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Michaelsutton1u

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    Modelling the Great Central Railway, From Loughborough to Charnwood Water in Preserved Era.

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  1. Kit Bashing Ratio Signals. Welcome to this small blog entry. Whilst I have been working on the track-work on the layout, and carrying on ballasting, I thought I'd take the time to show off some of the work Kirsty, my other half, has done to adapt our packs of Ratio LNER & Lattice Signals. Loughborough Down Main Outer Home. Loughboroughs Down Main Outer Home signal, was one of the signals we tasked our selves with trying to make our selves. We used the LNER Pack of Ratio Signals to get the basic structure, with the addition of the fixed distant arm below the main arm. This will become in use when the GCR is able to proceed through to Rushcliffe Halt & Rudidngton Fields on the Preserved GCR(N). What we have noticed, certainly by making this particular ratio kit, is that a lot of filing and adjustment is required. In terms of building them they are pretty simple, and the end product is worth it. Painting is pretty simple, You can see some of the paints we have used in the images below. We buy these from games workshop and hand paint the signals ourselves. The Pictures below show the model in its uncompleted condition prior to adding the hand rails around the top of the planking. The image above is seen taken approaching Loughborough Central Station, on the Down Main. The Signal in the distance that can be seen is Loughborough's Inner Home Lattice Gantry Signal. This can be seen further down this post. Loughboroughs Down Main Inner Home. This signal is one of the Great Centrals More impressive pieces. Containing three main arms, and one subsidiary calling on arm. From left to Right.. Left Hand Main Arm - Access to Loughboroughs Down Loop Left Hand Subsidiary Calling on Arm. - Access to Loughboroughs Down Loop when occupied. Centre Main Arm - Access to Loughborough Platform 2. Right Hand Main Arm - Access to Loughborough Platform 1. The Construction. The Construction of Loughboroughs Down Main Inner Home was a lot more complex than the outer home. Not only have we relied on ratio's Lattice post signal kit, But we have had to make the gantry posts from Brass Rod, and add the structural brass holding wires, extend the gantry in length, create a new planked top to the correct length, add some new weight fixings and remake some signal post tops the best we can. The Track circuit diamond was also added to the centre post on top of the gantry. This was quite a good signal to start painting with plenty of colour and seeing it come to life. Again, using a mixture of Citadel and Games Workshop Paints, these applied very well and have left a great appearance. I used MIG Clay Brown to paint the wooden planking for the top of the Gantry, and weathered it down with some dust and black washes. The signal can be seen nearing the end of its construction in place along side Beeches Road Bridge, 334, which has been a kit bash of L-Cuts Brick Over Bridge, I will do a follow up Blog entry on how we have adjusted these and made them look better. Loughboroughs Up Main Section Signal. Loughboroughs Up Main Section Signal was a very easy build and not a lot of adjustment was required to Ratios kit. Again, Kirsty has done a good job in getting this one finished in rather quick time. Thanks for reading! All the best Michael Sutton & Kirsty Beardmore.
  2. Ballasting, a task which is feared of by many railway modellers across the globe. Welcome to this new blog entry, where I hope to show you a quick and effective method of creating ballasted Code 75 Wooden sleeper track which looks professional and realistic. The Materials you will need for my method is as follows. Deluxe Materials - Ballast Bond. (Approximately £6.00 Per 100ml.) Fine Spray Bottle - Containing Luke Warm Water with two drops of Fairy Liquid. Greenscenes Ballast - Codes GS408 (Fine) & GS409 (Semi Coarse) Large Soft Paint Brush Tea Spoon Ballast Spreader. Method. Before Starting, ensure your work area is clear of dust, debris and other items you do not want getting in your ballast, or wetting with the spray application bottle later on in the process. Mixing the Ballast. We Mix up some ballast using Greenscenes fine and semi coarse ballast, The ballast is Product codes GS408 & GS409 mixed together. Remembering that Ballast is never all the same size. You'll Probably see that the ballast shade we have chosen is quite a light shade. This will be weathered and dulled down in due course at a later stage. Applying the Ballast. Ballast Spreaders are available from many manufacturers and suppliers around the globe, such as Proses and Greenscenes. We picked this one up from a local supplier at a model railway show a few years ago, they all function the same. This is a simple, yet effective way of ballasting large areas quickly and hassle free. Upon Loading the Ballast Spreader, drag it along the rails. It will deposit any ballast in open areas along the 4ft and Cess at the side of the rails. Be careful not to drag the ballast spreader along to quickly, doing so will not allow the ballast to go into all of the areas it is required. I advise working in small sections at a time when doing Ballasting in this way, theres nothing worse than laying out all of your ballast and then realising you do not have enough Glue half way through! This can lead to all manor of problems, the main one being dust and debris falling into it! Remove the Ballast spreader from the rails when the hopper is empty, and you have ballasted all the areas required. Once you've done this, Using a soft large brush, remove the