87023Velocity

Evening all. Not posted for quite a while as Dallam had not been set up since the Leigh exhibition in September 2023. I have made a start on fitting point motors to the fiddleyard which will hopefully make operation a bit easier, especially for shows. Over the past week or so, the layout has been reassembled and the lighting rig fitted. Next stage will be connect everything up electrically and get some trains running. Here are some pics, all posed as cannot run anything yet - hopefully might get something running over the weekend. Next show will be Macclesfield in April this year. Cheers Simon

Newhaven Harbour is owned by the Wirral Finescale Railway Modellers (WFRM). Easily confused as they help out the Wigan Finescale Railway Modellers (WFRM) at the Wigan show. I am a Wigan member and get confused with the 2 😂.

Prior to the Leigh show, plenty of test running took place during the summer, not much modelling achieved though. A nice addition to the Dallam roster was a Revolution Trains class 390 from the second production run. Although just slightly out of my time range, it is a stunning model and very smooth in operation. Here a few pics from the testing. As mentioned it will be a few weeks before the layout can be set up for running. Cheers Simon

Yes all well Richard, thanks! Dallam was at Leigh Exhibition in September and all went well although quite warm, think it was around 29-30C during the day, first time I have set a layout up and operated in that sort of temperature. Just in the process of finally fitting point motors to the fiddleyard, something which should have been done along time ago! This will make operating at home and shows more enjoyable. Dallam will be at Macclesfield show in April so hopefully I will have completed this by then. Unfortunately not progressed the TPM 87, with the Dapol one being announced, I may still do the TPM version but as a dead loco for drags. Cheers Simon

Had a great weekend with Dallam at the Leigh Model Railway Society exhibition. A big thank you to Andy Sawyer for the invite and can I say on behalf of the Dallam Sidings operating team that the Leigh club members did a fantastic job considering the temperatures over the weekend. Thanks to the Dallam operating team, Chris Hewitt , Peter and Michael. Thanks to Michael for also bringing some of his excellent stock which can be seen on his layout Stuartby. Now I just need to work through my list of jobs, one of which is to have the name of the layout mounted on the lighting pelmet. Thanks for all the great comments we received over the weekend, much appreciated!! 👍😎 Thanks Simon

Hi Rich, There is a front fascia panel which is hinged and mounted to the baseboard, this folds up to form one part of the box. The black drapes at a show are pinned to hide this panel. Folded up Box top and fold down ends. Case clips are used along with a few screws as a precaution to keep the whole box secure for transit. Cheers Simon

Hi Rich, Lol, yes was very surprised and made up that the 87 is finally being done. I am thinking with the kit to build it and put on a dummy chassis, possibly with a flashing tail lamp fitted. Yes a few Virgin 87's will be purchased along with some earlier ones as well. For exhibitions, Dallam is boxed to allow the boards to be transported safely. Usually I would have all boards a standard length, however I had the opportunity to use some boards which had been made but at different lengths. Here is a picture of the boards boxed up ready for the Wigan show last year. It all fits in a SWB transit van, boards, trestles, lighting rig, power box, stock boxes etc. The assembly of the layout by 3- 4 people (excluding stock is approximately 30 minutes), similar time to dismantle. Stock takes the longest to set up and remove, at least an hour. Cheers Simon

Another nice train which was a regular double headed job, either 86/4 & 87, pairs of 87s and think 85's and 86's: Picture from Flickr. The PTAs are being produced by Revolution Trains. Cheers Simon

The DCC fitted from Dapol are £370. The £300 price is for DC only from Dapol. Cheers Simon

The other benefit of using the class 86 chassis is for double heading, as in theory a Dapol 86 should run at a similar/same speed to the forthcoming 87 (hopefully). Cheers Simon

Excellent news, I will certainly be having a couple in Virgin livery.

Wigan World usually has quite interesting pictures, lots posted by people at work. It does take a bit of searching. Here is an album for Bickershaw https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/showalbum.php?page=2&opt=3&gallery=Bickershaw+colliery Another for Springs Branch depot. https://www.wiganworld.co.uk/album/showalbum.php?opt=5&gallery=Springs+Branch Class 20's only appeared during 1984, prior to that, 40's and 47's I think. Cheers Simon

My Revolution Trains class 390 was delivered earlier this week and here are some clips of it running on Dallam. k-7MbX9gvus Cheers Simon

My class 390 arrived on Monday and has been quickly put into service. Very nice model and very smooth running. Great job guys! Cheers Simon

Was looking at needing to respray an RMB into chocolate and cream for my Riviera Trains charter rake so made up with this. Just need to get some spare B4 and Commonwealth bogies for the TSO and FO vehicles. Cheers Simon

Actually managed to look at doing some actual modelling! During December 2021 I managed to pick up a TPM class 87 kit with the plan to build it using the old Farish class 87 chassis. With work on other rolling stock projects taking priority, I never started the kit. Today I had a brainwave regards using the newly tooled Farish class 90 chassis. First impressions are that it will fit with a little bit of trimming to the chassis block. Currently it is riding high as the ends of the chassis need cutting back to allow the body to sit at the correct height. Bogie centres match up with the class 87 body which they should. Here is the body on the unmodified chassis complete with a Revolution Trains pantograph. You can guarantee that Farish will announce a new version just as this is finished. Not decided on livery yet but probably be a BR liveried version from late 80s, thinking 87027 in IC Executive. Cheers Simon

Hi David, That 90 looks spot on, as does your RF one!! Will look great running on the layout. Need to get around to doing mine (along with about 90% of the locos I have 😂). Cheers Simon

60078 heads north light engine.

Yes, Dallam sidings (also known as Dallam Freight Terminal). Here is a link to my layout thread if interested. Cheers Simon

Hi Steven, Went for 92009 Elgar, this name and number was not on the sheet. Got these done via Railtec. Cheers Simon

A few more pictures from the past few weeks. I will look at doing some actual modelling at some point!

Hi David, That looks spot on, the weathering certainly highlights all the detail. You could easily be fooled into thinking that was the 4mm version. Need to get mine done but got quite a queue in front to get through first. Cheers Simon

60078 on a loaded MGR to Rugeley Power Station passes under Bewsey Road bridge.

Thanks 👍 I have not measured accurately but at a minimum a full circuit is approximately 40ft, which equates to just over a scale mile in N gauge. Cheers Simon