Deadline !!
For the Scalefour Jubliee Challenge we have to show that all the track works, by the end of March. Here are two of the videos showing most of the running. All routes were videoed but these are just a selection as they are sizeable files.
For the Scalefour Jubliee Challenge we have to show that all the track works, by the end of March. Here are two of the videos showing most of the running. All routes were videoed but these are just a selection as they are sizeable files.
First a couple of photos from the show showing PE in action.


Behind the scenes there were plenty of bodies as we were overstaffed for PE but happy to be away as a group. Unusually we didn’t have Jaffa Cakes as part of our provisions but Welsh cakes were a good substitute. Luke had spare time to work on some wagons for Cwm Carno.


By the end of Sunday six wagon bodies had replacement chassis. On PE no. 4248 ran the coal train for the whole show without any problems.


Pavilion End at Ally Pally Read More »
On Saturday 14th Luke took his Queens Wharf to the Filton Aerodrome show. This took place in the Concorde hanger and QW was placed under one of the plane’s wings.


Taken under Concorde’s wing Read More »
Further work on Cwmcarno fiddle yards included darkening the run-in sections as they could be visible from certain angles, as well as glueing and weighing down the transition to the cassettes.
The remaining retaining bolts for the fiddle yards were araldited in place, some harder to get at than others, and one near impossible.



Two years ago Luke bought this model of Talyllyn’s Dolgoch at the AllyPally show. It has since been re-chassised, detailed and repainted, and is ready for the Sodbury Vale’s show at British Aerospace Filton.
Also prepared for a show is Pavilion End, ready for the 20th-22nd weekend.

Arriving at the centre on Friday 6th we found we had the company of a pack of Cubs who I guess were going to have a ‘sleepover’. There was a lot more energy in the building than usual !!
In the clubrooms Luke sorted through some 4mm coaches that might have got to run on LMJ and put together to form the Newport – Brecon service on Cwm Carno. A pannier tank or Collett Goods would be a more typical locomotive.

On Tuesday 24th Feb we had a test track running evening, a bit of a departure from normally having only one session at the end of the year. There was plenty of stock being tried out but only a couple made it in front of a camera. I think we were happy to just watch trains, drink tea and eat muffins.
Mike E and Steve B combined to provide a good train of USA based stock. The Welsh Wizard showed a 9F and WD 8F, though not his builds.


Test Track Evening Read More »
This will be disappointing for those who are fans of the final GWR pannier tanks.
The connection is mathematical as on Monday there were two 42xx tanks in 7mm scale being worked on at the same time. Mr C was giving a much needed clean to the wheels of 4248 which runs on Pavilion End.
Alongside The Welsh Wizard was sorting out the running on a 42 belonging to Don. It was stripped right down to the frames for attention to the bearings.

Mike E is a bit of a fan of wiggly tin (corrugated iron if you have to ask) and has been using it extensively on his own 7mm scale Hogwash and Baloney short line.
Here he is in 4mm working on the screens for Cwmcarno. This lot of tin is for the screens’ roof. For information on the corrugated form tool see the 31 Aug 25 post (or click Wiggly Tin above).

Then on Friday the electrical connection to the exchange sidings was made allowing test running and a check on the sector plate operation. Some stock was tested too along with the colliery trackwork. Some track needed reglueing which is under the weight in the second picture. Also Wagonman gave his Cl 25 an outing.


With the electricals on Cwmcarno progressing well its time to test more running on the layout. Here we manage to get two trains running at the same time.
The workman’s train seen above needs some passengers. From the internet we have this bargain collection of vivid figures – how many Michael Portillos can you count?
After a bit of attention from Luke they now are more subdued.


The train itself is a nice model from Dapol of Mainline and City stock. It really should be closer coupled. The magnetic couplers purchased to help were nice but really intended for coaches with corridor connections. So using the same idea some mini-magnets were put into the Dapol-supplied couplings to do the job.
