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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
    • 3,310 views
Fourgig East

The light at the end of the tunnel ....

Found some time over Easter to paint the lighting pelmets, satin black on the outside and gloss white on the inside. A trip to Maplins and 60 quid later I had the LED lighting strips and power supply etc.   I hooked them up one evening just to see how bright they were, blimey!       Once the paint was dry, they were fitted and tested     All that is left to do is finish painting the supports white and do the final wiring
RedgateModels

RedgateModels

8
Up the Line - 1918

The joys of DCC

Have actually managed to get the DCC sorted in the Simplex. I wired in another decoder (after disconnecting but not removing the first one), so had a glorious mess of wires. What it did proove though was that the first decoder was faulty so that will be going back very soon. So bit the bullet and chopped all the wires which then makes them really lovely to solder back together together again but is essential as not too much room to play with if it is going to be invisible. Here it is all install
KH1

KH1

1
Barry Ten's Blog

Backscene and half-relief trees

One of the benefits of working on a painted backscene, as opposed to a digital one, is that it's relatively straightforward to make changes, either big or small. Looking at the pics I've posted earlier in this blog, I decided that the background hills needed to be pushed back a little more to suggest greater distance and haze. Working with the airbrush is tricky due to the height of the layout, so I decided to try and desaturate the hills using a wash of dilute white applied with a very wide art
Barry Ten

Barry Ten

7
Heworth Sidings

Heworth Sidings - Update - 21/04/2014

Hi,   Retaining Wall   Allot of hard work has been going into the Retaining Wall which runs nearly the whole length of the layout and this is really taking shape now. Along with the brick plasticard, 3D printed capping stones and laser cut arches, we are now making use of resin casting to create some of the wall parts. Here are some pics of the progress.             Ballasting   Work has also started on ballasting the main scenic modules. and we now have 3 out of the 5 mod
Vonzack

Vonzack

0
The GC and Met in OO

Lord Faringdon, Part 1

Several months ago I bought somebody else's hackbash of Robinson's 4-cylinder behemoth of 1917. It was described when I bought it as being built from parts of a Triang Princess, however it was running on a chassis from a Hall on wheels from a Black 5! A real mish-mash then.   After buying it I replaced the driving wheels and the bogie, and then I put it away for a while.   Over the long weekend I started work on it again.     The model in as-bought condition.     After replac
James Harrison

James Harrison

0
Layout - Fisherton Sarum

A view from the line #13 creating the impression of depth – effective backscenes

A particular pet hate of mine is viewing layouts that have no backscene, even simple a plain blue or grey painted back board is better that nothing. The last thing I want to see is the clutter behind the layout and the midriffs (being kind) of the operators. A good backscene helps create impression of depth and finishes the overall illusion that we are trying to create with a layout. There are a number of methods that can be used to create the backscene from the simple single colour plain pain
Graham_Muz

Graham_Muz

1
Clachbeg: trackwork

Laying the station entrance turnout: part one

Finally I am tackling a turnout, the first I have scratch built in two decades. Having spent a couple of days procrastinating and reading whatever I could find about turnout building I decided it was time to take the plunge and stop worrying about getting it wrong.   The planned sequence of events is to bend and cut and shape the rails, then to cut and stain the sleepers, then to fix the sleepers to the template, then to spike the rails in place, remembering to arrange for the switch stand to
Richard T

Richard T

0
Up the Line - 1918

A Welsh adventure and a bit more Simplex

I am afraid that the start of the school holidays and an absurdly accurate weather forecast was just too much to resist so slightly before first thing on Monday I was off with the little one on an adventure to Snowdonia. After a very naughty breakfast at our favorite Siabod Cafe and an as advertised two minute erection of our tent we were greeted by a Garrett at Rhyd Ddu before a speedy and idyllic climb to the pointy bit of Snowdon . Next day was a fun day with canoeing in the morning followed
KH1

KH1

4
Erudhalion's Blog

Grime and Muck

Blimey, it's been a long time.   Progress has been slower than ever. I ordered a few things from Gaugemaster: solder, flux, more track work, and an extra wagon (GVT mineral wagon). I discovered I can't have Railmatch paints or poly cement sent to Italy, so I've used Humbrol enamels as I can get them locally.   The rolling stock all went together well, and I decided to attempt weathering.   As you can see, the wagons are rather heavily weathered, while the brake van in just a bit dirty.  
Erudhalion

Erudhalion

0
Theflyingscotsman's Blog

Victor Lane. 00 Gauge Layout

Hello All.   So i have lately been using Anyrail5 to design my 00 gauge layout called Victor lane. I came up with the name for my layout after my grandad (who sadly passed away) left me with the nameplate off a steam locomotive called Victor. Since then i have always wanted to design and build my own 00 gauge layout and it was my Grandma and Grandad who got me into the railway and 00 gauge.   My layout is 8ft by 2ft and isn't based on a depot, railway line or any era. It is just a layout th
Theflyingscotsman

Theflyingscotsman

2
Hydraulic Heaven

Excuses Excuses

Modelling chez moi has been on temporary hold for the past week or so due to a trip to see MinerChris in his new abode in Sudbury (not Suffolk!).   We did manage to get out and about on several occasions and caught a few of the local activities. I'm no expert on these matters so I'm sure that others will know more than me.   This is the view from Chris's local model shop - George's Trains - a mere 237 miles away in Toronto. Nice shop though.   A freight on the CP mainline near Chelmsfo
D869

D869

3
kyle of lochalsh

kyle 2014 scot-free...

