Having a Quickie

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One Sunday afternoon, I was up in my railway room having a rare tidy up, and whilst looking at those ‘wall flower projects’ (things we’ve built, but have no home; they sit on shelves not joining the railway party) we all have. I wondered if some of them could be incorporated in to a small ‘quickie’ project, a project that could be completed in a very much shorter time than previous layouts.

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I had a spare made up ‘Tim Horn’ laser cut baseboard (2 x 1 foot / 65 x 30 cm), so I grabbed a few of the buildings to see if I could make up some kind of workable composition that a railway could fit in to.

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The whole project took around 50 hours spread over two weeks.

You'll be able to read more about this and how it was done in the next Model Rail magazine www.model-Rail.co.uk out in around 3 weeks. The little layout will be on show on the Model Rail stand at the NEC Birmingham 26 & 27 November 2016. Pop by and say hello!

Wycrail - Jolly Good!

IMG_1212, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

Well, that was Wycrail that was! As what a fun day it was too at the brand new and even dare I say slightly stylish location of the Cressex Community School on Aylesbury. The location, well the bits put aside for the show anyway had more in common with that of a modern trade show facility than a a school, which meant lots of light, high ceilings and plenty of space, a contrast to the location of previous years which has simply been outgrown due to the success of the show.

Ian Mellors, that's him by the way in the shot above, very kindly gave up his Saturday and travelled all the way down from Mansfield to help play trains. This is the third year in a row that I've been in dept to Ian for his assistance, so as soon as he gets his new O gauge layout onto the road I hope to return the favour many times over.

Brewhouse Quay, or 'BQ' as I call it behaved as it should, even the wagon turntable shunt worked most of the time, but I really must address the doors that the wagon exit through backscene (seen just to the left of Ian's hand), it's a little too tight for comfort.

Enough for now. I'm in a but of a rush, but here's to Wycrail '13, and if you want to see the wagon tuntable in action, go here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PP1UA4ZxN6A&list=UUPN8LPbSP1wCVX3zr2jSf2Q&index=2&feature=plcp

Cement Quay - Steam Style!

nevard_120927_CQ_IMG_0257, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

Cement Quay dates back to 2006, and after several months not doing a great deal, the September of that year saw nearly everything take place. Scenics can in fact be very quick to do, the basics here only taking a couple of days. Further detailing like weeds and extra static grass being added well after the layout's first outing.

Those who have seen Cement Quay will know that it's usually operated as a present day layout with Class 66, 59 and 37 locos in current liveries, but I've been toying with the idea of portraying it in the last decade of steam with a smattering of diesel power too. Apart from swapping out the LaFarge branding on some of the buildings and the addition of a few period lights like he standard to the right of the loco it's quite easy to backdate industrial locations like this, if only temporarily.

Cement Quay hasn't been on the road since 2009, for no reason other than I have several layouts to rotate through, and that there's always something new on the layout front. I don't do too many shows a year, 3 or 4 maximum being more than enough, but I am thinking about taking Cement Quay as a steam layout to Model Rail Live this time next year and possibly Railex 2014, again as a steam layout to make it different from previous incarnations.

Looking back at the weekend show

nevard_120123_45xx_DSC_1208, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

As mentioned in previous blog posts, the Astolat Model Railway Circle 2012 Expo in Guildford was to be Combwich's last outing for a while pending a total re-wire to take some of the lottery as to whether the layout will perform or not. Luckily, and much to my surprise the old girl, which has now turned 30, presented very few problems other than a dickie frog polarity switch under one of the run around crossover points. On the odd occasion it played up, a little kerfingerkerpoken under the baseboard adressed the issue with most viewers probably not noticing the workaround.

Curiously, Combwich's baseboard alignment was the best it's been since the early 1980's, ever since then, despite the layout living in dry domestic atmosphere, the baseboard join which splits station area in half always leaves the most distant siding behind the goods shed with anything up to a 1mm drop at rail height when all other roads are in perfect alignment. This isn't really a problem, because it's more of less hidden from view and very few trains ever venture that far down the siding. My theory is that the environment at the Guildford show must similar to when the layout was orginally built; I always remember my parent's house being rather hot - actually it still is, and will no doubt get hotter as they get older which will be in harmony with the television getting louder!

The photo above is of the latest newcomer, in the form of an ex-GWR 45xx. I've already blogged about this loco which will in due course be renumbered, but this photo shows the sort of landscape that suits it best. The Bridgwater service provided good reason for its inclusion on Saturday, with it really looking at home trundling in and out of Combwich with a B-Set or pick-up goods. The photo was taken with north facing natural window light, its low angle highlighting many the textures in the scene and soft warm colouring that I like to get into my model making.

