This Summer has seen us start the arduous process of realising our Chairman’s scheme to re-organise our clubroom. With a predominance of large layouts – almost all of which will be moving to optimise walkways. It’s a bit like 3D chess and the full scheme may not be realised until the Autumn. The opening gambit has been to erect the ‘Plywood Origami’ AKA Heyno Junction in an area just vacated by Yeovil Town.

Our venerable layout Gasworks has been invited to the West Camel Show on Friday 30th December, and we look forward to meeting at least some of you there. Gasworks was of course the work of the late great Bob Alderman, and so was St. Martin’s Wharf, so I’m very happy to report that this rather special layout has recently been donated to the club.

Dominic had some ballast samples from Geoscenics to try out on the “Photo Plank” ready for Coombe Town. He is also working on a Parkside coal wagon cameo for the other side of the plank. Also shown are a number of Modelu figures painted ready to hit the layout.

If the S15 and the N Class weren’t already so useful and therefore intensively utilised by the Southern, I’m sure that both classes would have appeared on the S&D. Shown on his Nethercreech (S&D) layout, this is the nearly finished S15 that David S has built from a Gladiator kit (with a little bit of help). Smokebox plate, backhead, coal and weathering required to finish it off. It is powered by a very lively Maxon motor and ABC gearbox.

Pete C is working on a Parkside LMS Brake Van and a Bedford MOD lorry from a JB kit:

Dave H is busy converting Hobson’s Brewery to DCC operation ready for GuildEx, and has started on a model of Rocket which will become a prize for modelling innovation for the Gauge 0 Guild.

At the start of the summer, in an unplanned development, Steve fitted a tapered brass boiler to the Q in place of the plastic 4F parallel boiler. The taper is very slight, but it is visible and hopefully worth the extra aggro. A start was then made on the cocks for the sand pipes. In the photo is the Q sporting tapered boiler, with in front, demountable brake gear, sandboxes and one of the phosphor bronze sandpipes with teeny sandcock. This is the old Crownline Q Class conversion kit for the Airfix 4F, but the instructions were discarded long ago in pursuit of something that is a bit more of a challenge to build.

The cheap Mitsumi motor with a modified 40:1 Branchlines gearbox is fitted, and it’s ready for what should be a sprightly test run on South Junction. The build for the Q was paused by a nasty bout of sciatica leaving the builder unable to sit at the workbench for much of the period. Luckily(?), suitably prone, this gave him plenty of CAD time, so he transfered to working up the interior of the signal box for Verwood.

This is the frame at Verwood pretty much as it would look to receive a train from Fordingbridge. Levers 1-10 have LSWR style plates, and ‘new’ Lever 11 an early SR oval plate. Also shown are the LSWR style locking labels.

In contrast this is a 3D render of the much longer frame at West Moors, still to Stevens pattern, but shown here as manufactured by Evans O’Donnell & Co. This frame had some shortened handles and the later SR Oval Plates. Both frames are built from a parameter file, so it is relatively easy to cater for other Stevens London style frames.

Next up is the Instrument Shelf based on photos of Verwood. This therefore has instruments for a passing loop with bell at one end and gong at the other, plus an extra bell possibly for the ground frame hut or shunter. Next to it is my interpretation of a Tyer’s No.6 Electric Tablet Instrument. Verwood should have had two of these, but the West Moors instrument was in a part of the box that wasn’t photographed so I’ve assumed that this was logically at the West Moors end of the frame mirroring the Fordingbridge instrument at the other end. The poles that the shelf was mounted on will be replaced by holes for wires in the final print.

Below is the rear corner of the box with stove and corner cupboard, and next to it the front of the box with lever, shelf and tablet instruments. The box also now has a 3D printed floor with the tread plate built in and holes for the shelf. It has to be said that in 4mm this stuff is almost impossibly tiny! The cupboard has since acquired a sloping writing desk, with open register and writing instrument.

At the rear of the box was a grey painted signal cabinet with the batteries for the switching out mechanism installed as an economy measure.

And that is quite enough for what should be a quiet modelling season. New members are always welcome and an introductory visit to our club room can easily be arranged from the contact page via our Secretary.

In the run up to the appearance of Evercreech New at the Bath & West Showground a huge amount of scenic work was carried out on the Prestleigh Viaduct board. This board is the size of a small car, albeit a very strangely shaped one!

What a difference!

Normans’ Bridge is the scenic break at the Shepton end of the model and the model was completed during an extended stay in Wimborne from where Shepton stone was recalled as having a greenish tinge that simply isn’t evident in the real location where the stone is somewhat browner in hue. Hopefully a brown wash will fix that! The wing wall capping is of an unusual design, but those level sections can still be seen on surviving under and overbridges along the Bath Extension.

Normans’ Bridge ‘planted’ on the layout. The arches are sections of 110mm drainage pipe which just happen to be the correct radius.

Above Normans’ Bridge is the wooden fence that had been insisted on by the Farmer Norman in charge when the line was built, so that his cattle wouldn’t be spooked by those ferocious steam ginnies.

Over a long weekend in April the collective YMRG membership were involved in transporting, erecting and operating Evercreech New in support of Heaton Lodge at the Royal Bath and West Showground. Heaton Lodge can be seen in the background, Evercreech New in the foreground.

A closeup of Prestleigh Viaduct (and that elusive farm) from sort of balcony launched drone. After three very successful and trouble free days of exhibiting, members continued to rally round to take down, reload the 7.5T lorry and unload it back at the club house. One aspect of large 7mm scale layouts is the volume and weight of the rolling stock required to operate it all to be taken back to homes in member’s vehicles.

In other news the Claude Hamilton build continues with the Westinghouse pump. First up is one of those on something apple green that is very real, but not a Claude Hamilton. And John’s Claude – showing what is possible on 7mm scale model!

Allan H has completed his superb 4F to run on “Evercreech New”. Genuinely his first attempt at any locomotive – all his own work too. Not only beautifully finished, it runs as well as it looks!

The battered Wills T9 was finished as Bournemouth loco 30304, and returned to its owner after a longish delay due to problems with the DCC wiring. Full story of the build is on Western Thunder. Happily there is a photo of this loco with Southern in sunshine lettering and Gill Sans number as this was an unusual combination. With twin beam compensation and High Level motor and gearbox running quality is more like a bogie coach than a loco.

A donor Hornby cab interior – an excellent upgrade for a Wills T9: