777 Challenge – Newport Model Railway Society

Blue Monday

19 January 2026 / 777 Challenge, Cwm Carno, Mainline and City, Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae

Apparently Monday Jan 19th, 2026 is designated Blue Monday, so what better way to dispel the blues than building model railways.

So TAFKATYS progressed with his ScaleSeven Sir Lamiel’s 777 Quest layout mocking up the buildings and to bring a sense of scale, introducing a BR(SR) N15 30803 Sir Harry le Fise Lake to the scene.

Elsewhere Andrew prepared some wiggly tin for a building on his 00 Lyne Road layout.

Paul 🏅🏅painted the side of Cwm Carno in a uplifting shade of red.

And LBH built a chicken coop for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae.

By the end of Tuesday the fiddle yard boards had been painted to match.

Having prepared the Dingham couplings its time to apply them to some stock. The workman’s train is made up of some Dapol Mainline and City coaches. They are well made and the ‘footplate’ is cast in some sort of Mazak metal. It took Dremel and a burr to gouge out space for the coupling shank, which was then araldited in place. It now needs blackening.

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Another Friday

16 January 2026 / 777 Challenge, Cwm Carno

TAFKATYS is processing with the planning of his S7 777 challenge layout. A bit of Templotting, with a mug to represent a wagon turntable and the length of wood to represent another track crossing on the level.

And Paul 🏅🏅 acknowledging the requirement for appropriate lubrication paints the Cwn Carno boards.

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So many challenges

12 January 2026 / 777 Challenge, Cwm Carno

Good progress being made on the Scalefour Society Jubilee Challenge with Cwm Carno gaining its halo thanks to Paul albeit with temporary supports.

Then another challenge emerges – this time in ScaleSeven – the Sir Lamiel’s 777 Quest. TAFKATYS, whose brainchild this was, has made a start on the baseboard for the as-yet unnamed layout.

Meanwhile Mr C has been plugging away at the Dingham couplers and prepared the hooks, little flappy things and the loops ready for assembly later this week.

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