Last updated August 2024

May 2024

Most of May has been occupied getting the layout ready for exhibition, including:
- sorting out the lighting (using the lighting supports from Plumpton, and previously used on Brighton Road).
- making a pelmet to hide the lights (and also eventually carry the layout name).
- making the frames for the display panels, writing text and researching maps and text for the display.
- starting work on the stock boxes for transporting locos and stock to exhibitions.

The lights (left), and the stock boxes (right) together with the cassettes used to store the stock in transit and also used in the layout fiddle yard.









Scenery
The granite setts have been finished, and the guttering and downpipes added to the weighbridge building (photo right).

Trackwork
We’ve added quite a few of the cosmetic chairs to the handmade track, but still a few more to do.

Running and testing
We are periodically running and testing the layout to sort out any niggly little issues. Everything seems to be working ok, with a few minor adjustments to the turnout operating units, but we have found a slightly embarrassing issue. When testing with an E1 rather than a Terrier, we have found that the ‘rathole’ connecting the fiddle yard to the layout is too small - the chimney of the E1 just clips the top of the arch. A couple of hours dismantling and re-erecting the backscene, to raise the height of the opening by a few millimetres!

June 2024

Scenery
The two barges are finished and painted barring a few minor details. We’ve also been busy adding other small details:
- a fisherman preparing his boat,
- the main entrance gate, and ‘Ouse Wharf’ sign,
- ladders,
- and finally a couple of drainage outfalls into the river.


On the left, the two canal barges, an unusual size of 13ft by 50ft to fit into the Ouse Navigation locks. On the right, the entrance to the wharf, complete with sign.





On the left, a fisherman preparing his boat, and on the right one of the outfalls.





We have also made and fitted covers for the two layout boards, to protect them in transit. The covers are very simple - two pieces of hardboard, one for the front of the layout, and one for the top, hinged along their long edge. The are fitted by bolting to the front of the layout and latched to the ends.

Continuing with preparations for the Bluebell show at the end of the month, we have now finished the lighting, pelmet, display panels, and fixed velcro all round for the curtains. The layout has been set up in the garage for a final trial to make sure everything fits together.







Bluebell Model Railway Show

On the final weekend of June the layout was exhibited at its first show, at the Bluebell Railway. The layout has been designed to fit into my car, together with all the various accessories (trestles, lighting, stock etc etc), to comply with the requirements of the Scaleforum Jubilee Challenge for small layouts, to be completed by September 2026. (Rules can be found here).

One of the boards has been tested for fit previously, but because we’ve only just finished some of the other bits, the day before the exhibition is the first opportunity to check whether it will all fit in. Yes it does - just!

Photo on the left, at the bottom, the trestles, a box of road vehicles, the lighting supports and the two boards in their covers. To the right, the display panels and pelmet, and on top a box of loose bits, barges and buildings not yet permanently fixed in place.


Photo on the right, the stock boxes at the bottom, a box of controllers, part of the fiddle yard, and the underside of one of the boards.

We need these photos for the next time we pack the car!

The layout ran well at the exhibition with the exception of one loco which failed when one of the pickups fell off. (The High Level Model kits of industrial engines are the only locos we have which use scraper pickups rather than split axles. This is because there is so much detail between the frames which would be virtually impossible to retain with split frames).

At the Bluebell, all set up in about an hour and ready to go! (Photo left).

We didn’t get much time to do any more work on the layout during the weekend, but we did add the water ripples (Woodland Scenics Water Ripples) to the river surface. This has changed its appearance very dramatically. Compare photo right with this one.