New Hey - the final pieces in the Jigsaw

[Andy C]

A few pics from the York Show - a cracking weekend with 4 more good invites!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[ullypug]

good to finally see New Hey in the flesh. The B&B was very quiet yesterday morning too!

[62659]

Andrew,

 

I think Vulcan's suggesting you get two cups of tea (whilst I'm showing you the back of my T-shirt!).

 

Phil

[Leander]

My goodness - that side on profile gets even less flattering.

[Andy C]

As that photo looks like it was taken on Monday morning I was either operating at that moment or - well lets just say in the words of Peter Kay "Give it ten"

 

 

[ullypug]

I think you were down the front on the right hand side. I was trying to take a sneaky pic whilst no one was looking. Here's another.

[Andy C]

Prompted by a superb picture taken by John Howell (26Power) I thought Id respond to a longstanding request from a few people as to how I built the pointwork.

 

 

many thanks to John for the permision to use the photo.

 

The trackwork itself was all plotted out using Templot - using the L and Y track plans as a template for accurate positioning of the points. Whilst plain track is C&L flexi (not without its problems and not stuff the MMRS or myself will be using again in a rush) The main pointwork is all scratchbuilt on ply sleepers using code 75 Bull Head rail and the absolutely superb P4 track Company chairs.

 

Picture 1 is of a demo piece I constructed on a piece of scrap 9mm ply to, as Mr Fred Dibnah used to put it "Demonsterate" the building.

 

 

It shows the templot template fixed by photomount to the board, the ply sleepers are then PVA'd onto the template. Look closley and you can spot pilot holes drilled through the sleeper and the board every 5th sleeper or so, and a group of holes around the crossing Vee. Half inch brass panel pins as seen in the foreground are then (gently) hammered through the pilot holes to leave the head standing proud by about 20 thou (I use a scrap piece of nickel silver etch as a guide)

 

 

Chairs are threaded onto the rail and then positioned over the sleepers, and where the brass pin is, the rail is tack soldered to the pin. The intermediate plastic chairs are not fixed at this point, but the rails tack soldered along its length. All New Heys pontwork was built directly onto the baseboard.

 

In the meantime I've also built the Vee as a solid unit on the bench using the South Hants society jigs - it can then be soldered to the pins in position before adding the next stock rail. The joy of not fixing the plastic chairs up to this point is it alows you to adjust the gauge and clearances before its all permanently fixed using butanone on the chairs - i find the chairs key quite well onto the grain of the ply, though I do know some use "Poly Pipe" as a plasticising agent on the sleeper before fixing the chair. I stain the chairs after this process suing a Colron dark oak wood dye - which looks remarkably like a well creosolted sleeper - and actual smells not unlike it as well!

 

 

The other benefit of this method is that below the baseboard, you have a couple of mil of panel pin showing. I use the term benefit lightly as Ive lost count of the time Ive caught my hand on exposed pins, but as shown in the pic above it provides a brilliant locator pin for track feeds without having to take wire through the baseboard. Just remember to take a slitting disk to the ones not used so you dont rip your hand every time you go beneath the baseboards . Under the point Vees Ive bonded some wire between the 6 or so pins the Vee is soldered to, ensuring there is always a feed to this critical part.

 

The tie bars are bits of copperclad which has been milled thinner on the cross piece, but a bigger "spade" shape left on the part under the closure rails where a good soldered joint is neccessary. Its basicaly shaped like a dogs bone!

 

Ive been using this method for about 15 years now and really am totally sold on it, although on New Hey's successor I shall be using P4 track company point kits.

[jwealleans]

York was the first time I've seen this and it didn't disappoint. I shall look forward to catching it again in the future.

 

That was a good little group of layouts in that corner of the ground floor - it was obvious that some thought had gone into laying out the show.

[Andy C]

A very successful show at Expo EM at Bracknell for the layout, as at York things just ran and ran with hardly any problems, so different from the debacle of just a year ago. Whats more we even had the programmed shunting moves in so there always was something moving on the front of the layout. Two new additions to the roster made their debut:

 

First the Ivatt Mickey Mouse on the engineers train:

 

 

 

Its a Bachman with Romfords on the main drivers for the conversion, and Gibson tender and pony truck wheels - the original tender wheels were pulled out but it was quite obvious, as i seem to frequently get with Bachman wheels that one was more square than round. A quick visit across the aisle to see Colin of Alan Gibson soon put that to rights! The rest of the train is 3 Heljan Dogfish (an absolute b*gg*r to convert to EM), Hornby Shark out of view and assorted opens with sleeper loads, Parkside and Bachy. weathring is a combination of dirt from the airbrush and powders, its in an appaling state but so was the real one of a photo Ive got on a similar train. The eagle eyed will notice an LMS smokebox door number - this is purely because this silly person forgot to put the 247 Developments number plate on, Its currently say on my workbench!

 

The next new arrival is an 8F Hornby, and the first example where Ive never had to renumber a loco as its an Agecroft engine, and did visit the loop.

