Duddon Bridge - CLOSED

[tim@dy]

What are you using for the rail spikes?

The're made by Micro Engineering and are available from EDM Models.

 

Tim

[81A Oldoak]

The're made by Micro Engineering and are available from EDM Models.

 

Tim

Thank you Tim. We trade with EDM's proprietor Paul Martin and know him well. I am investigating spiked track with Code 100 FB rail for a potential light railway layout to sit under one of our forthcoming Manning Wardles. Philip Healy- Pearce at Intentio has said he can laser-cut sleepers with ready cut holes for spikes. 

 

Regards,

 

Chris 

[wagonman]

Thank you Tim. We trade with EDM's proprietor Paul Martin and know him well. I am investigating spiked track with Code 100 FB rail for a potential light railway layout to sit under one of our forthcoming Manning Wardles. Philip Healy- Pearce at Intentio has said he can laser-cut sleepers with ready cut holes for spikes. 

 

Regards,

 

Chris 

 

 

Karlgarin Models over in Chelmsford, Essex, does specially drawn code 82 and code 100 FB rail for use in 7mm scale. It has a much better section than the usual Peco stuff. (I've got some for my Manning Wardles...).

 

http://www.karlgarin.com/whatsnew.htm

 

 

Richard

[tim@dy]

We thought about using Karlgarin code 100 rail but we had plenty of redundant Peco code 100 in stock so we went down the Peco route.

 

Tim

[hartleymartin]

If you look up a layout called “Stringybark Creek” you’ll see all the track made for it. The whole lot was hand-laid with 4 spikes in every sleeper using balsa for the base to produce “hand-laid flexitrack.” I made about 80 yards of the stuff! We used Micro-Engineering code 100 rail and “micro”-sized spikes. After all that work, we realised that painted RTR flex track looked just as good so we used that on Arakoola.

[NeilHB]

I called in to see Tim on Monday on my day off to view the progress made on Duddon Bridge. Tim has been busy fitting the fiddleyard turntables with buffers to prevent any unnecessary casualties...

 

 

Nice and simple, but quite effective. 

 

We had a 'golden spike' moment on Monday at Duddon Bridge - the last rail spike went in on the lightweight timber tramway - hurrah! 

 

 

The track alongside this section has a wonderful weave to it, definitely not straight in the slightest. It looks just like what it's supposed to be, a very lightweight section of industrial trackwork...

 

 

Next up we started to work out the alignment for the narrow gauge trackwork at the rear of the layout, serving the mill boiler house etc. We'd originally looked at 0-16.5 and 0-14 for this section, before settling on 09, as we felt that the first two would be too overpowering at the rear, as there really isn't very much room at all. 

 

Although it has a very simple trackplan, with just two points, this section actually took some quite serious thunking to try and decide how to place the track, so as not to interfere with the already planned features such as the mill boiler house and the mill loco shed: 

 

 

The left hand line will run through to the far fiddle yard, abutted right up the SG trackwork to cope with the minimal clearances in this section. Both of these sections of trackwork will be inset into cobbles. The point in the foreground will lead back into the mill boiler house, and allow coal to be brought through the complex from the coal stocks at the far end of the site, directly to the boiler house. 

 

 

Next the line will run between the mill loco shed, and the millwrights, with a number of wagon turntables leading off into the millwrights complex. 

 

 

Finally, there is another set of points serving a short siding, before the line continues over the main road, and runs into the rag/waste paper shed along with the standard gauge siding. Again, this whole section of track will be inset, so it looks like Tim and I are in for soldering a lot more track! 

 

We've acquired a lovely little loco to operate the 0-9 - a Ruston Proctor ( https://www.lincstothepast.com/exhibitions/stories-of-steam-and-oil/engines-of-local-economy/the-ruston-proctor-paraffin-loco/395.article ) paraffin loco, courtesy of N-Drive Productions. I've got a couple of Peco N-gauge wagon chassis' to build some bodies on for transporting the rag bales to and from the rag/waste shed. 

 

Stay tuned for more updates. 

