Jason T

Keep three but maybe closer together would be my vote

I've seen Jan '68 at Doncaster BRM show a few years ago, not long after it had been in one of the mags (BRM?). I too liked the look of it in photos but (and I hate to say this) it did nothing for me in the flesh as the nice parts (the station building and a few other structures) stood out as being good on an average layout. Not meaning to blow your trumpet (ooer) but from what I have seen of your modelling on here, it blows Jan '68 out of the water.

I would leave out the 'real' ballast altogether in the yard; if it ever was ballasted, it would have been tens of years before the period you are modelling.

That does look mightily impressive.

Even on grazed land, you do still get a lot of ferns growing in patches, so you could put some areas of thicker vegetation above the wall, and maybe add some boulders and scree (even if just patches of gravel) at the base of the rocky outcrop (which I would keep as it breaks up the expanse of green). Originally, I wasn't sure about the boulder field but now it is grassed in, it works.

Blimey Jeff, that really does look fantastic. Just don't go moving house again

I guess RTR prices don't affect me as it is very rare that I buy any. Having little time to do any modelling nowadays, I tend to just build kits as I can start and finish at my leisure. Much cheaper, even factoring in Lanarkside buffers. I do have a ridiculous number of them now though, and at present have 12 in store waiting to be built. P.s. Would love to pop round again

You have to look at the detail levels on the new stock to see why they cost more; in every respect they make older coaches look like cheap toys and to get them to the same level of detail as the new stuff would cost you at least as much per item, as well as a lot of time and skill. But a few at a time and split the cost is my view. Another thought is that there is little point in a super detailed loco pulling crap coaches as one element lets the rest down. Same with wagons.

That's not a turntable, it's a girder bridge over a shallow, round, man made pond

I know it shouldn't really matter but if any of you have the latest MRJ, a photo of The Mill appears on page 410, albeit in an advert for the Chris Kedgeley Skills Day. Still.....,,

To be fair, it won't be your average show; we are hoping it will be much more relaxed with a lot more interaction between exhibitors and punters than usual, plus we'll all be flipping from one layout to another as operators (e.g. when Chris is operating The Mill, I'll be on BCB or DITD).

I have a rake of 21 ton hoppers that to date have never been coupled together; they will be visiting BCB at some point, along with an 8F and various Black Fives (and whatever else gets converted in time).

After a fair bit of discussions, planning, joking and procrastination, the Staffordshire Finescale Group and Friends (which includes us - yes, we actually have friends ) have decided that we will hold a modelling showcase day in Gnosall on Saturday 8th July. As can be seen from the below poster, The Mill will be one of the layouts present and will be it's first outing to the Midlands. We'll not only bring the layout but also a collection of the ongoing locos and rolling stock in progress and if anyone is interested in such things, we'll be happy to blather on for ages about what we have done, are doing, will be doing, etc.

Just leaving this here....... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/119176-staffordshire-finescale-group-modelling-showcase-8th-july-2017/&do=findComment&comment=2587895 Not a bad line-up, I hope you agree.

You propel slowly over the magnet and press the button as the dropper passes over it, rather than accurately positioning the wagons. Not sure about the effect to the field of a steel bar but the whole point of AJ's is for them and the magnets to be as discrete as possible so I can't see why anyone would want to ruin that by adding a lump of steel on top of it. I suppose that if you are going down the tension locks with magnetic tails route then electromagnets alone would not work unless the magnetic area was larger but they also differ because the magnets would need to be where you need to deposit the wagon as when you move off the magnet, they will re-couple (AJ's, Kadees, Dinghams and the like don't, meaning that you can propel uncoupled). As such, electromagnets would really be pointless for tension locks with tails. Under tension (I.e. Being drawn) tension locks will not uncouple.

Shaun, have you got a copy of this book yet? A fair bit later than the period you are modelling but full of colour photos of the section of the Queensbury lines you are modelling

If you want, I am more than happy to knock up two turnouts mate. I have an EMGS crossing vee jig that is crying out to be used.

The final part to my modelling at Xmas posts as I am off to Spain tomorrow. First we have an LMS van (Ratio kit) and another five plank (Parkside) And lastly, the 88DS although it may get a bit more on the frames. This is the Judith Edge kit and is powered using a High Level Quad Driver gearbox and Mashima motor, with a Dcc Concepts Zen chip tucked in the bonnet.

It really annoyed me so I straightened it out and took another photo

Just reviewed the above and noticed that the 16 tonnes looks twisted. It is no longer twisted. D'oh - what happened there?

Another day, another dollar. Today has seen a couple of mineral wagons weathered and a bit of additional rust added to the five plank. The minerals are a welded and a slope sided 16 tonnes, both Parkside and neither deviating from the kits other than brass rod added between the brakes on the welded one (far more robust than trying to stick the crappy bit of supplied plastic in but it does mean drilling through the centres of the levers, vees and linkages - not easy). On both, the mounded on safety loops have been removed and replaced with staples. I do the above on all wagons now, even though it's not hugely noticeable. Suitable filthy examples of both were found on Paul Bartlett's site and copied as well as I could using Life Colour acrylics; I prefer enamels but with Sara and Sofia in the house, I had to keep the smell down. Five plank with a bit of additional weathering but hopefully still subtle and looking in good shape Couldn't resist one of the 88DS with a mineral wagon

Funnily enough, the LNER hopper is now available RTR (Hornby) but this is a Parkside one. With these and the BR variants, I think I am up to fifteen now, and they take a fair time to build, paint and weather. I have about three more in supplies to build, with more to follow (including a Dave Bradwell etched chassis for one) and an etched brass 13 ton hopper to do too. Oh, and four Slaters wooden bodied 20 ton hoppers. The plan is to have a decent rake for Bacup's replacement. It would be great if one of the RTR manufacturers would tackle a few variants of the humble five plank as they were as common as muck in the 50's and early 60's, but I guess they are not glamorous. These two are both Parkside; the LMS built one using a different Parkside under frame kit to that provided.

Part two in the hugely ignored 'what modelling I did at Christmas' theme. A very rusty LNER built hopper Two 5 planks; one BR built Hybar and one LMS built variant with J suspension, no tarpaulin bar and clasp brakes

Christmas modelling. It's either a time when we get nothing done due to other commitments or get the chance to put a few hours in. I've had a couple of days off this week so managed the latter and have mostly been faffing around with paints. Here's a wooden bodied mineral wagon. It is a Parkside kit and the weathering is based on a colour photo in a book, albeit one taken from a short distance, of an Austerity hauling a short train composed of an ex-LNER fitted van, said wooden bodied mineral and an ex-SR pillbox brake van, heading from Thornton back to Bradford on the Queensbury lines in the early 60's. The mineral has more replacement planks than originals by the looks of it. The wagon was first painted in unfitted grey and then the interior and selected external planks painted & dry brushed with Life Colour acrylics. Once fully dry, a rather thick wash was applied to the whole wagon and then removed with cotton buds. The last step was to pick out the ironwork with a mix of Humbrol enamels; Matt Black and Leather.

Rob, I have a never-run Bachmann Jinty chassis going spare as I bought the full loco and the High Level chassis as it is to go EM. If you're interested, pm me. Cheers, Jason