SRman's Current Layout - Newton Broadway

[Sandhole]

Great shot man,

I love viaducts in citys and the reverse curves really make the whole thing!!!

A few shots.

Sunderland at Blythe.

The Vera shot. A detective series starring Brenda Blethyn. This was a location used in the first one.

Ye Gods I'm sad!!

Sunderland backing into the loading bay at Blythe Dock.

The last lot are why I love 'liner trains and viaducts in cramped city scapes.

This is Deansgate Station in my home town, Manchester.

A favourite location..

Ciity centre, heavy frieght, 'liner trains to Trafford Park container terminal.

Summers coming and I'm, health permitting, going to be getting the 86, 90 or 92 shot here.

A pair of 'Ladies of the Night' 86s is the aim.

Keep up the good work,

Best Wiishes from a grey rainy April Manchester,

                                      Chris.

Another one for Chris (Sandhole): the container train from the other end, still being hauled by 73 141. This gives a view over much of the layout. At present, it is pulled out from the right hand wall so I can get in behind it to troubleshoot the points I referred to earlier.


Various Container Wagons Behind 73 141 - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

[SRman]

Some nice photos there, Chris. Thanks for posting them. 

The idea for mine was to represent very loosely somewhere in the south of London, but the location is flexible. My viaduct building was limited a bit by my inability to cope with curved viaduct sections, hence the plate girder bridge on the bend, chosen in preference to doing solid walls as supports. The other requirement was to leave large enough openings to get glimpses of the underground trains passing by - that's why I chose to engineer some more open spans like the one adjacent to the main plate girder bridge over the underground lines, with lattice girders, and the decision to move the Vollmer brick arches to the end and use the Wills stone arches instead (brick would have been better, but beggars can't be choosers).

[SRman]

Watching trains go by near Newton Broadway:
 

Hornby 700 class 0-6-0 30315 is seen passing different locations with a local passenger train, made up of a 'van C' and a Maunsell 3-set 237.

700 Class 30315 on Local Passenger - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

700 Class 30315 on Local Passenger - 3 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

700 Class 30315 on Local Passenger - 4 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr
 

This was followed closely by M7 30108 propelling Maunsell P-P set 615.

Maunsell P-P Set 615 with M7 30108 - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Maunsell P-P Set 615 with M7 30108 - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr
 

Travelling in the opposite direction is an EMU made up of ex-Southern Railway stock. 2 BIL 2134 is leading, with 2 HAL 2639 in the middle and 'tin' HAL 2694 trailing. 2694 has not received its unit numbers at this stage.

2 BIL and HAL Multi - 3 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

2 BIL and HAL Multi - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr
 

Passing the other way is D6520 propelling two 4 TC units.

4 TC plus 33 D6520 - 2 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr
 

Following the SR EMU sets is rebuilt West Country pacific 34026, Yes Tor, with a parcels and milk train.

WC 34026 Yes Tor on Milk Train - 1 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

WC 34026 Yes Tor on Milk Train - 3 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr
 

More modern units (although not by much) are represented by MLV 68006 leading 4 CEP units 7128 and 7126.

MLV plus 4 CEP x 2 - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

MLV plus 4 CEP x 2 - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

MLV plus 4 CEP x 2 - 3 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr
 

MLV plus 4 CEP x 2 - 4 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr
 

Coming the other way is 'King Arthur' N15 4-6-0 30764, Sir Gawaine, with a race day special consisting of horse boxes from several other regions and BR mark 1 4-set 869.
 

N15 30764 Sir Gawaine on Race Special - 1 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Following the MLV+8CEP is S15 4-6-0 30830 on a mixed goods working.
 

S15 30830 on Mixed Goods - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr
 

S15 30830 on Mixed Goods - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[DougN]

SRman, before you do any more ballasting a good idea though dull and boring is to paint the sides of the rails with Tamiya XF 64 red brown which is a acrylic it really improves the look of the track. using it on the rails and the the over paint on the "chairs" tones down the view of the rail. It dries quickly and is straight forward to put on with a 1/4in brush. 

