Ardmore

I think I am beginning to understand the best lighting conditions to use in the new railway room, so here are the first pictures of the layout in its new home. I have three Bachmann 45XX and 4575 engines for the passenger and goods traffic on the branch. These are all good reliable runners, but their short wheelbase sometimes leads to slight hesitation at low speeds over some of the more complicated points. I solved this problem by installing TCS KA4 capacitors in each engine. Here we can see 5573 waiting to leave, and then departing the branch platform with its passengers for Upcombe. Another improvement, evident in the second photograph is the replacement of the original Ratio LH bracket signal with a RH one. The new one has the RH signal for the branch line corrected positioned lower than the LH signal for the up main line. Also, the up main starter has been replaced with one of the Dapol motorized tubular steel signals. Like many others, this died after a few months, but as the light it emitted was far too bright, I simply disconnected it and left it in position. Thanks for looking in, and for all the comments. David

When we began looking for a new home, my wife was quite insistent that it had to have a room that was large enough to house the layout. I wasn't going to argue with that, and when we found a place that suited our needs, the basement came with a games room and pool table as well! The layout is 16' X 12' and it fits into the available space with about 2" to spare at either end. The fact that I now have access to the rear of the storage sidings is an added bonus.

Well, it's been quite a while since I last posted anything on this topic. Work was progressing, somewhat more slowly than before, and then we decided to move home earlier this year. So, in the space of four days at the beginning of March, we sold our house near Atlanta and bought one near Athens (Georgia not Greece, before anyone asks). The move itself took place over three days in mid-April: right in the middle of the COVID-19 outbreak here. That meant the layout had to be dismantled (no small task), the stock packed up, and everything transported 50 miles to our new home, before being reassembled. That work is now almost complete, and test running is in progress. All being well, I will post some pictures of Teignbridge (and Upcombe) in the near future. David

Hi Bob, The footbridge is a modified ex-Hornby kit (R 481) which is now part of the Gaugemaster Fordhampton range. I described the modifications I made elsewhere: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/95033-gaugemaster-fordhampton-structures-oo4mm-scale/ All the best. David

Now that the scenic details around Teignbridge have been enhanced with the addition of the six pine trees, it's time for some main line steam action. First up is no. 6010 'King Charles I' heading east with one of the four daily named trains between the south west and Paddington. The Cornish Riviera Express, The Cornishman and The Royal Duchy started from Penzance, and while The Mayflower ran between Plymouth and London. No. 6010 is a renamed Hornby model (R3332) which has been detailed with class A lamps, crew, and real coal. It has also received attention from GC Weathering. I chose this engine because it was one of the two King Class locomotives that I saw dumped awaiting their fate during my first visit to Old Oak Common in October 1963. The other was no. 6028 'King George VI' and I also have a model of that engine. Next up is no. 3840 heading west up the gradient with a class H unfitted freight bound for Tavistock Junction yard. All the wagons in this train have passed through the expert hands of GC Weathering and I have also added a coal load to each of them. The layout is DCC, and this engine has been fitted with a TCS DP2X-UK decoder together with a TCS KA1-C keep alive capacitor. The addition of the latter unit transformed it from a somewhat indifferent performer into a beautiful slow runner. Once again, thanks for the 'likes' and for the encouraging comments. David

The last section of the layout which required some scenic attention has now been completed (at least for the moment). That is the rising ground behind the up platform and in front of Station Road at Teignbridge. In an attempt to capture the typical appearance of a country GWR station, I have now 'planted' a row of 8" pine trees (from JTT Scenery Products). As these are some 30" from the front of the layout, they are less detailed than the Scots pines at Upcombe station. The first pair of photographs show the 'before' and 'after' appearance. In the next pair of photographs, the goods shed is not hidden behind the large oak tree. The goods crane came from Mike's Models, longer ago than I care to recall. If the roofs of the buildings look different in the 'after' photographs, that is because I am in the process of weathering them. Here is a final 'after' photograph looking from the other direction. I posted the corresponding 'before' photograph last week. Once again, thanks for looking and for your encouragement. David

Another part of the layout that has received some attention in recent months is the field and buildings at eastern end of the Teignbridge scene, here visible on the right in the distance. In addition, there is now a gate leading into the goods yard, and a weigh bridge near the entrance. The vans in the foreground are all Bachmann models that have been detailed with screw-link or instanter couplings (Smiths). The two BR-design vans have also been fitted with tie bars (Cambrian Models). All have been weathered by GC Weathering, back in the UK (usual disclaimer). The next photograph shows a closer view of the cottages and Royal Oak inn, looking along the road across the railway over bridge to the bus stop opposite the entrance to Station Road. The inn was constructed to my own freelance design using Wills and Ratio materials, while the cottages were made from a Wills Craftsman kit, but substituting lime washed stone sheet for the walls. The Royal Oak has acquired a substantial covering of ivy (MiniNatur, 1:160 scale), and four trees from MBR Models have appeared in the field. Note the stile in the hedge opposite the Royal Oak (Peco) and the worn down grass on the path leading from it. Blocking the entrance to the field is an MG TC whose owner might have been glimpsed in earlier photographs watching the trains from the parapet of the over bridge. Thanks for looking and for your encouragement. David

