David Holman

Either way, as ever, thank you!

Lovely stuff. What is the large warehouse structure behind Pennyburn shed?

I think you are right about that extra point, while have also tinkered around with the position of the others, as shown below. The other two sketch plans give an idea about other options. The 6'9 overall dimension will be shortened to 6'6/2m, so that I can use the lighting and pelmets from Fintonagh/Swillybegs. No point in making extra work if you don't have to! Moving the point off the mainline means almost all shunting moves will take place on scene, while making the loco shed siding longer means it can double up as an exchange siding. The initial project will see the narrow area against the back scene as just a low bank, with a row of poplars to hide the baseboard joint. A couple of trees on the right should hide the exit from the fiddle yard, while the back scene itself will be painted to represent low lying countryside. Shades of Wissington, perhaps. Both these sections will be removable, to allow a granary/maltings low relief set of buildings instead and [later still] a dairy cum Co-op option. I've worked out what I need for the baseboards and an order will go in for some pre-cut 6mm birch ply. Track on the mainline will probably use either Peco or C&L flexitrack, with one of the latter's point kits, so everything will be bullhead. The private sidings will be Code 100fb on copper clad sleepers to give a lightweight look . With only a few buildings and scenic items, there is every reason to get as much fine detail as possible. Am thinking the locoshed at Wantage Town, while the passenger halt may just do with a grounded coach and/or van body. As well as recent projects on this forum, inspiration is also comimg from some new books by James Hilton & Wild Swan. They very much focus on minimum space/maximum detail and are well worth getting hold of.

Note to self: next time I build a new engine, really, really must visit this thread beforehand. Practical and inspirational.

Don't see a Bentley there, but the photos very much evoke what Patrick Whitehouse captured!

Very much shows how important it is to weather and detail track. Subtle touches, but brings it all to life.

Cranbrook Town My second 0n16.5 layout, Cranbrook Town was built after Loose End and before Eatonswell, appearing in the April 2003 RM. It was very much another part of the High Weald fiction - a twig off the branch to Hawkhurst. When the latter went in the council crusher, I'd kept all the buildings, so this new project was seen as a 'quickie'. Hence everything was kept as simple as possible: three baseboards [3' x 2'], two feet of which was the fiddle yard on the third board. Track was Peco 0n16.5 and I noted in the RM article that it took just a weekend to make the baseboards and another to lay the track. Nice. I'd kept all the Hawkhurst stock, so a short piece of 9mm track was laid too, while the fiddle yard used cassettes again. Scenically, the idea was to use the integral back scene to extend the overall picture, trying to show things such as a town scene, but also a bluebell wood and farmland - all very Kentish. Buildings included a Wealden Hall House and a large mill. A few new items of stock were added and as I was still freelancing to some extent, one involved the chopping up of the then newly released Bachmann 08 shunter. The body was rearranged on a new, wider, footplate, together with a new cab. The chassis, with its outside cranks, was a superb runner, making it ideal for shunting with the pick up goods, as shown above. Another new model was the Baldwin 4-6-0T. A Wrightlines kit and therefore mainly white metal, it was one of those that didn't actually go together very well, but once finished, seemed to hang together quite nicely, while the weight made it a decent runner. A real talking point, proved to be my railbus/lorry combination. The Selsey tramway had one of these for a while. The passenger half of mine was one of the old MTK 'El Crappo' [yes really] etches, while the lorry started life as a Corgi Lipton's tea van. I removed the body and replaced it with a dropsided flatbed. I also made up one of the [even then quite old] Branchlines kits of a Clogher Valley coach, which [though I didn't realise it at the time] started my moving towards the Irish scene ten years later. There was another purpose to the layout, because in a mercenary sort of way, I always intended to eventually sell it, with all the stock, as a going concern. And so it proved. After a few shows, I started advertising it at exhibitions & it wasn't long before somebody made me an offer and it went home with him instead of me. I believe it is still with the new owner, getting good use, which is very pleasing. So, there we are, a trip through my 0 gauge modelling, which which hopefully now gets a revival with a new minimum space layout. Planning is making progress, so I should have something to report on this soon.

The yard surface is just sublime - had to look twice before I realised it was photos of a new model. Have you ever tried the trick of filing a flat on the tyres of a road vehicle? May not show up in 4mm scale, but it 7mm it gives a subtle touch to make the model 'sit' with tyres looking like they have real weight pressing down on them.

The saving grace of outside valve gear on a model is that while it looks complicated, most of it doesn't do much, other than rock to an fro a bit. Outside cylinders, with their piston and conrods, do a fair bit more. Add in brake and sanding gear and it all starts to look a bit scary, with lots of opportunities for electrical shorts - which I'm sure our man is well aware of!

