Newton Grove 19F

[Newtz1981]

The C&L chairs arrived yesterday and work has commenced on adding them to the pit roads. I've finished adding them to 2 of the 3 roads, however I'm 50 chairs short of what I need to finish. So I've ordered another packet of chairs, which will probably arrive in 2 weeks. At least it will give me time to work on some other things, file the track ends down and get ready for laying. I also need to solder power supply to the tracks too, in readiness for DCC control.

 

Images to follow shortly.

[Newtz1981]

Here are a few images of the work taking place on the pit roads. Two of the three are done and I am just waiting for the delivery of more C&L chairs to complete the last road.

 

 

 

 

It's looking great, however let me assure you all - this is very time consuming. The results are worth the long effort though 

 

Each chair is spaced 15mm apart from each other, which is basically the same as the peco flex track spaces.

Edited February 3, 2015 by Newtz1981

[steve fay]

Looks great, it is tedious but well worth the effort

[bobster]

Very nice work Newtz - Looking good.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[DanielB]

This is looking really promising. Your loco collection is certainly enviable too!

[muddys-blues]

Ooh that looks great Newtz 

[Newtz1981]

Firstly, thank you everyone for the wonderful comments above. I appreciate your feedback and support 

 

While I'm waiting for the last of the C&L chairs to arrive I started to think about what I would do for the loco shed. There was only two options I was thinking about. These were:

 

1~ Build a low relief shed (like Cardiff Canton) and have only the space for around 1/3 of a loco within, or

2~ Build a longer shed that covers the second pits on each of the three roads.

 

I decided on the latter. This morning (after waking up at 4am) I decided to make up a mock of the model to get a feel for the size and scale of the shed. A cardboard box became the donor and measurements were taken for length, width and height. The distance between the top of a locomotives chimney (I used a Black 5 for this) and the roof wall was measured from photos, converted to 7mm scale and then added into the mock building. For those who are interested, this turned out to be 20mm from the top of the chimney.

 

Below are photos of the mock building that really show off the size.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have also made a start on making the servicing pits. Walls are being made out of thick plasticard and they will be lined with 7mm scale brick sheeting, some lengths of which can already be seen cut to size and waiting to be installed after track playing and painting.

 

Overall I am very happy with how the mock shed looks and in all honesty I am really looking forward to building the real thing in coming months (or less). So between now and then I'll be watching the Right Track DVD 'Building Buildings' a few times to really study the art of scratch building.

[steve4rosegrove]

Hi David,

 

I actually have a Scott, I just haven't put it on display yet. I also have a Jubilee too. As far as a Duchess goes, if I can afford it I will purchase a kit for one from Gladiator Models before they close in April. I have two of their kits already - one is a Stanier Mogul and the other is a Patriot. The tender of the Mogul has been started however construction is slow as a friend of mine is building it for me in his spare time. Kit building is not a skill of mine just yet.

 

I have also put a reservation in with Fine Scale Brass (UK) for a Britannia and a 9F. They are due out around Dec '15/Jan '16, so I'm looking forward to them.

Not too sure about a Duchess sighting, but Scots, Pats, Jubilees, Brits and 9Fs all visited Rose Grove.  No reason why a Semi shouldn't visit, but it would have to be turned elsewhere, although Newton Grove could of course have had a 70' table like Lostock Hall......

[steve4rosegrove]

Firstly, thank you everyone for the wonderful comments above. I appreciate your feedback and support 

 

While I'm waiting for the last of the C&L chairs to arrive I started to think about what I would do for the loco shed. There was only two options I was thinking about. These were:

 

1~ Build a low relief shed (like Cardiff Canton) and have only the space for around 1/3 of a loco within, or

2~ Build a longer shed that covers the second pits on each of the three roads.

 

I decided on the latter. This morning (after waking up at 4am) I decided to make up a mock of the model to get a feel for the size and scale of the shed. A cardboard box became the donor and measurements were taken for length, width and height. The distance between the top of a locomotives chimney (I used a Black 5 for this) and the roof wall was measured from photos, converted to 7mm scale and then added into the mock building. For those who are interested, this turned out to be 20mm from the top of the chimney.

 

Below are photos of the mock building that really show off the size.

 

image(73).jpeg

 

image(75).jpeg

 

image(76).jpeg

 

image(77).jpeg

 

image(78).jpeg

 

image(79).jpeg

 

I have also made a start on making the servicing pits. Walls are being made out of thick plasticard and they will be lined with 7mm scale brick sheeting, some lengths of which can already be seen cut to size and waiting to be installed after track playing and painting.

