Westquay - Last loco tour ready to depart

[SparxD428]

Hi All,

Not much been happening on the layout the last 3 weeks due to work mainly.

Have been looking into scratchbuilding some signals, more to follow in due course.

Did manage a quick running session this afternoon, not much new but am much preferring the more weathered look to the track now.

Cheers,

Stu.

 

1. Can you make a Lima 50 look like the real thing?? Still needs some work but 44 OK for now.

 

2. 20 on the blocks, track looking less trainset now.

 

3. Not the best pic but hope shows better track after weathering round 2.

[rob D2]

Track looks a world better, nicely done.

I think the Lima would look better if you got rid of the massive coupling,

 

Any plans to replace with smaller versions ?

[SparxD428]

Thanks Rob. Couplings is something I am going to look into later on when I complete (!?!) the layout as I agree, the old ones are too big and bulky. Have some tight curves in the storage roads so going to experiment on one or two withdrawn bogies/carriages first.

 

Today I made a mock up of a signal, just to see how difficult it would be to scratchbuild working semaphores. Plan will be rejigged now I know the weak points of my construction, and got some ideas on the working mechanism. I am thinking of 2 platform mounted starters to begin with, although I don't have the materials yet. Also track weathering stopped until I can buy some more acrylic paints after payday.

 

Looking at the signalling I notice a lot of west country semaphores still around in 80's were round silver post, with supported black walkways. I am in no way a signal expert, nor striving for 100% realism, so when I construct the next prototype will post a pic or two for everyones amusement !

 

Managed to fit a load 6 in Platform 2 today (OK, with short BG and GUV).

Also had quick running session with some pics as normal.

 

50011 Waits for the road

 

Overview of station area now.

 

Got a week off work at Easter so hope to crack on with finishing track weathering and building first prototype signal(s).

 

Cheers,

Stu.

[NSE DAZ]

Hi Stu,

 

What can I say WOW :sungum: How did I miss this what a fantastic layout and a superb choice of location, era and rolling stock absolutely fantastic

Will be keeping an eye out for further updates,

 

All the best Darren NSE DAZ

[HARRYMALLARD]

Those H*!#?y canopies look great painted in better colours

[Andrew P]

Great Pic's Stu, I used to ;love going to Brent Station and watching the 50's just before there demise, taking thoses bends. Good stuff matey. All the best Andy.

[SparxD428]

Thanks Harry & Andy, much appreciated kind words.

Start of a week off work today and hit the ground running! Continued track weathering for about an hour, then bought a couple of bits & bobs from a hobby shop, and in 1 day designed, built & painted my first working semaphore signal.

Now I can warn the purists to look away now, but I am happy with the results.

Just uploading pics now so will post further info shortly.

Cheers,

Stu.

[SparxD428]

OK. So for the princely sum of £2.85 spent today, plus lots of rummaging in the offcuts box I should now be able to build all the signals required for the layout.

 

To begin I cut a "candy Lollipop stick" to 100mm length. I then carefully inserted 2 small nails (tacks) for the mechanical pivot points, one on the "front" 10mm from the top, one at 90 degrees to the side at 20mm from the base.

 

Onto these were placed a cut out piece of 30mil PVC plastic card for the signal arm (had some plain but old used credit card would do) and 2 pieces of Ratio fencing "centre blocks" to use as the lever arm, in the style of a base counter balance.

 

Next I shaped a thin piece of wire to link the 2. Whilst it worked OK levering down, to allow the lever to return the signal to stop position, I used more PVC card with punched holes to act as the ladder platforms and threaded the wire through both holes.

 

Pics:-

 

I used an insert from one of my daughters old felt tip pens which tapered nicely to allow the post to be more secure before adding a baseplate. I then snipped the ends of the tacks off ensuring the levers are well pivoted.

 

The final temporary piece as I don't have any 4mm ladders is a cable tie, cut to size to act as the ladder. Signal is nearly finished painting, silver post, black platforms, Home arm. Still have to put the green for the lens and a couple of other final details but overall am happy with the results.

 

More Pics:-

 

In situ in "dark Corner", last signal into Westquay

 

50020 waits the road. Might be all night, the lever's still got a bit of wet paint !

 

Only 8 more to go!!

Cheers,

Stu.

[SparxD428]

A very productive week off. Have finished the track weathering bar one crossover and a few snags to reballast.

Have now completed 3 signals, 2 requiring ladders, 2 in progress, and another 2 now to be omitted (probably not needed on layout this size), although I will dull down the lens colours. No signals are currently stuck down.

Also had the card printer out to produce platform numbers and signage.

Taken lots of pics but not many came out good. Will take more later. Going to have a couple of days break from modelling now.

 

Pics:-

47628 arrived on the now identifiable platform 1

 

Do not cross the line sign at end of P1/2

 

Waiting the away.

 

Slightly off topic but found in the depths of a crate liberated from the parents loft a while back a list of moves I did on a Padd-Banbury season ticket in school Easter Hols of April 1987, vacs I had in that week included 01/05/09/13/16/18/23/30/33/34/37/40/41/42/47/48. Oh to rewind 25 years for one more time please!

