P.C.M

Hi Alan, Good to hear from you. Adding 1ft to the main board has really helped, as It gave me enough room to add the crossover for run rounds and room for a headshunt long enough for a class 37. My drawing isn't the best but yes the platform will come up further with the signalbox off the end of the platform. Cheers Peter.

Things like lineside cabinets and the clamplock point motors are really making this layout come to life. Superb work on the roads too. Cheers Peter.

So I have attached the station trackplan and the track that is imagined to be off scene. I have added a starting signal and one ground signal for running round but any help on where the other signals might be would be great, and does the point opposite the signalbox need to be a hand point. I would say the one leading to the Fuel point would be as its in the yard. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Andy, I replaced the missing sleepers today and soldered in most of the droppers. Cheers Peter.

So I have been laying track this week and I must say I am really happy with this, more so than the last two attempts. I extended one board to 5ft and the second board has had a slight angle added to one end so I could start a curve for the entrance to what will be a new 5 ft traverser. Next is to tidy up and start wiring. I will need to work out where to put a few ground signals too and hopefully I can fit a signalbox between the bay platform track and main line. Cheers Peter.

Thanks George, I have just checked out his website, Some nice looking stuff their. I did note that my OBA which was an Express Models kit is now made by J&M. I might look into getting an OCA myself. Cheers Peter.

Thanks. I am not sure but most of the original livery 50s were repainted before being withdrawn. 50026 still kept it's old livery to the end though. Cheers Peter.

Looks good George, what make was the kit? Try Railtec for transfers I got some for an OBA I have started to build. Cheers Peter.

So I had some time to clean up the track so had a little running session with some of the new stock. Due to the failure of the booked class 31 a class 45 has been turned out to work the daily mail train. 37032 is seem on a local Manchester to Llanbourne service. the train is shunted to the carriage sidings. 25059 is seen working a loaded ballast. Cheers Peter.

Some great pics here. A couple of mine. Cheers Peter.

Hi Rich, Thanks for you kind words, getting the stock right is something I spent too much time doing really. I could have finished the layout by now. I have had a quick look at your layout threads, you have some nice stock too and your Catford - more layout is looking very nice, I will have a better look when I get time. As for a class 40 you could do D200 as it lasted into 88-89 from memory I saw it a few times and it was used for the Basingstoke rail day in 87. D200 worked shuttles from Basingstoke to Andover during the day. Cheers Peter.

Hi Scott, Good to see you are still getting a bit of modelling done. I like the steel works idea, you might even stick with it for a while. lol As long as you are enjoying yourself and getting to play trains now and then. Cheers Peter.

I think that would look good, Just thought of two more, Ipswich and Cambridge. Cheers Peter.

Hi Rich. Eastleigh station has the loco stabling point next to the station. Also Carlisle off the end of the platform at the South end of the station. Cheers Peter.

Hi Jinty, Some superb weathering on those railfreight wagons. I really liked the Dogfish too. Cheers Peter.

Hi Matt, My points are Peco and my class 45 and 26 run through them ok. The wagons drop into the frog a bit but I have bought some Parliamentary Trains Drop stop. See previous page. Cheers Peter.

Hi Andy, I have two articles on Carron Road one from MRJ and the other with a few colour pics in a Modelrail supplement. The current plan pics below is similar to Carron Road but using a traverser actually some inspiration from your 7mm layout Andy with siding over the back. Cheers Peter,

Oooh a class 40, I have been so tempted with one of those. Looking forwards to seeing that beast and your latest plan, Cheers Peter.

So I have been having a re think on this and decided to rip up the track. The trackplan and how I wanted to do the scenics just wasn't working for me. Over the weekend I was thinking back to my 00 gauge exhibition layout idea, which used Carron Road as inspiration. It got me thinking, could I do it in 7mm. well the answer is no, but I wasn't far off. I would have to extend all the boards and operate from behind which is something I was trying not to have to do. Pics show how I went outside the other day. I had a play with some idea's last night and if I extend one board by one foot and rebuild the traverser I can make better use of the space and do a small terminus. I will post up pics later. Cheers Peter.

I only ever got round Old Oak the once, but I have some nice pics, though it was sad to see some of the withdrawn 50s outside one of the sheds. I spend a bit of time by the turntable there was about 4 50s and some 47s sat round it. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Rick, I remember seeing them all over the place. I was in Scotland the week after the actual NSE livery came out and we saw a MK2 tso at Glasgow Queen St. I did notice you had been busy on your layout, and that the weather has cooled down. Spring has certainly arrived here it's warming up nicely though it did rain this evening. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Trev, The 26s are a great little loco. They did make it down as far as Preston on a van train in the late 80s. I had one on a special from Manchester to Barrow. Cheers Peter.

Hi Mate, The layout is looking good and some nice additions to your loco fleet. First thing I would do with 33025 is paint the lamp brackets on the front yellow. Cheers Peter.

Weather is warming up here so hopefully I will get a chance to clean the track and get something running soon. Meanwhile I have finished my 5 coach Portsmouth - Cardiff rake of MK1s. See the workbench for whats been done but they where missing a couple of NSE markings which started appear about 86-87. I used Replica rub on ones last time but when I checked the Replica Model railways site they were not shown. I emailed Gareth and luckily they had a few in stock. Gareth was very helpful with a few other bits I needed and a small parcel arrived the other day so thanks to them great customer service. Also just needing a touch more weathering are 3 more MK2s one blue grey and two in Trans- Pennine livery. They will run with my old Hornby MK2s for a while but eventually a few more Bachmann MK2s will be added to make up at least one full rake. Two Parcel vans have also been finished off. Cheers Peter.

Hi Alex, You seem to be making some good progress at the moment. I do like a ploughed up class 20. Hows the wagon selling and are you busy with the transfers? I might have to order some more soon. Cheers Peter.