The Club builds and operates layouts in a variety of scales.
Two model shops for my layout
I am in the middle of constructing a small shunting yard, based on the outskirts of Brighton during in the late 1950s to early 1960s period. Because the whole scenic area is just 8ft x 2ft most buildings on the layout have to be of the low-relief type. At the far end of the layout …read more.
May 4, 2020
Signalling Orchard Wharf – Updated
Here’s work in progress on a signal controlling the ramp track between the upper and lower levels of our new EM gauge layout “Orchard Wharf”. It’s my first attempt at a signal in brass. This signal is a MSE kit with a 20ft height. I have gone away from prototypical a couple of times for …read more.
May 1, 2020
A ‘London’ Class 26 in O gauge
“Err, Dave, would you mind weathering a couple of diesels for me?” My mate Andy Ward from the Luton MRC was clutching two large blue boxes containing a Heljan Class 31 and in the other a Class 26. Being a Southern BR modeller it wasn’t that long ago I’d weathered my own Heljan Class 33, …read more.
May 1, 2020
A Garden Layout
Well it’s not exactly modelling but more a bit of fun for my son and me. A few years back I started on this little project and it didn’t get past the baseboard stage. As we can’t go out and the weather been great I thought why not get on with it. The original remit was …read more.
Apr 29, 2020
Bow Junction – Loco erection
Work continues on the Loco erection building for Bow Junction. As you can see from the photo I have screwed the 4 sides of the building together so that I can start building the roof , which is designed so that it can be lifted off. I have placed the piece of foam board so …read more.
Apr 28, 2020
A Brighton Based ‘Gronk’ – Detailing an O gauge diesel
The O gauge model of the Dapol Class 08 diesel electric loco finally arrived in the shops in December 2016 after lengthy production delays. Nearly everyone agreed this was an excellent model and at a bargain price, though as always there were one or two out there who find fault with any RTRmodel. I had …read more.
Apr 27, 2020
Rolling Roads
Over the last few weeks, we’ve had a number of blogs with models sitting on rolling roads – probably because we can’t get to our test tracks to show the models working. There are a surprising variety out there – here’s a selection, which we’ll update as we find more… Example 1 – The Mazero …read more.
Apr 26, 2020
A new test track – Home working for Orchard Wharf
Converting a lot of OO locos and rolling stock to EM gauge is the sort of job that is best done at home. I’ve had an EM gauge test track for some time, but it’s only a 5ft straight track. This is no good for checking, for example, clearances on curves and points, of which …read more.
Apr 25, 2020
Converting a Dapol Sentinel Shunter to Scale 7
Before the conversion – a quick explanation of ScaleSeven. The models are exactly the same size as O gauge – with a scale of 7mm to 1ft . The difference is in both the gauge of the track – which is 33mm between the rails – and a wheel profile which matches closely the real …read more.
Apr 24, 2020
DCC testing track and rolling road
After buying a Lokprogrammer to allow me to program DCC decoders, it struck me that I needed a test station that would let me program decoders from all manufacturers, as well as test them and the locomotive on a rolling road. The version 1.0 plank that is illustrated consists a modified Hornby Rolling Road with …read more.
Apr 24, 2020
Quintart Build – Part 2
The bodies all follow the same principle for construction and just to confuse things these pictures aren’t all of the same coach. A reminder, this is how they come: As well as sanding off the pips where the elements are joined in the printing, there was a small amount of filing of some window frames. …read more.
Apr 23, 2020
Budleigh Salterton in OO
I’ve been busy plotting my version of “Budleigh Salterton” – and been laying out the track to the plan here, using the original signal box plan. I intend to run my southern stock to represent the 1930s and my BR Southern Region stock to represent the late 1950s/early 60s The boards are from …read more.
Apr 22, 2020