Noel

Hi Tony Just my tuppence assuming the track is laid on the cork trackbed shown in your earlier pics. But there is no right or wrong and others may have better and different techniques. Before ballasting though suggest you test push some of your rolling stock, the especially wide items, along platforms and loading bays to check for clearance. A lot easier to adjust before the track is ballasted. (i.e. some model steam loco cylinders can protrude more than expected and some coaching stock can have protruding steps - despite scale loading gauges not always 100% adhered to). Wire and test point motors and/or controls Ballast track (allowing flat surface runs for later dummy point control rodding, and protect moving parts of points from glue/paint) - allow 24hr to set Airbrush weather track and rails in one go (mask top of point blades). 7 passes of airbrush (1 each side of each rail = 4, plus ballast outside of each rail, one pass between rails over centre sleepers). Clean paint off rail tops and re-test point control work free of friction after ballast/painting Dummy point control kit BTW, your rate of progress on the layout is impressive. Noel

Enjoyed a running session earlier with mixed goods traffic. Have been busy experimenting with air brush on some old rolling stock and off cuts of plasticard, trying different paint colours and weathering experiments. Jeepers it takes a while to setup each spray session and even longer to clean up afterwards. Also continuing experiments with different ballast mixes and track beds. Below Woodland Scenics medium buff ballast on top of 3mm foam track bed, over sprayed with dusting of RailMatch sleeper grime. This is my favourite so far as I think I will prefer the warmer colour of track ballasted this way to contrast with greenery rather than more authentic grey and green.

Short clip of two variants of DC Kits LokSound 141/181 sound decoders (project built by wheel tappers for dc kits). The orange 141 loco has V1 of the project and has bass reflex speaker, the Black and Tan 181 has V2 of the project which had the new 'drive hold' software (i.e. Loksounds new 'Full Throttle' driving method). The clip just shows the locos underway, so next week I'll post a better comparison clip including shunting, starting and stopping, demonstration of drive hold, etc, but this just gives a taste for now. I was really looking forward to driving with the new 'Full Throttle' software, but personally I found it mildly irritating and distracting, and was surprised to discover I preferred the V1 project and let the software simulate notching while I concentrate on driving. It lacks true coasting and realistic braking distances which the Zimo excels at for prototypical driving technique, but the 'wheel tappers' LokSound EMD engine seems to sound better and more throaty than the recordings of an actual 141. In fairness the basic speaker could be the problem with the Zimo project. So my personal preference for baby GM sound options was the Zimo is the most realistic to drive, but the DC Kits/LokSound V1 sounds the best despite lacking coasting and scale braking functions. The V2 drive hold slightly underwhelmed despite the hype about 'Full Throttle'

Suggest jump to 40s in to skip the promo - "Jolly hockey sticks - some dashed exciting trains in these video from 1930"

Thanks Patrick. I obviously assumed the wagons dimensions were accurate, I just wanted to check if you guys had run it past scale platforms to check the ladder cleared platforms and loading bays. Noel

Fran, Patrick, et al Did you get a chance to check out the loading gauge clearances and especially station platform clearance on the pre-production bubble samples? The side ladder on my MIR bubbles snag station platforms placed at scale clearances, but coaching stock has no problem. (i.e. the ladder sticks out too far and derails the wagons).

And thanks to you Dave for supplying me with no 201 for a fair price last year. A fair number MM orange roofed mk2 coaches have hit eBay in the last few days, and some black roofed ones. Not my cup of tea as wrong era, but attractive coaches in IR/IE livery with tippex despite the wrong shade of day-glo orange.

Strange price alright considering he's also selling 201 class no 201 for sensible price of €150 Are 201s models not in demand?

Brilliant Don't laugh but that happened with one of my ballast experiments only two nights ago - a mess. Had to re-do it.

I saw this point work in the flesh today - the photo doesn't do it justice. A superb demonstration of model track engineering. Will follow this thread with interest.

Yes static grass is a new experience for me. Very impressed with the whole concept and was surprised how well it worked. The €15 Chinese rip off I bought on eBay has worked well so far and it is about the same size as the €150 noch. I knew it could have been a risk but worth a punt at that price - and it works.

Thanks, yes I like the Javis myself, although perhaps it is a little dark with indoor lighting for a model layout, but that's just a personal preference. I'm going to try two more samples with Woodland Scenics fine and medium buff which is quite bright, but when lightly weathered with sleeper grime may end up looking ok as a compromise. I'm a bit odd because I like scenery and rolling stock to look pleasing to the eye rather than necessarily prototypically accurate. The brake van came from Irish Freight Models (IFM). Personally I'm extremely happy with it, but I don't want to get my wrist slapped again for praising them too highly despite my personal opinion. They are RTR and not inexpensive, but personally worth it to have three of these iconic brake vans on the layout because all my freight is 2 axel loose coupled stock typical of the 60s era. I like the way he has simulated felt texture on the roof. Will post more pics of another few ballast samples in a day or two. Need to get my hands on a little PC vacuum cleaner, because a household one is too powerful for recovering surplus static grass (i.e. after glue has set), it can tear it off the base board if you get too close even 24hrs after PVA has set.

Cheers JB. I'm very fond of those lovely 20T brake vans myself. Have four of them now, three RTR from IFM, and one kit from SSM in the pipeline. Will weather them in the fullness of time. Loose coupled 2 axle goods wagons are my nostalgia era, plenty of interesting pick up freight shunting operations.

Some ballast experiment samples weathered a little and with static grass Javis fine granite chipping direct to baseboard Foam underlay augmented with heki ballast The static grass applicator cost only €15 on eBay back in 2015 and seems to be a Chinese copy of brand name products that retail in excess of €130.

Picked this static grass applicator up on eBay two years ago for €15. Worked a treat tonight. Don't forget to ground the mesh when finished and it's turned off to discharge the remaining static electricity or you might get a nice little shock that makes a cattle fencer seem like a tickle

Holy Moly thats impressive hand built track work. Looks so real.

I'm guessing it was this fabulous pic.

rofl

I have many a time, but only short commuter runs <2hr (except sligo on a 29000), but the Mk3 seats were so much more comfy on the intercity runs as are the Mk4 seats today, not to mention the ride comfort and lack of noise inside the coach.

And the most uncomfortable seats ever to run on intercity routes!

Best wishes for the future in your new premises Dave. Looks great.

Some pics of samples with better light A busy weekend ahead . . .

Well done Glover. Excellent results. Layout looking fab. It reeks of real place atmosphere. I can almost imagine the 'Railway Children' running across the meadow to wave to passing trains.

Experiment no 2 finished by weathering track with a light spray of RailMatch sleeper grime on rail sides and track. The Peco foam underlay has blending in better than I had expected and the spray made all the difference. Also after the spray the medium grade ballast doesn't look as bad as before. Both of these are virtually silent btw. Next up will be woodland scenics fine buff ballast with the Peco underlay and another with medium for comparison.

Excellent. Very impressive effort. Getting all those cab shapes and body angles right with brass is some achievement. They should really look the biz when painted and glazed.