The countdown begins...

25 Days to Warely!!
So here's a report on what needs doing!
Scenics: Some bits and pieces have yet to be finished, walls, figures etc. but the most pressing is the construction of 'Porthmadog' in the corner of the layout, I've been reading Ffestiniog Odyssey like the Bible over the weekend and have a plan in how to tackle Porthmadog.
Track work: all of the tracks have been laid except for a few sidings at the Fiddle Yard, the layout can operate without these, but it would be nice to have them by Warely, but it isn't a high priority job.
Electronics: Some of the station lights etc need connecting, otherwise everything is done.
Lights: the supports has been made and a suitable way of attaching then has been thought of, just needs finishing off now.
Motive Power & Rolling Stock
Here's a few photos of what you should expect. The layout has progressed massively since the Photo's of Prince and the slate train were taken. Some of the items still need some attention, but this is what WILL be running at Warely.

The prototype is here!

Here it is, the Pecketts cab. Some alterations are required before it will be sold to the public on Chris Ward' website.

The Royal colours

Today I decided to get the Prince and it's train sorted out.
Prince will mostly be hauling slates at Warley, so I got all of the wagons out. I have 10 3 Ton slate wagons and a brakevan to go with it. The brakevan has been built, and will be in Red Oxide livery.
The wagons have all been painted gray, they will all be marked as 'Maenofferen' wagons.
The Prince, I'm especially chuffed about. It turned out better than what I expected. It's been painted in it's 'new' colour. It's darker than the cherry red that it currently carries, but lighter than Palmerston and Merddin's maroon.
There is only one problem at the moment, it can't pull the train!! It slips even when pulling the train on a flat bit of rail. More weight is required, the question is, where?!

Hunslet Progress

The Brian Madge 'Velinheli' kit is coming along nicely. The drive unit has been built and cranks attached, the nickel-silver frames where soldered together and a start was made on the body.
Here's some pictures.

(Irish?) Mail.

Today, after I got home from college, this was waiting for me at the post office.
It'll be made up to look like a hunslet, not sure which one yet. I now have enough locomotives to keep thing interesting at Warely.

Usual day on the workbench.

Today, I decided to have a go making a FR profile/style can to fit on the Peckett. I took a good hour to make the cab, when suddenly... Blood everywhere. The knife wen't through the cab and half way through my thumb.
A plaster and insulation tape was applied before I designed a 3d model of the cab on the computer and sent it off for 3d printing before I injured myself any more!
I then spent the rest of the day fault finding a short curcuit on the layout.

Lights!

Following the post a few days ago, some aluminium has been bought to make the light stands.
This is how the bits will look eventually. The uprights are 4ft and it extends out 2ft. There are 5 of them with lights on each one.
They will be bolted together and clamped to the back of the layout.

Getting closer...

Things are steadily progressing to have a decent layout at Warely.
I was talking with Paul Martin (EDM models) and he suggests that I should also put lights above my layout, as the NECs lights are spotlights high in the atmosphere!
Luckily mum and dad recently bought a shop. The previous owner left about 6 12inch fluorescent lights, this 'back of an envelope drawing' is what I'll make, uprights will be thin wall box section, and the front will be plywood. They will simply clamp onto the back of the layouts.

Homeing in on things...

Today I recieved three signals. Two Dapol n gauge LMS home signals, one new and the other is not working. The other signal is a 2 aspect colour light signal.
The colour light signal will be placed 'in front' of the broken semaphore, which after magically turning it into a 4mm/1ft signal, i removed the arm and made it look like it was being decomissioned. The working Dapol signal has had the same work, turning it to 4mm/1ft but left intact. This will become the home signal.
Here's some pictures of the signals, personally I think it looks alright, especially with the Earl parked next to it (on my work top test track)