Jason T

With the Trestle, have you thought about replacing the tie bars with brass section? I use L section and chemically blacken it first. It's easy to do and they remain straight (and are a bit stronger). Saying that, I have a load of older ones I need to replace at some point.

Ooh, a goods yard. Time to play trains to refire the enthusiasm?

That backs up photos I've seen of coke trains passing through Sandside, with 20 and 21 ton hoppers being the norm.

I would definitely appreciate a similar thread for the 88DS, I have one to build.

I can see where you're coming from Jeff, but closing the thread is maybe a step too far, even if you keep it open just for you as a record of what you did, when and how. Chris and I rarely post in The Mill thread nowadays, partly because the layout itself is nearing completion but mainly because I get precious little modelling time nowadays and would rather use that time getting on with stuff (building loco and wagon kits mainly) than taking / editing photos and posting them up. The majority of posts that go on The Mill thread nowadays are before and after exhibitions, and the next it'll be appearing at is Leeds in October (although there were murmurings about it going back to Expo EM North in September). As an aside, I am also on a promise to construct buildings for a number of other layouts (including, possibly, Roy Jackson's Retford !!) but won't be posting updates on those. Sorry Mike, you can have your thread back now.

I'm still here, looking in every now and again but I get precious little chance to post at the moment. I usually end up reading the forum on my phone and it's a pain to type more than a short sentence.

The warehouse gave a purpose for the siding; not sure there is one now?

Hi Andy. The 20 ton hopper is a Slaters / Coopercraft kit and the three plank is a Ratio one. Andy / Stu, I did contemplate distressing the ironwork more but was fearful of it looking over-cooked. I thought I'd put a tiny drop of paint on each rivet head (a swine of a job if trying to avoid getting it on the planks and making them therefore seem huge) but it seems I missed a few or maybe inadvertently wiped it off them (also a pain). Hiding the glossy transfers was a pain too, mat varnish did some of it but not all so I had to dry brush them with grot too. The other wagons waiting in the wings are in bauxite and although I cut the transfers as close as possible to the letters and numbers, there is still a tiny amount visible. Weathering should work for those as it did on the others I've built and finished.

A couple more wagons finished; a 20 ton hopper and a three plank wagon. The 20 ton hopper has a few replacement planks, some time ago by the looks of them (copied from a photo on Paul Bartlett's site, albeit when they were in internal NCB use. The three plank is meant to represent an unpainted wagon. Hopefully the wood effect is convincing enough from a distance. I also painted the wooden interiors of a few others but the weathering is yet to be finished so not worth photographing yet.

Congratulations guys, it is a lovely layout. Was great catching up over the weekend.

Next show is Leeds in October but next year we're at Rochdale (twice - club show and skills day) and a few potential others yet to be finalised.

I didn't quite get this finished in time but brought it anyway: It really is tiny !

We were chatting about the horse today funnily enough, and came to the conclusion that in reality, it would be the shunter.

A few shots from today

I'd go with the building hard up against the wall. Why would they build a section of retaining wall jutting out, when they didn't need to?

Just a reminder that the layout will be at Expo EM in Bracknell this forthcoming weekend. Hope to see a few of you there. http://www.emgs.org/index.php?option=com_jticketing&view=event&id=8&catid[0]=40

Well the, you will just have to order some more

Oh believe me, he will be soldering it!

Will be good to see you there; are you doing an over-nighter / beer session, or up and back in the same day?

Depends on the wattage if your iron mate. You want to get a fair bit of heat in there to get the solder flowing (which it will if it's clean and you use enough flux). A 40 watt iron should be spot on.

It was snowing when I left at 6:45 and 1 degree, and most of the M65 was down to one lane with snow in the other(s). It's sunny and warm(er) in Chester.....

As the tank panels are etched brass, have you thought about doing all the steelwork in brass? It'll be one solid structure. Which reminds me, you're going to be needing a scratch brush, decent solder (I would use 145 and 179 degree) and brass flux as a minimum. Scratch brushes are essential for cleaning the brass before soldering and also for tidying up afterwards, and will introduce you to the joys of fibreglass fibres embedded in your fingertips (something I've suffered from a lot recently whilst building the 48DS kit - all soldering now completed ) I'd be giving Eileens Emporium or Hobby Holidays a shout as both stock everything you will need. I tend to use Hobby Holidays nowadays, especially at exhibitions.

Alan Gibson will be at Expo EM in two weeks time; we're there with The Mill, do you want me to pick you up a set?

Excellent news Neil. You will be more tired than you thought humanly possible but at the same time, happier than you have ever been.

It's getting there. With wires on the motor terminals, it moved under it's own power and the compensation works after a bit of judicious filing. It's a bit scruffy in places and needs some tidying up but that can wait until all the soldering is done. Chris has been a huge help with it, guiding me along when things have got a bit complex (or needed Ferlinghetti so they would work correctly). In the meantime, he's been working on my Sentinel kit which I think he thought would be quick and easy but is proving challenging to get to his high standards. Anyway, here are some shots of the 48DS. In case you were wondering, the chassis is not bolted to the frames in the last shot, which is why it is not aligned.