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Buckingham West


Richard Mawer
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Looking good Richard. If I may just make a small observation on the operation. It would not be normal practice for the Director to stay at the buffer end of the platform when the stock was withdrawn. It would follow the stock up the platform and be held at the signal there.

 

There is provision to do that on the "other" Buckingham as the trains depart on the Grandborough controller and the pilot/train loco trapped at the buffers can follow it up on the Buckingham controller. When I say it can, I mean it could if I found out which wires to reconnect where! There is a push button (home made sprung plunger) on each platform, which when depressed puts the length of the platform onto the Buckingham controller. As soon as the departing train has passed the starter signal, that is returned to danger, otherwise the trapped loco would be on its way following the departing train. As soon as the signal is put back, the plunger can be pressed and the trapped loco started.

 

If you don't have that sort of provision, you could just send the loco up the platform as soon as the train has departed.

 

Cheers,

 

Tony

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I think it would perhaps look better as a girder bridge across all three tracks (with or without the wall between the second and third).

 

An arch converts the downwards vertical force of the weight of the bridge itself/traffic over the bridge into sideways forces. Thus an arch needs fairly substantial abutments (or another arch) each side to press back against the arch. I'm afraid that wall between the two tracks just isn't man enough to support an arch :-(

I thought some of the sideways force would be transmitted through the girder over the small portal and into the abutment. The wall only taking the vertical force. But the idea of a girder across all 3 is quite good.

 

For now though it will stay as it is. The view I have photographed is not seen. Mostly it is seen either from the rear where due to a retaining wall hiding the quarry line, only the double track arch will be seen; or the bridge is seen 3/4 end on. From that angle it looks far better. When I get time I might well play a full girder.

 

Thanks for the advice.

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Looking good Richard. If I may just make a small observation on the operation. It would not be normal practice for the Director to stay at the buffer end of the platform when the stock was withdrawn. It would follow the stock up the platform and be held at the signal there.

 

There is provision to do that on the "other" Buckingham as the trains depart on the Grandborough controller and the pilot/train loco trapped at the buffers can follow it up on the Buckingham controller. When I say it can, I mean it could if I found out which wires to reconnect where! There is a push button (home made sprung plunger) on each platform, which when depressed puts the length of the platform onto the Buckingham controller. As soon as the departing train has passed the starter signal, that is returned to danger, otherwise the trapped loco would be on its way following the departing train. As soon as the signal is put back, the plunger can be pressed and the trapped loco started.

 

If you don't have that sort of provision, you could just send the loco up the platform as soon as the train has departed.

 

Cheers,

 

Tony

Hi Tony,

 

A good point.

 

And of course Peter would have hand made the plunger! Ha ha.

 

At present the operator would need to wait for Train Out Of Section, and then the platform starter needs to be pulled off before the loco can move up. This defeats the point being made.

 

So I will need to make some mods to the wiring, but I've thought of a way. I need to decide if I only want it to work whilst the advanced starter is off, or at anytime. The latter would allow an operator to exit a loco from a platform without using the starter, which would be wrong.

 

Anyway, good to hear from you.

 

Rich

Edited by Richard Mawer
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BUSY WEEKEND ON BUCKNGHAM WEST

 

It started with a coat of paint to the artex. Armed with a photo from Little Muddle, I tried to match the paint colour. Amazingly light! Almost cream. But I was happy with the finish as a base coat. It looks even lighter in the photo!

 

Having experimented with the ballast spreader I decided it was time to try some ballasting for proper. I have never painted or ballasted track, so this felt like a big step.

 

I think the goods loop at Evenley would have been finished in cinders not stone ballast. It is not a running line because you can only reverse into it and it is effectively the yard. So I used the spreader to ballast woodlands scenics cinders. I then had to add more between that line and the first siding. I’m pleased it didn’t need too much tidying up. I fixed it by dribbling 40:60 vinyl adhesive/water with a few drops of washing up liquid via a pipette, but whilst this soaked in, it didn’t permeate into the ballast too well. It stayed quite local as it were. I then sprayed it with water and washing up liquid. Once soaked, the glue washed in. Next time I will soak it first and then apply the glue. The glue is cream in colour, but it dries clear.

 

I also ballasted 3 points for the first time. They still work!

