what are people doing on their layout right now

Newportnobby · May 19, 2015, 11:55:53 AM

Quote from: Dorsetmike on May 19, 2015, 11:43:34 AM
Guess what - found 2 soldering irons and a half box of code 80 plus some 55, even found some solder!

Is it too late to cancel the order for the new one?

steve836 · May 19, 2015, 07:35:23 PM

Quote from: port perran on May 18, 2015, 08:48:55 PM
Running some trains.
It's just great to sit and watch the trains go by from time to time.
After all, it's what it's all about.

Yes we often get so wound up in building the layout that we forget why we started in the first place.

steve836 · May 19, 2015, 07:40:46 PM

Quote from: newportnobby on May 19, 2015, 11:55:53 AM
Quote from: Dorsetmike on May 19, 2015, 11:43:34 AM
Guess what - found 2 soldering irons and a half box of code 80 plus some 55, even found some solder!

Is it too late to cancel the order for the new one?

Of course it is! They wouldn't have turned up else.

sparky · May 19, 2015, 10:17:35 PM

Yeah...just finished cleaning up after ballasting on Sunday..all points are working OK...just a small amount left to do...good news...

DELETED · May 23, 2015, 12:22:26 AM

Haven't done anything for ages.

Had accumulated some Peco kits as cash allowed so sprayed them up. 10 butterley steels and a couple of TTA's. I had an old Peco brake van I took apart a year ago and finally sprayed up also. Nothing too prototypical -call it "semi-scale". Good enough for me sitting back and watching afar anyway! I have another model boat in progress in the background.

Rich

Newportnobby · May 23, 2015, 01:30:39 PM

Nice job on the brake van, Rich

You are looking very nonchalant in the first pic

sparky · May 23, 2015, 04:41:57 PM

Just spent the whole of the afternoon finishing my last bit of ballast whilst listening to the cricket....just got to apply the PVA later after teatime and I will have completed it all....big cheer !

sparky · May 23, 2015, 07:31:11 PM

All the ballast now soaking in glue...just need to leave it and let it dry...will post some pics ...has taken about 6 weeks to do....never want to see a piece of grit ever again !

railsquid · May 24, 2015, 03:49:15 PM

Finally things have settled down enough so that I could spend some time today rearranging the ~~layout room~~ office to fit more layout in. Worked out better than I expected. Spent a bit of time creatively rearranging off-the-shelf scenic items to see if I can create some densely packed Japanese urban scenery.

daveg · May 24, 2015, 05:11:56 PM

More pics, please!

Dave G

daveg · May 24, 2015, 05:15:17 PM

Seriously considering laying a few feet of track once I get my hand back in re the soldering droppers lark.

Dave G

railsquid · May 24, 2015, 11:26:20 PM

Quote from: daveg on May 24, 2015, 05:11:56 PM
More pics, please!

Unfortunately that's all there is to see at the moment... was just messing about and realised I had an interesting line of sight.

PooleSider · May 26, 2015, 01:25:52 PM

Last evening I fitted two Ratio junction signals and realised I hadn't left enough room for one to allow long wagons eg macaws to exit the siding, so maximum 15 ft wagons allowed in Poole siding! I have attached bicycle spokes to the underside of the signals to enable them to be moved from behind the scenic board, but it is not brilliant. I went into a bike repair shop and for a charity donation they allowed me to rummage their waste bin. I ran each spoke through a drinking straw which are stuck under the board so the spokes can be pulled/pushed freely.
This afternoon I shall be making up and fitting a static distant lower quadrant signal.

Zimonski · May 31, 2015, 08:21:39 AM

I'm currently waiting for ballast to dry, then I'll be adding grass and weeds. Tried using Chinchilla dust (fine sand) mixed in with Woodland Scenics fine buff and grey ballast, just as an experiment, as it's so much cheaper and creates a slightly bleached weathered appearance. Quite happy with it so far

It Gets lighter as it dries.

steve836 · May 31, 2015, 09:41:13 AM

Quote from: Zimonski on May 31, 2015, 08:21:39 AM
I'm currently waiting for ballast to dry, then I'll be adding grass and weeds. Tried using Chinchilla dust (fine sand) mixed in with Woodland Scenics fine buff and grey ballast, just as an experiment, as it's so much cheaper and creates a slightly bleached weathered appearance. Quite happy with it so far It Gets lighter as it dries.