Week ending June 8

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After a slight break in continuity, hopefully full service will be resumed.

Its now Monday 2nd of June and there’s not much to report from the previous week. Today work continued around the workshop with planking applied to the inside of the door and more paint. Behind the workshop site the hedging was looking a little thin so more was stuck on. Some autumn colour now needs to be added.

Tuesday was the Zoom session for June and we had an update on the Hogwash and Baloney short line from Mike E. This was followed by pictures from Steve B of railway installations found on the French MOD archive website featuring WW1 photos of very good quality from behind the front lines. Lots of temporary track and lashed up stock. We ended with a collection of pics selected by Rod from around Wales, including some B&M stock of course. (but no photos of Machen)

Friday saw LBH replace a broken plasticard drawbar on his newly-acquired ScaleSeven ex-GWR mogul with a more resilient one in brass, only to discover that he had installed a short circuit. Further investigation, assisted by Mr Chairman and our Wizard, revealed that pick-up was by a form of the American system where loco and chassis are each live to the track on opposite sides. The pick-up was unusual in that the loco could run independently. A piece of paxolin has been set aside to form a new insulated drawbar.

Elsewhere on Friday Mr C continued working on the garage for ABB, Mike E in his Hogwash and Balony Depôt, our Wizard on a Coal Tank and Luke on Cwm Carno trackwork.


Saturday saw a rare outing for LBH’s Crindau Pill as a photographic backdrop at the Welsh Railway Research Circle’s AGM. Here seen with a variety of pre-grouping rolling stock.

Lost and Found – one cap

Week ending June 8 Read More »

Week ending May 25

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Monday was very lightly attended with quite a few people gallivanting around the country.

The garage / workshop as had some colour applied to the side and roof, and the fence stuck in place. We now need some debris and junk to go in the corner around where the tree will go.

On Tuesday the workshop had more paint applied and it was turned around with the doors at the correct end.

The good looking 82xxx from Lionheart is having some attention from the Welsh Wizard. The handrails are very fragile so will be removed and replaced with nickel silver wire.

The station building for Mike E’s Hogwash and Balony short line continues to take shape with the windows going in today.

For Cwmcarno the second turnout is nearing completion and is being tried in place on the layout with the one made previously. The first shot looks down the valley with the mainline curving to the right. The second one looks out from the exchange sidings.

Friday was extremely lightly attended – just myself and Robert making his second visit to the club. He came with some electrical questions that I was unfortunately unable to answer.

Having decided to have one of the doors on the workshop in the open position, I tried to carefully cut it out. However, it broke at the weak point where the windows were, so I made a replacement out of plastikard. To make the doors into a pair I later removed the window bars from the other one.

Week ending May 25 Read More »

Getting ready for Crewe – or not

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Back to normal attendances this week and eyes are turning towards ABB’s visit to Scaleforum in Crewe with practice running sessions being run.

Mr Chairman fabricated a recycled sleeper fence to fill in the ugly gap between the garage and the chippie lean-to.

LBH has been messing around with laser-cutting again. First he purchased a Peco Rail 200 baseboard (despite him knowing perfectly well that this year we are celebrating the 218th anniversary of rail passenger transport). He also got three sets of stockbox inserts cut to his designs.

Then over a couple of days various circumstances changed the availability for the Crewe show. After a discussion on Friday we had to decide to withdraw ABB from the show – we just didn’t have enough bodies. It was not a decision taken lightly. At least we were able to give 3 weeks notice to the organisers.

Meanwhile over the last few weeks Wagonman has been getting on with this early GW brake van from a kit picked up at the Kettering show.

LBH is making progress with the cart for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae. It seems a pity, although necessary, to cover up all the cart underframe detail.

Getting ready for Crewe – or not Read More »

Modelling at home

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Most of us will be modelling at home this week. With Monday being yet another Bank Holiday and with some of us busy at the Bristol Show over the weekend it was time to miss this session. And Tuesday will be an online meeting so we’ll be at home with a screen (and liquid refreshments).

On Zoom we asked Steve B to ‘Carry On’, so we were entertained by ‘Further Up the Cambrian’. This session included Manors, Dukedogs and concrete signal posts. We ended with an impromptu visit to a 3 ft 6 ins gauge heritage railway in Tasmania thanks to Paul W.

Friday and back at the club where improvements to ABB continue. We now have a track power indicator next to the signalman – green is good, nothing means a short circuit.

At the end of the terrace the 3D printed workshop or garage has arrived and tried in place. Work on a proper tree has started but with still some way to go as you can see. Ground work will be necessary and a fence along the back too. Perhaps crack open on of the doors?

Modelling at home Read More »

A lull between shows

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We seem to be in a bit of a quiet patch between shows at the moment, but Monday we welcomed Rhobat back after several weeks away.

Tuesday was quiet too, but LBH did manage to assemble some barrels from the Miniart range, they are actually 1:48 but will look ok on Tŷ’n-y-coedcae’s 1:43.5.

On Friday we were better attended. ABB was erected using the modified toblerones with support over the top of them, to provide an improved bearing surface. This was better but it made access to the joining bolts and electrical connections more difficult.

