David Holman

Really impressive. Am starting to think everybody should build one of these!

That looks like the 4-4-0T in Cultra. Currently rereading Boyd's Saga by Rail and on the C&L chapters. Lovely stuff - as is No12. Got to be really pleased with it! Just needs a long mixed train now and a trip to New Zealand for a run on Mayner's layout, though fairly sure the CB&P locos weren't allowed on the tramway.

Less of a problem these days, but go back 20-30 years and back to back measurements could be very important for good running. The B2B could vary quite a bit from different manufacturers and a gauge was an important tool to set wheels. Indeed, still is on my Fintonagh layout. Track gauge is 21mm, B2B needs to be around 19mm and if I get any derailment at a show, that is the first thing I check. More than 0.3mm out can cause problems.

Interesting. My 30 second videos are around 200mb and when I try uploading them direct to IRM, firstly it is much slower than photos, probably because the latter are less than 1MB, but then after a few minutes, I get a 'cannot be done' message. Hence have gone along the YouTube route, which is really slow. I've got fibre broadband, though only copper wire to the house, so get around 10-15MBps download speeds and only around 2-3MBps uploads.

A fine lady indeed. Layout space, workbench, storage - excellent! Make haste slowly and enjoy.

Many thanks everyone. That's it for my film making for now. Not only does each clip take a long time to set up, but then (for whatever reason), it needs an average half an hour or more to upload 30 seconds of video to YouTube, so it's back to the work bench for me. However, may do something on Fintonagh at some point in the future.

The Slater's tank wagon appears to be pretty accurate for 'over the water', while Alphagraphix card kits can get you started for other wagons. At £3 or so, plus £10 for a chassis and another tenner for wheels, they are good value, or do what I do and use the card kit as a drawing/template to build the model from plastic. Bodywork is pennies - chassis and running gear costs the money in this scale! Dare I say, the recent Scalescenes micro layout download, as outlined by Ken in that section would make an ideal project to start off in 7mm scale.

Three more short videos, this time the turf train. The J26 brings the two turf vans, plus an H and a GSWR brake, while the G [Deutz] shunter collects them and takes them down the harbour siding to the distillery.

More than a few exhibition layouts are not presented as well as this.

Might be better looking at the Hattons generic six wheelers?

Fascinating and looking forward to seeing things develop. Signal boxes are always awkward things to build, so taking advantage of what York Model Making now offer is certainly food for thought. Is it still scratchbuilding? Absolutely! What we are starting to see now though is a quiet revolution in embracing modern techniques like laser cutting. Still a lot of skill and planning required though so the challenge is in learning these new techniques. Results speak for themselves! As for the Burma Road, already salivating. Always been drawn to these sorts of railway and interesting to learn about the Atlantic tanks. Have at least one more slot for a early 1900s loco and been considering one of the Sligo 0-6-2Ts, but a WL&W 4-4-2T would also be tempting.

Lovely stuff!

The turntable is hand cranked, exhibition visitors are never sure whether the squeak is from the mechanism or my arm. I tell kids it is hamster powered. And finally, for now, Sir Henry departs with the mixed train. The incoming one was of course a goods, as the coach was at the rear, behind unfitted wagons.

So, here is Sir Henry and as you've probably noticed, the film is in monochrome, to match the photographs of the day. Everything is scratch built. Sir Henry a near 200 hour labour of love in nickel silver. The coach is plasticard on cut down Slater's bogies and the wagons likewise plastic and micro strip. Next we see Henry running to the turntable

Not quite the 7.20 from Enniskillen, as it would have been very dark by the time it got to Belmullet. However, will try to show Sir Henry with SLNCR bogie brake number nine and a couple of wagons. First though, while I was cleaning Henry's wheels, took the opportunity to show the inside motion in action. It is a kit of castings from Laurie Griffin. Not cheap [nearly £100!], but a joy to put together and certainly fills the space below what is quite a high pitched boiler. Not sure I can add more than one video at a time, or indeed edit them together, hence others to follow. DSCN3851.aviDSCN3851.avi

The whole scene just hangs together really well. May well be that limiting the amount of track means there is a nice balance to things. Less important if your main focus is operation, but essential when trying to compose a 3D picture. Nice too, to see the layout from varying angles, a bit like a sculpture, where you can turn it round, whereas a painting can only be seen from one side. Works for me anyway!

Galteemore is right, think about what you like, but also consider the restrictions. A 6' dia circle means 30" curves. Ok when viewed from the inside. Less so from out. Geometry means storage siding space will be limited. Terminus to fiddle yard is great for operation, though this is mainly shunting and train lengths will be no more than 2 '6 if the Iain Rice rule is applied. Everything is a compromise. Whatever you decide, feel sure we will enjoy the outcome. The current layout shows you have a talent for scenics and presentation, so will look forward to a new project that sees those skills develop further.

Here you are, though I used lower resolution video, so its a bit grainy. Hazlewood was my first SLNCR loco, made from a North Star kt, still available from Studio Scale Models. The wagons are all scratch built. DSCN3820.avi

Thanks Eoin, exactly the sort of advice I needed. Hand tools it is then!

Interesting. It was the scroll saw, not the table saw I'd been thinking about. Very different beasts, to say the least. The basic Proxxon scroll saw is only about £110, whereas the band saw is three times that. The sort of work I tend to do is lightweight and intermittent, dependant on where the muse takes me(!)

Or small horses?

And here's railcar 2b departing...

This weekend, Belmullet was due to make its exhibition debut at the Uckfield Show, however that is now not happening, like so many others. Hence thought I'd try and post a few pictures and some video footage over the next few days. Video is a first for me. This short film is done using my cheap Nikon Coolpix camera, on which I do all my other modelling pictures. Must admit that trying to follow a train with the camera, while also driving it at the same time is not easy! Hadn't realised it was such a long process uploading to Youtube either. Anyway, here is Railcar B arriving at the station. Suggest you turn the sound down [or off] as the model definitely doesn't make that noise in reality and is actually very quiet too - especially in exhibition conditions.

Thank you sir!

Feel sure there must be something on this somewhere, but can't find it. Would like to post some video footage of my layout, but the files are too big to upload. How do others do this please?