Alan - Thanks for your comment: Wencombe was one of the inspirations for this layout. The HP advert comes from one of the Sankey Scenics 1950s billboards sheets. David

Another aspect of the scenics that didn’t quite work for me was the low relief buildings behind the branch terminus station (see posts 100 and 118). I decided to remove these and replace them with a hedgerow to create a more rural setting that would merge into the back scene. It then occurred to me that a fish and chip shop wasn’t the most appropriate choice alongside a 1950s grocers and greengrocers, so I converted it into an old-fashioned hardware store, with items for sale on the pavement outside. I’ve added some fruit and veg in the window of the greengrocers, and there are shelves with food items inside the grocers. I’ve completed the scene with some typical GWR pine trees as a visual break at the end of the layout. For those that are interested, I sourced these from JTT Model Trees. Thanks for looking, and for the comments and likes. David

Time for another update. Last time it was photographed, no. 5573 was leaving Teignbridge for its final trip down the Upcombe branch that evening. Here it is again, emerging from under the road bridge and crossing the viaduct as it nears the end of its journey through the South Devon countryside. Thanks for looking, and for the comments and likes. David

It’s late afternoon in the summer of 1959 and the last up branch passenger train from Upcombe has just arrived in the bay platform at Teignbridge, the junction with the South Devon main line. In addition to the regular ‘B’ set, no. 5573 has brought an ex-SR 4-wheel parcels van that will now be detached from the train. No. 5573 has run forward along the bay platform and is waiting while no. 3840 climbs toward the summit with its class D freight to Tavistock Junction. No sooner has the down freight disappeared under the bridge than Hall class no. 5967 ‘Bickmarch Hall’ appears, slowing for its stop at Teignbridge with its local passenger train from Plymouth to Exeter. No. 5573 will now run forward onto the down main, stop, and then reverse onto the up main so that it the parcels van can be attached to the rear of the Exeter train for the next stage of its overnight trip up to London. In the next photograph, the parcels van has been attached to the up local, and no. 5573 has returned across the main lines to run around its ‘B’ set. Meanwhile, no. 5967 is departing in the Newton Abbott direction. No. 5573 has finished running round and is now being coupled up to the ‘B’ set in the bay platform for its final run down the branch this evening. It appears the crew has still to move the lamps to the correct positions. Note to those with obsessional tendencies (a group in which I include myself): with bidirectional running on the branch, there are at least three options: (1) no lamps (incorrect all the time); (2) lamps at both ends of the locomotive and the ‘B’ set (incorrect all the time); (3) lamps at the front of the locomotive and one end of the ‘B’ set (correct for up branch trains all the time). My choice is option 3. Thanks for looking. David

It's been almost 18 months since I last posted something on this topic. In the meantime, I've been continuing to work on the layout, adding more detail and re-working some of the scenics that I didn't think were quite right. One of the aspects that I thought needed attention was the viaduct and its surroundings. The original back scene included some 'modern' farm buildings that I thought were a bit anachronistic, so I've added some more woodland in front of them. One of the other things that I thought would improve the viaduct was the addition of some trees. I searched for a long time for a suitable commercial product until I came across a supplier called MBR Models, based in Poland (usual disclaimer). The hedges have also seen some additional attention: the rubberized horse hair foundation has been covered with Woodland Scenics poly fiber and then with SuperLeaf from Scenic Express. Thanks for looking. I will post more photographs of other developments in the near future. David

I have fitted a Zimo MX622N to my 14XX and adjusted CV9 to 51 and CV56 to 133 as recommended. Compared with the TCS EUN651 decoder that I had tried out earlier (with back EMF turned off), the improvement in performance was incredible. Has anyone got any recommendations for the best settings for CV2/3/4/5/6? At the moment, I have these set at 0, 1, 1, 180 and 60. Although the loco is very smooth running, it doesn't get to much more than slow crawl until speed step 30. David

Time for a few pictures of my favorite ex-GWR class. Here is no. 7020 'Gloucester Castle' speeding through Teignbridge on a down express. This model came from the "A Date with the Duchy" set that I acquired second-hand, and started life as no. 7036 'Taunton Castle'. It has been updated from the early emblem on the tender to the later crest as the layout is set in 1959-1960. The undersized plastic smokebox dart has been replaced with a Markits brass version which (I think) greatly improves the appearance of the model. Thanks for viewing. David

