Hi Guys,
This was mentioned a few entries ago, but if you didn't see it, here's a quick reminder:
During the layouts exhibtion apperance at Ris-ex 2010, it was realised that Hythe wasn't the most freight friendly layout in the world! So during the drive to Watford finescale the next day, it was decided that we would extend the layout by 2ft (now making it 14ft x 8ft) and build a new board to replace the the workshop board at the left hand end of the layout. This board will incorporate a
Hi Guys,
Right, the last exhibition of this year (unless we get the Reading invite for september), Churhrail, has just passed.
It was yet another good day, with more almost perfect running. To be honest I thought it might be a disaster because we have such good luck over the past 2 exhibtions! There were some minor troubles, the track aglinment on the cassettes wasn't good again (after I had got it perfect for Ris-ex! ). We found that none of our stock could exit platform 3 without der
Hi Guys,
It's a bit late, but here's my report on Hythe at Ris-ex 2010!
As at Newbury, the layout performed very very well, Although this was only from about 11 o'clock onwards! It was at about this time when the point into Platform 2 (the longest and main platform), which we have always had to 'wiggle' to get it working if's been left a while, finally packed up all together and locked solid. So one pleed to Hythe's chief mechanical engineerer (aka dad!), and he was under the layout tryi
Hi Guys,
Although the layout ran all most perfectly, we did have a small problem, one that we have known about for ages. It is that we can never run the shed with both roads filled, even when point was set againist it, I don't really get how it happened, but luckly dad did!
So we've fixed it by putting a push button switch so that it won't be energised until we push it. So this will enhance the operating potiental of the layout even further for Ris-ex and Churchrail.
On another note,
Hi Guys,
Just returned from the Newbury Show with Hythe! All in all, it was the best the layout has ever performed! The stock performed well, all but one point work faultlessly (but after a while that point worked well!), the new lighting gantry worked well (after we stopped breaking the bulbs! ).
We had an extra piece of stock with us, in the form of a Hornby Class 395, which was lent to us by High Wycombe & District Model Railway Society member Paul Chapman (Thanks Paul!). It did
Hi Guys,
Having, for many months, complaining about the running qualities of my Bachmann BR Blue Class 08 (it was very poor, but we tried everything!), we have brought a new one!
It is a Hornby model, in Cotswold rail No. 08847, which we picked up for 45 pounds.
It liked this model because of two reasons:
1.) It had the high level air pipes, which are suitable for a 3rd rail fitted layout
2.) The Cotswold Rail means that I can say it's on hire to which ever company I chose
Hi Guys,
Last night was the last night that Hythe Parkway will be up at the Clubrooms before Newbury. So, after hearing that my good friend Matt Wickes (Bluebell Model Railway on here) was coming, we decided to hold a joint Southeast Steam Railway & Bluebell Railway Gala at Hythe Parkway!
Matt brought along his 'H' Class 0-4-4T Tank and his E4 0-6-2T which can be see on his Horstead Keynes layout thread here: http://www.rmweb.co....oo/page__st__50
Another visitor was a Regional R
Hi,
Once again, we have been up to the club just to fix a problem to the bay platform, by taking a slitting disc to it!
I was going to complete some filming I started on Wednesday, but we forgot the controller! . I will get it done, so watch this space!
In the mean time here are a few pictures I took instead:
Back when Class 60's were still going strong, EWS No. 60014 'Alexander Fleming' runs into Hythe Parkway to run round it's cement train from Hythe Cement Works
E
Hi,
I went up to the club last night and took a few more pictures:
T9 4-4-0 No. 30285 and BR Standard 9F 2-10-0 No. 92220 'Evening Star' wait for their next duties 'on shed' at Hythe Parkway:
DB Schenker Tamper, on trail from Germany, waits for weekend engineering work at the tiny fueling point at Hythe Parkway:
Workmen cause traffic problems on Station road:
Virgin Cross Country Class 220 'Voyager' No. 220035 'Grampian Voyager' gets ready to depart from Platform
Hi Guys,
Well, the photoshoot is now over, it all went very well and the pictures look great. As mentioned earlier, I also took a few photos, before and and after the photographer
Here's my effects:
Southern's Hertiage 4-CEP No. 7105 stands at Platform 2 with a service to London Victoria while Southeastern 'Networker' No. 466023 waits at Platform one with a service to Ashford:
Southern's Hertiage 4-CEP stands 'on the blocks' at Hythe Parkway, after arriving with a service fr
Hi Guys,
Been up to the clubroom today to do some last minute pre photoshoot preparations.
We've now finished 9 of the cassettes, which will be enough for tomorrows photoshoot. Plus, I've taken the new 4-CEP up, which looks right at home in the platforms of Hythe.
The photographer, Ray Lightfoot, will be arriving at 10:00 tomorrow, so I'll have to be up early!
I'll also be taking photos of the layout (not to magazine standards I must admit!) to add to my collection and I'll post
Hi Guys,
Well last night we went up to the clubrooms to just finish putting Hythe up, almost. I say almost because we haven't put up the town scene board, due to us forgetting the little board that attaches it to the platform board!!! . We are going up early on wednesday so we can get it up before the AGM starts (as well as playing trains!).
