[Trench Sidings Attempted Tracklaying]

Dave,

with the close proximity of all these droppers, would it be worth having a sub layer that was in essence a local bus-bar assembly rebated into the trackbed substrate before a simplified dropper arrangement goes from these through the trackbed and thence to the board bus-bars?

 

Steve

[Ivatt 2MT]

nice work there, a nicely balanced weathering job. I'm intrigued though......... was any progress ever made on re-scaling the chimney down to 4mm? There are limited supplies of the comet version apparently so these are only leaving with their full kits so are unavailable as an individual part at the moment.

[Delph - Caprotti Black Five - Improved running]

Fair play to you if you've beaten the 5-way (I'm assuming we are talking about the same Green Street).

[Bristol Barrow Road - 20th November - 50th anniversary of closure]

seeing the prototype like that in colour and down at heel, certainly puts the scale of your project into perspective. More power to your arm and thank you for sharing those.

[Cattle and pipes]

ta muchly. I shall keep an eye out for one of those.

[Cattle and pipes]

I'm liking the look of that cattle wagon. Whose kit is it?

[76010 progress]

Nice to see an informative piece of work, well thought out and carefully explained. Having a fere morning today..... I may just excavate the 4mt collection and assess what I've got. Thanks for stirring the brain cell.

 

Steve

[76010 making the wheels go round]

It does also give room for a big motor and flywheel combo in the tender.

 

I've just stumbled across this project and will be following with interest, as I too have a small collection of std4 s and Ivatt 4mts to attack. You have given me cause to dig out the kemilway wreck I was passed and have a closer look.

 

Looking forward to reading the next installment and thank you for presenting your story in an informative way, relating to the prototype and without assuming the reader is as informed as the builder (as so often seems to be the case).

 

Steve

[3MT Mogul - a Decision]

Shame - I was hoping to crib. I've a number of airfix 4mt kits and a couple of different chassis kits. Glancing through the RCTS, I was thinking I could utilise these with a suitable amount of abuse to make a 3mt. The hard part is getting the correct wheels it seems. I'm looking at 5'3" tyres onto pared down 17 spoke 5'6" wheel centres as a possibilty atm but was hoping you'd found an easier workround. I don't suppose your drawings have any dimensions for the boiler, smokebox and firebox? From the RCTS  it looks like slimming down by about 1mm overall to get it close, but I've not got a smokebox dimension at all.

Cheers

Steve

[3MT Mogul - a Decision]

at a quick glance I'm seeing no mention, but did this go any further?

[The Prologue. Aka. a prolonged gestation.]

Standing by to make the first practical steps. Yesterday marked the fiftieth anniversary of the last commercial passenger service to pass both Broomielaw station and the signal box nameboard that now hangs over my staircase. By coincidence, that morning I had completed the first set of structure drawings for any part of the scheme and was checking details which threw up the E.o.S. date. Since the board was given to me coincidentally on the fiftieth anniversary of Stainmore's closure, I can only hope that this second coincidence marks the end of my recent employment woes and better times are ahead all round.

 

Now to find out how to tie this entry to others and create a blog structure.

[The Prologue. Aka. a prolonged gestation.]

Ray,

 

Nunthorpe was on my Grandad's patch, though betime I was interested in signal boxes and NER architecture, he'd been retired too long to risk going in. He was posted to Middlesborough duing the war and attended the aftermath of the bombing of the station (having to scuttle through the underpass with a V1 pony truck hanging there still). He used to show me loads of boxes and sites round Middlesborough, all names of boxes largely now forgotten.

The A66, I know it well. Even having left twenty years myself I still know the road very well and always make a visit if I can. Up on Bowes moor always feels comfortable, Thats my sort of country even if largely when looked at closely its a bit drab.

Yup it was Ken Hoole's book that first raised my interest in Stainmore many years ago when I had the book on almost permanent loan from Darlington town library. The Peter Walton book is also very useful too. Its a shame in many ways though that repro back then was so awfull. It'd be great to have a clear version of some of the pics. Hey, ho.

 

My regards to Nunthorpe and a wave to the remains of Bowes from me next time you pass.

 

Cheers

Steve

[So what size are yours - flagstones?]

The NERA reprint of the NER standards book of 1908/9 details platform copings (edge stones to us plebs) as being 3'0" wide by 4'0" long and 6" deep at the outer edge and 6 3/4" deep at the inner edge. These key together by means of a shallow point at one end and corresponding reccess at the other (approx 1") and are described as a cement cope (2.5:1 PC concrete, and "the surface to be stamped or checkered to roughen it in approved pattern"). It further details these as the outer edge being 2'3" from centre of the railhead and the top of the slab being 5'0" above it. additionally any over hang of these slabs should be 1'0" making the platform face 3'3" from railhead.

