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.
A lot of shifting of baseboards took place to get Pavilion End erected in the layout room. The layout itself worked well after its storage with all tracks working plus success with turnouts, uncouplers and signal. However, there has been some damage to fences, deterioration in buildings and velcro on the fascia supports come loose.
For Queens Wharf Luke is building a quarry locomotive and started assembling a High Level gearbox. By the end of the evening the chassis was running well.
Meanwhile, also in the layout room, electrical connections to the track work meant we were able to see the very first movement on Cwmcarno. It was not without its problems.
There was a good attendance on Monday with Rob F building a tank wagon, The Wizard fettling Usk, Andrew J weighing up options for scenic buildings on Lyne Road, LBH fettling some wagons that didn’t perform well at Thornbury and Paul completing the Fiddle Yard legs one Cwm Carno.
Tuesday saw a Zoom meeting with a fiendish Quiz from Stephen B and discussions on possible layouts from Mr C and Luke.
Thanks to sterling work by Paul 🏅🏅we have all fiddle yard boards and legs for Cwm Carno. So in the space created last session we are able to fully erect it for the first time. First the north fiddle yard, then all four. The max length was just less then 5 metres.
From the expansive to the compact, Luke has brought along Queen’s Wharf for a little attention.
Perhaps this is the wrong end of January ring out the old and ring in the new, but changes are afoot.
Lyne Road and Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae have been packed away to allow Cwm Carno to sprout fiddle yards in readiness for the next checkpoint in the development of Cwm Carno – we need to able prove that we are running trains throughout by the end of March (this year !).
And here’s another change afoot.
Or more accurately a Rob Foot, who has achieved a January resolution by getting more modelling done at the club. He’s come equipped with his worktray and big plastic storage box, along with a Slater’s kit for a tank wagon.
Ringing the changes Read More »
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.
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.
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.
So many challenges Read More »