barrowroad

It has been a while since I posted anything on the forum. I have just received a John Brighton built DJH Crab 42778 from David Clarke which is fitted with sound and the attached video is a trial run on a section of the down main line past Barrow Road shed. Before anyone comments I have noticed that the front bogie is off the rails! Since my last post my lockdown modelling has come on leaps and bounds. The viaduct is now almost finished and has been clad with coarse stone courtesy of Mr Wills and with assistance from an article by Karl Crowther in MRJ 247. Having completed the viaduct various small buildings have been added but the main work has been on the scenery at the front of the layout. Here the scenery is made up on four jigsaw sections which are removable to give access to the track if needed. I have tried to keep the scenery as realistic as possible and have used photographic evidence to achieve this. The two houses in Tenby Street are still standing and use of photos on estate agency websites, Zoopla and Rightmove, proved useful. Video of DJH Crab 42778. https://youtu.be/qbtvyngqlQg

I am seeking some advice on the correct wiring of Pentrollers. I have been donated a Panel mounted Pentroller and a Handheld Rover Unit. The Panel Unit is contained in a plastic box. Inside this box there is a small square circuit board fixed to it's base. The box has 2 white cables which enter the box at the rear. These 2 cabled have been cut off on the outside, Each cable has 4 wires, one red, one black, one blue and one yellow. The 4 wires from one cable are soldered to the small circuit board. The 4 wires from the other have the red and black screwed to a terminal block on this small circuit board whilst the blue and yellow are loose. The photos below hopefully explain:- The Panel Mounted Pentroller is in a plastic Box and the Rover Unit alongside. Underside of Panel Unit with box open to reveal a small square circuit board. Close up of small circuit board. Close up of underside of Panel Unit. I believe the small circuit board is associated with the Rover Unit and the cable with the 4 soldered wires is intended to go to a 5 pin DIN plug for the Rover. Is this correct. I believe the wires in the other cable are:- Blue = AC input Yellow = AC input Black = DC output to track Red = DC output to track Is this correct? Finally the terminal blocks - one on the rear of the panel unit, the other on the small circuit board - have 2 terminals marked AC. Which of these do the loose blue and yellow wires go to?

Thank you John the Jubilee sounds fabulous. I have a digitrains Zimo decoder a sugar cube speaker to fit in one of my Jubilees so it's interesting to hear how they sound. Robin

Interesting John. Is the large speaker in the tender the original Bachmann speaker? Robin.

Hi, What sound system have you adopted for your Jubilees? Robin

Paul, Just noticed this thread. A diorama definitely not! It needs to a full circuit layout so you can run full length trains past the yard Robin

Hi Lez, Here is a photo of an official drawing showing track alterations at the shed and removal of the rail to the quay which you may find of interest. Good luck with your project I which, as a resident of Tewkesbury, I will follow with interest. Robin

A few more photos. I'm not sure of the exact date of these but they after after the last set. Pride of Whatley is new in these photos.

Steve, please pass on my thanks to John for that information, I really must get down to the job of ballasting Barrow Road but I'm enjoying making some scenic units at the moment - that's may excuse for the lack of ballast on my layout. Robin

Steve, what ballast and method of glueing does John use? Robin

A few more from the 9th June 1987. A series of photos of 56034 " Castell Ogwr - Ogmore Castle" first with 18 empty PTAs at 2.50pm followed by a train of loaded PGAs leaving at 3.13pm.

Guy, Looking at my note on the back of one of the photos it is indeed a 'Hire Loco'. Robin

John, I contacted a friend who gave this information:- I hope it helps you, Regards, Robin. "If this is indeed to what you refer, they are sand hoppers for refilling locomotive sand boxes. They were heated to keep the sand dry. Sand would be delivered to depots in 'Loco Sand' wagons such as the pitch-roof example seen to the left. Usually these were purpose-built and not converted from redundant salt wagons as many people assume. Your friend would therefore need one of two of these wagons for his model."