 

I have my smaller layout in construction at the moment and spent the time painting the rail sides and it has improved the look of it greatly. 

[SRman]

Hi Doug. Yes, I agree, and I was just thinking that painting the rails also disguises the narrow gauge a bit too. I had to ballast the bit of track on the bridge because I had used the track bed sticky side up.

The school holidays are almost over already and we haven't seen you and Mrs DougN and the mini DougNs for a while. Will get in touch soon.

[Sandhole]

Watching trains go by near Newton Broadway:

 

Hornby 700 class 0-6-0 30315 is seen passing different locations with a local passenger train, made up of a 'van C' and a Maunsell 3-set 237.

700 Class 30315 on Local Passenger - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

700 Class 30315 on Local Passenger - 3 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

700 Class 30315 on Local Passenger - 4 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

This was followed closely by M7 30108 propelling Maunsell P-P set 615.

Maunsell P-P Set 615 with M7 30108 - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Maunsell P-P Set 615 with M7 30108 - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

Travelling in the opposite direction is an EMU made up of ex-Southern Railway stock. 2 BIL 2134 is leading, with 2 HAL 2639 in the middle and 'tin' HAL 2694 trailing. 2694 has not received its unit numbers at this stage.

2 BIL and HAL Multi - 3 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

2 BIL and HAL Multi - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

Passing the other way is D6520 propelling two 4 TC units.

4 TC plus 33 D6520 - 2 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

Following the SR EMU sets is rebuilt West Country pacific 34026, Yes Tor, with a parcels and milk train.

WC 34026 Yes Tor on Milk Train - 1 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

WC 34026 Yes Tor on Milk Train - 3 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

More modern units (although not by much) are represented by MLV 68006 leading 4 CEP units 7128 and 7126.

MLV plus 4 CEP x 2 - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

MLV plus 4 CEP x 2 - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

MLV plus 4 CEP x 2 - 3 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

MLV plus 4 CEP x 2 - 4 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

Coming the other way is 'King Arthur' N15 4-6-0 30764, Sir Gawaine, with a race day special consisting of horse boxes from several other regions and BR mark 1 4-set 869.

 

N15 30764 Sir Gawaine on Race Special - 1 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Following the MLV+8CEP is S15 4-6-0 30830 on a mixed goods working.

 

S15 30830 on Mixed Goods - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

 

S15 30830 on Mixed Goods - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Great shots.

Mixing stuff up is perfect. I think you can see in two of my shots, that is what has happened around Deansgate.

Heading left in both the viaduct shots, the line heads towards Oxford Road and, ultimately, Manchester Piccadilly all on viaducts.

The masonry alters and is testament to years of development.

The bridge over Oxford Road is a modern concrete structure which dates, I think from the 60s.

For the 'Modern Image' modeller, whatever 'Modern Image' is!!! it offers a fascinating modelling opportunity!

My two favouite shots?

The 2BIL train. Huge memories of summer holidays in West Worthing.

2BILs were regular transport, the beat of the air compressor, the whine of the motors and the smell of wood, metal and 'electricity' you got on a damp day!!!

The S15 train.

I only saw one S15 at Clapham Junction.

She came up off the North London? line on a fitted freight.

Sheer power and a nod off the footplate to a boy standing mesmerised!

Keep 'Playing Trains'.

                         Chris.

[P.C.M]

Nice set of pics Jeff.

 

Cheers Peter.

[John Tomlinson]

Totally agree with Peter, lovely set of pics.

 

The S15 looks especially cute on that long freight.

 

John.

[Gwiwer]

What they said. Lovely set. Great variety. Excellent to see your stock finally getting out from the sidings.

[SRman]

I have taken a quick video of one of my Hornby Pecketts running around the inner circuit. this shows off several features, including:

• The Hatton's crew intended for their P class looking perfectly at home in the Peckett cab;
• The Smoothness of the Peckett itself, which is fitted with a TCS M1 decoder;
• The smooth operation of the Gaugemaster aut-frog-polarity switching modules, and;
• The latest little bit of scenic work on either side of the new siding.

