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  • SouthernRegionSteam

    Coastguard Creek - 15 months of planning!

    By SouthernRegionSteam

    Hold on to your socks - this is going to be a lengthy one! (In fact it's so long, I've now split it into 2 separate posts - the next will be up soon...)   I think it's fair to say that you are all long overdue an update on Coastguard Creek. Due to other commitments, no real progress has been made since the last post way back in March 2021; almost 15 months ago! If anything, things went backwards for quite a while, as I kept finding more and more inspiring locations that I really wanted
    • 8 comments
    • 3,311 views
Dave at Honley Tank's Blog

Wo is me!

Hello all, Sorry its been so long but various things have kept me away from this blog. The Silhouette cutter and all the problems of computer programs that refuse to talk to each other is slowly driving me up the wall. The drawing program that comes with the cutter is really of no use for the type of engineering drawings we use to draw for our scale models. Some people are managing to drive the cutter like a printer, direct from their chosen drawing program; I just can't get my set-up to do
Dave at Honley Tank

Dave at Honley Tank

1
The Legge Lane MPD Blog

Comet Ivatt Caprotti Class Five - Choosing the Prototype

Considering only a few Caprotti Black 5s were built there is plenty of research material available. One invaluable source is Wild Swan Publications' LMS Locomotive Profiles No. 7 by Hunt, James, Jennison and Essery. Additional resources I used included the equally invaluable warwickshirerailways.com with photos of Caprotti Black 5s in strange places like Birmingham Snow Hill! Excellent prototype photos have been sourced from rail-online.co.uk.   With all this material to hand and a lot of t
Focalplane

Focalplane

0
Sixties Snapshots - 00 scale

A little bit of History

As the winter solstice approaches I thought it appropriate to look back at some of my earliest railway models. My first ‘train set’ arrived one Christmas in the early 1950s. I am guessing that it was 1953 or 1954 when I received a clockwork Trackmaster tank engine, a Graham Farish suburban coach and four Graham Farish goods wagons. Trackmaster Clockwork engine from the 1950s prior to sale in 2007   1950s Graham Farrish suburban coaches – repainted and fitted with Hornby bogies prior to sa
Silver Sidelines

Silver Sidelines

12
Up the Line - 1918

A nice easy project!

Well that is what I thought I would treat myself to! Having already built one and a half Wrightlines Baldwin 4-6-0 kits - one had the chassis already built when I got it - I thought another would be straight forward. Am actually being a bit naughty here as probably ought to be rebuilding the chassis on the second one as it does not run particularly well and has the standard, and ugly, motor set up. Anyway building a new one just seemed more exciting.   So problem 1 - me being too clever! I alw
KH1

KH1

0
S H Model Making

Making even more noise

HI all, well to say its crazy here at the moment is an understatement, looking forward to xmas being over so i can have a few mins to my self   A couple more 7mm models passed over the bench recently for sound to be added,   It's stirred the 7mm itch again which isn't good as i have a load of stock to build for my EM layout that's out in August   Cheers Simon
Mr.S.corn78

Mr.S.corn78

2
The Legge Lane MPD Blog

Comet Ivatt Caprotti Class Five - Opening the Box

When I am resident in the UK, this will be my "projet du jour". I have a reduced workbench made from a B&Q kitchen cabinet door complete with Dremel, Antex soldering iron and the basic tools to complete a kit, except for the painting thereof. That will be done later.   I bought the Comet Ivatt Class Five Caprotti kit some time ago (the receipt says February 2014) but added all the necessary extras at the time for a total cost of £220. I subsequently bought the optional horn blocks so that
Focalplane

Focalplane

3
Shipston-on-Stour Branch

Present Day Stratford Train Services

Yesterday I returned from France via Birmingham Airport. I then took the first train into New Street and walked across to Moor Street to just make it onto Platform 1 for the 2:01 p.m. train to Stratford. I was just a bit surprised that the London Midland train did not turn right after Tysleley but continued down the main line to Solihull. With limited stops the train took 40 minutes to reach Stratford. I have since studied Network Rail Timetable 71 and see that the once hourly service has be
Focalplane

Focalplane

0
Barry O's Weathering Blog

Fish Vans...of LM and LN variety including LM 6 wheelers..

So a variety of fish vans have been built/modified and now weathered..   so some ex LNER ones to start with     Bachmann       Parkside   again Parkside   and now some ex LMS ones     Cambrian kit     ABS kit - if only Adrian made it easier to buy these rather than whitter on about everyone elses models...     Parkside   Enjoy!   Baz   and just for St Enodoc     one Chivers LM 6 wheel fish van and..     all 3 of them!
Barry O

Barry O

5
Barry Ten's Blog

The Dean and I

Here's my Comet Dean Goods, which has finally reached completion after quite a protracted saga, involving more motor swaps than an F1 team.     As mentioned in an earlier entry, I acquired the loco and tender chassis in an assembled state from another Rmwebber, who kindly did me a very good deal on the parts. This was perfect timing as I'd recently failed to install a decoder in my own Dapol-era Dean Goods, and was considering the possibilities of a proper loco-drive chassis substitution. A
Barry Ten

Barry Ten

9
ANOTHER Challenge!

The Quaggy Ditch bridged.

