Jason T

Looking at the above post, the camera seems to have added a rust / grime effect to the track. Wish it could do that in real life as it would save an awful lot of painting

Hi, thanks for the comments. To tell you the truth, although it has been repetitive I have really enjoyed constructing all the buildings and with the houses, I never thought about getting them made individually and the line between each one would probably grate on me. Not so much of an issue with brick houses I suppose (e.g. Skaledale) but with stone, if they were separate, you would never be able to line the stone courses up. There has been some progress as well. I finished sanding down the filler in the sleeper gaps and as such, had no further excuses to no start laying track. So far, the station board (the easier one by far) has most of the track laid but not wired up yet and the point motors are still to be affixed. The run-round for the front platform is not laid as I am trying to determine the best place to lay the point into the goods yard. None of the track is painted as I want to get everything up and running and test (again and again) before committing. You may notice some white bits between the foam underlay and the track; this is for where the SMP flexi is at a slightly different height to the PCB points (a marginal difference - a single sheet of 150gsm card is enough to make up the difference). Anyway, all seems to be in order and in line as well, something I was dreading and wondering about as I've never laid track without fishplates before. As neither of the raised sections are fixed down so far, it was relatively easy to align and glue the track down on the far side of the station. With my last layout, that is something that I gave no consideration to and it was a pain in the backside tracklaying at the back of the layout. You live and learn I even managed to momentarily get my broken camera working so for once, you may be able to see what's in the photos. High level view of the station and corresponding track. The real Bacup has a few coach sidings but Inspiration Bacup just has the one, which is currently home to three Bachmann Suburban coaches (the only ones that don't have boxes, hence it was easier to get them out): Operator level view: The bit that is giving me cold shivers:

Make people queue in one direction to view layouts or browse / purchase from traders, and limit the length of time they can do so. Or is it just me that gets annoyed with the free-for-all? Or, every time someone asks a daft question, reply through a loud-hailer, in an 'Alvin and the Chipmunks' voice

The past few days, when I look at what I've done, it doesn't look like I have made much progress but a lot of the small, hardly noticeable, fiddly things do take time and they all need doing. First, a personal update. I had to go to the dentists on Tuesday to have four teeth out. Yep, four. At once. Two knackered wisdom teeth, one that was badly cracked (basically a stub) and one that looked healthy but has caused more abcesses than you can imagine. All back teeth though, so I've still got my 'lovely' smile. The end result of that is that I am on pain killers, have eaten nothing but soup all week and as a result, am feeling as weak as a kitten and a bit out of it. Anyway, progress. Lots of strips of slates cut and glued to the Farfield Tavern and connected row of houses, lead flashing and rendering added to the chimney stacks. First coat of paint on the roofs, a thinned mix (lots more thin coats to go): Chimney pots added to a few of the other houses and the station building. They look pretty weird in silver: And I've also filled a load more gaps in the PCB sleepers on the points but nobody wants to see a(nother) photo of that. I'm off to the Watford show tomorrow so if you see someone with a swollen face looking sorry for himself and drinking soup, that'll be me. Or, look back up the thread to the photo of me laughing at my mate. Disclaimer: I won't be wearing biking gear and a helmet tomorrow.

Very much so; your thread definitely inspired me to have a go at track construction. One of my favourite threads on here.

Success. I filed and sanded the filler in the point gaps and it didn't fall out, apart from a couple of tiny chips although they can easily be refilled (and to tell you the truth, you'd be hard pushed to spot them). I can now start on the rest.

I nipped out at lunch time to get some flowers (to keep the missus happy tomorrow) and just happened to park outside B&Q so after I'd picked up a lovely bunch of carnations (no expense spared), I got three sheets of 6mm ply. As mentioned in my previous post, I'd started to infill the bare frames with 3.6mm ply, which I ran out of and when picking up sheets in B&Q, it was a bit too flimsy so I upped the thickness, replaced what had been done before and job's a good 'un. Extended lunch hour you say? Well, Monday's are never that busy. So, with terra firma now cut to size, I couldn't resist. Over the rooftops and up the hill to the station Looking down the hill we can see the signal box (plan is to scratchbuild Bacup Box at some point) and some warehouses in an area which I've not decided upon yet Is this a cliche shot? Bus UNDER a bridge, over which the only pure L&Y engine I currently own shunts an ex LMS CCT (Parkside kit). I really should stop staging all these shots but, well, you know.......

