tower of strength?

Tonight I have test assembled the more difficult (Beddgelert end) water tower. This has been modelled directly from the WHRCL plans and so is to scale. It consists of a girder section framework to hold the tanks and 4 circular hollow section pillars (well I have actually lined them with strong wire to add strength). This structure is more concerning as the Waunfawr end version has 6 pillars (why you ask - well trains run underneath this one!).

Below is a photo - I'm pleased to say that even in this state (base not affixed to the ground, no extra strapping for the sides etc) it holds the weight of the brass tank. However it is flimsy enough to concern and I may now swap this tank to the Waunfawr end tower and build the second tank with a plasticard top to reduce the weight a bit.

Colin

The roofing challenge

Here is one big roofing challenge... This is a selection (!!!) of the carriages that now need roofs.

Now this is going to take a while, scoring and cutting out 10 thou brass sheet, then bending it, soldering them on...

So, I'm starting to think about how I can fast forward this process? Bending bars and guillotines seem way too expensive though (at least £100 each!). Anyone got any ideas?

Colin

Meanwhile, on t'other layout

As you can see, some gentle progress on 'Nant Gwernol' (I need a new name really!)... Some trees (woodland scenics) have been added, the rockface background base has been added (plaster rocks next), the area around the chapel has been surfaced and the hut has been added, plus general scenics too. It's amazing what 10 mins here and there can do for a small layout!

Colin

Tree-mendous!

Hi,

Recent work (despite the garage getting pretty cold!) has focused on arboriculture...

Whilst my men (bachmann PW workers) are surveying the track, a copse of pines has been placed in the far corner. This is really there in reality and also forms a nice scenic break for viewing the layout.

Note: my camera flash makes some of these trees look a funny colour - don't worry they aren't that garish really!


At the far end two trees have been added (again they really do exist in reality) to 'hide' the exit to the hidden sidings.

In the station area two copses of larch/spruce have been added, more low level detail is to come too (including clearing up the wood shavings from drilling the holes for the trees to be planted in).

Further away from the station, is a mixed copse of trees and conifers.

an end to end overview.

The trees are a mixture of Faller HO (thinned down considerably with cutters), anita decor handmade, woodland scenics premium and bachmann scenescapes.

Colin

Bull Ant

Hi,

I've been worrying for a while about the performance of ibertren chassis on Rhyd Ddu. I just don't think they're up to the job - huge flanges (that can be turned down in a lathe - but I don't have one!) and hard (but not impossible) to convert to DCC.  The only locos in the stud that use this chassis style are: Blanche (already built and painted and I'm loathed to fiddle!) and Conway Castle.  

That's why it's going to be time to replace the ibertren put aside for Conway with this baby.  http://motorbogies.com/index.php?main_page=popup_image&pID=84

Or for more details: http://motorbogies.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1_13_7&products_id=84

It comes with a 31:1 reduction gearbox and nice little mashima can and a flywheel - it's all good.  The wheelbase is perfect (well 0.5mm too long!) and the wheels are much larger than the ibertren, making it more like the real thing too.

Dad has one of these for his 3mm DMU and it performs mega, so bring it on!

Colin

Warley images

Click here for images from Warley - there are too many to upload to this blogger site 5 at a time

Colin

Birthday modelling bash

Note: Warley review coming soon...

But before that, I took a day off work today with the express intention of doing a load of modelling.  I invited Dad up to help and we spent a very enjoyable day at the soldering iron. Progress included:

The completion of one of the two Braithwaite tanks - these are Alan Gibson etches, but require very fiddle T and L shaped brass strip to be soldered in between each panel.  I did the top and bottom, Dad did the fiddly sides.  All it needs now is the structure below (bits are in stock) and some detailing on top/the addition of the water pipe.

I have nearly completed the main bodywork of the FR funkey 'Vale of Ffestiniog'.  The roof is not fixed yet and details like horns, wipers, lamps, handrails etc are required, but the basic body is now together.
I have completed the necessary extra strips to sort the side of the doors out on 2043 and 2044 (2045 was done previously).  This was to cover up gaps in the folds which were designed in as part of the original etches.

We also:

- Discussed the addition of a flywheel to Taliesin (I have chosen the smaller 5mm wheel)

- Trialled a 5 thou brass carriage roof, only to favour the 10 thou variety.

