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Chris Chewter

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  1. Chris Chewter
    The museum opens at 10:30am until 4pm. You have to pay an entry fee to get into the museum but there isn’t any extra charge for the layouts.
  2. Chris Chewter
    Well the exhibition at Twyford went well. The layout was packed into the van last night and the stock boxes put into the car. We arrived about 8:30 to set up at Twyford URC. Panel covers were unbolted and the layout was assembled. A couple of wires had worked loose so the soldering iron was fired up and they were reattached. The layout worked fine generally throughout the day, with a few club members having a go at operating the layout. However my luck ran out when the CDU gave out. Given this has happened before, I think the power supply is wrong. That gives me a bit of a problem with the bus museum exhibition tomorrow. 1/ The replacement won’t arrive ready for tomorrow. 2/ my spare CDU I don’t think has the capacity to throw three points. 2/ If I bypass the CDU and run the points off the 16v power directly, it wasn’t throwing all three points. I’ll rob the CDU power supply from Tetbury, so fingers crossed that’ll work, otherwise the fiddle yard point will be operated by hand tomorrow!
  3. Chris Chewter
    To try to keep myself away from the traders, I spliced together a video of the event for those who weren't able to attend. Sadly my plan was unsuccessful, and my wallet is now a little lighter.
  4. Chris Chewter
    Thank you for casting your votes and for your posts. It’s really very much appreciated and I’m sure will not only help our club in planning future events, but other clubs also.
  5. Chris Chewter
    A bit of a double event coming up for Carterton at the end of the month. The Model Railway Club is due to hold a free model railway even in Twyford, near Bicester, on the 25th March, followed by the Models at the Museum event at the Oxford Bus Museum on the 26th March. I repaired the flaked out frog juicer. Oddly, when I plugged it into Tetbury, the thing seemed to be changing polarity, so it appears to have resurrected itself. Its now been replaced and the dodgy board put in the spares box. I'm thinking of fitting a switch between the DCC feed and the layout in case there's a spike when plugging in the controlled which might be cooking some of the boards. Perhaps a job for this weekend. If you are near Bicester and want to come along, feel free to do so. Equally feel free to come to the bus museum event, although there is an entry fee for that one.
  6. Chris Chewter
    Hi All. I've been involved with discussions which my local model railway club concerning the best day for exhibitions and events. Our main exhibition is normally held on a Sunday, as this allows Saturday for setting up, and allows those who work on a Saturday to get out to an exhibition they might otherwise not be able to get to. However we recently held a Saturday event which was very well attended. We haven't been able to obtain any information from other clubs regarding attendance so we have difficulty in gauging whether the issue is the day the event was held on, or other factors. So basically, I thought I'd see what the general consensus is for a one day exhibition or event. Is it a Saturday, or is it a Sunday? If you could cast your vote in the poll, it'll be useful information to see which day works best.
  7. Chris Chewter
    A video from Saturdays exhibition. It’s a shame not all locos run as nicely as that Collett Goods drifting in from Brize Norton and Bampton, but I’ve found the culprits and in the process of swapping the DCC chips for one’s better able to deal with smooth running in the most troublesome locos! (Please ignore the wrong loco lamp. When your down to four locos, any loco gets used!)
  8. Chris Chewter
    Well that’s the Carterton Library exhibition done. We had around 300 people visit the library to look at the layouts. The day started bright and early at 8am, with the first board delivered to the museum, a trip back home with another club member brought the two main scenic boards over. We had the main clubs layout to assemble first, and then the attention was turned to Carterton. In about half an hour, the layout was assembled and wired. For some reason, the locos at first didn’t run between boards 2 and 3, so the cable was switched out and a spare fitted, so we have a dodgy cable in the box. Good job I had a spare! We had everything up and running quickly and were soon running trains. The library opened at 9:30, and by 10, the room was busy with people looking at both layouts. It was a fine line trying to listen to people’s tales and memories on the line, or just asking questions about the station and model railways in general, when you’re trying to run trains, but it worked. Locos were still running strangely. Out of 8 panniers, some were a bit abrupt. This is particularly odd as they all have the same cv settings, so some tailoring is required. Also, the platform edge needs a slight trim as the Hawksworth coaches were snagging the ramp. A job to add to the to-do list. When things had quietened down, we swapped operators around so that everyone had a go at giving the layout a run. All was going fine until one of the tam valley frog juicers gave up. That’s disappointing as the layouts only had 10 hours worth of running. That was disconnected as we only had an hour of running to go, but the locos ran fine over the dead frog (which is odd). I’ll swap that out for some relay type frog juicers which I’ve got sat in a box. Eventually the crowds dispersed, and by 3, we were packing up. My eldest had turned up and ably assisted in the layout disassembly. Another successful outing, but now with some minor repairs to do to the layout before it’s next trip out.
