Jason T

Well there's a turn-up for the books; we knew the layout was going to be in MRJ but never imagined that it would be on the front cover!

I think we all know that smaller layouts aren't going to appeal to everyone, possibly even the majority of exhibition visitors so Nicktoix is probably speaking for many. Doing so in an area of the forum specifically created for such layouts is a bit odd though, and does suggest trolling. We built our layout for a competition but also because it appealed to us; we also knew that it wouldn't appeal to many as it is small, uses industrial locos, involves constant shuffling around of a handful of wagons and (controversial maybe) doesn't use a single RTR item; oh, and is EM. We have mainly done Society shows & skills days, with only a couple of mainstream events. At the former, we have had a lot of interest and the latter, most have given the layout a brief glance or passed straight by. At all shows though, those who have been interested have chatted for a fair while, which has been one of the most satisfying outcomes of the building of the layout. To me, it doesn't matter one jot if the majority have no interest if the minority (let's call them the target audience) are appreciative. I wish I could enter the competition but time and space to actually build something won't allow it. We're at Railex in 2018 anyway

Oops, somehow managed to respond without knowing, whilst my phone was in my pocket. Anyway, keep up the good work and all that

I guess it is the equivalent of being asked if my Mill building is Metcalfe or Chris's RSH a Hornby Peckett (both of which have happened)

I was thinking that you'd done a good job of hiding the pips on those Peco jobbies

A photo of the coal drops

Have a chat with Mr York when we are in Stafford. To be honest though, keep on like this and a certain Mr Karau from MRJ may come knocking on your door (although, and I'm not trying to be cheeky / big headed here, you'd probably need to borrow my rolling stock for an MRJ article). Seriously though, this is heading in the right direction for MRJ, and that is as high a compliment as you will ever get

Blimey Jeff, that really is quite fantastic and all on the side of the layout with no railway. Following our Stafford Finescale Group show in July, you will have the loan of two (possibly three if I get it weathered in time) Black Fives and an 8F, all EM gauge. Oh, and an 08 too although I doubt they ever got that far up the line. Class 24 and 25 too, come to think of it; the extent of my EM locos (non industrial ones / LNER C12's anyway) to date

I think you are selling yourself short; those buildings, in fact the whole layout is mightily impressive and what comes across is the consistency in all aspects being to a high standard. I'll admit that I tend to think 'N Gauge.... meh' with a few exceptions and this is definitely an exception.

A shot of The Mill, which will be attending, possibly with another finished loco on the roster (an RT Models post war Sentinel).

How about a removable bendy backscene? I know it sounds daft but if it slotted into channels then it could be easily removed when required - you would just need to make the bendy MDF rigid (using the cutout from the channel?)

Hi Steve, thanks for the compliment and no problems whatsoever with using the track plan. I'm sure we're not the first to use it and I am sure we won't be the last.

The layout is out and about this weekend, at the Rochdale show in Littleborough. Not taken many photos but did get one of the latest loco on the roster, a Judith Edge Ruston 88DS, which was built a while ago but had it's first run today.

Steer clear of weeds on the mainline. Since the advent of static grass, people seem to have gone 'weed crazy', especially in goods yards, not thinking about where weeds would (and wouldn't) grow, where they would be cleared, etc. In my humble opinion, some layouts are ruined by the seemingly irrational obsession with covering everything with grass (although to be fair, some of the layouts are crap anyway, and the grass just makes them look like a hairy crap ). I wouldn't go much further with the ballast staining as you are in danger of going too far, past the point of no return. In the late 50's / early 60's, the S&C was still a main line and looked after; many of the (especially colour) photos were taken in the mid 60's where the line was not as important, maintenance was slipping and I imagine most haulage was by diseasel rather than steam (nobody bothered taking photos of the diseasels, which could give the impression of the use of steam traction being more prolific than it was).

