luckymucklebackit

Very slow progress but the foundry building is creeping closer to completion, tonight I fitted support girders behind the doors, fitted sliding doors to the smaller door on the loading platform and a "roller shutter" door to the door with the access track. Started the access platforms but this is one of these tricky jobs which need a small amount built then set aside to allow the glue to set before proceeding, these platforms now need handrails fitted to complete. Crane is now partially built and painted, Needed it done so that I can set the rails the correct distance apart With that done I set it aside to set and went to make a start on a Ratio water tank kit that I had picked up on Ebay, unfortunately I find that there are three major components missing, so I have messaged him to let him know Jim

There was an excellent article in the 1967 "Locospotters Annual" with comparative plans and diagrams showing before and after. When was the inset track at the station throat done away with? Jim

Lay Down - Strawbs

It is so sad that the Scottish Collection have no chance of ever running again, how good would it have been to have them on the Jacobite double headed with each other or with the regular locos. Free the Riverside Four!!!!! Jim

Hi Martyn - Looking great! Are you going to paint on the distinctive lined fabric or is that a step to far, I have seen it done. Jim

Not much done over the past week, having been away from the layout "enjoying" (or should I say surviving) a weekend at Blackpool, but I am back home and recovering! I made a start at the low relief foundry building, by applying the "corrugated metal" cladding using plasticard, with a brick plasticard lower section. The idea is to portray a building that has seen better days, so lots of rust type weathering is in order. The corrugated sheet was given a Humbrol Grey/Green base coat and left to dry, then once dry cut into strips and stuck in place. Around the edges a dark brown Acrylic was brushed into place, and then a general dirtying with weathering powder. I was reading through some old posts on weathering and picked up a tip about using pastel chalks - I can confirm that they work a treat, bought a set for £5 out an art shop and they are really good for dirtying things up. Still a lot of detail to put In place, the upper two small doors will have a stair added up to roof access platforms, and doors and other details yet to be added. That's all for now Jim

No Easy Road - Wishbone Ash

Happy Jack - The Who You Could Be Happy - Snow Patrol

Heart of the Sunrise - Yes

Sweet Leaf - Black Sabbath

I would be a good marketing ploy if they restored the names to the principle Glasgow to Aberdeen Services, "The Granite City", "The St Mungo" and "The Bon Accord". I also suggested a while back that some of the classic A4 names would be nice on the HST power cars. Jim

Telegraph Road - Dire Straits

Has the post Brexit hard border been put in place already?

The 317 that went north along the WCML (317506) ended up at Brodies at Kilmarnock, apparently for PRM modifications, so that would suggest that here is life left in these units. Some of the 321s are being robbed of one coach and being out into service on the Glasgow Suburban lines as class 320s. 321403 came north (also to Kilmarnock) yesterday for that purpose. Jim

So by my reckoning when the Shotts line is electrified next March you will be able to travel by electric train from Glasgow to Edinburgh by five different routes! ​Glasgow - Edinburgh Via Falkirk High (Classic service) ​Glasgow - Edinburgh Via Cumbernauld and Falkirk Grahamston ​Glasgow - Edinburgh Via Airdrie and Bathgate ​Glasgow - Edinburgh Via Shotts ​Glasgow - Edinburgh Via Carstairs And the M8 will still be congested!!!! Jim

Did the plot line not explain that the TARDIS had moved forward 50 years and that Northern were still using the same stock as now and that the dispute over single manning had not been resolved.

Pistol Slapper Blues - Rory Gallacher

Hi everyone - I felt that I did a lot tonight but don't have a great deal to show for it!! Spray painted the crane structure, stuck down some Scalescenes dirty concrete paper on the crane base and the loading ramp and holding to my promise to myself to try plasticard brick instead of brick paper to give this more texture. General view of the foundry yard now with a little less plain white card The crane supports have been slotted into the loading bank, wanted to get this as neat as possible but pushing the flimsy structure into the slot needs to be done carefully to avoid snapping the thin crossmembers My first attempts on doing plasticard brick, one strip looked OK the other was not so good. I just gave the plasticard sheet a coat of red oxide primer then cut the section out and glued it to the card. Next I gave the section a wash of light acrylic grey and wiped off using my fingertips (this is the bit that I find a hit and miss), lastly I picked out some bricks in a brown and a lighter red - still need to darken it down and weather. I am using 7mm brick plasticard as suggested by a friend, as I agree with him that they look better!!! The not so good one in place, the wash wasn't as effective on this section Just to show that Allenshaw is still part of the main layout That's all for tonight Cheers Jim

Postman Pat And His Black And White Cat - Postman Pat!

I always check the "toy" shelves when in, after seeing Hornby class 56s and GWR steam locos (cant remember which, they all look the same to me) in TK Maxx in East Kilbride at very good prices. There is an outlet store in Coatbridge called Mackinnon Mills which I was very surprised to find a load of Hornby stuff for sale, bought a LNER suburban coach at way below RRP. There is also a crafts section selling mounting board etc Jim

Hi All - with all the track painted and ballasted, time to start the buildings. First up is the Walthers crane gantry kit which turned out to be quite tricky, there are a lot of parts that you need to ensure are kept square and level, and it only takes the smallest sliver of flash to knock things out of true. I built up the main gantry and legs and the main parts of the crane, as you need this to gauge how far apart the rails need to be. Also marked out the end of the building to check proportions With all looking good, I removed the crane to safe storage to let the glue fully set before painting and gluing in place so that I could make a start on the loading bank, this is just built up from strips of wood and a sheet of ply, it has a couple of slots cut to tack the crane legs, these slots will be closed up when I put on the top sheet of card The buffer stop is a modified Peco, as per a prototype I spotted on here somewhere, need to find another one, there is one somewhere in my scrap box I'm sure That's all for now, looking out my "kiss me quick" hat as I am off to Sunny Blackpool next Friday!!! Jim

That top one is interesting, don't think I have seen one where the old headlight positions have been plated over and a new bracketed on in place. Great photos! Jim

In Scotland and want a free ride on one of these units - Bo'ness is the place to be!! https://twitter.com/Vivarail/status/1047430236848250882?s=09 Jim

What would you prefer - (given the choice) The contents of a Starbucks cup or the contents of two Victorias Secrets Cups?

Silver Machine - Hawkwind