Update: Combwich.mov shot by Fungus McBogle at the Astolat Show last weekend: http://youtu.be/cmxLY_ZSv7Q via @youtube

• For photos of Combwich at the exhibition - click here.
• For a bigger version of the above photo - click here.

All up and running

nevard_120119_combwich_DSC_1024, a photo by nevardmedia on Flickr.

43216 arrives at at Combwich with the 2.15pm service from Evercreech Junction, August 1961

This afternoon, Combwich was assembled for an up and under prior to this weekend's show in Guildford. Much to my surprise, it ran pretty well first off, apart from a slight problem with a Peco polarity switch being a tad lazy - next job will be to dismantle the layout and ship it down to the show which is just a couple of miles away. Fingers crossed it will behave itself upon reassembly. We shall see!

The layout has for the last few months been stored vertically with the boards facing each other. I thought I'd stopped the cats getting in, but one of them has obviously managed to get inside, and in trying to escape pulled some of the Silfor grass matting adrift, a little PVA sorted that out. Luckily none of the buildings were damaged by the little darlings. 

Here is a bigger version of the above photo.

What Ever Happened to the Commentator?

I always find it amusing that model railway exhibitions are at sports centres – the type of people that ‘do sport’ are generally the complete opposite to railway enthusiasts. I suppose the advantage is that the exhibition organisers do not need to invest in too many signs or arrows announcing its presence (ideally painted onto an old stripped baseboard top with splodgy white lettering on lumpy SR green) pointing to the show. They simply rely on the plastic bag toting unfashionable non-sporty looking middle aged men to show the way (and they'll always be in 'that queue' 45 before the doors open). We've all met them, and they will have been to every show since the hall was built and most likely with the same Rumbelow's plastic bag that their mother gave to them in 1977 for their very first engine which would have been a Lima Deltic.

As I go in through the sports centre entrance, I normally hold my stomach in and head towards the pretty sporty receptionist in a way that hopefully will make her think that I’m going to ‘do sporty things’ rather than heading for the nerdy ‘fug’, then at the very last moment fork a speedy left behind a suitably large ‘rucksack’ heading for ‘Model Railway Exhibition’.

When exhibiting, we all know that ‘Rule Number 2’ (No.1 is ‘it’s my trainset...’) is to avoid eye contact with anyone suspect looking, this reduces the chance of being knobbled for anything up to an hour (and then regularly for the rest of the day because you're now their 'bezzy mate'). As revenge (often after such a knobbling) I like to pull faces at the weirdoes - it helps the day go faster, especially when bored of operating which is normally by about 10.03 on the Saturday morning. If when exhibiting you cannot see me, I'm probably behind the layout pulling a face at you because you smell, are socially challenged, have bad breath, or maybe simply just far too intense as you insist on showing me your sticky snot covered Triang Mk1 coach you paid £1.86 for. Frequently though all these traits go together.

And finally the real reason for this post, a question aimed at the more southerly exhibition goer; what ever happened to ‘The Commentator’? I have not seen him for ages and miss his wonderful voiceovers “Here comes an LMS 8F, 48660 was based at Bath Shed from 1962-64, it’s going over the points to pick up some wagons… oh dear it has derailed, I imagine a breakdown crane will be along in a minute”……

Combwich at RAILEX!

nevard_101106_wycrail_IMG_8338_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia.

Combwich will be having a rare outing at RAILEX this weekend (28 & 29 May 2011). Tim Maddocks' excellent SDJR Enginewood will be right next door, and the intention is to run occasional trains between the two layouts.


To add to the excitement of this rare operational marriage of layouts, it will also be a chance to see Model Rail's specially commission Sentinel in action - at least 2 months before the production models appear in the UK.

• Find out more about Combwich here!
• Find out more about Enginewood here! 
• Find out about RAILEX here! 
• Find out about the Sentinel here!

RAILEX 2011 Model Railway Exhibition  

Stoke Mandeville Stadium, Harvey Road, Aylesbury, Bucks, HP21 9PP

Saturday 28^th May 10.30-5.30
Sunday 29^th May 10.00-5.00
Adults £7.00, Child £4.00, Family(2+2) £16.00
Sunday only - up to 2 children admitted free with an accompanying paying adult.

Model Rail Sentinel at RAILEX!

An announcement from Model Rail's Chris Leigh...

The proprietors of Combwich and Engine Wood are pleased to announce that it is planned to operate a service between their two layouts at Railex at Stoke Mandeville, May 28/9. Following successful negotiations with the manufacturer, a Model Rail Sentinel demonstrator is expected to operate this service. This is a rare opportunity for those who would like to see the Sentinel in operation.

