john dew

Hi Jules Spent an idyllic morning yesterday, before the Rugby and Super Bowl, reading your thread from start to finish..........absolutely fascinating.........dont understand how it slipped off my radar! I didnt want to clutter your in box with too many "like" notifications but I was sorely tempted. Despite the relatively small layout you have created a very spacious feel.......exactly how I feel a sleepy GWR country branch should be. I do admire your use of detailing.....not overdone but sufficient to clearly stamp time, place and company. I also admire the way you strive after accuracy........after the post about hand point levers I rushed downstairs to check mine.....I fear Mike will not be totally impressed. Wonderful layout......thank you for sharing it

Good point and thank you for suggesting it. I did think about it but the GWR link I referred to, implied that not too many 40 tonners were actually built.......I agree for the size of the depot 10T is probably too small......but I already had 4 Wagons and before I had worked this out I ordered a few more Cambrian kits which are now about to wend their way from Cornwall to the Pacific North West Glad you like the thread. Regards

Thanks Jim........ much appreciated Like you I prefer B&W shots if only to see how I am measuring up against my various sources which are, of course, all B&W. In this case though I think you are right somehow a couple of the colour shots have captured the atmosphere better Kind Regards

I have got somewhat behind with the updates......last week end I spent a happy morning detailing I confess I like detailing......it marks the end of the section of a project......but in truth.........I like detailing The charcoal ash got distribuited (literally...........one unintended sneeze had dramatic results).........I think it has worked pretty well.....maybe a little light in colour.....certainly in density......the usual practice of dampening with a squirt from the scent spray required a little modification Pretty comfortable these are the correct wagons for the ash (and the right colour!) In a previous layout I used wooden bodied wagons.......not the best choice for hot ash! I have a feeling they should be labelled "Ash only" Closeup......manual shovelling from pit to wheelbarrow Water Hydrant.....not that frequently modelled although they appear frequently in shed shots............and water hose Sorry about the angle! Levers for the triple point with guard.......Booking in clerk outside his office This is obviously for locos booking into the depot.........there will be another set of booking in offices outside the sheds for engine crew.........have I got the names correct or was there some form of differentiation? Flagman and rather dusty Mogul Finally a couple of Black and White Shots: Couldnt resist the Pannier.........apart from the fact I like Panniers........ 5773 is sporting, for the first time, etched number plates! Well there is a limit to how many 5775's you can have on a layout......apart from the confusion it causes RR&Co Next post the Coaling Station

This is the thread I was looking for!...... http://www.rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12322

I agree about the crane.......black it will be. I dont particularly want to repaint and re-transfer my existing loco coal wagons if I can avoid it.......maybe I will just paint the new ones black.......a classic Canadian compromise?

Thanks John............glad you like it I think you are right the crane would have been Black (well dirty black). I am not quite so certain about the loco coal wagons.......I researched and googled this a couple of times and the answer seems to be "the experts continue to disagree" Thats a direct quote from http://www.gwr.org.uk/liverieswagon1920.html ! I have to build a few more shortly so it would be nice to know what is most likely correct in 1948. Talking of loco coal wagons I suspect I am incorrect to be using 10T wagons and that for a depot of this size 20T would be more appropriate.......but I am not aware of any kits and I am not convinced the Dapol 20T RTR is right. You are right about the risk of damage to the ash pit wall from the shovel........at Newyd Shed they have to hand shovel it out......well thats my story! Regards

Mikkel and John ......Thank you so much for your comments.........it was indeed a happy coincidence that two of the guys from whom I have learned so much should post together! STEAM SHOVEL Some quick pics showing how I rail mounted the Oxford/Corgy Ruston Bucyrus Drag Shovel. I had originally assumed this was powered by Diesel but having googled fairly extensively it would seem they were steam driven .......I am having a hard time visualising this and it would be great if someone could give me a more definitive answer The GWR did have rail mounted steam shovels in their busier depots but not, as far as I can tell, made by Bucyrus. Their shovels were used by all the Big Four but remained caterpillar mounted. I had no option....the shovel was something of an afterthought and there was no way I could put the shovel, as is, in the confined space between the Pit road and the Wagon Siding Fortunately there is a single screw securing the swivel mounting to the body. So it was quite easy to remove.....cut the caterpillars off and then replace. The swivel mounting fits snugly over a spare coach bogie Make a platform with some Will Checker Plate To disguise the Bogey I found some bits of a Cambrian Sleeper Wagon that I mistakenly bought 20 years ago (there is a moral somewhere) Cut and glue......fix the buffers ....add some steps Paint it out......including the roof........do some weathering Back to work I am quite pleased with the conversion.......not for the purists but for coarse gauge it will do......................except.......... I rather doubt it would have been in GWR Brown......the photos I have seen are heavily stained light grey. At the very least I think I have to do a lot more weathering.......but I am rather inclined to paint the whole body out in GWR Wagon grey. Any Comments and particularly any advice on how they were actually painted would be much appreciated

