Bridge work

I've spent the last couple of evenings building the road over bridge which separates St Ruth from the down hill section. Its mostly made from Wills sheet, I'm pretty pleased with it. Hoping to paint it this evening.

Wood work

I made a bit more progress on the layout woodwork and the time for track laying and electrics is getting closer.

On a completely different tack, I was tidying up in the loft and started rumaging in boxes full of my old Hornby from when I was a lad when I came accross some of the very first 009 models I ever built. there is the remains of a loco and a couple of wagons which were converted from Lone Star 000.

I also found a fair ground organ and a TT gauge body modified to fit an n gauge chassis, now long gone.

Moving on

I've spent the day in the garage working on the main layout and as a result I've constructed the next part of the baseboard. This takes the railway on to the next station, Smallchurch, which is just a passing loop but it will add to the operating interest of the railway.

The next phase is where the line passes over the work bench and emerges directly under St Ruth at the works where the running line continues to drop and turns to cross the door and finally into Port Lucy... anyway one thing at a time.

This is a view of the whole thing so far. 

This is the far end where the line turns to run back under itself, my plan is to make a scene based on Coed y Bleiddiau on the FR, the station with the loop will be vaguely Tan y Bwlch ish.

I did wonder about adding a goods siding here but the gradient might make it a bit iffy parking anything, and anyway I want to keep things simple. At the far end of this loop the line goes into a tunnel. There will be one controller for the line from St Ruth to here and another from Port Lucy so that trains can meet and cross.

Lady Stoner in action

Here are a few pictures of the new loco in action on Underhill. I dug out the lighting rig from an old layout and it has made all the difference to the pictures and has shown up a some scenery that could do with some work too.

Finally a snap of the station between trains, a goods train waits in the quarry headshunt behind. That chocolate machine is still floating.

Painted Fairlie

Spent a part of yesterday painting the second Fairlie, here are a couple of quick pics.

It still needs nameplates and lamps but I think I almost prefer this one to the first one. They will be Lord Stoner and Lady Stoner, the most recent one being the lady.

I also built and added to Underhill a foot bridge across the mouth of the quarry, I like it, needs a bit more painting to bed it in completely though. It is a laser cut wooden kit, very fragile so I dare say I'll demolish it at some point.

Double double Fairlie

I couldn't help myself. I've started work on the second double Fairlie. This one is the convertible model with no cab roof. It means I will have to add more cab details but that is half the fun. Progress so far is pleasing, I spent yesterday evening going boss eyed fitting the hand rails. The good thing with these bodies is that there is a mark where the holes need to be so even I can drill them in the correct place and so end up with straight handrails.

The second pictures shows how I've added some styrene strip and a reversing lever to the chassis. When the body is placed on top of the chassis it all fills up the gap underneath the printed firebox top.

In spare moments I've been doodling a signalling plan for St Ruth and my next task is to make another Chris Veitch FR signal and see whether the Veismann signal actuator I have will operate it. I can't see why it shouldn't. I'll make a crank in the bottom of the brass wire that has the signal head soldered to it and then the rod which protrudes from the solenoid should just push it round... famous last words.

I've got some leave coming up so I hope to make some progress on the main layout, it would be nice to get some movement again but there is plenty to do to get that far.