ballast from the top of the sleepers and the sleeper sides, this will give a more realistic appearance. Forming the Ballast Shoulder and Neatening up. Once you've removed all the ballast from the sleeper tops and sides, I use the brush to just push the ballast down between the sides of the rails so there is no gaps visable of the cork underneath. You can also use the brush to pat down the ballast shoulder softly. I am aware that most modern day ballast shoulders are raised above the rails, but at the GCR, this is a different story. Tap the Rail head with a tea spoon too when you are happy, this will allow all of the ballast to sit comfortably inside the rails and sleepers, and also remove any remaining ballast off the sleepers. This is a small, yet effective way of removing the ballast from areas it is not required. Ensure your layout is off before you do this, as you don't want to short the power to your railway out! Applying the Adhesive. When we are ready to apply the glue to hold everything together, there is more to it than just adding the adhesive. We start by giving the area we wish to glue a good spray using a fine mist spray bottle, Nothing Pricey or out of the ordinary, many of you will have something similar lying around at home. In this mixture, we fill it with Luke Warm water and two drops of fairy Liquid just to break the surface tension of the ballast when the glue is applied, this also allows the glue to flow further. When approaching Point-work, the same method can be applied, although be very careful of the switch blades and mechanism. When the mixture is fully soaked, it is time to apply the adhesive. The Simplest way we have found, although more expensive is using Deluxe Materials Ballast Bond. This retails around the £6.00 area per bottle, depending on the supplier. If you are working on very large layouts you may be better sticking with normal PVA & Water, I'm pretty sure there is no difference, although this is my preferred method due to the ease of use. Each bottle is supplied with a fine applicator nossle,which the adhesive can come out of in droplets, This soaks into the ballast really well, and the dry time for this product is between 6 & 8 Hours in a well heated environment. Its important not to touch the ballast whilst it is drying. This can dislodge the ballast, and it is very hard to correct it once it has been touched. It will be a lot easier to rectify and issues once the glue has dried. The Finished Product. Once complete, This is how it will look. You are left with a nice matt finish, no shines from the sleepers and everything is held into place very well. Eventually the rails and sleepers will be weathered with my airbrush. I will do a tutorial on how I go about that in another blog. Here are some images of the finished product. I'd highly recommend this method for beginners its pretty fail safe! Helpful links to some of the products I've used can be seen below. Ballast Used - http://www.green-scenes.co.uk/store?productlist-sort=created-desc&productlist-categories=ballast&productlist-itemcount=20&productlist-search= Ballast Spreader (Example) - https://railsofsheffield.com/products/33597/proses-pbs-ho-02-oo-gauge-ballast-spreader-car-w-shut-off-and-height-adjustment?gclid=CjwKCAjw2uf2BRBpEiwA31VZj_Tc8IOAWaiuycYyTd8lTqId7yqmgOlP8csNY7N0IdWAA7z0FLTVFxoCT6YQAvD_BwE Deluxe Materials Ballast Bond 100ml - https://www.track-shack.com/oo-gauge-railways/adhesives-1/deluxe-materials-ad-75-ballast-bond-liquid-adhesive-100ml-gm_dlad_75-2 Thanks for reading, Hopefully this will help many people get used to ballasting in a different way. All the best Michael Sutton & Kirsty Beardmore.
  3. Great Central Railway, Loughborough South Junction. 4mm 00 Gauge 16ft x 7ft Welcome! Welcome to all of you viewing my brand new layout blog. This layout is 16ft x 7ft and based on the Great Central Railway at Loughborough, specifically between Bridges 333 & 335. The layout was started in December 2019, and here in this blog, I intend to show you our previous steps and our future progress on the layout, Demonstrations, Tutorials and plenty more. Take a look down below to see some history and what to expect. History on the Location The Great Central Railway is the UK's only double track mainline preserved railway. The line runs from Loughborough Central to Leicester North travelling for approximately 8 miles. Bridge 333 sees the exit of Loughborough Central's platforms as the railway heads towards Quorn passing Loughborough's Up Section Signal, past Charnwood Water and under the public footpath bridge. The layout is set between these two bridges. In terms of locos and rolling stock, GCR hosts a variety of different examples which allows the modeller to use near enough any ready to run rolling stock within reason. Why I Chose to model the Great Central Railway, Specifically, Loughborough's South Junction, So... why am I modelling the Great Central Railway? And specifically this location? Knowledge of the Location - The main reason I chose to model this area is because not only am I a Fireman and Second-man, I also work for the Railway on their Operations Department. This allows me to access locations which are out of bounds to the public in a safe and sensible manor. Good route knowledge is also essential which it comes to modelling a set location. Thankfully this means online research is kept to a minimum! Signalling - Featuring eight signals across the stretch of Loughboroughs station limits, these will all be modelled using Ratio semaphore signals and we are currently investigating getting some signals professionally made for the layout. Class 50's to Jinties! - Modelling a preserved railway does have some benefits, with the Great Central hosting such a large collection of Steam, Diesel