 

 

 

I converted this to EM in one evening, using a GW wheel puller to pull out the original Hornby wheels to EM. Unlike Bachman steam driving wheels Hornby have enough meat on them to do this - Unfotunately Bachys strange addition of a plastic ###### on the end of a 2mm stub on the axle makes it difficult to achieve a successful wheel pull. Front pony truck and tender wheels are Romfords and the issue received a mild weathering as opposed to the downright filth and knackered state of the Ivatt. Heres the pair together.

 

 

A few different perspectives on the Shaw return board became apparent - for once Id time and space to set up the tripod!. The 9f on the long unloaded coal and the Dubdee

 

 

And this close up of Iron Duke emerging from under Two Bridges Road

 

 

After the debate on the recent York show thread about the lack of DMUs, and Pennine MC's quick riposte about the 7 car special, heres it as running at Expo EM, again a once every so often working rather than a regular.

 

 

And last of all a shot of a new working now known as "son of Red Bank" - an parcels from Oldham Clegg Street on a down working. This won't feature too regularly as the designated fiddleyard road wont hold that many vehicles but it was good to run a longish rake of assorted odds and sods, and its fun to do!

 

 

All that remains to be done on the layout now is actually ger the signals working!!

[Andy C]

A sudden look at the calendar reveals that Expo EM North and the Halifax show a fortnight later are approaching. better get my finger out and finish off the new chassis for the Aspinall 0-6-0 that Ive scratchbuilt!!

 

 

 

I used the MMRS pantograph miller on some patterns already in existence, made by Ralp Robertson. Its sprung using the Comet hornblock system and, when it goes in, has a Comet box and Mashima 2012. I had to replace the old box after York when the gears stripped, but found the new gearbox was a tad wider which distorted the rames - It was a back to the drawing board job!!

[coachmann]

Good to see an update Andy. Concerning your latest locos, those Markits bogie wheels just do not look the biscuit on the 8F, or indeed any Stanier locomotive. Gibson does a much better shaped bevel-rim Stanier wheel. Hope you don't mind me mentioning this.

[Andy C]

Good to see an update Andy. Concerning your latest locos, those Markits bogie wheels just do not look the biscuit on the 8F, or indeed any Stanier locomotive. Gibson does a much better shaped bevel-rim Stanier wheel. Hope you don't mind me mentioning this.

 

Not at all Larry, when I put them on I looked somewhat askance at them and thought ughh! but then completely forgot - funnily enough they are on the mental shopping list when I see Colin again at Expo North in a few weeks time.

 

They were only replaced because the Hornby ones would pull out to EM successfuly (unlike the drivers) and happended to be in a box with a Comet 8F chassis in it which is waiting in the wings.

[Andy C]

One of the great interferences of getting on with modelling is the small matter of organising the MMRS show, particularly at this time of year, phone calls, dealing with correspondence etc. I suddenly realised by this time next week Expo North will be over and done and the A class had nothing done to it since those last pictures, so I shut myself off from the world this afternoon, stuck the CD player on the workbench on with 4 CDs in it - Peatbog Faeries, Gorillaz, Rory Gallagher, and the Colliery Bands - and got on with it.

 

The GW wheelpress worked a treat as usual, perfect running chassis first time. That was till I dropped some superglue onto the wormwheel! Hopefully thats sorted out now but i did have to requarter!

 

 

 

Also did a bit more on the Gibson 3F chassis as well, soon as the two next shows are over, Expo and Halifax, then work commences in earnest on finishing this off.

 

 

All this and a P4 layout to think about startingto build as well!

 

 

 

 

[Gravy Train]

Hi Andy,

Does Arnold B know your dabbling in P4?

I won't say ewt lol, nice photos.

Pete

[iak]

Looking forward to seeing this beastie on Sunday B)

[DerekEm8]

Hi Andy,

Does Arnold B know your dabbling in P4?

I won't say ewt lol, nice photos.

Pete

 

Peter,

 

Oh Yes he does :lol:

[Andy C]

New Hey is off on its travels again this weekend, once again undertaking missionary work into the fair county of Yorkshire, land of short arms and deep pockets

 

Halifax show beckons:

http://www.halifaxmrc.co.uk/ and we are amongst good company once more. If you are coming along to North Bridge Leisure Centre then say Hi to us - didnt see many of you at Slaithwaite!

 

The New Hey web pages: http://www.rmrg.co.uk/LayoutsCurrent/NewHey/Description.aspx

[Andy C]

Playing with some phots from Halifax - trying to recreate a photo in one of my books on the station:

 

 

[BlackRat]

Very nice indeed, superb pointwork to!

