Wemyss Private Railway - Scott's Road - Allan Goodwillie

[Allan Goodwillie]

Around this time I was making the tie bar/ actuators which I use and have done for many years. It could not be simpler it uses the fact that the baseboard is a certain thickness and they slide back and forward against the underside of the board and maintain the height of the rail in the simplest of ways. I make mine out of copper clad sheet which have in stock there have to be a couple of slots cut to maintain electrical separation of the two lengths of brass wire that are soldered to the copper and then passed up through the holes to be soldered to the blades. They are adjustable from above the boards once fitted. Here a strip of them is marked out and slots cut before dividing up into individual units for fitting. If making these and fitting them against a wooden surface the underside of the board can be polished with a wax candle to make it frictionless. In this case the underside of the foam board is paper and there is no problem with friction.

The markings on the copper clad are the centre line and this is the slot which will be cut later for insulation, the two outer lines are marked for the positions for the brass wire 0.8 to be fitted. and the lines going across are for the separation of the actuators.

On the rear all that is required is for there to be a similar line going across to maintain electrical separation between the wires. It is in a slightly different position from the top one so that you are not creating a weak point in the actuator. It is worthwhile cutting the two slots first and test that they are electrically insulating as planned open out the slot using a needle file if necessary, blow out the dust and try a fairly high voltage across and see if there is any burning out, there may well be due to the dust left, but if you have done it correctly there should be no short.

When fitting, the actuator can be held temporarily in place using a small piece of bluetack which allows the hands free to do the necessary above board. I will come back to this soon.

[Allan Goodwillie]

Having spent much time on trying to get the track bed right - note I did not lay the track directly on the foam board, but glued on a layer of cork which can be sanded to take on a gradient and also to take out any bumps and distortions which might have an effect on the top surface, it seems right that I use the effort applied to that to ensure the track follows what has already been laid down. This means that I have followed a less than conventional way of laying the track.

I know this looks messy but this is me laying one of the points which takes off from the main line and allows locomotives down to the shed and works. I have applied white contact glue to the underside of the sleepers on the key area across the crossing V and to other key areas of the point. You can also see that the point has a piece of string which of course is the start of the cant. This has been glued down and held in slight tension by the drawing pins which will be removed now that the glue has dried holding the string in place.The wire for the V to be powered has been bent ready to go through the baseboard and soldered to the underside of the rail. Normally I have used brass strip and riveted it on, but have used this method as I was working against the clock and had run out of suitable material. I may just regret this later , but provided the solder joint is good then it should be fine.

Once the glue has been applied I take the track and press gently on to the cork to leave some of the glue and separate again to allow the glue to go off. Being a contact glue it is important that proper alignment is achieved and this is where the markings of sleeper ends comes in.

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Here we see the next point in line being laid and again there is only glue on key areas where levels must be maintained. Other areas are allowed to float in the meantime.

Here is the other half of the crossing being fitted in place and the first point is shown pined down using drawing pins. The pins are only there to give the lightest of pressure and make sure that the sleepers are glued to the cork at the extremes. This allows the track to follow any cant put on it. Nothing is pinned down heavily. The pinning also allows time for slight adjustment of track flow as very little is actually being glued. If there was a problem after trialling some uncompensated stock over it then it can even be lifted and relaid if necessary, although I have to say I have only ever had to do this on one occasion. and that was because I had forgotten to put in the uncoupling units under the track! So not a fault of the track laying as such, more just a fault of my own memory. Until I am ready to ballast, all my track is lightly glued in place. I rely on the ballasting process to hold the track in place. It means that I can test everything and there is no worry about whether the track can be lifted without difficulties. I know there will be others who will recommend other methods and I have tried a wide range myself over the years, however this is a thread about what I am doing on my own work bench and how this particular layout is being built.

Here we see the point held in place at the other end using pins and the cut outs for the actuators have been drilled out and cleared back to below the rails so that maximum movement is available for the actuator. The actuator is placed between the point blades as shown and given maximum clearance within the hole. I make my holes quite big as I do not want any friction occurring between the baseboard and the actuator's wires. This all looks very rough and ready at this stage I know, but finishing and detailing is something that will come along later. I also solder fishplates in place between sections of track at this stage - this might require a little removal of paint here and there, same with the blades if some has managed to get on during the painting of the sleepers. Note that the brass wires are sitting well proud of the rail tops at this time, better more than less I would suggest.

