IT A DO was the 2mm LAYOUT CHALLENGE BLACK SHEEP

Where did that go

2011-11-25T11:03:00.002Z

To begin a long overdue update I can only start with a summary of the lost 18 months, in fact far from been lost they have been relatively fruitful.

Line No 4 sat forlorn and still unpacked from its excursion to Oxford when a request for help from the Colonel Stephens Society with regard to the East Kent Railways centennial weekend in August, led to a hasty dust of and reassembly of the layout.

Although it was only required to be a static display the rogue point and offending track where replaced and hastily (spot my mistake) blended in. It was rather surreal to set up the layout in a baggage van as I wonder just how many 2mm wagons have been on rails of the lines they represent. It was a most pleasant weekend although I ended up answering more questions about the Kent Coal field than Colonel Stephens although they did recruit a new member.

More importantly for my modelling was the forming of a local area group, which meets once a month for a couple of hours. So far I have found this invaluable in educating me in techniques and ideas as well as motivation. I feel sure if I had been a member of such a group Line No4 would have been far more successful.

The fate of Line No4 after its excursion to the EKR hung in doubt after some discussion its initial future was settled by my better half who said don’t do anything other than store it in the loft. One of the main reasons for this was a failure to secure reliable traction given if you’re not sure that the locos good how do you know the tracks bad. My efforts at building a reliable chassis where going no where so time for a rethink. Obvious choice after a few false dawns was using the drop in wheel sets and “modern” traction. I spent my teens travelling on Southern EMU’s/DMU’s and have fond memories of Hastings Diesels. The real clincher was the announcement of a 4 CEP a unit I travelled in often. Domestic authorities granted planning consent for a new line and that was that although I have been seduced by a Grafar 108 which has been converted with drop in wheels and runs happily and slowly around my test Kato oval, a CEP is on order………

Don’t worry it’s not too modern it will be Green

Apologies for the rambling over long post thanks to my wonderful better half and all fellow modellers who have helped and assisted me

East Kent Railway

Colonel Stephens Society

It May Live

2011-01-26T16:59:00.007Z

Well its been a long time and as usual mainly a failure on my part. The O1 stalled as I could not get the quartering right and ran the risk of inflicting immense damage on both it and me, so its put away for another day.

On the positive side have manged to get together will some fellow 2mm modellers and formed a area group based near Canterbury that is a real positive as it has helped revitalize me as with no Expo to focus me I was drifting. Watching some quality 2mm models again spured me on to a side step which should help with progress. I was never sure if Line No4 ran badly through bad workmanship, poor track laying or rubbish motive power. It was obvious that a more methodical approach was called for and to approach each in turn by establishing a known good. The longer wheelbases/multi-pick ups of Diesels / EMU worked well trouble is I don't really like many of them so a plan was hatched.

Switching the blow by blow construction details to RMweb

Test Run of No 9002 419 MLV

Apologies for the shocking Video quality was more an exercise to see how to do it.

By Jove I Think I've Got It

2010-09-11T18:00:00.004+01:00

Well I think I have finally cracked it using my new toy ( Proxxon Milling machine ) I have managed to produce a tiebar mechanism that works appears robust ( subject to further testing) and proved relatively simple to install. The mechanism hinges on the pins as described by Geoff Jones (Dec/Jan 2009/2010) floating in a tie bar milled from square plastic rod running in plastic channel, the nut in the end is to secure the operating rod. Initial testing is very promising tomorrow I will fit a spare servo and associated electrical gubbins and conduct further testing. All in all this looks very promising although I have still to tackle the problem of the O Class’s con-rods.

Apologies to the Easitrac consortium for the dog’s dinner I made of the point but it shows how unobtrusive the Pins are.

The Business end of the mechanism

Where Did the summer Go?

2010-09-05T18:37:00.002+01:00

Expo is long gone although my mind is still full of ideas, tips and friendship offered, I also think been between the craftsmanship of John Whitehead and the enthusiasm of Brian Hume certainly helped. Concepts that I could not grasp became clearer together with a simple solution to how to mount a Lawson motor. So what have I dome since expo well Line No 4 although still boxed together is been converted to relay point polarity switching courtesy of a MERG kit, this has been built tested and fitted although remain to be finally wired to the points. The troublesome point has had a replacement built and awaits fitting, although the subject of the tie bar is still up in the air.