 

[NeilHB]

Quick doodle at lunchtime at work today working out some possible designs for 09 and SG rag waste wagons: 

 

 

The 09 versions will be built around a Peco N gauge 15ft w/b chassis, mainly as I have a trio of them to hand. 

 

SG version will be a complete scratchbuild job from plastic strip and sheet. Need to sort out some axleboxes as well for what will be a (very!) short wheelbase with no brakes.

 

I think we will need a few of the SG versions, as they are also anticipated to act as barrier wagons between the paper mill loco and the slurry tippers - not a nice job at all! 

[wagonman]

I've recently had to research the operation of a paper mill (Dowdings of Slaughterford). This was located in a former fulling mill powered by water. The raw material for the paper mill was rags collected from some of the less salubrious parts of Bristol and delivered in large bales. The stamps used to crush the fibres, and the Fourdriner-type paper making machine, were powered by water, but the mill needed coal – and Dowding had five PO wagons for the purpose – to fire the boilers that boiled the cloth. The 'slurry', or dirty wash-water would have been disposed of in the By Brook which powered the mill – and several others – before it joined the Avon. Not great fishing waters! The mill produced mostly paper for bags for the clothing industry, and finally closed in 1993.

 

In my alternative universe it too will be rail-served though in reality the nearest station was either Box or Corsham on the GWR main line so all the materials had to be delivered by horse and cart.

 

Good luck with your project.

[wagonman]

A thread has just started on the S4 Soc forum about the Ulpha Light Railway – apparently it still exists! https://www.scalefour.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=5924&p=61738#p61738

[NeilHB]

Thanks wagonman. Ours is based somewhat on Croppers paper mills over at Burneside, which was coal powered before conversion to oil in the 1960s.

 

Glad to see that the Ulpha Light Railway is still in existence - it really is a very nice layout.

[hartleymartin]

Try building the standard gauge wagons from scale timber. I tried this a few years ago and found that scale basswood is a wonderful material - much easier to work than plastic or brass! I used zap-a-gap medium CA glue to hold mine together and a few years later they are still holding up despite the extremes of temperature and humidity we have here in Sydney, Australia. (Temperatures from 1 to 46 degrees and humidity anything from under 20% to over 90%)

[NeilHB]

Try building the standard gauge wagons from scale timber. I tried this a few years ago and found that scale basswood is a wonderful material - much easier to work than plastic or brass! I used zap-a-gap medium CA glue to hold mine together and a few years later they are still holding up despite the extremes of temperature and humidity we have here in Sydney, Australia. (Temperatures from 1 to 46 degrees and humidity anything from under 20% to over 90%)

Thanks Martin.

 

Change of plan though as realised I don’t need to build the SG internal user rag wagons - that’s what the 09 is for! The rag waste will arrive in SG opens and vans, be shunted into the rag/waste shed and unloaded, and any that is required in the mill is transhipped to the 09 and taken off into the depths of the mill complex. Simples.

 

I shall just need to build one internal user dumb buffered flat to act as the barrier wagon between the slurry tippers and the mill loco.

[NeilHB]

Bit of a belated update to Duddon Bridge that covers the last couple of weekends work.

 

The first building mock ups have been produced for the layout, to gauge size etc.

 

First up we have the corn mill: 

 

 

It'll need to come down in height a bit, as it's currently too tall. 

 

Next up is the rag/waste shed - this was actually relatively easy to mock up considering it's delightful shape!

 

 

This one needs a bit extra height, and the left hand doorway will come down a fair amount, it doesn't need to be this tall to accommodate the 0-9. The 0-9 will enter the building, and then out through the backscene to a short hidden siding behind - due to its location this means we can actually get some 0-9 rolling stock in the building - at the moment all that will probably fit is about half a wagon, and they really aren't that big...

 

 

This weekend saw the first pair of trestles assembled, based on the tried and trusted method just for our group's layout, Henmore Dale - these are just a bit wider as the layout is approx. 2'8" wide, compared to Henmore's 2' width. 

 

 

This then meant that the scenic extension boards (seen here altogether - two for the FY's and three for the scenic portion) could be attached to the layout for a test

 

 

These are laser cut from Grainge and Hodder (same as the main boards) - thanks to Allen for taking our sketch and turning it into reality! 

