Christleton Junction - 1986 - Gateway to North Wales

[61656]

1 hour ago, cheesysmith said:

Mk2 in intercity, intercity in the 80s was actively ridding itself of the older mk2 coaches, the early pressure ventilated versions in the first half, then the D and E air con in the end of the 80s. This was mainly due to the higher maintenance needs of the older mk2. If you can get a copy, have a read of "the Mk2, the design that launched intercity" book.

 

As for the fireplace, hide it behind a high retaining wall. For example, look at sheffield. As for a booking ofice type above the station, look for old photos of normanton in west yorkshire.

 

Regarding the 127 DPMU, that is a easy cut and shut of the old lima DMU. Cut a piece of plasticard for the roller shutter door the size of a door and window. Then cut the model in half. Then cut the same sized bit out of the brake end. The roof section from the brake end needs adding back into the middle, and then fill/rub/paint.

 

 

Heres one in undercoat, waiting for the weather to improve before spraying.

I’ve been admiring some of your handiwork following discussion about 31s on the Red Bank thread. I’m getting to the stage of having too many projects on the go again! I have deliberately put off starting anything new until the layout was running and ballasted, now that it’s almost there I’m like a kid in a toy shop. I have a growing collection of parcels that need attending to and I really need to sort some priorities. 
 

Sheffield has been in my mind for a while. I certainly think a tall retaining wall is in order, I’m not sure yet if the station building will somehow get incorporated.  Normanton is a station I vaguely know from my youth, so I’ll go refresh my memory. I may even have some photos in a book. 
 

I love the mid to late 80’s because you get the run down of the mk2s, some of them just creeping into new liveries. A decade later seemed a lot duller place. 

[61656]

I haven’t yet got around to uploading any videos of the new layout yet; time to change that. I have just fitted the 85 with sound (easiest job ever) and it is too good not to share. Indeed it’s going to be hard to resist putting the wires up - but there’s quite a bit to happen before I can. 
 

The sound is just as I remember a roarer, and it adds quite a dimension to AC traction. It’s seen running centre road past a scratch rake, which includes the new BFK. 
 

I have a GUV repainted in blue awaiting transfers and another couple of sound units to fit. I also need to finish fettling the ballast and then weather it.

 

 

 

[61656]

Over the last week I’ve been chiselling away at the excess ballast, topping up the thin bits and then fettling the points to get them to work again. 
 

I’ve also been fitting sound to the remaining mute locos of the fleet. I’m trying to renumber them and give them a quick coat of filth whilst they get rechipped.
 

Hornby 31 was next for treatment. It’s a fairly easy loco to sound fit if you sacrifice the fan for the speaker (the fan itself can go back on top of the speaker). It’s renumbered as 31144, the only Bescot toffee apple in 1986 as far as I can work out. All the other variants were London or March based, so slightly less likely to work to Chester. As a Bescot loco it’s turned out in the very best of filth. There’s a little work to do on the dirt before I’ll be happy with it, but sound, dirt and ballast make a world of difference. 
 

 

Has anyone found a way to make the Speedlink red fade to pink?

[61656]

On 31/01/2021 at 17:41, 61656 said:

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. 

Back at the end of January I made some bold statements about the next few projects. Amazingly all are now complete. 
 

The sound units were mainly a doddle, except the 87, of which more later. The 31 and 85 were harder to separate the body from chassis than to fit the sound. The 108 was alright, but the speaker is in the passenger compartment at the moment. It probably needs some sugar cubes in the underframe.  
 

Only one coach has been declassified, a mk2a FK, seen below alongside the intercity BFK. It’s also had a light weathering, which has had the affect of making the other 50 coaches look like toy trains! The other coach lined up for declassification was a mk1 fk, but it transpires only mk1 fo’s were downgraded. A few of them ran in the Trans-Pennine sets, so that project will move to the longer term list. I don’t think Bachmann do an FO, but I suspect the RFO is the same externally. 
 

Iconic D200 we have seen previously. The first of two GUVs have been repainted in blue, then heavily weathered. It’s the front coach in the picture behind the 31. The second GUV is on hold as I contemplate making it a NLV, which had mk1 corridor connections. 
 

The 03 has gone through something of an identity crisis, when it was pointed out that 03073 had a flowerpot chimney. Luckily 03162 was a witch’s hat type, and also Chester based (and dual braked) in ‘86. Both transferred from Gateshead sometime around ‘85 - what a journey! Christleton’s 03 is now 162 (mental note to change the DCC address). 

 

Time then to give some thought to the next priorities. Ballast weathering (particularly in the shed) is probably first. After that I’m spoilt for choice! Either the south end bridge and fireplace covering structure, or the viaduct. Or a bit of both. 
 

I’ll probably also start working through renumbering the other locos (45s and 47s) and giving more coaches a light touch of dirt.  

