Westquay - Last loco tour ready to depart

[SparxD428]

Thanks Peter, I must admit the weathering job on the new peak looks the business, and she runs really well for a Replica example too. I have been practising my own weathering skills on 47402 after repainting the cab ends a more subtle shade of yellow, will post some pics in the near future.

 

The big work so far this week has been dismantling the storage road board (which was 6' x 16") and replacing it with 2 x 4'x2' boards so increasing the length and width. This involved some movement of the overheight equipment (OK, the freezer!) and repositioning the tumble dryer to accomodate the extra 2'. After 2 days the new boards are in, but Westquay looks a bit crowded holding all the stock and various other artefacts.

 

However, now I have a canvas to play with I am thinking still of a small TMD in front of the extended roads. I drew a small plan to scale but now am tweaking a couple of things. I hope to have at least a couple of storage roads operational by the weekend using existing track , and a design finalised inthe next week or so.

 

Also am having another go at repairing the damage (cosmetic) to the old Lima 50013.Have done some intermediate work on the cab and will be weathering heavily to disguise a couple of things. When working should have a full stable of loco's to run the Summer Saturday turns.

 

Thanks,

Stu.

[SparxD428]

Last week I managed to finish the baseboards for the storage roads and new low relief scenic break - I decided that this will be the end of the branch within the branch terminus, a small 2 line station & goods yard with a single road for a loco holding road, as if it may have needed one in the past.

 

I managed to complete the isolating wiring for the 8x storage roads as well as the tracklaying.

at least 5 of the storage roads take a loco+5 (max size that fits into the main station), 2 more take loco+4 and the final road will fit loco+3. The "branch" also splits in the scenic break so trains can run either into one of the 3 nearside storage roads, or into the new scenic station.

 

Unfortunately, with a new scenic area means I will have to at some point perform my favourite tasks of railside painting (not so bad) and ballasting. It may be some time before the scenic section is anything other than additional storage roads.

 

I have attached some pics of the new storage section, plus a few extra running pics.

 

47402 is coming along in the weathering department

 

A few vacs on parade this morning

 

Cheers,
Stu.

 

 

[Temeraire]

Hi Stu

 

I like the extension plans/ideas and looking good, and you can never have enough 50s around.

 

You have a PM by the way.

[ess1uk]

Looks good, like the new arrivals.

[SparxD428]

Not a lot occurring in the past few months, still considering starting a new layout , even SWMBO agrees as she's bored of me looking in the garage for about 5 minutes then returning to the sofa ! Anyway, decided to run a few trains tonight to try and get back into Westquay. Got a different camera phone now so took a few photos which are hopefully better although file size suggests otherwise.

Also trying to get used to new computer. Why did anyone let Windows 8 out of the factory ???

 

DMU & 50020 on the blocks

 

 

Shunter hides behind the TTA's

 

45103 ready with a solitary GUV

 

Thanks,

Stu.

[bobster]

Hi Stu

 

Really enjoyed reading through this - Nice layout and good pics - Thanks.

[SparxD428]

Thanks Bobster - much appreciated. 2 nights in a row I have run some trains now, and enjoyed it too. Ran a sort of what I like non timetable hour or so and took a few more piccies as well. By the way I haven't edited any of these, the new camera phone seems to like me and take what i'm trying ot take :-)

 

All the way from Eastfield to haul this ??

 

33004 on a short parcels service

 

Number 20 on the fueller

 

Is Gene Hunt in the yard?

 

33004 will take out the TTA's, parcels return to be allocated

 

Nice Golf GTI there

 

50011 arrives from Padd

 

and finally, on the blocks tonight.

 

Thanks,

Stu.

 

 

[bobster]

Good update Stu, Camera working well, Nice pics.

 

Cheers.

Bob.

[SparxD428]

Having a running session this morning to the devised Summer Saturday timetable.