 

 

Obviously various bits need to be cut out of the sides of the scenic board to accommodate the mill race, but the layout is starting to come together nicely now, and feels more like a railway in a scene, rather than just some track on a board. 

 

Two of the three scenic boards are like this one, with the base layer approx 2" lower than the top of the sides, which means that we can then have the scenery falling away from the railway down to the river. The other three boards (two fiddle yard and one scenic) all have flat tops - the remaining scenic board will accommodate part of the station, plus the road over the level crossing and the barn which will form the scenic break at that end of the layout. 

 

 

Lastly a couple more items of rolling stock have arrived for the layout. One of the delightful Minerva gunpowder vans has arrived. I have some transfers on order from POWSides which will enable this to become a van belonging to the Elterwater Gunpowder company - providing gunpowder to the slate quarries at Walna Scar. 

 

 

There is also a nice resin kit (courtesy of eBay) for a 4-compartment 1st/3rd composite, which will be mounted on a scratchbuilt 6-wheel underframe when I've paid a visit to the Connoisseur Models stand at Telford next month. I have another similar kit which will provide a 6-wheel All Third thanks to the different window spacings. I have assumed that these are ex Maryport & Carlisle Railway cast-offs, so will be painted in their pleasing Green and Cream livery. 

 

 

 

[hartleymartin]

Bit of a belated update to Duddon Bridge that covers the last couple of weekends work.

 

The first building mock ups have been produced for the layout, to gauge size etc.

 

First up we have the corn mill: 

 

Photo 04-08-2018, 14 15 47.jpg

 

It'll need to come down in height a bit, as it's currently too tall. 

 

Next up is the rag/waste shed - this was actually relatively easy to mock up considering it's delightful shape!

 

Photo 04-08-2018, 14 34 33.jpg

 

This one needs a bit extra height, and the left hand doorway will come down a fair amount, it doesn't need to be this tall to accommodate the 0-9. The 0-9 will enter the building, and then out through the backscene to a short hidden siding behind - due to its location this means we can actually get some 0-9 rolling stock in the building - at the moment all that will probably fit is about half a wagon, and they really aren't that big...

 

 

This weekend saw the first pair of trestles assembled, based on the tried and trusted method just for our group's layout, Henmore Dale - these are just a bit wider as the layout is approx. 2'8" wide, compared to Henmore's 2' width. 

 

Photo 11-08-2018, 14 53 40.jpg

 

This then meant that the scenic extension boards (seen here altogether - two for the FY's and three for the scenic portion) could be attached to the layout for a test

 

Photo 11-08-2018, 14 53 43.jpg

 

These are laser cut from Grainge and Hodder (same as the main boards) - thanks to Allen for taking our sketch and turning it into reality! 

 

Photo 11-08-2018, 15 14 15.jpg

 

Obviously various bits need to be cut out of the sides of the scenic board to accommodate the mill race, but the layout is starting to come together nicely now, and feels more like a railway in a scene, rather than just some track on a board. 

 

Two of the three scenic boards are like this one, with the base layer approx 2" lower than the top of the sides, which means that we can then have the scenery falling away from the railway down to the river. The other three boards (two fiddle yard and one scenic) all have flat tops - the remaining scenic board will accommodate part of the station, plus the road over the level crossing and the barn which will form the scenic break at that end of the layout. 

 

 

Lastly a couple more items of rolling stock have arrived for the layout. One of the delightful Minerva gunpowder vans has arrived. I have some transfers on order from POWSides which will enable this to become a van belonging to the Elterwater Gunpowder company - providing gunpowder to the slate quarries at Walna Scar. 

 

Photo 31-07-2018, 13 00 50.jpg

 

There is also a nice resin kit (courtesy of eBay) for a 4-compartment 1st/3rd composite, which will be mounted on a scratchbuilt 6-wheel underframe when I've paid a visit to the Connoisseur Models stand at Telford next month. I have another similar kit which will provide a 6-wheel All Third thanks to the different window spacings. I have assumed that these are ex Maryport & Carlisle Railway cast-offs, so will be painted in their pleasing Green and Cream livery. 