[Allan Goodwillie]

This photo shows me checking one or two things. What I am looking at here is the alignment of the point blade with the rail leading in. I want to make sure that any flange is not going to ride up on the facing blade edge. I do this on both sides of course and whether I thought they were fine or not when they were built in the jig I still may take a little metal off here and there. I will also make a check of all the key dimensions as soon as the point is laid, this is particularly important if you have built interlaced pointwork as sometimes it can become distorted when taken from your jig and can go out of gauge. So check everything out while it is still easy to ease the odd sleeper here or there. It is also clear in this photograph that there is plenty of clearance here before fitting the actuator. I like to get my points working first before any finishing of point detail. So Colin this is not going to look as good as your lovely trial piece, however it will do eventually. Promise!

The second blade required a bit shaving off as can be seen in this photograph. I also take a small skim off the top approaching edge of the point blades after doing this.

When soldering up the actuators to the blades I trim to leave a certain amount of metal on the brass wire to allow for a proper solder joint to form and with a cigarette paper between point blade and stock rail I solder the joint. There is no attempt at this stage to set the blade distance. The brass wires are allowed to spring the blades against the stock rails.

Only at this stage when the first blade is secured do I tweak the two wires together with a pair of pliers from above the layout holding the actuator firmly from below. (That is why there is no photograph of this part of the process!) The second point blade is now fitted using my trusty old P4 gauges and rail level checked and held on both sides while the second actuator wire is soldered in place. This is done having discarded the cigarette paper used during the first solder. To make sure there is no twisting effect due to the soldering. I move the actuator over and reverse the gauges and put some heat on first one side then the other. It also allows me to check to see that the rail heads are all level and remain so when the actuator is moved. Again I try to run an uncompensated vehicle through it, sometimes using a piece of spare track to look for evidence of anything wrong.

Movement of the actuator should set the blade against the stock rail and the other blade should give proper clearance to allow the passage of wheels without any hindrance.

[Allan Goodwillie]

There is the problem of board ends and the fact that track can be damaged near the ends during transit and setting up. There are any amount of solutions. What I do is as follows. I make sure that there is wooden framing close into the board joint - you might want to re-acquaint yourself with this by looking further back. Here is the photograph showing my board ends with the end protectors fitted and being held in the lower position. This is all prior to the baseboard tops being fitted.

I take the point in this case and lay it in position without the last couple of sleepers in place (this is an interlaced point). I place the sleepers in place to hold the rail and glue them there. I remove the point and drill with a small drill which is slightly narrower than the brass panel pins I am using, down into the wood layer below the baseboard layers. I use quite long brass panel pins because of the thickness of the board tops. The panel pins are tapped gently into the holes until the pin tops are level with the underside of the rails which can then be soldered to the pins.

It may be that you cannot get brass panel pins in your local B&Q or whatever, but a good place to try is a ships chandlers. All screws and pins are made of brass in boats, so you will have a better chance of getting them there. Living inland I would suggest using the internet of course.

Brass panel pin heads are much the same size as the rivets used for track construction. They can also be filed down a bit if slightly oversize.

[Allan Goodwillie]

The laying of plain track is much the same as I use as little glue as possible.

It may not be immediately obvious in the photo above but the far away rail is a section of check rail on the curve coming down the gradient. I was asked about how I glued down my super elevated track and I think this shows better just where I glue. Again like the points there is no real pressure applied by the drawing pins they just lightly hold the track in place as I glue the rail ends with white glue in this case, again if there was some reason that the track misbehaved it just means cutting through the glue at the sleeper ends and an alteration made.

I had laid all the track up the gradient and left it at this stage prior to the Glasgow Show Unfortunately it was the only board and track end which did not have full protection up to the rail end height. It was also the only one not to have long pins in place to hold the rail ends as I had used foam right up to the end of the board with the intention of substituting a block of wood at the very end of the banking. There had been no time to work up this solution so the layout went as it was to the show. Remember it was there as a work in progress. It was damaged somehow on the way back from the show and not going, fortunately.

