Locomotive News/Updates

For those who don't know, things have gone well.

For the new upcoming Thomas Layout, I have now purchased Salty and Mavis locos, and Alex has bought Cranky. These engines will also see use on Stepney Down.

I also have bought a new engine- BR Manour Class ERLESTOKE MANOR. A beautiful loco and I look forward to running it in on my line- a perfect fit I feel especially after all the thoughts between that and another one I saw...

Finally, my tram engine, which packed in at exhibition, is working once again. But I am now going to give it some fresh paint to smarten it up a bit. It is a bit scruffy I must say...

That seems to be all for now. I'm sure I had something else to say, but never mind.

Stay tuned....

Pictures At Last!

Well, it's been a month now and I've finally managed to get here to post pictures!

The exhibition went swimmingly! Plenty of great comments and the children all enjoyed Thomas Times. By the day's end, we were doing requests and all things running back and forth. A few technical hitches, mainly uncouplers that uncoupled hald the train as it pulled away from the sidings, but that's all in the learning process.

Check http://www.youtube.com/user/StepneyDown for a video with ALL images from the entire exhibition, but here are a select few...

EXHIBITION TIME!!!

Well everyone, this is it!

After months of work, organisation and stuff, tonight I set off to build up STEPNEY DOWN at its first exhibition at Ashlyns School Berkhampsted!!!

This will see the operational debu of my newest loco, the Q1!!!!

Pictures and stuff will follow, so stay tuned.


PS- My PC is broken, and I only just manage to get connection on this old W98 PC, so it'll be a while...

Big News, Good And Bad!

Well, Stepney Down is finished.
I mean in the "all wiring, building, backscenes" done. As people have said- there's always something to improve or change, and I agree, but it's finished!

Saturday saw me add the landscapes to all the backscenes and on the hill between the road on the bridge and the raod by the station, the gap has been filled with bushes and trees.
I would add Photos, but my PC has a virus and it's not safe at the moment...

Now for the bad news...
Yes, my Devon Belle Observation Car arrived about two weeks ago, however, opened it up for the second time and the loose fitted buffer dropped out and vanished.
I have written off to Hornby and asked for a replacement buffer, I just await their response...

In exhibition news, I recieved more details about the TDMRC I am attending.
I am in Hall 2 and will be STAND 26!!! Not bad!
For those who may be visiting, here are some more details:
10TH OCTOBER 2009
ASHLYNS SCHOOL
BERKHAMPSTED
10:30AM-5PM
More info @ http://tdmrc.co.uk

That's all for now

Owen

Visitors, Work And YouTube

Okey doke, update time I think.
Jack from Buckley railway has agreed to lend a Gresley V3, An LNER 0-6-0 Tank engine and an 0-6-0 Southern Terrier "VENTOR" from mid September till Mid October for use at Stepney Down over the exhibition. I am most grateful for that.

In other news, the website, http://stepneydownstation.webs.com , has been going brilliantly and I am enjoying the fictional history of the line and engines and everything. To go with the site, Stepney Down is now on YouTube, http://www.youtube.com/user/StepneyDown so check there for videos and pictures.

Modelling news, I am off to paint the fiddle yard boards black, the back of the backscenes black and the legs black. The backscenes will also be done today.
My resident 4F loco now has couplings on, so will enter service on Stepney Down soon while I find the lining and badge and number required.
As for the Horrage Crab, the chasis is now fixed, with thanks to Clive, and the tenders missing coal section covered with card, with coal lumps added onto that. A coupling has been fixed to the tender and so the engine is very nearly ready for full service.

That's all for now I believe, and I am going to try and get SD in another magazine, seeing how RailwayModeller never replied, I wonder if British Railway Modelling or The Hornby Magazine wuld be interested....

Backscenes, Points And Websites

Ok, time for a work update

In the spaces of time where it's not been raining and I've not been busy, I have had chances to work on Stepney Down. So far, The backscenes have had a coat of white paint, and will soon have hints of blue and the sky will be done. An extra board has been added at one end to hide the gluey shed ends.
The points have also seen some work, and now 7 of the 10 points have switching rods under the boards.

I have also opened up a fictional railway website for the station with a stock list:
http://stepneydownstation.webs.com

That's all for now, I'm in the process of getting ready for exhibition in October...

It's Been Confirmed

Yes everyone, Stepney Down is DEFINATELY going to this exhibition, unless something dire happens just as it is about too, so I've got to get my rear end in gear and make sure it's finished in time, or at least decent(er).

Still to be done:

Point rodding (for switching each point)
Mend the broken Isolator (that doesn't isolate)
Add the backscene
Give parts of the roadway a repaint
Fill any small gaps of missing ballast.

As you can see, not a HUGE amount, but enough to keep me going.

The exhibition is being held in Berkhampsted on Saturday 10th October 2009. Doors open from 10am I THINK.

That's all for now. If anyone's in that area on the day, pop in and visit ;)

HOT PRESS!!!

Stepney Down has just been offered a possible place at an exhibition in Berkhampsted, Hertfordshire, on 10th October 2009!!!
I will keep you informed on what happens with this, but this is a major step!!!

So, so far I have:

Ting And District, 10th October 2009 (Possible)
De Haviland MRC, Date and Exhibition Unconfirmed (Possible)
Ilford And West Essex MRC, Date Unconfirmed (Possible)

Fingers crossed I have many more to come....

