Another one for the album is W102 in lined Maroon with no route branding but with electrification flashes. http://www.flickr.com/photos/robertcwp/3411734585/in/set-72157603653607671

Indeed, unbuilt proposals are a rich seem of inspiration for "what if" layouts. They are great for modellers who want to model something based on reality without having to pick a single prototype. My own BLT Chew Magna is based on a proposed line from Pensford on the B&NSR up the Chew Valley. The actual proposal would have had the line continue on to Blagdon but in my version of history it terminated at Chew Magna and United Dairies opened a new creamery complex to handle mendip milk. Chew Magna

I am not saying the flat ones are wrong, I agree they were carried. I am simply offering my oppinion that slightly curvier deflectors seem more common than the flat ones. Personally I think the curvy ones look better but then maybe I just like curves. Perhaps we should work on the basis of the locos Dapol are planning to produce. Spirfire seems to have had curved deflectors. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2968416 Fighter Command also curved http://www.flickr.com/photos/stuart166axe/4158496817/ Watersmeet seems to have been flat http://www.flickr.com/photos/64518788@N05/7374116540/ I have not been able to find a picture of Okehapmton prior to rebuild. Since there seems to have been variation in the design of smoke deflectors, maybe the best solution would be to pick one style and then choose the prototypes to model that carried that style. What do you think Dave? Would this be a feasible solution to make sure that the models are accurate for the originals?

I have been having a look through the albums and I agree that the smoke deflectors on Tangmere look about right. There was variation in the real thing but the majority seem to have had gently curved smoke deflectors as seen here. I think that the smoke deflectors on the current CAD (and Wadebridge) are too flat. I think they should be about half way between that and the very curved ones shown on the previous CAD.

It does look like it. Interesting that the lead BG looks like an ex-LMS vehicle.

Once again I have used a set of TPM etched overlays on a Dapol B-set donor body. This one was slightly more involved than the previous full-brake I attempted due to the extra parts present on the prototype. The sides and gangways come with the kit from TPM. The roof vents are Ultima. The cooker hood was fabricated from a bit of left-over NS from the etch. The propane cylinders are 3mm styrene rod. The coach is nearly finished although I might attempt some work on the interior. I won't be trying to fully represent the kitchen area but maybe something to stop viewers seeing right through the coach would help. You can see a Dapol collett behind, examples of which will make up the rest of the rake. The crimson is a pretty good match although my "custard" looks a bit on the pale side. Ah well, the real things varied and a bit of weathering will help to unify them.

Really great finish you have achieved there. It looks like weary parcel train stock. Can you give a bit more detail of you treatment of the door lines? Did you apply water after the sides had been powered or did you add water to the powders first to make a wash? My MIG powders have just arrived and seeing you work has me itching to give them a try. I also got some Modelmates weathering dyes which I am interested in trying out.

I look forward to see how well that works. I have a fair amount of bogie stock to convert mnyself.

The class 50s are pretty spoiled for special liveries. Edward Eldar, Defiance, Ark Royal and Valiant.

Hi Dave, Always nice to see progress. I see the CAD is for the refurbished versions, are you planning to do the locos in original condition too?

I like the brake 3rd. Is that a Comet kit?

The weathered ones are superb. Dave, I know you have produced some weathered N gauge models in the past, is there any chance of Mercig working his magic on these in the smaller scale? Or do you plan to leave that area for commissions?

Looks stunning. If the 00 prototyping is anything to go by then the finished N gauge version should be a masterpiece (2 pre-ordered already).

Afraid not, the best I can remember is "ebay strength". I found that getting the delayed action to work was not a function of magnet strength but the position of the trip pins. Tweaking these inwards so as to be closer to the centre line increased the coupling deflection and activated the delayed-action feature. This was just what worked for me though and I haven't tried a Dapol magnet to see if they would work with that without adjustment.

Apparently their favoured grades of soft coal didn't react well to rough mechanical handling. Impressive work there. I am particulaly looking forward to seeing the finished coaling tower and surroundings.