In addition I have constructed a small length of Easitrac on a small board (no not another layout) to test that the loci’s are running correctly and the lack of running is the fault of gummed up track on Line No 4, this has sort of grown and I have spent the weekend going cross-eyed trying to build a Easitrac point, it is getting easier I think but time will tell.

I have started a SECR O class and shocked myself at getting the gears to mesh thanks to the meshing tool although the con-rods are defeating me at the moment so that’s to one side while I consider a course of action and the nerve to try.

A major investment has been made in a Proxxon baby milling machine which at first had me doing my finest Mr Toad impression. The VAG has thrown up some hints and offers of assistance and I’m pleased to report that a play yesterday was conducted with out damaged to me or machine although the same can not be said for some brass and PCB. Using this I’m trying to make a Jig as described by Geoff Jones to file turnout pins as my initial tests without a jig looked promising and may finally resolve this knotty issue although there are several other ideas given to me at Expo on how to resolve this.

Finally I have put my toe in the water thanks to a conversation with Martin Allen at Expo to see if a local area group can be set up based on Canterbury, MOK ( Man of Kent) area group anybody?

Locomotive power for Line No4

2010-08-07T17:24:00.002+01:00

Belated thanks to everyone for a fantastic expo great layouts, much inspiration, lots of nice people and a awful lot of hard work from the organiser's who deserve a big THANK YOU

Well I never did take a month off after Expo although Line No4 is still boxed up from Expo. What I have been working on is sub blogged on RMweb as a enclosure link ( click the url above)

In magnis voluisse sat est

2010-07-01T12:46:00.005+01:00

Well it’s done at least as much as I can at the moment. Its amazes me that something I embarked on so many months ago has taught me much frustrated me often and has at times led to despair. The last week has been a flurry of activity not always successful with several items been put to one side till after Expo, but not until I had expended too much time on them.

The big confession now is that Line No4 in its present state is a abject failure, my final attempts to get reasonable running resulted in breaking the tie bar (yet again) to the spur siding and the decision to solder it tight, although not before I wasting hours trying to install tie bar MK4. To compound the problem my attempts to prettify (is there such a word in Model Railways?) Have caused serious running problems which will require major work to rectify. Thus I offer sincere apologies to anyone attending EXPO who is in anyway offended by my efforts.

The reckoning

Positive

My soldering has improved
My Kit building efforts have improved
I learnt basic CAD
I managed basic home etching
I leant how to use a Jewellers saw
My knowledge of local history improved
I actually did something
The association is full of nice people
The VAG is invaluable
DCC has real potential

Negative

More haste less speed
Next time concentrate on the track
Sort out Points actuation earlier
Learn to priorities

The future

Without doubt I will be walking away for a while from any actual modelling however when I resume there are many items to finish or revisit in no particular order

Rebuild all of Line No4 points (must get some rail and Jigs at EXPO if available)
Finish No7 an almost running loco
Complete all the half finished wagons
Sort the Dapol M7 which runs although very poorly
Get a SPROG and program the Engines properly

In the words of someone I will return

Black Balled or 20 Days to Go

2010-06-12T18:43:00.002+01:00

Finally assembled all three boards of Line No4 at the same time as all work previously was on single or two boards. Feels like an achievement to reach this far although I fear been Black Balled from the association after showing my efforts in public, although the post advertising the GJ challenge in another group did help

“As well as complete, operating layouts, there will be some in various stages
of development, with their builders available and willing to discuss what
they have done, and what they plan.” Well that’s me then

Still a lots to do although I’ve given up writing a to do list in favour of cracking on as and when the mood or idea strikes me, although very aware of the vast amount left to do.

Highlight of the week getting zapped by my home brewed grass squatter that a teach me going for the high powered version, the boss had zero sympathy and laughed heartily.

