WEST ORTON

[Carl L]

Farmer drowns in milk vat?

[Steve M]

Probably not to everyones taste but here is a quick and shaky (sorry Roger) video of Hornby's latest Flying Scotsman.
And the best bit?
Retails at about £300 but I found one in a German online shop for £115.

https://youtu.be/27wgCDQJ3L4?feature=shared

[Walkingthedog]

The steam is a huge improvement on the old system. Doesn’t drop to the surface in blobs. Looks really good.

[bulleidboy]

Great video and loco Steve - the layout does look impressive. I had my FS running the other day - the steam is very realistic.

[Steve M]

Many buyers , if the other forums are to be believed, have had nothing but trouble with this loco.

Admittedly I had to return mine to Hornby due to a bent pickup (that could happen to any model) which they replaced in a week. But as far as the steam and sound are concerned, no issues at all.

One criticism is that the loco has a small plug behind the chimney where you refill the water reservoir. Only one plug supplied - yes, that's going to ping across the shed at some time. And yes, I have 3D printed a few spares.

[Chops]

Holy Smoke!

[Steve M]

Why do I never think things through?
Well I do - usually, but I've started a small project that is going to need some dry weather and I've clearly chosen the wrong time of year.
The old lags on here will remember that I have two layouts in the shed, one above the other.



The top one, Low Ghyll, is supported on a rough and ready plywood frame on adjustable shelf brackets. The frame also houses the lighting units cobbled together when the lower layout was my foray into N gauge (Shaddeholme).

Neither the frame nor the lighting are particularly suited to the jobs they do, so it's time for them to reworked. So this morning I've been slicing a sheet of 18mm ply into 3" strips for a narrower (and better sawn ) frame - its surprising how much of an 8x4 sheet that takes!

Low Ghyll will need to be demounted from the frame but as it's a modular layout that shouldn't be an issue. Ideally I will be able to store it by spreading the boards around the other shed and garage but ideally I need some dry weather in case I have to leave any of it outside.

Anything else I need ? Yes, time - I do have nearly four weeks off work between now and the end of October but a fair chunk of that is already allocated to a trip to Galway for our son's wedding (finally!) and of course our annual holiday on the North York Moors. We miss the gala weekend at the NYMR (son picked that weekend for the wedding) but I'm hoping that some or all of this year's guest locos stay on for a short time as they sometimes do.

Just looked outside - raining again - time for a nap.

[Steve M]

Progress has been made on Low Ghyll.
Slowed down a bit by having to track down replacement adjustable shelf brackets so they are all the same size now, bug the new support frame has been built and installed.
It's much shallower than the old one so it effective drops the height of the layout without compromising headroom on West Orton below.

I've been able to reuse the old lighting after rewiring but it fits in the support frame so it is virtually invisible unless viewed from underneath. The frame includes a space for another strip of LEDs if needed. The photo flatters the amount of illumination from just one set of LEDs.

As each board goes back into the shed I'm taking the opportunity to clean the track and check the wiring under the boards - surprised by how many repairs are needed! I'm also giving each board a blast from my compressor - it's actually changing colour as the dust blows away.

Two more boards to do tomorrow and it may run for the first time in three years.

[bulleidboy]

Who's been a busy boy then However it is all looking very neat and tidy. Well done.

[Carl L]

Cracking set up in your shed. I do like the overall view of West Orton, very nice indeed.