 

Overall I am very happy with how the mock shed looks and in all honesty I am really looking forward to building the real thing in coming months (or less). So between now and then I'll be watching the Right Track DVD 'Building Buildings' a few times to really study the art of scratch building.

Ummm, just trying to help, but those water columns would cover the tracks on both sides........so you could move the left hand one over to cover all the tracks.  See the photos at the beginning for the column positions.

[Newtz1981]

Ummm, just trying to help, but those water columns would cover the tracks on both sides........so you could move the left hand one over to cover all the tracks.  See the photos at the beginning for the column positions.

Thank you Steve for the suggestion about the water columns. I haven't glued these in position yet and have just been placed where you see them for now. When I paint them and the time comes to put them on the model I will space them apart in a similar way that you describe, however the road the runs to the side of the shed will not have access to the columns as it's a storage road.

[two tone green]

You may well have a rival to Canton Steve.

 

I wonder what his puddles will be like.

 

Very nice. Looking good already.

Edited February 13, 2015 by two tone green

[steve fay]

You may well have a rival to Canton Steve.

I wonder what his puddles will be like.

Very nice. Looking good already.

Let's hope so, I'd like to see lots of sheds spring up, it's a great way of modelling 7mm in a small space. Especially If you like big engines!!

[Newtz1981]

The C&L chairs arrived yesterday and I wasted no time at all in finishing the final half of the track work on the pit roads. It is no complete and look damn good in my opinion. The below images are just to show it all off

 

 

 

Before I add wiring to the rails I am cutting all the webbing away from the sleepers. This not only gives a much more realistic look, it also gives you freedom to space the sleepers out on ways that are appealing to you and when time comes to add the ballast, etc, the webbing will not be seen (because it's no longer there).

 

It's a time consuming process, however I think you'll agree that the below images show it's worth it.

 

 

 

After this has all been completed, and I'm about 35% through it all now, wires will be added to all pieces of track. I'm doing that because I want to make sure that there is always a perfect electrical connection at all times. I've never used DCC before however I'm covering my bases and not relying just on the rail joints to carry the current through.

 

In fact I don't like the look of the big rail connectors, so they may not even get used.

 

Soldering is not a strength of mine (yet) so it's almost time to call in a friend for his expert work.

Edited February 13, 2015 by Newtz1981

[steve fay]

It does make a big difference and worth the effort. I'd replace the metal rail joiners with plastic or brass fish plates.

[81A Oldoak]

You can see cosmetic plastic fishplates on the siding in the lower right corner of these photos. I have painted them with a darker shade to represent the grease.

[Newtz1981]

Thank you for the feedback, suggestions and images guys. I have bought some C&L fish plates and I'll be adding them into the track for certain. I may even go as far as to putting them at scale lengths too 

[3 link]

I must agree with the Guys comments above, those metal fishplates must go.  Have a look at the C&L website most of us use E7XX FP11 ( Brass ) or E7XX FP01 ( Plastic ) fishplates.

 

Martyn.

 

PS, Just read your update, I think our posts must of past each other over the oceans  .

Edited February 14, 2015 by 3 link

[Newtz1981]

I purchased a Dremel over the weekend and I've been cutting and finishing off the track to go over the board joints, etc. What a great little powerful machine this thing is! I should have bought one years ago.

 

I've been slowly getting the C&L fishplates on, and they look amazing! I'm really looking forward to having these all over the layout. 80% of all the webbing has now been removed from all the track that will be visible off the fiddle yard too and it is really looking the part.

 

 

Lastly I have been working on the servicing pits again and I've added a few wall supports to the underside of the baseboards. I'm sure the pits will look brilliant when they are completed.

 

[CUTLER2579]

Newtz,

there is not a lot to soldering,a good clean surface and a big enough soldering Iron are two of the main requirements and getting in quick with the heat and out again nice and fast.

I know its easy once you have mastered it ,but that applies to most things. Get your friend to give you a quick Tutorial. I am lucky to say I learnt to solder 53 years ago.

Love the thread, I am in the process of building a Townstreet 7mm Locomotive Shed 1370 mm long and keep putting off the pits for another day.Can't decide on using a Router or a Jigsaw for the job (9mm Plywood ) so Knife not an option.However the CL chairs look great as do the fishplates.

Regards,Derek.

[3 link]

You need to file the lip on the lower web on the ends of the rail, otherwise it will splay the fishplates like in your photos.

 

Martyn.

[Cheekypaul]

Your layout is looking good! Keeping my eye on it. 

You purchased a Dremel to cut the tracks. Can I ask which model did you get? 

I'm looking for something to cut tracks myself! 

Thanks

P.S. Keep up with your work!