  9. Chris Chewter
    With the Carterton library mini-exhibition tomorrow, I thought I’d check all the locos are running smoothly. The locos tend to sit in a storage box and only come out for exhibitions, so each is getting a quick 15mins on the rolling road tonight. Hopefully that’ll minimise the loco casualties tomorrow. Only time will tell.
  10. Chris Chewter
    With Cartertons next outing coming up, the boards have been taken out of storage to give it a check over. Nothing much to report and we could get track power across the boards. However anything can happen in an outing so no doubt I’ll have to bring the soldering iron just in case! I also managed to do a few jobs such as planting out the allotments. Also, as the dogs came as a pair, the man on the bridge now has a companion as he makes his way to Black Bourton.
  11. Chris Chewter
    In case you are interested in seeing the layout, and live within Oxfordshire, its being shown at Carterton Library on the 18th February 2023. Its a free to attend event and those who are young, and not so young, can also operate trains on the Oxford and District Model Railway Clubs Oldstead Gate layout. More details can be found on the UK Modelshop entry at https://www.ukmodelshops.co.uk/event/24565-OxfordDistrictModelRailwayClub_Exhibition https://www.oxfordmrc.org.uk/events/model-railways-at-carterton-library
  12. Chris Chewter
    until
    A small exhibition at Carterton Library, 6 Alvescot Road, Carterton, OX18 3JH on the 18th February 2023 between 10:00am and 3pm. FREE ENTRY with Free public car parking A chance to see a model of Carterton Station. A accurate representation of this halt on the Fairford branch and Visitors can enjoy driving a train on the Oxford and District Model Railway Clubs layout, Oldstead Gate.
  13. Chris Chewter
    I know quite a few posts have been for stock destined for Carterton, however I looked at the 16t minerals on the layout, and I wasn’t satisfied with the factory weathering. They’re just too clean! So with a simple waft of black powder and hey presto! They now look a little dark now, but never mind! I also picked up a Modelu Awdry figure. I thought he could keep the station master company! I need to sort that cracked bit of platform. Good job I’m on holiday!
  14. Chris Chewter
    Well the rake of planked wagons increases ready for use on Carterton. I really should stop but I do enjoy a wagon respray. They’re nice and easy and give you a bespoke wagon once done! I’ve also been waiting for a few supplies to turn up for a streamlined railcar. The Modelu figures and decoder were held up in the postal strikes. They finally arrived last week. With the Christmas annual leave now upon us, it gave me the time to paint up the figures and fit the chip. I was thinking the railcar was too good to weather, but it just looked too shiny! I’ve weathered it the same as the coaches. I started with an all over flory wash, but the roof still looked too clean! The roof was treated with weathering powder. I haven’t put powder over the bogie sides as I don’t want anything in the mechanism. That looks a bit more layout ready. Whist Carterton sits in storage, it’s given a run on Tetbury to check it looks right and running well.
  15. Chris Chewter
    The adapters were acquired from eBay: https://www.ebay.co.uk/usr/mattymay05 However he's out of stock of the "Bachmann/Mainline/Parkside/Cambrian, NEM Coupling converters."
  16. Chris Chewter
    Walked into Howes Models for some Matt varnish and thought I had found a right bargain. A load of Hornby R6665 Brookes Limited 4 Plank Wagons for £6! Two were purchased to be resprayed. However disappointingly they are a bit crude with chunky running gear and massive D couplings. 🤦‍♂️ Theres nowt I going to do about the running gear, life’s too short. However the couplings had to go! I want NEM sockets so I can swap the couplings out to kadees if I wish in the future, so some 3d printed adapters were acquired, the D couplings unscrewed and binned, and the adapters fitted on the old coupling pins. Now we can respray, decal and weather these up. In theory, 4 planks were very rare by the 1960s, so these will look fairly battered and abused. I’ve also done another 7 plank to go into the set. Ive got two more planked open wagons to go and then I should probably stop, otherwise the place will be over run by them. However I do enjoy a cheap wagon respray!