 

My site measurements from Broomielaw showed edge slabs measuring 30"W x42"L x 5"D (outer edge). These were perfectly rectangular concrete slabs replacing the original sandstone edging and overhanging only by as much as the radius of the curved edge of the slab. The main circulating area was indeed a tarred surface of some sort while the less used western end was left bare ash until closure. There was a slight slope to help move water off the platform onto the cess but its on a drawing somewhere not readily to hand.

 

Hope that slightly OCD effort helps and thanks for the decent sized Barnard Castle pic.

 

Steve

[The Prologue. Aka. a prolonged gestation.]

Thank you all for the kind words. 6982 : another member of the SW Durham diaspora eh? JR1984: they didn't keep them down too much though . Load 9 plus locos is still a large fiddle yard to work. The troop trains coming east from the Barney area were larger still apparently. How about trying Bowes, Lartington or Cockfield or as a starter Cotherstone where the timber goods yard structures are still standing.

I'll be starting at the end and working back as far as trains go. A few 101s plus an Ivatt 4mt with small freights is a good starting point. THen it'll gradually backdate to the mid 1950's as I get stock together.

[5726 - Detailing progress]

Mind if I ask what the gadget used to stand the body up is in the fifth picture of the series of pannier mods?

[Some BR Standards]

but I note a theme: if you build one, then they make them commercially. Please build the following - J21, j25, G5, A5, A8, K1 and Q6. To refine the request/hint to Bachby, please make them DCC,P4 and fully sprung. ta.

[Following prototypical recycling practices]

So reopening Geneva Central reclamation yard is on the cards then   ?

 

BTW - ta for showing a shot of in progress trackwork. I understand the edge protection factor going on and was pondering osmething similar. Have you used this method before and what effect has it on noise? Oh and whats the underlay?

 

Cheers

Steve

[Barrow Road Blog - Lawrence Hill Junction Signal Box - Update]

Hi, I'm revisiting your blog for "how-to" clues because I'm interested in getting my structures done in a similar way. The Signal box windows are really impressive and something that has caused me much puzzlement in trying to work out how to do my own ones. Is there any chance of you posting a section of the relevant artwork please so that I can see how to lay it out?

 

Cheers

Steve

 

Edit> Ps aah having read on and re-examined I see the laminate construction now.

[Dingham's Modified - Now More Realistic!]

Ta for pursuing this and posting your findings. I've a set of Dingham etchings to play with at some point but had held off due to not being entirely happy with the finished appearance - this goes some way to helping solve that.

 

Thanks

Steve

[Camping Coach #3]

Caw, a vast improvement on my last two experiences of carriage based accommodation. A roll-top bath in a mk one! When can i move in? It doesn't need TV but broadband is a must for work - can i move in on tuesday?

[Laser cut buildings - Water tower base]

I like how the bricks are keyed accurately round the corners. I'm looking at doing something similar for a signal box. Is there any chance of posting up a bit of the artwork so I can get an idea of what I should be aiming for?

 

thanks for the update

Steve

[Low-tech coach restoration (3)]

Thanks for sharing your work with us. Reading these blogs has been inspiring. Things appear achievable to mere mortals without needing six hands and eyesight worthy of GCHQ.. I'm really enjoying this vignette approach to creating a believable model reality.

[A beginning... at last!]

Did you get any where beyond the beginning? I'm intrigued by these sort of layouts as test beds so would be interested to hear more.

[Delph - Bridge takes shape]

I suppose real road transport has suspension to absorb the slight camber of the average road surface and failing that there's always "lardy" drivers to balance things out seeing as sitting on the right they are on the high side of the camber over here - i know springs are supposed to be handed but you look at how many coil/leaf sprung vehicles sag.

Can I ask how you cut the arch profile out of thick plasticard? I've an elliptical arch profile to do and have ground to a halt while working this out.

 

Cheers and thanks for the updates.

Steve

[Bristol Barrow Road - Lawrence Hill Junction Box - down the drains]

interesting and as thorough as ever, and from my point of view the subject matter is ironically topical having spent part of yesterday on the sidelnes of a "discussion" regarding the sizes and fixings of the 12:1' gutters and downpipes forthe refurbishment of Swithland. Thanks again for sharing the details, this is shaping up to be a nice little reference section.

Cheers

Steve