33⅓ or that Homer moment

2010-06-01T23:14:00.001+01:00

Not a cryptic reference to a rediscovery of Vinyl or the latest customer satisfaction survey of Sleazy Jet but unfortunately to say the percentage of correctly operating turnouts on Line No 4, Oh heck. A bank holiday weekend started full of promise and a extensive to do list dissolved into tears tantrums and blood ( mental note do not drop minidrills they can lead to grooves in your leg ). Attempts to fettle one point wrecked the tie bar mechanism and another’s micro switch refused to play. A Quick trip to Maplins called for who only had regular size switches in stock. Hours later the bottom of the baseboards looks like an attack of woodworm from my attempts to get the “rather disagreeable” * switches to work till the penny dropped the switch travel was too great, another Homer moment in my life.

An attempt to replace the tie bar with a pucker Easitrac mechanism was doomed to failure as after several hours I finally acknowledge the impossibility of securing the wire tie bars on an in situ point. So back to plan I’ve lost count and burnt fingers later a bodged but working point minus the important electrical bit.

Marge sorry I mean the wife came to the rescue and now I await small switches (a selection) and the solder station I was drooling over in Maplins, I will confess not as nice as the set up in the RO office of one of the ships where the Iron bits were mounted on jacks to enable fast changes and the spare cabinets would have yielded enough switches and electrical components for many a layout.

On the positive side Mrs Homer was showing a Girl she works with some pictures of Line No4, as she had assisted in selecting the path colour and was interested in its progress. Although Line No4 was long gone when she had worked at two of Kent’s Pits they were both constructed roughly at the same time, she had worked in the canteens at Tilmanstone and Snowdon in the seventies and was reported as saying that buildings looked how she remembered them.

* Insert suitable phrase

I put it somewhere safe

2010-05-12T16:29:00.002+01:00

Almost becoming famous last words those, my hunt for my Back to back gauge so far has lasted three weeks found loads of things but no £5 white or otherwise and no B2B gauge. Gordon returned some turned wheels for the M7 but no gauge oh well I’ve also lost a DG etch so a quick order to the shop to include another B2B gauge.

Today I mostly been cutting, drilling wood and aluminium and have finished the three Fiddle cassettes. Progress if only of sorts.

Have to say that Fence Houses is impressive hope I'm placed in a suitably dark corner

Still Nigel’s mail confirming details for expo cheered me up.

CAN YOU TELL WHAT IT IS YET ?

2010-05-03T20:59:00.003+01:00

Bugger me Nigel’s email came out of the blue and now only 60 days to expo. Must confess I was close to suffering a serious sense of Humour failure regarding a flippant VAG post, paranoia was working full time thinking that my entry was unwanted/of too poor a standard/forgotten still took my own best advice and did nothing for a while until my own reason returned.

Been chipping away at small things and generally getting no where in particular but very satisfying from a leisure hobby point of view

Small detail mainly posted to gain some opinions I know the balance weight is missing but not sure as to where or size of it apologies for the hair well it is 2mm modelling after all

HORTICULTRAL WORKS OR IT MUST BE EASTER

2010-04-05T17:35:00.003+01:00

Must confess I was getting rather bored of track tweaking however pleasurable it is too see a No9 run the full length with barely a stutter ( well most of the time). My thoughts turned to the scenic break a curved back scene had been rejected early in the building design as it would present too many problem in transportation and storage. A hard right angle was rejected as in my opinion looking worse than nothing l which lead to nothing at all. Traditional breaks of a tunnel (not on this part of the line and with its geography) a cutting not enough room led to a small thicket appearing on the edge of the board. The trees don’t stand up to close scrutiny but will serve purpose until I produce something better. Nothing flash here florists wire PVA/polyfiller bark washes of grey although later one picked out with charcoal look slightly better, a leaf covering of woodlands scenics to finish.

More working on wagons and lettering mainly strips and repaints of early efforts (caustic soda strips paint very well although beware of heat), the build quality of these leaves lots to be desired still we all had to start somewhere.

The news that the health of the resident wheel turner has improved caused me to strip down a Dapol M7 in anticipation, anyone know where the two springs belong?

