what are people doing on their layout right now

[Bealman]

And not an IPA bottle in sight! What's goin on? 

[crewearpley40]

Probably waiting for the Christmas delivery after the latest round of drinks

[Trainfish]

No bottles but will these do?

[KevTheBusDriver]

Great stuff! Really nice mix of green and blue diseasels, too.

Thanks, NPN - layout is based mid-1970s - the good ol' days!
Kev

[crewearpley40]

Thanks for the video and update. My type of layout 70s 80s and impressive signalling and work on the electrics. Sadly, more interested in the stock

[Bealman]

We'll even all those won't be enough to weight the track down @Trainfish

They're probably all empty 

[Trainfish]

No. In that picture they were all full. Not so now though 

[KevTheBusDriver]

Hope everyone had a Good Christmas! Today's little job - install a new signal gantry with signals WL94 (3-aspect) and WL92 (4-aspect) as they were in 1975. The actual signals had theatres above them. I have no idea how to make a theatre show more than one letter, so this is the best I can do! The previous gantry (installed just 2 years ago) didn't have the theatres or 'calling-on' indicators so it's (for me) a major upgrade. This gantry has taken about 2 weeks to build.  I have a minor electrical issue to fix but that can be done tomorrow - it's a bit late for this evening. I'll add some latticework and a ladder later. The photo shows the driver's view on the Down Fast (Walsall Station in the distance):

[crewearpley40]

Realistic. Love the drivers eye view

[Les1952]

Croft Spa had a fifteen month hibernation over lockdowns 1 to 3, retiring temporarily in March 2020 after Leamington and making a reappearance last Autumn at Farnham's show.  While it was out I thought of a few things that needed upgrading.

Firstly- point rodding.   A difficult problem when the prototype signal box was demolished a lot of years before the layout was set, but when said signal box was so pretty and distinctive it had to be included.  Early demolition has meant no decent pictures showing where the rodding ran.  The one half-decent one shows some on the eastern side of the line, so that is enough for the decision to be made.

The boarding over the rodding where it crosses the tracks is still to be added.  Not always present it is one of the few things clearly shown in the prototype photo. 

Next- telegraph poles.  One is shown on the East side of the line at the station but photos of the approach have this side of the line clear and no telegraph poles.  Finally a clear shot looking along the WEST side of the line has appeared.  Telegraph poles in sight.  The wires crossed over the main line between the station building and the carriage dock.  problem solved, poles going in - that exciting there isn't a photo.

Then- TV aerials, gratings and drain covers.  The latter I've got as an etch, but I've been making the aerials out of the smallest section Evergreen rod I could find- 0.69mm or thereabouts.

I'm not sure if the H shape is big enough but it looks plausible, especially if all are the same size and point towards Pontop.  Fortunately in 1960 there weren't too many in this area so I can get away with about half a dozen in total.

Lastly- making sure all the locos are run in thoroughly and getting the CVs adjusted on the bigger locos to get 70 speed steps equal to 70mph (13.5 seconds from one bridge to the other)  This has been getting done class by class with each posed on the layout before I start.  The A4s will give an idea of the size of the task.

That isn't all as the LNER coloured pair are in the showcase and another is waiting to go to DCC Supplies for a service.

Croft Spa is at Doncaster in February, South Notts Show at Cotgrave in April and Spalding in November.

Les

[Newportnobby]

An impressive sight, Les, and puts the 'Great Gathering' to shame

[Les1952]

Still working getting Croft Spa details added ready for this year's shows.  A pic showing one of the manhole covers and a drain cover. 

Note that the road is still to be repainted and then the grating will get a touch of black on it to hide the brass edge.

Meanwhile testing continues, with Bittern running North on its regular assigned train, the Tees Tyne Pullman.  It even has the headboard for it.

Coming the other way a Clayton let loose on the main line on its own.  Beware, optimists at work.  Just spotted a telegraph pole in the background- the A4 was tested before I planted these or built the point rodding.

Just a few more diesels to check over then I can start making lists to send to DCC Supplies (Dapol for tyres or in the case of one of the 9Fs a broken wire) or LP Rail (Farish for split gears).  Not much to do on the layout now before Doncaster.   After Doncaster and Cotgrave Bregenbach will need checking over ready to go to Crewe, then it is over to the dark side to get NO PLACE checked for Soar Valley in August.

Keeps me off the streets...

Les

[AndyRA]

Just completed a grey Winter's day tidying up session in the loft. 'A place for everything, and everything in it's place'. Time for another running session I think 

[Newportnobby]

That is just simply amazing in all respects
Think I'll give up and take up origami  :'(

[crewearpley40]

Andy. Looks like a busy control desk. Ever thought of wearing signalman, controller, station master enamel badges or applying for a signaller job ? Hope that's easy to remember the contents if those clipboards.