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I don't have the time (or inclination to be honest) to begin compiling videos right now but I've uploaded three short clips taken today of 37025 running with the log train. I'll try better next time.

Thank you for your comments. I've always tried to distance the layout from a typical model railway. I don't look back on my railway career with any great fondness but I do remember the appearance of much of the railway I experienced. It was dirty, decayed, overgrown with vegetation and littered with all kinds of rubbish. In fact the tunnel portal really could do with discarded shopping trollies, bicycle frames and an old bed mattress tossed over onto the tracks below in order to make it truly realistic. Something for later perhaps? Well today was going to be a DMU running day. Utilising my two spare 8-pin chips and with 2 DMU's already DCC fitted I thought a quartet of units would make a change from the usual loco hauled stuff. The trouble is the 8-pin chips I have are 'direct' fitting, meaning they have no wires making them slightly larger than the 8-pins with wire harnesses and they wouldn't fit the void in the motor blocks where the DCC sockets are located. And after all the time it took me to get those pesky bodies off! I gave up with the idea of using the 8-pins and decided instead to get out another two freight steam locos, both of which require 21-pin chips. These two, a Robinson 04 and a class 7F, date back to my Selby Garden Railway and I couldn't remember whether or not I had fitted them before. As it turned out the Robinson 04 had been previously fitted but the 7F had not although I did have one spare so in it went. The 04 ran perfectly while the 7F runs with what appears to be a square rear driving wheel - in fact there's almost no need for a sound chip because it sounds like a 'chuff chuff' when it's in motion as it is. It's in need of attention - yes, another one to add to a growing list! The heat outdoors was becoming unbearable and so as a last resort I placed a class 108 DMU on track that was DCC fitted about 9 years ago for the Selby railway. I well remember my frustrations in trying to dismantle it at the time! So here's a few photos of the class 108 DMU in action this afternoon. A similar view to the photos added yesterday as the three car class 108 DMU enters Watch House tunnel. I omitted to mention all the wiring in my captions yesterday but I think they are part of the scene too, even if a little over scale. The DMU exits Watch House tunnel and heads towards the 'missing sleepers' which is where the plywood base appears to have failed. Through Trundles Bridge we go, having safely negotiated the enforced speed restriction. And here we're on the run along Stackgarth Gill towards Stack Gill viaduct. The power car is almost at the point where the plywood base meets aerated block base and so its from this point that works will begin later. Finally we see the DMU part way over Stack Gill viaduct and onto the girder bridges crossing the river Buttle. Currently just a dry bed, I would really like to add some form of water below the bridges. Something else to include on the to do list.

It's very rare that we get anything other than Sparrows, Dunnocks and Blackbirds in our garden at home and while I enjoy trying to take photos of them it's also nice to be able to photograph something different. At our caravan we regularly see Great Tits, Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Goldfinches and Chaffinches along with the more typical urban garden birds and so in an effort to get photos of them we began putting out food to tempt them closer. It wasn't anything grand as you'll notice in the photos, just a tray formed out of aluminium foil secured to the decking handrail with some cotton thread. In it we placed some live mealworms that we'd purchased online and it wasn't long before we had our first visit from a Blue Tit. Still learning, I had my camera set up on a tripod inside the caravan shooting through a double-glazed window so the photos were never going to be of high quality but I'd rarely seen a Blue Tit close up before and certainly never taken a photo of one so any type of result would be an achievement. In addition it was dull and rainy, hardly the type of conditions for great photos but the following three images were typical of the many I took on that occasion. I don't really want to add too many photos as I would like to get to the point where I add only the most recently taken ones but I think it's part of the story to describe how my interest started and grew and how hopefully my efforts improved along the way so I'll try to keep it as brief as possible.