At the time of writing we understand that the models are in production and we hope to have delivery in August.

CHRIS LEIGH  (Model Rail Mag)

• Order now www.modelrailoffers.co.uk 
• See this loco running at Railex!

Above is a video shot on Combwich demonstrates the very good slow speed performance over hand built track. Any juddery movement here will simply be the You Tube compression which tends to drop frames here and there - not the loco performance which is exemplary!

Grubby Green Planet

nevard_110523_planet_IMG_9983_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia.

This evening saw the completion of the little Roxey Mouldings 0-4-0 Planet diesel. Brewhouse Quay has been put away for a few days while I prepare Combwich for this weekend's RAILEX, so makes as ideal background to pose the little beast on. The wagon in tow is an ex-LBSCR wagon from a Smallbrook Studios kit knocked up a couple of weekends ago.


Here is a more close up view of  the little loco
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nevardmedia/5752986418/in/photostream

• RAILEX
• Combwich
• LBSCR Van
• Planet
• Brewhouse Quay

Brewhouse Quay: 5 Months On

For want of a BLOG post, rather than dwell on pretty photos and blarney, this one is about the journey so far, for Brewhouse Quay has to be one of the quickest layouts I've been able to get together. There is quite a bit more to do, but I think that layout at a push has reached the stage where I'd be happy to take it to a show. That however won't be until September at Model Rail Live in Barrow Hill Roundhouse. Any spare time over the next few weeks will be taken up tweaking Combwich for RAILEX, for that layout is 30 years old now and is a bit like running a classic MG or having a high maintenance wife - constant TLC required!

I digress.....

Whilst the track is handbuilt, the buildings are 50/50 ready to plop/scratchbuilt, that definitely is has a speed advantage. Whether I'd use such a large ratio in the future is debatable - I prefer a more individual approach. However I was offered the brewery buildings as a freebee, and with these latest Scenecraft releases being extraordinarily good and above an beyond what I could achieve with the time I have available (model making is only a small fraction of my involvement within the hobby).

Click on the images to enlarge....

December: planning




January: woodwork and soldering!


February: wiring, the running of the first train


March: groundwork


April: colouring


May: enjoying

Get a high backscene to cover those kebab stains

nevard_110412_brewhouseQ_IMG_9686_web, originally uploaded by nevardmedia.

Brewhouse Quay: The stone on the Scenecraft Oak Hill Brewery buildings out of the box is very light and correct for such a building when new. But a 100 or so years on and the Bath stone will have darkened with algae and pollution; to address this, the stonework has been dry brushed with various Humbrol matt enamels and darker washes to help blend theme in with the areas of the scene. Since taking this snap (under hazy sunlight in the garden), I have repainted the slates on the hopstore to a darker, bluer shade and without the skid marks!

Forest in a Box' Sea Moss from Greenscene (though any make will do) has been sprayed and treated with various flocks for the trees. The trees were then sprayed again with some Ford Laurel Green to get rid of the playground colours. A dusting of the wife's hairspray further fixed everything in place once stuck down.

Hopefully this scene illustrates the importance of a high backdrop - essential if the layout is to photograph well without having to resort to 'Photoshopping' a sky in for publication. There is a bonus with this too especially if you take your layout to shows, that high backscene will be very useful on the Sunday to hide beer bellies and doner kebab stained railway monogrammed polo shirts from the the mark of overindulgence the night before whilst checking out the town's Good Beer Guide Pubs and fast food vans.

• More photos here.
• See this layout at Model Rail Live. 

Time for Pint

The Astolat Model Railway Circle Annual Exhibition on Saturday 15 Jan went very well indeed after a quick set up of only 17 mins from getting out of the car to running a loco. Much to my surprise the layout performed admirably as it did at its last outing at Railex in May 09, with the only 2 derailments of the whole day being caused by not placing stock properly onto the fiddle yard tracks in the first place - duh!


The newly installed working level crossing gates went down a treat with the audience, that and the sunflowers growing in the crossing keeper's garden (why bother with the trains?). A special thank you must go to Dave Renshaw who kindly gave up his day to assist running trains  - I hope it wasn't too stressful!


The tweeded gent to the left isn't an escapee from a society finescale railway modelling gathering,  but the charming Bob Symes who may be familiar to those who remember 1960's & 70's TV - Model World and Tomorrow's World. Amongst other things he also hosted 'Bob's Your Uncle' (Childrens Channel) in the late 1980's.

Enough from me, even though Dave R did all the work running the trains, it's now time for a pint. Next? Full steam ahead with Brewhouse Quay! Toot toot!