The Peckett, No 5, Alice, was renumbered and named using plates from Narrow Planet.

The video itself was taken on my mobile phone and edited using Microsoft's Movie Maker, which works well in Windows 10, in spite of what Microsoft say.

[SRman]

I decided to try out the Bachmann Wickham trolley, which ran quite nicely in spite of the fact I know one of the electrical pickups is not working properly (something I need to investigate when I am inclined). Then I thought, "This is worth capturing on video.", so here is another quick vid of trains running on Newton Broadway high level.

The Wickham was sharing the track with the Hatton's P class 0-6-0T, Bluebell and its train of 'birdcage' coaches. The Wickham has a TCS Z2 decoder hard-wired into it, and the P has a standard Bachmann 36-568 6-pin decoder.
 

I have been doing a little more static grass and other scenery  around the new siding, but the glue was still wet at the tie of the video, so the effect is hidden by surplus grass.

Edited April 15, 2018 by SRman

[SRman]

Running the little Wickham trolley has had an added benefit: my other half came in to watch it going around, and I said I had plans to replace the false ballast load with a sleeper load, something like what has been described in a recent magazine and in a topic here on RMweb. She said I should leave this one untouched, and buy another Wickham to do the operation on! I have not just permission, but an instruction to buy another!!

While I like the idea of a green or maroon one, both Kernow Model Railway Centre and Rails of Sheffield have the yellow one with wasp stripes going at reduced prices, so I think that may be the way to go (I already have a few expenses coming through, including two Andrew Barclay locos which have just been deducted from the plastic.). Fortunately, I bought a very small CT Elektronics decoder at the recent exhibition at Sandown, and that may just fit in in a similar fashion to the TCS decoder I used on the one above.

Edited April 15, 2018 by SRman

[DougN]

I have always thought MrsSRman spoiled you rotten... Now I know! 

[SRman]

I have been fiddling with a few different small jobs on Newton Broadway and its stock.

Two of the Hornby Pecketts, No 5 Alice and No 6 Alexandria in my fictional industrial fleet are pictured in the next three photos: No 5 has minimal weathering added at present and has a Hatton's P class crew added, and they look as if they were designed to fit in the Peckett cab; No 6 has been more heavily weathered with a mix of powders, but has not, as yet, gained a crew.

Some of the newer scenery can also be seen.
 

IMG_20180422_233401 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


IMG_20180422_233349 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


IMG_20180422_233332 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


At last Saturday's BRMA meeting, Standard 4MT 2-6-4T 80032 disgraced itself by refusing to move. I had it on the programming track to sort it out (she has had a bit of oil and a good wheel clean) and it now works again, although I think I need to open her up and put in a different decoder. While I have the lid off, I will clean and oil the motor bearings and gears.

BR 4MT 2-6-4T 80032 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


And a slightly 'dated' version of the same photo:


BR 4MT 2-6-4T 80032 BW halftone by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


While I still have the SECR  birdcage set on the layout, I thought it was a good idea to run the Hornby H class 0-4-4T 308 for a while, now there is a good long continuous run available. I still find this loco a little 'tail' heavy, and it really needs a small spring over the rear bogie to force the balance forward slightly.


SECR H class 308 on High Level - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


SECR H class 308 on High Level - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Edited April 23, 2018 by SRman

[tender]

Hi, have you tried the H class on any gradients with the coach set? I found my two examples wouldn't pull a two coach Maunsell set up a 1:50 gradient whereas the P Class copes with the 3 car Birdcage set without any sign of slipping. Same problem with the O2 and to a lesser extent with the M7. I guess it could be something to do with the 4-4-0 configuration and weight distribution towards the rear reducing grip of the front drivers.

[SRman]

Hi, have you tried the H class on any gradients with the coach set? I found my two examples wouldn't pull a two coach Maunsell set up a 1:50 gradient whereas the P Class copes with the 3 car Birdcage set without any sign of slipping. Same problem with the O2 and to a lesser extent with the M7. I guess it could be something to do with the 4-4-0 configuration and weight distribution towards the rear reducing grip of the front drivers.