I know very little about birds and until recently I believed we had a garden full of simple sparrows as that's just about all I ever noticed. If they were brown and in the garden then they had to be sparrows. I started sitting just inside the patio doors with the camera on a tripod and taking photos of the sparrows that landed along the garden fence. The garden next door has a conifer hedge and I found that when it was not in focus it made a great background for the sparrow photos. Like I said, if they were brown they were sparrows and it wasn't until I became aware of the shape of the beak that I discovered this one wasn't a sparrow at all but was in fact a Dunnock. I think the background is great on this one and the bird itself is really sharp and clear. It's just a really nice photo in my opinion - one that makes you feel good about it.

The shed is now blessed with two working LED striplights and I can't believe it's taken me this long to install something that's so necessary for working out there. I've never been able to work in the shed with the door closed before because it's just so dark when you shut out the light and the winter's nights have always been a no go. I have no excuse anymore. The sidings extension in the terminus area is taking longer than anticipated but that's mainly through having the problem with my knee, but I have moved forward a little more and installed another point and a section of headshunt. The point outside the shed and the one leading to the headshunt will be wired as a pair that throw together. All that's left to do is install the point on the exterior of the shed, widen the entrance hole to allow the additional track through, and join up the track with the point visible in the above photo. Once the trackwork is complete I will divert my attention to the backscene and then the ballasting. I had taken it for granted that the method of working for the OTA log wagons into the terminus sidings would be that they would run round in the platform before drawing out and reversing into the sidings. Well yesterday I moved the OTA's across from Shieling Bridge and discovered that there's only just sufficient room between the points for the 12 wagons - and I mean just! Not to worry, I've experienced situations like that for real so it's nothing to be concerned about.

Nice photos Mick. I must try to upload a photo taken the other day. I was in my armchair and something flashed by my shoulder and there was a crash at the front window. An unexpected visitor had come at high speed through the open back door, not realising that the view in front was in fact glass. I then found myself holding a stunned Sparrowhawk. My wife couldn't even get the lens cap off my camera, so the resulting photo is not as good as it should be. I am priviledged to have seen it fly off at the speed of sound when I let it go. Sorry that I am such a scruff.

The Robin was spending a lot of time round our caravan and I took lots of uninspiring photo's of it until one morning it happened to perch on top of a low shrub that had been pruned over winter and was just starting to sprout new growth. The little Robin looked straight towards me while I rattled off multiple shots not knowing exactly what I'd taken until I later viewed them. I was delighted to find this amusing shot among them. Perhaps more through luck than judgement but you have to be there and do something to get them I suppose. I'm not sure what he's shouting but maybe he was just fed up of me following him around with the camera all the time! This was the type of image that I wanted to capture.

Finely back after sorting out the issue with the laptop just because of an update from Microsoft, shut off the USB ports, my wife found the problem, thought we had to have a new bother board, couldn't back up everything, up had to pick out the best pics and send them in an email to the other computer, took all day, was waste of time when my wife found the issue, anyway the pics need to backed up, Hi Mick, I had a look at the insert other media, need to upload from URL, so does that mean upload to the gallery first., will try that next post I have found more fun with DC just by wiring in a DPWT side switch, pic 005 where the how in the module is is the switch is switching off the track after the first loco and the lead loco can drive off onto another block,. The red loco I swapped with the orange and gray loco, pic 006 continues on with half of he Indian Pacific straight through the cross over onto the right side of the island platform , the rest of the train get back in onto the left had side, can't wait to do that. Pic 008 with the two locos right back to the module join I am changing to double finishing on the first curved section, so the whole Indian Pacific can fit on not holding up the main line. At the front of the pic where the cross over is b two more points so other passenger trains can get onto other platforms and freight trains get past. Back into finishing of the track for the new block , the new block be block 20, using up all the rotary switches, plan to use, block 19 as a reverse loop, wiring in a switch . Tony from nice down under keeping on moving ahead.

