Model Railway Restoration - Painting the Viaduct and Retaining Walls and Point Mods

[Chris64B]

Hello everyone Just posted in the 'new members' section, but I'll repeat my intro here too....

I’m Chris, a new member here. I've been reading the forum on an off for a while now and I'm regularly amazed at the skills and experience on display, so I thought I’d better join up and bring the average down a bit!

I’m a returnee to the hobby, having been out for some 15-20 years (that does make me feel old, I’m only 35!) as life (Uni, jobs, classic cars, houses and now kids) have got in the way. However, my two little ones are now old enough to enjoy a good ‘momel railway’ (as my 2.5yr old son calls it) so a while back we paid a visit to Grandad’s house to dig out my old layout….🚂

As my son had a few of his wooden engines with him from the Brio layout, he immediately discovered that OO gauge is a perfect fit for them (on the outside of the rails at least!)

After a lot of pestering and a bit of clearing out of my own garage over summer, a van was hired and it arrived home one evening, covered in cobwebs and dust from the last 20 or so years on its side in the garage the poor thing!

So what have we got? A pretty classic 'roundy roundy' from the late 1980s, with loads of classic Hornby features, Peco Code 100 trackwork (flexitrack with a variety of streamline and setrack points) and some scratch built scenic stuff from my younger years. I also brought back the big box of engines, coaches, trucks and other scenic stuff. Here are some photos from it's first night in it's new home:

The overall view - it's an 8x4 board and there's lots going on!

One of the first problems I found was the old Peco foam underlay had turned to a horrible sticky dust and crumbled away with the slightest touch:

This has all now been hoovered up as it leaves a horrible sticky mess behind on the track and wheels (I found WD40 was an effective solvent):

A view into the yard towards the engine shed:

Looking back down the yard the other way:

You can spot what shares the garage in this photo - I was going to give a brownie point to the first person to identify the car but you can see it in my avatar now:

Into the tunnel:

A lot of the old scenic stuff has suffered (and the big scenic board that was on the upper level has gone missing). The paper/card used for walls is looking very sorry:


This poor man has been trying to hose down the yard for the last 20 years, I'm surprised the puddle isn't bigger:

The lady in green appears visibly shocked at the state of the ballast:

'The Fat Controller' as the kids have christened it (Made by my Dad back in the day along with the baseboards and wiring etc):

So will anything work at all? What's in the stock box? What are my plans to resurect the railway? Stay tuned to find out!

Cheers,
Chris

Edited October 23, 2023 by Chris64B
Edited to repair broken images

[woodenhead]

Welcome to the forum, if you want to see the master of resurrection on this site visit Coachmann's Ellesmere thread, he lifts and relays more track than Network Rail.

 

I am sure there is a lot you can do to recover this model which looks perfect for your children.

[roundhouse]

Chris welcome to the forum.

 

When i lifter my roundy layout in the loft at my parents many moons ago I used the foam underlay to protect rolling stock in boxes. however it deteriorated as per in your photos and made a mess of the wheels. Luckily the wheels cleaned up OK.

 

If you want to replace it under the track without lifting the track you may be able to scrape out a small length of it, ballast the cleaned up area then do the next section once the ballast is dry. You would have to  be careful not to disturb the track in order to keep it level though.

[Chris64B]

Welcome to the forum, if you want to see the master of resurrection on this site visit Coachmann's Ellesmere thread, he lifts and relays more track than Network Rail.

 

I am sure there is a lot you can do to recover this model which looks perfect for your children.

 

Thanks Woodenhead! I'll check it out as I'm just embarking on lifting and replacing some of the trackwork - I've learned loads from browsing the forum so far!

 

I'm hoping that as well as giving them something to play with it will still have enough operating interest for me (and them when they get older) and I can really get stuck in on the modelling and scenic side which I really enjoy.

 

Cheers,

Chris

[Chris64B]

Chris welcome to the forum.

 

When i lifter my roundy layout in the loft at my parents many moons ago I used the foam underlay to protect rolling stock in boxes. however it deteriorated as per in your photos and made a mess of the wheels. Luckily the wheels cleaned up OK.

 

If you want to replace it under the track without lifting the track you may be able to scrape out a small length of it, ballast the cleaned up area then do the next section once the ballast is dry. You would have to  be careful not to disturb the track in order to keep it level though.

 

Thanks Roundhouse! I was quite impressed at just how bad the underlay has got, especially considering it's been in the dark all these years.

 

I'm definately going to lift and relay all the trackwork - there is damage here and there from the track pins, a couple of the points need replacing and I might adjust the design in a couple of places. I'll probably re-lay it on cork too - will be asking more questions along those lines soon although there's a wealth of info on it here! 

[Geoff Endacott]

Looking at those photos I feel you might be better off scrapping the layout and starting again. You could salvage the buildings, but if you already intend to renew the track you might as well do so on a new baseboard. That will give you much better results in the long run.

 

Geoff Endacott

[fishytrains]

I will be following your progress with interest, whatever you decide to do.

 

Mike

[Chris64B]

Looking at those photos I feel you might be better off scrapping the layout and starting again. You could salvage the buildings, but if you already intend to renew the track you might as well do so on a new baseboard. That will give you much better results in the long run.

 

Geoff Endacott

 

Hiya Geoff, Yes that thought crossed my mind too more than once, although for various reasons I'm planning to stick with it I think:

• Despite its age the baseboard is in excellent condition and still straight, level and strong. It's an 8x4 hardwood ply sheet braced underneath and the upper level helps in this regard too - I've actually stregthend this level further now, pics to follow later.