 

Yes, the weight distribution is a problem with all of the 0-4-4Ts to greater or lesser degree. Hornby stuffed up a bit with the M7 having the decoder socket at the front, when it could have been out in the rear bunker, allowing the wasted space at the front ot be loaded with weight for traction and balance.

 

The H almost teeters over the rear driving axle, which means if you have it going up a hill smokebox leading, the weight transfer will tilt it back over the rear bogie and off the driving wheels at the front. Conversely, you will probably find that running bunker first up the gradient will make a big difference to the abilities of the H.

 

The P, being an 0-6-0, isn't affected because all the wheels are driving wheels, so shifting the weight distribution won't affect it to any great degree.

Edited April 23, 2018 by SRman

[SRman]

A further note on 2-6-4T 80032: I finally bit the bullet and opened it up (a dreadful job as there are five screws, two of which are right up behind the valve gear, plus the pipework under the right-hand cab side; the speedo drive broke years ago, so at least that wasn't a problem any more), with a view to oiling the motor bearings and the gear train. I cleared out some of the white gunk that still remained too, and swapped a decent decoder into it, a Zimo MX600. The previous decoder wasn't a Hornby Sapphire, but was, in fact, an older Hornby decoder - I had trouble reading the settings properly on the programming track, previously.

On placing the loco back on the programming track, it was dead. Nothing. OK, so opened it up again, checked all the wires leading to the decoder socket and brushes, and tugged the wires leading through from the pickups ... the red one came free. So there was nothing for it but to take the base plate off as well; another four, inaccessible screws because of the brake rigging. I managed to thread the red wire through and re-solder it to the pickup strip, then reassembled the model once again, with much cursing as bits of pipework dropped off and the rear bogie got locked onto the cab steps, but eventually I got it all together, to the point where it is even sitting better than before - note the slight gap under the steam pipes in the previous pics.

Back on the programming track, and this time everything read properly and programmed correctly. The loco moved under its own power, firstly on address 3, then on the programmed address of 8032. There is a little stiffness apparent in the movement, but a few circuits of the layout seemed to start the freeing up process. so I'll have to make a point of running it some more this coming weekend.

Hopefully the dramas are over now for this locomotive. 

[John Tomlinson]

A further note on 2-6-4T 80032: I finally bit the bullet and opened it up (a dreadful job as there are five screws, two of which are right up behind the valve gear, plus the pipework under the right-hand cab side; the speedo drive broke years ago, so at least that wasn't a problem any more), with a view to oiling the motor bearings and the gear train. I cleared out some of the white gunk that still remained too, and swapped a decent decoder into it, a Zimo MX600. The previous decoder wasn't a Hornby Sapphire, but was, in fact, an older Hornby decoder - I had trouble reading the settings properly on the programming track, previously.

 

On placing the loco back on the programming track, it was dead. Nothing. OK, so opened it up again, checked all the wires leading to the decoder socket and brushes, and tugged the wires leading through from the pickups ... the red one came free. So there was nothing for it but to take the base plate off as well; another four, inaccessible screws because of the brake rigging. I managed to thread the red wire through and re-solder it to the pickup strip, then reassembled the model once again, with much cursing as bits of pipework dropped off and the rear bogie got locked onto the cab steps, but eventually I got it all together, to the point where it is even sitting better than before - note the slight gap under the steam pipes in the previous pics.

 

Back on the programming track, and this time everything read properly and programmed correctly. The loco moved under its own power, firstly on address 3, then on the programmed address of 8032. There is a little stiffness apparent in the movement, but a few circuits of the layout seemed to start the freeing up process. so I'll have to make a point of running it some more this coming weekend.

 

Hopefully the dramas are over now for this locomotive. 

 

Sounds like a triumph!

 

I have one of these in pieces at present, almost impossible to dismantle and work on without bits falling off. Mine was an Ebay purchase, it does run quite well but the slide bars aren't properly seated in the cylinders. Looking at pics of other examples this is quite a common problem, but they've been glued in quite firmly at the factory, and I can't decide whether to risk all by trying to free them and reset, or just live with a fault that I know is there, but a casual observer wouldn't see. Decisions, decisions!