Early morning Tony, pure awesome, you are going great guns, looks like you will be running before me, the German 103 Electric sure looks stunning indeed especially with those coaches, the windows on our trains are not as wide as yours . I am looking forward to see what you have planned for the scenery around that bridge, have had a set back for a couple of days lap top trouble, had an update from Microsoft and knocked out the USB ports, though we had to put in a new mother board. After ringing ASUS they wanted my wife to do a factory reset, wife wasn't keen and still wouldn't of worked, she decided to a search on the hardware , found the problem the USB port was switched off, bingo every thing working, today back to the layout track work have changed track to fit the Indian Pacific and not hold up the main line. Tony from cool down under, not much of winter left.

Really nice, your tracks in the mountains. Since I'm a bit jealous that my garden is just so flat ... 😃

All of my class 37' are Bachmann, but your picture of 37403 shows the one big positive, imho, that the ViTrains loco has over the Bachmann model - around the cab windows. The Bachmann window apertures look too small, compared to the ViTrains version. The multiple working cable connectors needs a splash of orange, on 37403. Have you every tried removing weathering with a gentle rub with a fibreglass pencil? - it sometimes can soften the impression. Keep going Mick - your posts are great reading ☺️

I'm far from happy with my weathering on ViTrains 37403 'Isle of Mull' at the moment but this is what it looks like at the present time. Ignore the missing coupling hook, wipers, and the mould line on those air horns. It's all too easy to add too much weathering until it begins to look a sorry mess and I've had to go back and remove some when I thought I'd over done it slightly so for now I'm just going to sit and gaze while I decide what it needs next. There's one quite noticeable difference between this ViTrains model and the Bachmann version and that's that you have to be very careful with the white spirit because it soon starts bringing the yellow and blue away so you need a careful wipe rather than any scrubbing. I think the main area for weathering that gives a marked improvement over the factory model is the underframe and bogies. If you can get those areas right then you're well on your way to turning a toy into a model.

Had a successful weekend with the wiring department, finely sorted out the switch issue with the last post, didn't work, found a DPDT slide switch switch and it worked cutting anthe power off past the first loco . Mick how do I type in words between the pics, do I submit the post first and edit the post???? First two pics is testing the switch before screwing the switch in place under neath the module, second pic is the isolated joiner on one side of the track and last pic, the hole is big enough to get my finger in. I also put in a length of track long enough to fit a loco on before the point, was told it's not good to stop a loco on the point, can't wait to actually shunt the Indian Pacific, more pics next post. Tony from very cold down under, hit minus three, keeping on moving ahead.

Before I get on to today's photographs I should perhaps report that 37025 is now running reliably well after yesterday's overhaul. I don't suppose I can just expect everything to keep performing without some kind of maintenance so it may be time for a regular routine of some sort. 37025 in its new weathered guise has been in action today but so too has 26024 and she too is now wearing a new coat of mucky brown. Propelling the track cleaner isn't the most glamorous task so further photos will have to wait but here's a quick glimpse. So on to 37025 and I really do like this engine, more so now that it runs so well. I've taken in the region of 40 photos of it today but don't worry, I'm not going to add every one here but I would like to share the following six photo's of it in the new weathered livery as I feel it adds a great sense of realism. Running along Stackgarth Gill towards the viaduct with loaded OTA wagons destined for afar. Running onto Stack Gill viaduct. Emerging from Watch House tunnel. Another view of 37025 passing beneath Watch House tunnel with loaded OTA wagons. 37025 'Inverness TMD' captured from the side of Watch House tunnel heading towards Stackgarth Gill. 37025 stands in the platform at Shieling Bridge waiting for the right of way. I'll add additional photos to my gallery though they are much the same as the ones featured here.