Weekend Engineering Works

2010-03-28T17:28:00.005+01:00

Still somewhat demotivated (is there such a word?) and the GJLC is only 96 days away. Or should I be I have spent the weekend fettling the track and at last can get my sole working locomotive to run the full length of the track without falling of or stalling too often.

attempts to get EKR No4 working was rather unsuccessful d the motor no longer meshing cleanly and having wasted hours last week in the evenings has been put to one side; rather useless having a second working locomotive if the tracks not working. Interestingly a standard Dapol M7 ran the non point work track rather well although it screamed like a Porker at been run on DCC. As a quick fix if/when the wheel Turning service resumes (I hope that the member responsible, Health is improving) it will become a Hire loco for Line No4 although a long way from home, at least it fits period wise although the livery will be wrong.

Like wise my attempts at transfer decals have been deemed a failure yet more time wasted, so its back top pre-printed Decals and serious head banging eye strain

Bugger never realised how crooked the buffers are

Does anybody read this?

2010-03-06T22:25:00.000Z

Some progress made cleaning up the ballast and track (what a sh$tty job that is). Today I eventually fixed the back scene photo in place and painted the scenic board edges

My best efforts have been thwarted with regard to DIY decals as I appear to be incapable of matching the sides to the ends, perhaps time for a rethink.

So where am I with 112 days to go… Frankly stuck and thoroughly demotivated

As the title said does anybody read this if you do please say hello

Slogging Away

2010-02-14T16:38:00.004Z

Too many weeks since the last update making this one long overdue. Line No4 was dismantled prior to Christmas to allow for a Tree (why? I hear you ask) and domestic harmony. This allowed me to do some bits which otherwise would have proved difficult from underneath and upside down. It also caused me to focus on some problem areas mainly point activation the MERG servo kits and cheap servos are fine although I did find the Sevo4Sema4set software easier to master and finally had points which moved and closed although only correctly 90% of the time more fettling required.

Christmas brought me an Etched Pixels LSWR wagon which I soldered together that day and spent the next week sorting a chassis and cleaning up. This caused me to review the situation with regard to rolling stock and some ground was gained in that direction although at the moment transfer sides are defeating my best effort, how do you match the ends to the body?

Adjustable feet have been fitted to all supporting legs, the fiddle yard although with only one cassette completed, connecting wires for the DCC been via 3.5mm phone sockets with RJ45 socket connecting the three ( a whole 3 point layout this one ) toggle switches which are mounted into the surface of the fiddle yard top. A lot of time has been expended laying and then removing ( the unwanted bits that get everywhere ) ballast although this is far from complete with most of the track requiring repainting and clearances tested. The problem of the short siding buffer stop has been resolved, EKR practice was to use a sleeper across the rails ( given that a overrun would then lead to a 500 foot drop ) so a N Brass trolley was assembled and will be firmly fixed prior to the cosmetic sleeper stop.

This is now reading like a school report which requires the usual comment “must try harder”

A Rough Overview

2009-12-05T13:56:00.004Z

Still struggling with the track however Christmas is coming and in the interest of domestic harmony Line No4 has been dismantled , well it has been sitting in the Living Room for the last few months which at least makes modelling a social activity and insures liquid supplies be they Tea or Beer.

Temporary home on the N gauge ( did I hear shouts of derision) layout which may please one female member but has distressed the other namely the cats who has lost her lounging area hence why the N Gauge layout was made with a cat proof hinged lid mean while rumours are of a Christmas Tree occupying valuable modelling space still it may cheer the cat up.

It Rhymes with Rowlocks

2009-12-02T14:54:00.000Z

Very much how I feel a weeks leave and rubbish weather a good opportunity to crack on, or so I thought. Track was so so on test running although I felt that I should sort the point mechanisms out once and for all, this is where the word that rhymes came to the fore frequently. Time to stop even though its too early for Beer before I hurl the lot out of the window perhaps I should adopt a pointless layout

Fiat Lux or On the Fiddle

2009-11-15T18:06:00.002Z

After the set back of finally constructing the board to hold the fiddle yard and the realization that I had used the wrong wood, enthusiasm sank somewhat. Undeterred I contacted the supplier or the wife as she is otherwise known to purchase some suitable wood and Aluminium strip well she does work there and gets a healthy discount. Thus was born MkII fiddle yard this time in the
right thickness of ply the plan I was to use Aluminium cassettes mounted on 34mm timber which will sit into the board, well I have only constructed one so far so perhaps that should be cassette . Major amounts of time was lost searching for the milled track joiner I knew I had, I did find lots of things but not that…….

