Thank you very much both! My previous experience (around 10 years ago) with 16mm kit building was just to bash kits together too quickly, but a couple of forays into 009 (two layouts - Plas Halt & Dinas Jc) have taught me a bit more patience...
Well, it has been a bit quiet in this thread but we have made some progress with the railway... Not as much as I would like, and we have postponed the opening back into July. Nonetheless, we should still have some track down in early June.
A few photos by way of an update:
First, a more up to date plan (just a very quick doodle - off work ill today and bored....) just to refresh your memories! Trackplan a little subject to change, and the eagle eyed of you will notice the steaming bay has moved!
The decking to support the Wantage station area is now in. The station area will be felted, with the track ballasted on top. As can be seen towards the left of the picture there is a manhole cover which will mean that the station is in three sections, with a lift out board in the middle to allow access if ever required without ripping up the boards.
The front of the triangle is being covered with straight boarding, as can be seen here. This will give a chunk of planting in front of the track, so the line can run in between some small trees in this section.
The main item to be constructed recently is the shed which covers Uffington station. This is a custom built job, 9' x 7'. Unfortunately we didn't read the planning regs clearly enough and have had to spend a day cutting it down around 100mm - the picture below shows the original pitch... The boarding in front of the triangle can also be seen clearly in this view. This has now been damp-proofed & filled with soil.
I have also been beavering away on the buildings and stock. The two posted previously are now complete with glazing and lamps. Signs for the doors are still required.
And Betty's Tea Room for Woolstone station is getting there (the paintwork needs tidying up...)
Stock wise, the shortened VOR coach is ready for service:
I am also working on creating two 'Vintage' sets for the ficticious history. The first will be in a panelled livery, some of the IP coaches I had in use previously are being tarted up and will be joined by some vehicles of other shapes & sizes. I am also converting to Accucraft chopper couplings across the fleet, so these have been changed out. Here's the two which are done (one just requiring a roof):
And that concludes quite a lengthy update! I won't leave it so long again, uploading too many pictures is such a chore....
. No stopping you now.