 

Photo 31-07-2018, 13 01 02.jpg

 

 

Is this something commercially sold via eBay or was it a private seller? I would like to get myself some small coaches for a light-railway style layout.

[NeilHB]

Martin, 

 

This is the link to the seller - he doesn't have stuff in all the time (just a couple of G1 kits at the moment - very nice!), and they do tend to go quite quickly when he does list stuff. 

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/aecfred422?_trksid=p2047675.l2559

 

He also has a website where you can view some of the items that he casts: 

 

https://www.422modelmaking.co.uk/ 

 

I have a few kits squirrelled away in readiness for this layout. Really must get one of the 6-wheel brake coaches the next time he has some in stock. 

 

Pretty much all of his kits are of smaller items of rolling stock that are ideally suited to light railways etc. 

[toffee]

The correct website seems to be ' 422modelmaking.co.uk ' however I found it impossible to read the site as it keeps crashing after a second. Also the ebay page will not allow you to follow the seller as there is a problem with that as well. However you can watch the G1 models and keep some kind of link until these problems are sorted.

[daifly]

Try

https://www.422modelmaking.co.uk/resin-kits

Dave

[toffee]

Try

https://www.422modelmaking.co.uk/resin-kits

Dave

Maybe you're having better luck than I am, but all I get it a rapid flickering of the website and then crashing out. I'm using Safari on an IPad. As I said, I'll try in a week or two.

[daifly]

 all I get it a rapid flickering of the website and then crashing out. I'm using Safari on an IPad. 

 

So am I and it works fine. Have you done a hard reset of your iPad. I do it periodically - it fixes all sorts of problems!

Dave

[NeilHB]

I like quick projects, and even more so if they are relatively cheap.

 

Last nights/tonights project has seen the build of an open wagon (I believe its from an HMRS casting) - suitably modified to remove the curved ends. Axleboxes, wheels etc. from the spares box, and so was the body as I can’t actually remember when I bought it:

 

 

It’ll probably become one of the Broughton & Dunnerdale Railways own wagons.

 

In anticipation of market day in Broughton, the heifers have been subjected to a spot of filler!

 

 

And to transport them my Slaters Midland Railway large cattle van is getting a much needed make over, and will probably emerge in LMS livery:

 

 

Needs a change of couplings and vacuum pipes fitting, plus a general repaint and transfers adding when I can find them.

 

Pregrouping will be served by a Furness example, I have the drawings just need to summon the courage!

[NeilHB]

Don’t fall off your chairs in shock ladies and gents - there’s another update!

 

It seems my modelling get up and go has definitely returned - I’ve embarked on another scratchbuilt wagon project...

 

 

Not too bad for a couple of hours work this evening to sort out the chassis and the basic bodywork.

 

Stand by for more progress.

[MarcD]

Neil

You know that we do a kit for the Furness powder van it's frwc120

Might save you a lot of time and effort

Marc

[NeilHB]

Further progress on the Furness Gunpowder Van over the last day or so. It’s coming on rather nicely now and hasn’t proved too problematic.

 

 

Last few detailing bits required, and then I need to sort out some suitable single shoe brake gear and paint it...

[NeilHB]

Think I’ve definitely found my modelling get up and go now.

 

Made a start today on the next Furness wagon - a ventilated Meat Van:

 

 

Trying a different construction technique with the body for this one, building up the framing first before infiling the sides and ends with the planked sections. Will see how it goes.

Edited August 19, 2018 by NeilHB

[NeilHB]

Made a start on the Meat Van bodywork tonight:

 

 

Plenty of filler required in places, but overall not too bad. Need to tackle the ventilated tops to the end next, which should prove fun as on the drawing it looks like lots of thin bars, or possibly mesh! Think that will definitely require some thunking about...

 

Next task is to sort the side doors out, and then I can start the fun task of sorting the ends out and the detailing.

 

Not sure if it should be fitted, and therefore requiring vacuum brakes, or whether it might just have been through piped? Suggestions would be welcome please folks!