I do appreciate your help with this Mike Took me a lot longer than I intended......I have all these pretty symbols of GWR signals but I failed miserably in my (many) attempts to insert them on the track plan Code I have marked the direction of travel.......Red = Left to Right Down (Port to some) Green= Right to Left Up (Starboard) S1 Bracket Signal RH Doll (Taller) Advanced Starter for Up Mineral Line (ie end of Station Limits) (possibly with Distant?) LH Doll Shorter Board Entrance to Depot Alternatively have a single post for the Up Mineral and a ground signal controlling entry to the Depot I omitted that the Down Mineral line should have a home signal protecting the junction S2 Ringed Signal Exit from Depot (Locos serviced not turned) S3 Ringed Signal Exit from Depot In theory this will never be used as an entry........does the other direction need to be protected by a ground signal? S4 Bracket Signal? Starter for relief with calling on arm Backing Signal for Carriage Sidings The main lines still need signalling but I thought this was sufficient for now! Kind Regards from Vancouver

That will teach me to be more careful........it was plonked there during construction.....I saw it on the photo and thought.....no one will notice! As always your help and advice much appreciated I will add some proposed signals to the plan later today Kind Regards

ASH PIT and SHED Here is the ash pit 12" long made up of 3 Peco inspection pits The "concrete" surround is card.....scored and painted Another shot with the coal ramp and embankment behind (please dont ask about the gradient ......fortunately it will be hidden) For whatever reason GWR invested less in mechanical handling equipment than any of the other Big 4. I stumbled across the report of a pre war conference on depot design and the differences between the companies attitudes was fascinating. In addition to the Ash Handling plants the LMS had a series of sluices and hoppers that automated the disposal of ash once it had been dropped from the loco. The GWR relied largely on manpower right up to nationalisation. The ash was dropped into a pit like the one above, It was then hosed down and shovelled into wheelbarrows and loaded into the Ash Wagons. During WWII sheds were built over the pits to prevent the glow from the hot ashes being used as aiming marks by the Luftwaffe. . I had never heard of them at all until I came across a delightful thread called 86F. Ash, Coal & Cotton Waste describing the construction of an 0 gauge ex GWR Shed including an Ash Shed. Steve Fay , who wrote the thread was very helpful....answered my queries and posted a couple of pictures as well........if you read this.....I owe you a pint Steve! Enclosing the pits in this way must have made the working atmosphere even more unpleasant. Many were dismantled immediately after the war.......although the one at Didcot was used for storage into the seventies.......got a lot of help from cyber friends in the UK with this. I decided this would be a good time stamp for Granby particularly if the model was partially dismantled......another of Iain Rice's signature elements perhaps? I built the framework with 3mm x 3mm and 4mm x 1 mm plastic strip I probably got a bit carried away with all the carpentry but I wanted to reveal the woodwork I partially clad it with Wills corrugated glazing The legend being that the roofing was ripped off to improve ventilation and the side modified to improve access You may be wondering whats been attacking the centre panel? Despite my earlier comments mechanisation has finally got to Granby. There are precedents...... the GWR did have rail mounted mechanical shovels similar to this (although not with Caterpillar tracks!) at some of their sheds. Next post I will show my attempts to make it more prototypical Back to the shed.........spray on metallic undercoat Then lots of weathering.......this will be viewed from about 3' away so the make up is a little theatrical All that remains is to distribuite my newly acquired ash and do a bit of detailing

