Bron Effans

 It has indeed been some time since my last update on Bron Effans. I have simply not had any time free to do any work on the layout, which has not been fun. There are various aspects of the layout that have required my attention and I have addressed them over the last few days in my Christmas holiday time. I am limited in what I can do by the current Covid-based issues. I can't get to my local model shop as it is in a different tier to where I live. I am not prepared to break the rules for my hobby. I do not see the point.  I have acquired some new locomotive projects for me to be working on along with several new pieces of rolling stock to use on the line. I have taken delivery of two custom pieces of stock, built by my good friend Leigh Hullatt. They are decorated with the initials of the line BER for Bron Effans Railway. Rolling Stock I have obtained a Bachmann Narrow gauge coach to compliment my burgeoning Talyllyn rake. This coach is exceptionally well made. I am pro...

  I have struggled to find time and motivation to sit at my workbench for any length of time. A consequence of this is that the layout has really been neglected. I gave myself a day to myself and set about doing some small jobs on the layout. I have received some new rolling stock and items that can be used on the layout. Coaches I managed to secure a new Indian Red Lynton and Barnstaple styled compartment coach to match the brake coach. I have been looking for suitable carriages to replace the European style coaches that I repainted over the summer. This will form the second main rake on the line and they fit the aesthetic of the railway with a more uk based design and size. Ultimately, my rationalisation of the stock was intended to give my layout a more unified theme. This rake will help form backbone of services on the line. I can also use it for "Covid secure" services as it is a compartment coach. I feel that the Indian Red coaches look more appealing than the Southern ...

  I have taken some time to update and amend the details of the motive power on the line. I am also working on a rolling stock page, which will be published in due course.  Please find the updated page using the following link.  https://www.blogger.com/blog/page/edit/2166231028384630191/8580419163129318916

 Notice I am sorry to announce that I have recently suffered a bereavement. I have not been able to devote any time to my layout. Normal service will resume as soon as possible.

  I have had a fairly productive summer break from work. My time has been divided by various jobs on the layout and catchup repairs from the lockdown period. Ultimately, I had set myself some targets for the summer period to improve the running of the layout and to sort out the ongoing issues with the rolling stock. I have managed to finish the vast majority of these jobs and have finished a few other extra things that were not in the original plan. The biggest of which is the new retaining wall at the west end of the line.  I have been trying to give the layout a more unified look and feel that reflects the location that I am trying to model. I found some inspiration from the creation of a group on Facebook concerned with modelling the Corris Railway. I took ideas from this group and set about building a retaining wall along the northern slope to disguise the poor effort on the slope. The first layer of styrene is laid. I used styrene to make thin slabs and built them up with...

  I have undertaken a rationalisation of the stock that I have for the layout of late as there was much more stock than was wholly necessary for the railway. A clearout was necessary. To make the decision process easier I applied the following three questions to each item of stock under consideration. 1. Do I use it? 2. Does it fit on the railway 3. Can all locomotives haul it? To that end, I took a good look at my rolling stock and put them under the scrutiny.  Ultimately, I have dispensed with the Lynton and Barnstaple liveried coaches. The Vale of Rheidol Brake van and I am currently looking for a home for the three BR Maroon coaches that I completed last month. As nice as they are, they are far too big for the layout and many of the locomotives cannot haul them unsupported. It is sad given the effort that I have put into them but I did not really think they would be as heavy as they were.  If anyone would like to give them a good home please don't hesitate to get in t...

  I have been adding to the scenery on the days where the temperatures were more reasonable. I took this opportunity to build on the scenery around the station. I had obtained some lichen and other scenic bits from my parents house. These materials were used on my childhood 00 gauge layout and I thought it would be a good idea to put them to use around the layout. I used a 50:50 mix of water and pva glue to spruce up the older materials. I dipped the lichen into the glue mix and then into a tray of scatter material. The next few images show how it has made the lichen look more like realistic bushes.  This is an aspect of the hobby that I am not overtly keen on doing, but I am happy with how these small additions have elevated the level of the scenery around the station.  I will be adding more to this blog over the next couple of weeks. There has been a lot of progress and I haven't really kept up with the updates. Suffice to say that pretty much everything I had planned f...