00 Gauge Mikes Models Spiral Fluted Platform Lamps.

Every so often the ideal item is found on e-bay.

I wasn't happy with the platform lamps on Watershoot Bay. They didn't actually look right and were too small.

These Mike's Models - now long obsolete and unavailable for some time appeared and are almost exactly right.

So, a coat of primer and then Southern olive after they were cleaned up and, once dry, the parts were assembled and the station targets attached.

 

Pretty satisfied with the resuly although, like most things now, they take me an age to make- really frustrating.

Still, they are done and ready to be fixed in place.

My deadline is approaching fast so need to get the papier mache out and clad the hills and banks!

00 Gauge Watershoot Bay tunnel mouth.

Now comes  the messy part of the job- carving the chalk hill leading to the fiddle yard tunnel.

I have retained some expanded polystyrene from some packaging received ages ago.

It is flat and clean , it also is fairly easy to cut being about 15mm thick.

Roughly cut to shape and secured in place with some PVA I will let it set until tomorrow before the great carve up begins!

The tunnel mouth is a Wills kit .

 

PECO LK-85 FlexibleField Fencing kit.

I have decided to use the Peco LK-85 flexible fencing kit for boundary fences on  Watershoot Bay.

I know that this fencing isn't correct for Southern Railways but I don't have the time-or inclination- to produce the correct wire variety by hand.

It is a surprise that the kit has been modified from the original. The tedium of fitting the centre spacer with the four lugs is no more. Only two now and to join sections together there are also only two lugs which are on half a post .

 

It is so much easierto assemble and there is a codecil on the instructions that Enamel paint should be used-this I have yet to try.

So a whole packet was assembled in an hour.

More to follow.

Watershoot Bay goods yard progressing.

In view of the time frame left, several kits will have to be used together with some modified parts.

The Wills woodyard is fairly small compared with it's larger Ratio cousin- and a lot cheaper!

Undercoated with grey primer, the roofs and lean to have been lightly weathered with rust acrylic paint dry brushed on.

The represented wood stacks took an age to fix together and finally coated with wood coloured paint.

The level crossing is, again, a Wills offering. This has had a panel removed and is sited adjacent to the signal box.

The wooden walkway has been produced from wood effect plastic sheet.

Greenwood products made the lazer cut Southern concrete hut and is similarly positioned to one on the Island.

 

 

An overall view of the goods yard which has had very fine scatter glued in place as the yard surface.

Cobbles were originally laid for the entrance and crane base but never extended further.

 

Finally the crossing to the second area of the goods yard.

Black card cut to shape , painted and then covered with flock.

 

00 Gauge Railtec 3D Numberplate transfers.

The Railtec plates are slightly smaller than those that have been printed onto the loco.

A quick brush over with BR Green acrylic paint- slightly differing from that applied by Bachmann- prepared the surface for the transfers.

The transfers are floated from the backing, dried, then secured with a spot of varnish as directed in the instructions.

The smokebox number and shed plate are secured in the same way.

 

I brush a thin coat of varnish around the transfer edge and, to date, there have been no loss or lifting.

As the complete loco numbering set, and complete loco set, can be supplied there is no need to purchase separate packs of plates, shed plates.

https://www.railtec-models.com/index.php

Just need some suitable lamps to complete.

 

00 Gauge Prairie Tank re-numbered.

Steve at Railtec Transfers has excelled himself again!

Belying the fact that these are transfers they arrived extremely promptly and are a work of art.

These will transform my 4575 Class 5500 into 5502 during its time shedded at 83E-St Blazey,

https://www.railtec-models.com/index.php

 

Preparing St. Mewan for its first outing.

St. Mewan was built during the recent lockdown on a couple of baseboards 3ft 6inches long by 8incheswith a short extension to the fiddle yard.

The fiddle yard extension is removable and the layout is hinged to fold in half. This has the added bonus that there is no need to split the wiring as it is permanently fixed together.

The only removable part is the Clay Dries chimney- a resin casting by Bachmann.

The most time consuming thing is checking that all the locos work together with checking the couplings- in the case of Goods Stock these are fitted with Sprat and Winkle couplings.

 The passenger stock has modified proprietry couplings which have a small staple fitted through a hole in the dropper which is soldered into place.

Most of the goods stock is run in rakes of 4 so the centre wagons don't need alteration.

 

 

The magnets for uncoupling are fitted under the baseboard and are invisible to see. The uncoupling points are indicated by figures or scenic items- all I need to do is remember where they are!

 A type 2 Diesel Hydraulic awaits departure with a short goods tarin.

The layout can be run in either GWR or British Railways (Western Region) so stock is split into the two periods.

One era in the morning and one after lunch.

St. Mewans first outing is at the Moors Valley exhibition on 25th/26th June 2022.

If you visit please do say hello.