Bala model railway show

This weekend I've been exhibiting Castell Coed, The Cheese Factory and Arnold Lane Wharf at the Bala Model Railway Show which is part of the Transport Show and Lake Railway gala. I also had my work hat on so was also in charge of a small sales and publicity stand. The show takes place over three days because the transport show is on Sunday and Monday, for some reason the organisers feel that the model show also needs to be on on the Saturday. This makes for a very long show and also thins out the crowds (?) rather a lot so you spend an awful lot of time waiting to see a punter. We are well looked after and it was a good show with some very good layouts and mine.

 

Our little set up from the front

 

And my view from behind Arnold Lane

Castell Coed has not come home with me as I sold it on to a good home. It had fulfilled its purpose and I had nowhere to store it properly at home; sorry to see it go and glad to see the back of it in equal measures. I hope its new owner enjoys it, I know he has plans to make the siding at the front into a passing loop and it was also pointed out that there is no pedestrian access to the station, so that may change too.

 

It behaved itself very well on its last outing anyway.

 

Last train leaving...

...and coming back

 

The cheese factory train trundled round and round quite contentedly until the chassis overheated and melted into a blob of expensive grey plastic and metal. It had been a KATO Portram bogie; now it is not. Hey ho.

No loco

 

Arnold Lane Wharf behaved impeccably as usual and kept me occupied most of the time.

During time when time was passing slowly I was experimenting with Snapchat to see if I am still a young person. (I'm not) One feature appears to be making people look quite unusual. This is Martin who's little winter layout was the star of the show for me. He is slightly mad in that railway modeller way but not as mad as this picture makes him look, it made me laugh.

 

It's a signal

This week has been about details, for the most part. Details and playing trains.

The inspection saloon and its loco came out and proved beyond doubt that it doesn't run, a project to repair it beckons.

The two Baldwins both at Underhill, an unusual occurrence.

The starter signal has had a ladder and platform added making it look more 4mm scale than 2.

I found the home signal and installed that too, neither are wired in but I also suspect that neither of them works properly either.

I repainted the Oxford diecast 2cv from a coke branded model to look like the one I used to own. I called it Deidre because of the number plate (can't remember it now), My then girlfriend called it Dreary.

Several small things have happened at Rock Beach. Firstly I made a style out of rail and microstrip so that the lighthouse keepers can get to the halt and more importantly the pub.

The other work has been tarting up the warehouse building which came from the original Underhill board. I'm glad to have reused it as it is a scratch built one.

Mostly small tweaks and 'testing'.

 

Just as I was tying a small parcel arrived from Shapeways. Contained within is a print for a small Kerr Stuart type loco to fit on a Fleischmann 7000 chassis. I saw Boghopper of the NGRM Forum had one in the process of completion and was inspired to give it a go. I have a chassis waiting for it somewhere, so nothing to loose.

Playing trains

Since I got the basic scenery finished and had a jolly good clear up and hoover of all the surplus scenic bits and static grass which hadn't stuck etc etc. I've really only been doing a few bits of detailing to the layout. However, I've found plenty of time to try out various train formations and so have mostly been playing trains. Excellent fun.

One thing I have done, is to start installing some signals. I'm not good with signalling but I do like the look of semaphore signals and have had a few Dapol n gauge GWR ones in store for ages. I can only find one at the moment so I've made a start with a starter for Underhill Town. It meant moving the signal box and removing the water tower. This left the wall behind showing up it's unpainted state so I had to blend in the stone work with the already painted areas.

It isn't wired in yet and needs a 4mm scale signal ladder etc but I think it looks the part.

Mr blue sky

Another week beavering away at the scenery in every spare moment I can grab, it's quite good to do a little area of improvement and then leave it to set.

 

There is now sky paper all the way along from the quarry to Underhill Town which makes a big difference to how it looks. I'm looking forward to sorting out the large bare expanse behind the beach etc.

 

With some added trees and a bit more greenery texture

Rock Beach Halt is the return of the structures from Three Bridges on the old cheese factory module. I liked the Hornby bandstand that I converted into a waiting room, so I'm glad to see it back on the layout.

The lighthouse originally sat on the hill behind St Ruth station but has been in a box ever since, again I'm glad to be able to accommodate this structure; I do like lighthouses, so having my own one is a bonus.

The new area and track at the mine entrance has had some greenery added and also had weathering powder added to enhance the look of things. I still can't find where I've put the skip wagons and people for it... must be somewhere.

The lighthouse siding now has a ground frame complete with rodding and fpl so will hopefully meet with H&S standards.

 

The green area in front of the big hill has also had a few extra passes with the static grass to vary the colour a bit.