"St Alban's Priory" - some pictures

As promised some photos of StAP now that it is installed.  I am very pleased to report that having connected all the bits which needed connecting (it comes in 3 parts so needs to be bolted together and then the connection plugs coupled up along with some track put in place over one of the joins) and the track was cleaned (and it was not too bad considering 2008 was the last time a wheel turned) everything I have tried to do so far has worked.  I haven't plugged in the 16vAC power pack for the points yet so....

Anyway, the photos:

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I had posted previously a picture of the outside of my shed.  This is an average sized shed by Australian standards (or at least it is amongst those I know who have backyard sheds) at 6m wide by 7.5m long.  Basically you can put two cars in, with room for a trailer and a bit of a work shop.  I don't.  I put a layout in!  StAP fits across the back with room at the RH end (as you look at the photo) to walk around the back.  Layout is over 5.5m long so I better not put on too much more weight!

First of the detail shots. This is a row of Kestral Semi-detached houses (KD32) which overlooks the head shunt and the London end of the layout.  The triple bracket signal in view is the Down Home with the left bracket taking trains into the yard and the right bracket into the bay platform on the up side of the station.  These houses have been individualised to a point, but having read the article in N'spirations 3 on detailing these, more will be done in due course.  I believe N'spirations 3 is out of print so I will take some photos of mine as I do it and up load them in due course.

The current goods shed - a painted Peco kit.  I do have a card model of the actual goods shed at St Alban's Abbey (on which StAP is based) and in the fullness of time I will replace this with that.  As I am hoping to build a model of StAA in 2mmFS, this model will be built with the dual purpose in mind - hopefully I won't have to fudge it too much to fit on both layouts.  The yard crane is a white metal one - Langley I think but maybe PD Marsh.  It needs some TLC as the hook is missing.

Wildly out of place Ratio Cattle dock.  It is important to remember the bulk of this was done in 1999/2000, well before my modelling skills were at the level of thinking about scratch building, let alone giving it a go.  This model was a bit of a leap for me at the time as it had the etch brass fence.  The middle lamp is a casualty of a gecko or something as the lamp is off the post in the four foot.  I am thinking about replacing the lamps with working examples but the dock will stay - far too firmly glued down with liquid nails to attempt to remove it I fear.  The signs along the platform fence are my own - I took photos of metal signs at preserved railways on one of my infrequent trips to the UK and these are the results.  Unfortunately, they too are casualties as the ink jet printer I used has resulted in colour loss - possibly from washing the platform!   Easy to fix.

Last one for today - this is the more serious casualty ward.  The loading gauge (white metal) is an easy fix as are the 6 telegraph poles.  The Up Starter bracket (left for the bay, tall middle for the main line and right to take trains over the Down and into the head shunt - the crossing is just in front of the Farish LNWR signalbox - handy since StAP is based on an LNWR location and better than the assortment of 'boxes which have stood in this position over the years) is almost certainly destined for replacement - not sure if it will be colour light with some feathers or what yet.

More tomorrow possibly - as it is, I am enjoying the sound of trains running rather than worrying about taking photos or faffing about but I shall have to get stuck in, as there is a group coming on Saturday!