- Painted textured paint onto the other layout's higher level to help the ballast areas stick to the MDF base (NOTE never use MDF for baseboards - it's too hard, too shiny and plywood (9mm?) is much better.

Good times.

Colin

'O' gosh!

Apologies for the delay in posting - busy times!  First up today is an image of the forgotten loco - Moel Tryfan.  The loco needs some tlc to sort out intermittent shorting problems on the chassis and also requires slidebars (I have them) and connecting rods (I don't have them), other than that, it's complete and looking good. I have the nameplates ready.

But the real subject of this post is............bogies and O rings!  Below are some nine lines bogies (from Lynton and Barnstaple prototypes).  These are terrible and avoid them at all costs.  The sides spring apart way too easily and wheelsets drop out.  I am phasing these out completely.

Alternatives?  Worsley works makes bogies in brass - here are some FR style bogies - just add bearings.  However, apart from the fact you have to paint them (!), the mounting of couplings to them is difficult.  Also included in this bag are some 'artistry in brass' (I think this is Parkside Dundas now) NWNGR bogies with white metal axleboxes - these suffer from the same issue.

Here are the worsley works bogies for the WHR saloons, very nice etchings, but again how do I add my couplings?
Here are the Parkside Dundas bogies for FR stock (that really means carrs 15 to 20 plus 23 and Vans 1/2), but I will use them for a few other similar vehicles too.  Much better for BEMO couplings and easy to put together.

Also from Parkside come these more modern style bogies.  Easy to add BEMOs and pretty close to prototypical too.

A manufacturer I have recently come across is greenmax, their N gauge bogies come in two wheelbases 13 and 16mm and run beautifully.  These are the excellent 13mm ones, if you can make do with the incorrect scale on the side detailing (oh come on who's going to see it!).

and these are the 16mm ones underneath FR buffet carriage 114.  The significance of this is related to the title of this post - 'O'.  

For lo, I have discovered what I think is an excellent way of mounting these bogies onto the etched brass floor of the worsley carriage.  The answer was a purchase from Porthmadog market a few months ago - O rings - the type used for plumbing.  You can get ones that are 2mm thick and about 5-7mm diameter.  Any of these fit perfectly around a 10BA bolt and sit between the bogie and the floor.  The benefit over a bit of plasticard or some other method? - they're springy! So you get a kind of suspension effect too - cool eh??

 

In other news...

• Construction started on my Baldwin (590), but has stalled due to a requirement for replacement crankpins from GEM.  The farish chassis doesn't have room for the connecting rod behind the coupling rod, so you have to send off to GEM for new crankpins.
• The footplate of Vale of Ffestiniog has been constructed and parts for the body prepared.  Nameplates have been sourced.  Chassis choice remains up in the air.
• An FR coal waggon was completed in white metal, with an etched chassis.
• On the other layout, the area at the back of the top level has been formed using my preferred method of newspaper balls, masking tape and plaster bandage.  Also the levers for the points have been sourced - this layout will have an AC supply for peco point motors separate to the DCC system, unlike Rhyd Ddu.
• and finally, digg the digger??? [the joints in the jib actually work, so you can position it as you like]
  
  

all jolly good fun!

Colin

four four one five

4415, the Kerr Stuart diesel trialled on the WHR/FR, shipped abroad, rescued and to be restored soon...  Tonight I've completed the basic bodywork, with detailing to come and DCC conversion of the chassis half completed - note the white insulating tape.  and yes, I have now bought some black tape!

Other recent progress has included FR modern carriages 112 and 114.

a line up of the last week's work - 112, 114, 119, 16 and two Ashbury Summer cars (11 and 14) for heritage purposes.

A DCC ibertren chassis is in the foreground.

On the layout, I've re-ballasted the edge of the platform, repainted the sleeper grime on the test section and added further scenics such as coarse turf, I'm also planning where trees will be sited.  

On the hidden sidings, I have aligned all the tracks on the traversers properly (which required re-laying two of the sidings) and have planned the wiring - easy in DCC!

Colin

Masterplan

[click to enlarge]

Hi all,

In May on hols I got thinking about the other side of the layout...the Ffestiniog side.  Finally I've had time to draw it up into a kind of long-term Masterplan.  Of course the short term plan is to 'finish' Rhyd Ddu, but you will have noticed me building much FR stock too.  This is with one eye on the future of my train set (cos that's what it is really!).  