  17. Chris Chewter
    Oxrail 2023 is nearly here! Cherwell School, Marston Ferry Road, Oxford, OX2 7EE on Sunday 17th September between 10:30 and 16:00 Layouts include: Abbots Morton - A OO layout representing one of the proposed lines from Broom Junction to Worcester. Bremen - A HO tram layout by Beckenvick Modellers. Bossington - A OO layout of a small GWR terminus built back in the 1950s Carterton - A OO representation of this wayside halt on the Fairford branch line. City Basin Goods - An N gauge layout representing a goods and marshalling yard Cromarty - A small branch line terminus in N Cynon Valley - A modular layout inspired by a wartime evacuation to Mountain Ash in Wales constructed in N gauge Edrom - Built in N, this layout represents Edrom station on the Berwickshire line between Duns and Chirnside in the Scottish Borders. Exebridge - Built in 3mm scale, this layout represents a small West Country cross country railway line based around the River Exe. Five Elms - Five Elms is a MPD layout in OO Freshwater - 2mm scale layout of the terminus of the Freshwater, Yarmouth and Newport Railway on the Isle of Wight. Hook Basin - A model of British 18 inch rural tramway set in North Oxfordshire. Kreuzweg - A Swiss metre gauge layout in HOm Lammas Lane - A London Underground layout in N Memory Lane - A Hornby Dublo 3 rail layout showing model railways of times gone by. Randolphs Yard - A small shunting yard in OO Rain Folly - A small N Gauge layout set on a typical rainy day in england. Trifoulou - Z scale metre gauge Tetsudo-Sankei - Japanese Z scale layout The Snake Bed - A large US modular layout in N William Street Yard - A small marshalling yard set somewhere just off the GWR main line between Reading and Didcot between 1947 and 1953 in OO As always, please note that layouts and attractions are subject to availability and last-minute changes may occur. As part of the exhibition, the Oxford and District Model Railway Club shall also be running a tombola with many prizes to be won. The usual selection of traders will also be available for you to purchase supplies for your next project, plus representation of clubs and organisations in the area. Crane Garden Buildings Squires Tools Coastal DCC Transport Treasury Orwell Models N Cresswell Model Railways Saddletank Books White Horse Brewery We also have the following organisations attending: Didcot Railway Centre Network Rail Oxford Bus Museum Chinnor and Princes Risborough Railway Pendon Museum International Plastic Modellers Society More details can be found on our website at https://www.oxfordmrc.org.uk/exhibitions/
  18. Chris Chewter
    Oxford and District MRC - Model Railway Open Day Collinwood United Reformed Church, Headington, Oxford, OX3 8HW Thinking of joining a Model Railway Club but want to know more, or simply want to enjoy some model railway layouts? On Saturday 13th May 2023, the Oxford and District Model Railway Club are putting on a display of some of our layouts for people to come along and enjoy. Layouts are both a mixture of club and member layouts, and include: Bossington - A classic 1950s layout in OO Brymbo - Some narrow gauge O scale Carterton - Part of the Fairford branch in OO Oldstead Gate - Our classic circular layout in OO Layouts are subject to change We shall be holding the event at the church hall where we regularly meet at Collinwood United Reformed Church, Headington, Oxford, OX3 8HW. https://www.oxfordmrc.org.uk/location/ More details can be found on our open day link at https://www.oxfordmrc.org.uk/open-day-exhibition/
  19. Chris Chewter
    Models at the Oxford Bus Museum Hanborough Rail Station Yard, Main Road, Long Hanborough, Oxfordshire OX29 6LA The Oxford and District Model railway Club have been invited to provide layouts to the Oxford Bus Museum for their Model Bus Federation and Model Railway day. Layouts present should include: Carterton Oldstead Gate Bossington City Basin Goods We shall also have a visit from Network Rail Layouts remain subject to change Entry is via the bus museums usual entry fee. Further details can be found at https://www.oxfordbusmuseum.org/heritage-bus-rides
  20. Chris Chewter
    Could anyone who own a version of R3987 92194 take a close up photo of the makers nameplate on the front running plate? I had read in an article that whilst the loco was Swindon built, it’s been incorrectly printed. However I cannot find any photos confirming this. Thanks
  21. Chris Chewter
    I’ve just realised that I haven’t put an update here following the wagons being completed, although it was a little naughty of me posting progress here as well as the Tetbury thread. Ive now assembled quite a rake of planked wagons ready to run when Carterton next goes out on the road. That’ll improve the variety a bit! I’ve also assembled a good rake of Collett suburbans. With the coaches on special offer at Rails, it was rude to say no!