Track laying was quite rapid after I managed to get started The view below shows the yard tracks being laid. Lengths of rail (I am using the HI-nickel type) are threaded with chairs and the sleepers are laid along an outer line marked on the cork. The end sleepers at the joints are being laid using the panel pins. Glueing is simple, a squeeze of Bostik down the middle of the track with some fairly rapid placing of sleepers making sure they are laid flat is all that I do when laying out the sleepers. On this board the points were placed and glued etc. first then the sleepers were laid throughout all six loops before any rail was fitted. I tend not to glue any more than about 6" or 15cm at a time as the glue dries quite rapidly.

I pencil in a line running along where the sleeper holes are and use that as a rough guide when laying in the first rail. I give a good soak of solvent and pin the rail down to the sleeper. Once the rail has been attached to the sleepers on one side I double check for straightness, before I fix the second rail in place. I do this once the solvent has dried off and the pins are taken off, this can be after a complete length of the board has been done as I was able to do on this board.


The photograph below shows my use of a length of aluminium marked out with the sleeper spacing. Looking at the track in the yard it is obvious that sleepers have been replaced over the years in ones and twos and the distance between has just been by eye and approximate. The yard is not for high speed and liable to subsidence as well so I don't want it looking too perfect. This is in contrast to previous layouts which have used jig built track work throughout. Unfortunately it is still just a bit too regular as it stands.

The following shows the end sleepers being fitted with rail over the joint once all is soldered it will be tidied up using a small grinding tool. I prefer to make sure there is plenty of solder and grip on the rail ends. You are less likely to have the joint give way when cutting as well. The joint already soldered behind shows just how much solder I use prior to cleaning up. This lies on the locomotive lye at the end of the yard where engines would have fires etc. cleaned during down time.

One of the new C&L gauges being used to set the gauge of the second rail. The new gauges allow the rail to take on the angle set by the chairs - something discussed elsewhere where Society members have had problems with the gauges making the track go tight to gauge as most other gauges hold the rail vertical and it stays there until the solvent dries, then of course when you take the gauge away the rail follows what the chair wants it to do and you end up with the gauge of the track too tight. In places I am deliberately allowing a small margin of gauge widening as I want my wagons to hunt a little at slow speeds as they are taken up the yard an everyday sight in colliery lines all over the land.

[Allan Goodwillie]

Having laid the tracks going down to the shed and works I was going to have to simulate the hard standing between the rails. I used a method I used first of all on Dubbieside almost 50 years ago now and that was to use thin polystyrene sheet marked and cut out then fitted in place between the rails. In the past I used Berol white Printmaking sheets for children doing instant printing. It came in sheets about 9 inches square and was of a fairly uniform density. I used it on Dubbieside to do the hard concrete areas and dock walls as well as buildings. You can create a variety of surfaces with the material and simply draw on detail and it takes a perfect imprint. However I have been collecting pizza bases which come along with the pizza as part of the packaging which is just about as good. It only has one smooth side but is perfectly serviceable. It has an extremely long life this stuff and I have had no indication of anything made with this showing signs of any disintegration in the time I have used it.

Pieces are cut and fitted to the areas to be done in this way. This particular stretch outside the shed was built up using old sleepers and they will be drawn on later before painting. Once they are placed they should be pressed firmly down and a mark of the rails underneath will be transferred to the underside of the styrene. Use something fairly flat to apply the pressure.

If the material is slightly too thick then it can be gently sanded on the patterned underside

Here we see the grooves made by the rail heads.

I fit the areas between the tracks first by cutting to the edge of the rail and clipping the pieces in place.

Then fitting the other sections in after taking out the rail markings. If you don't allow for the rail to be cut out this is the way it will look. It is worth taking a minute to trim down with a nice sharp blade.

[Allan Goodwillie]

Once you have cut out the parts and made sure that they fit then glue down and pin the material in place while it dries The styrene by the way does not suffer from expansion problems and will stay in place once glued. The pin holes will be filled during the next stage which you carry out after the glue has dried.

Careful study of the area you are doing will show up any interesting features, in this case areas between rails which have infill of ash instead. If this was concrete there may be drain covers and channels , anchoring points, jointing using tar etc.

I use the lightweight coving plaster to fill any holes and gaps at this stage using a pallet knife. It dries rapidly.

Before it dries I use a pair of wheels EM re-gauged for S4 to run along the tracks and clear any plaster in the wrong place before cleaning up. I use the same simple attachment consisting of a wagon w-iron and a section of rectangular tubing which I use for wheel painting normally.