 

[BernardTPM]

The Mk.1 FO's that were downgraded were the later type with a central vestibule and doors like this rather than just seven bays in a row like the Bachmann RFO.

[61656]

9 hours ago, BernardTPM said:

The Mk.1 FO's that were downgraded were the later type with a central vestibule and doors like this rather than just seven bays in a row like the Bachmann RFO.

The link says it’s forbidden (which makes a mk1 sound a lot more exciting)!

 

I suspect the project has just slipped a bit further down the list of priorities. I don’t think such a body shell is produced RTR. Brass overlays may be an option for the future, although the pesky white line around the grey puts me off anything too serious with blue and grey livery. 
 

I love all the research into rolling stock of the period. 

[BernardTPM]

Apologies for that, the link worked for me.

Both Replica and Hornby have done the appropriate bodied FO.

[61656]

Just now, BernardTPM said:

Apologies for that, the link worked for me.

Both Replica and Hornby have done the appropriate bodied FO.

Thanks. Both those look like suitable candidates for the job. I only have the Bachmann mk1s so far, so it’ll be good to see them in the flesh. 
 

Both would presumably need work to fit close couplings, but that would seem achievable. 

[61656]

A little ballast weathering makes quite a difference. 03 and 25 are on shed, admiring the rusty floodlight. The two type 4s are next in line for renumbering and weathering. I’d like some weeds on the ground and some trees behind the yard wall. Something to look forward to buying when the shops re-open. 
 

 

The next bit of work will be backscene and stage exit at the Crewe end. I’m going to get some mdf to start mocking up the bridge and retaining walls. Meanwhile we see an 85 and 87 pausing between duties where the bridge will go. The 87 has become my favourite of the class “Wolf of Badenoch”, which has a nice Gresley reference to it too. I need to find a decent pantograph for it at some time. 
 

[61656]

A little work on the backscene at the Crewe end, meaning that pictures of the fireplace are a thing of the past. 
 

An overall view of how it looks. I managed to reduce the size of the mantle shelf (late 20C badly stained pine) meaning the backscene can sit almost flat. I have recessed a short section to allow the platform to be a touch wider. 
 

The right hand corner where it turns into Bluebeck shed will need hiding. I’m thinking of a tower block on the corner here. 
 

 

A view looking south, with the lines departing to Crewe. The double junction for the fiddle yard starts before the scenic break, so the road bridge will need to be at an angle. 
 

 

Here’s a mock up of the bridge for height and angle. It should look quite good, with the stabling points semi-hidden under the bridge. The advantage of electrics is you can stable them in any old hole! I’ll need a sign reminding diesel drivers not to smoke the place out. 
 

Next, an overview of the whole station area and shed. I have some plans to illuminate the alcove so it’s less full of shadows. 
 

 

I always try to get a running session in as well as some work. It’s nice to give the locos a good stretch every now and again. D200 brings in a relief service over the viaduct. A 47 waits time at the head of a Holyhead trans-pennine duty in the background. 
 

Finally, a driver’s eye view of two 16 wheelers from the tea room by the electric stabling point. 

 

[cheesysmith]

The panto for the 87, get in touch with Bachmann and see if they do the one off the 90 as spares.

[St Enodoc]

12 hours ago, 61656 said:

 

Like the throttle holder!

[61656]

48 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Like the throttle holder!

I keep meaning to get a proper one, in the meantime I needed to keep them out of the way! If it works...

[61656]

2 hours ago, cheesysmith said:

The panto for the 87, get in touch with Bachmann and see if they do the one off the 90 as spares.

They may do a spare for the 87. The models in later liveries have the right ones. 87027 received the new style in about 85 I think. 

[61656]

1 minute ago, 61656 said:

They may do a spare for the 87. The models in later liveries have the right ones. 87027 received the new style in about 85 I think. 

Forgetting that the 87 is Hornby. Is the Bachmann a better model?

[61656]

DMUs have been a missing piece of the Christleton jigsaw for a while now. That changed with the fitting of sound to my 108 and the unexpected receipt of a sound fitted 101. Mediocre commuter services are go!

 

 

[61656]

New resident 25 on shed...

 

 

Whilst renumbered (and my class favourite) 47402 Gateshead waits in the holding road, primed to disappoint some peak fans.

 

[cheesysmith]

Careful with the bog carts. If your time frame goes back to the early 80, and you include the odd visitor from the other side of the Pennines you get a very varied collection that could be in your modelled area. 

 

Chester had the 103 at the begining of the 80s. Plus 120s. As well as 101&108. 

 

Visitors from other depots would include 104 plus above from NH. Then there was 6 sets of 115 at Liverpool, plus visitors from WR could include the 116.

 

If you add the odd visitor from the other side of the Pennines you could add 105, 111, 114 (they did get allocated to NL, but mainly worked the east, but did end up at TY), plus the 123\124 sets.