 

05:30 - all quiet waiting the first arrival

 

05:36 - diagrammed 47/4 from Bath Road, 45128 arrives on 2B01 02:35 Bristol TM - Westquay

 

45128 on the blocks

 

05:44 - diagrammed 50 from LA, 50044 arrives on 5B14 ECS from Laira

 

running round to form...

 

1O06 06:10 Westquay - Portsmouth Harbour

 

Departing with 1O06

 

06:28 - 50011 heads towards Westquay with the 1C03 00:11 Paddington - Westquay overnight

 

on the blocks with 1C03

 

With 45128 since departed on 2B08 06:34 Westquay - Exeter St.Davids, first DMU arrival of the day is 05:48 Plymouth - Westquay.

This unit will work the branch diagram for the rest of the day

 

07:18 - 50020 arriving with 1V29 00:30 Manchester Piccadilly - Westquay overnight (not much fun in those coffins for anyone!)

Loco booked from Bristol Bath Road and worked from Temple Meads.

 

Passing 50011 which is in the headshunt

 

Arriving at the station

 

08:00 - After first DMU left at 07:42 up the branch, 45103 arrives on 1V32 22:58 (FO) Newcastle - Westquay

 

08:23 - 50020 Ready and departing with 1M24 08:23 Westquay - Manchester Piccadilly (booked 50 to BTM)

 

And finally 45103 still resting on the blocks. This loco will be refuelled before the return diagram

 

And it's still only 09:00 - Maybe more to follow later as the day unfolds.

Thanks,
Stu.

 

 

 

[SparxD428]

It has been a productive Easter Weekend once I got going.

Saturday involved the chance purchase of some platform lights and yard lamps.

Cue much swearing yesterday when trying to retro fit them to the weak card platforms which involved some minor damage to signals and platforms.

That has been rectified today and I am pleased with the results of the 4 platform lamps and 2 yard lamps.

I have also begun blanking off the fiddle yard behind the new extra branch within a branch station but there is nothing significant to show there.

 

So have a couple of pics of last running session before changes and new lit platforms with of course a 50 moving light engine.

 

33004 on Salisbury service

 

50020 leaving light engine

 

 

Thanks,

Stu.

 

[john w]

excellent layout looks to have plenty of  operating interest.the sight of loads of class 50s around the station harks back to a wonderful period in history. I also like the peak still knocking around during its final years.

[SparxD428]

Been a while again, but today got cracking on weathering a couple of the older type engines. Decided 50010 would look better heavily weathered rather than ex-works so using this as my next skills improvement loco. Have also started weathering the old Mainline 56 to really dampen the horrible yellow ends to begin with. Quite pleased with the results so far, will try and post a couple of pics soon.

Cheers,

Stu.

[SparxD428]

Have slightly lightened one of the heavier weathered ends since yesterday but number 10 looking a lot less "lima" now - just need to add handrails and some more detail but that will come later.

Currently doing the first scenic piece on the "new" end in front of the storage roads - trying to make a stone hopper type structure although have very limited size from the backscene to rail.

 

4 pics of number 10 >>

 

Cheers,

Stu.

 

[SparxD428]

Have finished weathering the track in the new branch in a branch section in front of the storage roads, as well as applying some printed backscene, platforms from 18mm wood topped with plasticard, printed brickwork and platform fencing.

I have decided to have a small stone hopper with an ultra low relief (i.e. flat !) back building which will sit in roughly the position shown by my scratchbuilt hopper front.

Next job is lightly discolouring the baseboard between lines before ballasting - Oh joy my favourite job again. This time though Iwill be using n gauge ballast so hopefully will look OK when done.

 

Some pics showing A DMU entering the new section (which is fed from the sea wall "branch within a branch" line), Yeoman hoppers in the new stone terminal and a couple of random Speedlink wagons which I could utilise in the future on short speedlink trains.

 

Thanks,

Stu.

[SparxD428]

Work slowly continues but took a break today to do some more weathering on 44 and run a few trains - no specific timetable just some experimental fun.