[SMR CHRIS]

Hi Jonathan nice work with the loco service pits and the removal of the webbing between the sleepers realy makes a big difference keep up the Good work.

BTW It's also good to see a younger modeller choosing O scale and not waiting until they can't see the OO models, a good choice to change scales early, with the Quality of your models a few "O" more than make up for a lot of "OO"!!!

 

I was just looking at your photos of the fish plates set up on the tail end of your point and it looks like you have a Peco code 143 flat bottom rail point instead of a bull head ráil point the part number for example a right hand point is SL-E791 BH the BH on the part number indicates Bullhead on the Flatbottom rail points the same part number SL-E792 FB may be worth checking before you get any further in the track laying, also a give away the modern Pandrol Clips instead of the chair's and wood key's

 

Keep up the work your making great progress and what better way to display you collection of fine O scale models you should aim to exhibit this layout when finished it will be something unusual in Australia.

 

Regards

Chris

[Newtz1981]

Newtz,

there is not a lot to soldering,a good clean surface and a big enough soldering Iron are two of the main requirements and getting in quick with the heat and out again nice and fast.

I know its easy once you have mastered it ,but that applies to most things. Get your friend to give you a quick Tutorial. I am lucky to say I learnt to solder 53 years ago.

Love the thread, I am in the process of building a Townstreet 7mm Locomotive Shed 1370 mm long and keep putting off the pits for another day.Can't decide on using a Router or a Jigsaw for the job (9mm Plywood ) so Knife not an option.However the CL chairs look great as do the fishplates.

Regards,Derek.

 

Thank you for the advice Cutler. I've purchased a soldering iron over the weekend actually and so I'll start to practice before I tackle the job of wiring the trackwork.

 

As far as the pits go what you could do is drill a series of holes one, after the other, for the entire length of the pit and then once that has all been done go around the edges with a small hand held saw (not a power one) and clean up after with a chisel and sand paper.

 

I'd love to see the progress of your Townstreet layout too if you have a thread about it on here. 

[Newtz1981]

Your layout is looking good! Keeping my eye on it. 

 

You purchased a Dremel to cut the tracks. Can I ask which model did you get? 

 

I'm looking for something to cut tracks myself! 

Thanks

 

P.S. Keep up with your work!

 

Hi Paul.

 

I purchased the Dremel 3000. Images of it and are below. I hope this helps you 

 

 

[Newtz1981]

Hi Jonathan nice work with the loco service pits and the removal of the webbing between the sleepers realy makes a big difference keep up the Good work.

BTW It's also good to see a younger modeller choosing O scale and not waiting until they can't see the OO models, a good choice to change scales early, with the Quality of your models a few "O" more than make up for a lot of "OO"!!!

 

I was just looking at your photos of the fish plates set up on the tail end of your point and it looks like you have a Peco code 143 flat bottom rail point instead of a bull head ráil point the part number for example a right hand point is SL-E791 BH the BH on the part number indicates Bullhead on the Flatbottom rail points the same part number SL-E792 FB may be worth checking before you get any further in the track laying, also a give away the modern Pandrol Clips instead of the chair's and wood key's

 

Keep up the work your making great progress and what better way to display you collection of fine O scale models you should aim to exhibit this layout when finished it will be something unusual in Australia.

 

Regards

Chris

 

Hello Chris,

 

Thank you for your lovely comments, I appreciate the feedback   

 

I started in 0 gauge back in 2007 when I was 25. I was having dinner with a friend of mine and he showed me the 7mm layout that he had built. It looked amazing and I'd never really been that close to an 0 gauge layout before. I was very impressed. He gave me some great advice and I feel that it's due to this advice that I sold all the 00 gauge models and went to 0. He said "Go out and get yourself a basic 0 gauge kit, like a Peco 16t wagon. Build it and put it somewhere were you can see it. That will give you a good introduction to the scale."

 

So, off I went to my local model railway shop and bought one of those kits. I built it in an afternoon (as I was excited to have it) and displayed it on the top of a small shelf stand I had in my bedroom. Everyday I saw it, just sitting there. After a few weeks I thought to myself "It looks a little lonely there, all by itself. I think I'll get another kit" So I bought another of the same kit and a length of track, built it in an afternoon and placed the two wagons together on the track. I was very pleased indeed. Almost instantly though I thought to myself "Those wagons need a loco in front of them now". And that was that. I sold all my 00 gauge models (40 locos) and with the money I bought a Black 5. I've been buying loco's and stock ever since.

 

My intention is to exhibit this layout once I've finished it. Hopefully that will be this year, however I'm not going to rush it just to get it into the exhibition scene.