WORK IN PROGRESS
This page is a list of jobs in progress at the moment - and as it develops a diary thus far. If you come back to this website from time to time you should see the results on the other pages - including the gallery.
2007
August 20th
Track painting completed
Point motors all added
Fuel tanks completed - including spiral steps - took ages! Photos to follow shortly.
Gaugemaster M3 transformer purchased - should arrive in next few days
CDU purchased
New loco won on ebay - a Bachmann 57 - Virgin livery - 'Scott Tracy'
August 25th
M3 transformer, switches and point motor working - now need to get this all wired up - big job!
Bachmann 57 - next step to get it fitted with working lights and Howes decoder.
September 15thBox for CDU, point switches etc is now finished. Wiring is still in progress.
October 6th
Attended Manchester Model Railway Exhibition - lots of inspiration and spent a few pounds!
Wiring is now complete - I have astounded myself - it appears to all be working.
About to start work on the ballasting.
November 10th
Very busy with my job so progress is slowing. Ballasting is almost finished though and most of the boards are now covered with an earth base and other areas e.g. concrete although this needs to be painted and weathered.
MDF backscene boards are now fixed. I'm looking forward to painting these.
I intend to add some up to date photos soon.
November 28th
Whole layout is having to go into the roof over Christmas (the sacrifices we have to make!!!!!). Work will continue though - I hope to complete a low relief building over Christmas. Also make a start on the footbridge crossing about half way along the layout. I may also paint the backscene boards.
2008
January 8th
My low relief building is just about finished - needs to be attached to backboard and roof added. The concrete areas have all been painted and look more realistic and virtually all of the initial landscaping is done.
I am awaiting delivery of a Bachmann 37 in DRS livery. My Bachmann 57 now has working lights and sound.
My main aim is to get some more photos on the website soon.
January 26th
Quite a transformation today. I have painted the backscene. With five boards it took a fair part of the day - it felt a bit like a Sistine Chapel project!! They may need some finishing touches but I am pleased with the result and they have completely changed the feel of the layout. I know I keep saying it - but photos soon!!
One new photo added - Large shed, new low relief building and newly painted backscene. More to follow soon - Class 57 with lights - one day I may get round to a video clip!
Early March
As the new photos will show I have added new Piko fuel storage tanks to the layout. There is also a new low relief building at the right end. Following some purchases from Ten Commandments and (to be added) at the Macclesfield Exhibition, I have added some trunking and dummy point motors at the points that will not have hand levers. I am currently working on the lattice footbridge - this is adding welcome height to the layout.
Although I have purchased some materials from Woodland Scenics I would welcome comments from anyone who has experience of using Noch static grass. I am off to see a friends layout shortly who has used this product - I will then have to make a decision.
April 5th
The quality of the photos on this site should take a turn for the better. A Canon EOS 400D will produce better images - see the last five in the gallery. I'm still getting used to this camera - flash produces slightly harsh images. I have a mini tripod but really need a full size one to increase the range of shots and enable me to use longer exposures - without flash.
Work is progressing on the footbridge - should be finished this month.
May
Footbridge is almost finished - photos soon. I am busy with landscaping at the moment - about to experiment with static grass. I have put down a base of mixed flock colours from Woodland Scenics. I am in the process of making a range of trees and shrubs. Some are made using the twisted wire method. Larger ones using pieces of root (so often looks like small trees!). Finer branches are then added using sea moss.
I have recently added some more photos to the site - take a look.
July
The footbridge is finally finished and adds some welcome height. A lot of vegetaion is now in place too and has quite changed the feel of the layout. More photos to follow soon.
Just returned from a week in Iceland and off to Italy - Venice and Lake Garda - shortly - a silver wedding anniversary celebration!!! May therefore be a delay in updates to the website.
August 9th
Brilliant holiday - superb scenery and great weather. Since managed some more on the railway. The vegetation is advancing as some more photos shortly will show. I have enjoyed fiddling with a buddleia bush in the evenings - now in place at one end of the footbridge (see VEGETATION page).
I have also fitted two Eckon/Berko ground signals - I'd like to be able to say they worked straight away! The wiring was nearly right and sorted eventually. The electronics is not my strong point so there was a great sense of satisfaction when I flicked the switches (from Maplins) on the control panel and the red and green lights finally worked. Would anyone like a wiring diagram on this website (message in guestbook) - or is the wiring obvious and I'm just a bit thick with the electrics?!
Watch the website over the next few weeks - I plan to add more photos. I will be working mainly on the vegetation for a while - bit slow progress but I enjoy it and I'm taking my time to get it looking right. There may be a spot of weathering on the buildings too.
