Robin Gristwood

Great job. The Archer rivets look really effective on the bridge girder.

Coming along nicely. What wood are you using for the walls of your building carcasses? It looks like its something you can cut with a knife, judging by the clean window openings?

Chaz, There isn't any passenger traffic as such, just non-passenger parcels stock to the mail order warehouse. My idea for signalling and having a signal box was based on a nearby location at Birmingham Central Goods. http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/102142-making-a-start-in-7mm-for-the-first-time-layout-update/page-4&do=findComment&comment=2574107 I haven't done a huge amount of research on it, but I don't think it had any passenger traffic from the start. I liked the idea and the opportunity to have operating signals, and a signal box too. The next job I want to tackle is adding point rodding from the signal box to the points. Once this has been planned out I can start on painting the track and ballasting.

Marc, Although you find the instructions included perfectly adequate, I found these guides on making them a particularly useful addition http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/456/entry-7377-dinghams-part-2/ http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/456/entry-7387-dinghams-part3/ Part one disappeared into cyberspace somewhere, but that didn't hamper me. I am guessing it was possibly preamble and about prepping the fret and removing the parts from the fret. I used a fine Garryflex abrasive pad to thoroughly clean the fret (both sides) before cutting out any pieces.

I bought some about a month ago. Very prompt response as usual from Trevor. Are you using the couplers@dingham.co.uk address to make contact? I made a jig to get the height of each set consistent. The couplers are easily adjusted with gentle bending to get the height of the loop set correctly, so long as the coupler hole is approximately in the right position. I'm glad I tried them, and they make operating a pleasure rather than a chore.

Nearly a year has passed since I last updated this thread. Looking back at how it was a year ago to how it is now, it is quite surprising how things have changed even though you think to yourself….I haven’t done that much. To start with the layout now has a name ‘Dominion Dock Goods’. The docks in Liverpool seem to have used up all the former kings, queens, princes and princesses, notable politician names of the Victorian era, as well as the cardinal compass points and docks showing main destination e.g. North Docks Goods, Canada Dock, etc, so I thought this would fit, and I liked the sound of it too. The end of the layout as it enters the fiddle yards has been redesigned. This follows another series of ‘sketches’ from Brian after a discussion with him about how best to use the space. The engine shed for the docks railway has been replaced by a set of coal drops. The road under the tracks is now a canal that all the tracks need to cross. Yes I know Liverpool is hardly criss-crossed by canals, but hey-ho Rule 1 and all that..!! This has of course meant the construction of several bridges to cross the canal and making the coal drops, and the realisation of the need to add literally thousands of rivets to the girders that would be needed. I have used the Slaters embossed rivet sheets cut into single strips for some of the girders, and made rivets for the others, especially the top plates, either using a drop-weight type riveter, and lately using a wonderful G.W.Models riveter, which is a wonderful piece of workmanship which will help no end with all sort of future builds. A tunnel was built to allow the canal to disappear under the mail order warehouse The mail order warehouse at the back now has an extended loading platform to accommodate a greater variety of parcels traffic. The sidings in the goods yard have been altered slightly to better serve the new goods shed. The fruit and veg warehouse to the right has a cold store added to the side to increase traffic potential. Replacement foamcore dummy buildings have been constructed to get a feel for how it will look, but they will all be replaced over time with properly constructed buildings. The position of the signal box has been moved and a perimeter wall and entry gate added to define the edge of the layout better. Again inspired by another sketch. The wonderful signals from Jon have all been fitted and are operating well. I did have a problem with using the MegaPoints board though for the ground signal. The board should allow a normal or a reverse signal to be sent to the server to operate either clockwise or anticlockwise depending on the linkage to the arm/board, however for some reason the board refuses to reverse the servo for the ground signal and I needed to get a servo reverser off eBay. The number of available locos and rolling stock have been steadily increasing, including dedicated fruit vans and parcels stock. So much so that extra storage is now needed for the items that don’t fit..! But you can never have enough stock, right? All the stock has been fitted with Dinghams couplings. I don’t use the magnetic release option, preferring to use a bamboo skewer with a hook on the end to flip up the loops. Many of the locos now have crews on the footplate from the excellent range available from Detailed Miniatures. I have always preferred to operate my layouts rather than just ‘play trains’. In the past, I have used various methods to generate traffic. My previous foray into’ modelling US railroads lead down the path of computer switchlists and the dark art that was Ship-It’. For the last layout prior to this one though I had swapped over to using carcards and waybills to generate and control traffic movements. I have put that same system into place now on the current layout. It means that arrival and departure of trains, and the shunting in between, are less random, and can generate some interesting moves. This makes operating sessions more enjoyable and worthwhile, with a sense of completion when one cycle of arrivals and departures is run.