The idea is to feature something different.  I remain to be convinced that 009 shunting layouts really work (maybe County Gate could prove me wrong, I don't know), but I have plenty of evidence that through running layouts can work well (e.g. Dduallt etc) and the extra benefit of 009 is that the scenics can be extensive within a manageable space.

So, I thought of putting together 3 boards of scenic Ffestiniog vistas and if possible, a passing loop in the middle to add operational interest.  The three I have chosen are:

- Tylers Curve and Plas Halt (a beautiful peaceful halt in woodland next to the tightest curve on the railway, which itself resides in a rock cutting.

- Rhiw Goch loop and signal box for the passing loop, encouraged by a recent article in Narrow Gauge and Industrial Railway Modelling Review explaining how to model the fabulous new box there.

- Dduallt tank curve leading to Campbell's Platform - a gorgeous swinging curve.

The only issue I have yet to find with this is that the scenes are in the wrong order.  Rhiw Goch is just after Penrhyn, whilst Plas Halt is just before Tan-y-Bwlch, so really those two should be the other way around.  However Tyler's curve, as you can see, really fits with the necessary sharp bend out of HS1.  Also having Rhiw Goch in the middle helps operation.  Because of this I might add plywood backscenes between the three boards to separate them into discrete scenes...?

For those struggling to remember what these scenes look like, here's Rhiw Goch box:

Plas Halt and Tyler's curve:

and Dduallt Tank curve leading to the small halt of Campbell's Platform:

I would genuinely be interested in your comments on this plan, and by the way it is the layout with no name at the moment: perhaps Plas Rhiw Tank?

Colin

A Graham Farish chassis conversion to DCC experiment

An N guage chassis can be a right bother to convert to digital.  Certainly my 91 and 08 chassis are both troublesome.  This is beacuse the body is live and linked permanently to the motor. Looking at my 91 last night (to become the other funkey), I took it apart to see how I could convert it.  the bogies pick up and feed a brass strip underneath the motor and directly to the chassis block.  Both brushes of the motor directly touch either the strip or the block via a brass 'hat' which has a spring inside (to spring the brush up to the motor) and is kept in place by a keeper plate, itself rivetted to either the block or that brass strip.  

So, in order to convert it to digital I need to break the link between the pickups and the brushes...easier said than done when they are integral.

This is where the 'digi hat' comes in.  First you insolate the hat by replacing it with a plastic (not brass) one.  Then you place heat shrink around the keeper to isolate that from the spring. Finally, you solder directly to the spring, which sits inside the hat.  Confused?  see below...  Here are the hats, brass on left and new insulated one on right.

That fits into the heavy chassis block like so...

and the spring that sits inside the hat and has a wire soldered to it - that wire then goes to the decoder.  The isolated keeper device is then placed back over the spring to keep it in position.

On some models it is possible to do away with the soldering to the spring and the keeper plate thingy and use an insulated clip which sits on top of the hat to keep the spring tight against the brush.  This will be fine for my 08s but not for the 91 as the clip doesn't fit (chassis block much wider)!

Then you can solder the wires from the clip/spring to the decoder and the red/black wires to the pickups and it's converted.  

we'll see how it works in a few weeks after I've picked up some of these from Warley.

Colin

Je suis un Parisien

[written from a hotel room in Paris]

Research continues on all aspects of DCC and it's fair to say that I'm hooked.  I can't wait to try some DCC sound next - well my (30th - don't mention that number, the thought is quite frightening) birthday and xmas approach!

I am particularly interested in the digitrax sounddepot.  You can buy one of these:

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/pd-1588309401.htm?categoryId=58

for £17 and add a 'soundbug' for £31 (it plugs into the above decoder - I might have to substitiute the speaker for a smaller version though 28mm is big!):

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/pd-184919960.htm?categoryId=61

and then using this 'bad boy':

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/pd1006173345.htm?categoryId=61

you can add various sounds to the decoder (it comes preloaded with generic sounds, these are extras): including a 108 dmu, class 37, yorkie 0-6-0 shunter, standard 5, GWR prairie and various other american locos.

tempting...

add to that the fact you can even record your own sounds and upload them and I might just be seen recording various sounds off FR and WHR locos at source!  Obviously it'll only work in locos big enough to take this kit, but I guess the NGG16s and the funkey would be worthwhile...?

