Quote from: Newportnobby on January 30, 2026, 09:11:39 PMThat must have been a labour of love, Andy

Totally agree there mick.

Impressive with the Class 25s, Manchester Pullman stock and BOC tanks too. Evocative and brought memories

That must have been a labour of love, Andy

Finally completed a long term project of recreating the Forder's Sidings to Kings Cross 'Brickliner'. Got enough second hand Farish Freightliner flats from Rails of Sheffield to make up a 10 vehicle train. One of the reasons it took so long was I had to make up thirty loads to put on them, then make up the labelling to go onto them, running to around 180 individual transfers to stick on.

Not doing anything new at present, just pottering around finishing off things on Furness Junction that were only "sort of" finished.

Firstly, all the buildings are now properly wired in - so the array of croc clip leads that were powering the lights have gone at last 

I've also split the 12v DC supply to give the coaling tower its own dedicated supply - all the LEDs I put in the buildings (and I dare say there will eventually be more) were sucking too much out of the power supply and making the tower unreliable, especially the uncouplers. It's still not perfect so I need to look at one of the magnet and reed switch locations so that the cradle landing at the bottom will always shut off the power rather than the motor running on and wrapping the hoist cables around things they shouldn't.

While I've been fiddling with the wiring, I've extended the control panel to accommodate studs/LEDs for some additional points I installed some time back - I think they've been adequately tested now 
I've also added switches in the control panel extension for the wheel drop and I'm now working on a little semi-automation for that - primarily to prevent parts being moved when others are in the wrong location, which would  jam or distort the parts. I'm also looking at putting a limit switch in to prevent the platform being dropped too far and jamming that mechanism.

At the Club, we've completed the wiring on Lakeside and put it to one side for now as we have some mods to do to Haverthwaite before its next outing, probably Workington next autumn. We're going to hack saw the fiddle yard off the back and remake it as a separate pair of baseboards. That will a) make the main boards easier to transport and b) allow the fiddle yard to be used with any layout, like Lakeside or (in the future) Greenodd. We can also, we think, fit in a couple more loops in the fiddle yard and bring the Backbarrow Iron Works spur around to the main fiddle yard instead of having just a couple of sidings - that should reduce the amount of stock handling to switch from raw materials or empty wagons going to the iron works and full ones coming back out.
We also want to revise the legs to make them easier to transport and sort some plywood sheets to which the main baseboards can be bolted, turning it into a large "box", again for easier transporting with less risk of damage.
Although one of our members has a Transit van, which we did use to take it to Barrow, it would be nice to be able to get it in a car (or if need be two cars) so we aren't reliant on that member being available.

Not quite 'right now' but on Thursday... at last Saturday's open day, a Farish Class 24 stopped dead and refused to move. Stripped down, the motor had 2 'dead spots' so would only run if spun by hand to start! New motor (£22 plus VAT) ordered from Bachamnn on Sunday, arrived Wednesday, fitted Thursday, re-assembled 24 runs silent and smoooth!

Most of the stuff is fine, especially newer stuff. Peco tends to be cheaper but also comes with nasty plastic wheels.

NEM couplings are good if you want to later do hands off shunting.

In terms of reliability the only real issues I've had are that pretty much all the container wagons with their tiny wheels and top heavy model design need well laid trackwork, and the longest wheelbase vans sometimes hate set-track crossovers.

Quote from: EtchedPixels on January 30, 2026, 07:17:12 PMJust received 48m of 50x25mm treated timber in 4.8m lengths. The delivery guy seemed to think I was going be repairing as roof 

Gadzooks! I would have thought the same

I tend to look at the price and when I've stopped shaking keep the old models. I'm still quite happy with my P&D Marsh Peak.

Just received 48m of 50x25mm treated timber in 4.8m lengths. The delivery guy seemed to think I was going be repairing as roof 

Now to finish trackplans and confirm measurements. I have about 3 layout designs for it and only room for one however.

I'm old school enough to once think "if it looks like a class ---, it is a class ---", cutting my teeth on items like the old Farish 101, Jinty, J94 etc etc and was quite happy defending my old class 25, 31 and 33.

Then along came much better versions and, yes, I replaced an awful lot. Out went my old DMUs (which I never really did like) for the newer 101/108s. Out went my Farish Westerns to be replaced by Dapol ones. Although I bought newer versions not all the old stuff has gone, so I still have Farish classes 20, 25, 31, 33, 44/45/46s, MN, V2, J94, 61xx, 94xx, Castle, 4F, and 8F, along with Minitrix 9F, Britannia and 2MT.
 
They won't be going anywhere as (a) the bottom has probably dropped out of the market as newer models come along and (b) they still run well enough for me to take to shows on our club layout. I bought new versions of all the Farish apart from the 94xx (but feel that won't be too long in coming) and newer versions of the 9F, Britannia and 2MT.

I supported Revolution with a purchase of a Poppylino, Peco with their 22xx, Sonic with their 56xx, Kato with the IET800, EFE with the class 17 and Rapido with the class 28. I've gone on to purchase further items from Revolution, Sonic, EFE and Rapido on the basis my initial purchases from them spurred them into creating other N gauge masterpieces. Sadly, Peco never made another loco and Kato are unlikely to produce anything else I'd want.

I'm lucky in having decent disposable income so buy what I want when I want. When, however, Judgement Day comes around I have no kids and no one interested in model railways so it will all go maybe to a box shifter for a rubbish price but at least the proceeds will go to the nominated charity in my will.

Still awake?