 

post-15300-0-46842700-1511129196_thumb.jpg

 

post-15300-0-08227100-1511129272_thumb.jpg

 

post-15300-0-04469100-1511129328_thumb.jpg

 

The last time I had my airbrush out was before we moved house. I was pleased that it still worked. I went to work on the artex. I used Lifecolour acrylic Sleeper Grime up the centre on the tracks including the cinder ballast. I spilled this over the edges. I next used Weathered Black over the coal yard area and where locos habitually stand on the loop by the signals. I finally opted for track dirt, but I’m disappointed with the colour. Its very red. Luckily the ironstone in the region justifies it. Overall I’m happy with the results.

 

The barrow crossings are 5 matches glued together. I’m pleased with that look too.

 

post-15300-0-85212000-1511129407_thumb.jpg

 

I fully recommend using a good quality mask even for acrylics. The particles of paint are so fine that they are dangerous. Mine is a cartridge mask by 3M. In the scheme of things, it’s not a lot of cash.

 

post-15300-0-71889100-1511129518_thumb.jpg

 

The last work on Evenley is the coal yard. Here you can see the colour of the glue I’m using.

 

post-15300-0-66572400-1511129586_thumb.jpg

 

With the stock back in the yard now. Its just gone 2pm on Saturday and the yard is full. The Fly (pick up goods) is about to arrive and this is going to be an interesting shunt!

 

post-15300-0-42024400-1511129693_thumb.jpg

 

This weekend I also made the structure which hides the Quarry. Whilst being an important source of traffic on Buckingham West, it is off stage and the stock is stored in a hidden siding. The bridge that nobody likes is the entry point, but this angle is the one normally seen. This might explain why I preferred the arch.

 

post-15300-0-99157000-1511129765_thumb.jpg

 

The cover, which will have brick paper added to the front and foliage above, comes off so the loads can be added to the wagons.

 

Whilst I had the airbrush filled with weathered black I added some smoke to the Quarry Lane bridge.

 

post-15300-0-94601800-1511129846_thumb.jpg

 

I also went back to the areas of modelling which feel more like home : electrics. At the end of Buckingham West yard headshunt there is a dead section with a diode. The pilot will stop outward, but when reversed, it should come back. It wouldn’t. Turns out the diode had come unsoldered. Even though all this is well under Brackley Road, I managed to resolder it.

 

Tony Gee previously raised a good point about not keeping locos at the end of a platform as the stock is taken out. Although this came from a photo where the operator had failed to release the loco as told to in the timetable, it got me thinking. On the ‘real’ Buckingham Peter Denny's master piece now owned by Tony) the Buckingham operator can drive the trapped loco behind the departing train. I only have 1 platform where that happens, but another where stock from an arrival has to be withdrawn and the trapped loco can follow the stock out. I had a spare channel on an H&M duette - I use 2 of them to power the Banbury diode matrix, the Banbury controller, the cleaning brush, the bells and buzzers. So I have wired that spare controller via 2 push buttons into platforms 1 and 2. It is pre-set to power the loco.

 

As long as both the platform starter and the backing signal are ‘on’. Then by pressing the new button, the loco moves up the platform. So the process is:- as the stock is withdrawn from the platform (either by the pilot or as a departing train), once the loco passes the platform starter it is placed back ‘on’, the loco at the end of the platform is de-isolated, and the new button pressed so the trapped loco follows the train up to the platform starter.

 

post-15300-0-01216500-1511129930_thumb.jpg

 

I’ve also given all the freight stock (apart from just a handful) a basic black wash. This brings out the planking detail, tones down the colours and shine, breaks up the evenness of the most roofs and stops the stock looking like a toy. It’s amazing what a difference a bit of mucky water can make. It also acts as a bit of a primer for future full weathering.

 

I can’t believe I’ve not actually run any of the timetable this weekend!

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BUSY WEEKEND ON BUCKNGHAM WEST

 

It started with a coat of paint to the artex. Armed with a photo from Little Muddle, I tried to match the paint colour. Amazingly light! Almost cream. But I was happy with the finish as a base coat. It looks even lighter in the photo!

 

Having experimented with the ballast spreader I decided it was time to try some ballasting for proper. I have never painted or ballasted track, so this felt like a big step.