I've been waiting for a couple of items to arrive in the post... So rather than just twiddle my thumbs I've got on with the 'mini-scene' so I can finish the tracklaying...   First job is to lay down some basic paint -     in this case tube acrylic using a very limited palette - 'burnt umber' 'sap green' & 'yellow ochre'.   The stream-bed was suitably treated with a mixture of acrylic - 'mars black' and 'Vallejo' black ink... Wouldn't want to swim in THAT!     And as I had some
scanman

scanman

4
Harton and Hopeguard BR 1960's Layout

Progress with the ID Backscene. Trains running and cassette fiddle yard proving ok!

I have been busy putting the ID back scene- into the town B, C and D together. I am quite happy with how it looks. Lots of progress still to be made, but its running ok and I am now running 6 coach WR and MR expresses in addition to freight and smaller passenger workings. Next steps include, fitting the turntable, building the hills and the dreaded ballasting tasks....   Stay tuned it will be finished in 2016...   In the meantime happy Christmas for 10 days time   Best   Dan
danstercivicman

danstercivicman

4
Three Shire's Head

The Buxton Leek & Macclesfield Railway - an imagined history

Imagineering a fictitious history for your layout used to be quite common, however it seems to have fallen out of favour of late. None the less I've always liked the concept and develop the history below for the creation of Three Shire's Head.   The Buxton, Leek & Macclesfield Railway   Railways came early to Buxton in the form of the Cromford and High Peak Railway, originally a horse drawn waggonway built to link the Cromford and Peak Forest Canals. Bizarrely the promoters of this waggo
Argos

Argos

4
MikeOxon's Pre-Grouping Blog

A new 'Old Engine' - GWR 184 - part 7

I had hoped to have moved a lot further with No.184 but, unfortunately, have made a very elementary mistake! I knew that one of the problems with 00-gauge is that it is, in fact, a narrow gauge, with implications for fitting the boiler, etc., between the wheels. I think this had lulled me into a false sense of security with the outer dimensions, but these do become rather important in the case of an outside-framed locomotive with outside cranks! I 'got away with it' on my earlier scratch-built '
MikeOxon

MikeOxon in general

6
The GC and Met in OO

The 2015 Build Programme

Here is the list of projects I have planned for 2015....   - LNER class C5 'King Edward VII' as she appeared between April and September 1924. (GCR livery, LNER number).   - LNER class B4. Two models- one in 1922 Great Central black and one in 1923 LNER green.   - LNER class B2 'City of Lincoln' in Great Central green (as she appeared August 1922- February 1924).   - LNER class B8 'Sutton Nelthorpe'.   - LNER class D11 'Jutland' as she appeared March 1924 (GCR livery, LNER num
James Harrison

James Harrison

2
Steveley

Location development

While physical work on Steveley has been quite slow, the basics of the track plan have been coming together, along with the plan for the baseboard.   The setting on the north east coast in the 80s has provided a lot of material to work with, the primary basis is going to be the Whitby area. So a single branch line leading to a terminus station with 2 platforms was the starting point. Initially I was working on the idea of an island platform but I soon realised that it would limit my options in
sjcarr

sjcarr

0
N-Gauge LMS Layout

Foster Street - And the Curse of Christmas.......

Dear Santa   I have been a good little boy this year, therefore for Christmas this year can I have INSANITY for my present, if so don't bother wrapping the present, just download it straight into my noggin   Waiting in hopeful anticipation your greatest fan   Paul aged 39 and a half.................   I don't remember writing the letter to the Fat man, but regardless he has come through and delivered my present early I am now officially off my trolley. Yes I have threw aside the shackles
paulprice

paulprice

1
gc4946's Model World

My OO scale "County" collection - Part 16

For my representation of London, I've now chosen a model representing the name of the capital in its own right, as opposed to being an add-on to an existing model.   In an earlier instalment I described how often I've changed my mind about owning a model containing the name of London and settled on owning a Hornby Pendolino coach re-named as City of London to ring the changes with my version of City of Birmingham.   From now on the Pendolino will be known as City of Birmingham and my London
gc4946

gc4946

0
S H Model Making

Come feel the noise

Hi all, Its very busy at the moment due to various reasons, one of which i have already commented on else where.   I have had these two ladies pass by the bench recently for sound fitting, it was a nice change to be working with large scale items   And this lady   Both have been fitted with Loksound XLs with bass reflex speakers in either the boiler area or under the tender in between the frames. Both sound quite loud, well i was asked to turn them off as the better half could hear th
Mr.S.corn78

Mr.S.corn78

2
gwrrob's Blog

The Finchings meet Father C.

