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Christleton Junction - 1986 - Gateway to North Wales


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10 hours ago, EuroMST said:

Class 40s and the North Wales coast, perfect. I have 40 106 in N waiting off stage for when my proper layout gets built, plus another six of the English electric beasts!Should be getting started on preparing the room formerly known as the garage in a couple of weeks, then will finalise the track plan. The fiddle yard needs re-designing with more through roads like yours, to accomodate the freightliners all going one way, then the other. At least I have my timetable done, copying your example, and I only need three DMUs for Bangor's timetable! :D

By 1986 the selection of class 40’s still working is down to just 5 for me, celebratory D200 plus the 4 x 97’s. I do plan to have one of the 97’s for ballast workings, probably the split box; it’s quite handy that one of each type got saved for departmental use. 
 

I’m hoping my reworking of the timetable will reduce the number of DMU’s I need to around 4! 
 

Good to have another North Wales coast fan onboard.

 

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9 hours ago, 61656 said:

By 1986 the selection of class 40’s still working is down to just 5 for me, celebratory D200 plus the 4 x 97’s. I do plan to have one of the 97’s for ballast workings, probably the split box; it’s quite handy that one of each type got saved for departmental use. 
 

I’m hoping my reworking of the timetable will reduce the number of DMU’s I need to around 4! 
 

Good to have another North Wales coast fan onboard.

 

I have gone for Summer 1983 for my 'official' timetable as the there were still a lot of 40s going up and down the coast then. That was also when the services to Scarborough started up which brought the class 45's across more often. I then have to bend the truth a little and pretend the Deltics and class 24's remained in service a bit longer. I am a bit of a loco collector, so there will be slots in the timetable for excursions, bringing in class 50's, 26's, 27's, 31's and 37's.

 

I did consider pretending that Holywell Junction never closed in the 1960's and basing my station there to bring in all the Llandudno services, but then I hit the DMU crisis that you expereinced! I could have brought the class 150 and 156 into service a few years earlier, but that still only got me to five units. At least I can get away with DMU replacement services and use 25's and my fleet of 40's :-)

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19 hours ago, EuroMST said:

I have gone for Summer 1983 for my 'official' timetable as the there were still a lot of 40s going up and down the coast then. That was also when the services to Scarborough started up which brought the class 45's across more often. I then have to bend the truth a little and pretend the Deltics and class 24's remained in service a bit longer. I am a bit of a loco collector, so there will be slots in the timetable for excursions, bringing in class 50's, 26's, 27's, 31's and 37's.

 

I did consider pretending that Holywell Junction never closed in the 1960's and basing my station there to bring in all the Llandudno services, but then I hit the DMU crisis that you expereinced! I could have brought the class 150 and 156 into service a few years earlier, but that still only got me to five units. At least I can get away with DMU replacement services and use 25's and my fleet of 40's :-)

There were quite a few changes from 83 to 86, notably the transition from 40’s to 45’s but also the introduction of some colour on the rolling stock. 
 

I do quite like the drab uniformity of the early 80’s, but ultimately I was drawn by the amazing variety of 1986. Having already bent the dimensions of time and space to justify an electrified junction, I want to deviate from reality as little as possible. If it couldn’t have run on Friday 12th September* at Crewe, Warrington or Chester, then it doesn’t run is my general rule. Making such a restrictive decision has actually given me a lot of enjoyment, because the research has proved really fascinating. 
 

*unless its a 15x. In which cases I’ll take my chances at the pearly gates. 

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On 19/10/2021 at 07:25, 61656 said:

By 1986 the selection of class 40’s still working is down to just 5 for me, celebratory D200 plus the 4 x 97’s. I do plan to have one of the 97’s for ballast workings, probably the split box; it’s quite handy that one of each type got saved for departmental use. 
 

I’m hoping my reworking of the timetable will reduce the number of DMU’s I need to around 4! 
 

Good to have another North Wales coast fan onboard.

 

Speaking of ballast workings and just to prove that I do pay for my driving ticket at Christleton Jct, here's the beginnings of something for that 97 to haul.  The 3 Dogfish are from Cambrian kits, but with replacement buffers, handwheels, vac pipes and, in one case, roller bearings to better reflect 1986.  I've also reworked the brakegear on the latter 2 builds so that they line up for the wheels - think the original kitt was designed for P4.  They're horrible to put together; each wagon has taken about 8 hours work to get to this stage!  4 Dogfish and 2 Catfish still to go...

 

Shark from Hornby, just need to work out how to get the ploughs off so I can swap the couplings for 3-links.  Any advice gratefully received!