 

I think the goods loop at Evenley would have been finished in cinders not stone ballast. It is not a running line because you can only reverse into it and it is effectively the yard. So I used the spreader to ballast woodlands scenics cinders. I then had to add more between that line and the first siding. I’m pleased it didn’t need too much tidying up. I fixed it by dribbling 40:60 vinyl adhesive/water with a few drops of washing up liquid via a pipette, but whilst this soaked in, it didn’t permeate into the ballast too well. It stayed quite local as it were. I then sprayed it with water and washing up liquid. Once soaked, the glue washed in. Next time I will soak it first and then apply the glue. The glue is cream in colour, but it dries clear.

 

I also ballasted 3 points for the first time. They still work!

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6727.JPG

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6728.JPG

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6730.JPG

 

The last time I had my airbrush out was before we moved house. I was pleased that it still worked. I went to work on the artex. I used Lifecolour acrylic Sleeper Grime up the centre on the tracks including the cinder ballast. I spilled this over the edges. I next used Weathered Black over the coal yard area and where locos habitually stand on the loop by the signals. I finally opted for track dirt, but I’m disappointed with the colour. Its very red. Luckily the ironstone in the region justifies it. Overall I’m happy with the results.

 

The barrow crossings are 5 matches glued together. I’m pleased with that look too.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6738.JPG

 

I fully recommend using a good quality mask even for acrylics. The particles of paint are so fine that they are dangerous. Mine is a cartridge mask by 3M. In the scheme of things, it’s not a lot of cash.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6737.JPG

 

The last work on Evenley is the coal yard. Here you can see the colour of the glue I’m using.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6739.JPG

 

With the stock back in the yard now. Its just gone 2pm on Saturday and the yard is full. The Fly (pick up goods) is about to arrive and this is going to be an interesting shunt!

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6742.JPG

 

This weekend I also made the structure which hides the Quarry. Whilst being an important source of traffic on Buckingham West, it is off stage and the stock is stored in a hidden siding. The bridge that nobody likes is the entry point, but this angle is the one normally seen. This might explain why I preferred the arch.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6731.JPG

 

The cover, which will have brick paper added to the front and foliage above, comes off so the loads can be added to the wagons.

 

Whilst I had the airbrush filled with weathered black I added some smoke to the Quarry Lane bridge.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6740.JPG

 

I also went back to the areas of modelling which feel more like home : electrics. At the end of Buckingham West yard headshunt there is a dead section with a diode. The pilot will stop outward, but when reversed, it should come back. It wouldn’t. Turns out the diode had come unsoldered. Even though all this is well under Brackley Road, I managed to resolder it.

 

Tony Gee previously raised a good point about not keeping locos at the end of a platform as the stock is taken out. Although this came from a photo where the operator had failed to release the loco as told to in the timetable, it got me thinking. On the ‘real’ Buckingham Peter Denny's master piece now owned by Tony) the Buckingham operator can drive the trapped loco behind the departing train. I only have 1 platform where that happens, but another where stock from an arrival has to be withdrawn and the trapped loco can follow the stock out. I had a spare channel on an H&M duette - I use 2 of them to power the Banbury diode matrix, the Banbury controller, the cleaning brush, the bells and buzzers. So I have wired that spare controller via 2 push buttons into platforms 1 and 2. It is pre-set to power the loco.

 

As long as both the platform starter and the backing signal are ‘on’. Then by pressing the new button, the loco moves up the platform. So the process is:- as the stock is withdrawn from the platform (either by the pilot or as a departing train), once the loco passes the platform starter it is placed back ‘on’, the loco at the end of the platform is de-isolated, and the new button pressed so the trapped loco follows the train up to the platform starter.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6736.JPG

 

I’ve also given all the freight stock (apart from just a handful) a basic black wash. This brings out the planking detail, tones down the colours and shine, breaks up the evenness of the most roofs and stops the stock looking like a toy. It’s amazing what a difference a bit of mucky water can make. It also acts as a bit of a primer for future full weathering.

 

I can’t believe I’ve not actually run any of the timetable this weekend!

Now that I can see the bridge with the retaining wall in situ I think it will look fine. The problem for me was with the view from the other side.

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  • 2 weeks later...

WORK IN PROGRESS

 

The retaining wall has been covered in brick paper and looks ok. It's a shame I haven't got room to angle it or add butresses.

 

post-15300-0-34568400-1511891832_thumb.jpg

 

I've painted the top dark green and will add foliage at a later date. I need to hide the join with the backscene.