Like others, I have just discovered this thread and have read it through from the beginning: what spectacular modeling! Your rendition of the English countryside is one of the most convincing I have seen. The craftsmanship involved in creating your trees and weathered buildings is of the highest standard.. Thanks for sharing this great layout, and please keep the pictures coming. David

I think I quoted the figure of 3 feet in a recent post, but when I rechecked this morning I realized it's actually 3 feet 8 inches in depth! David

As Twright said, it's there just above the left hand buffer. I do, though, need to add a proper coupling and brake pipe to that tail-end tanker. David

The first three pictures are some of the best I have seen on RMWeb. I can visualize myself on that station watching and listening to that train arriving. Brings back all sorts of wonderful memories. David

Something different this weekend. Here is the afternoon Penzance to London Kensington milk train passing through Teignbridge behind Hall Class no. 6954 Lotherton Hall. The engine is a detailed Bachmann model: I added etched name and number plates, lamps and crew, and replaced the front vacuum pipe, as well as adding real coal to the tender. The tankers are Hornby models, all acquired second-hand over a period of a few years. Most of these came branded as Milk Marketing Board tankers, so I dismantled them, removed the lettering, and then resprayed them. Locomotive, passenger brake van, and tankers have all been weathered by Glen and Carol at GC Weathering. David

This week I've been trying out a few new camera positions. Here is Hall Class no. 4948 'Northwick Hall' slowing to a halt at Teignbridge on a Plymouth to Exeter local passenger train on a summer afternoon in 1959. First, three photographs from the down platform. And a final photograph from the over bridge at the east end of the station. David

To answer the question "where do you store all your modeling clutter?", the answer is under the storage sidings, in a large cupboard, and in a storage room elsewhere in the basement. My workbench is in one of the basement bedrooms under a window, but it is dismantled at the moment as we have family visiting next weekend. Here are a few more 'aerial' photographs showing the current state of the layout. Thanks for viewing and for all the comments. David

As there has been some interest in overall views of the layout, here are a few photographs. The layout is situated in an internal room in our basement. The room itself is 20' X 19', but the need to gain access to cupboards limits the layout size to 16' X 12'. This is the view looking into the room from the door. The main line junction station, Teignbridge, is to the right. The branch line which has looped round to the right, and then through the storage sidings, emerges from under a road bridge straight ahead. It then curves round to the left over the viaduct and into the terminus, Upcombe. This is the view in the opposite direction. The clock on the wall is a restored 12" drop case, made for the South Eastern Railway by John Walker of South Molton Street, London. I acquired it from the 'clock man' of Limpley Stoke (near Bath) who used to advertise in the railway magazines about forty years' ago. I inherited a large grandfather clock which we couldn't fit into our then home, so I sold it and invested the proceeds in several railway clocks. This clock still keeps good time. My desk with my computer and filing cabinets is out of sight on the right, hidden behind the layout. This is the view from behind the branch line baseboards looking towards Teignbridge. The storage sidings are out of sight next to the far wall and are accessed by ducking under the layout. The layout is 48" above the floor so I should be able to get under it for a few more years. This is the view from the access area between the storage sidings and the Teignbridge baseboards (which are 3' deep) towards Upcombe. The large picture (Don Breckon) will be familiar to many GWR fans. To complete the picture, here are the storage sidings, of which there are 11 (four for the up main line on the right, four for the down main line in the middle, and three for the branch line next to the wall on the left). The two longest sidings can hold a tender engine and nine coaches. The 'mezzanine floor' above the sidings is a recent addition, constructed to house my growing collection of engines when not in use. The two small black pieces of plastic just visible on the right are bits that have fallen off my two Hornby Kings and are awaiting to be re-attached (a tender water scoop and a speedometer). David

I think it's time I posted a few photographs of some recent main line steam in action on the layout. To get going again, here is Castle Class no. 5053 Earl Cairns on a down express headed for Plymouth. In real life, no. 5053 was allocated to 83A (Newton Abbot) from December 1954 until November 1959 when it moved to 83D (Laira). It moved for the last time to 88A (Cardiff Canton) in September 1961, and was withdrawn in July 1962. It never received a double chimney, and spent long periods in the 1950s with a Hawksworth tender. There is a superb photograph of no. 5053 climbing westbound on Dainton in 1960 on the front cover of Peter Gray's 'Steam in Devon' colour album. David

As anyone who has attempted to do this will be aware, merging foreground buildings with a back scene and achieving a reasonable perspective is challenging. I'd be interested in hearing folks' comments on my efforts so far. The location is the corner at the end of the branch line terminus (Upcombe). Neither version is perfect, but which one looks better? This one: Or this one: BTW I'm aware that the car in the background is well out of period for the model! David