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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
    • 3,298 views
TomE's N Gauge Modelling

Ropley - Under a MDF sky

Ropley's new Bendy MDF coloured sky. But not for long.....   Hi All!   Another one of those 'I'll do it next time' jobs has been completed in the shape of the Backscene. After reading a few threads on the Forum on the subject, I opted for bendy MDF, in the hope it would be fairly easy to form a nice curve at the end of the board, and it seems to have done the job nicely. The other end doesn't have the curve to allow the possible future extension to include the station area. The MDF is pr
TomE

TomE

5
Legomanbiffo's sound Blog

Off the juice

Well my 'shoebox' is now trundling around the layout, on diesel power only so far. The poor running was (mostly) sorted by using the CV54 trick and reading the CV's back into the program. I've got basic auxiliary sounds working (horns, compressor, air release etc). Once I've made a bit more progress on these I'll move on to the electric sounds. The last stage I suspect, apart from the usual endless tweaking, will be to program the transitions from diesel to electric and visa versa. I'm quite ple
legomanbiffo

legomanbiffo

1
Valentin's Blog

Enjoying building the PCB turnouts

I really enjoy building the turnouts using the PCB timbers. Even more, I started to experiment new construction methods.   I've chosen to make all four points in one go, on a Sundeala board then transfer the whole assembly to the plywood baseboard. I still wonder if this is a good approach...   Some photos with my progress:       Next step will be to install the switch blades and check rails (six pieces of each).
Valentin

Valentin

5
Kelly's Workbench & Ramblings Blog

What to do with old Airfix/Dapol kits..

So I have a small number of Dapol/Airfix plastic kits. One of a BoB, a few of mineral wagons, some tank wagons and other assorted ones. Think theres a Schools in there somewhere too.   The BoB isn't going to be anywhere near as good as Hornby's current model, but I had the thought that it could well be usable to make up as a loco being taken to scrap without connecting rods and other bits. Could be an interesting challenge to model. It would also be just in the right era too for the Chilmark i
Kelly

Kelly

5
Legomanbiffo's sound Blog

Heavy metal

I had an enjoyable day out at Doncaster yesterday and succumbed to the persuasive powers of a superbly weathered Bachmann 37/5 in Railfreight Metals livery from 'Dirty Boy' / Lord & Butler. Whilst I am reasonably skilled at weathering, this was in a different league and I was happy to pay the money.   As a bonus the loco came pre-fitted with the latest SWD v4 chip so it was a good opportunity to listen to the competition. After trying it 'out of the box' it was clear that the dire speaker
legomanbiffo

legomanbiffo

1
Dukedog's Blog

Morfa Bach (My new Cambrian layout) Update Feb 13 2012

Another quick but significant update.   Finally I have got all the base scenic features in place. I have just finished the hillside around the tunnel mouth. Significant meaning that there will be (hopefully) no more polystyrene balls floating round SWMBO's kitchen! The whole lot being given a few coats of "Gloop of a different colour"! This time matt black emulsion being mixed with white filler to give me that grey granite/slate colour.       A fair bit of this will be covered with t
Dukedog

Dukedog

15
The Farthing layouts

Here's looking at you

It was the winter of 1997 and I was in London for the Watford show. Or to be honest: My life was a bit of a mess, and I was trying to escape from some difficult decisions that had to be made.     I had arrived a day early and was staying in a cheap and gloomy hotel not far from Paddington. The idea was to spend the day touring the model shops around London, but things were not going well: The weather was cold and windy, the shops were uninspiring and I couldn’t escape my o
Mikkel

Mikkel

15
halfwit's Wondrous Wagons!

RT Models Chaldron wagons - part 4 brakes.

The brakes are finely etched in nickel silver. This style of Chaldron has all metal brakes, some older designs had the brake gear made entirely from wood.   Here is the etch;     From top to bottom, left to right: axle washers, brake pivots (above) and door catches (below), main brake etch (2 part lamination), lever guides (+1 spare), horse hooks (+1 spare) and finally the brake lever.   All holes were opened out with a tapered broach whilst the parts were still attached to the main etc
halfwit

halfwit

6
Kelly's Workbench & Ramblings Blog

Been a while

Has been a while since I last visited the site. Other things and my health have kept me occupied really. Health has been very poor over the last 6 months.   Am still going to exhibitions with Natalie when i/we can manage it. The last one being the Leamington Spa & Warwick MRS Show at the NAC, Stoneleigh, which we both enjoyed a lot.   As well as that we went along to the LWMRS open day at their club rooms and had a very good, interesting day out there. We both left feeling like we'd join
Kelly

