Running trains again

Lots of visitors during the summer keep the model folded up against the wall, but a visit from a train enthusiast gave me the chance to get the model down for a demonstration. It ran surprisingly well considering the break from the last run. I've also purchased a few more trucks during the summer, second hand ones found at Tavistock Market and West Somerset railway, so I can now make longer goods trains. Hopefully during the winter I will have more time to add more bits and pieces to the model and fix trees etc into place so they don't have to be removed when it folds up. Also the trucks need proper loads to be put inside. I may also try some weathering as some of them look very new. The video is just a few short clips of the trains in motion.

(Oh, and I suppose I'd better ballast a bit more track.)

Model Rail Operations (without cat)

I need to work out a way of keeping the camera steadier, but this gives you some idea of what the layout looks like now.

Model Rail Operations (with cat)

Some model rail operations, with slight interference from Morgan the cat.

The Stations get their nameboards

The terminal Station in the middle of the Board gets a nameplate and Platform No.s made from a Scalescenes names kit pasted onto a bit of card and supported on Matchsticks. It looks ok to me. A few seats, lights and passengers have been attached so they can be left in situ when I fold the board up against the wall. (I have yet to test this - they may all fall off!) The lights will be functional when I get round to wiring them under the baseboard to a 12v supply.



The second Station, which has three platforms and is on the main line is Knittingham, more labels have yet to be made for this Station. The buildings are Scalescenes kits and the platforms are made from a Metcalf Kit. I need to stick them down a bit more as gaps can be seen between building and platform. The third picture, below shows also the new Signal Box (Metcalfe) at Knittingham Station.



You may note that i have put off the Ballasting of the track as that is the boring and tricky bit. I will do some soon!

More scenery

I bought a Townscenes backdrop at the Model Rail Exhibition, but it did not cover the whole area so a couple of Peco Backdrops were purchased yesterday and they are all now in place.



As usual, You can click on Images to see larger version.



Next project is to ballast a bit more track using a ballast layer purchased at Alexandra Palace.

More buildings

I note I haven't posted here for a while, that's because I have been doing other things, including a trip to the Model Railway Exhibition at Alexander Palace last month. I took a few photos of layouts to give me some ideas for my own layout.

I have now finished building most of the kits I had for Christmas and today put them on the layout. Next step will be to add a background, which I bought at Alex Palace.





I remember that one reason I moved to Devon was due to the untimely death of a friend, Rod Brown, which encouraged me to retire early to enjoy life while I still can. In memory of Rod the shops include "Rodney the Barber" and "Browns Bakery".

Click on pics to see larger versions.

Updated views of the model

The picture is an overview of this 6 x 4 layout with some of the trains visible.



The turntable now is in a yard with at least a partial wall around it. A road runs down between this yard and the brewery, which is access for the brewery lorries and to the goods yard.

Below is another view of the model as it is now. Still lots to do with it. Remember you can click on image for larger version and then close that window to return to this page.

A turntable for the model.

And finally, as far as track goes (I think) I decided we need a turntable, so Engines can be run in either direction without being lifted off the board.

This is a Dapol kit, with track glued on, trains can run over it, but I will have to sort out the wiring so we don't get short circuits aftet the trains have turned. It has the added complication of being on the section of baseboard that lifts out, which means there are a few cuts in the track to bridge.

It needs a bit of paint to make it look more realistic and I'm not sure what to do in the middle of the turning area. A railway modeller friend comes to visit next week so we'll have a look at it together.

I need to run trains again now, the track seems to get dirty quickly, causing bad running.

An updated view of the Model Railway

The model is starting to look more crowded now, the new DMU waiting at platform 1 of Woollen Central is an excursion to Stratford on Avon. The local passenger train in the foreground is waiting for departure time at platform 3 of Woollen Halt.

A closer look may reveal that the signal boxes are incomplete, these are old boxes and will be replaced, when I get round to it. Other projects for the future include adding a Turntable and building more houses and shops from Kits I receieved at Christmas. I also have a bike shed to site somewhere on the layout, I may put this near the engine shed. Drivers often had to get to work at odd hours when no public transport was available.

The Railway Hotel

Another birthday present, the railway hotel was a superquick kit. (Thanks Mary and John). It was neither super nor quick, and I got some glue on myself while constructing it, but it looks good now it's build. The instructions and parts are not so clearly labelled as on Metcalfe kits and it uses a thinner card, but the different look helps the layout to look as if it has been constructed over a period of time by different builders. I must try harder with the photographs, as getting the lighting right is tricky. It isn't in its final location as I cannot quite reach the back of the layout at present. It will have to be added and removed each time I put the layout up against the wall, but I now have storage space in the room where the layout is. Access to the station from the hotel is along the path and through the subway, which you may be able to see. This leads directly onto the platform. For the next step the line will need to be fenced off, and an access road needs to be built in front of the hotel once it is properly sited. Click on picture to see larger version.

The Brewery -part 2

I decided that the brewery needed a yard, and a rail siding into the yard but not one that prevented vehicle access. The rails are sunk into the tarmac of the yard, so vehicle movements are not restricted.

Most breweries had rail access to bring in the raw materials for the brewing. Burton on Trent is a classic case, there used to be railways everywhere in that town, crossing streets between breweries.

My rail access is a siding off the goods shed, so only short trains can get in. The next step will be to fence off the yard, once I can find a source of suitable fencing material.

The Brewery

Just a quick couple of pictures showing the recently constructed brewery (that Heather bought me for Christmas). This is a Metcalfe kit. You can click on the pictures to see bigger versions.

Model Building for the layout

Morgan the cat is very interested and tries to help, as I am building one of my Christmas Presents, a Metcalfe Kit Model Engine Shed and Workshop. We are cutting out the glazing here.

The kit consists of an engine shed and a workshop building, the workshop building has not been added yet. A couple of loco's have been added for effect. More ballasting of the track needs to be done as only small sections are done, it being a difficult job.