Hello John, I too am just about to start building this kit. I was wondering if you or anyone else knows if this kit a suitable prototype to convert without too much effort to the type that replaced the end vent with an external duct. This type is described in 4mm Wagon (part 2) by Geoff Kent - pages 94-96. I think this type is shown in a photo of Mersey docks in the first photo in this topic? http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/60700-is-this-doncaster-green/ I was thinking of building a second wagon, and having two wagons that aren't identical always adds to scene. Robin

I wonder if anyone who has used the ESU adapter plate to replace the Heljan board for fitting a sound decoder could let me know which wires go where? I can see from the photo above which number pins are being used, but not which of the multiplicity of Heljan wires are connected to each one. I have tried to trace the wires back, but cant tell which are which, and what is the common return. Do I need to keep the wiring for the switch? Robin

Hello, I'm trying to fit my new Dapol 7mm Jinty with its sound decoder from Paul Chetter. I've had a problem with one of the pads on the decoder for soldering on the wires that connect to a capacitor for Stay Alive capability. As you can see from the photo below, after soldering to both pads successfully I bent the wires back to enable the capacitor to fit in the boiler, one of the wires came off. At first I thought it was a dry solder joint, but on careful inspection of the decoder I see that the pad had come away, leaving nothing behind to solder to..! I am hoping that one of the contacts on the other side can be soldered to, but I don't want to damage the decoder by trying the wrong one. Does anyone know if one of the contacts on the top right of the photo above can be used or not? If not, is there any other solution anyone can suggest short of getting the decoder replaced? (Apologies for the photo quality, but I took them quickly on my phone) Robin

Progress on the layout this month has slowed a little due to some medical issues. But the recovery time has been well spent I hope by taking this easy and doing a little modelling. Unfortunately I hadn't stocked up on etched fishplates before C&L changed hands so I will have to wait until Telford now to get enough to make a decent start on adding them to the plain track where necessary. Needless to say the signals Jon has built for me are even better in the flesh than the photos, although I haven't had a chance to try them out yet connected to a MegaPoints controller. I have finished building the Connoisseur 20t Stanier brake van though. What a joy these kits are to build. Excellent instructions and precise fitting parts. I did replace the white metal buffer heads for steel though, but had to retain the original buffer guides as any replacements contemplated wouldn't fit into the limited space behind the headstock. Next step is to get it etch primed ready for a top coat of Bauxite. I need to get some decals too, and then get on with some weathering to try and give it that "lived in" look, and finally adding the glazing. I'm not sure how obvious the lack of paneling is inside the verandahs, although an etched planked floor is provided, would some sort of representation of the wood planking inside help? Having looked at Paul Barletts photos it does seem that the most noticeable ( and perhaps easiest addition) is some sort of diagonal bracing on the inside of the end, Robin

Thanks for the kind words Chaz. I agree with you about how best time is spent. I think the next big job is painting the track and ballasting, which should make a difference to the overall effect. I have to add all the etched fishplates at the right distances on the flexi track too before I paint the track. I need to think about where the point rodding and visible dummy signal wires will go too, so that the bases are in place before I ballast. I have no idea about what goes where though. I suppose some googling research is needed?

Looking really good Jon. Hope the rest of the layout will live up to the quality of the signals?

