Christleton Junction - 1986 - Gateway to North Wales

[61656]

3 minutes ago, cheesysmith said:

Still think you need more units. The variety of DMUs then that would have been seen, especially if it came from Manchester (NH, quality assured, what a joke).

Agreed. More units, more freight, more parcels and about 50 class 47s!

I want to spend a bit of time sorting out what I currently have, which means:

- Sound units for 31,108, 85 and 87

- Declassifying first to second on two coaches. 
- converting D211 to D200

- painting some GUVs in blue
- painting a BFK in intercity

 

On the layout front it’s point machines and then ballasting. Definitely beginning to feel like a model railway rather than a carpentry and wiring project. 

Longer term plans include:

- plasticard viaducts

- overhead wires

- signals

- tanker train

- rake of HAAs

- civil engineers train

[9C85]

1 hour ago, 61656 said:

 painting some GUVs in blue

 

Being there, doing that 

[61656]

I realised that I hadn’t posted any photos of the loco servicing shed, so here’s a couple to show how it looks. 
 

Usually the type 4s used for trains reversing or changing traction dominate the two roads on the left, with Christleton sheded type 2s and 3s using the servicing facilities. Looks like celebratory guest is in for some attention on this occasion. 
 

 

[BenW]

23 hours ago, 61656 said:

Agreed. More units, more freight, more parcels and about 50 class 47s!

I want to spend a bit of time sorting out what I currently have, which means:

- Sound units for 31,108, 85 and 87

- Declassifying first to second on two coaches. 
- converting D211 to D200

- painting some GUVs in blue
- painting a BFK in intercity

 

On the layout front it’s point machines and then ballasting. Definitely beginning to feel like a model railway rather than a carpentry and wiring project. 

Longer term plans include:

- plasticard viaducts

- overhead wires

- signals

- tanker train

- rake of HAAs

- civil engineers train

I'm on it with the ballast wagons - a selection of hacked about Cambrian Dogfish and Catfish should be delivered when operating (& beer drinking) privileges are permitted again!  There's also talk of an airbrush being added to the collection of under-used modelling tools living under my layout, so hold that thought on repainting coaches...

 

You can get a RTR 304 from somewhere on the internet, but I stopped looking when I saw the asking price of £500+ for three cars!

 

Developments look great, btw

 

[61656]

Well tonight we are pleased to formally launch “Haven’t got a clue Enterprises” as we embark on the attempt to relivery a mk2 into intercity mainline colours. I say we, because it’s good to get the notion of shared responsibility and blame out early. 
 

The donor coach came apart relatively easily, not quickly, but fairly straightforward. Not a job to be rushed. 
 

I realised as I took it apart that the internal corridor connection doors and underframe make it a Mk2z (i.e. an original Mk2) rather than a Mk2a. I hadn’t realised that Bachmann even did the 2z! This is good news, as hardly any pressure ventilated Mk2’s made it into intercity livery, probably less than 10 and all BFKs. In my era just one Mk2a was so liveried and that was at Bounds Green, so almost certainly just in their charter set. However 2 former Western region Mk2z’s had been allocated to Carlisle Upperby and were repainted at some point in 1986 (before September if anyone asks). These two are therefore entirely accurate for a West Coast or Cross Country service through a place which doesn’t exist!

 

Stage 1 is done, next job is a light sand and then primer. 
 

[5BarVT]

9 hours ago, 61656 said:

“Haven’t got a clue Enterprises”

“I’m sorry”?

:-)

Paul.

[61656]

This has been a good week for progress. Mainly because an engineering possession of all lines means I spend my time building rather than running. 
 

On the layout, the troughing has been painted concrete colour (whatever colour that is) and point machines have been installed. I was going to have electro-pneumatic machines, however I discovered that the Peco dummy motor is a Westinghouse M63 style machine. Those of you that know me will know why I couldn’t resist! 
 

