The Club builds and operates layouts in a variety of scales.
3 Red Panniers Project – Blog 2: It’s ‘EM’ Easy
Progress on L96 continues as I make preparations for detailing on the tank body. Meanwhile, I have started work on the second Pannier ‘L90’ which will be converted to EM (18.2 mm) gauge. For this, I have bought a Gibson conversion package which includes the following: OO/EM Wheel set + Axles Crankpins Coupling Rod Bushes …read more.
Jan 23, 2016
3 Red Panniers Project – Blog 1: Farewell GWR
Red Pannier Tanks became a standard feature on the London Transport Network until the 70’s. Their small size was ideal for transporting goods across the Sub-surface network, many were seen trundling across the Metropolitan Line in the final years of Steam on the Underground. There has always been something about Panniers that I have found …read more.
Jan 9, 2016
Track building – Part 1
One of the more frequent questions I get asked at exhibitions is how the track is built. Modelling in EM there isn’t much choice for anything other than plain track, but my track building goes back to my teenage OO days. Despite living only a couple of miles away at the time, I originally stumbled …read more.
Dec 27, 2015
Class 127 DMU
Class 127 4-car DMUs formed the local passenger services on the Midland main line south of Bedford, so have always been on the list of stock required for Minories. A club member started work on a unit back in 2007, but it didn’t get very far. In the interim, I made a 3-car 116 …read more.
Oct 19, 2015
On our way to Peterborough
Our invitation to the National Festival of Railway Modelling has been the incentive to get a few more things progressed on the layout. A major resignalling scheme has seen searchlight starter signals mounted on an etched brass gantry installed, replacing the Berko 3-aspect signals originally installed as a temporary measure hours before the first …read more.
Oct 15, 2015
When you want water on your layout…
Water runs down hill. So, front and centre should be the wettest part of the layout because it it the lowest. I always find myself drawn to water on layouts so I thought I’d add something. The first problem is that there is no space for a sizable water feature. Adding to this, most of …read more.
Oct 15, 2015
Grass laying on Empire Mills
Early on we decided to cover the front and back of the layout, most of the actual scenery, with carpet underlay. This produced a good effect, especially with a little bit of effort. It did, however, leave us with a dilemma about the middle of the layout. We tried a few different techniques for the …read more.
Oct 14, 2015
Empire Mills – Getting ready for Portsmouth
I haven’t posted for a while – this doesn’t mean we haven’t been doing anything we have – well I haven’t but the team has. However, with an exhibition looming we have had a burst of activity that quite frankly puts our gentle summer progress to shame. The show – its all about the show …read more.
Oct 14, 2015
Baseboard Joints
Baseboard joints are a necessary evil if you ever have to move your layout. Scenically they create what is often an obvious rift line across our otherwise beautiful handiwork, but operationally they can be a major cause of unreliability. So I try to make the joints as unobvious as I can, but robust enough to …read more.
May 19, 2015
Empire Mills post Ally Pally 2015
Yesterday we had our first official layout group meeting. Probably should have done it sooner, but better late than never. In this we discussed follow up from Ally Pally, things that went well and things that didn’t. We also covered what needs to be done before our next outing (Portsmouth in November) and who is …read more.
Apr 14, 2015
Empire Mills – In which I make bushes
Well I’ve spent the day making bushes and a hedge. I’ve found a pretty straightforward technique that gives pleasing results. To start off, we had already placed rubberised horsehair around the layout as a first step. It had all be sprayed brown before placement but they didn’t really look that good. So here’s what I …read more.
Nov 9, 2014
Empire Mills
Update From 2 June 2018, Empire Mills has a new home. We wish the layout well under its new management! You can read about the EM Gauge team’s new project Orchard Wharf here. Empire Mills is the Model Railway Club’s 4mm scale EM gauge layout. The basic layout depicts a small, freight-only branch line. The …read more.
Jan 28, 2014