The persistent problem of how to finish off the end of the terrace may be coming to an end. The garage/workshop mock-up is a better size than previous suggestions, having the doors nearer the terrace makes sense and positioning it away from the line of the terrace looks better. Obviously we need an improved tree.

A lull between shows Read More »

Post-Easter blues?

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This week was a bit quiet; Monday we decided not to open up on the Bank Holiday – deciding in the way of politicians being hounded out of their jobs to ‘spend more time with our families’.

Tuesday someone else will have to talk about since I was otherwise engaged . . . . . So Tuesday was quiet with a select few getting on with stuff including the next turnout for Cwmcarno, – but no pics.

Friday saw Paul make substantial progress on the modifications to the ‘Toblerones’ to make them more stable prior to ABB’s visit to Crewe, while LBH amused himself building a kit for a flat bed cart destined for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae.

Away from the clubrooms Mr. C was working on a Bachmann Coal Tank for ABB and CC (so two bodies). The bearings have been reamed out to 1/8th, set up in a chassis jig and the coupling rods checked. These had previously been bushed, so were carefully opened out to align with the chassis. Postings on forums had noted that there were variations in some models.

Post-Easter blues? Read More »

Almost Easter

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Monday saw a quiet afternoon meeting, the Wizard painting the stonework for Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae’s goods shed, LBH on barrels and cable drums and Mr C on Cwmcarno track work.

More around on Tuesday, The Wizard and LBH carrying on much as before. Mike E bringing a collection on Fuchsia cuttings to act as pit props on Cwmcarno; The specification being
1” diameter per 1 ft of prop. Pit props were cut to 7, 8, and 9 ft lengths, and cut to shorter lengths underground. TAFKATYS, Luke and Wagonman discussed chassis construction, particularly in respect of Luke’s Railbus and S7 0-4-0 tank.

Luke has also completed a water column for Cwmcarno, seen here posing with its big brother on Tŷ’n-y-Coedcae, the different colouring reflecting the variation in south Wales sandstone with red predominating further south.

Our resident Wizard completed the repaint of the Goods Shed for TyCc.

Also from Luke were some very welcome homemade Hot Cross Buns.

Friday was more trackwork from Luke and Mr C. For the project we had been donated two common crossings (1 in 6) and three V’s for the four turnouts in bullhead track. So two more common crossings are needed. So Mr C made a quick jig by mixing up some Milliput and pressing the made-up crossing into it to form a template. You can see before and after pics below. The first resulting crossing looks good and checks out with the gauges.

LBH has been working on a few bits and pieces to populate Tý’n-y-Coedcae.

Almost Easter Read More »

Week ending April 13

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Next up on the exhibition timetable is ABB at the Scalefour Crewe show in June.

After the Ally Pally show some suggestions were made to improve the triangular supports, commonly known as Toblerones. So on Monday Paul 🏅🏅added a flap that hangs too the side of the toblerone but can be deployed across the top giving a wider flat surface. This will make it easier to add any packing necessary for uneven floors. Also the bottoms of them was trimmed to form feet rather than one flat edge.

Although ABB’s trip to Crewe remains on the horizon Cwmcarno has not been forgotten. Luke, under the watchful eye of Mr Chairman has completed his first turnout, and yes, it is in P4. Construction is nickel silver bullhead rail fixed to copperclad timbers with Masokits chairs.

So that is two of the five assembled.

With only three at the club in Friday it could be said this was the best turnout of the day. (Sorry)

Week ending April 13 Read More »

Into April

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What, it’s already April?!!!

At Monday’s club session we received this mock-up for the station building on Cwmcarno. The terrace behind is only temporary being some built for another layout.

The Zoom meeting on Tuesday was lightly attended. Preparations for the NEWGOG show continued while we were on-line, holding over any presentations until next month.

Friday was preparation for the NEWGOG show followed by the exhibition itself on Saturday. Of course club traditions were observed and the layout performed well with perhaps too much (!) stock available.

Into April Read More »

More Progress

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Starting on Monday and Andrew N delivered the turnout and track for the colliery built away from the clubrooms. It has suitably dirty sleepers and prototypical variations in the quality of the trackwork. This should be manageable as only 4 wheeled wagons and small shunting locos will operate here.

The two views are down from the screens to the exchange sidings, and in the reverse direction.

Also present on Monday was the Peak class diesel, just completed by the Welsh Wizard, Fred Lewis from a kit of ancient lineage.

Moving to Tuesday and Luke’s railcar re-appears, now with a tarpaulin fitted over the open goods compartment.

In the layout room the mock-up of the colliery has moved on with the level ground created and walling arranged. We are approaching the atmosphere of a narrow valley with river and railway crammed in the bottom.

Finally some adjustments to Ty’n-y-Coedcae have created the space for a crane in the goods yard, with a fence being moved and a plinth built for the crane.

At the end of Friday the turnout for Cwm Carno has progressed with the crossing in place and the curved stock rail too.

On Ty’n’Coedcae the plinth for the crane has a surface and first coat of paint and is seen roughly in the right position. Also the front of the layout has a fresh coat of paint ready for the NEWGOG show next Saturday.

More Progress Read More »

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