You are right Rich, it is about time I updated in progress with the layout. I made up some mock-up structures for the time being from foam-core and scaled-up OO printed buildings to give some impression of what it might look like, as well as making sure that the plan actually works. I’m not sure whether I will keep all the buildings as they are though. I’ve cut out the area for the road underbridge also, ready to add a plate girder bridge. I have made a start on making some of the stock of kits I have been amassing whilst building the layout. The first completed was this Peco 16t mineral which I started over a year ago, it is painted and weathered using a similar technique to Tove (http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/115491-gosty-hill-small-mid-80s-layout/?p=2621733). I couldn’t find the original Peco decals so I used Railtec for the numbers and letters. I sprayed the white stripe using a mask and the bottom door marks were made using HO dry rub decals I had left over from previous projects (actually the ‘I’ from ERIE from CDS boxcar decal). Next was a Parkside GWR 12t van. I decided to have a go at modelling a torn roof covering to show some of the exposed planks. The planks were scored into the roof were they would show, and painted. The area was masked and the roof sprayed with a roof colour, then a sheet of tissue paper was cut to size and a rip was made in the paper. The ripped part was set with Mr. Putty dissolved in cellulose thinner and painted on the paper. This sets the paper hard. The wagon was painted and decaled. The roof was sprayed again. Then it was time to weather the wagon. I used the method of airbrush on and wipe off mainly demonstrated by George Dent in Model Rail series of weathering DVD’s. The Parkside LMS 5 plank open was the next one to be built. All these kits go together really well and just building them is relaxing in itself. I took the opportunity to add some wood grain effect by roughing up the planks with a 120 grit sanding wand. My stock of Dapol and Lionheart RTR wagons also received a similar weathering treatment. I hope you agree that even a small amount of weathering make a difference from that 'out of the box' appearance. This one started out as that rather odd looking open wagon Dapol advertise as natural wood. I tried to strip the paint using my the method i had successfully used when modelling HO, which was to soak in Iso-Propyl Alcohol (IPA) for a day or two and brushing off what is usually by then peeling paint. Despite a week immersed in a tub of IPA and vigorous brushing very little came off. I reverted to a method I had heard a fiend say had worked for him, Caustic Soda crystals in water. The first solution wasn't strong enough, so I added quite a bit more, being careful it didn’t heat up too much. The wagon was put into the tub and about half an hour later all the paint was easy to take off. Obviously being careful when brushing, so splashes were avoided. Once free of the factory finish, I decided to try and replicate a wagon with peeling paint showing wood underneath. So far none of the wagons can be considered finished as I still need to add various extra shades and rust effects in places. I added some rust effects to these Lionheart 16t minerals using a technique seen on YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpT0al779Ak Still lots to do. More reports to follow, and hopefully a little bit often that I've been managing.

Hi Craig, I had a similar problem with my Heljan GUV. I found the wheels were too deep to run through my 31.5mm pointwork. If I remember correctly I prised off the springs and this allowed access to the bearings from the outside and somehow I got the brass bearing out and flexed the frames to get the wheels out. I was able to prise off the spring from one wheel to demonstrate what I did. Apologies for the pics, I took them on my phone. I replaced the wheels with coach wheels from Peartree Engineering (Model Railway Parts). To install the new wheels I reversed the Heljan bearing and slid the Peartree bearing inside. The wheels were put in place between the frames and the new bearing set slid over the pinpoint axles from the outside. The only work then was to mill out some of the plastic from the spring moulding to accommodate the bearing flange that is now on the outside of the frame Then glue on modified spring mouldings back in place. I used superglue for this. This GUV now runs through all my points with no lifting or wheel drop. I'm sure there must be other ways of doing this but this worked for me.

Red fibres?.. where Martyn.. could you please point them out as I cant see anything like that? .. or do you mean some of the other static grass fibre sources available that Brian hasn't used? A bit confused.. or is it just me?

Thanks again Rich. I like the idea of the black/yellow ground signal too. As you say it would mean the BR box would only control movement into the exchange which is what I envisaged. I did see a photo of another example here (this example is lower quadrant type though). This was literally a couple of miles away from where I live now. I did work at Longbridge for several years for the company loading cars onto trains, but never thought to take any photos. Of course now everything is gone and the whole area has been re-developed.

Thanks for that Rich. The era is 60's steam and diesel. It definitely wouldn't be one engine in steam. I was actually thinking of stationing a pilot for shunting if I could get away with it. I've had a go at interpreting what you propose on the plan. Does this look anything like you suggested? How would access to the exchange siding be controlled either by BR loco or Docks shunter? Would that need some sort of signalling too? I really appreciate your help with this Rich

Hi Rich, I don't think I need to have departures from every siding. I'm hoping this diagram helps making things a bit clearer as to what signals I would need. I'm guessing that the signals that would control the route into the loop would be further back (off the layout) and wouldn't need to be modelled?