  22. Chris Chewter
    I took some stock to run on another club members layout, and was a little embarrassed to pull six unweathered coaches out of the box. I’m not sure whether it was the lack of weathering or the fact I had totally forgotten about them that led to the embarrassment. However, with my wife at a conference on Saturday, and two pre-teen kids glued to various devices, it gave me a reason to get on with some modelling at the dining table. Loads of blue paper was laid down and the weathering could commence! I used the Flory black wash technique again which seemed to come out well. The roofs were sprayed with Matt varnish, then smoke grey weathering powder over and a final coat of black weathering powder over that. They were then resprayed with Matt varnish which seems to work fairly well. I do like the restaurant car pair so how about another shot of the restaurant cars being shunted by the good shed for good measure! I seem to be getting a slight reputation in the model railway club as the person to weather coaches that owners aren’t brave enough to attempt (I suppose there are worse reputations to have!) I ended up with a Bachmann autocoach thrust at me with a request to weather it down from its owner. Seeing as I had the Flory washes open, it seemed rude not to! The only change with this one was the roof. It seemed to be rivited, plus I couldn’t be sure how it was going to be handled, so I concluded that powders on the roof might not work well, so it was toned down with the Flory washes only. Some dark earth powder to the ends and under frame give it that slightly worn effect. Hopefully it’s owner will be pleased to see it returned in its slightly grubby state!
  23. Chris Chewter
    I’ve tried a different weathering technique for coaches this afternoon. I had heard about Flory washes after one of the model railway club members used them as part of some of the schools work we do. I picked up a bottle of black in the hope it would save some of the scrubbing when you use the t-cut method which leads to damaged handles and lining. I had a rake of Collett Suburbans to do. So the sides and roof were painted with the wash and set aside to cure. Once dried, out came the cotton buds to work back and remove the black from the coach sides. However that roof looks very blotchy! In the end, I had to work it over with a damp cotton bud and move the black wash around into streaks with a dry cotton bud. Now we have a coach ready for some powder. Sides were masked. The frames were wafted with Humbrol dark earth powder. Then Matt varnish applied to the roof and the under frame. Then onto the roof. It still looked too shiny even with Matt varnish on it, so some Humbrol smoke grey was brushed into it. That looks better than out of the box! I might give them a light application of black to tone it down. It worked for the other pair of collett corridors I’ve got. I’m now out of Matt varnish, so looks like that’s it until the postman makes a visit. Those locos will also have to stay shiny for a bit longer!
  24. Chris Chewter
    To show the challenges of using the t-cut method with Hornby coaches, I managed to just about stop the lining completely pulling off the collett corridor on the left!
  25. Chris Chewter
    I had forgotten what a pain coaches were to weather. The thing is, they were always much cleaner than wagons. It’s easy to weather coaches and find you’ve made them too dirty! First up, some BR suburban mk1s. These have already received factory weathering, but it doesn't pick up the black in the panel lines. I used the same t-cut technique as before. A cotton bud is dipped in t-cut and dipped in black weathering powder. It’s then applied across the coach surface. This is then rubbed off as much as possible with cotton buds. You then end up with a coach like the one on the top. The original factory weathered one is the grey coach it’s sat on. However it seems a little bit too dirty. Wasn’t coaching stock cleaner than that? It’s best to judge with some photos to check. My first attempt was obviously a smidge too black. So a t-cut cotton bud was swabbed over the coach sides and removed some excess black. Rub carefully as it’s easy with neat t-cut to remove numbers and linings. Not so bad with Bachmann coaches but a real pain with Hornby ones (ask me how I know!) That looks better. The grey weathering is a little odd but that’s the Bachmann weathering for you. I could have put a bit of brown around the bogies and under frame, but I was feeling lazy! Roofs are Matt varnish and smoke grey powder wafted after to stick on the varnish. I did try weathering some CCTs using some thinned down black. However I just couldn’t control the removal of the black as well as the t-cut method. I think they should be a bit cleaner, but they’ll do the job and ready for use on Carterton.
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