Thanks Tony.......again. I think its time I started reporting on current work........so for now the highlight reels are are over.......this muck and nettles....in the trenches stuff I am working on Newyd Shed (shades of Croes Newyd) the MPD ( is MPD correct for 1948?) that serves Granby Junction. There are other projects on the to do list........but this is the the last major project and will certainly be the last time I lay any track. It will occupy the opposite corner from the Goods Warehouse described in my last post. It is important both visually and operationally. Visually because it is the first thing anyone sees when coming into the railway room. Operationally because, although I do like to " watch the trains go by " I want to inject as much realism as I can. In consequence, using RR&Co I will will featureing a series of loco exchanges particularly for North Bound trains. The relieved locos will require coal, water and turning before their next turn. The site: Its a triangle.....6' on the wall side and 5' at the base.......In the foreground you can see the double track mineral line which connects the upper and lower ovals. On the far side the main line curves away from Granby Junction before crossing the viaduct on its way south to Shrewsbury Squeezing everything in was something of a nightmare particularly as operating Granby this last year convinced me that I needed to insert a head shunt/carriage siding at the south end of the station. Using RR&Co here is a schematic plan Locos enter top right and proceed down the reception road, over the ash pit, past the coaling station to Headshunt 1 then via the relief loop, where there will be a water crane, to Headshunt 2 where they can either exit the yard back to the main line or enter the shed via the turntable. The shuttling back and forth to access the TT is unusual......but there are, I believe precedents. Similarly access to the shed itself being confined to the TT is not very prototypical.......but there are precedents................just not sure if both appear on the same site! Last of all....entry and exit via one road represent a major bottleneck. Pressing on regardless or as we said in the 8th of foot "difficulties be damned" I laid lots of track and did a load of ballasting : This shows from the left : the coal ramp, reception road and coaling stage, ash wagon siding and relief loop. The TT is a Heljan DCC of which I will write more later While all this was going on I kept fretting about the entry/exit bottleneck..................This is a tale of the penny taking a very long time to drop! Finally Cut short the long siding and insert a point into the relief line providing a separate exit.............not the easiest task....the track was long established and tucked away behind the overall roof. Nothing venture nothing gain: Close of play(?) today: A lot of fret but well worth it I could do with some help on the signalling (cosmetic I am afraid)........I realise the layout is very very un prototypical but, having freely acknowledged that, I would like everything else to be as realistic as possible. I will do a proper schematic later but in broad terms I am proposing to control the entry and exit from the yard with semaphore signals operated from Granby South Box......the site is top right by the carriage sidings. Within the yard......the 3 way point, Headshunt 1 point and entry and exit from the TT...... I was contemplating control would be by hand signal and point levers .......comments would be much appreciated

Here is the balance of the Warehouse and Yard Shots When I was planning rhe yard I spent a lot of time browsing through Bob Essery's books.........which are packed with really evocative photos.......maybe a few years before 1948 but still, I believe, illustrating the way the yards operated Iain Rice has a great book on Industrial layouts....again with many useful photos..............Iain argues forcefully for signature elements.....those key features which, if accurately modelled, immediately identify to the viewer the time period and location of the model. Reading these books convinced me the yard had to be clad with granite sets....wagon turntables and capstans......warehouses towering above; and busy... busy Here are the (cosmetic) turntables connecting 3 of the sidings and allowing access to the bonded warehouse A lot of the stock movement was carried out by a system of bollards (similar to fair leads on a sail boat; and either steam or electric powered capstans. Another perhaps more common alternative would have been horse power. I toyed with the idea of stables but ran out of space.......but I will try and squeeze them in some place else. It seems to me that many layouts based in the forties dont recognise the extent to which horses were involved with Railway operation If all else failed it was man power with a wheel pinch (Airfix figures are very adaptable!) The yard was clearly (I hope) built in the Victorian era but by the 20s and 30s there had to be recognition of the trend towards container traffic so a gantry was squeezed in......I hoped to convey the idea it was ,indeed, an afterthought Now here is an easily recognisable signature element Pannier and Shunters Truck This is a Cambrian Kit.......the first Kit I ever built some 18 years ago.......sadly it didnt pass the tests of time and RR&Co. So in June it was scrapped and I bought and assembled a new Cambrian Kit.......In December Hornby announced an RTR Shunters truck! I love the approach to Health and Safety. Finally Signalling.......I am afraid I dont have working signals (although I am sorely tempted by the Dapol Release), but I do spend a lot of time trying to ensure the layout looks correctly signalled. Stationmaster and Beast 6606 have been extremely helpful in their general posts and from time to time patiently answering my queries Disclaimer.......they bear no responsibility for the errors that will undoubtedly be revealed as I continue with this thread.. Entry and exit to and from the yard are controlled by signals..........thereafter by hand signals This shows the loading gauge and to the right the advanced starter and distant (for the Cynwyd Bank Box) for the Down Relief and Main together with a Stop Sign and Flagman Next post will be a bit more current.......start of the shed

