Darwinian

I think it is a Slaters wagon. I have added internal strapping and it is shorter than my PD wagons which were Cambrian. I’m unsure whether it is a Slaters or Powsides ready lettered kit. I may even have done the lettering with Powsides transfers myself.

Time for another clerestory, this time its a Mallard/Blacksmith D37 non-corridor brake third. This time I have gone for full length stepboards on the bogies. The etched ones were beefed up with an additional lamination and a kick step along the back edge. I soldered that on as one strip and then sawed away the lengths across the cutouts. Sorry image has been lost.

Period 2 for me, specifically 1929. Ooh an echo too. Adrian

That’s good to know. It did seem an unlikely thing to have got wrong. So much for the old adage “a picture never lies”. I will have to start saving.

I would agree that the windows on the engine compartment and the vestibule door look slightly wrong. To me it appears to be that they are too short and the panels/ventilators above are too deep. The coal loading hatch is symmetrically distant from all edges of its panel whereas it should have more space above and below (and it looks the right shape). Here is a photo of No.93 at Dereham from a similar angle to the 3/4 view EP. The window tops appear to all be inline in my photo of 93. Apart from that it looks a very impressive model.

I've been pondering the van/loco directional lamp illumination problem and have been wondering if a bi-colour red/yellow LED for each end would be a solution. It should be possible to arrange a changeover switch but would need two fibre opitc feeds into the van side lamps which might not be possible.

You should rub one pole of the magnet in one direction along the steel tool. Lift the magnet clear at the end and repeat. Don’t turn the magnet or rub back again, you undo the magnetism your first pass achieved.

I have spent time over the last couple of weeks developing the station allotments at the very end of Cwmhir station area. These are right at the front of the board so I've gone for detailed representation of some plants moving to a more representative form towards the end of the baseboard/layout. Here's how it now looks, still some work to do as I'm planning a fruit (Raspberry/Gooseberry) cage at the very end of the space. The season is supposed to be late summer (Sept/Oct) First up an aerial view of the whole plot. This is the view from the end of the layout towards the station building. The static grass will be thinned out to hopefully look like young leeks (this is S.Wales after all). And finally a ground level view from the station forecourt, the Rowan tree is from Scale link etches.

The LMS D1666 wagon is nearing completion. Just needs a coat of matt varnish to seal the transfers (Pressfix) and the interior painted worn wood colour. Sat next to it is my attempt at runner beans for the station allotment area. Brass wire soldered up to make the poles and MP scenery products "Green climbing vines" for the plants. Really needs a scattering of small red flowers too. My 850 and 57xx panniers have also received some fire irons and the obligatory bucket on their bunkers. Unfortunately the photo emphasises that the 850's bunker is out of true made worse by the buffer beam being slightly out as well! The camera is so cruel.

Just caught up with your video, absolutely superb. The running is so smooth it's hard to believe it's 2mm scale and the scenery is beautifully captured. Fascinating mixture of liveries on the stock in this period too. I especially liked the half loaded open with parts of the load individually roped at each end. Not seen that done before. I might steal the idea for Cwmhir.

Just remembered that I described the D40 build here:

Not all Bettabitz clerestory etches included ends. The D40 brake third I built for example is body and clerestory sides only. This makes things a bit easier as getting the width down isn't quite so critical. I did make the mistake of carefully cutting out openings in the Hornby clerestory sides to clear the window openings in the overlays only to realise that by the 1920s these would have been painted or paneled over so i could have just blanked them off. Also be aware that some of the Bettabitz range did not carry the 10' Dean bogies fitted to the Hornby models. I have the "Falmouth Coupe" to build and had to source the shorter bogies for that (from 247developments). Worsely works do some alternative side etches to fit these Hornby clerestories too but I've not tried any. Here's my D40:

Well I plucked up courage to attempt weathering the C19 and also a Hornby Collett Bow End composite that I've done a little work on. This was done with Vallejo Air acrylics sprayed on and then variously scrubbed off with cotton buds and a flattie brush dampened with Vallejo thinner. Because the acrylics dry quickly this is best done in cool conditions immediately after spraying. I'm not sure I really like the very dark roof of the clerestory unless I can go back and increase the grime on the paneling, it looks too clean for such a dirty roof?

