I'm no purist Barry but is there a huge difference between the J26 and J27 ?

I have OR's J27 and yes indeed, they're lovely models but I wondered "why" when they announced the J26 ………………other than a few "cosmetic" differences, there doesn't seem to be much to choose between them in model form - £130 odd for a round window seems a lot to me.  Obviously on the 1:1 version, it's a different matter.

Also - the metal ticket barriers in the station look very good - what are they - brass etches or laser cut MDF ? 

Hi Peter
I have a few older J39's with the "wonderful" Bachmann split chassis arrangement.  By late 1950's, these were on the way out, so replacing them with modern models is a good opportunity.  I am still at a loss as to why no-one has produced a J6.  They had a long life, virtually unchanged, so an easy modelling option.  I find it hard to believe that someone has not had a go at one.

The gateline fencing at Trinity Square is MDF laser cut and comes a kit of parts giving options for all sorts of variations.  I like the entrances to the platforms with the (supplied) platform numbers.  The ticket booths are HO scale telephone boxe kits I picked up ages ago at some show I cannot recall.

Barry

I agree regarding the J6 Barry but I think it was only available in kit form (along with many other RTR absentees)

The mention of "split chassis" fills me with horror - fine for DC operators but an absolute nightmare to convert and, IMHO, just not worth the effort.

Is the laser cut barrier fencing from Scale Model Scenery ?

Hi Peter
Yes - the laser cut barrier did come from SMS as I recall.  Sorry for the delay in replying.


I notice that these kits are beginning to appear again.  They make up to very nice examples of Gresley coaches, there is a good range and they are decent prices - £20 or so for this one complete with metal (Kean/Maygib) wheels.  They are no more complicated than a decent Airfix/Dapol kit but have the advantage that the moulds are much cleaner and therefore the parts actually fit together well.

B

Are they making those Ian Kirk kits again Barry or are they just coming out of the woodwork ?

Great kits if memory serves me right.

To be honest Peter, I dont know.  Someone has bought the 7mm moulds and has put them into production but the 4mm moulds apparently went "missing" some time ago.  There are number on eBay at present.  Hopefully, whomever has them will start releasing the kits back to the market as they are easy to build and very good.  They also cover vehicles not available RTR.  The original production series included a Quint-Art set, currently available for several hundred pounds!!!!!

B

I've seen that "Quint-Art" advertised Barry but I think only bank managers can afford the price………………………(weren't you one of those dying breeds ?)

I do wonder if some of these older kit manufacturers will dust off their production lines given the ever increasing cost of RTR stock nowadays.  It is rapidly reverting to a rich man's hobby again …………………

Now that the big jobs are done, I can spend some time creating little cameo scenes.  Here, the District Nurse in her Morris Traveller has struggled up the low hill to Two Birches Cottage to see the lady of the household.




The lady from Two Birches Cottages usually works as the switchboard operator at Trinity Square.  Here is her "Dolls Eye" switchboard, scratchbuilt from plastic card.  The dolls eyes are just blobs of paint whilst the connecting leads are hairs from an old paintbrush.





I am really pleased with the overall feel of the layout, although many would argue (with much justification) that its far too clean and tidy for the late 1950's.  I keep adding dirt in this area along with some "Wet Effect" to create puddles and standing water around the water cranes etc.  The Scaledale NER engine shed was worth every penny of the inflated price I paid for it.





My chums do like a laugh when they come round for a play!  This, I think, is a 157 or 158 unit at Butterbump in place of the usual Class 108 DMU.  With apologies to all "modern image" modellers, I prefer my "Kettles" and first-generation DMUs.

NOTE - I am still struggling to get my photos to be anything other than HUGE!!!  Any help gratefully received.

I can finally report that RM are sending their photographer in the first week in April and Craig Tiley has told me that he is planning to get Yarslow in the magazine in 2025.   

That,s " A well done from Me " on getting in the RM.

Yes, I'll second that Barry - well done for the RM promise ………………

I have to agree with the "too clean" comments - IHMO, many excellent layouts lack autheticity just because they're too clean.  In the 1950's, things were dirty.  Even by the end of the decade, the effects of the war were still in evidence in that most buildings hadn't been cleaned and bomb sites were still fairly noticable.  Coal fires churned out soot and the railways were pretty filthy, lots of old pre-nationalisation rolling stock was still being used and therefore had "seen better days".  Dirty things up and Yarslow will become a totally different beast - I promise !!!

The cameos will grab "local" attention - love the little switchboard room - but the overall effect should be dirt and grime - as I said IMHO  

 

Hi Peter

Its really hard to add tons of grot but I so understand why I should.  Even though the layout locations dont exist, I'm trying to present something that would be realistic if it did.  That means grot.  Now that the constructio is done, I will break out the weathering powders and grit my teeth!  I have a horrible feeling that if I just do a bit of dirt, it will look wrong so I need to be brave.

B

Barry Miltenburg said

Hi Peter

Its really hard to add tons of grot but I so understand why I should.  Even though the layout locations dont exist, I'm trying to present something that would be realistic if it did.  That means grot.  Now that the constructio is done, I will break out the weathering powders and grit my teeth!  I have a horrible feeling that if I just do a bit of dirt, it will look wrong so I need to be brave.