[allanferguson]

Allan

Many years ago, when we built Bonnybridge Central, you produced a stuff called, I think, Waverley Board, which was exactly the same as the stuff now to be found in Pizza bases. It was thin sheets of expanded polystyrene, smooth on both sides, and could be scribed very easily to replicate rough stone walls. I used it for bridge wing walls and also for a couple of cottages. But I've never seen it available since then.

Allan F

[RobM]

I have been collecting pizza bases which come along with the pizza as part of the packaging which is just about as good. It only has one smooth side but is perfectly serviceable. It has an extremely long life this stuff and I have had no indication of anything made with this showing signs of any disintegration in the time I have used it.

Quickly retrieved last nights pizza base, now in the odd materials box just in case......
Rob

[Allan Goodwillie]

Hi Allan and Rob,

I sold the material as Waverley board when in the museum as so many people wondered what the material was that was used in the harbour and buildings. The company that produced it at the time for schools was called Berol. I used it regularly in my classroom for printing but soon realised that it was a very useful material as it will take a pencil mark cleanly and so a building can be reproduced stone by stone. You can even, if you have a drawing and a light box transfer the drawing dimensions directly on to the board. With the buildings I have built I have often put in a card backing, just to add a bit of stiffening. You can build very quickly using this stuff and there is no mess. It also takes Pollyfilla happily although I would put this on a thin layer of PVA. It is great for weathered stone in particular.

The first photo shows the stables on Dubbieside-

The second is the old sack store and office based on the one at Kirkcaldy harbour-

Both buildings are coming up to fifty years old and showing little deterioration - the plasticard bits are the more fragile parts. The third photo gives a rough view of the concrete infill and dockside. Despite the layouts age it still looks good in today's company, but I am hoping that Scotts Road will be better and keep me going to exhibitions at least for a little while.

[steve howe]

Allan

Many years ago, when we built Bonnybridge Central, you produced a stuff called, I think, Waverley Board, which was exactly the same as the stuff now to be found in Pizza bases. It was thin sheets of expanded polystyrene, smooth on both sides, and could be scribed very easily to replicate rough stone walls. I used it for bridge wing walls and also for a couple of cottages. But I've never seen it available since then.

Allan F

This looks to be the same stuff as used for making poly print plates much used in schools. It can be had in convenient A4 sheets 3mm thick, I used to order from here:
https://www.educationsupplies.co.uk/safeprint-foam-sheets

but I guess Art shops will have it, unless you eat a lot of pizza

Steve

[Allan Goodwillie]

Yes Steve,

that's the stuff and I am fairly sure it will still be available to schools as it was very useful stuff. The Goodwillie family do like a nice bit of Pizza from time to time!

I missed out this photo during the last upload it shows clearly the pizza base being used!

MMMMM pizza!

Allan

[allanferguson]

Allan

Many years ago, when we built Bonnybridge Central, you produced a stuff called, I think, Waverley Board, which was exactly the same as the stuff now to be found in Pizza bases. It was thin sheets of expanded polystyrene, smooth on both sides, and could be scribed very easily to replicate rough stone walls. I used it for bridge wing walls and also for a couple of cottages. But I've never seen it available since then.

Allan F

This looks to be the same stuff as used for making poly print plates much used in schools. It can be had in convenient A4 sheets 3mm thick, I used to order from here:
https://www.educationsupplies.co.uk/safeprint-foam-sheets

but I guess Art shops will have it, unless you eat a lot of pizza

Steve

Thanks, Steve for this, I actually found it last night. Always amazing what you can get! I also have a few Pizza bases in my raw materials box, but we don't eat them much!

Allan F

[Allan Goodwillie]

Getting away fro Pizza for a while!

I often have a number of things all running along at the same time and with the layout at different stages for the "Work in progress" at Glasgow it has meant me laying track on some boards as well as doing the groundwork on others and preparing all the electricals at much the same time. The illustration below is in another part of the works yard where they had a reservoir of water for feeding the engines and the works. This was fed by a stream diverted from the Lappy Burn - I love the name as it suggests the sound the burn made as it ran through the countryside.

After marking in the positions of the buildings which I have already built I marked in the area of water and cut down as far as the MDF filling as the foam part of the board comes out it leaves the paper layer stuck to the board. This can be carefully smoothed ready to take paint. I have also used the polly board cuttings sanded to shape to make the angled edge of the reservoir.