Kelly

7
Ambridge - An Everyday Story of a Branchline

The Ambridge Chronicles - part 1

A warning! Despite the 'avatar', THIS layout is definitey 'EM'!   Having decided to split 'Ambridge' and 'Upton Dene' into two separate layouts in two different scales, it's probably less confusing to creat a new blog for Ambridge, so here goes! (Upton Dene will continue in a distant future!)   I always like to creat card mock-ups (see the 2010 comp entries) and 'Ambridge' with it's Cotswold setting, cries out for this approach if only to investigate landforms etc, so this week - intersper
scanman

scanman

1
4mm scale agonies

Continued progress

Safely returned from my trip home, recovered from Jet Lag and inspired by my visit to Pendon. This weekend I set to and did some more work on the APA box layout. Two of the three structures were ready to visit the paint shop for a coat of primer the third, and largest one still needed some work to get there. So I grabbed my scriber scribed some sheets of styrene to the pattern I needed. A long task, but inspired by what the chaps at Pendon do it wasn't really that difficult. With the third str
Ian Holmes

Ian Holmes

4
Box in a box

Box in a box - Pt 2 - A Start Has Been Made!

Not on the actual modelling (one track panel is all there is so far) but in aquisiton!     Four box files - with the scenic section in the middle two - the end boxes for cassette-type f/y's and storage.. I've also sent off fairly large odrers to Shops 1-3, 'Masterclass', Ultima' etc.   The driving force? RETIREMENT !! We learned on Friday that subject to unforseen problems, we'll be mortgage-free on 29th Feb so we will definitely be 'leaping' that day! I'm jusr short of the 'big 65'
scanman

scanman

5
Arrivals, Departures and Cancellations

A Test Track in N - 4: electrics

A simple track plan like this needs only basic wiring:   track power feeds on each side of the box connector across the hinge join jumpers to isolated rails jumpers to the toe of sidings. But all wiring is on view when the case is open, so a neat job is called for.   Wires were routed under sleepers and soldered to outer edges of rails - with hindsight I should have used something smaller than the standard 2.3mm bit on my X25 iron, and perhaps attached certain wires before
Platform 1

Platform 1

0
Milliedale: Black Sheep's N gauge blog

Swapping to a thread instead of a blog

I've chosen to switch to using a thread to show the development of Milliedale as I've seen the way that the majority of people use the forum a thread means I will get input and feedback from a wider number of people in a way that is easier for me to view when checking in from cattle class on first great western while on the way to work.   I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed and commented on my random waffling here and invite you to continue in the thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/comm
Black Sheep

Black Sheep

0
Cruikglen - Fictional Waverley

Automagic uncoupling

I've tried several types of coupler on my N gauge stock to avoid the hand in the sky approach, Cruikglen will feature two stations where shunting is required, as well as the engine shed.   To date the most reliable have been D&G type, although I've found them very prone to damage. I've recently been experimenting with the new Dapol magnetic couplers and have found them to be excellent. With care in setting up the magnets and couplings themseleves reliable results have been achieved even wi
DaveArkley

DaveArkley

1
The Grime Street Blog

Leeds 600 fresh from the paint shop.......

Yeah I know that I said the next entry would be something else! Anyway I have just about finished spraying Leeds 600, it still needs the fenders painting brown and a bit of fettling here and there but it's not a million miles off......     Advert boards will be added later, as they would be a pain to mask, grey back, ivory front. 600 only had 4 Leeds crests, one on each saloon, so transfers will be pretty easy....   Chassis is a Halling C mech, which I'll fit a false floor to, with half s
Red Devil

Red Devil

5
buffalo's workbench

CSP Radstock Sentinel

Back in early December on the Radstock Sentinel thread, I had mentioned that I ordered one of the new CSP kits. However, Roger Slade told me that he had sold over forty kits in the first couple of weeks, so I had to wait until new etchings, castings, etc. had been made. Last Tuesday it arrived so, after a quick look in the box, I settled down to read the instructions. The instructions appear to descibe every stage of the build and are accompanied by many expoded isometric drawings and other diag
buffalo

buffalo

4
Sylvian Tennant's archive of pants!

Railroad 9F... and other things!

