Carriage 100 painted and (Almost) finished

I painted the carriage today, in the FR Green Livery. These are the pictures.. on the layout!
I'm writing an article for a magazine and decided to put the layout up and photograph the progress up to now. The sand is only dropped on for a bit of 'visual effect' I will probably brush it off later on or tomorow.
Also just out of curiosity, i put all of my FR passenger stock together, headed by Pamlerston (which will serve the steam hammer at the works when the building is constructed).
After seeing the layout like this it has given me a boost to get on with the
electrics so i can start on the scenics!

New Carriage and Facebook Page

Today, the new carriage from Robert Waller arrived. So the paint was out! (After I photographed it)






Firstly the sides and end (bottom end) where masked off, leaving the 'corridor' to be painted Matt Black with the roof. The chassis and carriage where then painted with an airbrush.



Whilst the Matt Black was drying I decided to test a paint colour I was given by my uncle. It's Railmatch 'Frame Dirt'. When observing the obs, and various other carriages in the carriage shed. I noticed that the bodywork of the carriages are kept very clean (cleaned weekly) But, the chassis and bogies aren’t, they are covered with the dust from the lubrication pads Boston Lodge produces (so I’m told)
They are surprisingly dirty, so I’m going to replicate this but not as 'strong'. I am also thinking of painting some carriages as 'new' and others more weathered, to vary the appearance a bit.
Just to let you all know, I've made a Facebook page, where 'quick little' updates will be posted, but the majority of posts will be here. Also the page 'Gallery' will only hold links to the Albums on Facebook.

First Carriage finished

Well, not by me anyway. Over at Boston Largs Works, after an epic battle to form the roof (as he posts here) My first carriage has been finished. I will (attempt) to make an interior, paint and0 fill with people myself. But for now, i'm waiting for either mum or dad to come home (who have pay pal accounts) so i can pay Robert Waller (Creator of the famous 'Dduallt' 009 model railway and one of his newest creations is Bron Hebog, Beddgelert in 009)
I am as of now unsure what livery i will paint my carriages, i have many choices...

1) FRs modern livery


2) FRs 'green and cream'


3) FRs Green


4) FR Vintage/Victorian Stock (Glossy black with gold/red lineing)


5) FRs 'Red oxide'


hmmm... any suggestions?

Mega progess over the weekend

I got loads done over the weekend, mostly saturday. I decided to start converting Boston Lodge to DCC. I then ended up, removing the board from the frame, repacing the board, adjesting the frame so it is rectangular like the others, adding a new baseboard, new back (the old back was a bit flimsy) then i started to lay the track and adding feeds etc. I'm now trying to list what i need, and how much money i have got to spend.
I'm now thinking of not having a harbor station, maybe a Blaenau Ffestinog or Llanfair Caereinion (from the Welshpool and Llanfair Railway. Unsure yet. Also i went to Llanfair to the G scale Gala (and i'm glad i don't do that scale, £2300 for a Garrat and a locomotive in 009 is the same price as a point in G) Whilst we where a stone throw away from the WLLR, we went to their Gala. Chaveleir, The Earl and The Countess where pulling regular (usually late) passenger serivce with Dougal (a tiny engine that can only haul 1 half full carriage) chuffing around in the background. We took a trip to welshpool in one of the three carriages that Boston Lodge built for them.
Just for a laugh, i was on the way home from work when i had a chat with a Guard on the Ffestiniog (he prefers the WHR). He said that he has a amazing modernisation plan for the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland which is... closing the FR from Tan y Bwlch to Blaenau (but still keeping the track to dduallt) then scrap all of the un-economical engines (all the steam ones) and stations/sections that do not make money, i then replied
"So, basically, your modernisation plan is to close the WHR, and only run services to Tan Y Bwlch?"
"Erm.... yeah" he replied
Here are some photos of the layout and WLLR Gala

Progress at last!

After work today I spent a few hours on the layout. I've epoxy to hold a GEM coupling to an N gauge bogie, and the height etc seems ok, might invest in some more. Anyway, I’ve decided to convert the layout to DCC from the works, working my way towards the station. The track plan of the works board will now look a lot more like Boston Lodge. I will post a picture of the plan soon. Tomorrow mum and dad are off to Llandudno, and whilst they are there they will buy me some points for the works. I'M Also considering going for seep point motors, only because they change the polarity of the frog (when wired correctly) automatically. This was one of the reasons why I wanted to go for Tortoise slow motion motors. To me the time of the throw doesn't bother me too much.