Highlight to look forward to - I should be getting a Hornby 60 back in a few weeks from a professional respray into CORUS livery - photos on the layout as soon as it arrives!
September
Finally found a Bachmann 66 in Shanks livery. Superb loco - the first time I ran it the volume setting on the CV was on full - I thought the real thing was in the room!!! Pressing on with landscaping and detailing and weathering of some buildings.
November
Slow progress at the moment - busy at work. Developing area around the shed at left end - gates and security fencing (see new photos in gallery). Also slowly adding vegetation - time consuming to make but I enjoy it.
December
There will be little change to the site for a while. The layout has to come down over Christmas as we need the space.
I will be working on at least one building for a few weeks - probably the TMD office. I plan to add some more photos in January - including the new building.
December 28th
Just about completed an inspection platform from a brass kit. It was spray painted and then dirtied using dry brushing. I think the steps and platform need a bit of mud / scuffing and then it will be finished!
January
I have almost completed the TMD office - it will certainly appear in some photos soon. Also been painting scenery on the backing boards. This has made a significant change to the feel of the layout - a big job though and nowhere near finished yet.
February
I have made significant progress with the Warburtons bread depot at the left end of the layout. It has made quite a change to this area - photos to follow soon. I have also added an electricity sub-station - based on the Hornby Lyddle End model. I removed the wall (quite a demolition job) and have put security fencing around it instead. Also more detailing on the layout. Photos to follow soon.
April
A frustrating time - very busy in March so not much progress. My daughter's camcorder has a problem so very annoyed that I can't produce any videos. On the bright side ......
a) I have started to weather some locos - I'm happy with the initial results. Have a look on the fotopic page and also this link to RMWEb ... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=86&t=40546
b) Beeches TMD has been invited to a couple of exhibitions. One in Essex in 2010. I would have really enjoyed going and it was an honour to be asked but it's just too far with work either side of the weekend. Second to Hazel Grove in October 2009. I hope to attend this one - watch this space for news.
c) It's Easter and I have some time to add more to the layout. I have managed now to get all the points motors working from the control panel. I have several projects lined up - I'll add an update here over the next week or so.
May
Have a look on the fotopic - http://beechestmd.fotopic.net/ the Warburtons building is just about complete. I have been weathering some more locos. Also wired up the fuelling points with sets of lights from Express Models. Some chain link fencing has been added along the footpath at the front of the layout leading to the footbridge. The layout is generally looking more complete and realistic although still not finished. I plan to start soon on a fiddle yard on a new board ready for the October exhibition. I also intend to make a small control box with switches for lighting on the layout e.g. fuelling points, some of the buildings.
July
Nearly the end of term and I will have a bit more time to keep the website up to date! Come back soon and I hope to add some more photos - including a new EWS Class 37 - recently renumbered, weathered, sound decoder and cab light added to the usual head and tail lights. Express Models double portacabin has been completed and added to the layout - with lights fitted. Lights have also been fitted to the fuelling point.
Mid month - started work on new fiddle yard. EWS 37 arrived - see photo on home page.
September
Yes I survived August - away on holiday for much of the month. The fiddle yard is now more or less complete and working. A curtain has been made for the layout ready for its first exhibition appearance in October. It was great having the full layout up and an opportunity to take some photos and video clips - the latter now on Youtube (see PHOTOGRAPHY (including fotopic) and VIDEOS pages).
Several buildings have now been weathered and parts of the track sprayed with black to represent oil spills etc. More vegetation has also been added - and some figures. Whole layout is looking more realistic now. Still much to do though and work rate will slow now that I am back at work.
October
Just been to the Manchester Exhibition - lots of observations before Beeches TMD makes it's exhibition debut later this month. Also purchased some more figures for the layout. My Bachmann 158 now has a sound decoder - now needs weathering - hope to add a video when possible.
Later in the month - Beeches TMD made its exhibition debut on the 24th / 25th at Hazel Grove near Stockport. I will now understand much better all the hard work that goes on behind a large exhibition! The layout worked very well - just one point motor that switched one way but not the other - but it was at the back of the layout and easily operated by hand.
Inevitably there were things that cropped up that could be improved but the layout is still a work in progress. Some of the highlights included at least another six exhibition invitations! Also a bit of a stir was also caused by the visit of a photographer from British Railway Modelling magazine. An article should follow in BRM in 2010. I plan to add some of the photos to the fotopic - they will I am sure be excellent.
Don't forget to leave a message in my guestbook if you want to find out more about the earning opportunity - it's just about the main way I finance this layout! Locos with sound decoders are not cheap!
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