So MkII joiner was made from some thin double-sided PCB Testing via a meter on Mega Ohms range showed a short only after filing away the entire middle of the board did the penny drop the resistance was caused by my sweaty paws bridging the rails.. There’s a moral there somewhere.

Finally today I finished and wired the little beauty and nothing, plug in one board it worked, plug in the other it worked join them together nothing on one board? A puzzle given I’m using 3.5mm sockets on a common bus, much testing and eventually the penny dropped the sockets I’m using are different pin outs a hasty unsolder / solder and test they both work. The bodged track joiner worked a treat given I had not even bolted the boards together and was relying on the C+L
joints only. Time to stop and drink a beer or quit while you’re ahead.

And Fiat Lux simple really a couple of cheap £6 ( a favourite word of mine from Homebase and as they say other retails are available ) clip on flexible halogen lamps solved my lighting problem well at least while I’m working on it not sure about public display if I ever get that far.

Serious track testing is now called for or is that playing trains?

Two steps Back

2009-11-01T17:01:00.002Z

finally the courage to attack the fiddle yard aspect of line No 4, on the KISS principle 12mm angle was purchased and plans formulated. The afternoon was spent sawing sanding and cursing to produce a suitable frame, to find I had used the wrong size ply 4mm ( previously cut but rejected ) instead of the 6mm, quick get it apart before the glue sets result ho hum back to the drawing board

287 DAYS TO GO - a Picture Progress

2009-09-19T15:06:00.011+01:00

Oh bugger is that all

Servo mounts and pianio wire push rods

Is it snowing ?

Heath Robinson Magic Static Grass Machine spot the 19p Value Tea Strainer

Gosh Its even starting to look like a railway

Cruel Close up but to my mind it is begining to look the part

EKR No7 my first successful ( well sort of ) locomotive

Finally a update

2009-06-18T20:37:00.005+01:00

SNOWDON COLLIERY KENT

(LAST REMAINS OF THE KENT COAL FIELD )

This is a long overdue update; I had reached an impasse with track laying while awaiting Easitrac points mechanisms. Enthusiasm hit a all time low with a threat of redundancy, still unresolved. Gradually I attempted to concentrate on what could be done, although it became apparent that wire in tube via lever frame points operation was a no no given the layouts modular construction. Research indicated that servo points operations looked promising although that required joining MERG a cost at that time and that late in its year I was unwilling to consider. This left the buildings I had decided that card and brick paper would be the method as although I prefer plastic card construction painting was a problem. The buildings are best guesses based on existing Kent colliery building as none I am modelling survives. The first a winding house took six attempts to get right which included one with the roof line 5mm out ! The second a copy of the first was easier but very time consuming. It was at this time I bodge learnt CAD and produced some of the Etched windows via iron on film and some luck.

After several months under a black cloud which nothing would disperse my Wife who "crafts" as a hobby expressed a desire to purchase a craft robo printer which she confessed to have saved the majority of the purchase price for. Now this was an interesting toy which enabled a further three building to be produced over a weekend. It became apparent that living live in limbo was futile so I joined MERG and ordered a servo kit which after a false start i.e. I was sent the wrong kit arrived and I managed to build and better still it works, cheap micro servos from Hong Kong been the traction. Easitrac points mechanism arrived which I figured out eventually with assistance from the VAG to work, although typically having stalled at this stage rejected and adopted a bodged [ shape soldered to each blade joined under the baseboard by PCB strip. The single board worked a treat with the Austerity running up and down through the point in all directions after some fiddling and much rail cleaning. As it stand the main board is been a bit of a pig so I will return to that tomorrow.

The photos are the result of a trip to gain as much info as possible of the typical Kent Colliery buildings

So where am I well still worried although there is nothing I can do about that, what I can do is press ahead at a pace and tempo to suit myself as if I can I will be there in 2010.

