Somewhere SW of London. Somewhen before today

Might look a bit clunky, but brings back memories of living in South West London 

And they don't look as clunky when you are three feet waway from them at a normal layout viewing distance.  They do look "textured" though rather than simply painted and that is was I was trying to achieve.  The same cxonsideration applies to the platform surface and the numerous other concrete structures.  Go back and review the earlier images for now until I can restore those scenes and post updated images.  

With the seasonal break now over I spent today’s club-room time making noise!

With only one other member present it was an ideal opportunity to cut down the over-height back panels. Most were simply shorn of their tops but the two already fitted with backscene had to be trimmed top and bottom so that the scene lowered by an appropriate amount.

I then posed the new EFE class 74 for a couple of views and included the blue “Hornby” or class 70 as they are sometimes but incorrectly known.  

Also new are two full houses for the street scene. The previous low-relief ones will be turned to face into the layout offering their “open” sides to the viewing area. The front panel will rise to obscure the view of white resin.

A couple of hours in the MRC this afternoon has resulted in a little more progress.  It has also resulted in the class 74 moving under its own power and completing an end-to-end trip along the passenger lines in both directions.



More black paint has been applied to the previously-bare wood of the back- and front-scene panels and to make it harder to see the bodges in the siding areas when folk peer in - as they always do - to see what you've got in there.



There have been significant roof leaks in recent weeks and condensation dripping from the beams was a problem today (for us all, not just in my area) but thankfully the plastic drop-sheets I drape over the layout when I'm not working on it have kept it dry.  Despite there being several sizeable "ponds" which required draining before I removed them!



White vinegar painted onto bare wood is a great mould / mildew inhibitor and a cheap tip for anyone else with dampness and bare timber to manage.

Good thinking with the drop sheets. Thanks for the tip about white vinegar, you'll know what humidity problems we have on Bribie Island.

Roads not flooded where you are then Rick

Ed said

Roads not flooded where you are then Rick

From “Post #293,114”, 30th January 2026, 7:57 am

Some roads are flooded.  Some have been flooded.  Some are partially flooded but passable with care and / or in 4WD or large goods vehicles.  There are some trees down (still) and more require attention before all roads are really safe after three successive storms in as many weeks.  A few roads in heavily-wooded areas remain blocked awaiting the attention of people with large chain-saws, heavy lifting gear and the ability to clear damaged stone walls from the roads.  And it's still raining.  

There were two days when we were all but cut off after Storm Grotty as trees blocked most roads; only one minor road remained open and that only with care.  Since when the main roads have been intermittently flooded but seldom for more than a few hours at a time.  Bridges over water-courses are a high risk due to debris (mostly storm-damaged trees / shrubs) being washed down and blocking the bridge thereby causing flooding over the top.  Run-off from fields is at the highest level anyone can remember.  Much of that is cascading down the roads and paths; this means passing vehicles put up spray plus included mud and sometimes stones.  

We only lost power for three hours but many areas including half of our town were off supply for up to five days due to the extensive damage caused as trees brought wires down and the mess then damaged cars, walls and buildings on the ground.

It's an interesting time out there but nothing we don't take in our stride.  We are accustomed to poor weather - usually wind, often rain - as we stick right out into the Atlantic with nothing solid between us and Canada.  

Hope things get better sooner rather than later.

Gwiwer said

Ed said

Roads not flooded where you are then Rick

From “Post #293,114”, 30th January 2026, 7:57 am

Some roads are flooded.  Some have been flooded.  Some are partially flooded but passable with care and / or in 4WD or large goods vehicles.  There are some trees down (still) and more require attention before all roads are really safe after three successive storms in as many weeks.  A few roads in heavily-wooded areas remain blocked awaiting the attention of people with large chain-saws, heavy lifting gear and the ability to clear damaged stone walls from the roads.  And it's still raining.  

There were two days when we were all but cut off after Storm Grotty as trees blocked most roads; only one minor road remained open and that only with care.  Since when the main roads have been intermittently flooded but seldom for more than a few hours at a time.  Bridges over water-courses are a high risk due to debris (mostly storm-damaged trees / shrubs) being washed down and blocking the bridge thereby causing flooding over the top.  Run-off from fields is at the highest level anyone can remember.  Much of that is cascading down the roads and paths; this means passing vehicles put up spray plus included mud and sometimes stones.  

We only lost power for three hours but many areas including half of our town were off supply for up to five days due to the extensive damage caused as trees brought wires down and the mess then damaged cars, walls and buildings on the ground.

It's an interesting time out there but nothing we don't take in our stride.  We are accustomed to poor weather - usually wind, often rain - as we stick right out into the Atlantic with nothing solid between us and Canada.  

From “Post #293,117”, 30th January 2026, 9:10 pm

I asked as I wondered how easy it had been to get to the MRC.

Sounds a bit grim, but probably just a bit worse than normal for that part of the country.

Stay safe, soon be summer 

 

Echoing that last … please you and Sharon stay safe and don't go out into it unless you really have to.

Roads are mostly in a better state now.  Last week's trip to MRC was only possible with care as only one route was open and that was flooded in places.  The water levels are falling very slowly even though it is still raining at times.  

Tomorrow should see an easier trip to MRC with the main road route now open again.  There are a lot of new potholes where trees and stone walls have damaged road surfaces but so far I have avoided them.  Online reporting to the council often produces a fairly swift response even if, in the interim, that is only a shovel-full of tarmac stamped down with a boot.  