In other news, I have been extensively testing the DCC locos I've collected - a GP38 (bought as a possible chassis for a funkey, but too short) and the new farish warship (image above) which I've adorned with a gaugemaster 6 pin decoder and features directional lighting.  I've also successfully tested a ZTC 255 on an ibertren chassis (to become Conway Castle).  Good times.

Colin

Digital update and Bromsgrove Models

http://www.bromsgrovemodels.co.uk/dcc.htm?Submit=Digital+Control

Bromsgrove Models is a super 'little' company trading via the internet and selected model railway shows.  Run from a residential address, there is no shop to pop along to and browse, but the website is excellent and overheads (and thus prices) are kept down - e.g. gaugemaster sell their prodigy system for £225, I got the MRC version [gauagemaster rebadge it] via Bromsgrove models for £165 with free P+P!  

They are also very friendly and knowledgable.  Even though I had an issue with the power supply, I was able to pop around and get it swapped easily with no bother.  Whilst I was there I was also able to talk about subjects as diverse as 6 pin decoders, sound chips and decoder testers.

The issue is now sorted and I have been able to add a gaugemaster 2nd throttle to the system succesfully.  This works very well and I like the way the 2 throttles interact when handing over a loco between them.  I am very pleased with the system and can't wait to set up the layout in the new garage and get playing.

My study now also has an ESU decoder tester set up (courtesy of Bromsgrove models again) - this takes either wires or a 6, 8 or 21 pin plug and allows you to test the decoder using an onboard motor, lights and even a speaker!  Using this I was able to find that I have already fried a decoder - I think due to a short circuit on a tight fitting body.  oh well.

The ZTC decoders have been OK - the detachable harness is useful to separate the circuit board portion when soldering.  The functions, PWM, ability to use as a DC loco, feedback, size and price are all good and they are rated at a decent ampage too.  However, I have found one issue - they don't support advanced consisting.  This means that I will either have to set up a consist (double heading) on the controller [it will only remember 1 consist at once] or reprogram the engines in the consist to the same address manually (although in that case speed matching won't happen]. But then none of the cheaper decoders seem to support this (certainly the hornby R8249 doesn't) and what do you expect for £10.80 per decoder!

So far the DCC experiment has been good though... more news soon.

Colin

Digital woes

Houston we have a problem.  Well two actually.

Firstly my MRC prodigy advance2 has a dodgy power lead socket, so is going back tomorrow for repair/replacement/refund.  In the few minutes I had playing with the system it looked really good though!  Can't wait to have a working version (hopefully for the weekend).

Secondly, I bought a load of ZTC 255 decoders on 26th Sept and on the 30th ZTC ceased trading, placing the epitaph at the bottom of this post on their website.  That means any support or guarantee I might have hoped for ceases too and as their whole site has been taken down I can't access the manuals (you only get a quick start guide with the decoders).  bandits!  Luckily I managed to find an old download I had accessed for the manual in the google chrome downloads bit - thank goodness for google.

It also means I can't buy the ZTC decoder tester I was going to...  oh well.  at least they posted me the items, otherwise I would have ended up as a preferential creditor or something like that!

dear dear dear...

Colin

Dear Customers,

We regret to inform you that ZTC Controls Limited ceased sales, support and servicing of its series of DCC train control products on 30th September 2008.

Despite every possible effort by the management and staff of ZTC, in today's difficult financial climate our low-volume hand-finished products are regrettably unable to compete with the market-price set by the mass-produced products offered by the recent international entrants into the DCC market.

ZTC has always prided itself on being a UK company employing local designers and local manufacturing. We had hoped that a sufficient number of UK modellers would continue to appreciate the advantages of our equipment over cheaper mass-produced alternatives, but sadly, this has not proved to be the case.

We wish to take this opportunity to thank all of our loyal customers for their support over the years.

Miscellany or what to call a dock tank with no roof...?

Well we're now nearly unpacked, so much so that we had an outing on Sunday to Ryton Pools country park - which has a miniature railway.  £1 a go around a decent loop, great fun (especially when we derailed just before the bank, so the little engine [with Hackworth valve gear] had to struggle up the 1:100.

My study now has a modelling 'zone' including a new IKEA desk and other additions...

and there's even room for a small test (programming) track along the bookshelf...

