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Well the layout is packed and ready for loading into a van tomorrow morning for 'the great electric train shown' this weekend (making the journey to gaydon tomorrow and Friday). We may be in a conference room at the show (as opposed to a large hall) - that is not confirmed though - so if you are coming along make sure to come in and say hello. Max

2 weeks to 1st day of 'The Great Electric Train Show' at Gaydon. I have been replacing a few accessory switches that were causing some problems at Middlesburgh in May, adding some fencing that was missing and completing a few of the Metcalfe buildings by adding the chimneys. Going through the fleet of wagons to check couplings and adding some tail lamps. An addition to the fleet this week has been a blue and grey inspection saloon - just to let the bosses have a wee trip doon the line. have managed to get all my operating team in place so looking forward to arriving at Gaydon a week on Friday. Max

David - keep going although at times it is hard. Know the feeling with my large layout. If I build another it will be much more compact. Your depot if full of 56s etc will be good. Only visited the depot once when I was a member of Scottish Railfans who did depot tours from Edinburgh or Glasgow over weekends. Don't let a lack of progress get you down. It will come good. Max

4 weeks to 'The Great Electric Train Show' at Gaydon. Still checking boards and fixing some damaged scenery etc. Everything should be ready. Operating team now finalised. Looking forward to the trip south. Max

forgot to say that the exhibition is at the Motor Museum at Gaydon. Max

I am pleased to say that the Maxwell Colliery Loading Point will be at 'The Great Electric Train Show at Gaydon on the weekend of 8 and 9 October. At present I have 7 operators but need 8 (to allow 2 to have a break at any one time) as someone has had to pull out. Given that, and if you would be interested in helping to operate the layout (there is hotel accommodation available on the Friday and Saturday evenings) then please send me a PM and we can see what we can organise. Don't worry about the controllers (ztc) as I can send you on the operating instructions prior to the show. Thanks - Max Fowler

given this thread, here a few shots of mine from within the loading tower at Hunterston and the unloading point at Ravenscraig (also an ore train arriving)and the Ravenscraig coal yard. Also attached a pair of 37s with empty ore wagons storming through Holytown to Hunterston. Will post up some other pictures later of the workings between Hunterston and Ravenscraig. Max Fowler

1st day over at Middlesbrough and a good day at that. Some nice feedback from people. Same again tomorrow. Max

Everything ready and just waiting on van at 0930 to start loading up and head off to show. Max

Kier - as brilliant as ever. When it comes to Model Rail Scotland at some time in the future, you know I am more than happy to help operate from time to time. Will PM you to see if you and any of your local team might be around at 'the great electric train show' at Gaydon in October. Max Fowler

if you live, or are in the area this weekend, 21st/22nd May, The Maxwell Colliery Loading Point, will be exhibited at the Middlesbrough Model Railway Show at the Settlement Community Centre, Union Street, Middlesbrough. The show is open on Saturday from 10am to 5pm and on Sunday from 10am to 4pm. if you manage along please say hello. Max

here are 5 of the pictures taken by Nigel Burkin that were not used in the magazine. Another 5 to follow. Max

The layout features on the front cover and on a 8 page spread in the latest edition (March Issue) of Hornby Magazine. I will post up some other pictures from Nigel Burkin that did not make the magazine article. Max Hornby Magazine Cover.pdf

David - some advance information. The extended version of the layout (as at Model Rail Scotland this year) will be at the Middlesbrough Model Railway Exhibition on 21st and 22nd May next year. Hope you can make it along. Max

some close up shots of primarily the extension boards at Model Rail Scotland 2015. If they are in the correct order when uploaded they will show the following: 177 resize - a class 20 has just loaded at the tower and is proceeding down the branch with meas for falkland yard, ayr 164 resize - a class 20 awaits the signal to proceed further down the branch towards the mainline with meas for falkland yard, ayr 176 resize - a class 56 waits at the signal to come off the original colliery line with a train for falkland yard, ayr while another train is proceeding in the same direction from the loading tower 175 resize - a class 37 crosses the viaduct over the girvan water with loaded wagons from the loading tower to falkland yard, ayr 179 resize - a class 37 runs over the viaduct over the girvan water with loaded wagons from the loading tower to falkland yard, ayr 178 resize - 60066 passes the gated crossing with coal empties from falkland yard, ayr bound for the loading tower 171 resize - a class 37 awaits the signal to proceed off the branch and onto the main line towards falkland yard, ayr with a loaded train from the loading tower 161 resize - a class 60 waits for the road up the branch to the loading tower off the main line while a class 56 winds it way from the branch over the level crossing with loaded wagons from the loading tower to falkland yard, ayr 170 resize - a class 60 moves towards the level crossing (old gates being replaced with new barriers) and heads for the branch to the loading tower with empties from falkland yard, ayr Max

a few (not great) shots of the layout at Model Rail Scotland. These hopefully show the size of the layout. Other shots (close ups) to follow over the next few days. Max