Not much progress yesterday but a quite important step was completed. First, I started to add a thin (3.6mm) layer of ply to the non-trackbed baseboard level so that scenery can be built on top of it, although I ran out pretty quickly and haven't actually attached it yet. They are cut so that they butt up against the raised section, which as mentioned above, has been built so that it can be removed to simplify track laying, working on the scenics at the back of the layout, etc. The plan is to eventually attach it so that it will still be removeable (e.g. not permanently attached to the framework) as if I ever move, etc., it should be easier to move. Anyway, you may spot a gap at the end of the thin ply base section - bad cutting by me. Doesn't matter though; it will be underneath scenery. I also drilled pilot holes for the point motors and checked that nothing will foul the positioning of the motors under the baseboards. As planned (and with a bit of luck), there is sufficient clearance for the motors although there are a few places where I will be using the shallower Fulgurex and other places, Tortoise motors. More importantly, I gapped all the PCB on the turnouts (with the exception of the 3 way, which has me a bit stumped at the moment but I'll get there), dug out my old Dynamis controller and a Jinty, and checked that there were no shorts, which there weren't. Relieved? Oh yes. And finally, as mentioned in my Status Update, I've started to fill the gaps in the PCB with Milliput. Good grief, how frustrating? Done two and a half turnouts so far (except sanding, got to wait for it to dry first obviously) and thought to myself that Peco's turnouts may have their faults but boy, are they easy to use. Scruffy filler - I'm sure most of it will fall out when I come to sand them, at which point I will swear like a Docker who has caught his manhood in his fly

I've finally made progress with the baseboards. Now I am what you may call useless at woodwork; always was, always will be. But, sometimes you have to face your demons and just get on with things so with the girlfriend away for the day, I cracked out the jigsaw, drill and hammer (which must have pleased my neighbours no end). I'd already marked out the trackbed and decided on the height (75mm above the baseboard frame so I ploughed on and below is where I am currently at. Still to do is the other leg of the 'L' but that's not going to be in the same league of complexity as these were, especially around the goods yard board (where there is hardly a straight edge anywhere). I still need to add some bracing to the station boards and make sure everything is level although I won't be permanently fixing it to the frames until all the fiddly bits are done (wiring, point motors, etc), meaning that I can lift them sections out, module-style. another task will be to cut various sheets of ply to the size of the area in front of and behind the raised section, so that scenery can then be formed properly. I actually feel like I've got somewhere towards actually having a layout today, rather than just building track and buildings. Looking towards the station Looking away from the station Where the road bridge will be situated Black Five shunts a couple of wagons (well, I say shunts; it's just resting on a length of flexi). Getting decent lighting is on the 'to do' list

Michael, in my opinion, your 'point and shoot' camera has captured some real atmosphere on a layout that just oozes it. The first shot in particular gives the impression of a hazy environment from the smoke and steam. Thanks to all of you for sharing such a spectacular layout with us on RMWeb.

There's times when I really do wonder whether I've taken on too much but then you get something done and it gives you that kick up the backside to continue. I've had a relatively quiet day at work today and managed to get the first of the crossovers for the station almost completed. So, as you do, I offered them up to the Templot plan, loosely chucked a few lengths of flexi on and took a few pics. Worth the effort of learning Templot and how to build track? Definitely. You can (sort of) see where I have marked the baseboards up for chopping; this weekend's job (if I don't get distracted) Much better than the original turnouts I built for here; I built them as a unit so they would flow into each other better What the hell is an 08 doing at Bacup? Demolition train? It looks that way at the moment

Here we go, found one. They look like a transvestite version of the Black & White Minstrels http://www.coconutters.co.uk/

In the end, I did make some progress - sleepers cut from PCB, glued to the templates and the crossing vee's started (using the Brian Harrap suggested method from his fantastically helpful thread - see link below). I didn't get round to soldering and filing the vee's tonight because I've been in the pub for a few scoops and didn't trust myself and a hot soldering iron, but it's on the To Do list for tomorrow. However (and completely off topic), whilst in the pub, I got chatting to a bloke who is the spitting image of Ian Curtis although shamefully, he had no idea who Mr Curtis was. All the sleepers glued down: The crossing vee's, awaiting soldering and filing into shape: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/37678-handbuilt-track/