I have been a bit quiet lately mainly due to work and girlfriend related activities and I have not been doing much. In all honestly I have been investigating other scales and need a bit of a changed from my general OO stuff. As well as this, my work commitment, my girlfriend and my other interests need some time as well.   So I’ve been looking at what I need to get done 4mm scale wise and what can be left for another time. Namely my passenger stuff and most of my other engines. However I hav
Sylvian Tennant

Sylvian Tennant

10
Paternosterrow

Barrow Hill Mark II - Finished

Finished!!   Had a play about with the stock today, but had a few problems. The usual suspects - dirty track and wheels, bad connections etc. This is the frustrating aspect of 4mm scale - especially when you've double checked the circuits and cleaned everything about a 100 times! A few pics below - more tomorrow if I'm allowed - we're supposed to be going up some hill or other for a walk. Know what I'd rather be doing!!     Managed to capture the streak through the smoke with the inte
PaternosterRow

PaternosterRow

19
Knuckles' RWS, P4 & SCC Blog

Moving to P4

Ok, it is official, I have gone raving mad and took the plung into the world of P4 (not so much S4) Starting with this post is some actual proof rather than speculation, I have made that all important start. Pictures show some tools, gauges and bits I have brought, also I have joined two wheels to an axle using that £20 back to back gauge from Exactoscale and Loctite 243 (Suitable? Didn't want to use 603 incase I needed to remove things). Black track in background is C&L Flexible track
Knuckles

Knuckles

14
Petes Model workshop (or ramblings from the balcony)

SR Dia1379

Just as a little distraction. I decided to construct some wagons. The first is part of this block. The reason being is that sometime in the near future when we get into our house I want to play trains, you know the sort of thing build a layout etc. I thought that if I had some stock, it would give me the push I need     Having decided that I will build a loco for myself my thinking was that I ought also have something for it to haul. As the choice of the my first self build will e
N15class

N15class in Wagons

0
What's new at Furness Wagon Co

List of exibitions for 2012

We will be attending the following exibitions this year   GOG Halifax June 2nd Stand only GuildEx 12 (GOG Telford) September Stand only Barrow-in-Furness Model Railway Exibition October 14-15 Layout only Workington Model Railway Exibition November Layout and stand
MarcD

MarcD

0
Show visits 2016

Allestree, Derby

A second weekend in February, and a second model railway show! After visiting Stafford last week I found myself at the Allestree "Trains Day" today. This show takes place annually at the church hall in Allestree, Derby. I believe it is run to raise funds for the church whose hall it uses. A large model railway show with lots of impressive layouts and various trade stands this isn't. With no more than 12 exhibitors this had a more intimate and family feel than the large show at Stafford. In fac
andyram

andyram

2

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  • Blog Comments

    • Western Star
      Kyle - an update...and a visit at last...

      By Western Star · Posted

      So can Kyle in 7mm be booked for Basingstoke in 2031?   Seriously.   Rgds, Graham
    • john new
      Painting some Dapol/Kitmaster workmen.

      By john new · Posted

      Next step completed after the six needed for a track gang have been painted and their foot pedestals clipped off. They will be fitted to the club layout (Axford) as a spot sleepering gang.   First lesson learnt by the experience - it will be easier in future to trim the foot block and drill for the pins before doing the painting.   The reason for the track gang is the l/hand divergent track on this board no longer goes anywhere as it now feeds a single entry sector plate. The
    • bcnPete
      Making Mountains

      By bcnPete · Posted

      This is fabulous Mike.   Thanks for sharing your techniques and it looks stunning in the setting - as Mikkel says, my kinda place!   A nice story and I do hope that they have success.   Love it in BR blue mode too 😀
    • gwr517
      Edwardian motorcars (2): British Ford T Late 1912

      By gwr517 · Posted

      Thankyou for the info.I want a British car but French or American would be OK. My "Dr" from Motley End could do with one of those modern contraptions! Railway modelling causes us all to be very aware of every aspect of life in our chosen era. Its part of the attraction. I could give your Postman a lesson or two in handling parcels also!
    • Mikkel
      Edwardian motorcars (2): British Ford T Late 1912

      By Mikkel · Posted

      Thank you Chris and Mike for the input on wording, "motor cars" it is then.   Douglas those 1960s car rallys sound good. There's an annual vintage fair here in Denmark that we sometimes go to. Here's a 1926 Ford T from a couple of years ago.       Returning to the DAPR 3D prints, I have been in touch with Ben of DAPR. He says that they are still available if you enquire. He also has them with the roof drawn up, and in pickup versions.   He says he co

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