 

 

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1 hour ago, BenW said:

Speaking of ballast workings and just to prove that I do pay for my driving ticket at Christleton Jct, here's the beginnings of something for that 97 to haul.  The 3 Dogfish are from Cambrian kits, but with replacement buffers, handwheels, vac pipes and, in one case, roller bearings to better reflect 1986.  I've also reworked the brakegear on the latter 2 builds so that they line up for the wheels - think the original kitt was designed for P4.  They're horrible to put together; each wagon has taken about 8 hours work to get to this stage!  4 Dogfish and 2 Catfish still to go...

 

Shark from Hornby, just need to work out how to get the ploughs off so I can swap the couplings for 3-links.  Any advice gratefully received!

 

 

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Wow! They look impressive. I’d make sure the beer cellar is full but it’s only ever an issue after you’ve been, not before…

 

As for the shark, if you send me a picture of the underneath then I can advise on grinding wheel size! It may be worth waiting until you visit, as I have a possible move to kadee’s coming up. 

 

I have a cunning plan for removable ballast loads too…

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14 hours ago, 61656 said:

Wow! They look impressive. I’d make sure the beer cellar is full but it’s only ever an issue after you’ve been, not before…

 

As for the shark, if you send me a picture of the underneath then I can advise on grinding wheel size! It may be worth waiting until you visit, as I have a possible move to kadee’s coming up. 

 

I have a cunning plan for removable ballast loads too…

I was thinking of sticking some ballast to plasticard with a paperclip glued to on the underside and some legs to hold it at the right angle - you just need a magnetic wand like the type used for retrieving screws etc then to remove the loads. Worked with coal in 16t mineral wagons on Swaynton, just needs accurate cutting!

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1 hour ago, BenW said:

I was thinking of sticking some ballast to plasticard with a paperclip glued to on the underside and some legs to hold it at the right angle - you just need a magnetic wand like the type used for retrieving screws etc then to remove the loads. Worked with coal in 16t mineral wagons on Swaynton, just needs accurate cutting!

It turns out it’s not just great minds that think alike!

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On 20/10/2021 at 16:31, BenW said:

Speaking of ballast workings and just to prove that I do pay for my driving ticket at Christleton Jct, here's the beginnings of something for that 97 to haul.  The 3 Dogfish are from Cambrian kits, but with replacement buffers, handwheels, vac pipes and, in one case, roller bearings to better reflect 1986.  I've also reworked the brakegear on the latter 2 builds so that they line up for the wheels - think the original kitt was designed for P4.  They're horrible to put together; each wagon has taken about 8 hours work to get to this stage!  4 Dogfish and 2 Catfish still to go...

 

Shark from Hornby, just need to work out how to get the ploughs off so I can swap the couplings for 3-links.  Any advice gratefully received!

 

 

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You're a better man than I.

 

I always make a mess of kits.

 

I am dabbling with the idea of getting more stock for Burchill Edge Sidings but if I do, I am going to try and make sure that the most I have to do to it is swap the NEM couplings for Kadees. I cannot get motivated enough to hack away at Lima GUVs any more. The only 'freight' I could justify is a loco fuel trip working, plus the brake van to accompany the 08 on trips up the main line to the station.

 

Got my eyes on a 56 for the fuel trip and another 25. I think having at least two of the same class of loco helps to put a stamp on a layout's location, although 25s probably weren't that commonplace in the fictional location of wherever my layout is set ...that doesn't even make sense :-)

 

Your layout is looking good. I can recommend a nice weathering method for grimy retaining walls :-)

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Not much progress, just a couple of gates and a bit more fencing. The wires to run along the top are currently being stretched by hanging a paint tin from the ceiling to stop them pig-tailing. 

A toffee apple 31 catches the late evening sun in the stabling sidings. 
 

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18 hours ago, P.C.M said:

I made my loads removable using platicard for the base.

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Cheers. That’s exactly what I have in mind. Can you get the loads out without lifting the trucks off the track? 
 

I was thinking a small piece of steel on the bottom will make them able to be removed by magnet. 

 

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2 hours ago, 61656 said:

Cheers. That’s exactly what I have in mind. Can you get the loads out without lifting the trucks off the track? 
 

I was thinking a small piece of steel on the bottom will make them able to be removed by magnet. 

 

The loads do come out fairly easy, I did some for my Seacow wagons and they don't come out very well so a magnet would have been a good idea.

 

Cheers Peter. 

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Christleton will see its first proper visitors this weekend, so there’s been a huge amount of room tidying followed by some extensive track and wheel cleaning. This means I’ve remembered about the rest of the railway that isn’t the South end overbridge!

 

Still my favourite view of the layout is looking down the station throat and seeing a 45 taking over a trans-pennine set from a 47. 
 