So as mentioned in my last post, I've made a start weathering 37025. Doing little by little (and often backtracking over what I'd previously done) I'm just trying to get the sense of a working locomotive but one that's not too scruffy as it has also to act as a passenger loco too. I've seen the sorry state that some class 37's were allowed to get into but looking at photographs of the West Highland line it seems they were pretty well looked after so I'm looking for that happy medium. It's a bit early in the day and the sunshine is at the wrong angle for photos on Low Shott viaduct but hopefully you'll get the idea. These first two are very similar but I noticed the shed door was open so closed it for the second. From the opposite side (below) you can see more of the roof weathering which will be added to later, especially around the exhaust ports but again, little by little. I know some people would be aghast at painting enamel weathering over a 'limited edition' loco but it's a model layout and I want it to look as realistic as possible. Anyway, the price of a standard range loco these days is in excess of what a Limited Edition one was just a few years ago and in my eyes the weathered version just looks so much better.

Its been a while. I now have a baseboard down in the shed that will connect to the garden railway. I am quite pleased with myself. Its constructed from 12mm plywood on a 2 by 1 battened frame. As the shed floor is so uneven I fitted adjustable legs so that I could get the top level. Its also constructed in two parts simply because a sheet of ply was 8 feet long and the shed is 11 feet 6 inched long. No other reason than that. The width is governed by the need to get lawn mowers and other stuff in. The top is not very high simply because it had to be at the same level as the rail outside. There is enough room to get under it with a drill to fit point motors and such like. The two sections are bolted together with coach bolts and so the two sections are able to be lifted out of the shed should the need arise. I may well take them out to put the track down to make life easier leaving only the join to the outside to fit once in situ. I will have to fabricate portable covers to put in place when the layout is not in use to protect it from tools being dropped or falling in an earthquake from the shed wall above. Having the baseboard on legs and not fixed to the shed will also mean that if there is a bit of an earthquake rattle the baseboards can move inside the shed. The only thing that can then get damaged are the rails connecting it to the outside lines which can be easily replaced if bent. Now I had originally planned just to have a storage yard here. Now I am thinking of a station with storage sidings. That way I can operate in the shed independently of the outside line. We shall see. A few Peco track point print offs lying on the baseboards are tempting me. I am now going to buy some cork floor tiles which will be used as track underlay. That will probably be all I get done this leave. My ship will visit Torquay and Falmouth in September where I hope to buy my points. So much cheaper in the UK compared to here in New Zealand. Less than half the price in fact. And just to keep me going my Class 50, Ark Royal has just arrived from the UK. It is DCC ready but has no chip yet. I am tempted to fit the legman sound into it. But have to spend the money on points first. cheers Mark

As I mentioned yesterday, it was my intention to photograph some different loco's today rather than keep posting photo's of the same things all the time but to be honest I don't enjoy it and it feels like a chore. I've never enjoyed taking loco's out of their boxes, especially so for just a few minutes before replacing them and though I did make an effort I just kept thinking there was other things I would have been better off doing. Looking over the photos I did manage to take I am reminded once again of the need to fit detailing parts, ensure that buffers are straight and that any detailing parts already fitted are in the correct positions. What could have been decent photos in the end all look a bit silly as I will point out. This is Hornby R3267XS Class 60005 SKIDDAW in Transrail sector livery, factory fitted with sound. A total lack of any fitted detailing parts and two wonky buffers don't do it any justice. I had trouble getting this one to run smoothly at first due to the over-long sandpipes fouling the rail chairs. I tried bending them back in line with the wheel treads but in the end decided the best course of action was to trim a little bit off the ends. What I do like about the above photo are the small growths that have taken hold on the tops of the aerated blocks. I hadn't noticed them previously. The loco is running along Stackgarth Gill towards the viaduct. Hornby R2901XS Class 50037 ILLUSTRIOUS in large logo BR Blue has been seen before on my old Selby Garden railway but maybe not on Worsley Dale. Factory fitted with sound I doubt very much that it would ever have been seen along with the West Highland MK1s but when you're in charge of the railway anything goes. 50037 ILLUSTRIOUS once again, this time rounding the curve at Low Shott Flatt before entering Watch House tunnel. This curve used to be super-elevated with a small strip of rubber placed beneath the outer sleepers but it was removed when certain locos constantly derailed. From the photo it appears to have been reinstated. We catch up with 50037 as it exits Watch House tunnel and is illuminated by the morning sun. The decaying log roll on either side of the track resembles a sleeper built fence and I hope I can recreate that effect when the area is relaid later. This shed view is the last one I will include in this post - there are one or two others that I'll add to my Gallery but nothing really special. Have I pointed out the height of the signalbox chimney before? On shed are 50037 ILLUSTRIOUS, 31439 NORTH YORKSHIRE MOORS RAILWAY, 60005 SKIDDAW and just out of sight 37025 INVERNESS TMD and 26024. 31439 is a static exhibit at the moment as I don't have a spare chip. There are plans afoot to erect some backscenes along both sides of the shed and suitable board is already available so it's just a case of making the start. That should make it a better location for photographs especially when I get some lighting installed above. At the moment the shed door is a good location when there's plenty of light coming through.