It's gone a bit quiet on this thread so I'll add a few more photos taken on the 9th June 1987. Here are a few more taken at Murder Coombe - I love that name:-) taken at 2.15pm Buffer detail. Taken at 2.20pm Unidentified shunter arrives at 2.30pm - Oiling points? Departs at 2.40pm

Hi, All my shed information is LMS based although I have looked at an LNER book I have LNER Sheds in Camera - Gorton shed has a similar structure associated with it's wet ash pits but there is no description of the structure in the text associated with the photo. They are obviously something to do with the ash disposal process. Best guess of mine - some form of lifting arrangement for ash containers/tubs with a shute discharge into adjacent wagons. Robin

Hi Guy, Glad you like them:-) The next set were taken on thursday 7th May 1987. Taken at 12.50pm with a bit more track laid. #1 and another shunter on the 'hedge' road. 56033 plus 37 empty PGAs crossing Mells River viaduct. 2.51pm Tail of train entering Great Elm tunnel. 3.03pm 56033 departs light engine to Westbury? Robin

Guy, I believe the deviation was put in place in 1974 when an expansion of the quarry required access for mainline locos. see https://www.northsomersetrailway.com/history.php The next set of photos were taken on the 28.4.1987. I remember parking my car at Murder Coombe an smelling the abundance of wild garlic when walking to the site where I took some of the photos. Taken at 2.25pm with #1 in view. Concrete pad - taken at 2.30pm 56033 exiting Murder Coombe tunnel at 2.50pm with 36 empty PGAs. 2.53pm looking toward Murder Coombe tunnel. 3.00pm - 56033 departing with 13 loaded PGAs. 3.03pm. After a quick dash back and across the road I managed this shot of 56033 exiting Murder Coombe tunnel. 3.05pm The tail end of the 56033's train of 13 loaded PGAs As the tunnel was now clear and safe I took the opportunity to take the next two photos. Robin

Guy, I'm taking my photos in date order so the next are between Bedlam and Great Elm Tunnel on the new deviation line from Frome taken on the 21.4.1987. More to follow. Robin

Guy, I have managed to scan my photos taken, according to my notes on the back of the prints, in 1987. There are around 60 in total taken during 5 or 6 visits when I was working in the area. I'll post a few at a time so as not to overload your thread. The first were taken on the 14th April 1987. The first two are at Murder Coombe whilst the remaining four show the shed and track under construction from the road over bridge. Robin

Has it got the key to the door of the birdfeeder then John - clever little chap!!! Robin

Hi Guy, What a superb piece of modelling! It sent me searching for photos I took around the same period of your model. I have a number taken from that bridge and also during several visits to Murder Combe of the tunnel and track layout including the ARC sentinel and Class 56s. When I can get access to the scanner [ my wife is using it rather a lot] I will post some on here. Robin

As the exhibitor of two of the layouts on the virtual scaleforum I am fortunate enough to have the space to have Bristol Barrow Road permanently erected at my home. I also had enough space to erect and film my other layout , Sheep Pasture, in the same building albeit using the camera on my mobile phone. I am also a member of our local area group and am involved with the group layout Brinkley. This layout was invited to Scaleforum this year and was also asked if we were able to participate in the virtual version of the show. We had to decline as we would have needed to erect the layout in a local hall and have eight operators available both of which were impossible during lockdown and with social distancing. Brinkley has two operating sequences, one steam and one diesel. I am sure owners of modern image P4 layouts would have been asked/invited to participate in the show but I would imagine they had the same difficulty with venue and operators as we did with Brinkley. I know that Drithlington and Obbekaer were also filmed and presented by their owners without assistance from others. Instead of complaining about the lack of modern image layouts you should be thankful that the Scalefour Society were able to put on a great show in such a short space of time.

As one of the people involved with setting up Avonside Works I have to agree with Tim. I had a HH jig and thought soldering on the flat was preferable to the vertical. This was one of the main features when designing the Avonside Chassis 2 Jig. Robin

Paul, I checked the comprehensive data that Patrick sent me and have identified 46220 Coronation visiting Bristol on Thursday 7th Feb 1963 with the 1V86 0.45 ex Manchester which arrived at Bristol TM at 6.30am. As mentioned I believe it was serviced at the Marsh but I've not found evidence of the return diagram. I'd be interested if you find anything

Nice job John.