 

One of the (many) issues with Quarry Lane bridge is that it comes from and goes to nowhere. The nearside will be dealt with later but I needed something on the backscene side. I found two pictures on the net. One of a lane and fence turning a corner. The other of trees. A few cuts with scissors and a scalpel and some pritt stick and then some paint on the road to match the photo, and the lane now goes round the corner behind the tree.

 

A few more bushes and trees on top of the retaining wall, to blend the tree in and a tree on the left of the bridge to disguise the lack of a bank, and I think it will look fine.

 

post-15300-0-14247700-1511892679_thumb.jpg

 

Not too bad for a first attempt at such things.

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Can you add a couple of trees immediately in front of the back scene to form sort of an arch over the road?

That would hide it nicely.

Hi, Neal, yes. I intend to add trees and bushes on top of the retainer on the right (over the top of the Quarry line behind the retaining wall) and in front of cut out printed tree. And another on the left of the bridge abutment. It certainly does need more 3D foliage in front, but I don't have any yet.

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WORK IN PROGRESS

 

The retaining wall has been covered in brick paper and looks ok. It's a shame I haven't got room to angle it or add butresses.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6761.JPG

 

I've painted the top dark green and will add foliage at a later date. I need to hide the join with the backscene.

 

One of the (many) issues with Quarry Lane bridge is that it comes from and goes to nowhere. The nearside will be dealt with later but I needed something on the backscene side. I found two pictures on the net. One of a lane and fence turning a corner. The other of trees. A few cuts with scissors and a scalpel and some pritt stick and then some paint on the road to match the photo, and the lane now goes round the corner behind the tree.

 

A few more bushes and trees on top of the retaining wall, to blend the tree in and a tree on the left of the bridge to disguise the lack of a bank, and I think it will look fine.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_6762.JPG

 

Not too bad for a first attempt at such things.

Have you got room for very thin buttresses, perhaps only a millimetre or so thick? They would improve the visual effect even though they would be, strictly speaking, underscale.

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COVERING GROUND

 

Today I have been trying to get some scenic basics underway, mainly ground cover.

 

I’ve tried Artex for the Evenley yard and was quite happy. The other flexible material I’d found was decorators caulk. I’ve tried it out on part of Buckingham West loco yard. Its not quite so easy to use. It’s very sticky and stiff. Hard to smooth out. It also comes in smallish tubes. In a nutshell I need quite a lot. I’m going to stick to Artex.

 

post-15300-0-40680900-1512423089_thumb.jpeg

 

 

Instead of using my airbrush I tried rattle cans of sleeper grime, frame dirt and weathered black from railmatch. I wanted a lot of dirt.

 

I’m reasonably happy, but the paint is too thick. The ground cover is too sparce and I need more cover between the tracks. I’m going to have to get the cinders out.

 

I put strips of tape over the point blades to prevent paint getting in. The white is where it kept the paint off the cover.

 

I’ve also started the ballasting. Just over half the branch is done. I’m reasonably happy with that. The trick is most certainly to wet the ballast thoroughly with water and detergent from a spray bottle before dripping the diluted vinyl adhesive all over from a pipette.

 

post-15300-0-80965100-1512251238_thumb.jpeg

 

That crossing in the sky really needs the rest of the road and the bridges making.

 

 

 

post-15300-0-77152100-1512251412_thumb.jpeg

Edited by Richard Mawer
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WESTERNISATION

 

So far my buildings have been RTP or kits, left as they are. By comparison to layouts like Little Muddle and Much Murkle and loads of others - sorry guys - mine does not scream Great Western. I’ve got the marvelous centre piece Brunel Train Shed from Stu, but the other structures needed westernisation. So out with the light and dark stone paints.

 

post-15300-0-81247900-1512331042_thumb.jpeg

 

post-15300-0-73352200-1512331074_thumb.jpeg

 

post-15300-0-69534100-1512331095_thumb.jpeg

 

post-15300-0-00269500-1512331134_thumb.jpeg

 

That looks more like it.

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A busy time at Evenley. It’s 12.10 and stoppers to and from Banbury are crossing in the main platforms. The Auto train has arrived from Brackley Road and the coal train from Severn Tunnel is in the yard dropping off coal for Evenley and Brackley Road.

 

post-15300-0-11421500-1512338875_thumb.jpeg

Edited by Richard Mawer
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THE STICKY SITUATION

 

I’ve been laying more ballast. See my post of 2nd December. But compared to other people’s like Virney Junc and Little Muddle etc, mine looked scruffy. The main issue is that mine has bits of ballast sitting on top of the sleepers. Theirs doesn’t.