Easitrac Mechanisms

2009-05-16T15:56:00.005+01:00

Promise a proper update soon

Still Here

2009-02-07T12:35:00.001Z

Not a lot to report track side the thorny issue of Tie bars still to be sorted hopefully Easitrac parts will solve the problem. In the interim I have begun some scenic's. Nothing clever, card and scalescenes paper with lots of pritt-stick although in the past I have always used plastic card however painting brickwork is another story. The towers are 2mm pine strip and lots of fiddling aka model aircraft of my youth. In the absence of drawings (the two building no longer exist) sizes were guesstimated from OS map and what looked right ditto the towers, attempt No3 only Beginning to catching the feeling I'm looking for.

End Of Year Report

2009-01-03T12:37:00.007Z

Work stalled for some weeks due plain rail been out of stock at shop 1 however thanks to the kind generosity of Jim McIntosh a start was made ( I must be a masochist as thanks to my chosen prototype I was unable to use either Jigs or the excellent looking Easitrac ).

In the interim I had diverted attentions and shoehorned a TCS chip into my test Farish J94 which to my pleasant surprise worked as advertised up an down a test straight. The Bachmann E-ZCommand unit may be basic but adequate for my needs, with probably if I’m lucky only two engines (if I ever get one built, although a Dapol Terrier looks favourite after all they where a Colonels Engine on the KESR) and probably only one in steam at a time DCC is probably overkill however I recognise that I will probably have to embrace the technology eventually so why not now?

Finally a track plan was decided and yes I know the kickback siding is wrong however

1: I’m unable to locate a track plan other than knowing there was a loop

2: I want the middle board to be usable as a single contained unit

3: It my Railway

A weeks leave and Christmas produced much progress with 90% of the scenic boards track laid and 80% wired so much so that I’m able to run the J94 up and down without so far it falling off.

The question of tiebars and mechanisms troubled me and armed with knowledge that these are due early 2009 I side stepped the issue and preferred to wait and see after the following reply to an enquiry on the 2mm Yahoo group

In twomm@yahoogroups.com, "nick" wrote:

> As one struggling with reliable tiebars and mechanisms are you in a
position yet to offer further details rather than I attempt to reinvent
the wheel (knowing me it would be a square)

Nick,

Don't re-invent the wheel...! You've only about six or so weeks at most
to wait. I've not got one of the mechs in my possession so can't take a
picture to show you.

Alan is away taking a well earned break so, since he has the drawings
etc. I'm afraid I can't oblige.

Mick-

A small section of track has been painted and ballasted although I’m unhappy with the sleeper colour and await Mr Postman delivering alternative colours, the Revell range (only ones locally available) been exhausted. I do not intend to do any more to the track until I have resolved the issues viz-ve the tiebars and after I have achieved reliable running which will almost certainly be where the project flounders. In the interim I think its time to investigate brickpaper.

As an aside RC servo controls of points look very interesting and I would welcome any advice on the subject.

MKII or like Topsy

2008-10-12T13:47:00.004+01:00

My so called careful measurements of the boot of the car proved wrong. It was even smaller than I thought by 4” or 100mm in new money. The obvious but long avoided rethink was now overdue and required. Time to bite the bullet and a rethink enabled me to formulate a cunning plan or Guilford Colliery MKII.

I’m fortunate that my better half works for a timber supplier and armed with one of my finest sketch plans she arrived home with 6mm plywood pre cut to suitable width and overall length. C+L supplied suitable pattern makers dowels – of which more latter and a weeks leave resulted in a start been made, in total three boards (two scenic and one fiddle yard – which may be a couple of points and may something more fancy at the moment I have only made the end joint to the scenic section) I think I have the geometry right and the middle board will make a stand alone Inglenook. Same idea for legs must get to Homebase and purchase four more. Given me a 5’ x 1’ or 1500mm x 300m scenic section, which inverts for storage is just about portable weight wise and with a jiggle fits the car (The fiddle yard board should fit on its side). Fitting the dowels caused some major problems and extreme language which luckily the wife finds amusing given as he says it’s directed at an inanimate object during which time it I don’t pause for breath.

