PeterH's Great Central themed layout.

[Eastern]

I do like the tunnel and backdrop scenery and how the eye is drawn in - lots of photo opportunities there especially the one with the Deltic! I also like the distant signal - would that be a Ratio one?

[PeterH]

Thank you for the kind comments!

The distant signal is a Dapol working example.

I’ve bought a double slip and two curved points so I can now continue with the track relaying in the GCR station area, I’ve also drawn up the track plan to use on the control panel - something I’m really not looking forward to doing the wiring, not a strong point of mine; as you can tell I enjoy the scenery side of things!

[Chops]

More, please.

[PeterH]

So the weekend just gone I spent most of the time watching the BRM/World of Railways virtual exhibition online - a very well put together event, most enjoyable. It did mean though I didn’t get much work on the layout done. I have been doing a few little bits though, first off the track diagrams is at a stage I’m happy with and makes sense (to me at least!). I’ve also started work on the tunnel smoke effect.

[PeterH]

Hi all. I’ve been getting on with a few bits and pieces, mainly the control panel and starting to wire point motors etc. Just waiting for some bits of wood to arrive before I can continue laying track and wiring. I needed a change of work for today so decided to crack on with the coach lighting on this brake coach which has been sat on my desk for months.

Previously I was using track pick up, bridge rectifier, capacitor and light strip but I found it a little unreliable and when you have 11 coach trains they drain a lot of power! I’ve therefore gone down the button battery, Reed switch and light strip method.

I’ve cut the gangway door off one end (I use paper corridor connectors so the hole will not be visible) to allow access to the battery to replace it when it runs out, saving the need to open the coach. The light strip is powered via a reed switch and a second one for the tail lamp. The tail lamp can be turned off if it isn’t at the end of the train for example.

Click image for video:

[PeterH]

And another coach lighting completed!

[PeterH]

So it’s been a busy day or two working on the Great Central station on the layout. Platform sides and the paving slabs/coping stones are from scalemodelscenery, took a while to do! Excuse the wire wrapped around the chimney, building lighting yet to have holes drilled and connections made. Obviously a lot to finish doing but starting to look smart.

Next job will be back to the electrics over the weekend, I want to get the track all down and connected up before next week.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kS12vm]

[url=https://flic.kr/p/2kS7WgC]

[PeterH]

ETHEL 3 has arrived to go behind my 80s railtours. Great way to annoy my 4mm train spotters!

[PeterH]

It has been a little while since my last update, I’ve been getting on with a combination of things, track laying, wiring and scenery. This little hillside to the right of the bridge arch popped up today!





Tomorrow I will be fitting the backscene and continuing the work with the bridge. I might see about starting the embankment on the other side if I get that far.

[Mountain]

Very nice. The paving slabs make it look real.

[Chops]

Astonishing bit of architecture, that brick walk way to the bridge.

[PeterH]

So the back scene is up and the embankment under construction. I’ll be painting that brown and adding earth scatter to it tonight and then static grass and vegetation tomorrow.

[Bigmet]

Astonishing bit of architecture, that brick walk way to the bridge.

The GCR's 'London Extension' made much use of this construction style, the Station building in conjunction with a road overbridge. You cannot see the real fun feature, there was typically a polished wooden slide down one side of the stairway. Sadly this was intended for easy movement of 'smalls', mailbags, parcels, etc., rather than for the enjoyment of boys. (No question of girls using it, the typical costume of any girl from a family that could afford to buy their children railway tickets precluded that.)

[RailwayRobbo]

Astonishing bit of architecture, that brick walk way to the bridge.

The GCR's 'London Extension' made much use of this construction style, the Station building in conjunction with a road overbridge. You cannot see the real fun feature, there was typically a polished wooden slide down one side of the stairway. Sadly this was intended for easy movement of 'smalls', mailbags, parcels, etc., rather than for the enjoyment of boys. (No question of girls using it, the typical costume of any girl from a family that could afford to buy their children railway tickets precluded that.)

There's still one at Loughborough.

[Bigmet]

...There's still one at Loughborough.

And so much more! The GCR mainline between Leicester and Loughborough where the works are, and all those I met were very friendly in providing access and information.

And if your interest extends to industrial archaeology, Taylor's are not far away. These are now the last bellfounders working in the UK, and for anyone interested in the dawn of the industrial revolution and the associated growth of the railway, provides a good feel for what the engineering workplace was like at the time. Still handmaking the moulds for bells from a recipe involving cow dung, sand and clay...

Tours have to be booked in advance. https://loughboroughbellfoundry.org/