Chris Chewter
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Posts posted by Chris Chewter
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One of the chaps from the model railway club cut together a video of the Carterton layout. Check it out here:
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Have a great Easter everyone!
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I can vouch that the Rapido W&U coaches make a very nice pairing with Lion!
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On 17/03/2024 at 20:51, Phil Parker said:
They are in the packs handed out on arrival. It's up to the exhibitors if and where they display them.
They certainly were! There were layout ID sheets in the exhibitor packs. I can’t speak for others, but we had ours on display!
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Managed to be offered the chance to run the EP B-set on the Carterton layout at Ally Pally last weekend.
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A few photos of the 44xx EP on the Carterton layout at Ally Pally on Sunday.
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Back in the land of the day job, and over lunch I've been looking through the photos and videos on the internet, and one thing that strikes me is the perspex. It does get in the way a bit. It's necessary as without barriers, kids will put their fingers on the edge of the layout, so a small lip is required. However the current perspex can certainly be reduced in height! I'll have to measure it and order a smaller replacement. It also needs a skirt to hide those legs, although that wasn't so noticeable. I better get ordering before its next outing!
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Day two of Ally Pally and after breakfast at the hotel in St Albans, we headed down to Alexandra Palace for the doors to open for exhibitors.
Upon arrival the layout covers were removed, trackwork cleaned, and locos removed from the stock box.
Lots of comments about the ZTC panel I was using, however we noticed that locos running on the hand held controller were running slower and slower, until we realised that the plug on the back of the unit had been knocked loose.
However the fiddle yard point managed to last two days without issue!
The day seemed quieter with far less congestion getting around the exhibition.
We also had a lot of comments about the backscene, which later proved to be a perfect backdrop for Rapidos 44xx and b-set prototypes!
Before long it was time up, however this time the layout had to be packed away. The covers were refitted and it was loaded into the van ready for the journey home.
I know that for some, exhibiting layouts can be daunting, but we’ve had great fun! The layouts now back into its store room ready to be sorted out for its next outing.
Goodbye Ally Pally, it’s been a blast!
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Snapped earlier today at Ally Pally:
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Day one of Ally Pally and we arrived bright and early just as the doors opened for exhibitors.
Track was cleaned and tested and all was good to go.
Doors opened and before long, there was a line of people watching the layout. Loads of great conversations with passers by, some from people who recalled travelling in the Fairford branch.
There were a few issues, but I think most issues were due to operator error in not setting points correctly or loosing themselves from the three train sequence.
There were a few minor stalls, but hopefully they were forgivable!
The Titfield Thunderbolt put in a show just to mix things up, which was met with loads of photos being taken of the small train making its way through Carterton station.
Before long, the day was over and the exhibition and covers put back on ready for day two.
If you’re visiting on Sunday, pop across and say hello, as we love to chat as well as operating the layout.
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Well that’s the set up day at Ally Pally completed.
Carterton is being exhibited this weekend at stand L2 at the London Festival of Railway Modelling under the rose window.
It was decided to reduce expenses by taking it along with another club members layout which had been invited, so only one van was hired. We wanted to maximise the set up time, so the van arrived at 8, and was carefully loaded up.
After loading the second layout at 9, we arrived at Alexandra Palace about 12 where we received our exhibitors wrist bands and unloaded.
We found our layout slot and set about assembling the layout. Thankfully all worked fine with the exception of the connector to the fiddle yard point, where a couple of wires had worked loose. Looks like the soldering iron might be brought into action tomorrow to fix that permanent niggle!!
Onto testing and all complete. Track cleaning was left for tomorrow so that any work wasn’t undone. However one of the panniers ran up and down without any issue.
We also had a chance for a quick run with another members 14xx and some GWR Rapido wagons, which fitted into the landscape beautifully!
They are exquisite wagons and ran perfectly!
I also couldn’t resist running the short Titfield train just to see how it looked!
If you hear me shouting ‘Can’t go yet, Squires not here!’ I apologise in advance. Model railway are a serious hobby after all. No, who am I kidding! The Titfield Thunderbolt will be exercised at some point over the weekend!
A brisk wander round, and I was tickled by this sight:
Obviously something ‘N-gauging’ on the Bachmann stand. Sorry, I couldn’t resist the joke!The team then headed for the hotel and settled in before a delightful curry in a nearby wetherspoons.
Now looking forward to a weekend of running model trains. What’s not to like!
And another Rapido wagon shot. Lovely!
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With Ally Pally coming up on the calendar very soon, it’s time to exercise the loco stock and give them a run, clean, oil and general service.
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Well Tetbury is heading towards some significant work. Some of the wiring underneath leaves a bit to be desired. So the plan is to split it into its three boards, turn it onto its side, and to tidy it up. By doing so, it might open up the layout to travel. At the moment, there’s too much vulnerable wiring for the layout to go anywhere!
Despite this, it still runs really well and provides a lot of enjoyment for operating sessions, especially with the electromagnetic uncouplers fitted.
My recent acquisition is intended to raise a smile during exhibitions.