People have managed to connect "Easitrac" (which also uses code 40 rails) to Peco points with a bit of filing and fettling. I would imagine FiNetrax would be easier as the gauge is already the same. Sleeper spacing will be different of course as Peco is wrong for UK outline track anyway. My hunch is that once ballasted and weathered, the points will not stand out too much. However Wayne is planning on making matching point kits. These will be easier to build than Easitrac points as they will include pre-cast brass frogs. He is currently assessing feedback on whether it would be viable to include pre-made switch rails too. If he is able to make points kits that can be built without have to file the parts then I think that would be anough to persuade me to abandon Peco entirely. Currently I am not quite sure. I like the look of fiNetrax but I am not confident of my ability to get reliably working points if I have the file bits to shape myself. My skills are more on the cosmetic side, my attempts to make mechanisms that work reliably seems to be where I fall down.

I used some rare earth magnets which can be bought from eBay very cheaply. Check out my earlier posts on this thread for how to install them and make sure they work properly. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/48728-Dapol-easi-shunt-magnetic-couplings-in-n/?p=569182 http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/48728-Dapol-easi-shunt-magnetic-couplings-in-n/?p=570075 Bear in mind that they support delayed uncoupling so you should not need as many magnets as that. One magnet can serve a fan of sidings.

Class 22 and class 52 which Dapol have produced in 00 initially and subsequently released in N gauge.

The normal suggestion is that 1:30 is the steepest you can go and if you can make it 1:40 it will be better. Of course it is one of those things where compression may be necessary. Do you plan to actually have wagons shunted up the incline or is it purely scenic? If it is non-operating then you can get away with making it a bit steeper than in real life. If it needs to work then try experimenting with your regular shunter and see how steep it can reliably propel the wagons without slipping. I am not sure how the LMS built its ramps. On the GWR an earth bank was common, often with a bit of retaining walling at the steepest section near the coaling stage. The preserved example at Didcot shows this quite nicely. http://www.flickr.com/photos/36928008@N08/4964071854/

I believe Dapol are doing the NGS one so it might come from them now that they have started bringing out 00 stuff. I am sure they have plenty on their plate though.

Well Dapol have the 3500 gallon churchward tender drive. The 6-coupled driving wheels from the Manor, the pony truck from the 2884. They Just need to stick a new body on it an Bob's your uncle (well, he's my wife's uncle at least ). I thought you had made a very nice Mogul yourself from the PD Marsh kit. Or am I getting muddled up?

Another shot of an interesting late survivor is K42 W130. This got a new lease of life as an Internal User numbered 096039. It seems to have been a frequent visitor at Thurso in the late 70s and early 80s (probably about as far from home as a GWR vehicle could get ). By this point it was in rail blue and looks to have had the gangways removed. Left hand side of this shot. http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/814651 And this one http://www.flickr.com/photos/jimthejoker/5833945998/in/set-72157626544273557 And in the distance on this one http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/2878388

I agree, it looks like it will be a superb layout. Sometimes I find that I just need to pick something up and start working on it and the magic comes back. Failing that, going for a ride on the real thing often brings inspiration. Do you have any good preserved lines near you?

Nice to see your progress. I think I had missed this layout previously so thanks for bringing the thread up to date.

The GWR B-sets are available from Dapol. I think a new run of BR-liveried ones is coming this year in fact. Dapol also do some Collett mainline coaches but I do not know if these diagrams are correct for the coaches that worked the S&D. Farish Mk1s are excellent. Depending on the period modelled you might need Carmine and Cream, Maroon or possible SR Green. Dapol have announced a new range of Maunsell coaches to be released some time this year and Farish are doing a range of Bulleids. These are a going to be very useful for S&D modellers when they arrive. Farish produce some LMS Stanier coaches but I am not sure if these are the right diagrarms for the coaches that worked the S&D. I think the forthcoming 50' full-brake will be useful though.