The news that shop one is out of stock of suitable rail is a hurdle which sent me of on a tangent, I adopted modern thinking and purchased a new split from set Bachmann Ez Command via the usual auction site for £25, ordered a chip and suitable GraFar conversion bush - wonder when they will arrive. Interesting that my job is information technology and yet I confess to been a Luddite in personnel things – where do you find a four year old to program a video recorder, not sure how that one will work out.

I suppose it’s about time I made this public and advertise this blog

A final thought why everyone else’s layout looks do so much better than I can ever hope to emulate.

At long last a Update

2008-09-09T22:02:00.007+01:00

So where did the last five months go?

Domestic repairs, a trip to Magny Cours for the F1, summer (must have blinked and missed it this year) and an on set of apathy left months going no where.

I had reached a stage of laying 80% of the track and stalled (a familiar tale). Much like writing this account is proving too be.

Some extra information had come to light since beginning, such as read reading the books on the EKR which revealed the fact ( a photo) that the points were built using standard sleepers ( a topic which generated some discussion on the 2mm yahoo group with regard to other railways, which in all likely hood caused me to recognize that it was used on the EKR ).

Gradually I bite the bullet and began to wire the track and install basic point operating gubbins which revealed a sorry tale. The passage of a loco (a Farish Austerity with turned down wheels) was quiet honestly crap... It lifted and lurched through the points in a totally unsatisfactory way. A plea to the Group yielded valuable information and served to re-invigorate me.

About this time a new source of information was published to the Web which revealed much missing information and solved one problem although created several more

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/

It was obvious that a rethink was required, in my own typical perverse way I started by building a replacement point, and considering my options.

And bugger me I've just had a email from the 2mm boys asking for pictures for a progress report, oh dear

Progress Bad Language and a Setback

2008-03-31T16:44:00.006+01:00

Started to attack the wood and begin its conversion into a baseboard good job I opened my boot and measured again as the narrowest point is only 121/2” a setback Some colourful language and a it a do baseboard to be 34” x 12” was settled on, my “clever legs” where purchased (stair rods) and over a week the baseboard was assembled with glue and screws much to the domestic authorities surprise, the attached gives the general idea.

More bad language its actual worked out 835mm x 315mm and as I write this I realize I must check it fits the car.

The 1924 road map revealed nothing new but a very interesting sketch plan of the sidings for Stonehall colliery another failed pit a couple of miles from Guilford Colliery and one intended to be linked on the on one of the EKR many proposed extensions. This very nearly diverted me until I realized just how big this site was.

Meanwhile code 40 rail has been purchased, Iain Rices book on track making, the 2mm beginners Guide and various articles on the DVD read and reread and track making commenced against a Inglenook type plan with a run-round loop

More on this to follow

A Begining

2008-02-28T16:45:00.004Z

Beginnings

I’m a lazy modeller my N Gauge layout has taken 7 years to reach its currant stage of stagnation. I also have a terrible habit of starting a new project without finish the last, result lots of ½ finished models. My interest in Light Railways and local history and general dissatisfaction with existing N Gauge models led to joining the 2mm Scale Association and yet more unfinished models. A Shunting plank it sort of worked but never progressed past early test certainly no framing just a track board.

The local East Kent Railway holds untold fascination which in turn created an interest in the Coal mines in Kent.

The spur was a feature in the latest magazine regarding the 2mm Scale Challenge Layout, the fool thinks I can do that and starts thinking and reading. Which leads me too the Guilford Branch of the EKR. A pleasant walk on the 23rd in unseasonal sunshine and mild weather raised interest further. Contact with the local archives office revealed nothing of value however.

Abandoned Sleepers for the branch

Problem 1 the boot of my car can take a maximum 34” x 16” baseboard and the surviving winding house is rather large…

The Winding House

In a rash moment I posted the completed 2mm Scale Challenge Layout form Tuesday
Still I’m thinking a simple Inglenook type plan should be achievable even if I use regauged RTR locos

Guess what I’ve even purchased the wood and sourced suitable (we will see) legs
The question of 30 thou rail remains unanswered in my mind with my cack handed soldering
EBay turned up a 1924 road map of East Kent which may yield more some more information my 1948 version showing nothing of value.

And the title It a do will have to be the mantra if I intend to achieve anything and black sheep as the quality of modelling achieved by others makes me feel extremely inadequate.