Its been absolutely ages since I posted anything on my blog so I thought I'd add one with Christmas approaching.Minnie and Flora are both lost for words with this unexpected visitor to the down platform at Brent.             I better put him back on the tree before swmbo notices he's gone.Happy Christmas.
gwrrob

gwrrob

4
What's new at Furness Wagon Co

New wagons for January 2015 and List of Shows

I can announce that the next batch of wagons that will be ready in the new year will be:   Taff Vale/GWR 3 plank Dropside Cambrian/GWR 2 plank (the kit will build both the fixed side and the dropside versions of the wagon) Cambrian/GWR Gunpowder Van GNR/NBR/LNER/BR Gunpowder Van GWR/BR Mink GWR/BR Fruit Barry/GWR 1 plank LYR/LMS double end door coal wagon   We have also completely retooled two of our original kits bringing them up to our current standards. These kits have not been av
MarcD

MarcD

0
petertg's Blog

Just expressing my feelings

Hi all again! Since I can’t make any positive movement forward on my layout, I feel I must let off steam with this note. I have a list of jobs to be done: 1. Improve the lighting in the garage, not only for better illumination of the layout, but also for all uses of the garage. 2. I have to replace four pulleys of the hoisting system which do not rotate when the baseboard is being lowered or raised. Fortunately the cords used are Kevlar mountaineering cord which seems to resist the friction a
petertg

petertg

2
The Legge Lane MPD Blog

Legge Lane, Languedoc

Legge Lane, all two small boards of it plus locos, etc., is back in France. The boards are connected and I have tested the wiring done so far. The turntable works nicely but needs some soundproofing around the Meccano motor/gearbox.   So when I return at the end of January there will be work waiting for me. First priority is to finish the track laying around the turntable and test everything before starting on the buildings, scenery, ballasting, etc. I still have not found a suitable fine
Focalplane

Focalplane

0
N-Gauge LMS Layout

Foster Street - Parcels Vans (The Curse of Endless Beading)

Apparently its nearly Christmas and time to but panic presents before the big day is running out, not that I have had time to notice because the Domestic Overlord has kindly helped by filling in all my spare time with Decorating/DIY tasks   Just a snippet from the thoughtful schedule, will see me spend this weekend moving furniture so I can paint all the walls in the living room, then move all the furniture to the kitchen, then little respite of a couple of days at work. Then finish on Tuesda
paulprice

paulprice

2

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    • bcnPete
      Kyle - an update...and a visit at last...

      By bcnPete · Posted

      Many thanks Mike - yes Scotland is indeed beautiful...in all weathers!   Interest in Kyle....hmmm...where do I begin!   I guess a number of reasons - I am an 1/8 Scottish so I guess part is in my DNA. A few trips up to Scotland over the years and I guess a love of the interesting small trains especially in the BR Blue era.   Kyle came about as my 2mmFS china clay layout layout was expanded too quickly so I became a bit bored with it...even though china clay seems to
    • Yan
      Post Scaleforum 2024

      By Yan · Posted

      Thank you for leaving the comments and thoughts guys, much appreciated.   Both Butley Mills and Ditchling Green are with new owners that are currently refurbishing them. Even the modelling skill and composition still shine through, so they were both well worth seeing in the flesh. One of Iain Rice's layouts I'd like to get the opportunity to see is Trerice.
    • BarryP
      Post Scaleforum 2024

      By BarryP · Posted

      It's good to see so many positive reviews of a model railway exhibition. I did dabble in S4/P4 way back and Iain Rice's writings were inspirational. I saw Butley Mills when it was first shown at Scaleforum in 1987 and I loved it. Gordon Gravett's models are fabulous and I would love to see them in the flesh, as it were. I did visit two shows specifically to see the magnificent "Pempoul" layout that the Gravetts built, that was the finest I've ever seen. I'm dabbling in "O" Gauge and an opportuni
    • Keith Addenbrooke
      Post Scaleforum 2024

      By Keith Addenbrooke · Posted

      Good to see it was a positive experience - and really nice to see a couple of photos of Ditchling Green (I didn’t realise it was still around).  Always struck me as a lovely layout: an early example perhaps of the ‘less is (so much) more’ approach to railway modelling that is now widely appreciated.  Keep up the good work, Keith.
    • Mikkel
      Post Scaleforum 2024

      By Mikkel · Posted

      The layout and info display looks very good. Thanks for posting photos of the other layouts, always a gift for those of us abroad - especially when they are this good.   Imposter syndrome is common I think, it can hold us back but on the hand I'll take that over bragging anytime.  

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