P.C.M

Story of my life, too many beers.

I finished the DAF the other week and changed the trailer ( thanks Jim, eetype3) but it still needed numberplates, I finally got around to putting them on last night. I have also been adding troughing along the main line on the extension, you can see some in the pic with my TPOs which arrived Tuesday, a bit of a cheat as I haven't any Kadee's so I just placed the coach in the train. Cheers Peter.

Hi Natalie, The time period for Llanbourne is Summer 1986 but stock mainly the loco''s is mid 1985 to mid 1987 if that makes sense. The signal box will get sorted, since I stuffed up trying to improve the 20 quid Scenecraft box I decided to make my own based on the one at Llandudno. Merfyn, Dave and Larry have all helped with pics and info. Hopefully I will make a start this year. The signals on Llanbourne were built before I left the UK about 14 years ago so are probably not all in the right place but will stay for now. I would like to make them work one day and get some etched Arms as the plastic Ratio ones look a bit chunky. Any info on coaching stock 1986-87 would be great, I did get some info from old Rail mags but most is from looking at pictures. I think most of my passenger trains are formed with the right stock, though my Euston trains are a bit short, any extra info will help. Cheers Peter.

Hi Keith, Yep, we can take the ped to Chester and Bail for the Crompton on the Holyhead service. Have you done anything on your layout recently? Hi Claggy, D200 was at Carlisle for a while, my 1986 spotters book shows 70 plus loco's based there 08s 25s 31s and 47s. Those were the days. Cheers Peter.

Hi Paul, Thanks, Had a look at your website last night,nice. I do like your Reggi rail liv 37/4. I haven't checked James' website for a while though I did see he bought himself a new car. I haven't updated my fotopic site for ages, I just need to sign in again so I will do that this week and you can have a look at whats there. I really should update it. A website is a bit beyond my computer skills but may be one day. Cheers Peter.

Hi Claggy, Love the youtube clips, the loco's sound alright, the Scottish drivers weren't scared to give their loco's a bit of thrash. Nice pics Keith, I think I was with you on that trip.

Arhhh PCM, 33's and 47's. Westbury, Weymouth, Bristol man per chance? I signed 33's with DRS a few years ago before we stupidly sold them to WCRC. Great little machines. I have to make do with 37409 and 37423 now cheerio Claggy I worked as a shunter at Eastleigh East Yard then down the Depot. Used to shunt down Hamworthy and the Docks a bit so travelled about on the odd train or two. I never heard a bad word about the 33s all the drivers I met thought they were a good loco. Shame DRS sold them, though I think they got some good use out of them. 37401 in Mainline liv should be nice. Cheers Peter.

Hi Claggy, That is Mossend, it was pretty busy back then, glad to hear it's still there so many yards have gone now. Also good to know you can still get a bit of kip on a loco, had a few snoozes on 47s and 33s myself. I was at work so missed 37114 on the passenger, glad to see someone got a pic though. I will keep an eye out tomorrow you never know it might work back. Cheers Peter.

Thanks 37pitts, I bet driving the 40 is something you will never forget even if it was only 60 yards. Hi Larry, Feel free to post the pic of the 25, I have an old Railscene video somewhere that shows a class 25 leaving Huddersfield on a Trans Pennine working, the poor thing is getting an absolute thrashing, it does sound good though. As you say I don't think the Midland drivers liked the 31s as much as the 25 they replaced. The class 40 backing onto the stock isn't 40106 it's 40122 (D200) which was painted green in 1983, I think to replace 40106 as a railtour loco. You are not the only one to think it's 40106. Both were common on the North Wales coast. Hi Rich, It wasn't the Llanbourne District Council i had to get planning permission from. I started this extension last year, most of it went to plan but as you say somethings you picture in your head don't always look right when you do it. Which I think you are finding out at the moment. It's sometimes better to leave things a while and go back later and look at it with fresh eyes. Unfortunatly this didn't stop me building the control panel which I will now have to change, stuff building a new one. Thanks Mark, I think there is nothing better than some bare boards to play with, drawing plans on paper can only be so much help. Operation wise it should be good as the ECS has somwhere to go as does the oil train, which is way better than trains going in and out of the fiddleyard all the time. I also have a stretch of mainline for a bit of extra thrash. I will see you in the front coach for a bit of a no heat class 31 bash. Cheers Peter.

A couple more loco hauled trains for you, plus a few pics of what I have done this week. The extension hasn't been touched recently as I have been working on stock. When I first started the extension there were a few things I wanted to try and do. 1. carriage sidings 2. Oil terminal 3. junction for Crewe and Holyhead lines 4. some sort of water feature When I first started to draw up track plans I knew the junction would be hard to do with the room I had plus it could make the fiddle yard to complex. This worked out to be the case so the junction idea was scrapped. It worked out well because the fiddle yard has been made less complex and I have managed to fit more sidings than i had hoped for plus i have enough long sidings. The carriage siding and water feature have worked out well to though to start with the water feature was going to be a stream and I did make a fair bit of mess hacking the baseboard to do this then changed my mind. The carriage sidings worked out fine and are plenty long enough for the trains that are going to use them. When I layed the track for the oil terminal it looked to busy and close to the mainline, I thought the fencing round the siding wouold look cluttered and the whole thing just didn't look right. I even tryed to have the train fit in one siding which I could almost do but this also looked wrong. I then decided to do a coal yard instead which I thought I was happy with until the other day. So the other night I was working out where to put some uncouplers and I was moving the coal wagons and oil train about. I realised since scrapping the oil terminal idea I had changed the trackplan a bit. Anyway the upshot is I have decided to put the oil terminal back, I think it works out this time because I have the headshunt between the mainline and the terminal plus the sidings don't go right up to the tunnel mouth as they did before, the whole thing looks more roomy and not squeezed in plus the security fence just runs down one side the out to the edge of the board. This also means the coal wagons can go off scene and can be uloaded to go back empty this also means a shorter siding in the fiddleyard and I can put in another siding for short trains DMUs etc. Here are a few pics, hope it makes sense. It's only taken a year to get it right. 31323 arrives from Bangor on a Saturdays only train to Manchester, runs round and then departs. D200 backs onto the stock in platform 3. Cheers Peter.

