I knew when I posted the last news item on the smaller extension that the idea of running the extension as a separate layout was really a non starter. It has to be connected to the main layout to make any sense at all. This will mean lifting all the track on the RHS of the layout including the carriage sidings completely. Also all the track from the front of the layout around to the stations on the RHS. I intend to keep the small inside running track as is. The new track will run from the stations straight into the first extension, then loop onto the new extension and then back to the old running line. The new double running tracks will be kidney shaped so I just hope that the HD rigid track will be able to fit. The next problem will be fitting in enough sidings to allow storage of new trains which was the original intent of the new extension.
The first job will be raising the track, cleaning and sorting ready for relaying then removing the ballast, grass, trees shrubs etc to get back down to the base board. Then the building will start. Looks like it could take the whole of the winter. Still I do have the time and I can still run the odd train on the small inside track to test out new purchases etc and also just to run a train occasionaly. The weather here is terrible with rain and sleet so just the day to start the project – when it will end is more of a mystery.

Well it all happened in a very short space of time. the original extension went across the whole of the workshop which meant that you had to limbo to get into the middle:
[url=https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/original_img419e697a8ed81.jpg][img]https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/img419e697a8ed81.jpg[/img][/url]

It wasn’t the limboing that annoyed me it was just that I was effectively cut off from the rest of my workshop. Difficult to get a beer out of the fridge, change the radio, play a CD, answer the phone, access the work bench etc. I was not happy so I have modified it by removing the connecting peice to the far wall.
[url=https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/original_img419e69fa4d9de.jpg][img]https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/img419e69fa4d9de.jpg[/img][/url]

I am now left with a smaller but still viable extension, The initial layout will mean that the extension layout does not connect to the original layout. Given the right level of enthusiasm and the will power to totally rejig the origional layout I could turn it into a single layout but this is sometime in the future.
[url=https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/original_img419e6a5237be6.jpg][img]https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/img419e6a5237be6.jpg[/img][/url] I have ordered the extra rail and they will be available sometime early next week. I also found out that there is a train fair on Sunday in Poole so there is a chance that more “essential” purchases are to be made. And I am still awaiting the City of Glasgow – there is a touch of madness in the air I do believe. More track….. more trains….. Christmas is coming, presents are in the air…more trains, more rolling stock. Its more addictive that smoking.

The new extension has been built. I am checking the new rail requirement it looks that I will need a great many straights as well as half curves. I will place an order on a local chap but whether he will be able to supply so many is unknown. I hope to post an initial picture soon.

Why are the new purchases non original HD?
Because the ones that are left to collect are very expensive and dont look any different to the ones on the layout. Ludlow Castle is the same as Bristol Castle except for the nameplate. The later 2-8-0 is identical except for the number but costs in excess of £350. City of Liverpool costs over £400 (even a restored one went for £250 on ebay) and is similar but not the same as Montrose and Atholl. One of the Mallard’s is affordable and could well be on my purchase list, the later version is silly prices. St Paddy, the Co-Co goes for £250+ and I have a Dorchester which had been superdetailed by the previous owner so was available at a reasonable price.
The City of Glasgow is the same as Liverpool but in BR Blue – more interesting. My St Paddy is a Crepello on a 3 rail chassis. The Lyme Regis adds Southern interest and augments the Dorchester. I think I will skip another 2-8-0 but sometimes the common ones do come up as re-painted in LMS black. There seems to be plenty of reasonably priced Wrenn Castles although these might be difficult to 3rail. The one that is expensive but might have to be added to my purchase list is the Southern Region EMU. This was amongst the very last locos made by HD in both 2 and 3 rail forms. Its a unique train as it is an “electric train” as run by SR. No one else makes anything similar for 3 rail so I might have to dig deep in the pocket to get one. If anyone has an unboxed two or three car set for sale I would love to hear from them.
With the new extension more trains will be able to be accomodated so the next couple of years should be interesting.

[img]https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/img419a4bd32496d.jpg[/img]

Picture thanks to Paul Thompson’s layout. See his layout

[url=http://www.abchood.com/tomo68@ntlworld.com]Paul’s 3 rail layout[/url]

I cannot find a decent LMS site that gives a comprehensive data base of their locomotives. The LNER, SR and GWR all have excellent sites but LMS is lacking. Here is a picture of Duchess of Atholl in BR Blue but I couldn’t find if Glasgow was ever painted in this colour.

[img]https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/img4198d88a692dc.jpg[/img]

Mmm, its sunday and another succes on ebay. This time its a Wrenn City of Glasgow which looks in very good condition. Price was about right, not cheap but inline with other sales that I have been watching. It does of course need to be converted to three rail before it can run on the layout. The extension to the layout will probably start next week so it should all come together nicely.
[img]https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/img4197b3241e70e.jpg[/img]
Image courtesy of the ebay seller I will post my own as soon as it is on the layout

Peregrine was the last (34) Gresley A4 to be produced on 1/7/1938. It was one of the last four to be fitted with a double chimney. This means that the model is incorrect. The other main problem is that the number plate on the front of the loco was not fitted until after 1948. Now to the black wartime livery. There were in fact 3 war time liveries:

Scheme 1/. Unlined Black with L.N.E.R. on the Tender. Applied from November 1941.

Scheme 2/. Unlined Black but only N.E. on the Tender. Applied from August 1942.

Scheme 3/. Unlined Black but with L.N.E.R. again displayed on the Tender. Applied during the period April to August 1946.
Amazingly Peregrine received all three of these liveries. So what we have is the 1942 livery modelled on a re-painted Silver King. In fact this engine was re-named Lord Farringdon in March 1948.
Enough of all this the model looks good and after some extensive running no runs well – not the best but OK and getting better. It makes a great addition to the layout.
It should also be noted that Wrenn made an A4 in this livery but I don’t think that it was Peregrine.
The other purchase remains dormant awaiting a new armiture.

Pictures have been posted of the new acquisitions in Photos album. Here are the previews: [img]https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/img418d19916d5bd.jpg[/img]
[img]https://www.dublorunner.com/uploads/img418d1a23cac77.jpg[/img]

I picked up the two engines this morning. Mike had complained to the auctioneers that the Sir Nigel Gresley had a dodgy armiture and as it was listed as refurbished this was an inaccurate description. He knows the auctioneers well and a rebate was agreed so the two engines came out at under £60. One A4 is Sir Nigel Gresley with the dodgy armiture in a shade of blue which is too light to be authentic but very nicely finished. We need a new armiture, hard to get hold of, or a new chassis so that this one can become a runner. At the moment it is a crawler and can’t pull any carriages.

The other A4 is Peregine in wartime black with NE on the tender. Very nicely finished and a good runner. I need to sort out where it will go on the current layout as these engines were bought with an eye to the extension where there will be room for them.

There was a local auction at Kidners in Pennington. It was on Wednesday so I couldn’t go so Mike King bid on my behalf. A wrenn City of Glasgow in BR Blue went above my bid limit as did a messed about with Lyme Regis ( with BR numbers but still in Southern Greem) but I did get a HD lot which consisted of two re-painted A4’s. One in Wartime black and the other in blue. Haven’t seen them yet so expect to post more tomorrow with pictures. I think that they were good value at £70 for the pair.