I''m hoping to get a few clips of the 74 and possibly something else moving up and down the layout if all goes well.  The full re-wire will have to wait for warmer months when I can grub about under the layout without getting damp clothing.  When the layout was dismantled in London I labelled all the cut ends of wire so despite the track-plan changes much is already in place and only needs re-joining.  

Fingers crossed for no more storms.

A cold and very damp afternoon was spent in the club room. But productive in its way.

I rigged enough wiring to operate the passenger lines. They are not fault-free, they require some switched isolation in due course (but not just yet with one item powered) and the uneven floor gives rise to poor rail alignment at board joins.

But things move.

The next sheet of back scene was also pasted up with fervent hopes that it doesn’t bubble beyond recall in the dampness. This has a curved corner to reduce the “corner” effect when photographed.

Those three little links at the very bottom will take you to video clips.

Waddlemarsh - gwiwer

Waddlemarsh - gwiwer

Waddlemarsh - gwiwer
 

Looks good. I do the same with corners. Looks much better than a 90 degree corner. 

Nice to see trains running Rick 

See  what you mean about poor rail alignment at board joins.

 

Ed said

Nice to see trains running Rick 

See  what you mean about poor rail alignment at board joins.

 

From “Post #293,140”, 5th February 2026, 8:13 am

I suspect that the poor rail alignment over the joins might be a bigger issue than I would wish.  The MRC floor is rather uneven but the layout has adjustable feet.  The winter dampness affects every layout there; those with multiple boards all find the same namely that every time they are fired up everything derails over the joins.  We think it is micro-distortion caused by humidity.  

By contrast in summer it can reach 35C inside.  While that is a temperature I am well used to my experience then was largely outside.  Everything expands to the point of going "PING" indoors and the membership calls off the session when the temperature gets unbearable.  It's far from ideal but it's what we have.  A lot of space all our own with 24/7 access - the envy of many a MRC - in a poor and unsuitable building which was an agricultural store.  

My track ends are mostly not irretrievably secured in place.  Some have been screwed down and behave better than others.  I may have to do the  same with the rest in due course but I want to get the electrics sorted out fairly soon in order to have a decent running season once (or if) the weather dries and warms up a bit.  

Today’s session in the clubroom resulted in power being wired to the goods lines. Not yet into the yard as that requires the double-slip to be wired and the board-join to be bridged with plug-in choc-blocks. Maybe next week eh? 
 
More backscene was applied; the full viewing area is now fitted though a little tidying-up is needed where trees, clouds and buildings don’t quite match at the joins. 
 
The first appearance of a varnished 2-Bil unit was recorded.  An early-blue EDL has arrived in the yard which has more scenic work appearing. Including the shunter’s mess relocated from the back to the front of the scene. 

Looking very good Rick.  I like the guy staggering out of the loo - one wonders what he's got in his billy-can ……………….

What is the backscene - looks the part and fits in nicely. 

Petermac said

Looking very good Rick.  I like the guy staggering out of the loo - one wonders what he's got in his billy-can ……………….

What is the backscene - looks the part and fits in nicely. 

From “Post #293,197”, 14th February 2026, 7:10 pm

The backscene is ID Backscenes "Into The Town" packs 107A, B and C.  Not all of the six panels in those packs has been used.  These are the self-adhesive version.  I started out with wallpaper paste and plain-paper ones but have overlaid the self-adhesive versions.  In a damp clubroom wallpaper paste took too long to go off.  Other adhesives are available but some are not ideal for bubble-free backscene fitting.  The self-adhesive ones are fine and can be eased away from the wood and re-fixed if needed.  Never let them stick to themselves though!  That ruins the printed surface.  

I think we can assume our man at the grotty has relieved himself of the one-time contents of his billy-can!  

Gwiwer said

Petermac said

Looking very good Rick.  I like the guy staggering out of the loo - one wonders what he's got in his billy-can ……………….

What is the backscene - looks the part and fits in nicely. 

From “Post #293,197”, 14th February 2026, 7:10 pm

The backscene is ID Backscenes "Into The Town" packs 107A, B and C.  Not all of the six panels in those packs has been used.  These are the self-adhesive version.  I started out with wallpaper paste and plain-paper ones but have overlaid the self-adhesive versions.  In a damp clubroom wallpaper paste took too long to go off.  Other adhesives are available but some are not ideal for bubble-free backscene fitting.  The self-adhesive ones are fine and can be eased away from the wood and re-fixed if needed.  Never let them stick to themselves though!  That ruins the printed surface.  

I think we can assume our man at the grotty has relieved himself of the one-time contents of his billy-can!  

From “Post #293,202”, 14th February 2026, 11:32 pm

 

Three damp and cold hours in the club room ended with progress having been made. 

The self-adhesive backscenes fitted last week had not adhered to the wood so were encouraged with some wallpaper paste today. Some of the goods yard fence has been glued back into place. 

The track was finally connected between fiddle yard, goods lines and the new loco sidings; there are only two of the latter not the planned three due to space constraints. 

A sheet of black card is placed where a permanent scene will be fitted.  The 73 is on the goods line and the two new sidings are occupied. 

A BR Standard and a Q1 are seen in the yard where the condemned Mk1 coach has reappeared. And the 4-wheel shunter is once again parked on the Merchant’s Siding with a coal wagon. The buildings will be new positions as shown but there will still be a coal bunker (or staithe) and the little coal delivery float will return.