 

44 gets the road to depart, 56079 on a speedlink service and the ice cream man cometh to Westquay. Just need to make the bunting now to hang from the gateway to give it a more seaside feel.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

 

[SparxD428]

Tonight I finished running a complete Summer Saturday timetable which I actually started Sunday, continued yesterday and finished tonight.

part from being a few rakes short (sneaky mix & match) and having 2 diagrams also caped due to lack of available motive power , I managed to have a replacement DMU service hauled by 45103, which was then swapped by Laira for 50013 which promptly failed in Westquay and had to use 56079 for one late leg, just after most bashers had left on the Glasgow.

 

All in all it took around 4 to 5 hours to complete the timetable with all the various manoeuvres and trying to operate it as realistically as possible (to my limited knowledge anyway)

 

Timetable is same as in post 73. (Diagrams 209 & 212 caped!)

 

Now after the fun I will have to get back to some modelling as the aggregate shed won't build itself.

 

Thanks,

Stu.

[ess1uk]

Some great pictures

[SparxD428]

Thank you sir.

Today have been doing a little extra detailing on the old Lima loco's.

I am still loathe to cut the coupling bars off until I have a tested replacement solution on scrapped kit, so the beam piping is a little short.

I have tried to raid the spares box for wires, tubes, little bits of plastic in which to make little detail parts.

 

Have done both ends now on 50044 (Wipers, pipes, steps) and also one end of 47402 (ETH,pipes, lamp iron and wipers) as well as tidying up marker lights.

 

Think they both look quite OK.

 

Thanks,

Stu.

 

 

 

 

[SparxD428]

A new arrival has appeared at Westquay. A little trip to Alton yesterday yielded 50004 from their stockroom.

As yet I haven't put any couplings or done the minor detail adjustments I make to it, just test run light engine a few times. It's a little juddery actually but a few runs and some light oil should sort this out.

I have a little dilemma, as whilst i'm mostly modelling 1984-87, I always remember number 4 as a grimy beast as per my photo taken in October 1987 at Padd below, but of course it got a nice spruce up in 1988 when the crests were added at a dedication ceremony. If i'm being really picky I guess as I have number 11 with black roof my railway should really be between May 1986 and February 1987.

 

However, I like the idea of keeping number 4 in pristine condition and adding red buffer beams as it appeared in 88.

 

Thoughts anyone?

 

Images below of the new arrival as well as the real thing at Padd in October 1987 and again in September 1988

 

Cheers,

Stu.

 

 

 

[Temeraire]

A little trip to Alton yesterday yielded 50004 from their stockroom.

 

Hi Stu

 

You should have come over to Ropley I was inside Lion and could have shown you round.

[johnpaddy22]

Just found your page, lovely layout and great updates, will be following with interest!

[P.C.M]

Hi Stu,

Some nice pics from your operating session, I would have tried to get the Peaks in for a bit of a bash.

 

50004 looks nice, it was one of the ones I only saw a few times. My only pic of 004 was when it was a DCWA machine working a ballast.

 

Cheers Peter.

[SparxD428]

Hi Ian,

 

Damn. Wish I'd have known, would have come along. Next time I might check what's going on round the corner before heading to the shop. Though card flexed now probably won't get over much before autumn! Don't think I've even seen a real live vac since about 1995.

 

Cheers,

Stu.

[SparxD428]

Thanks Pete. Checking my haulage records I had 852 miles behind number 4 on 12 runs. Last run was down the desert on 1C41 12:05 Padd-Penzance on 30th July 88 from Padd to Newton Abbot. Being from Reading must have seen every vac hundreds of times, although strangely haulage wise Rodney was my nemesis, only turned uponthat one 7 times.

I very nearly bought  second hand 45106 to add to the fleet, so if that had happened the peaks would definitely have dropped on something at Westquay !

Cheers,

Stu.

[Temeraire]

 Don't think I've even seen a real live vac since about 1995.

 

Hi Stu

 

Maybe next time but Lion has one of its regular running days on Saturday 23rd August all being well, followed by the diesel gala Sept 5-7th.