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16 hours ago, 61656 said:

Although it possibly looks better when you can only see railway, even if there’s not so much “throat” in view…

It's going to look really impressive when you have some overhead signalling gantries across the tracks. Are such structures in the 'plan'?

 

Ian

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3 hours ago, ISW said:

It's going to look really impressive when you have some overhead signalling gantries across the tracks. Are such structures in the 'plan'?

 

Ian

Signals and gantries are timely questions, as I find myself pondering them more and more. 
 

I’d quite like to get some basic scenery down across the whole layout up to the double junction, leaving the carriage sidings and stage exits to both Chester and Warrington until later. Then I thought I’d turn my attention to OLE and signals; the two of which go hand in hand as they tend to get in the way of each other. The compressed nature of a model railway probably won’t make it any easier.
 

I think that the plan will remain like that, however I am considering a couple of trial structures at the south end. And that means sorting out some sort of signalling control. My existing panel is very much a temporary thing and always intended to be replaced. I’ve toyed with relay control before and always concluded it’s too complicated to do quickly, so it’s gone on a back burner. 
 

I have a couple of basic sketches of my proposed panel and semi-interlocking, which I’m considering making a small trial version of for the south end. 
 

Which is to say, yes. 

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2 hours ago, 61656 said:

My existing panel is very much a temporary thing and always intended to be replaced. I’ve toyed with relay control before and always concluded it’s too complicated to do quickly, so it’s gone on a back burner.

Have you considered the new MegaPoints signalling 'system'? It 'looks' to be quite simple and easy to install, but I'm not investigated the costs, which might be high.

 

2 hours ago, 61656 said:

The compressed nature of a model railway probably won’t make it any easier

I can imagine that your layout will look a bit like some of those photos taken looking south from the platform ends at Glasgow Central, with the effect of a telephoto lens compressing the view. Possible 'inspiration'?

 

Ian

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12 hours ago, ISW said:

Have you considered the new MegaPoints signalling 'system'? It 'looks' to be quite simple and easy to install, but I'm not investigated the costs, which might be high.

 

I can imagine that your layout will look a bit like some of those photos taken looking south from the platform ends at Glasgow Central, with the effect of a telephoto lens compressing the view. Possible 'inspiration'?

 

Ian

Megapoints - I had a quick look and it’s not for me. I doubt anything commercial will hit the spot but always worth looking. As for the costs, you may not be able to pick up my accent, but my username should give a hint as to my likely financial output!

 

Glasgow Central isn’t a bad shout. I’ve always intended it to be in keeping with the second half of the WCML electrification north of Crewe, so that style of signalling and OLE structure is definitely what I have in mind. 

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38 minutes ago, 61656 said:

Glasgow Central isn’t a bad shout. I’ve always intended it to be in keeping with the second half of the WCML electrification north of Crewe, so that style of signalling and OLE structure is definitely what I have in mind. 

Ah but . . .

Glasgow Central was very early 60s style.  Weaver to ‘Glasgow’ was actually Weaver to Motherwell/Newton.

Paul.

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15 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

Ah but . . .

Glasgow Central was very early 60s style.  Weaver to ‘Glasgow’ was actually Weaver to Motherwell/Newton.

Paul.

Of course. I was forgetting that Glasgow got done early. Still, I think the mid 80’s appearance of Central has a lot to offer in terms of inspiration. 

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1 hour ago, 61656 said:

As for the costs, you may not be able to pick up my accent, but my username should give a hint as to my likely financial output!

You and me both. I'm not one for 'splashing the cash', as they say. The vast majority of my rolling stock is very old (circa 1980), secondhand, and/or eBay purchases. The few retail purchases I did make were 'on offer'! There's more fun to be had modifying or building from scratch.

 

Ian

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A few photos from ‘test running’ ahead of this weekend’s visitors. 
 

A pair of peaks passing at the entrance to the bay platforms. Classic trans-pennine traction. I have to place the camera carefully as they both have the same number. I’m awaiting the forthcoming Heljan 45/1 before making a decision on my peak fleet, but two 45/0’s need to become 2 x 45/0 and 2 x 45/1. The increased availability of sealed beam peaks makes this a financially tolerable possibility!

 

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The 45 on the blocks alongside a large logo 47. The passenger seems unimpressed by such impressive Sulzer power behind him. Tut. 
 

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Possibly he’s more interested in the 33 arriving in a Crewe to Bangor service. A discussion about brick colours is high on the agenda this weekend. 
 

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At the other end of the station the 33 has paused whilst the 47 has been released from its train and run on to the other TP set. This area is next for some scenic attention, mainly along the backscene to improve the overall effect. 
 

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