Dad has made sterling progress with the double fairlie 'Merddin Emrys' (see below) and I have finally managed to ream out the coupling rod holes so that the crankpin nut fits back to front on Taliesin to help with clearances around the slidebars.  However in doing so I lost a 16ba brass washer (so small there's no chance of finding it!).

and finally, I have ordered my DCC equipment - a whole load of ZTC decoders (diamond 255s) and the MRC prodigy advance2, these arrived today but I was in Burnley and my wife was at playgroup so they are sitting in some postal sorting office tonight!  

Hopefully I'll get to play tomorrow, which is why I did my first DCC conversion yesterday - a minitrix 0-6-0 (eventually for the Kerr Stuart diesel 4415, which as a prototype was tested on the WHR and FR and now resides at Minffordd awaiting restoration.)  The chassis is live and insulated from the chassis are wiper pickups for the other wheels.  So isolating the motor from the chassis was easy, except that in the very small space available the EMC suppression devices got in the way.  I figured that no-one adds these to kits they build themselves anyway and they are of questionable use other than to allow a RTR loco to get the necessary EU certification, so they were chopped off.  Apparently they can interfere with TVs and even pacemakers, but that seems to be pretty alarmist to me.

Then the decoder (an old style Hornby R8215 that didn't matter if I blew it) was attached - red and black to the track, orange and grey the other way (to the motor).  But there was no room in the dock tank to house the decoder, so I chopped the cab off (obviously the loco body will get chucked anyway!)...  so what to call it....?  Shaun??

Colin

Heading West

Hi all,

Well we have moved, and I'm writing this from my new study/work from home office/'modelling room' in the West Midlands.  Bye bye East Midlands.

The garage is rammed with stuff from the move, so there's no chance of getting the layout up until I can get the shed erected and move a load of stuff there and I also need to sell a few bits (like the other dining room table and chairs we have!).  However, in addition to my small study, the 2nd bedroom has a nice little area where work can be done on at least one board, and probably two, and all in the warm!  All is not lost.

Will update the blog when I've had time to set stuff up...I suspect the next step will be purchasing my DCC control equipment and playing with a couple of DCC equipped locos on a test track - happy days.

Colin

Activity Media aka Right Track

A quick review of some DVDs that I really think are worth watching...

The right track series has 7 current incarnations:

1&2 deal with loco kit building (in OO only - no narrow gauge here - shame on them!) and is very informative and useful.  I have watched part 1, with part 2 in my DVD player waiting a chance to appear.

3 is about painting and lining and includes some 'professional' advice from Ian Rathbone - a bit over the top sometimes, but very useful indeed.

4 is about detailing and improving RTR models (no real help to us narrow gauge lads and lasses, so I haven't purchased this).

5&6 are well worth it (they were the first 2 I bought) and deal with scenics - Barry Norman is the maestro this time.

7 covers building buildings and although I haven;t got this once yet, I plan to buy it.

8 (soon to be joined by 9) cover DCC.

It is understood that others are planned including track building and other topics.  Perhaps a narrow gauge programme could be next?

http://www.model-railway-dvd.co.uk/

Colin

so, what to buy then?

Please do comment on the decoders I've featured and indeed let me know if you have others in mind that I've missed...

My strategy will be as follows (as one only has so much cash to play with of course):

Coreless motors (e.g. Linda) - ZTC diamond

High use engines requiring extras such as dither and lighting effects etc - ZTC diamond or TCS T1

Low use engines that just need a cheap decoder - Hornby R8249

Engines requiring a very small decoder - digitrax DZ125

and what about engines with two motors (Garratts of which I have 3) : here there is an option:

1 - power both motors with one bad boy decoder like the zimo mx68L at 4A.  £20 is likely to be a slightly cheaper option maybe and it will require less messing about.  There may however be slight differences between the engine units causing one to run faster than the other and this couldn't be fixed in the decoder.

2 - add a decoder for each engine unit, match the speeds by altering the CVs and then give them the same address so they work together.  Slightly more expensive and a lot of messing about. Also it may be necessary to turn the back EMF off on one of the units, otherwise they may start to 'flight' each other!

ummmm, choices.

Colin

009 Decoders part 2

So, onto Lenz and their silver (£25) and gold (£30) minis.  Each has just 2 function outputs but measure in at just 11mm x 9mm x 3mm.  The gold supports high frequency PWM for my coreless motor in Linda, but the silver is pretty basic (800mA peak, 2 functions only) and is therefore expensive in comparison with other makes.  In fact I think you pay quite a bit more for the Lenz name and I'm not going to invest in that, so in 'Dragon's Den' parlance - 'I'm out'.  Lenz stuff is here.

