Two Short Planks

[Dad-1]

Ahh first THE CHIEF,

Yes, you do spy a shunters truck. I like shunting wagons around so when these came out I thought I'd better buy one .... or
more, but just have the 'Margam Jn' one at present.
The full layout name was/is "Two Short Planks & A Bit On The Side" The bit on the side is a short spur onto a side extension that
was designed for one huge black heavy fuel oil tank, two silver pertol storage tanks and one LPG storage tank all being required by
the marine activity & docks that are off scene. The spur has a turnout and splits into two so I could rotate 45 tonne oil tanks.....
back to my shunting again !! The name was chosen as that's exactly what it is and to take the pee out of any who are too serious !!

You have a good eye there parkeNd. To squeeze in as much as I wanted I used Peco short points except for a medium crossover on the
roads into the station and the two slips which just come as medium. It was an exercise on how much can be squeezed onto a 12" wide
plank, many said there is no way to get 6 tracks to work in such a tight space. Funny the width is not a problem, but at 12 foot long,
excluding the box fiddle yard, I'm always having problems where my wish to run slightly longer freight trains is a constant pain.
The buildings behind are mostly just stored there, although it adds a 3D background that works quite well. I have pondered on improving,
but first I need some old white sheets pinned over the glassfibre insulating ....... but I play around too much rather than get on & do it !!

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

My working layout ........ Good old TSP has some running every week, in fact each day if
I'm at home & have the chance. Well today it has my latest weathered wagons, soaking in
the heat, that should, all being well help cure the PVA ballast mix used to secure my Iron Ore
loads. The final work done in my garage today ....



I fought shy of using the Woodland Scenics red 'Iron Ore' and kept to my dark brown which is much
more like my old home county of Northamptonshire's ore quarries. This was before that red Australian
stuff was a main source ..... but those empties, look a bit red ?



MUST weather that milk tank, just not looking right with all those other grimy wagons around.

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

I've not added any videos for ages, you've all seen this layout often (too often some would say),
but as I weathered 3 more wagons for my Cement Industry stock last week I thought I'd run the
set of 6 empties behind my favourite Hornby BR Blue Class 06 shunter. You know the Scalelectric
speed one that can't pull much & won't run slowly over insulated frog points !!

Well here she is still working hard, taking empties out through the tunnel to the exchange yard.

http://youtu.be/B5ykj08NUEk

My first layout & there is little I'd change after 6 years use.

Geoff T.

[PinkNosedPenguin]

the Scalelectric speed one that can't pull much & won't run slowly over insulated frog points !!

Well, she runs nicely enough in your video Geoff - looks more like scale speed than scalelectric

My first layout & there is little I'd change after 6 years use.

The very definition of a good layout . . . and contentment!

[Dad-1]

Thanks for the comment PNP,

Anyone who knows my postings will know I love my freight wagons. Can one ever have too many ?
I fear I may have to stop buying, certainly I've got enough Iron Ore Tipplers, & Hoppers. Today I
weathered the last 2 and here we have the full train being brought into a siding that's too short !!

I like brush weathering, the application of several different layers of wash gives every wagon it's
individual look & personality. I'm certain I'm a little over the top, but I think they look good !!

http://youtu.be/j0cGByf2E68

Hope somebody else likes them ......

Geoff T.

[Lofty]

Hope somebody else likes them ......

Oh go on then, I will bite...

Yes I like them, although the loco and shunters truck could do with a 'dirty' as well.

[THE CHIEF]

Hope somebody else likes them ......

Oh go on then, I will bite...

Yes I like them, although the loco and shunters truck could do with a 'dirty' as well.

Weather Marilyn! The pride of the line ?!? Shed pets are always clean
The wagons look great. I love the weathering effect. That's a nice rake you've put together, I dare say they'll get a trip round one of your larger builds. You can't have to many wagons. I like TSP's, its like an interactive wagon catalogue

[skyblue]

The wagons look great - I really like the fact that they all have some individuality, despite all being weathered. I decided some time ago that I would stop buying RTR wagons, and focus on building them. That way I can build up my fleet and have the satisfaction of knowing I built some of the wagons in it, while keeping the price at around the level of an RTR wagon. That said, I did buy a Siphon G recently - but that's a piece of non-passenger carrying coaching stock, NOT A WAGON - so I've not broken my rule.

[Dad-1]

Marylin has signs of use, the odd crease here & there, or are they laughter lines ?
The shunters wagon was sort of weathered when bought, do Bachmann say weathered ?
I do agree that shunters truck needs more grime of a earthy & rusty colour rather than black,
some tools sitting on it would also improve things.
The CHIEF is right though, she is the shed pet and quite newly repainted into blue so I
fear filthy wouldn't do.

Skyblue I'll have a wagon project for you soon if Bachmann don't get their Tube & Pipe
wagons out. It's great to see someone I'd call a youngster prepared to put the work into
kit building keep it going even at Uni

Geoff T.

[skyblue]

It's great to see someone I'd call a youngster prepared to put the work into
kit building keep it going even at Uni

Geoff T.

I don't know about keeping it going at university - I'm expected to work a 45 hour week, 25 hours of which is timetabled time. Add to that eating, sleeping etc. and I don't have much free time for doing much else. I should be able to do some work in the holidays though - they are quite long because I only have 8 week terms!

[Black-Marlin]

Anyone who knows my postings will know I love my freight wagons. Can one ever have too many ?
I fear I may have to stop buying, certainly I've got enough Iron Ore Tipplers, & Hoppers...
Geoff T.

I know what you mean - there's something very pleasing about the shape of those hoppers, isn't there?

Black-Marlin's photographs lost through PB.

[Dad-1]

While sorting out some of my mess in the loft ready for the plumber to
come & fix my leaking water tank I took the chance to take 3 photographs
with no lighting other than the scatter coming through the open hatch.

Not perfect, or even good - hand held compact digi cameras have their limits !!







That last one shows off my added interior class 121 lighting quite well.

Geoff T.

[Notroh]

Geoff

I can't see any drips anywhere!

Nice photos though

Peter

[Dad-1]

Peter,

The biggest drip was on the other side of the camera !!

Geoff T.

[Dad-1]

Oh dear, Perhaps I should have left this to die.
Particularly as it's one of my few threads I've not tried replacing photographs.
But then I do use it quite frequently, usually for videos as the poor lighting almost excludes taking
still pictures, but currently I have my sons tripod and took some pictures of different wagon builds.

First we have a couple of Dapol fresh meat vans from the Airfix/Dapol kits



Followed by my recent modified meat van into standard merchandise trim with just one end vent



A couple of BR vans, one having had an initial weathering splash



Interesting to note the colour difference under this low light between RailMatch Early and Late Bauxite colours



All from Kits or un-painted Dapol that at the moment are the same price as many of their kits. Ideal for
anyone wanting to do their own thing and perhaps save some money.

Having dug this from the depths I suppose I'll now have to start trying to find at least some of the missing
photographs. Proves some old layouts don't die although I see some badly cracked ballast !!

Geoff T.