Broadstone

Wow! Brilliant picture Rob.

Trevor was a very fine modeller and man. As David and John have said he had that rare combination of artist and model engineer to a very high degree so that everything ran and looked so fine. He also did everything to that very high standard - baseboards, track, buildings, stock, signals - and usually from metal, wood and card, very little plastic. The other thing about him was that despite his sublime skill, he was always ready to share and show his knowledge and techniques and was never judgmental about other's work - a quality held by David and the Gravatt's, to name a few. It's fair to say that quite a few S scale locomotives have been through his hands, growling, jerky old dogs of engines would always return like sewing machines! I got a lot of help from him when I was building Kilbrandon as he asked if I needed any help and built the Kerry Bogie, although the tender is from etches for a 101/J15; it runs beautifully. He also fettled my MGWR 2-2-2ST 'Elf' so that it ran better and could actually haul a train! He also built me a NER Long Boiler Goods which I got professionally painted - Trevor's skill deserved a great finish and I would have only ruined it. There was a big turnout of family and friends at his funeral. He was a very fine man all round and the S Scale fraternity have lost a giant. But his inspiration and example will live on for a very long time.

I don't know how I managed to miss the development of this stunning new layout of yours David, but having just read through the whole thread, I'm very glad that I have caught up; it's another beauty, well done! Not only is your modelling brilliant, the design and the learning and your honesty about what doesn't always work first time is refreshingly honest and very inspiring. I was put onto this layout by a friend Richard who attended the recent Chatham show, sent me some pictures and declared it the best layout there. From the pictures he sent and those on this thread I am highly impressed. You have squeezed a lot in but it looks so spacious - that backscene is a work of art in itself and gives the layout such depth. And the detail and the cameos are marvellous. I considered using Alex Jacksons on Broomebridge Junction but am once again using 3 links with all their limitations. But, having myself some of Richard Chown's 7mm wagons note that he used them, but very much in the old pre=magnetic way where a ramp pushed them up to uncouple. They worked for him though and clearly do for you; they are probably the most unobtrusive of the auto-coupling systems. Thanks again David, another brilliant layout! Paul

I have this week started building a model of the actual Broombridge over the canal and railway. I did do an earlier mock-up in card, but revised it following my recent trip to Dublin and getting some more accurate dimensions. The carcass is from 5mm Foamboard. It will later be covered in DAS modelling clay and the stonework carved in, plus the adding of coping stones along the parapet. The distance between the railway and canal on my model is greater than on the prototype because on my model the tracks are curving around instead of straight. The photo also includes my model of a MGWR Horsebox, such a unigue vehicle with its integral dog box.

I brought one of the 7mm Alphagraphix card kits and, having asked Roger Crumplehome beforehand at the Warley Show years ago, re-scaled it to S on my photocopier to produce an S Scale model. I used S Scale Society castings and a bit of scratch-building to complete it. I did do a write-up for New Irish Lines a few years back. The colour is wrong on mine and may have faded a bit. I suppose I am pretending that the real ones faded also but maybe not in my period. I may investigate using Ink to deepen the colour. And I must build a few more.

They are lovely models John. If I was a 4mm modeller I'd have brought a few myself.

I've just returned from a few days in Dublin and did much walking along the Royal Canal and 'bazzing' around Broombridge and Lock 7 where the railway crosses the canal. And the measuring tape was deployed to get a few bridge dimensions much to the embarrassment of my Wife and perplexity among some locals - but hey ho, all in a days work of a railway modeller! Attached are a few images of the place now and a few years ago to give an idea of what I am trying to achieve:

Good point Rob. I'll have to twist your arm to build some stock and give you full running rights! I'm intending to illustrate Hamilton and his Wife on that famous occasion in some way. Even though it occured long before the railway was built.

Thanks again John, re-reading your post, I may well be setting a stiff time target. But I did recover the double slip and single slips from Kilbrandon and am re-using them on Broombridge, so that is going to save me a lot of time and trouble. And I have started drawing out the buildings so some progress has already been made. Intending it as an exhibition layout also focuses the mind!

As above to Gabhal, its 4'4" David, so in line with Fintonagh and Northport Quay as well as Arun Quay. I like looking 'into' these layouts and another advantage is being better able to control the sight lines and hide where the tracks disappear. I've long noticed how in real life trains disappear behind buildings and trees without the need for bridges and tunnels. The actual Broombridge will hide the trains going off to the right, whilst on the left the water tank and some trees will hide them as they pass through the backscene. Yes auto-couplings are 'satan's spawn' and I'm not sure any of them work 100%. I'm experimenting with Jackson's as a friend of mine uses them fairly suuccessfully on his EM layout, even when it went to shows. I'm hoping to limit their use through the passenger and cattle trains being in 'rakes' with 3-link couplings inbetween and an auto coupling at the end. And most goods trains will be the same, just passing through from the MGWR and GSWR down to the docks. So, I'll just need to fit auto-couplings on the engines, brakevans and a few wagons likely to be shunted into the various sidings. I really like 3-links but after 20 or so years of taking layouts to exhibitions, it is undeniable that they can get a bit tiresome by the Sunday afternoon of a weekend show! I'm hoping that Broombridge will have a decent balance between some shunting and watching trains ambling slowly through the scene. We'll see. Ah, Ballyconnell Road, a brilliant layout and a really nice group of excellent modellers. Which show was that David?

Apologies, I made a mistake Gabhal! Its 4'4" and I'm not that tall!! I think I must have started typing 56" then switched to feet.

I collected the boards and supporting beams from Ken on Wednesday and have now set them up in the garage. I have laid out my trackplan and just to get a feel for how it could look, added some of my stock. The layout is currently set at a height of 5'4" on the trestles and although I have never gone that high for a layout, I do like it. I think it may have been Iain Rice who pioneered this approach and Gordon Gravett has shown it to good effect on Arun Quay. A few other fellow members of the Leeds Club have also used this approach on their layouts - Peter Kirmond with York and Laramie, John Aldrick with Ivy Bridge and more recently, Andy Ross with his brilliant model of the Hunslet works. What I like about this approach is how you look into the model rather than down on it and, with a full height backscene, viewers can avoid looking at me drinking tea behind the layout. The downside is that I would have to switch over to auto-couplings and operate from the front (where people could get a close-up of my tea drinking. The alternative is the conventional height and operation from the rear with a lower backscene and the 'hand of god' operating the 3-link couplings. I will make up my mind soon. Next step is to start building the fiddle-yard and connecting curves and then track-building. If I can get trains running before the year-end I'll be well on course.

Here are some pictures of the nearly completed baseboards on their beams that my friend Ken has built for me. I am hoping to collect them later this week or early next, can't wait! There's no way that I could have made them so well. I'm just itching to start building the track, my target to have finished the connecting curves and fiddle-yard (I'm building them) and getting trains running by the end of this year. Next year being buildings and scenery and more stock.

Thanks David, my Sister lives fairly near Buckingham in Bucks and visiting it a few years ago was struck by how it could never have warranted a 4 platform station with an overall roof and expresses to London Marylebone! But it was, and is, such a stunning and influential model. I am confident that I will have those 'signature elements' - great phrase! Paul