Hi Claggy, I always enjoyed a bit of a Tractor bash, if you were in Scotland during 1986-8 I probably saw you, or maybe just your arm hanging out of a window. I can't find my pic of 37425 but here are a few others. Cheers Peter.

Hi Leon, I haven't posted for a while but I am still watching your progress, the loco depot is looking good. Sorry about the job I amsure somthing else will turn up, meantime you can crack on with the layout. Cheers Peter.

Says he can't model then posts a pic like that. That Mr Claggy is a top shot. Like the other ones to, nice to see 114 still getting some use before it gets sent back to Inverness. If it's anything like the real railway Eastfeild will wait till it fails then send it back. have a pic of 425 and 114 I will dig them out and post on here if you like. Cheers Peter.

Hi Guys, More great pics, I do like the 26s and 27s. The pic with the Southern vans is interesting, I think there is another thread talking about how the Southern vans travelled far and wide. The last pic is superb, I think Dave (Waverley West) will like this one.

Hi Mark, That looks great, is that the spot the bridge will sit once its done? Cheers Peter.

Hi Alex, No worries 40122 sounds in fine form on shed at the moment. That must have been fudge gen on the Peak as 45029 left for York with no problem. Cheers Peter.

Nice pics Keith, I remember those railtours. I forgot the railtour to Sheffield had TCs as the stock. Here are a couple that may be of interest. Cheers Peter.

Hi Gary, Always good to see updates, the layout looks great, even if you did in trouble from the Mrs. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Claggy, The chaps came from their P W lorry parked by the signal box. Sorry, The lookout is a Dapol figure the other two are whitemetal figures which came in a pack of four I think they were Pheonix models i bought them a few years back from Mainly Trains so I am not sure if you can still get them. Hi Larry & Dave, I meant to say before that I don't have any 24s great little loco's but a bit before my time. Thanks for the pics, if you have any of vans trains in the 1986-7 period that would help as I haven't found many. Thanks Paul, Just what I needed to hear. Hi Alex, Peak FAIL!! OMG Nooo!!. Sorry I am sure they did but I never had one fail on me. I don't have 40106 either but 40122 is on shed and booked to work out on the 18.35 1K38 to Stoke. Cheers Peter.

Hi Keith, it is a good move just a shame it didn't really happen. I never did get a class 25. Hi Mark, I was trying to capture the summer Saturday feel, I am a bit worried about your choice of haulage though i do remember sitting up front on the 101s and 108s though I woulden't not do the 20s, or the no heat Peak. I had 45029 a few times and it was a beast. Hi Rich, welcome to the forum. Pleased you like the layout it not finished yet but I am getting there. Good luck with your new layout be sure to keep us posted. The 150 is 55cm and the 142 41cm hope that helps you get started.

Hi Claggy, Stop selling yourself short mate, I think Caolisport looks great and does have that WHL atmospere, and you can run it like a proper railway. I think Caolisport is coming together really well, The detail on Daves, Jims and mine will come as you keep adding and improving things. cheque's in the mail. Cheers Peter.

Hi Grimley & Dave, I am only planning on the one 150 so the loco hauled to DMU ratio will still be good. Hi Merfyn, Thanks for the pic, I did read about the 142s getting banned, wheel slip and wheel noise wasn't it. Hi Dave, No chance of voyagers they're rancid things the 150 will be the most modern. Nothing on Llanbourne has had much of a run recently I have been concentrating on getting things off the workbench the last few months. Thanks Pete, I do have a gallery for Llanbourne it must be a few pages back. Most pics are posted on this thread though. Thanks Anthony, My brother has plenty of great pics from the 80s and 90s, he works for the railway so gets about a bit using his pass. I notice a bit of work on your layout, the baseboards look good and you can fit so much in the space. Here are a few pics to keep the bashers happy. First up is 25109 on a Cardiff- Bangor train, the booked 47 failed at Chester, the 25 is waiting for a DMU to leave. In platform 3 20169 & 20121 wait to leave on a train for Derby ( I tried to copy Keith's pic but got the coaches wrong ) In platform 2 is no heat Peak 45029 ready to leave on a Trans-Pennine train to York. Take your pick boys and get some haulage. Cheers Peter.

Hi Grimley, Looks like you have been busy, it's looking good. Having all the loco's on shed certainly gives a good idea of how mad you are. Cheers Peter.

Hi Merfyn, Nice pic thanks, looks like the 150 and 142 pairing was quite common Mark sent me a couple of links the other day showing the same thing. I spy a Clamp lock in the foreground by the speed limit sign, bonus. Cheers Peter,