In this case I have painted the base area it a light muddy grey colour assuming a certain amount of settlement from the stream and The edges are removed while I cut and fit the water. I am using the same technique as I used on Burntisland when I was asked to come up with an idea of how we could have a large continuous area of water. The method I used was to buy a length of neutral mid grey gel from our local theatre lighting company which I had dealt with on many occasions, in this case Black Light in Edinburgh. The gel is used in theatre lights to colour the lighting on stage - there is a huge range. I suggest the neutral one is best as you can put a colour under it to get variation.

The only problem with Burntisland is that the dock edges had already been fitted and the water (when it gets warm at shows) can expand and what is really needed is for the edges of the area to be covered. In this case I am using the sloping sides of the reservoir to do this. If you want to suggest extra depth then putting a second small strip of the material around the sides helps to give a shadow effect as you look down into the water. ON Burntisland I also cut shadows for the ships and one of the piers. A finishing touch on Burntisland was to put in the wash of the ships using shaving foam. It has to be the cheapest one. Poor Richard Darby one time when I was not away with the layout went out and bought "Nothing but the best for the layout", but this was disastrous as the more expensive stuff has lanolin in it and this is almost impossible to get off the gel without damaging the gel so be warned.

If you want to mark gel before cutting as above then use a permanent marker of some sort as nothing else will work. Below we see the gel in place with the edges fitted temporarily. The idea is that the gel works more or less the same as wooden flooring does in a house when it is fitted under the skirting board of the house to let it expand and breathe.

Below I am marking out the second strip which will give me my darker edge. This gets cut and fitted under the first shape that was cut before final fitting of the reservoir edges.

Here we have the final stage with the reservoir sides being glued to the surrounding foam board - Not the Gel! the pins are there as a temporary measure while the glue sets and will be removed. Note that the edges of the reservoir are now darker and I have left a couple of shadows for a pair of swans which will be added at a later date. The Wemyss family had a swan as a mascot on the coat of arms and I thought it would be a nice idea to have them paddling about on the reservoir - I wonder if this ever happened in real life? There was a Swan Brae in Buckhaven where my mother took me in the pram to watch the trains climbing up on the Wemyss line from the washer.

[Colin Parks]

Hi Allan,

Just to refrsh my memory of your layout build so far, I have just re-read the topic from the beginning! There are so many innovative methods, it is hard to take it all in on one go. The idea of constructing track to have some minor 'faults' is a revelation to me. All your years of experience of building layouts comes shining through here. Also, you have planned and designed some complex gradient changes and super-elevations which do not look to be for the faint-hearted (or beginner). Thanks for sharing your work in such detail, it has provided me with a useful resource.

Looking forward to some more updates!

All the best,

Colin

[Allan Goodwillie]

Thanks Colin.

This layout takes into consideration a number of key things. One was the amount I have learned when building my experimental layout Grayrigg.

The second is that I am 70 this year and still want to build and take my own layouts around the country. Although I have put many long hours into various club layouts including Burntisland most of the layouts are becoming difficult for me to help carry around. We have large paired wooden boards which are paired together and it is like moving a grand piano - two of us have had hernia operations in recent years due to this. I realised that possibly taking Burntisland to exhibitions was becoming more difficult for an ageing group and for me in particular. There has been discussion I know within the committee that the group should take on another major layout, but not for me I am afraid. I have started a starters group for those up here who would like to build their own layouts, with a bit of help through the more difficult bits, which may in the end lead to a number of individual's layouts coming on to the circuit in the following years which I hope the East and the West Groups will benefit from eventually.

Layout construction ideas I have had for a while might still allow me to continue in the hobby. I have also been thinking that there may be other things in terms of making layouts more economic to take to shows. I have many friends all over the country, so I do not intend having a fixed group of operators, but having various friends involved and part of the layout can be operated in a very straightforward way so that anyone can pick up an operating position and be operating effectively within minutes.

This would allow managers to have local modellers help out and spend time with us and we can enjoy their company over a weekend. I might do this with either Scalefourum or Scalefour North when the layout is finished, I hope within the next two years. (Health permitting) I already have had a contact from the Wigan show and Perth people asking when the layout might be ready. If the layout has say 4 operating positions that would mean normally a minimum of 6 but preferably 8 operators (we are all getting on). So instead of six operators coming with me and a more tiring weekend. We could come as 4 with the extended layout travelling in the two cars and 4 people local to the exhibition helping out on operation - so the managers are not having to pay for an additional 4 people travelling a distance and their cost of stay over a weekend.