and multiple units, as well as a huge amount of wagons and coaches. No need for modellers license here, as it is not uncommon to see a Class 50 hauling a rake of Windcutters or a 3F hauling a lunchtime dining train as well as many more colourful yet accurate combinations of rolling stock together. Buildings and Structures - These will be made primarily from scratch utilising laser-cut brickwork from L-cut Creative, 2mm Grey-board, and a selection of details and Plasticard products made by other manufacturers such as Evergreens and Wills Kits. Scenery - Areas such as embankments and other raised terrain will be made using foam and Sculpt-a-mold. We have just started creating these as well as other scenic assets. We will be updating the blog regularly as we make progress on the scenery. Track work - We have used Peco Code 75 track work and Electrofrog points. It is ballasted using Green-scenes GS408 and GS409. The point-work is powered via a Gaugemaster transformer and uses Peco's new Twist-lock Point Motors, of which I highly recommend. Power and Control - The layout is powered using Roco's Z21 system and MultiMaus handsets. It is DCC Operated. Weathering - You will also see some examples of weathering and how to achieve realistic effects on buildings, rolling stock and more! Summary So, as you can see there are many plus points to modelling this location, and railway, and that will hopefully be shown over the next months of modelling as the Layout Progresses. Thankfully, my other half Kirsty has a lot of modelling expertise as well as myself, as not only has she built layouts in the past, she also has a very large collection of 00 gauge Bachmann and Hornby Models Not forgetting other manufacturers of course!! As there is two of us working on the layout, Hopefully progress will be quicker than usual, but still remain to the same high Standard. All the best & Thankyou for reading. I Hope you keep an eye on this project for future updates! Michael Sutton & Kirsty Beardmore.
  4. As well as Richy 59. I am also looking to wire up the micro switch. Pecos Video is pretty useless in showing how they are actually wired. If anyone could lend a hand that would be great! Diagram perhaps?
  5. It would be good to see a video of this being installed for an electrofrog point set up. For those of us that aren't that good with electrics. Certainly seems easier to install than Pecos PL10 Point Motors. Maybe someone could lend a hand and draw out some diagrams?
  6. I've spent the last few weeks building the Depot for Chamberlain Junction, (Which could soon have a change in name). Made from a mixture of Wills, Carboard, Photographic Papers, and Plastruct components, its starting to come on. Its by no means perfect for now, as this is the first time I have ever scratch built!! But I'm hoping you all like it. Still Plenty to do on the depot in due course.
  7. Well, Trackwork has begun on the layout, I'm using Pecos fantastic 'Peco Bullhead', Well, (Just deciding if to use Peco Code 75 Electrofrog or Peco Bullhead Points!!), (Image Attached). The Bullhead fish plates do prove to be a challenge to fit! There have been a slight few changes to the layout, Including Era, Track Design and the way it is all sitting, all yet to be confirmed with the use of a pin hammer and pins! The next step for me will be drilling some holes for point motors etc.
  8. Well Boards have finally been built, Laser cut from Tim Horn, I can highly recommend his products! They have all been built, and slightly modified at my friend Phil's workshop, measuring 15ft in Length and 2ft in Width, Next step, Track! (Image attached)
  9. The track plan certainly looks the part, what size boards would you be using? All the best M.Sutton
  10. As my first Blog entry, I felt the need to explain the forthcoming plans for my new exhibition layout "Chamberlain Junction". Being my first show layout, I'm hoping this goes well! So... Where to start! The layout its self totals 16ft in length, and 2ft in width, with the baseboards being made by the ever popular "Tim Horn Baseboards". Being constructed from Birch Ply, in 4 Separate 4ft x 2ft Modules, With legs being custom made by myself. (The Boards have been ordered, and are hopefully arriving soon!!) Exciting times! The layout is intended around my home town in the East Midlands, with maybe a few flavours of the west midlands being incorporated. The era I have chosen is based generally around the Sub-Sector time, allowing for plenty of liveries and locos to be seen, aswell as a varied amount of wagons. (With the layout being predominantly freight.) During the last few weeks, and breaking the bank at Warley, I managed to pick up a few sound locos, two of which have been both in Coal Sector livery, being 56128 'West Burton Power Station' fitted with a LokSound chip, and Bachmann's new Coal Sector Tractor, with Sound. The track-work will be constructed using Peco's new 'Bullhead' range, being the SL108F & the new bullhead points. With the power for the layout coming from the 'Roco Z21' System, with WiFi Router, allowing control from my phone and tablet, and also I have purchased a Multi-Maus controller for another form of control. As we all know, a layout can never be "Finished", but I am hoping to get the layout out to its first shows in late 2018, to early 2019. I Hope you look forward to following this Sub-Sector Project! All the best Michael Sutton
  11. I've just bought my first box of 25 lengths of the Bullhead SL108F, Lovely track to the eye, I've had a go at trying to fit the Bullhead Fishplates, but do find it fiddly, could anyone recommend any tips of doing it easily, with out the track bending when the rails are trying to be connected? Cheers guys.
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