Just to complete the picture here are the same trains viewed from the other end of the layout.

If I was staring again then I would certainly give templot a try.

Nope, I used the C&L templates adapted as described by Normon Solomon in MRJ. I think the main problems are because I forgot to pre-curve the stock rails and didn’t put in a set for the blades to sit in. When laying this bit it was prone to twisting. As a result stock if fractionally out of gauge or due to the weight of adjacent vehicles sometimes catches on the v or switch blades. I was able to use a mirror tile to help with aligning it all. In hindsight pre forming the rails and building the turnout and double slip as one unit (or in situ) would have helped. I’ve done some experiments today on the fiddle yard exit and the problems with bogie stock seem to be more due to issues with the effect of coupling them to one another. My paper concertina corridor connectors were too stiff. Also had to make sure to avoid hook and bar couplings lifting the adjacent coach at gradient changes.

Here's an experimental platform viewpoint. One advantage of my iPod is it is small enough to get into places like this but without any fancy range stacking the depth of field is a bit restricted. Really should have noticed that the cab roof was a bit loose.

That’s an excellent suggestion I will investigate options. The main problems are the short link between the first turnout in the station throat and the double slip where it’s not quite level. The entrance to the fiddle yard is the other because there’s a sharp change of grade on a curve. Freight stock has no problem but longer locos and bogie vehicles are more problematic.

While I was in the shed I thought perhaps it was time to take some views showing overall layout progress. I am happy with the look just wish I could get it to run better. Too many derailments and sticky patches. Some bits probably need relaying but C&L don't seem to do thin sleeper bases anymore. Like Peterborough North the Carrs ash ballast is turning to sand colour. Although the material left in the original jar has not changed at all. I suspect the PVA is to blame. Odd that the dark grey ballast doesn't seem to be affected.

Final pictures of the C19 before I try to weather it (heavy on the roof/underframe hence the grey starting colour for the white bits of the roof). Completed 19 alongside a Slaters (C10). C19 in detail And a vintage all 3rd valleys train with P1 power. Annoyingly since I fitted the Bill Bedford rigid hook coupling the all 3rd pair won't go through the gradient change into the fiddle yard. Both run through fine on their own. More faffing about needed but suspect I might have to change the coupling.

Interesting, I hadn’t looked at that book recently. I wonder if CD was Cardiff docks shed. I wonder if diamond shaped targets were common on other constituents and when the change to round started.

Does anyone know when the target discs were introduced? I’m modelling the period 1929 - 34 but most published photos are mostly BR era or pre grouping. Were target discs in use in my period?

Thanks, praise indeed. Although I’m a little annoyed that I didn’t realise that the bolections being effectively over a cream undercoat would come out a bit brighter than the droplights . I see Hattons have the same on their Genesis coaches. I also forgot to varnish the droplights but that seems to make less difference. I’ll live with it but next time might remember to paint the droplights cream first.

The C19 has entered the home straight. Door furniture added using Comet etched door handles and the original blacksmith G-handle etches from the kit. Held in with superglue (Gorilla). The separate droplights are individually glazed and then a strip of glazing cut to length for each window aperture in turn, with the prepared droplights fitted as I worked along the coach. I use Micro Kristal Clear to ensure no fogging of the plastic glazing. Where the door furniture wasn't projecting through on the inside the opportunity was taken to place a few droplights in a partly lowered position. Once the glazing glue has fully hardened I will add "Smoking" signs using Railtec transfers (not quite the right period style but the best I can find). Here it is in all its glory.

Good grief I find it hard enough in 4mm scale I take my hat off to you! I used to have a number of the Rotoring pens but over the years they all got blocked and I never replaced them. Following the tips from others above I have just ordered some Posca pens to try for the gold/yellow lines as they may be a solution to lining plastic or flush sided coaches. Thanks for the link to your Modbury layout I don't often delve into the 2mm section but I will be working through the Modbury thread over the coming days. Already impressed by the trackwork.