Happy Easter all,   Now I have a week off work I am hoping to snuck in a little modelling.   Still need to apply the second coat of paint to the fascia and add some white text which I will try to do this week.   As Phase I draws to a conclusion, my thoughts slowly start to drift to Phase II which is to try and get the layout working again....otherwise its a photo plank and straight onto rolling stock.   This afternoon, I managed to lash up connect my Pictroller and run a few tests...it s
bcnPete

bcnPete

18
Barry Ten's Blog

Developing the goods yard area

Over the last week I knuckled down and finished laying the setts around the goods yard. Now, to be honest, setts are probably not something you'd get in the sort of sleepy, rural goods yard I have in mind here - I would expect a surface of dirt or gravel at best - but since the shed has to be removable, setts help hide the inevitable joins.       In fact, the shed fits into a dedicated area of setts which is itself removable, hence the line visible under the front wheel of the GWR vehicl
Barry Ten

Barry Ten

4
MikeOxon's Pre-Grouping Blog

Bits and Pieces

The recent fine weather has kept me away from the modelling for a while, while I have been pursuing my outdoor photographic interests. I am also procrastinating a little, as my coaches are at the stage of needing a lot of fiddly detail work to be completed!   Because of my small radius curves, 'fine' flanged wheels are a bit unreliable, so I prefer to use 'Hornby' or 'Bachmann' wheels, which hold on pretty well round the corners! For my 6-wheel coaches, I decided to try 'MJT' Mansell w
MikeOxon

MikeOxon in general

6
Turin 60's Blog

Another new small layout!

Last year at Expo NG I was discussing with various folk the subject of railways and water and I said I had always wanted to build a layout including beech huts! Collectively we came to the conclusion that all that was needed was a little imagination and an APA Box. So this afternoon while waiting for some filler to set (really?) on "Wherewithial Quay" I set to and assembled my "Box", fitted some small battens on which the"sea" will sit (this one will be a tide in layout) and cut the "sea" from s
Turin 60

Turin 60

2
Harton and Hopeguard BR 1960's Layout

New Video and Pictures- Named Express services and how the trains are formed.

Hello,   I have decided that my layout will featured a named express called the - 'Thames-Guard Express'. The attached video shows how this train is made and some other passenger workings on the layout:   I have decided that the 'Down Thames-Guard Express' leaves at 08.30am, it goes via Harton to Birmingham where extra coaches are added before running fast to London. The Royal Scots and Jubilees work from Birmingham to Hopeguard and the service is under Pacific power under the wires. The
danstercivicman

danstercivicman

0
Clachbeg: trackwork

The culvert

The culvert carries the mine spur across the Allt Creag na Còsaig and is as simple and low-tech as the railway could get away with. Two 4" × 8" beams cross the stream and the sleepers are simply laid upon them.   As this spur sees traffic of a single wagon and lightweight loco once or twice a week, and axle loads are restricted to 1½ tons, this was deemed perfectly adequate by the Works Engineer.     The mine spur is laid with 12lb/yd rail (Code 143), necessitating lightweight fishplates
Richard T

Richard T

1
Beckton Light Railway

BLR Locomotive Fleet

Hi all,   As promised some more information regarding the locos of the Beckton Light Railway.   The BLR is run with a fleet of mostly small tender engines or large tank engines but also uses garratt's for the larger peak season trains. Most of the locomotives where built in the BLR's own workshops.   The proposed fleet consists of;   Steam Garratt 0-4-0+0-4-0's 2-6-2 side tanks 0-4-2 tender locomotives 0-4-0 shunters   Diesel 0-4-0 shunters Bo-Bo diesel electric 3 car multiple u
Narrow Gauge Jordan

Narrow Gauge Jordan

0
Clachbeg: trackwork

Bridge progress

Now that the sleepering timber has arrived I was able to cut the 6' long bridge sleepers and lay the rails.   I would have loved to have been able to fit a larger bridge into this layout, but it is after all only a micro layout and anything larger would have been disproportionate.   I am still in two minds about whether guard rails should be fitted; if they were fitted they would have to be made of two rail lengths each, in order to extend two to three feet beyond the abutments at each end.
Richard T

Richard T

0
Clachbeg: trackwork

First attempts at prototypical platelaying

This is the part I have really been looking forward to: laying individual prototypical rail lengths and bolting them together with fishplates... The CMER (as a reminder) was originally laid with a mixture of 12lb/yd and 25lb/yd rails, which are 2" and 2¾" high respectively. The main and branch lines were gradually all relaid with the 25lb/yd rail in 15' lengths, while the 9' lengths of the lighter rail were used in sidings. The original 36" sleeper spacing was retained in sidings, however as rai
Richard T

Richard T

1
Clachbeg: base and scenery

Spring is sprung, the grass is riz...

Time to take the plunge and to progress from bare baseboard to something more natural...   After much reading I decided to opt for fairly mainstream landscaping techniques: a Flockit applicator, Flockit glue, Woodland Scenics Scenic Glue in a spray bottle, and a mixture of 6 mm and 12 mm static grass fibres and Woodlands Scenics long grasses, as well as a collection of scenic scatters, gouaches, India ink, some horsehair mat and some classic Iceland moss.     First off I laid down lots o
Richard T

Richard T

0

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    • 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.  
    • Mikkel
      Netherport and Basuto Quay Chronology

      By Mikkel · Posted

      That sounds like a good approach Nick, thank you for clarifying. A sense of space is so important, less is more and all that.   The Penzance photo shows unloading of flower traffic from the Scilly Isles (no date). It features on the front page of this volume by Tony Atkins. The book is perhaps not unexpendable and a tad dry, but it is informative and some of the photos are lovely.    
    • WFPettigrew
      Post Scaleforum 2024

      By WFPettigrew · Posted

      If only you'd brought some crossing timbers, we could have had them down too 🤣. It was a pleasure to be able to help!   All the best   Neil 

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