Thanks for that Rich, but I have to admit I still don't know where the signals would be best placed on my plan That's very kind of you, but I cannot take any credit for the sketches as these were done by my friend Tove I will endeavour to update this thread more often than I have been

I’m guessing that anyone who was following this topic must have thought that I had fallen by the wayside and my journey into O gauge had been curtailed. I’m glad to report that is not so. Although I have been negligent in keeping this thread up to date (I think ten months have passed since I posted anything) I have actually been busy building a layout....honest I have left the DJH 03 shunter kit to concentrate on the layout itself. It seemed little point to me to be building locos without a layout to run anything on. I had said previously that I had settled on modelling a station downgraded to only handling goods. After discussing my ideas with a group of friends over large quantities of cake and endless cups of tea, the Templot track plan was amended slightly to change the direction of the loco release and to base the layout on a smaller version of one of the many and varied ‘goods only’ stations built to serve the numerous docks in Liverpool. Further inspiration was provided by one of the group through a series of sketches’ to help to visualise what it could look like when finished (you might recognise the artists style?) So the baseboard was built using timber and ply uprights from my previous layout, topped with 9mm ply. Positioning of the uprights took into account where I would need to place turnout controls, as well as where the bridge would go. Printing out a full size Templot plan was invaluable to achieve this. Track-building has almost been completed now and test running has begun I was also drawn to photos of Birmingham Central Goods that I found on the internet http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/centralgoods.htm http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/mrcgy912.htm I am a complete novice when it comes to signalling, but I would like to have a signal box and appropriate signals for my plan. I was intrigued how Birmingham Central Goods was signalled. I had assumed such locations would have seen a plethora of ground signals to control shunting, but I can’t see any at all, nor any catch points either. The box diagram just shows five signals. http://www.warwickshirerailways.com/lms/mrcgy909.htm Would this be a likely set up for what I am planning on modelling? I am looking at either a LNWR or L&Y goods station in BR times, does this make any difference as to how it would be signalled? The other difference would be the branch running off to the docks. I would be grateful for any help with this question

Please could someone who was at Reading yesterday kindly let the rest of us know, that couldn't make it there, what the new Little Loco Company release will be? If there was an announcement it has been very low key, I can't find any reference to it.

..and make sure you use the kettle for the white metal before you put in into the oven on high I imagine

Mike, I used the video feature of my Panasonic Lumix DMC-LF1. I have to say a lovely little compact camera.

As they say pride comes before a fall...you might have guessed from the lack of news the chassis did not run after being soldered. I made the newbie mistake I guess of taking the wheels/axles out of the bearings and then soldering the axle bearings to the chassis, after all that’s what the instructions suggest. Of course when I tried to put the axles back into the bearings they didn’t want to slide though both bearings, let alone run freely. If it wasn’t for cost of the kit it might have well ended up in the bin, but after a day of disillusioned disappointment (and some thoughts about why did I sell all my HO stuff..!) I thought I would find out how to fix it. First I had to get the wrongly aligned, but soldered fast, bearings out of the chassis frame. A lot of heat from the 80W iron and leaning on the bearings over a wooden block with a suitably sized hole eventually did the trick. I looked at the bearing all covered in solder now and thought I’d get some new ones from Kettering on Saturday. In the meantime I looked at what some other people had done on here to align the bearings in the frame. The thought of spending close on £200 for a jig to help with this seemed overkill. I looked further and found the Markits hornblock alignment jigs from Roxey Mouldings, a much cheaper option even though I was building a rigid chassis I could use them make sure everything was true before I soldered anything. Thanks to speedy service they arrived on Thursday. I bought a new shiny set of axle bearings from Slaters on Saturday to replace the ones covered in solder. Got home ready and eager now to start the reconstruction. Newbie mistake number 2 – all 3/16 axle bearings are the same..! -WRONG Of course the Slaters axle bearings are much thicker and wont fit the bearing holes in the chassis frame. I did for a little while think about reaming out the holes to fit the bigger bearings but they would be very close to the edge of the chassis frame and I thought might weaken it. So it was out with the glassfibre burnisher and the scalpel blade to clean up the existing bearings to refit in the chassis. When that tedious task was completed I was able to slide through the Markits extended axles and fit the coupling rods over the ends ready to solder the bearings in the right place this time...hopefully? Success...I refitted the wheels, axles and coupling rods back into the chassis frame. Fingers crossed of course after the last debacle. The wheels on the diesel go round and round (even if they did catch a bit in a couple of places). Some judicious use of a tapered reamer on the coupling rod holes and shortening the length of the coupling rod bushes reduced the binding. A couple of the holes needed to be slightly filed oval but nothing too drastic. I attached the motor and tried it again. Much better. I ran it for a while after oiling the gears and axles. Here is the result. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46hcPl9vCWg Simon I hope this means you won’t be taking away your craftsmanship rating, although for a week it certainly wasn’t deserved..!

I think everyone of us that have one of the marvellous Minerva Peckett's will be on the hunt for cylinder drain cock castings at Kettering just to finish off this fantastic model..!