Hopefully we can also have a bit of fun together - we always have a meal out each evening and would hope they would enjoy this time with us. There are Society members all over the country, many working on their own and it may not be for everyone, but I thought it could be just a different way of doing things. You would be most welcome Colin if you felt up to it. It would also be a chance for those of us meeting and exchanging ideas on the internet to enjoy one-another's company and layouts if others fancy taking on a similar idea on their layouts.

Last year I spent some time on an artist's exchange in China. We had wonderful translators with us and visited many artists and their families at home, having meals together etc. and it was great to meet and exchange ideas, changed my views about China in so many ways.

I would be interested in hearing people's views on that including your own.

Allan

[DougN]

Allan, I have to agree with your sentiments above. It is the interactions between people which make this hobby an interesting one. Ok I am in Australia and totally agree with the idea of meeting S4 members when they come through Melbourne. In fact as a number on the board can attest the local group does make a special outings and meals so we too can get to know the UK modellers. So if your ever dropping by Melbourne Australia I suggest you get in touch. We also enjoy seeing you at home too, I guess that is why many of the local contingent gets to scalefourum relatively regularly. We all have a common interest but the distances might restrict us staying for a day operating your layout as we have come a long way and need to cram as much in a possible.

[Allan Goodwillie]

Ah! Doug,

A man after my own heart, sadly I have never been to Australia, although I do know it is a fantastic place. My friend John next door has a brother out there who lives well into the outback and keeps sending fantastic photographs of the area around his steading. I have a friend Bob Barnes from college days who chats to me over Skype and he lives on Tasmania, quite different I know, but equally fascinating.

I look forward to seeing Michael Godfrey every year at Scalefourum when he is across seeing his family. Michael's trackwork pieces are works of art and I do not think he will ever incorporate them in a layout, but they should be framed and seen as the works of art they are with all the technical skill involved, he is also a really nice person when you meet him. Unfortunately, as you mentioned, time can be precious at Scalefourum and I was working on John Stocks lovely layout and missed getting together with him this year which was a bit unfortunate.

I will be at Scalefourum this year again as Terry has asked me to be there with some of the starters Group I have been organising as he thinks it is interesting as a concept and it would be good to have a few of them available talking about their experience and showing samples of work etc. as it is something that other like minded individuals may take up in their area. So if you or any of your friends are over, come and see us and if you let me know beforehand we might manage to add a few more places at the table!

Skype is very useful as well as being free, the time difference between Australia and here make it only possible to have a chat at a civilised hour at the early or late part of the day, however since it is live video linking it is possible to put things on the screen that you are working on and show directly techniques etc. Bob and I show paintings we may be working on which is all very nice.

As to having a brief spell on the layout, generally I am not in favour of just allowing chums on a layout for the first time at Scalefourum, however Scott's Road has been specifically designed as two layouts in one, similar to the way Dubbieside ran in recent years with two independent lines. As well as doubling the entertainment factor the Buckhaven line which did run by, alongside the Wemyss system, can be built as a minimalist railway - just a through railway with simple storage at either end - no complication, just a simple passage of trains which anyone can pick up and do, whereas The Wemyss part of the layout I intend to be a bit more sophisticated and requiring more concentration and thought to operate well.

Thanks for corresponding from so far away, isn't the internet amazing! Hopefully we may get the chance to meet up some day Doug I would like that very much. Stranger things have happened, my daughter lives in Chicago and before going over for the first time I tried to make contact with at least one of the local clubs just to see if I could meet up with one or two local members. My now friend Mel corresponded and asked me to come along to a club night when we were there and after a wonderful evening there I had several invites to go look at a number of wonderful home layouts including Mel's. Every time since when we are over we do the rounds and it is so good to meet up with what are now old friends when we go over.

Some amazing stuff over there and I am sure you guys are the same.

Allan

[Colin Parks]

Hi Allan,

The idea of easily handled and transported layout components certainly appeals to me. My days of struggling with large, heavy elements are over and minimum weight of boards is now the goal. Having a pool of local operators keeps costs down too - plus as you say, you get to meet more people on your travels. This is something that used to happened to me at shows, with people offering to help out (in advance, rather than just wandering in) and often doing a better job of it than myself!