Chris - many thanks for yours (and everyone elses) comments re the layout. Its now ready and awaiting the van tomorrow morning for its trip to Railex NE this weekend. Looking forward to this and hopefully meeting up with some new faces over the weekend. Max

layout and all necessary accessories etc almost ready for loading in van on Friday morning to head to the Newcastle Area for Railex NE this weekend. looking forward to hopefully meeting a few people who have made comment on the layout. Max

things may appear to have been quiet recently with no updates on the extension boards but I have been working away slowly but surely although time is getting closer to the last weekend in February next year when the enlarged layout appears at Model Rail Scotland 2015 at the SECC. in the interim all the original boards are being checked in terms of wiring and scenery for their trip a week on Friday to Railex NE at Newcastle. Hope to see a number of RM Webbers there. as some of you may have seen either from the adverts today on this site for (or have their post copies of) the September BRM, the original layout features in same and on the front cover. The shop edition should be on sale tomorrow. As I have never had anything in terms of models in the press (I have had a number of pictures and articles in 'the real railway' magazines many years ago) I am really 'chuffed' - pardon the pun!! - to see it in print. I must of course thank Nigel Burkin for his photography of the layout and given the pictures that appear in the magazine, I have added a few more of those that Nigel took that are not in the magazine. hopefully catch up with some of you at Railex NE on the 23rd/24th of this month or at Model Rail Scotland in February next year. Max

been a while since I posted but I have not been idle, especially since there is a large tick tock clock running down to next years Model Rail Scotland where all these boards will be exhibited!! A few days off work this week (in the glorious weather) has allowed me to start the base scenic work on the the first 3 extension boards including the fitting of the viaduct (built recently at the Stevenstonon show) the 1st corner board and the formation of the river bed etc. Various pictures showing progress including the inspection of the work by 'sugar' our cat whose was totally unimpressed! I also spent Friday, checking and rewiring (where droppers had broken) the existing boards (and fixing broken trees and other miscellaneous)before they head to Railex NE towards the end of August. Maybe catch up with some of you at the Perth Show on Saturday where I will be on the Scottish Modellers/DEMU demo stand. Max

this weekend has been spent all on the step board leading into the main fiddle yard. I have finished the trackwork, wired up the track, completed the main plywood sides and created the tunnel mouth. Before the tunnel was fixed down etc, the track was tested with a class 56 and local ballast then added. The scenery over the tunnel and down both sides will be part of a golf course given thls layout is set in South Ayshire. South Ayrshire has many golf courses. Max

been some time since I posted any photos of progress with the extension boards. I have been undertaking wiring of the boards as they are built and over the past 3 days (a few days off real work for Easter - and still 1 more to come) new legs for the extension boards. As a result I was able to set up the new boards (not fully joined properly as my garden is anything but even) but the general idea can be seen. The first 2 photos show an overall of the extension boards. The next 4 show the 2 junctions on the line. The first of the 4 photos are on the single track and in the first of these 2, the line coming towards me beyond the point is to the loading tower while the line going off to the left is the 'original line' to the colliery and will be a single line hidden siding. Note the colour light signals. The 2nd of these 4 is a view from the viaduct and the long line going away is to the loading tower (and the existing boards) and that to the right to the hidden siding. the next 2 shots of the 4 show the part of the single line beyond the viaduct (viaduct is still missing ie not yet built!!) and then where the branch line joins the main line. There is a cross over beyond the junction and again there are coloured lights with the branch one (in front of the level crossing) having a feather. A signal box space has been left opposite the branch onto the single line. The double track beyond the branch junction (in the last of the 4 photographs) will go into the middle fiddle yard. Refer attached plan. been working today on the last board after the branch, crossover and level crossing. This board joins onto the main fiddle yard therefore is part low height frame and the remainder full height to match the fiddle yard. While the complete board is not finished, I have positioned where I envisage the tunnel will be leading into the fiddle yard. the other picture shows the typical wiring of the boards. I fully confess that this is far from the neatest installation (wiring not my strongest point compared to the masses) but it appears to work as I have tested the 4 straight boards on the extension in terms of bus wire and droppers, point control (standard stud pencil) and the colour lights including the feather. back to real work on Tuesday therefore unlikely to be any more postings over this weekend. Max Proposed Plan for Model Rail 2015 001.pdf

Been quiet for a while in terms of posting but have been making some progress on the extension boards. With exactly 53 weeks to Model Rail Scotland 2015 the pressure is on. Managed to get the boards to date outside and you will see some more of the track is down including part of the 2 track main line and the junction off same onto the colliery line. The gap on one of the corner boards is of course for the viaduct but the metcalfe model I was using is now out of production. Lets hope someone still has the kit at Model Rail Scotland next week. I have attached the proposed plan for 2015 to allow you to relate the boards to the plan. No further track laying can take place until I get more cork underlay. If anyone is around Model Rail Scotland next weekend, I will be assisting on our Chairmans new layout - Fairhaven Road - representing our club (Glasgow & West of Scotland MRC). The owner - Manxcat - has a item in the 'layouts forum' on this particular layout - well worth a look. Max Proposed Plan for Model Rail 2015 001.pdf

this is the same principle used to load wagons on my layout - The Maxwell Colliery Loading Point - and at recent shows we have been asked the inevitable question (sometimes by youngsters and sometimes by adults) as to how the train is loaded. I have no problems to let them come behind the scenes and see how its done via the chute and tower into the wagons. Its always been my view this help might just give enough interest to a youngster to take up the hobby. Max Fowler

despite the grim weather recently I have managed to get on with the remaining main boards of the new extension. The straight board which has the 2 track mainline running off after the branchline junction is complete (have just realised I have photographed it!!) and the last corner board (which contains the 2 track mainline) is almost complete - refer attached photo of same. I now have this latter board to put sides on and the underpass (that will be part of the proposed golf course - as the layout is set in South Ayrshire it would not be complete without a golf course!) and then the last straight board where the lower base frame has to come up to the level of the fiddle yard. thanks for all comments this year on the layouts progress (the original shortened version will be at Railex NE in August 2014) and can I take this opportunity to wish you all a Happy New Year for 2014 whe it comes tonight. Away now to get the kilt on and go out for a good old Hogmany evening. Max Fowler