I took on something a bit different when I was asked to number, detail and weather a G scale Freightliner 66. I did have my doubts about how I was going to achieve this due to the shear bulk of the Loco. The owner only wanted a light dusting but I would have really liked to have done it medium or even heavy. I cleared my work top and my son helped to turn the loco as I sprayed, thankfully it turned out fine.
Over the last few weeks I have been making stock boxes for my O gauge steam loco’s. Up until recently I kept most of them in a communal stock box that held about six loco’s, trouble was they were very heavy and getting more difficult to carry about. I decided to consign the larger box to wagons and/or carriages so that it would become manageable. As I don’t have any large loco’s at present I decided to make them in three sizes. Size one, ‘Small Tank’, size two ‘Large Tank’ and size three ‘Small Tender’.
I wanted to achieve a box that was light, strong and stackable for storage. After a few experiments with some old stock wood left over from the business, I decided to use Obeche for the sides and base, a harder wood for the ends, its name escapes me and MDF for the Lid. All would be held together with ‘angle’ softwood. I also decided to ‘cork line’ the inside and use Cork to hold the loco firmly, I used various thickness to achieve this. As an alternative to the end pieces of cork I use pieces of foam.
Although I currently have no layout to run coaches on, I felt I would like a small fleet. Because I could not run any I did not want to spend a lot of money on them and so turned to kit building. Most of the kits are Kirk Kits with an odd JLTRT as well.
Kirk Kits are very reasonably priced but they really come alive if you add extra detail. Yes, they are time-consuming but with care and a little fettling they are really good. I guess that by the time you have purchased the interior and the wheels, buffers, bearings and pipework, the whole coach costs about £85. Being a BR(E) transition person all the coaches are Gresley and Thompson.
I also purchased a MTH Stanier full brake for my ‘milk train’. I still need to number it and then do the weathering.
The JLTRT kit is a CCT and was a lovely kit to make, only slight problem was that the wrong size bolts were in the kit (to short) but I will be investing in further kits from this manufacturer.
Some coaches still to be weathered.
After breaking Parkside East and selling Broadgate another depot layout was needed for the Exhibition circuit. The answer was to be Autumn Lane and this time there was some extra requirements, I would theme the season and there would be provision for Electric Locomotives and overhead wires, I also managed a small station halt. The station would be on a through line and there would be a fiddle yard at either end. It was really hard to plan the fiddle yard and it ended up just holding two loco’s in each end. However, being a Depot Layout I felt that the Depot Yard was an ‘open viewable fiddle yard’ .
After 5 years on the circuit I sold Autumn Lane to a very nice chap called Noel Oakes in the North of England. After having the layout for at least 5 years Noel has sold the layout on. I have no idea where it is now!
Although I could run different era’s, I usually run the EWS era at Exhibitions as it was then current and that’s what the Exhibition Managers asked for.
All models on the below photographs are Lima and Hornby. Except the 08 is Bachmann.
Please Note:- The Plan of the layout in MODEL RAIL has two sidings missing – another Plan with the sidings added is below.
In reflection I think I crammed to much track into a small space – but it was a Depot!!!!!
This Layout appeared in MODEL RAIL No.66 APRIL 2004
Parkside was my first ‘proper’ layout. It took me quite a while to make and it was always very much trial and error. I had been detailing and repainting diesel locomotives for some time, but it was not until we moved to a slightly larger home that work was started on the baseboards. I really struggled to get to grips with the electrics although the scenic and making buildings came very easily to me. At this time any thoughts of exhibiting were at least 10 years away.
We had Parkside East for 15 years but after this length of time it was showing its age and the decision was taken to scrap it and retrieve as much as possible for another layout.
This layout has appeared in RAILWAY MODELLER. (January 2000 I believe)
Ayling Island was one of my ‘now for something completely different’. I wanted to try out 3mm sprat and winkle couplings on a 4mm layout , I wanted a run round so the loco needed to have the hook at one end and the loop at the other. I tried to work out how I could do this with a diesel loco or shunter, After a few trials and many errors, I decided that a small steam locomotive would possibly do better. I purchased a Dapol Terrier and proceeded to cut away the back portion of the chassis at the coal bunker end. I made the paddle of the Spratt and Winkle smaller and added a tiny piece of lead to make a positive movement. It worked and a further two Terriers were purchased. The Terriers, 3 coaches and 15 wagons had the same treatment. Ayling Island was born and the year would 1959-61′ ish. Why Ayling and not Hayling – easy my wife has relations with that surname and, yes they live in Sussex! Anyway the final track plan was nothing like Hayling.
This layout has had a remarkable life, we had it on the circuit for about four years and after it was sold it continued on the circuit and still is. After I sold it, it went through a transformation to more modern times and emerged as ‘Loch Ayling’ and is now a Scottish Layout!
This layout has appeared in MODEL RAIL No. 78 APRIL 2005 as BR(S) Ayling Island.
Strachan was my first commission when I started my new business in 2000. I had known Les Williams for about three years at the time and we came to a deal that would see Strachan born. It was to be based in Scotland around the mid 1970’s. Les would give me a list of requirement and we set about getting all the parts we needed. Whilst Les was a good chap to work for, he knew what he wanted and we tried to fit everything in. Another long lived layout, Les still owns this layout and occasionally exhibits it.
This layout has appeared in both RAIL EXPRESS and RAILWAY MODELLER
I can only find a few photographs in my collection – I will try and get more!
Broadgate was the brainchild of my son John. After Dunston Green had been sold, without the stock, we had the need for a layout to run the stock. I don’t think we really wanted to Exhibit it, it was just to play trains at home. After all, it was quite small and a bit limited. In those days the micro layouts were few and far between, however we soon got invitations, mainly as a space filler, sometimes we took it to exhibitions as well as another layout, just for that reason. Broadgate had a long run on the circuit and after 6 years we decided to sell it. It eventually went to Les Williams, who had become a collector of my work. I actually sold it to Les even though I had a higher offer as Les was the best home possible for it. Les purchased the layout only, some of the stock was sold to another friend, Ian Taylor.
One thing I tried on Broadgate was to sculpt the side scenes in the shape of trees and bushes, see photographs. I never did this again – say no more.
This is a smashing little layout for 10-12 loco’s and a fuel tank or two.
I based the layout on twilight as we had working yard lights. I do think that a bright blue sky background and working Yard/Station lights looks a bit odd. Overhead lighting is fine.
Les still owns the layout.
Kirkbridge was a commission for Les Williams. Having already made a terminus station for Les, he decided that a depot lane would be the next project. After several meetings a final plan was produced and the results are below.
Les still owns the layout but the locomotives have been upgraded from Lima to Heljan, Bachmann and Hornby.
Melford was my first Exhibition Modern Image layout and I have fond memories of making it and displaying it. After exhibiting this layout for over five years, it was eventually sold. I kept track of it for about two years longer, then it disappeared. I have no idea where it is now or even if it exists.
When I was designing the layout, try as I may I could not get the design to fit the proposed two even sized baseboards of 5′ 6″ X 2′. Whatever I did a point ended up on a join. I don’t know whether I made the right decision but – I made the base boards two different sizes, one was 5′ x 2′ and the other was 6′ x 2′. I never mentioned this is the MODEL RAIL article, mainly because I was a bit embarrassed. I really did not know whether you should do things like that! Now, 15 years on, would I do it again – ‘yes’ if it still went in the car.
This layout has appeared in MODEL RAIL No.15 JANUARY 2000.
Also on a MODELRAIL DVD/VIDEO