I need a last run through painting a few bits and covering a lot of holes, then the civil engineers can get some stone down. 
 

Over in the carriage and wagon, the Mk2z has been rubbed down and primed. It can only get harder from here. 
 

 

[5BarVT]

6 hours ago, 61656 said:

the Peco dummy motor is a Westinghouse M63 style machine.

Are you sure?  It looks like an AEI/GEC/Alstom HW to me.

Now that you’re adding details it’s making the trackwork look even better. (Envy!)

Paul.

[61656]

1 hour ago, 5BarVT said:

Are you sure?  It looks like an AEI/GEC/Alstom HW to me.

Now that you’re adding details it’s making the trackwork look even better. (Envy!)

Paul.

Hmmm. Good question. It doesn’t look square enough for a HW, but is possibly too long for a 63. The distinctive ears made me think 63, but quite a few machines have those. 
 

I think I should be able to get some archive pictures out from the time period, if I ever get back to the office. 
 

For now I’m happy with the impact they have - amazing how a few simple details can improve the look. 

[5BarVT]

For my layout I will need HA or HB (or similar) but I'm going to have to start with HW just to have something!

 

No office to get back too (!), but I do have photos from 2005.

 

 

Stafford No.5 (Style '63), an historic record now.

 

 

Waverley (HW)

 

It is alleged that the PECO mouldings are rather wide, which is possibly the case, but they are a lot better than nothing.

 

Paul.

 

 

[P.C.M]

Looking really good, I always think it's the smaller details that can make a layout so much better.

 

Cheers Peter.

[61656]

 

And then there was ballast...

 

As a new entrant to ballasting, there’s a limit to the number of videos you can watch and articles you can read, at some point the rock has to hit the hard place. 
 

Is it the right colour, is it the right size, will it stick, are the individual stones the right way up? I guess we have to wait about 48 hours to see. So far, I’m cautiously happy with it. 
 

It makes a very big change from the dark brown baseboard I’m used to!

[5BarVT]

Was going to make a facetious comment about having a machine on the traps but not on the point next to them.  Having EBBOM, I’ll wait for the hand point lever to appear later in the build . . .

 

What have you used for ballast?  It looks a good choice to me.

 

Paul.

[9C85]

That is a lovely station approach 

[61656]

46 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

Was going to make a facetious comment about having a machine on the traps but not on the point next to them.  Having EBBOM, I’ll wait for the hand point lever to appear later in the build . . .

 

What have you used for ballast?  It looks a good choice to me.

 

Paul.

Once I’d put the ballast down I realised how odd the hand point looked! As you say, lever to follow. 
 

Ballast is woodland scenics pale grey fine. I wanted something small and pale - photos from the period and area show almost white ballast and unbelievably clean in most areas. 

[61656]

36 minutes ago, 9C85 said:

That is a lovely station approach 

Thanks. I don’t often photo the South end of the station, mainly because of the old fireplace that needs hiding!

[coronach]

16 hours ago, 61656 said:

 

And then there was ballast...

 

As a new entrant to ballasting, there’s a limit to the number of videos you can watch and articles you can read, at some point the rock has to hit the hard place. 
 

Is it the right colour, is it the right size, will it stick, are the individual stones the right way up? I guess we have to wait about 48 hours to see. So far, I’m cautiously happy with it. 
 

It makes a very big change from the dark brown baseboard I’m used to!

I find it is helpful to scrape all the extraneous ballast from the tops of sleepers and rail webs.  Then tone down the ballast with thinned down track colour / sleeper grime etc.  Paint the sleepers with track colour / old timber and paint the rail webs and chairs with light rust and allow that to seep into the ballast under the rails.  All very tedious but worth the effort

[61656]

16 minutes ago, coronach said:

I find it is helpful to scrape all the extraneous ballast from the tops of sleepers and rail webs.  Then tone down the ballast with thinned down track colour / sleeper grime etc.  Paint the sleepers with track colour / old timber and paint the rail webs and chairs with light rust and allow that to seep into the ballast under the rails.  All very tedious but worth the effort

Thanks. That’s pretty much the plan. Looking at it now I think I should have got the sleeper tops slightly cleaner before gluing, but hopefully it will scrape off without too much tedium!

