Knell Lane

So i have finally decided what my N gauge layout will be called, or the station anyway. The layout depicts somewhere in the South East in about 1973 so i have chosen the name Knell Lane. There actually is a Knell Lane in Kent though it doesn't have a station in real life. The layout will not depict the real place anyway, i've never been there for a start so wouldn't know where to start. Knell Lane station has a building now anyway.

Brake van

A brake van has arrived on the layout to help keep those unruly wagons (i've read all of the Rev. Awdrey's stories) in order!

Class 25 video

The Class 25 with its ultra light freight. A brake van should arrive soon (not that its really needed at the moment!)

Running in complete

After a couple of hours of running in the Class 25 is now allowed into the station area! I must decide on a name for the station.

New arrivals

As mentioned there have been some new arrivals at the (as yet) unnamed N gauge layout. A Class 25 diesel locomotive and 2 wagons (a ventilated van and a mineral wagon). The "Rat" is currently running in. I do have an OO scale Class 25 in storage, i must dig it out so we can do a "father and son" type of photo shoot! Merry Christmas to all readers!

Completing the platforms

Platform 2/3 has now been completed with a ramp though will only be able to take 2-coach trains so a DMU will be needed at some stage. I must now start thinking of what else i am going to have on the platforms. Santa will also be bringing me some more rolling stock hopefully...

Platform 2

The first part of Platform 2/3 (as of course it should be) has now been completed and can be seen below. For clearance purposes the 4-Cep has become a 3-Cep for the time being so the spare coach can be used to make sure the platform is the right size!

More platform

Platform 1 is now more or less complete with the addition of a ramp and a few refinements. Platform 2 (which will be to the left of the 4-Cep in the photo below, between 2 lines) is also under construction. In other news should have some company for the 4-Cep in the shape of a locomotive in a few weeks...

Platform begins

Work has begun on the platforms for the station on the new N gauge layout, i'm using a Metcalfe kit and the first section can be seen below (not quite finished yet). One problem at the moment is that the light fitting in the room i have the layout in has failed and as its winter and its dark by the time i get home i'm not going to be able to look at it until the weekend and i can turn the power off and still see.

Oh Canada

Project #067 the Twin Otter is nearly finished, just needs a varnish. There were some slight mishaps with the decals (its supposed to have red stripes down the sides) but the end result isn't bad. A nice end to the year's model making season (probably).

Twin Otter

I think project #067 will be the last one this year and is proceeding well, painting is nearly finished and then there will be the dreaded decals. As i want to build some building kits for the railway layout next i probably won't have time to do another airfix kit this year before the real cold comes...

A sparse landscape

The layout looks a bit sparse at the moment but here is the 4-Cep in action!

Scenery transition

I've removed quite a few trees from the layout, they are simply too big for an N gauge layout. There are a few which are a bit marginal but have been kept though may be removed once i get a few buildings so i can see how they look. On the score i have bought a couple of kits for station platforms and some houses. I've also bought a set of new trees which suit N gauge more. At the moment i've decided not to get any more stock until the scenery transition is more progressed. The 4-Cep unit is getting regular runs though and is working fine.

The case for N

So we are going N again, i did say in the past N was a little too small for me didn't i? So whats changed. Well maybe i was a little harsh. I tried N gauge over 20 years ago in a brief interlude between various 00 gauge monstrosities and didn't like it so that has made me prejudiced. However the standard of stock has improved over the years, when i had a close look at some N gauge locos a few weeks ago i was pleasantly surprised. When i got my 4-Cep unit yesterday i was delighted. It runs really well on the Eskalon layout, better than the HOe fleet to be honest.

The plan is now to carefully pack away everything that can't be used (rolling stock, buildings, some of the trees) and then plan how to adapt the Eskalon layout to the new as-yet-unnamed new layout. Some sidings may be modified as they will not need to adhere to HO clearances anymore though the main loop will remain compatible with the HOe locos as it will be needed to give them decent runs. Then some more N gauge rolling stock will be needed, i am going for a Southern Region layout set in the mid-70s. Luckily a new Class 33 model is due out soon...

Return of N

Well i finally decided on the future of the layout and that is to end the Eskalon project in its current form and instead start a new British Rail N gauge layout. To that end i bought a Class 411 EMU today and very nice it is too, it runs fine on Eskalon of course as it uses N gauge track. Indeed the new layout will use as much as possible from Eskalon. As for HOe? Its not the end, i am going to build an end-to-end layout at some stage for my HOe fleet plus the "N version" Eskalon will retain the ability to run HOe locos for running in purposes.