Great work, but which brought back painful memories of my own attempts at such alchemy!

Good stuff & very interesting.

Lokks like se the same problem is happening again, as per original post on this thread. Site doesn't seem able to upload photos. Text ok though. Message reads Error Code DSCN 6832 jpeg could not be saved.

Nice. Very nice indeed.

You can't see it in the photos, but the greengrocer was Edward King. Several excruciating puns in the headlines at the newsagents too.

Already on my third or fourth version and not convinced I've got the design right yet! Drawing it out full size on lining paper should help, so I can pose stock and add some basic cardboard mockups of buildings too. However, before any more on the new project, thought I'd finish off my early 7mm scale stuff by going right back to the beginning and 0n16.5. This was in the late 1980s, so not only are the pictures photos of photos, some are actually in black and white. The layout was called Hawkhurst, High Weald and it appeared in the Railway Modeeller in 1991 and Narrow Lines [7mmNG Society Magazine] in 1994. The pictures below show the track plan and map of the concept. The latter very much a Colonel Stephens theme, being a narrow gauge line running across the Weald of Kent from Rye to Maidstone, replacing the Kent & East Sussex; with a branch to Hawkhurst for good measure. Construction was very 'old school', with chipboard on 3" x 1" softwood frames, though the fiddle yard used a newish idea of cassettes. Trackwork was hand made, using Code 100 fb rail on copper clad sleepers, the first time I had attempted this & not that successful if I'm honest, though the points gradually got fettled into something workable. There was also a small amount of 9mm gauge track, as I had bought the 0n9 kit of one of the Horwich Works 15" gauge shunters. Stock was very freelance, mainly scratch built plastic bodies on 00 chassis. Plastic water pipe worked for loco boilers, while chimneys were often 00 ones cut in half and then made longer with some brass tube. All very home spun, but being freelance I didn't need to worry too much about accuracy. The Lima 08 shunter was useful, with its outside cranks, while a GWR 2-6-2T was made into an 0-6-2T, with the front pony going to the 08 to make a 2-6-0T. Another loco disguised its old Hornby 0-6-0 chassis by having full side skirts. It is seen with a couple of transporter wagons [my first standard gauge models], as per the Leek & Manifold. Pride of the line was a Vulcan kit of the Hunslet ex Sierra Leone 2-6-2T. My first 'proper' 7mm scale engine, it was quite a leap of faith with its RG4 motor and outside valve gear - the latter seriously scary stuff, being held together with 14ba nuts and bolts. Probably beginners luck, it actually ran really well. Wagons and coaches were mainly built on 4mm Ratio under frames with plasticard bodies. The buildings were all based on typical Kentish types, including a Wealden Hall House and the classic oast. Really went to town on these, using the same methods I later used on Loose End. The station building was based on an Arthur Paine design like the one at Hemyock. After debuting at the Chatham Show, the layout did several other ones, including Expo Narrow Gauge, possibly the last one held in Greenwich Library, before the show moved to Swanley. However I found that the chipboard started to sag, thanks to inadequate bracing, so after a couple of years, I carefully removed the buildings and the rest [including the track], went to the council recycling centre. I then turned my attention to standard gauge, with Loose End, though narrow gauge later featured in similar layout called Cranbrook Town, of which more next time. Hawkhurst taught me a lot, particular in terms of basic scratch building. I enjoyed freelancing too - trying to be faithful to general railway practice, without needing to worry too much about overall accuracy, while working in 7mm scale [albeit in narrow gauge] showed me certainly got me hooked on larger models.

Headlight, lots of hoses. Driving end of a railcar/dmu. Or inspection saloon maybe?