Railway Modeller Pictures

While I'm Still Awaiting Response, here is a preview at some of the pictures I took for the magazine...

Railway Modeller And Exhibitions

Some more exhibition emails have been sent off and I am awaiting their response.

In the meantime, my Railway Modeller article is just about ready, and I am off to take some photos for this article.

I hope to have it done and sent off by next weekend, so stay tuned...

Update from A meet

Yesterday (Saturday 27th) I went to the Brentwood swapmeet.
Once there, I traded in 4 unwanted coaches (which I purchase for £2 quid off a club member and didn't want as they were totally different liveries) and got £15 quid for the four. Then, I gave that back with a tenner and purchased a Dean Goods locomotive so yay me.

Also while there, I found (wait for it...) ......

SOME BACKSCENES!!!!! After ages of looking, a stall was SELLING backscenes, so I bought 5 sheets for £6 (Maybe a bit pricey, but worth it after spending ages looking for them.)

If that wasn't good enough, a club member was giving away some old scrap wagons, and I grabbed a couple. So Stepney Down now has a couple of old break vans out and about, a smaller, empty coal saithe that will either be at the water tower, or near the station, and a grounded van eventually.

Here are some photos for you all ;) Backscene pics will be up when they are.

City Of Truo is also nearly done...

Photo Update

Some pictures to show the new platform lanterns, as well as the added paving to street houses and shops.
The layout is making its way there slowly...

Also shown is Clive's DMU, which is on temporary loan to the line.

Stepney Down Slideshow

A Video with photos taken since the layout was "completed" so to speak.

Saturday 13th June 2009

Only a small amount done today, but the most in about a month.
Some holes have been drilled into the platforms for the new station lanterns, and platform number signs are being made to hang down from them...

Stay Tuned

Preperations Already???

Well, STEPNEY DOWN has been finished for not much more than 2 months, and I am already making preperations for layout number 2!

This layout will be an entirely Thomas and Friends layout, with BRENDAM DOCKS, HENRY'S TUNNEL and other locations.
Purchases made for this project are the DRYAW station building and signal box from the Hornby range.

I shall be sure to keep you informed of this project as it progresses...

Visitors Videos

Thanks to my honoured guests for sending me these.

http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll218/barneldu/Owen/?action=view&current=HornchurchCountryParkandBBQ2May0-3.flv
The Final Cavalcade Out

http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll218/barneldu/Owen/?action=view&current=HornchurchCountryParkandBBQ2May0-5.flv
The Small Engines Idle

http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll218/barneldu/Owen/?action=view&current=HornchurchCountryParkandBBQ2May0-6.flv
The Big Engines Return, With A Minor Calamity

http://s289.photobucket.com/albums/ll218/barneldu/Owen/?action=view&current=HornchurchCountryParkandBBQ2May0901.flv
Another Cavalcade Departs

Once again, thanks for my guests supplying these

Stay Tuned For Updates...

Responses

Well people, I have had 2 responses from clubs I have written off to for possible exhibitions.

Firstly, The DE HAVILAND MRC in Hertfordshire has responded saying they are very interested in maybe having it if they do host an exhibition next year, but cannot garrunte it at the current time, so my fingers are crossed.

The second one came from the ILFORD AND WEST ESSEX MRC who also say it is interesting, but this years exhibition is full. But they have said they shall keep the details for future reference.

I have a lot more emailing to do over the next few weeks, so I hope to get more responses then.

Stay tuned

Owen

Visitor's Photographs

With thanks to Clive and Carole for passing these on.

Submission 1

Well, I have just emailed my first exhibition submission off to the DE Havilland Model Railway Society for consideration for their next exhibition.
This exhibition takes place in Welwyn Garden City, which is just 1 hours drive from me and the venue is down the road from my nans, which is even better.
I await their response and will inform you all here once I do.

Visitors To Stepney Down

On Saturday 2nd May, some family friends popped down for the day to visit.

Luckily, one of them is a train fanatic just like yours truly, and brought along some of his stock to run on the layout.

Amongst the collection, there was a static CITY OF TRURO model, which was double-headed with either LORD OF THE ISLES or and LNER 0-6-2 locomotive.

There was also a 2-6-2 Ivatt engine and a first class BR ex LMS corridor carriage, which sat nicely with a rake of Southern carriages, mimicking the Bluebell railway which has been an inspiration for most of the layout.


To finish the day off, almost all the engines in operation joined together in two cavalcades- one BR vs the small engines, and Large vs Small.

Fingers crossed I can get hold of the footage taken by my visitor of the two cavalcades departing the station.

Below are some photographs from this splendid day.

Fingers crossed I can get some work done on it soon

STEPNEY DOWN: APRIL 25TH 2009

The layout is very near completion, and has been set up several times for tesing and work since it was brought home.

Sometime over the next few days, I shall be posting pictures and more detailed description of the layout.
One photo can be seen in the first post with a 2P and GWR autocoach behind a station nameboard.

My Railway Modelling Blog

Welcome to my modelling Blog where you can keep up to date with what I have been doing in my world of Model Railways.

I hope you enjoy looking around and feel free to ask questions.