We had a couple of problems, 3 points won't work (but surprising the one that was giving us problems worked perfectly! ), but managed to get two
Hi Guys,
We took Hythe up to the High Wycombe & District Model Railway society clubrooms yesterday.
The two main senic boards are up, along with one of the fiddle yard boards. The secound fiddle yard board is up there, but isn't erected (because I forget the bolts! ). The Town scene board will be taken up tonight and put up along with the other fiddle yard board!
Simon
Hi Guys,
Just abit of a progress update. Last night we were able to fix the point th motor that was giving us grief, by jaming a rubber between it and the edge of the baseboard! (Not very techincal I know, but it works! ).
Schools closed again today (and before you say that I'm not doing work I'm meant to be doing, I should have ICT first! ), so I took the oppotunity to take a couple of preview photos for those going to the Newbury Show, Risex or Churchrail this year:
Plus h
Hi Guys,
Well a lot has been done since my last entry. The closure of my school due to the snow has helped us in getting the cassettes ready for Hythe's appearance at the Newbury show!
We have three done and ready to go, but have run out of aluminmum angle!
Also we have Hythe in the kitchen and have been spending the last couple of hours sorting out a couple of point motors. We've fixed two, but one is being a real pain to do and we still haven't fixed it
Please remember that Hyt
Hi Guys,
Just thought I'd update you on which exhibitions I'll be taking Hythe to this year:
Saturday 13th February 2010 - Newbury Model Railway Club exbition - Park House School, Newbury
Saturday 20th February 2010 - Ris-ex* 2010 - Princess Risborough Community Centre
EDIT: Saturday 6th March 2010 - Churchrail 2010 - St Mary Immaculate school, Warwick
Unforunatly that's all the exhibitions we have for 2010, but if you know of an exhibtion in 2010 that needs layouts, feel free t
Hi Guys,
Just popped down to Homebase to get some wood for the cassettes for the new fiddle yard.
We also got in got into 7cm wide strips to form the cassettes, perfectly Straight. I took 5 minutes for them to cut when It would of taken us a hour (and we wouldn't get it straight! ). We are going to cut it down into the lengths we need! Plus we got some Aluminum angle for the sides
Here's a plan for the cassettes:
Comments welcome!
Simon
Hi Guys,
After talking to Steve Flint of Railway Modeller at both the HW&DMRS open day and Warley, he has emailed me to confirm that he would like Hythe in Railway Modeller during 2010!
Not sure when the photoshoot will take place, but it will be in the New Year (I need to get on with those cassettes!!!)
Hopefully we will be taking Hythe upto the High Wycombe clubrooms for the photoshoot and just check everything is fine, plus fix a few things
Simon
Hi,
I bit of an update on the Roling Stock front. I brought a pair of Dapol Containers for my Freightliner FEA-B spine wagons at Wigan yesterday.
I'll put some pictures up tonight when I have added the bits on!
I have one problem about the train, I have no Motive Power in Freightliner livery!! But do not fear, I have plan (It must be serious if I have a plan! ). I have an old LIMA Class 47 in Virgin livery. 'm going it number it as 47848 'Newton Abbot Festival of Transport' in Virgi
Hi Guys
I've added some pictures of my newly arrived 4-CEP on my Southeast Steam Railway blog, there's also a step-by-step guide on how to couple the units:
http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php/blog/226/entry-1494-sesr-4-cep-arrives-how-to-guide/
Simon
Hi Guys,
During the time I was exhibiting at Warley, I managed to talk to Ben Jones of Model Rail to find out when Hythe will appear in the mag. I got a very helpfull and freindly response that it will be appearing in the middle of next year, possibly June/ July!
Also at Warley I spoke to Steve Flint of Railway Modeller, we talked to him at the HW&DMRS open day about a possible article, and came back with a definate article. I'll say more about it when it comes!
On another note,
Hi Guys,
The Remodelling of 'Hop Cutting' has finished (not that a railway is ever finished!). This involved ripping up the 2nd radius curve and relaying it with 3rd radius, building a tunnel and resiting the signal.
Here are a few images of the finished work:
For those who are interested, the identification plate on the bridge says:
Hythe Tunnel
94 Yards
South Portal
Comments welcome!
Simon
Hi,
Right, today saw remodelling of Hythe's fiddle yard begin.
We Started by getting the Hop Field board up and ready to begin work at around 10:00 (About half an hour after I woke up! ). This was followed by ripping up the curve in 'Hop Cutting' in about 5 minutes (in real life this would take a week long possession and countless health and safety forms! ).
We went down to Hunts of Marlow to get some radius 3 curves, along with a tunnel mouth. We got back and started work again.
Hi,
This is my first ever blog, so I hope I'm doing it right!
Since Hythe's appreance at the RMweb Members Day, it has been decided that major remodelling will take place over the October Half Term.
This will be in the form of completely changing the fiddle yard from the conventional type (A fan of sidings) to the cassette type. Remodelling of the curve in 'Hop cutting' will be relaid to make a gentler curve in the cutting, plus turning the fiddle yard entrance 'Hole' into a tunnel