[Andy C]

After a 4 month lull in proceedings we are off to Nottingham in march, so time to start doing a few jobs. The ground signals controlling the exits from the goods yard and the layby siding have been installed - point rodding (a cosmetic affair from microstrip) will be added, along with a chicken coop on the hillside on the cutting at St Thomas's (hopefully!!) Any way been doing a bit of stock work on the parcels stock, a Stove R has been converted (but not convinced this will run well given comments so far) - see the Stove R thread for the full details, and a Hawksworth full brake which was weathered today and has been adde to the stock box. Wonder if I can get my 3F completed in time or is Railex in May a more realistic proposition!!

 

Click on the attached link for details of forthcoming shows where you can see New Hey - we are also taking further bookings for shows for any exhibition managers interested - contact me for a full prospectus.

 

http://rmrg.co.uk/OnTour.aspx

[binesrail]

I love the detail on this layout If i can get Meeth Halt to look anything like that i will be a happy man

 

Chris

[Andy C]

Good god, that long since I posted anything and no Nottingham pictures either! (I didnt take that many!)

 

At Halifax last September the goods yard entry point sprang a blade and when looked at, the tiebar (copperclad) had delaminated. Just before Nottingham a new tie bar was put in and the point seemed to be working but then we had a problem with the motor! It was decided after then that we would get a clear day and a few of us give the layout a good once over prior to going to Railex at Aylesbury at the end of the month.

 

Principally on the list was sorting out the problematical point once and for all (typically when we set the layout up in the garage it worked fine). However on trying the shunting locos through we soon discovered an intermittent splitting the point when the Jinty was hard over on the left of the rail. Judicial application of the file and a reset of the blade now appear to have sorted this niggle out. We also used the opportunity to go through all the shunting stock, cleaning and tesing, readjusting back to backs etc to make sure it all worked. Unfortunatley in this process one of my Parkside 16Ts got condemned - I dont know if anyone else has experienced this but the plastic on the underframe has gone very brittle. The problem of the dangly jumper cables was also sorted out (some very handy P clips from the excellent ALL components). One or two other bits of woodwork repair were done as well. Unfortunately we ran out of time before we could get down to making the signals work!

 

The weather helped as the fiddleyards and boards not being worked on got a day out on the front lawn and drive, but after shifting the layout out and back in you felt like you had done a show! My thanks to my fellow co- conspirators Martin Edmondson and Phil Taylor (in the pic below as a self fulfilling prophesy from Phil "This picture will be on a certain forum later") and to Ian Worthington who had to leave early. Refreshment was partaken of once the layout was packed up back in the garage at the Cemetery Inn's excellent 3 day beer festival. Greenfield Brewery's "over and out" is thoroughly recommended, vaguely like their "Black 5" but just a tad lighter on the palate!

 

Really looking forward to doing Railex in a few weeks time, say Hi if you are visiting.

[Andy C]

And if that bout of enthusiasm wasnt enough heres a new piece of motive power to double head with the Black 5 on the Wakes excursion. Its Patriot 45517, resident of Bank Hall Shed at Liverpool but quite a frequent visitor on various specials like this. originally the lcoc wa destined to be Newton Heath's EC Trench, but due to the lack of suitable etched plates (Mr Wells!!) I did it as one of the few unamed Patriots in order to get it on the layout.

 

The main drivers are Romfords, the bogie and tender wheels Gibson. With the conversion on this for once there seemed plenty of room behind the slide bars for the leading crankpin nut to rotate - I usually end up filing it wafer thin to get enough clearance. Its a very light weathering job as well, to contrast with the Black 5 which can be seen on previous pics. Strangely enough Ive two photos of this on the loop, one at Heyside where it looks almost ex - works, and another just outside Milnrow where it looks - well quite frankly, appalling!

[Loxborough]

I really do love this layout; it seems sosparse, yet full of beautifully observed details. A lesson to all of us who are tempted to jam in more track just because there is space for it...

 

Keep the photos coming.

 

One quick question; I am in the early planning stages of the next layout and am trying to work out what I can get away with, visually, in terms of curves. I would love to know how tight you have gone with the curve as it runs past the old L&Y post signal towards the fiddle yard; it seems tighter than the prototype might be, but not outrageuosly so, and I would be happy to take this as my benchmark...

 

Thanks,

 

George

[Andy C]

Hi George, thanks very much for your kind comments, its been a bit of a labour of love and has resulted in a rollercoaster of emotion in the build. Comments like yours make it all worthwhile, and that I have achieved what I set out to do, model a location actually how it was, not how people think it should be. The whole place was sparse (and still is) and i think its that which makes the detail stand out that much more.

 

the curve is much tighter than the actual, and has been brought in somewhat - the photograph below illustrates, as the curve through the station carried on for a few hundred yards past the bridge on Two Bridges Road. I have done the ruling radius at 4 foot minimum, alhthough I have inrtroduced a slight transition curve as the tracks get into the return curve. The 4 foot radius covers perhaps about 90 degrees at the apex of the curve. None of the stock has problems on it even the Long Wheelbase stuff. I will be repeating the 4 foot minimum radius on my next layout, North Ballachulish in P4.

 

Photos shot some time ago - theres no track there at the moment, and trams only from next year