1st to 100

~ andyj82 ~ 3 Comments

Last weekend Littledene made it’s first outing at the Manchester Model Railway Societies 100th show.

Littledene was well received and we had many great conversations with lots of people. It was nice that people made connections with my other two layouts, such as the tradition of an interesting sign.

Mr Sweet and his team had put together another really well organised show with a great mix of layouts. As part of their centenary celebrations they gave all exhibitors a special limited edition plaque and certificate to mark the occasion which was a really nice gesture.

It was great to get the chance to see Bron Hebog and the Rev Awdry’s Ffarquhar Branch.

Personal highlight for me was getting to see the Manchester “Big Trams” for the first time.

A sign of the times

~ andyj82 ~ 4 Comments

Following the tradition for my layouts to have a sign with a twist (sounds like a good cocktail!) Littledene was in need of one. This tradition started when my good friend Martin made the Herstmonceux sign and then I made the yard office sign for Tarring Neville.

Luckily I found this in the local antiques centre.

Of course that would be too easy and I made Littledene’s sign. I had several idea but settled on this based on a church hall notice board seen in an auction. I have made the sign out of some scraps of wood, stained and varnished. This was lettered by hand, suitably weathered including using vintage paper, stuck on and ripped off, to give the impression of old notices and I was supplied with drawing pins from the correct era.

I like the challenge of coming up with different ways to have signs for the layout, especially as a traditional running in board for Littledene would have been longer than the layout!

As is tradition a miniature appears on the layout.

Littledene’s first outing will be at Manchester show in 15 days!
https://www.mmrs.co.uk/exhibition/

9 months later!

~ andyj82 ~ 1 Comment

The very enjoyable Workington show came and went. It was nice to venture that far North to a well organised, welcoming and friendly show.


My focus since then has been on Littledene, to get it ready for it’s first outing at the Manchester MRS show in December https://www.mmrs.co.uk/exhibition/. The main reason for Littledene being built in the first place was because I was invited to be at the Manchester MRS Centenary show which is a real honour.
This is how it looked back in April. Most of the landscaping had been completed and the first signs of greenery have appeared.

Fast forward to last week and I’ve managed to get the last of the greenery in place. I can now start adding the smaller details and get the stock finished.

Commission Work- SECR Manning Wardle

~ andyj82 ~ 1 Comment

The latest loco to roll out of the Ouse Valley works is this SECR Manning Wardle built in P4. The starting point was a RT Models Manning Wardle K Class kit which needed a new cab to be scratch built. Building the cab took a little working out as there are very few pictures of the loco and no drawings I could find. I have also modified the lower boiler so that the motor can sit horizontal in it instead of being upright in the firebox.
Here it is pre painting and awaiting buffers fitting.

There is a plan that it might be seen this weekend at the Uckfield Model Railway Clubs show on one of the P4 layouts.

Horsing around

~ andyj82 ~ 1 Comment

 I have a bit of a thing for Horseboxes and came up with any excuse to run them on Herstmonceux so one (or more) finding its way onto Littledene is no surprise.

This is a Chatham Kits LBSCR Stroudley 14ft Horsebox available from Roxey Mouldings. Over 200 of these were built by the LBSCR with the last of them ending up on the Isle of Wight. The OVLR acquired this one some time in the early 20s so that railways’ local estate owners could move their thoroughbred horses. 
This will get weathered when I do my next batch of stock. In the meantime I’d best put my blinkers back on to stop me looking for more horsebox kits.