 

Cheers,

Stu.

[Ydna]

The weathered track looks very realistic. Nice pics. Who are the figures by?

 

Andy.

[SparxD428]

Hi Andy,

Thanks for the kind words. I believe (90% sure anyway) the figures are by Peco. I have only bought 3 off the shelf sets so far, of station staff, sitting passengers, and I think the 3rd was backpackers, but it might have been a general pack with mixed backpackers and other assorted passengers. To be honest, I didn't really take much notice at the time about what pack references or even the manufacturer! I got them from Alton Model Centre a while back. HTH

Cheers,

Stu.

[BernardTPM]

They're the Merit/Peco modelscene 'Hikers' set ref:5122 (set of 5). Given they have the clear plastic base, they're more likely to be Merit; the Peco versions are usually supplied without them.

[SparxD428]

Can't believe it's 2 months since I did anything on the layout. Today I finished painting the seawall baseboard a more suitable concrete colour as well as finally completing the snags on the track weathering. No new arrivals in any form unfortunately, although I keep looking at 47628 in Lima's version of green and think BR Blue may be just around the corner for you.

 

To celebrate acually doing something, had a little running session tonight and took loads of pics, by the time sorted through the really bad ones (still HTC phone 5Mpx only), came up with these.

Good to be back in the groove, have spent time checking in mainly on other peoples' layout progress but not really posted much.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

 

1) "Early Morning" at Westquay

 

 

2) 33004 arrives on Salisbury mixed overnight/parcels.

 

 

 

3) 50011 on the shortened Bristol vans. A little experiment as I'm only a humble DC person, try running it as slowly as possible to get a reasonable image with the mouse lights on (and without fitting the back coach with concrete to stress the gears!!)

 

 

 

 

4) Waiting for the Newcastle to arrive behind 45128 before taking a DMU replacement with the Salisbury stock "up the other branch" - along the slowly improving seawall area.

 

 

5) In LE from Laira, 50044 will take the return Newcastle

 

6) Finally, another lit marker photo attempt as 50020 arrives on the overnight Paddington

 

 

 

Cheers again,

Stu.

[SparxD428]

Have completed Timetable v3.1 today for Summer Saturday running. Just off to experiment now, as although I don't have enough stock, need to put it through its paces in scale time. Basically 12 loco diagrams for various services and 2 DMU diagrams. Not a working timetable so will be working out shunt moves / platform bookings etc.

Timetable is in Excel format, might try and post some info later if successful.

Stu.

[pitbull1845]

Hi Stu, I'd be interested ib seeing how you go about doing your timetable. I've often thought about attempting one for added interest.

The most recent pics are good, I especially like the empty platforms with the shunter in the distance.

 

Cheers

 

Scott

[SparxD428]

Hi Scott,

Sorry for such a delayed response, as usual been sidetracked from the layout for a while. The timetable works pretty well. The basic concept I used to get it right was to forget trying to plan everything in such intricacy, timings, shunt manouevres etc. and go back to basics. So a frame was created, based on 80's Summer Saturday workings to Newquay and Paignton.

 

I started with the "overnights" from the North and Paddington, ensuring there was platform / yard capaciy.

Then added a DMU arrival, to run the branch for the day, every 2 hours.

Then I thought about the other arrivals during the day from either far afield or local loco hauled services.

I then planned the loco "diagrams", in order to work out how many I would need, where the loco's from the North would have come on (i.e. New Street or Bristol), as well as having one booked throughout, to be refuelled to add a bit of interest, and also because of a small loco fleet, could I use the same loco on 2 runs, i.e. overnight in/morning out, loco off at Bristol, comes back on last train in/out of the day type of scene.

 

Because it is a single line, I allowed 8-10 minutes between a departure and arrival, and again for added interest made sure at least 1 DMU branch run should co incide with a main line arrival/departure.

 

The busiest periods are morning, afternoon and early evening, as they probably were in terms of loco hauled interest at Newquay and Paignton, but I added a couple of local(ish) loco hauleds in the gaps to keep interest. Just need to add a single freight trip working now somewhere and I think the Summer Saturday timeable is complete. I will post a spreadsheet if anyone is interested ??

 

BTW - I got sidetracked because a couple of weeks ago go a phone call from my Dad with a message "Been clearing out the loft, got a present for you - duly delivered, one big bag containing all of my 1980's haulage records - all Class 50 workings, all scratched off loco's, and various notebooks etc. , so I have been painstakingly piecing together a diary format of all traction where possible. I thought I'd thrown them out in a fit of teenage pique, but thankfully over 20 years on it has been wonderful to be reunited with such priceless items now my interest in railways has been rekindled through modelling. Although I enjoy reminiscing , I do look at some moves and think "What on earth were you doing that day???"

 

Cheers,

Stu.

[pitbull1845]

HI Stu,

Thanks for the detailed reply, I'd like to have a timetable of sorts on my layout, but a lot of it will be loco movements only. Its just finding the right method to suit my needs.

I'd be interested in seeing your spreadsheet, it might help me a bit morewith ideas.

