Barchester

Had a quick holiday up in the hills for a few days and came back with a stomach bug and feeling lousy so not much done in the first ten days of this month.
I have started on a major construction of Metcalfe industrial buildings as they can't be beaten for quick and good to look at results.


Metcalfe general industrial building kit made up exactly as instructions. A pleasure to build and very easy to modify and add to.




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My pair of GWR 0-4-2T's are locked up solid as well as a GWR 2-6-2T and another 2-6-2T that is limping along. The one and only diesel I had, a sand coloured thing, very long, has packed in also, in fact it didn't even try moving. That one's no loss really as I never did like it. As the steam outline locos are so sadly depleted I am thinking of moving over to diesel using the modern RTR Bachmann and Hornby products.
I am trying a Superquick card kit for a change. It is a kit of a garage and has gone together quite well. I'm only using Superquick because Metcalfe don't make a small garage.



The Superquick garage. This model is also made from card but it is a cheaper model than those by Metcalfe. That is not to say that there is anything wrong with it and if funds are low then Superquick kits are perfectly acceptable.



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Now building Metcalfe low relief shop fronts, great models.
I am thinking now of taking out the platform at the small station halt so all trains from and to Barchester are through ones.
Yep, platform halt has gone, also have had platform 1 up at Barchester for yet another alteration.
Now the small halt platform has gone I have space for a small goods shed and coal drops.


The Metcalfe goods shed made up and roughly in position. Waiting now for coal drops to be marked out on baseboard and then cut out.

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The new trackwork at Barchester is finished and wired up and I have also cut out the shape for the coal drops in the baseboard next to where the goods shed is going.
Goods shed and immediate surrounds finished, looking ok.

 This is an overhead view of the installed goods shed with passing auto trailer on one of the two branch lines.

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Here you can see the goods shed and coal drops in position with coal wagons just finished dropping their loads of coal


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Believe it or not but I am still making alterations to the track layout but with a bit of luck these will be the finishing touches as now I can see plenty of operational possibilities and being able to use the majority of my coaching stock.

 A birds eye view of the final track layout leading to the fiddle yard from Barchester. You can see the three main lines to the left and the two separate branch lines. I may still make a couple more alterations at the Barchester end of the layout.

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I have made up enough Metcalfe industrial building kits this month to start placing them on the layout and moving them about until I find an arrangement that pleases me.


The Metcalfe brewery kit made up as per instructions. Another fine model and so easy to put together.



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I am lifting the town area behind Barchester station by some two inches as it will give a better view of the town from rail level.


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