 

Colouring the ballast will take some planning, as there are lots of places locos regularly stop and drip oil which need to be darker. I need to study some prototype photos to see if electrics drop as much as diesels. 

[61656]

The ballasting extends a little further... The first patch has fully dried, there were a few bare patches and probably too much left on sleepers to scrap off. The next section through the main platforms looks like I’ve done a better job, but not easy to tell with the glue still wet. 
 

I’m slowly building enough confidence to think about the main station throat!

 

 

[61656]

I suspect there are high flying hedge fund managers, secretly prowling RMweb, just waiting for their moment. The PVA millionaires.

 

Like the honesty of an Instagram influencer posting a no make-up photo, there’s nothing so brutal as a ballast still soaking with glue picture of your trackwork. Still, progress is progress.

 

The dry mainlines to the left give a hint of what could be...

 

[61656]

There is a steady advancement of ballasting in a Westward direction. Some of my earlier efforts are not quite where they need to be, so there’s a few hours on the chisel to look forward to. Recent progress is slower (net quicker) but really getting quite pleasing. 
 

In unphotographed news, the BFK has its first coat of intercity light grey, whilst the class 40 has been stripped for converting to D200. The wheel rims have been given a coat of white, although they were quite dirty by 86, so the white will be followed by brake dust brown and grey. The nose ends have been prised off, incorrect lamp irons removed and new ones added. New handrails need to be added before priming. 
 

[61656]

Phase 1 of the ballasting is complete, meaning we can now move on to phase 2. Phase 2 is predominantly about undoing most of the work from phase 1! Joviality aside, ballast is now down across most of the scenic section, as far as the North end crossovers where I haven't yet finalised the layouts into the fiddle yards. Generally the ballasting gets better the later it was put down, but even the early stuff cleans up quite nicely. I've made a start at removing the excess and filling the gaps.

 

First photo at the South end, with a 47 waiting at the possession marker boards. The electric stabling lines have been cleaned up, but the mainlines are still to do. The ballast is still slightly wet with new PVA in this shot.

 

 

Moving to the North end we see a general overview of the station throat. This hasn't been touched since first ballasting other than a quick vacuum. At this end of the job it is more topping up than chiselling.

 

 

My 7 year old son has declared the ballast too clean, and I should really get on with dirtying it, instead of sitting at my computer all day. Who am I to ignore such demands?

 

I'm hoping to get the track run-able again fairly quickly, and then I'll try to take some photos of a typical couple of hours at Christleton, to give a feel for how the railway works.

[61656]

A little bit of normal service resumed tonight. I decided all the ballast and track fettling will take to long to do in a “one-er”, so I made sure the frogs and check rails were clear so I could start operating my draft timetable. I’ll do bits of snagging as I go and the mood takes me. 
 

The start of the session requires a couple of locos on shed, at least one type 4 and a type 2 or 3. A Gateshead duff and a 31 are ready for action in the quad. Both need a Gateshead wash!
 

Over on the fuel road, resident shunters in the form of air only 08 and vac only 03 are on being readied (not too much milk in the tea mind). A large logo 47 is topping up its tanks. 

[61656]

Well D200 has made it out of the workshops and very happy with it I am too. My first proper effort at modifying something out of the box. I think most satisfying are the different overhead warning flashes on the A end nose!

 

Here it is grinding its way through the high ballast of platform 2 with an early morning parcels service for the coast. A short freight has just arrived in the middle road, which we’ll deal with shortly. 
 

[BenW]

Very nice mate - the grime on the front end looks really subtle.  Sent me down a rabbit hole looking for the loco's history!