B

From “Post #291,612”, 26th February 2025, 10:38 pm

Really difficult decision Barry. It may not look exactly realistic as it is, as it's too clean for some,  but it's your railway and Rule 1 applies.

Congratulation on getting the layout in RM, you'll have to let us know what edition it will be in, nearer the time 

(When you say your pictures are Huge, what exactly do you mean, as they look fine from here)


Ed
 

I absolutely understand your reticence in throwing dirt at your carefully planned and executed layout Barry and, as Ed says, it's absolutely your choice.  I did say in my post it was "IMHO" and who am I to make such suggestions to someone whose layout puts mine to absolute shame !!

You could try on an "unseen" corner with some powders and bits of "junk" as often left lying around railways.  With rolling stock, try an older cheapo wagon - from what I've read, most acrylic type weathering along with powders can be easily removed if you're not happy.  I'm not suggesting you attack your A4 "Streaks" …………………..yet !!!

Guys

I so get the weathering thing - I have weathered the track, added some wash to the figures and used weathering powders on some of the buildings, plan to weather the locos and stock so why should I not weather the ground and the trackside stuff.  In a similar vein, the embankments would start to look a bit overgrown and areas like the loco sheds would have a lot of junk lying about amongst the unkempt piles of ash and clinker.  There is no doubt that the photos of the late 1950's and 1960's show real atmosphere, albeit based around dirt and filth.

Rule 1(a)(i) is going to apply here - its my layout BUT it will look realistic BUT through my (somewhat) rose-tine glasses!!!

Peter - always open to an honest opinion!

btw - Yarslow still has not seen a "Streak" as it sits on a secondary main line and the trains are too short to justify them.  I have a fleet of B1's and a couple of V2's though.  I do allow the 2-8-0 engines (O1, O2,O4 and WD classes) to appear as part of the "workaday" image.  The last time my chums came over, one of the express trains was spotted behind a blue Class 47 and a Caley 4-2-2 appeared!!!

As a fellow LNER fan Barry, I'd be interested in what you have in your loco stud ……………

Whilst I do have a "Streak", it's currently in its box.  It was fine on Maxwell 1 but Maxmill Mk 2 is much smaller so a big passenger express would look silly.  Unfortunately I'm now restricted to smaller locos.

 

Hi Peter - The loco stud is quite a list, built up over the last 20 years or so but expanded when the new Yarslow layout came into being about 4 years ago.  Some of the older examples, like the "Bachmann Mainline" types are getting a bit old and dont look as sharp as the more modern models, but in the absence of a Lottery win, they will have to be replaced bit by bit!  I tend to buy locos in pairs for variety although I haven't done this for the rarer calsses (Q6, D11, etc)

LNER
4-6-0  7 x Class B1, Class B12, 2 x Class B17
4-4-0  2 x Class D16/3, 2 x Class D49 (Hunt), Class D11 (New for the proposed RTCS Excursion)
0-6-0  3 x Class J39, 2 x Class J11, 2 x Class J15, 2 x Class J27, Class J36
0-6-0T  2 x Class J72
2-6-0  2 x Class K1, 2 x Class K3
2-6-4T  Class L1
0-6-2T  Class N7
2-6-2  2 x Class V1
2-6-2T  2 x Class V3
0-8-0  Class Q6
2-8-0  2 x Class O4, 2 x Class O2, Class O1
0-4-0T  Sentinel Class Y1

LMS
2-4-2T  LYR CLass 5
2-6-2T  Ivatt tank

BR STANDARDS
2-6-0  Class 2MT, 2 x Class 4MT
2-6-2T  2 x Class 3MT
2-6-4T  2 x Class 4MT
4-6-0  Class 4MT, Class 5MT
2-8-0  Austerity WD

DIESELS
Class 20, 2 x Class 24, 3 x Class 25
Class 105 DMU, CLass 108 DMU

Barry

And for those with an interest in the mundane, there are;

105 Coaches + 20 NPCS items

235 Opens (mineral & traffic)
164 Vans
12 Livestock
24 Flats (most with container loads)
107 "Traffic" vehicles  2 Meat
                                   13 Fruit
                                   15 Cement
                                   19 Fish
                                   2 Gunpowder
                                   10 Grain
                                   46 Tanks (Oil, Milk, other)
28 Engineering vehicles
31 Brake Vans

Phew!!

That,s quite a list Barry.

Wow Barry that is most impressive! 
How long has it taken to collect all that? 
Some of us can only dream haha. 
Also what does NPCS mean? 

Hi Darius

This collection has taken about 10 years to put together, mostly show and e-Bay bargains plus the Hattons multi-packs for open and vans etc.  Some trains comprise decent, but older Hornby, Mainline and Dapol stock.  They look fine enough on a through train but I wouldn't shunt with them.  Any wagons that need to be shunted are modern Bachmann elements.

NPCS is Non Passenger Coaching Stock - parcels stock in laymans language.  I include the stock on the pigeon train.  Gresley built specialist pigeon stock but they were full brakes with some windows blocked off and lots of internal shelving for the pigeon baskets.

Barry