 

Cheers

Scott

[SparxD428]

Well, thats nearly 6 months and counting since I did anything on the layout . And I am considering the end of this layout and designing a new one, as whilst I am happy at this effort being my first in over 20 years, there's lots I feel I could have done better.

But before I decide I am going to ensure I have a proper design ready, so inthe meantime Westquay will live on. But as a taste of things to come, today I went out and bought a secondhand Mainline BR Blue 56 with some stone hoppers. Just about get away with them on this layout !!

Am thinking of a tailchaser to replace Westquay, still predominantly BR Western Region in 1980s, though maybe more towards a location near Midland borders so can still run Vacs but more freight variety.

Will continue the occasional post on Westquay in the meantime.

Cheers,

Stu.

[ess1uk]

Some more pictures please before saying goodbye?

[SparxD428]

Will do. My wife is getting a digital camera for her birthday next week, so I might have to test it out by taking a few more pics of the layout !! Hope to get some more up this weekend if I can too. Westquay is not dead yet. Just "under review"...

Stu.

[SparxD428]

Maybe I don't want to kill off this layout just yet. I've learned so much that I may as well finish it off and make a few more mistakes along the way. Now I just have to finish the difficult corner, and have had a Eureka moment on what to do. I have modelled most of the beach,just leaving a gap now for the "walkway" down to the beach. I know what to do now, just need the material and patience to do it.

Apart from a few hours here & there, now virtually a year since I pulled my finger out and did owt. So today I have:-

Done more on the beach.

Fitted 2 new platform canopies, painting TBA

Designed and made a mock up of the walkway down.

Stuck down some fencing and added some more scenics.

Added proper ladders to 3 of the signals.

 

Suddenly got the bug again....

Some (poor as usual!) pics.

 

Cheers,
Stu.

 

1) - Old Lima No.10 gets a run along the sea wall

 

2.) An impression of the beach/sea wall section & depth

 

3.) Random picture of trackside scenery

 

4.) Did I mention I bought a grid a while back? Just about feasible it might have hauled a stone train into a West country terminus to reverse up a freight branch?? Although it probably would have been a Cardiff example. Needs some weathering & detailing too.

 

[SparxD428]

Another 3 month break from the forum whilst I have had layout block. Still haven't faced the task of the steps down to the beach yet, and have suddenly had a Eureka moment in deciding to rebuild the storage roads and maybe extend them with possibly a little scenic cameo or even layout extension. I just cannot bear to breakdown the layout for a whole new start, so thinking of what I can do to remodel or extend it.

 

Finally tidied up the garage so I can actually get to the layout again. Added a few more figures since last post and had a little running session today.

 

47628 arrives and moves into run round position

 

56079 on a short stone train bound for the yard

 

This is most unexpected. 20130 on a DMU substitute service. Shome mishtake shurely??

 

Not a common sight at Westquay together!

 

Just to finish the Summer Saturday madness, Laira sent a pair for load 3 to take the last train back to Plymouth.

 

Hope to be posting a little more regularly again.

Cheers,

Stu.

 

 

 

[SparxD428]

Forgot a while back to post the first draft of the Passenger timetable for Summer Saturdays at Westquay, circa 1985-7. Attached (hopefully) a spreadsheet.

Tab 1 shows details of train, arrival time, diagrammed loco and stockrake.

Tab 2 shows loco diagram workings information

Tab 3 shows some main stations served direct by Westquay trains.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

NEW_WestquayTT_v4_Jul2013.xls

[SparxD428]

I have been very busy again this weekend. First I have put up a 4 spotlighting track in the garage to greatly improve the lighting situation in the garage. It's still a bit dark at the bottom end but I will probablyinstall a second track at a later date.

I also took a little trip to Alton Model Centre, and picked up 2 gems for £25 each, a fantastic weathered peak (45103) and a blue Lima duff, currently as 47402 but is getting the repaint and weathering treatment and may emerge as a simple unnamed blue example.

 

I also purchased a few more 16T mineral wagons (grey & bauxite), a 20T grey BR brake van and another Esso TTA to slowly add to the rake.

 

I am also going to redesign and extend the storage roads (did I mention that before?) and maybe have a small TMD scene in front of the new roads, as another scene but off location.

 

As usual took some piccies - same camera phone but improved light means some improvement to the pictures.

 

47593 at Westquay

 

50011 at the other end of the station

 

New arrival 45103 (meaning I can scrap the older,broken 45103 that appears earlier in the thread)

 

With 08243 -yet to be renumbered as 08941 as I still intend to do!

 

33004 on the rake of 16T in the yard.

 

And to finish, an overview of the station this evening.

 

Have a week off this week so maybe work will continue apace. Really getting back into it again!

 

Thanks for looking,

Stu.

 

 

[P.C.M]

Hi Stu,

The layout is looking good, I like the new arrival 45103 was one of my favourite Peaks and I have a Bachmann model myself with Tinsley name. I have added Southeastern flush glazing to mine with is a bit of a pain but well worth the effort.

 

Cheers Peter.