 

If you had visitors from further south, the TY set could include most of the above, plus both TY and NH were renowned for sending DMUs out in whatever formation was working that day.

[61656]

10 hours ago, cheesysmith said:

Careful with the bog carts. If your time frame goes back to the early 80, and you include the odd visitor from the other side of the Pennines you get a very varied collection that could be in your modelled area. 

 

Chester had the 103 at the begining of the 80s. Plus 120s. As well as 101&108. 

 

Visitors from other depots would include 104 plus above from NH. Then there was 6 sets of 115 at Liverpool, plus visitors from WR could include the 116.

 

If you add the odd visitor from the other side of the Pennines you could add 105, 111, 114 (they did get allocated to NL, but mainly worked the east, but did end up at TY), plus the 123\124 sets.

 

If you had visitors from further south, the TY set could include most of the above, plus both TY and NH were renowned for sending DMUs out in whatever formation was working that day.

It’s a great place to model, the variety of loco hauled, freight and units is astounding. I tend to think of my time frame as 1986 - usually September 86, as that’s the only time you could see a 33 alongside a trans-pennine liveried coach! That’s still a lot of DMUs to choose from. 

The summer lash ups of DMUs are definitely something I’ll look to recreate - although with the current cost of DMUs it’s an expensive aspiration!

 

I’ve not really done much research into the DMUs yet, but I love reading up and finding out the history. 
 

I think my next unit priority is something AC...
 

Did the 123/4 get withdrawn around 84?

[cheesysmith]

Most of the early DMU had either gone by 86 to scrap or Scotland being replaced by sprinters or Pacers. You would still have had 101/104/108/115/116 in your area.

 

As for EMU, that time frame is firmly in the dinosaur era, 304 all the way.

[mallaig1983]

Happy memories of bogcarting down the coast with my baglette. School holiday I visited my uncle with my girlfriend one time. Can’t remember the details but we changed at Crewe and Chester. Chester to Bangor was on a 101/108 ‘Mult’ and would of been 84 or 84. Baglet was so excited to be on a non parent originated holiday sucked up all train related info. Should really track her down on Facebook and see if she’s still bashing I guess. This layout keeps the memories alive so thanks for that. Best days ever.

[61656]

15 minutes ago, cheesysmith said:

Most of the early DMU had either gone by 86 to scrap or Scotland being replaced by sprinters or Pacers. You would still have had 101/104/108/115/116 in your area.

 

As for EMU, that time frame is firmly in the dinosaur era, 304 all the way.

Is 86 too early for the 305s? Not that I can tell a 304 from a 305 (yet). 
 

I was also thinking of a 310. 

[61656]

7 minutes ago, mallaig1983 said:

Happy memories of bogcarting down the coast with my baglette. School holiday I visited my uncle with my girlfriend one time. Can’t remember the details but we changed at Crewe and Chester. Chester to Bangor was on a 101/108 ‘Mult’ and would of been 84 or 84. Baglet was so excited to be on a non parent originated holiday sucked up all train related info. Should really track her down on Facebook and see if she’s still bashing I guess. This layout keeps the memories alive so thanks for that. Best days ever.

Thanks - really appreciate the comments (and the stories!). 
 

I grew up in West Yorkshire, so the occasional trips to Llandudno were always like a trip to Aladdin’s cave. Seeing all the electrics and then the amazing variety of stuff in North Wales. 
 

My layout is quite a rose tinted view of 1986 - all the bits I want to remember and overlooking a lot that wasn’t great back then. 

[mallaig1983]

Arnt all our memories rose tinted? 80s BR was great as far as I’m concerned but I know deep down it was otherwise the case. My anxieties about getting a seat on a train were spawned in this era. Not because trains had few seats but because they turned up so late that the platform was full of Berts and Aidas that had rocked up early for the next one. 
Window bashing/Droplight hanging was the order of the day. I travelled from Oxford to Bangor regularly. Now I did love my hoovers and loathed a duff but the North Wales coast was all duff. Well if you departed from Crewe anyway so for that mileage Duffs were king. Big Sulzer noise was music to the ears. What if anything was on shed at Landids junc? At least a 101 or 108. Usually a 25 or a 40 sometimes both. Never saw a 45’ there but maybe by then working timetables and diagrams had changed. Now the depot is a retail centre and I now watch films and munch maccy’s there. The cinema has photos of the steam shed on the foyer walls at least and fair play. 
My own layout is Mallaig off of Scotland set in 1983 and although I never went there at that time the atmosphere of BR bywaters is well remembered. I can wax lyrical about the Cambrian Coast line in this era, a future layout Is planned but you sir, you are keeping those memories of Crewe to Bangor back in the day alive. You’re certainly getting the feel of it. Good luck going forward, definitely so far so good. 
Following with interest. Rose tinted glasses firmly affixed.

Thank you.

 

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, mallaig1983 said:

Happy memories of bogcarting down the coast with my baglette.

Ingrish pleeze...