I've just received an order from C&L (10 more metres of bullhead, Tortoise point motors and assorted gubbins) and by mistake, I seem to have ordered some EM track gauges. First thing I thought was 'Oh ######' but then the mind starts wandering and temptation leans in and tells me to model in EM rather than 00. But I can't; I've got a lot of stock that would need re-wheeling, have already built a load of trackwork, etc., etc. Thing is, I do have a blue 08, class 25 and the somewhat forgotten and out of period Thomas Hill Vanguard, all bought on various whims and all likely to remain boxed until the 32nd of Neverember unless, at some point, I build another layout to run them on. Aaaaaargh; Satan is at work here and let me tell you, the real number of the beast isn't 666 but 18.2 As for Bacup (which will be continuing as before), I'm currently cutting sleepers from PCB and i's the least enjoyable part of building track if you ask me. What are they for, you ask? The two platform release crossovers, that's what. The original ones I built are okay and may well find use elsewhere but after printing off a bit more of the Templot for the full layout, the transition curve was just a bit too tight. That's what comes of using the SMP template rather than Templot printouts I guess. No layout photos today (nothing worth taking a photo of) so here is one of me, laughing at my mate, who has just crashed into that tree stump and is writhing in agony on the floor.

Paul, that'll be the new build with it's freshly glued roof formers on. Tomorrow's job will be to print off and cut out the slates but as I'll need at least 2 sheets of A4's worth, I can't face starting tonight as I'm not really looking forward to it (the blister has only just gone down from cutting the last lot out). The nutters will be inside the pub (where else?). I'm going to try and avoid cameos and cliches as much as possible; it will be modelled as mid-afternoon and mid-week so that there are not too many people on the streets and station, if that makes sense.

When I say there has been no other progress, that's not strictly true; I did go to town on building turnouts and would have got them all done (3 to do) if I hadn't run out of bullhead rail - 10 Metres sounds like such a lot but it wasn't enough. I still need to file between the rails on the majority of them, as you will see. The 3 way turnout is my pride and joy as it was as confusing as hell to work out how to get the template done in Templot and then how to actually build it. I just hope the bloody thing works when wired in - stock has been run through it and all seems fine

Anyone who has seen my Buildings thread in Scenery, Structures and Transport will already know that I am spending far too much time on the buildings for Bacup and nowhere near enough with actually getting on with the layout itself. Hopefully, this post will be the kick up the backside I need but probably won't as there are slates to be stuck on, buildings to be painted, etc. Anyway, for those who don't venture outside of the Layouts forum (as I myself didn't for a long time), here are a few shots of what I've been concentrating on so far and the reason why nothing else has been done, why all my locos and stock are in boxes, why my new Digitrax Super Chief Extra controller (best name ever; if there was a nerd Super Hero, that is what he would be called) has never even had power through it, etc. Can you tell I've been off the booze for a couple of months and don't know that many people in Oxford? Edited, because I tried to get all cocky and embed a link but failed, AGAIN. Here is the link: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/40873-buildings-for-bacup/

Fantastic photo, especially with the mist effect and the light from the yard lamp reflecting from it.

I guess part of it was that I didn't want to fill up your bandwidth. Anyway, we've taken up quite a few posts of this very intriguing layout topic to discuss the merits of picture hosting (and I do see that it was partly my doing), so can I propose that we get back on topic and, if others (especially Clecklewyke himself) are in agreement, remove the references to it? Just a suggestion, of course.

Not sure really, maybe it is the done thing? I was under the impression that most people used the uploader. I'm so confused......

Never mind when it's finished, it looks great now and has atmosphere even in it's cardboard and newspaper form I like the idea of a mix of urban and countryside and as you say, there's a lot of places where you don't have to walk far from the town before you are in beautiful countryside. I've been mountain biking around Todmorden and Hebden Bridge a couple of times and what's really nice about it is that one moment you are riding down a ribbon of singletrack surrounded by trees, turn a corner and you pop out onto a street of terraced houses, old mills, etc. Gives you a perspective of the contrast between the two but the old stone built buildings have such character that they now seem to blend into the landscape. Not sure people would have thought so in Ruskin's day though; they probably thought that the mills, etc., that we see as charming and full of character were carbunkles on the landscape, comparable to how we now see concrete office blocks viewable across fields, etc. I use Photobucket for all images and link across. I know it's not the done thing but it's just a habit I've got into.