P.C.M

Hi Marcus, First of all well done to the nipper for some superb video. The weathering looks quite good. I would try and make the roof more dirty and I think I would give the yellow a bit of a wipe down the clean it off a bit. It is too easy to over do it, check out some real pics of railfreight 37s you will notice the yellow does fade but is normally fairly clean. I use Enamels as I find it takes longer to dry and gives you more time to add more paint of wipe more off. Cheers Peter.

Thanks Larry, Most of the figures are Bachmann with a few whitemetal ones to add some variety. I can't remember where I got the gricers from there are a few others waiting for a spot on the bridge. Cheers Peter.

More nice detailing work Trev, The day out with 47761 was as late as 2003. I think it was one f the last class 47s to work an EWS train down that way. I think I may be a few years older than you as my bashing days were in the late 80s. Back then I was not a fan of the dreaded Duff as they used to turn up on trains book for other motive power. It wasn't really until I started on the railway at Eastleigh East Yard in 89 then later the depot that I got to know the class 47s. I was a Shunter and 47s were booked power for most things. From my experience they gave little trouble and although most drivers preffered the class 33s they liked the class 47s. Cheers Peter.

Some progress pics on the layout. The ballast is now weathered up and 31145 has bee in the station picking up old rail and sleepers. Cheers Peter.

47761 seemed in good form on my trip out. I found a few pics, sorry about the quality I just took a few digital pics. Brother driving, running round at Bournemouth. Cheers Peter.

I think they have one at Mornington though still under restoration. Cheers Peter.

Don't worry Trev, we have all done stupid things. My trick is to think be careful cutting that bit of plastic before stabbing my finger with a knife blade. Looking at your RES class 47/7 reminded me of the last time I had a ride out on the Mainline with my brother driving. We had 47761 to Bournemouth and back to Eastleigh. Cheers Peter.

I would have had to look up the station but knew it was the Daylesford tourist railway. Which I still haven't done. I am no expert on the trains here in Vic but it looks like a Walker railmotor though different to the one I have seen at Healesville. Cheers Peter.

Hi Rick, Some quite sad pics really. It's nice to see you had one last running session. If you need any help taking things apart let me know, also let me know what you are working in the next few weeks we can get you down for tea a couple of times and a last look at Llanbourne. All the best Peter.

Ha ha ha, Nice set of pics Mate but I thought I would scroll down and see a pic of a Genius with a bare patch on his beard. lol Cheers Peter.

No worries Kev, I am not in any rush the loco has sat under the layout for the last 2 years. I was fairly hung over last time I was in Blackpool I remember doing a few trams though. Thanks Peter.

Thanks Kev, Can you buy them separately or did you buy the detail pack? Cheers Peter.

I never got to see 50149, but did hear about the trials on stone workings out of Westbury. I did do quite well but it's downfall was that class 50's have no sanders though I think they did have them when built. It would have been nice if the trail had worked out and who knows they may have be allocated back to the Midland, so look forwards to seeing one on Peak Dale. Cheers Peter.

Hi Kev, The big one is coming along. I am guessing Pete Harvey bufferbeam but who's buffers did you use? Cheers Peter.

Hi Jeff, Sorry to hear about Toby. Best Wishes to you and Agnes.

Tell you what I don't mind the Inter City one they did but Large Logo was the best. My favourite one back in the day was 042. Cheers Peter.

Hi Dave, The latest wagons look great. I really like the Heljan Dogfish I have a few myself mixed in with my Cambrian ones. P way trains did run with some odd formations and you may already know but your train has a mix of brake types so would be running as an unfitted freight. Your ZAAs Pike and OCAs which I think under departmental ownership where ZDAs Bass are Air braked and the ZFV Dogfish are Vac braked. Cheers Peter.

Hope it's one of these.

Ha ha I was only looking at your layout the other day and thinking how good it looked. lol Cheers Peter.

Thanks Rick, The most recent ballasting on Llanbourne has been Woodland Scenic's Medium but mixed with a bit of fine. I have used another brand before but I can't remember what it was. I was slightly smaller in size to the Woodlands medium. I think your ballast colour is pretty good to Rick and as you say it can vary a fair bit depending on how old it is how well used it is and what colour it came from the quarry I guess you could say as long as you weather it in some way it can't really be wrong. Cheers Peter.

Thanks for the feedback guys, always appreciated. The ballast train is made up from Heljan and Cambrian Dogfish Cambrian Catfish Cambrian Shark and Lima Sealions. I was always quite happy with my ballast weathering until I saw a few layouts on RMweb that took it in my opinion to a better level. One of these layouts was Cavs. I think mine in some places is too dirty which I tried to improve when I did the extension a few years back, I still think I went to far and the station area will still probably be quite dirty but I hope to have more lighter area's than what used to be there. Plus I still need to make it fit in with the rest. The next layout will have the ballast done in a different way but that's a while off at the moment. Cheers Peter.

Ha ha that would be Adi, He says he drives for Virgin but seems to have more days off than actually at work. He is a top bloke though did the 50's a fair bit back in the day, I did a few railtours with him. We used to go out drinking in Brockenhurst too. My brother did YTS with BR with him. Small world. If I remember correctly his beast is 50008. Cheers Peter.

Ballast done point rodding in and everthing given a clean and a quick test before I start weathering the ballast and painting the point rodding. The first time I saw a Railfreight class 47 was on a ballast train near Sway one Sunday Morning so I thought it should be 358 fist job. 25244 arrived on the ballast train and 47358 has taken over to shunt the train. Cheers Peter.

Hi Marcus, Nice job on the building it looks great. It's good to see the old class 20s still getting a bit of mainline work too. My mate was driving the class 50 over the weekend and said it was running really well. Cheers Peter.

Hi Mark, Congrats on the new bubs, hope all is well. A friend of mine bought a couple of class 68s so I have had a good look at the model. I think they look pretty good and having seen a few real ones when I was over last year I think Dapol have captured the look really well. The Colas class 37 looks nice too. All the best Peter.