Thanks Tony......I have only just resurrected the thread here.....so you will be familiar with a lot of it.......I am just posting some quick cameos to get up to date before continuing with current work on Granby shed Granby is on two levels with an oval on each level........with the upper scenic level I had the same problem that faces most modellers with an oval roundy roundy encased in a rectangle..........what to do with the corners. This post deals with the top left corner......at the opposite end from the canal/viaduct shown in the last post The site of Granby Goods Yard...........the four track main line curves round to Chester and Birkenhead (ignore the random ICI marshalling yard in the foreground The intent was to represent a typical Victorian Warehouse Yard that had been shoehorned into a relatively small site close to the terminus station........this would have been subsequently supplemented by a more spacious marshalling yard outside of town (and off scene in the case of Granby) The warehouses, are arranged in an L, and made from the Scalescene Kit........very robust and solid and relatively easy to customise. This gives a better idea of the mainline and its junction with the single track Vale of Clwyd line approached via Cynwyd Bank If you recall the first shot there isnt a lot of space and I kind of miscalculated when I laid the Down relief.......the back scene has to be ultra ultra thin! The left hand side of the L is a Fruit Depot and Bonded Warehouse.......this isnt a diorama its a fully operational component of the layout.....with RR&Co I automatically shunt the daily Fruit from the West Country and assemble the local pick up goods Here is some of the detailing added to the basic model Canopy......I try and avoid mixing media ie card and plastic but this seems to have worked Sack Hoist In joke......the apples are from John Flann's Orchard at Hintock I if you like GWR and havent seen his thread here you are missing something) Finally a distant view from Granby Junction I had hoped to complete the warehouse in one post but despite ruthless editing I have over run my self appointed time and space limits so I will cover the yard and other side of the L tomorrow

Hi Alex Correct........although in my case I treat 2 and 4 as common from the DCC Bus so the separate feeds are 1 and 3 Sorry if I was less than clear in my initial reply.....it was past midnight here. Out of interest do you get a short when the power is on and the bridge is out? Regards from a snowy Vancouver

I use Lenz Occupancy detectors LB and LR 101s but I imagine the principles are the same There are 4 connectors on the control box.......two for the box itself and two for the bridge.........regular DCC all four connections are fed from the DCC bus.....with occupancy detection I made the bridge a detected block and fed the supply to the control box from an LR101......does that make sense?

Well I guess I am a bit stunned by that response.........on the smaller fora RMweb has a, perhaps undeserved, reputation for burying layout topics. One of the catalysts for my latest venture was the realisation that Coachman, who makes the most delightful posts about Greenfield, often gets no more than a couple of replies........so I wasnt expecting this. Thank you all...old friends and new ....for the kind remarks Not sure where to go from here.......I like writing about projects during the actual process......I enjoy and indeed need the advice and criticsm that arises from the posts...........on the other hand I would like to share with you some of the projects that I have already completed. For the time being I will switch between past and present......just hope its not too confusing The canal feature was designed to bridge the gap between the two 18' long sides of the layout It was originally going to be a lift off but as the track work and scenery became more complex it quickly settled into a fixed duck under......given hindsight I am not sure if this was the best choice.....I am used to it it but it does become a barrier to visitors.....other than the dog The canal was formed from two layers of 3/4" ply representing an upstream lock (Langley Models)......a basin serving a warehouse.....and a downstream lock There are four bridges crossing the canal......the branch line to Corwen........ behind that a heavy girder bridge serving Bersham Colliery.....then the viaduct for the Main line from Shrewsbury and finally a lower two track bridge going ......where? (a bridge too far perhaps) I used Magic Water to fill the canal......it does exactly what it says on the label.....heres a before and after I knew little or nothing about canals when I started this project.....fortunately the late Richard (Wheeltapper) took me under his wing and provided all manner of photos and advice......he was an amazing guy. I asked him if I could call the project after him so here are a few completed shots of Richards Wharf I am afraid that I am still struggling with attachments......the attached thumbnails were supposed to be nuked.....its too late now so I will live with it

You only need a separate transformer for DC usage.........DCC you hook directly into the DCC bus.......although its slightly different if you are using occupancy detectors

I have just installed the Walthers TT which is actually the Heljan TT in a Walthers (Cornerstone) Box. The TT is indeed DCC ready.......you just hook it up to the DCC bus (see below!!!) There is a slightly complicated arrangement with the addresses....the default decoder address is 57 (but that can be changed) and from that ((57 x 4)+1 = 229 mentioned above) flows addresses for each of the tracks you set up It was the work of a moment to get my lenz system operating it........each track is treated like a turnout so entering 229 + gets the house on the bridge to turn to Track 1........229 - will get the other end of the bridge to Track 1. Track 2 is the other side of the TT regardless if you have laid track Calibrating is a little tricky and the numbering system can be quirky but once done the indexing is ultra accurate and consistent......and I am very happy with itn Some words of warning.......the wiring diagram supplied with the TT was incorrect.....I had to download a PDF from the Heljan site......there is also quite a good instructional DVD. The earlier comments about keeping the pit and sensor super clean are still valid......the racking teeth are very small and the slightest amount of debris will jam............I remove my bridge and tape over everything when ballasting......and there I discovered another problem....if the bridge TT is hooked up and the bridhe removed.....you get a short! Its easily resolved once you have realised what the problem is but it would have been nice to have been forewarned. Getting it to work with RR&Co took longer! Happy to explain if required Regards from Vancouver