At the last show that I attended, we had a 'real' engine driver assisting us with operating the layout. He was very thorough. It is not really viable to travel with enough operators to have a second shift and expect the show organisers to fund them all. However, I note that my old layout, which with one or two exceptions two of us set up and operated for most of the time, now travels to shows with five in the crew.

All the best,

Colin

[DougN]

Allan, Michael Godfrey is one of the local group and we catch up regularly. If you do decide on the world tour and come to Melbourne the group will always make S4, EM and other members very welcome. As you have mentioned the reason for this is the interaction and the sharing of knowledge. We have a couple of P4 layouts here which are home based. No doubt Jim Summers can give you a run down as we made him feel welcome!

Unfortunately I don't think I will make it to S4um for a number of years as my kids (James has his photo in the 2014 S4news along with my good self and the rest of the Aussie contingent from that year ) Are getting bigger and eating me out of house and home, let alone the rest of the day to day costs. So I guess my next attendance will be in about 2024! unless other things happen like a lotto win. In the mean time I will continue to build my kits and bits!

[Allan Goodwillie]

Hi Doug,

Jim did mention that he had a wonderful time in Australia with yourselves and clearly you had made him feel very welcome. 2024 may not seem all that far off, but I am not entirely sure if I will still be around by then - I will be 76 by then, but you never know in this world. I did have a cancer scare not all that long ago and had a pretty worrying time until all the tests were done and they declared I was clear. In fact I lost two years of modelling time on my present project as my mother's health went down and she eventually died after many months of me being with her most days. I was unable to do any work on our group projects and took a back seat as far as modelling went as I tried to set up things better for my family etc. if I was no longer here.

It is good to be looking forward again and producing something new. During this difficult period of time I had one exhibition commitment which was to take Dubbieside to Glasgow and the old layout had to go with very little preparation, but it operated well all weekend despite its extreme age. Unfortunately it is quite heavy to take around and was going to be replaced by this new layout anyway. Dubbie might be out again, never say no, but I am beginning to think ahead and looking forward to going to shows with my new layout. Scotts Road is a complete rethink of everything based on an awful lot of thinking and problem solving - which is what design is all about. I used to teach art and design.

Burntisland has been fun and I have many friends within the East Group which I started all these years ago, but this has changed so much over the years and I can't see me helping much to build another large layout which seems to be what is being discussed. The West Group have been developing well in recent years and their layout works well, the character of the two groups is quite different, but I enjoy being a member of both.

If any of your members are planning a trip to Scotland then please let me know and I would be happy to take them around to meet some of our local modellers, both EM and Scalefour. Keep in touch - the forum is a good way to do that.

Allan

[Le Corbusier]

Scotts Road is a complete rethink of everything based on an awful lot of thinking and problem solving - which is what design is all about. I used to teach art and design.

Allan

Which is why I for one am so grateful for this fantastic thread Silence definately does not mean lack of interest

[RobM]

2024 may not seem all that far off, but I am not entirely sure if I will still be around by then - I will be 76 by then, but you never know in this world.
Allan

Ditto for me......totally aware of my mortality........but fingers crossed!! October when I become a septuagenarian and you Allan?
Rob

[Enigma]

2024 may not seem all that far off, but I am not entirely sure if I will still be around by then - I will be 76 by then, but you never know in this world.
Allan

Ditto for me......totally aware of my mortality........but fingers crossed!! October when I become a septuagenarian and you Allan?
Rob

You young whippersnappers! I'm trying not to buy any more kits these days - doubt if I'll be able to build all the ones I've already got.

But, thanks to Allan, I now know what to do with all the pizza bases I've been collecting, telling Mrs Enigma - "they'll come in useful one day just you wait and see!"

[Allan Goodwillie]

Hi Rob and Enigma,

my birthday is in July and I also hope I am given time, Enigma to finish all my kits. I have only bought one kit recently and that was for a diesel loco for the layout - it was a trial loco working on the Wemyss line and was bought by the NCB for use at the local colliery. It still exists and when I get around to building it next year I will probably write it up as I have photographs of the original and could put them up here for use of those building the kits. I have built a lot of new kits to give me the number of wagons required. I have about 100 for use so far, however only about 40 have couplings on them yet! Most of the locomotives and stock will be finished over next winter I hope. Hoping to get the layout itself finished before then.