So, time to come clean about my ideas for a new 0 gauge project... As I've said earlier, it all comes down to rediscovering all my stock that has been languishing in boxes for the last ten years or more; that and a fascinating article in the latest Model Railway Journal called "A tale of Three Stations or more..." As you can see, it combines Iain Rice style design, with one of his favourite subjects, an East Anglian byway. Very much a 'part layout' [with a fiddle yard taking the place of half the loop], it appealed to my limits of a 6'9" shelf space, expanding to the 11 feet footprint of Northport Quay and Swillybegs' trestles and beams used for exhibitions. It also got me looking back through my books on East Anglian railways - especially those by Dr Ian Allen, John Brodribb and Peter Payne. From these, ideas rapidly coagulated into I scheme I felt could meet my needs: A single track line with a siding leading to a private branch, in particular a small set of exchange sidings The 'main' line could run things like my diesel railbus for passenger traffic, together with short freight trains that could exchange traffic with the private sidings In the 1950s, an East Anglian branch freight could be as little as one or two wagons and a brake van, hauled by anything from a D16 4-4-0, J15/17/69 0-6-0s, F5 2-4-2T through to Class 15/03/08 diesels. The private sidings would be perfect for my ex Wantage 0-4-0WT, or a Manning Wardle 0-6-0T. All of which I have, of course, while among my 40+ wagons are pretty much all the types I might need in terms of vans and opens, plus the essential brake vans. The design I've come up with builds on the MRJ article of '3 stations in one' - indeed I think I've identified at least six. Allow me to explain: The sketch plan shows the single track through line running across the front of the scene. On the right hand side is the main fiddle yard [I'm thinking cassettes at the moment], which will be no more than 30" long, enough for a small loco and three wagons, or a tender engine and two. Don't need anything longer, as the Iain Rice rule of maximum train length being no more than a third of the scenic length demands this. At the other end will be an 18" length of plain track - enough to hold the railbus before its return journey, or indeed a loco with a parcels van or two. There were a lot of light engine movements or loco and brake van in East Anglia at this time. The main line will be Peco bullhead track, but the private sidings will be flat bottomed, Code 100 rail on copper clad sleepers to help emphasise a lightweight look. All four points will be Ys: in particular the Y points offered by Marcway of Sheffield. Have used these many times, because they are such space savers. A 6' radius Marcway Y is just 12" long, compared to 18" for the Peco one. As you can see, there is half a run round loop [the right hand fiddle yard does the other half], plus a siding with a small loco shed and a kickback siding. The key to the multiple personalities lies in the shaded area in front of the back scene. This will hold a range of exchangeable 'jigsaw' pieces [another Rice idea] that will mean I can change the personality and purpose of the layout over time. Initially, this will probably be just a section of low cutting, with open scenery behind - very Fenland, in fact. A couple of trees should hide the exit to the fiddle yard. In this form, the private branch could have at least three forms: an agricultural line, such as the Wisbech and Upwell Tramway or the Benwick branch An army depot An airfield branch - both of which were common in the area and offer a wide range of traffic However, if this scenic area is replaced by buildings, then there a several ideal prototypes which could be used: Maltings and granary - am thinking Snape in particular, which had its own BR operated branch, but there were plenty of others with nice buildings such as Hadleigh, Saffron Walden or North Elmham for inspiration. I particularly like the archway at Snape, where in reality, wagons were shunted by horse or road tractor. In my case, it makes a nice scenic break which I can use in the other concepts below. A jam factory. Yes, really - the Wilkins factory [still open today] on the Kelvedon and Tollesbury Light Railway was rail served, albeit by the branch goods, but there were enough sidings on the site to merit a private shunter instead of horses. A dairy. There was a rail served one at North Elmham. Same idea as above, while I do of course have three, six wheeled milk tankers... An engineering works. Think Garretts of Leiston on the Aldeburgh branch. Makers of agricultural machine, including traction engines, they had their own shunter. The works is now a museum that is well worth a visit. As I have a bit of a history of re-imagining my layouts [Arigna Town to Belmullet, Fintonagh to Swillybegs], building in some interchangeability very much appeals. So, there we are. Am already working on lists of materials - mainly timber for baseboards, plus electrics and track work. One of our Chatham Club members works for a timber merchant, so a shopping list of pre-sawn 6mm birch ply is already under way. I still need to make a wiring diagram for both layout an its integral control panel, plus play around with things like pelmets and fascias to frame the view. For now, with hopefully a few more weeks of summer to enjoy, nothing is likely to be started before the autumn, while both Northport Quay and Swillybegs have exhibitions coming up. However, knowing what I'm like, there is now a real itch that needs scratching! Be assured, that once I do get started, you'll read about it here. Indeed, perhaps I ought to get out that roll of lining paper and draw out the plan full size - just to check clearances and so on, you understand... By the way, if anyone out there fancies using or adapting any of these ideas for themselves, feel free. 6'9 in 0 gauge shrinks to less than 4 feet in 00 and 2 feet in N. Never say you don't have enough room for a model railway!

Wouldn't call those control panels "a little progress"! Looks like a lot of very neat work to me.