 

Glad you got yours sorted, and I'm sure you won't be rushing to take it to bits again.

 

John.

[SRman]

For a long time I have had a Bachmann N class 2-6-0 loco in Southern Railway olive green livery sitting in the drawer, waiting for me to convert it to DCC. I have already done two BR liveried Ns, using Digitrax decoders (a brand I'm not all that keen on). In every case, the decoder has had to be hard-wired to the motor, replacing the pcb that sits next to the vertically mounted motor in a rather tight space in the firebox of the loco. Digitrax DZ123 and DZ125 decoders fit nicely, although in hindsight I should have opted for TCS M1 decoders. 

Anyway, now I have a source for the absolutely tiny CT Elektronik decoders here in Australia, I have purchased a few for these difficult jobs that require small decoders to fit in very limited spaces, so the SR N has been fitted with a CT Elektronik DCX74 decoder and runs very nicely. The slightly larger DCX75 would also have fitted. The DCX74 has a rating of 0.8amp continuous, with a 1.5amp peak, which is more than adequate for the N.

I have owned a set of three of the beautiful Hornby Maunsell coaches in SR lined olive livery, and purchased two more at a swap meet last Thursday, an all-first and an all-third. The Bachmann E4 in LBSC livery looked quite good on this set too when on test after a decoder swap, but the N, No. 1829 was really the loco of choice for this rake. I did have some difficulty with the lighting for this relatively darkly coloured train. Note also the similarity of the green shade used for the Hornby MSC Peckett 0-4-0ST.


SR N class 1829 and Maunsell Coaches - 5 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


SR N class 1829 and Maunsell Coaches - 6 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


SR N class 1829 and Maunsell Coaches - 7 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[SRman]

I had two parcels in the mail today, when I got home from work. One was from Kernow Model Railways and contained my second Wickham trolley from Bachmann. The DCC conversion will await a time I can do it in daylight.

The other parcel was from Hatton's and contained my two Andrew Barclay locos. Before DCC fitting, I ran them on DC analogue on the rolling road ... together! The photos show them both running in under power - the blurred wheels and motion demonstrate this.


Hattons Andrew Barclays on Rolling Road - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Hattons Andrew Barclays on Rolling Road - 2 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


After this, I fitted the CT Elektronik DCX75 decoders I had freed up for them, and tested them again. Both ran very smoothly and controllably.

[SRman]

More of the Andrew Barclays, this time lined up with the Hornby Pecketts for direct comparison. The ABs are straight out of the box (apart from decoder fitting), whereas the Pecketts have been renumbered and named, had etched plates added, a little weathering applied and two have crews added.


Hattons Andrew Barclay and Hornby Peckett Line Up - 1 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Hattons Andrew Barclay and Hornby Peckett Line Up - 2 cropped by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr


Hattons Andrew Barclay and Hornby Peckett Line Up - 3 by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

That's quite a collection of loco's you've got there.

 

manna

[SRman]

My CR one is now a bit more anonymous, after a session this morning with some T-cut. It will eventually gain some number and name plates, becoming #14 in my fictional industrial fleet. Both this and Katie (soon to be #15) will gain girl's names starting with 'A', but I haven't decided which will get what name yet. More plates are on the way from Narrow Planet, though, giving me more choices.


Hattons Andrew Barclay ex-CR by Jeffrey Lynn, on Flickr

Edited May 2, 2018 by SRman

[Jack P]

I know you did a guide for converting the Non-DCC ready Bachmann locos on this thread (on a LN I believe?) Do you happen to know which page it's on?

[SRman]

I know you did a guide for converting the Non-DCC ready Bachmann locos on this thread (on a LN I believe?) Do you happen to know which page it's on?

Not off-hand, Jack. However, I also put it in its own topic in the DCC Fitting Guides - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95131-dcc-fitting-a-Bachmann-lord-nelson-with-split-chassis/