“I told you bishop, it’s Left for Titfield, not Tetbury!”
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Disaster struck when I took a look at the layout. It looks like the sheet metal used to mount the backscene on expands and contracts a fair deal. When it’s in the workshop, the backscene crinkles up. But bring it back into the house, the crinkles disappear.
So two sheets of 3mm ply were obtained and the spare backscene was mounted on them.
So far, I’ve been out in the workshop for an hour and we haven’t got anything as bad as Backscene mk1.
Not perfect, but that’ll have to do.
Fingers crossed it doesn't ripple like backscene v1 😬
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The good thing about working from home is how you can spend your lunch break! Well instead of lunch, I’ve taken off the backscene boards and replaced them.
This is the remaining backscene, and as you can see, where I attached it at the edges only, it’s gone wrinkly!
The backscene comes from the printers in a whole 10ft roll.
It’s a slightly different size which is a pain, but at least the colours are the same.
Well that’s Lunch over. Back to the laptop before I can fit these tonight.
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Replacement backscene has arrived. I pulled up just as the delivery van was leaving. Good job it wasn’t raining otherwise it would have been a soggy mess!
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I'm very excited that Carterton is attending Ally Pally in March!
https://www.rmweb.co.uk/shows/ally-pally-2024/
Of course, there are some things that need to be sorted on the layout before then! They are unfortunately non-photogenic items such as the backscene which has developed a wrinkle. I did try to loosen and refit it, however the backscene tore. Thankfully I was able to find the original artwork and a replacement is currently at the printers, but fitting a backscene isn't exciting to report or photograph.I've also thought about a skirt for the layout, however given that the exhibition uses barriers, I'm not sure that's necessary. I don't know whether velcro on the layout front will also interfere with the protective panels and perspex. Something to think about.
Theres normally enough locos to run if one fails, but it probably won't do any harm to get them cleaned, oiled and on a rolling road. Theres always one loco that just doesn't seem to want to run straight out of the box until it's been on the layout for a bit.
If you can't make Ally Pally, its also booked for SW Herts exhibition in Watford: https://www.southwesthertsmrs.org.uk/exhibition/ and Silver Fox in Milton Keynes, but I don't know if I've let the cat out of the bag on that one, as their website hasn't caught up yet!
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On 25/11/2023 at 18:23, Adrian Stevenson said:
A large crowd around it most times I walked past. But I did get this single pic which doesn’t do it justice.
Which layout was this? Sadly I wasn't able to get to Warley this weekend but that layout does look very nice!
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I decided the 14xx was lonely and needed another. I managed to acquire a Hattons 14xx in lined green with an early crest. The plan was to change the crest and weather it down.
Seems to have come out alright. I just need to find it a crew and a set of lamps.
(In case you’re wondering, it’s the one nearest the camera!)
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Really pleased with the electro-magnetic uncouplers. They really do change the operation of the layout. Had a member of the model railway club visit on Saturday, which turned into a Tetbury operating session.
Spurred on, it’s made me think about the things that need to be done on the layout. Other than tidying up the electrics, I’ve been thinking about the workshop above the station.
Ive never had any clear photos other that a couple from Randolph’s book. The clearest is this one showing the building in question.
I’ve always bodged it with a resin barn.
To be honest, comparing the two, it’s not a bad compromise.-
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I tried to enter the Hornby Model Shot of the Year. Sadly I wasn't shortlisted, so I can release them onto the forum.
I don't run many Hornby locos on the layout, preferring their coaching stock. However, I had detailed a Hornby 14xx, so used this as a subject for my entry. Anyway, Hornby's loss is our gain. I hope you enjoy.
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13 hours ago, MrWolf said:
Did you ever find any more information on the advert hoarding that stood halfway up the driveway? Although IIRC it was demolished around 1962 or 63?
Sadly I've found no drawings or details to date. It just needs building from photos. It's one of those things that I've just not got around to. It would fit 3D printing really well, but that's outside of my skills, so I'll probably cut the components, assemble and apply some very thin plastistruct beading for the details.
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Track ballasted over the weekend. This evening with the ballast dry, it can be weathered down with aerosols.
Its a bit patchy and grey in places post weathering so I’ll need to crack out the weathering powers or another mist of black.
The goods yard runs better than before. I changed the point by the pannier as everything ran over it fairly roughly previously.
The loading dock has also been ballasted and weathered.
And the uncouplers fitted along the platform have been attended to.
You may notice the red fire buckets dotted around to mark where the uncouplers are. More for visiting operators, or for when I’ve forgotten where they are.
Sadly the shunter didn’t escape unharmed. He lost the hook on the end of his pole!
Now for a thorough clean!-
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Track back in on the coal yard.
Now to give everything a thorough test before ballasting and sorting out the scenery.
Amazingly, that shunter figure has remained undisturbed throughout the whole upheaval!
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Carterton
in Modelling real locations
Posted
If you’re interested in reading more about the Carterton layout, an article has been published in the May 2024 edition of Railway Modeller.