LokPilot v3.0 8 pin DCC Decoder 52611

This £20 decoder is good for coreless, has 4 functions, back EMF and all the usual 'good stuff'. It's a bit bigger though at 23 x 15.5 x 6.5 mm and only handles just over 1A maximum.

The manual is here.

Zimo mx68L

20 x 10 x 4 mm, support for coreless motors and 4 functions, 4A total load and for £20 - now you're talking!  Manual here  

Thanks to a commenter, I have noticed that this is a function only decoder, the equivalent with a motor function too is around £30 and out of my price range anyway.  But if interested click here.

ZTC Diamond 255

But the award for the mother of all decoders goes to ZTC's diamond 255 decoder.  This comes in at a super £11 via their ebay sales (£13 direct).  It has 4 functions, 2A max, variable frequency PWM, back EMF and dither.  It's 20mm x 12mm, so small, but not tiny. The manual resides here

Decoders for 009

I've been looking at decoders for 009 and here are a selection of what I have found:

Hornby R8249

The successor to the 8215, this bad boy is now fully NMRA complaint and appears to have got over the problems associated with resets to address 0003 that the former chip was prone to.

The good news is that it's cheap (£8-9), small (it measures just 17 x 10 x 3.5mm) and has 4 functions (for lighting etc) and back EMF support, the bad news is that it has limited functionality in programming and although 500mA peak is ok for 009, this may be an issue for motors that need a lot of current, or indeed where you are powering 2 motors from one decoder (Beyer-Garratt anyone?).

For more info on the few CVs it does support click here 

Digitrax dz125

At £17.50 this is a step up (most of the below are really).  It measures just 10.6mm x 8.7mm x 2.86mm, which is even smaller than the hornby effort, but it delivers a peak of 1.25A and huge array of CVs to play with.  Prototypical lighting effects like fire glow and strobes are also possible. However there are only 2 function outputs, so not much more than front and rear lights are possible anyway!  It doesn't appear to support high frequency Pulse width modulation (PWM) so use with coreless motors may be difficult (like my Linda which has a faulhaber 1016).

The manual is available here

Next up is the TCS M3

At £17 this is a very good deal - 3 functions, much of what I mention above - special lighting effects, back EMF etc but also... dither (for improved slow speed running) and a 2A peak.

It measures in at 14.5mm x 9mm x 3.4mm.

The manual is available here

If you want even more functions, then check out the M6 - 6 functions, but larger at 18mm x 10.4mm x 4.8mm and £18.30.  Neither appears to support high freq PWM though.

and for a cheaper alternative (but on 2 function) the T1 at £11 is great value.  see here

TCS also provide a one-year 'goof proof' warranty - no questions asked - sounds good for a beginner, just in case!

Please feel free to comment, I'll be back with more decoder options in the next post.

Colin

Somewhat damp, but fun nonetheless

So we went to the top left hand corner of Wales for the gala - Garratt 50 - and it rained, and rained and...

We camped at Bryn Gloch. There were no FR or WHR(C) leaflets there so I assume they are still somewhat 'anti' the railway, which is a shame. Our pitch was great though - right next to the line...


To show how wet it was, this was the sight at Pont Aberglaslyn!


When it dired up a bit on the Sunday I had a look around Rhyd Ddu and here are some observations: firstly the area of rough ground between the yard and the road is much wider than I thought, which is helpful actually.

The yard point levers should be easy to model.

The platform plant beds have started to mature.

and the ground frame is in, even if it does say 'Waunfawr loop points' on the lever!

They have filled in the drain at the front edge of the water tower - damn - I had just bought the etches for that!

and the signalling has gone up - here is the shunt token protecting signal.

and finally the loos are back behind their special screen.

The gala was great fun - little and large pose at Dinas...

Prince leaves Dinas for Waunfawr on the shuttle...

The funkey passes Bryn Gloch - I just must have working DCC lights on my model!

K1 was adorned with flags and a special headboard to mark a presentation from the IMechE.
The PW tool van was used on the weekend too - quite an odd beasty to model really.


and finally Dad fixed it so I could drive the Perrygrove K1 - top stuff.

Colin