Ok, here is the other photo. The Avonside is being built by Chris for Andy York and Andy Banks, for Tackeroo, their WW1 era layout of the military railway on Cannock Chase. Chris brought it along in case anyone was interested (they were) and popped an old chip in it so it could have a run (which it did, faultlessly) .

Well, another event over (Chris Kedgeley Skills Day in Littleborough near Rochdale) and it was a cracking do; well patronised, excellent demos, friendly and relaxed. From opening until 4pm, we had people chatting to us about the layout, locos and stock, to the point where I am now exhausted (and pretty sure Chris is too). I only took two photos of the layout, and only one which will be of interest here. The layout is next out on 8/9 April, same venue, at the Rochdale MRG show: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/119808-rochdale-model-railway-groups-2017-exhibition/

nag nag nag; join the society! http://www.emgs.org/join/

Which reminds me...... if you have joined the EM Gauge Society yet (and you should do), the manual (online now, as well as being sent on a CD and in print if required) has a section on using Brassmasters point rodding, stools, etc. Not only how to use it but also notes in the prototype. The stores don't sell it but they do sell a lot of useful stuff, including Gibson wheels, cheaper than the link I sent you on Wednesday.

Remind me to bring some Modelmaster decals with me when I visit; looks like your 5 planker could do with some

For the bad runners, I would seriously consider Gibsons, if for no other reason than with their smaller (correct) diameter and closer to scale flanges, the brake blocks will be further away from them. You could cut off the brake rigging and reattach it but I think you'd struggle to get them to stay put. Edit: I have a fair few Romford wheels you can have if you want them; correct diameter but still steamroller. They will probably be a step up from HornBach wheels though.

Thing is, you are always going to be up against it with the Hornby and Bachmann wheels as they are oversized in both width and diameter; pop a set of gibsons in one axle and standard Bachmann on the other and you will notice a drag racer effect, and it's not just down to the LP sized flanges. Here is a set of Bachmann wheels regauge to EM; the outer edge of the rim is touching the axle guards: Now compare the above with Gibson wheels gauged to EM: Quite a difference! I did experiment with regauging Bachmann wheels and I had to trim the recess for the wheels totally flush with the axle guards, and carefully shave a lot off the brake shoes and moulding that attaches them to the underframe. Below are a couple of shots showing how much I trimmed off; I would honestly recommend buying a bulk load of Gibson wheels as not only do they look a thousand times better but the amount of hacking is greatly reduced. End of the day, Bachmann, Hornby and Romford wheels are designed for use with Setrack, Code 100 and the like in mind where there are huge tolerances. Gibsons are more for your finescale track but would probably rattle through a Peco code 100 double slip like a dustbin rolling over a cattle grid.

never mind; once you build a few more kits, you will have spare brake rigging and levers that can be used to replace the mounded on stuff. Re: 16 ton minerals, the BR built unfitted ones only had brakes on one side; the side with the straight lever. The other side should have a kink in the lever (to reverse the downward push of the lever) and no brake shoes; this is the Morton brake system and a rod passed between the levers underneath so both levers could activate the single sided brakes. That is a very basic description by the way Slope sided minerals, cupboard door ones, LMS & LNER ones (no top doors) and fitted ones (in Bauxite - should have a vacuum cylinder underneath) had brake rigging on both sides.

When you say total amputation, you haven't chopped the brake shoes off have you? The mouldings on older Bachmann wagons is atrocious, especially the ones with the solid mounded brake lever. Those of mine like that will be getting Parkside underframes eventually.

The Brassmasters ones do look far more refined than the Wills, and the cranks and bases look like they offer much more variety. They're the ones I would go for, along with a bottle of Casey's gun blue to blacken them up first (as painting raw brass would be a pain)

Quick correction for Jeff; the layout appears in the Chris Kedgeley Skills Day advert in MRJ and not in an article although I am still chuffed to bits that something we built is in there and who knows, maybe an article will be forthcoming in the future.......