Yellow Otter

Project #067, a DHC-6 Twin Otter, has now reached the painting stage and is going to be rather yellow...

Pantograph up!

Although 013.3 is an electric locomotive the layout does not have any overhead lines or catenary (and is unlikely to ever to). Usually the locomotive runs with the pantograph down but i thought i would see what it looks like with it up...

Welcome to the... other models

For some time i've written about the model kits i have built on my personal blog but i thought it would make more sense to bring that material over to this blog and have a combined model railways and model kits blog. So here it is!

The last few posts have been bought across but the majority will be left on the other blog, you can access them using this link if you wish.

High def

A few photos taken with the DSLR, higher quality than the photos i usually take which are with the iPhone. You can really see the detail in some of the photos, which is good (the rolling stock) and bad (the scenery!)

Fw190

Project #066 is a Focke-Wulf Fw190A-8 and has now reached completion. The last few model kits have been a bit slow going but we got there in the end!

Plymouth passengers

Plymouth 17 takes the C passenger train.

Full diagram

All 4 of Eskalon's locomotives are currently allocated to trains so i thought i would take some photos of what they are currently doing...

Unusual passenger turns

Eskalon is supposed to be some kind of future heritage line (which explains the mixture of stock). Now heritage lines often "mash up" the formations and produce some unusual workings so lets follow suit... Plymouth takes the coach C train for a spin and 013 takes the push-pull A coach. Both look very good with their new workings.

Picking up the freight

I've recorded a few more videos from Eskalon, lets start with Falcon picking up and then taking out the freight train.

Vale of Rheidol

A slight change with this blog, i will be including some elements from narrow gauge railways in general including this lovely photo from the Vale of Rheidol railway in Aberystwyth.

Options for change

The Eskalon board has been moved slightly allowing slightly easier access to the far side of the layout and there has been plenty of operational running. However thoughts now turn to the future of the layout and there seem to be 3 options for the Eskalon project:

1) Continue things as they are, continual refinement and updates. There is a possibility of a small extension in the board which would allow for some extra sidings. A refresh of the scenery is also planned for next year.

2) Start again with a new board and "learning from the mistakes". Eskalon 2.0 would have a similar but modified track layout and of course use the same stock and most of the scenery/buildings.

3) Completely starting again with a new layout and moving away from HOe to (probably) N gauge.

To be honest #3 would be expensive and i've never really liked N that much so is unlikely to be the path taken. #2 would also be a bit of a hassle and expensive but would solve a lot of problems with the layout. I'll think about what to do anyway and make a decision later in the year...

Vampire

The latest model project, project #065 a De Havilland Vampire, has finally been completed after a lot of delay. There always does seem to be a lull in model making in the high summer and it was compounded this year by some house improvements which took up time. But anyway its now done and looking good.

Operations update

Nothing much has happened scenery wise since the last update but there has been a lot of operational running. Some photos from which are below:

Scenery update

The road crossing now looks a little less dangerous to road vehicles after the addition of some "planking". A new green area has also been established between the yard entry line and the engineering siding.

Road crossing

Something the layout has always lacked up until now is a way for the people who in the imaginery world of the layout live there to actually get across the tracks! I've added a road crossing as part of some scenery upgrades. One of the sidings (next to the crossing in fact) has also had a modest extension. Both are still in progress, some boards across the track are also needed otherwise the Mercedes in the photo below is about to have a rather bumpy trip!

Operations update

Coach A (the cabbed push-pull one) has returned to the layout to take the place of Coach B. Having an intermediate waggon between it and the propelling locomotive appears to be causing some problems so D16 is currently the meat in a rolling stock sandwich. Some photos from the layout showing all of the locomotives:

A third Tiger Moth

Project #064 has been completed (bar some varnish) and is my third Tiger Moth. Of course Project #001 which kick started my building of kits after a gap of a couple of decades back in 2009 was another Moth. The other was Project #057 last year. This Moth is a civilian one unlike the others which depicted RAF trainers.

Lightning done

Project #063, an English Electric Lightning, has been completed and lovely it looks too! Next up will probably be another Tiger Moth.

Waggon 9!

Usually we have to wait months between new stock arriving but the 9th waggon follows fast on the er.. wheels of the 8th. Its another open waggon but this is our first Roco one and very nice it is too.

Waggon 8

A bout of illness has meant i haven't done a great deal Eskalon wise lately, though there has been plenty of running. I was able to just sit down and watch the trains go by! A new waggon has just arrived though, a bit of green. Its the older green version of the Liliput equipment van (the current brown one was Waggon #2).