Well, the cement loading Silo is now weathered and below is photographed in roughly the right place on the layout. It is still missing one ladder and safety hoop, but this should be available soon.

I think that there are several things I would do differently in hindsight, mainly revisit the height of the backscene.

I now consider phase one is complete and it will be attending the two Exhibitions booked for this year, I really hope that there will be a phase two next year to put some of the wrongs right!

Today I have added two top coats on the Loading Silo, It is placed on the layout in the photos – but not in the right position. After a varnish, it will be weathered and the bottom part glued to the layout and blended. I will need to check that the highest wagon and loco will pass beneath the loader before gluing! – may even be able reduce the height slightly. We need to turn our attention to signage now and work out sizes and positions.

The 3D printed Cement Loading Silo has arrived, Graham used a resin machine to make this – so no marks on it. Will need to be cleaned, undercoated, painted and weathered. The bottom piece will be attached to the layout and blended, The top piece will go thro the same process, but will not be attached to the bottom as it will be to vulnerable, it will be transported in a box and clipped together for Exhibitions. The bottom will be light Grey – the top will be yellow. We may need to source some transfers. Interesting project as never done anything like this before.

Just a quick update after doing a few small jobs. I have added a Point Lever, still to be weathered. There are now some weeds at the edges of the concrete plinth and buildings. Hopefully the next update will include some stock and hopefully the top loading silo.

This is an O Gauge plank – shunting layout that I have been working on for a group member. It is not finished as it awaiting a canopy for the entrance and a cement loader to fill top filling wagons. All stock is already weathered – they just have not met yet!!

This was an Exhibition in O Gauge organised by two Middy members and myself. Here are some photographs taken on the Day.

I had a meeting with Graham, the owner/maker of this project today. He has asked me to do the hard standing on the layout based on a concrete loading/unloading area.

As usual in O Gauge I am doing this 3mm Cork – after an overall application I add strips to simulate the blocks as laid by the reinforcing method. The gaps give you a chance to add a few weeds etc. later. Next step is to lay cork between the tracks and fill as necessary.

After completing the above it will be coated with Railmatch concrete paint and then weathered and detailed. It will then be handed back to Graham for completion before a final weathering overall. We are already booked for two Exhibitions later in the year.

Last weekend was a very busy one – after being at Dereham on Saturday, we were at the Sudbury Club organised Charity Exhibition on Sunday. We took Grahams Little Sefton Layout after purchasing it off me a couple of weeks ago. We were still running my stock as Grahams had not been prepared yet.

The Exhibition was very busy, the ‘star of the show’ was Nigel Locke’s magnificent Long Melford Junction, but all layouts and displays were top class and much appreciated by the public. As the attendance was larger than expected, a special mention to the Catering Team who did superb work and kept us all fed and watered.