Interesting you say that Alan, because it is certainly the case that well known artists are often recognisable by their style. Not suggesting I'm comparable to the likes of Renoir or Monet (!), but even us humble modellers have own way of doing things that amounts to something similar, be it because of the colour palette, construction methods etc. Your own work certainly has a definite signature to it, as does that of several other folk on this forum, especially those, like your self, whose recent posts have certainly inspired me to have a go at model buildings again. Those Loose End buildings were all made of various thicknesses of card (no foamboard then) and covered with Howard Scenics embossed card. The latter quite innovative at the time and certainly an improvement on computer chads (remember those?) as used by Iain Rice and Bob Barlow. I actually painted each brick individually (I know!), using "light red" water colour and a very fine brush. Not sure if Howard Scenics card is still available, because it could still have its uses and preferable to scribing DAS clay for brickwork in some circumstances. Long grass at that time was a similarly laborious process, using teddy bear fur. No soft toys were harmed in the process. Indeed, still have part of a roll of the stuff somewhere. Thank goodness for static grass machines.

Another fine set of photos, not least Killybegs train shed with all that interior detail.

Magic!

Really enjoyed reacquainting myself with what are still nice models and have been promising myself I'd build something for my Wantage tank for several years. So, parallel projects and am certainly not done with all things Irish!

Loose End This was my first standard gauge 7mm scale layout. It was very much a Light Railway, with a mix of Colonel Stephens, Wantage, Wisbech & Upwell & Brill Tramways, to name but a few. The track plan was a mirror image of Wantage Town - ideal, as it is just over seven feet long, even in 0 Gauge. Track was Code 100 fb rail on copper clad sleepers, with points made by Marcway of Sheffield. It was built in the late '90s, so pre-digital as far as photos are concerned, but a fair few of the techniques went on to be used in my Irish layouts. Indeed, the light weight looking track even caused a few people to ask if it was broad gauge! Loose is a real village, just south of Maidstone, while the Kent & East Sussex Light Railway planned extension would have passed this way. Most of the buildings were based on actual ones in the small town of West Malling and I really went to town on the fine details, especially things like shop windows. Being Kent, there had to be an oast house of course. Locos and stock were very much based on Light Railway practice, ranging from Manning Wardles to a Wisbech tram [complete with face and Toby nameplate]. A Wantage Mathews tram was joined by other oddities as I developed my kit and scratch building skills. See what you can identify! The layout went to quite a few shows, but I could only manage about three a year in those days, due to work. Everything was [very] analogue, with wire in tube point control, three link couplings and operation from the rear. I learned a lot, not least balancing scenics in a small space via careful use of painted back scenes. Pictures below are photos of photos, so may not be the best, but overall the layout looks pretty good and worked well too. I was very pleased with the scene above, where the join between the painted road and the actual surface where the car is blends nicely. The layout was sold in the late noughties to a chap who lived near my Mum in Newark on Trent. I went on to build a small extension for him, featuring a hop garden. I also made him a Colonel Stephens railbus. Later, he sold it on & last time I heard it was living in a barn somewhere in France. By the way, an outline of my plans for a new 0 gauge layout will be appearing here soon.

Well, you know you've been neglecting things when a layout drops off the front page and am not sure I've actually made anything since before Easter. Getting Northport Quay ready for Railex, then the Club layout ready for the Chatham Show very much part of the 'problem'... Anyway, with the Club Show now out of the way, it is at last time to get back to some of my own modelling, not least because Swillybegs is due to make its debut at the Tolworth Show in November. There's been a list of things to do for quite a while, so it has been a case of just getting on with it, starting with a new station name board. Simple enough - white on black computer print out, stuck to a board made from plastic sheet and strip New fencing next: firstly fitting 0.5mm plastic road to the posts that have been on the tramway platform for ages, then some Parkside wooden fences around the buffer stops. Then came some detailing pieces for the quayside area. Below is an overall view of the station area, including a bit of gentle fettling for the track where I had to remove permanent [rare earth] magnets & replace them with Gauge 0 Guild electric ones. You can see the new buffer stop I made [front right] too. The rest of the pictures give a tour of the layout, with Donegal stock on show, alongside the 'West Donegal Tramway' train, using former Clogher Valley loco and new coaches based on Schull & Skibbereen types. Much to my surprise, it has only taken a few days to sort out the bits and pieces. So, overall, the scenic work is done. What needs to happen now is to make sure everything runs well, both all the newly built stock and the original CVR stuff. Much of the work revolves around getting my home made 'chopper' couplings working properly. Playing trains, in other words! However, planning for a new project is also getting under way, for which you will have to keep an eye on the 'David's 0 Gauge Stuff' thread in the British Outline Modelling section.

Just go on YouTube and type in Chatham Show 2025. There are numerous videos, including one over two hours!