Love the scene from watch house tunnel. The tunnel portal looks amazing. Great work Mick. Cheers mark

Truly inspirational. This is a 00 garden railway that looks like it has a purpose and is going somewhere.

Well despite my recent efforts, 37025 has continued to stutter over the short section of newly relaid track on top of Stack Gill viaduct as reported on 5th July. The fact that it's just this particular loco makes it even more frustrating but I'm certainly not going to put the loco to one side. I've not looked into it but I'm wondering if it's something to do with the actual design of the models underframe or bogies as I have a multitude of Bachmann 37s none of which have yet exhibited any trouble negotiating that section of track. Perhaps 37025 is an earlier version which has since been modified? What's even more remarkable is the fact that I have a section of track at ground level which really does need some attention - so much so that the track now stands proud of the base with a large gap beneath and yet 37025 has no problem with that at all. Anyway, in another effort to resolve the problem I actually dug out all the freshly laid ballast, which wasn't too difficult as it was only secured with Klear floor polish and not varnish, and again tested the level along the rail tops. There was a very slight dip or undulation but not something I would normally have been unduly worried about. Manually running a short wagon across it was barely noticeable but I had another attempt at levelling it off, testing with 37025 until it managed to clear the section without problem. I've now replaced the ballast and secured it with Klear until I'm confident it can be permanently secured with exterior varnish. Leaving 37025 to one side for the evening I set Black 5 44875 in motion hauling a rake of 6 West Highland Mk1s. I'm not sure how many circuits of the layout it managed while we had a BBQ but it must have been considerable and I never had to touch it once. It was almost dark by the time it came in for the night. Next thing I'll be wanting lights in the coaches! If only all loco's were as trouble free as some of the others.

Ship update, have finely glued in the the side panels with the cut out windows between the knuckle line and raised deck, gluing in the final layer of card , pretty happy with the way the build is turning out , I could of gone a bit higher with the windows, it will do looks ok . Will work on the other side this week, it was very hard to glue in place, got fast drying wood glue does help, I put glue on both sides making it easier to line up, get back to the anchor recess will re cut that panel moving the anchor recess long more , needs to line up with the small window. Still have to mark out and cut the weather cover and sides after finishing the bow section sides, can't wait, being at it for some time now. Tony from down under

I encountered problems when I eventually got mine up and running too Iain but I just accept it as part of the whole OO outdoor experience. I know it can become frustrating but the real railways have problems with buckled and broken rails too. Each obstacle we overcome is one less to be concerned about and if I'm honest, in my case they're all down to the way I've constructed everything. My elevated boards appear fine at the moment but certain sections close to the ground are in need of attention. I'm going to replace the plywood and use a masonry track bed when the time comes - probably using aerated block sections as they withstand the weather very well. I have a number of O gauge loco's but I'm content with the smaller stuff for now. Perhaps if I were starting over again from scratch, a move of house or something, then I'd have a good think about changing to the larger scale. Enjoyed watching the 'EE day' video and a lot of people would be surprised to discover how successful OO can be outdoors. You've made a great job of it.

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/visiting-woods/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/native-trees/yew/