One of my New Years Resolutions was to resurrect my layout thread I last posted in 2009 and it kind of got lost during one of RMWebs many re iterations. I login most every day but as you can see from my post count I am not a very active contribuitor..........time to put something back in Not too sure if I have got the hang of attachments so this is a short post Some quick pics of Granby's development December 2008 Benchwork December 2009 Branch completed (see above) January 2010 Site of Canal January 2011 Canal and Viaduct January 2012 Granby Junction Overall Roof January 2013 Goods yard complete..... last major project ...Granby Shed

As always great shots Rick....................you may recall I once likened Penhayle Bay, in the nicest possible way , to Coronation Street........I dont like to miss too many episodes............glad I found you here Best Wishes

You could try Magic Water http://www.unrealdetails.com/ It comes from the USA and if I recall cost about $25. Its a one pour resin that does exactly what it says on the bottle.......doesnt shrink and doesnt crack .......be warned it goes everywhere water will go as I found to my cost I painted the ply base with various shadws of dark brown (I think blue would be highly optimistic) and then a very thin coat of Magic Water to seal the edges and then a single pour.....took 24 hours to dry Here is a before and two afters....................hope this helps

Thanks Jamie.....I appreciate the comments.......I kind of like the black and whites.... I should (will) post more of them.....I keep meaning to work out how to do sepia Regards

Thanks again Mikkel for the encouragement.........well it was always supposed to be a warts and all thread.....so I could not tell a lie about the shed You have me worried (baffled perhaps) about the smoke baffles........I have a feeling I created the term to describe them and then saw the same description in another thread and felt re assured......maybe I have just added to the GWR Lexicon! I have only installed two tortoises and as under baseboard retro fits (replacing peco switches again......no room for another shed) they were quite tricky to get right in fact I am still struggling with one. However I have 6 waiting to install when I start building the branch storage lines next month and I think, starting from scratch, it will be much easier. I reaaly like the slow movement and the reliability and ease of wiring plus 2 switches. Kind Regards

Hope everyone had a great Christmas........this post continues with the station viewed from the other side The Ratio antecedents are pretty obvious from this shot In both of the above shots you can see that the footbridge is now complete......painted on all sides, shortened and half a new roof! I wouldnt describe it as a particularly good representation of the prototype......there should either be more lattice work or the panels should be steel plate rather than wood and it certainly isnt the epitome of fine scale modeling......but then I only aspire to coarse gauge Overall it serves its purpose in providing a link with the backscene and a break between station and yard. Above all it provides a number of little niches for all the clutter that the GWR in particular seemed to accumulate There is some detailing still to be done.....I am going to store passengers bicycles under the bridge. This model like most of the period didnt come with smoke baffles. They are very obvious in any contemporary photos so I scratch built them from plasticard and the little strips that come with Wills Vari Girders You may be wondering what is the justification for this structure All is revealed: The Peco switch that I use for switching polarity failed and it was quite impossible to replace in situ under the baseboard (certainly not by someone as decrepit as me)..........this was the third such failure and led me towards tortoises (via microswitches) The legend (fiction) is that it houses the Branch Scammel I have kept quiet about this screw up for a while as you can tell from the absence of walls and terraces. The Scammel is a Langley (I think) Kit and is ok in the background but is not good enough to be in the foreground, so I think I have to come up with some sort of cameo for this area of the station otherwise it may look a little too deserted The solution I am working on kills two/three birds with one stone As you have gathered I try and insert little scenes that are time specific to try and clearly establish this is 1947 (The unkind would tell me to get rid of the GWR Shirtbuttons ) One of the most obvious deficiencies is the absence of any military presence......in 1947 anyone between the ages of 18 and 25 had to do 2 years National Service. The army alone was over 10 times the size it is now and almost invariably travelled by train........so I am painting a little scene with a truck and 8 soldiers who have either just arrived or are just departing. So I fill the gap, establish the date and by suggesting a camp nearby justify a more frequent passenger service.................I wish all life's problems were as easy to solve So I may post some photos of that shortly but my main task is to get the signalling organised so I am going to post a draft plan and hopefully the likes of Beast 6606 and Stationmaster will set me on the right road............I am not sure where to post it...........either here or Beasts Blunderings I think Happy New Year from Vancouver where it has briefly stopped raining