Bingham show is now over, and it was a truly great little exhibition. Definitely worth the visit for the public, I think.

Piedmont Blues did us proud. With only small issues of dirty track and an overexited servo powering one of the turnouts, plus rusty wheels on the RS3 and GP35 needing a good clean, the show went really well.

All the minor issues were fixed respectively with a thorough cleaning with a block of wood and some isoproyl alcohol,  disconnecting the servo and operating the turnout by hand for 20 minutes to allow it to cool down, and then running the layout using the Plymouth switcher for a while whilst the two 4 axle locos had their wheels serviced.

Not many changes were made to the layout whilst we were at the show - with the exception of a couple of crossed ties at the end of the Georgia Hardware spur to stop cars running off the end of the layout.

Instead, we were focused on taking turns running trains, and whilst one of us was doing that, Ford would work on lighting the buildings, and I was working on freight car projects.

Speaking of:



With the exception of adding the running numbers to the car ends, this one is now ready for weathering. Hopefully I'll have that done, and a full loose load of woodchips done by Seaboard Southern in September.

The car was set up on the end of our layout tables as a display piece for the public.



We're planning to have a full information display ready for September as well, showing prototype photographs of the area we are modelling.

On the subject of photographs, here are a bunch I took showing the layout set up in it's (current) entirity…

































Lots to do between now and September, but before anything can happen with the layout, I need to finalise purchase of my new house and get moved in, as I'll have the space to have the layout set up permanently so I can work on it. :)

It's looking excellent, Daniel.   :thumbs

Thanks Max! :)

Look what turned up in the mail from my O scale supplier, Mr. Dickie!






Which immediately went into the paint shop, and now looks like this:







Interestingly, #100 was the first RS3 built for the L&N by Alco, way back in… November 1951. No idea what became of her in the end, but on Piedmont Blues she still lives! Or she will do, when I've finished weathering her up. :)

Here she is after further application of Pan Pastels. Almost unrecognisable from her B&M origins.






More work coming as and when I get the chance. :D

Not much of an update this week, as I've been relaxing and playing xbox, as well as hitting the gym to try and get in better shape for a Tough Mudder event at the end of July.

I've done a little more work on L&N #100, trying to get the model to look more like the prototype photographs I'm working from.

Still a loooooong way to go, so be kind! :)





Please ignore the blu-tac covering the headlamps, I'm trying to keep paint/powders off them.





:)

Hi Dan,

Nice looking Alco.

Nigel

Thanks Nigel. :)

Only a quick update for today. I had an hour this afternoon and managed to fit - and do the initial testing of - an ESU Loksound L V4 in my GP35. I need to build a speaker baffle to better fit the speaker into the fuel tank on the bottom of the loco, which will be a project for another day.



The decoder fitting was surprisingly simple. I do still need to wire in the headlights for the loco though, but again - project for another day! :D



I'm happy - it works.



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Inspired by suggestions from a user on another forum, I've had a go at a second draft of the proposed track plan. Much more interesting, I think. :)

L&N RS3 #100 is into the final stretch now. Once the weathering is finished I'll be adding the number boards to the hood ends, I also need to create a horn bracket to match the prototype photographs I've been working from, which are here:

L&N 100

(Click to enlarge)

I've fitted the railings but still need to weather them.

With some rare sunny weather yesterday, I took her outside to get some daylight photographs:





Overall I'm really happy with how this is turning out. Next to be detailed and weathered once this one is finished will be my Atlas GP35. :)

Still a ways to go, but it's already less of a stark contrast as it was before. I noticed when assembling it that one of the handrails is broken, so I'm going to scratchbuild a replacement post and use wire to fashion the replacement handrail. Shouldn't take too much work. :)

It looks magnificent, Dan - as does the whole layout!

Congratulations!

Thanks  Max. :)

For now, L&N #100 is complete. I'm just in the process of ordering some glazing sets from Jason Dickie, and then I'll need to save up for a new loksound decoder to go into it.



As such, I've started on the appearance of the GP35. I'll get photos as soon as I can. In the mean time…

A nice busy shunting layout indeed...

Thanks Ron!

With the RS3 pretty much complete, I've made a start on GP35 #2709 - it just HAD to be a S&A unit. :)

So far, I've added decals and then given it a light dusting of a light brown (almost green) Pan Pastel to tone down the black.

Got to build this up in layers, as the matt varnish sealer takes a lot of the pastel effect away. Still, it's a start.

I'm planning on taking photos after each stage of the weathering job so people can see how I do it. :)

When the Southern RS3 gets it's turn, I plan on doing a video of the whole process too. :)

Greetings everyone!

It's been a while, but I am officially moved into my new home, and I've settled into my new layout room with gusto!

I now have the space to have Piedmont Blues set up permanently, with space to expand it around walls. I'm over the moon. :D



Taking advantage of this, I used the new space to work on the layout a lot more to get it ready for the Seaboard Southern Exhibition that took place last Saturday.

I took a few photos from the day. Enjoy!

Congratulations Dan, not only a new home for you and the railway, but one with expansion space to boot! 

The layout looks superb and I particularly like the attention to weathering both stock and the environment.

You're going from strength to strength. 

Have fun,

Bill