 

My spreader makes decent shoulders of ballast now it’s been modified. See post 428. But it isn’t so good at getting it only between the sleepers. It delivers too much. I’ve tried brushing the excess along the track, but without great sucess. Upon reflection I think I’ve been doing stretches that are too long. I’ve been refilling the spreader as I go. I’ll now do shorter stretches and brush it out more, before moving on.

 

The other problem was my water spray was too strong and it dislodged/splashed some ballast. I’ve got a finer one now.

 

Luckily, the glue I’m using leaves some flex to the ballast and by using an “overgrown lolly stick” trimmed to fit between the rails, and quite a bit of elbow grease, I have dislodged the errant ballast pieces and it looks a lot better.

 

This is the glue I use, mixed down with two parts water to one of glue. I use a pippette onto thoroughly wetted (plus detergent) ballast in the time honoured fashion.

 

post-15300-0-51199800-1513033557_thumb.jpeg

Edited by Richard Mawer
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Rich

 

My bucket of that glue didn't have all those wires attached!

 

I found that I had to brush the ballast off the sleepers in places as well but I used a slightly different method. I loosely pinned all the track down to make sure it was the correct length etc. adding the droppers prior to the initial (loose) fixing. I then lifted each length/point in turn and spread the (neat) glue before replacing the track and spreading a blanket of ballast which I tamped down with my fingers. I then went along with the vac and lifted most of the excess which cleaned sleeper tops. Glue didn't generally get on the sleeper drops because I was lowering the track onto the glue rather than dropping glue in between sleepers where it is inevitable that some will stray onto sleeper tops.

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Rich

 

My bucket of that glue didn't have all those wires attached!

 

I found that I had to brush the ballast off the sleepers in places as well but I used a slightly different method. I loosely pinned all the track down to make sure it was the correct length etc. adding the droppers prior to the initial (loose) fixing. I then lifted each length/point in turn and spread the (neat) glue before replacing the track and spreading a blanket of ballast which I tamped down with my fingers. I then went along with the vac and lifted most of the excess which cleaned sleeper tops. Glue didn't generally get on the sleeper drops because I was lowering the track onto the glue rather than dropping glue in between sleepers where it is inevitable that some will stray onto sleeper tops.

Hi Ray

 

I know. That's a far better controlled method. It looks really good.

 

My issue is that there is so much track and its been glued down already anyway. I wanted to "prove" the operating system and make sure it all ran as I wanted before I ballasted it. Its the price I have to pay.

 

Thanks again for the steer regarding the glue.

 

Cheers

 

Rich

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Rich

 

Could you leave the ballasted track for (say) a couple of hours after you've applied the glue and then see if the sleeper tops can be cleaned before the glue sets?

 

Given that the adhesive is latex based I'm surprised that you're finding the ballast on the sleepers hard to remove as I'd have thought it was as flexible as the rest. In fact I'd probably have expected the ballast being cleaned off the sleeper tops to have a tendency to lift some of that between the sleepers at the same time.

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Rich

 

Could you leave the ballasted track for (say) a couple of hours after you've applied the glue and then see if the sleeper tops can be cleaned before the glue sets?

 

Given that the adhesive is latex based I'm surprised that you're finding the ballast on the sleepers hard to remove as I'd have thought it was as flexible as the rest. In fact I'd probably have expected the ballast being cleaned off the sleeper tops to have a tendency to lift some of that between the sleepers at the same time.

The ballast pieces tend to just bend away from the position on the sleepers and then spring back because of the latex. Eventually they gave up the ghost and let go. I hoovered them up.

 

I will be trying much harder to keep it neat before the glue but I think you are right to come back after a couple of hours and dislodge any other errant pieces.

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Have had a few servo issues tonight. I presume it is because of the (lack of) temperature. Is that right? Does their throw become limited or slow in low temperature?

 

Can't answer that question but could the low temperature cause any linkage to contract? That would show similar problems I would have thought.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Have had a few servo issues tonight. I presume it is because of the (lack of) temperature. Is that right? Does their throw become limited or slow in low temperature?

I was right.

 

Warmer weather, problems gone away. Faster moving servos, with the throw back to normal.

 

Note to self: increase the heating!

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