   

• Although they probably don't follow normal base building practice, the fact that it has the 'sides' all round means it can be tipped up and put against the garage wall quite safely when I need the space

   

• It's all wired up so keeping this will save a massive amount of time, likewise building a new baseboard would expand the project to such a degree that I think I'd struggle to find the time to get it to the same sort of point if you see what I mean (the kids will have probably grown up and lost interest!) and I'm not sure I'd be able to justify the project as easily to 'the management'!!!

   

• Most of the track is ok, just minor bits here and there need sorting rather than wholesale replacement.

   

• Also there is some degree of sentimentality on my part - that it would be nice to get them playing with the same layout I used as a child!

Were there any particular aspects you were thinking of as causing problems?

 

Cheers,

Chris

[kintbury jon]

 

• Also there is some degree of sentimentality on my part - that it would be nice to get them playing with the same layout I used as a child!

This is the most important reason to restore it. It's a good layout for the size so it would be fun for your kids to use.

 

I'm intrigued to know how the loop on the top level worked in terms of electrics.  Were there a couple of dead sections?

[Chris64B]

Thanks Jon,

 

My dad is the electronics expert (he started as an electronics engineer for the MoD) so he set it up - the loop does have a sort of dead/isolated section between the point where the tracks join and the 'top' of the loop where there are some insulated fishplates.

 

When the train travels along the loop and gets to the halfway point, you have to throw a switch on ‘the fat controller’ to reverse the polarity on the next section of track so it can travel onwards, back towards the point. At least I think that’s how it worked, unfortunately this is one of the bits that seems to have stopped working and we haven’t been able to solve it so far.

 

I’m actually thinking I might remove the loop and replace the track work at the top with another feature (small goods yard, abandoned sidings, old quarry or something) with the track just running straight ‘off the board’ through some sort of scenic break. Although this removes the ‘fun’ loop feature, I wasn’t that keen on how close the loop ran to the edge of the upper level and it’s pretty tight as it is. I was struggling to think of how to integrate this into the scenery. Removing the loop also allows me to re-profile the shape of the upper level a bit and fit a couple of extra things in the yard (a headshunt and relocation of the signal box probably) – will be asking about that on the forums soon I think.

 

Cheers,

Chris

[Chris64B]

Hi again everyone, thanks for reading/commenting so far!

 

Thought I’d share some more photos from the first test session….after unpacking ‘the fat controller’ and plugging everything in, we were amazed to find that pretty much everything still worked!

 

Adding a few locos and some rolling stock really brought it back to life (and the memories flooding back!)

 

 

Duck and Percy haul the empty nuclear flask train back to Sodor nuclear power plant, possibly:

 

I was very surprised to find that pretty much all of the lights still worked too!

 

I also found some of my old scratch built bits and bobs! I probably made these in the early 90’s when I was about 12-14. Some of them inspired by articles from Model Rail with their ‘Lineside Look’ features, remember those!?

 

Crew bus:

 

Some sort of track machine!?!

 

Then, even if I do say so myself, my piece de resistance - the allotment! I was so proud of this, and still am!

 

Notice the terracotta pots inside!

 

The man in dungarees has been drinking his home-brew by the looks of it!

 

Cheers,

Chris

Edited October 23, 2023 by Chris64B
Edited to repair broken images

[Chris64B]

Hi all,

 

Time for an update. Quite a long one so apologies in advance, I’m trying to catch up with where I am at the moment. Nearly there!

 

We’ve been playing trains quite a bit and by and large everything seems to be working quite well!

 

One of the more amusing games seems to be ‘chase the HST with the Class 09 shunter’ – it keeps up surprisingly well!

 

These photos show the layout on the garage floor still, but I’ve now purchased some excellent Stanley trestle legs which are height adjustable - http://www.toolventure.co.uk/hand-tools/st-70559.html so it’s now off the ground and much easier to work on etc. I would recommend these and this supplier (seemed to be the best price of not many stockists) if anyone is looking for some.

 

As for restoration progress, I’m managed to replace quite a bit of track and make a few other changes here and there – here’s a run down…

 

The first job was to see if I could remove the upper level to get better access to the track beneath. I started by lifting the track on the bridge to allow the top to come off:

 

The screw heads were pretty rusty and a few needed drilling out:

 

But, off it came!

 

Another job I wanted to tackle was moving one of the crossings from the far end of the layout, to be adjacent to the sidings entrance, so it would be easier to get trains in and out onto either line. This would hopefully also allow a short head shunt to be squeezed in so that shunting can take place without interfering with running on the main line. The only trouble is that working within the constraints of the existing layout means space is very tight as are the radii required but I’ll see what I can do!

 

First up, here is the existing crossing to be removed at the opposite end to the sidings – as you can see one of the points is actually a large radius Y so it will be good to get rid of this to make the line smoother:

 

Ta, da! All gone, with replacement flexitrack temporarily attached:

 

I needed a couple of new points which I purchased from Track Shack – amazing service! Ordered late one afternoon and they arrived the next morning!

 

 

Unfortunately this threw up one unexpected headache – new setrack ST 244/255 curved points are slightly different shape and length to old ones! See comparison shots below:

 

Here’s a quick shot of the current track layout near the yard entrance (I’d started lifting it but remembered to take a snap at the last minute!):

 

So I then started laying things out to see what might work – I really wanted to avoid the crossing being half in the tunnel. It was all pretty close, but there were a few awkward bits and a gap that needed to be filled:

 

I had a go at making up a small extension piece which worked quite well:

 

And then had a go at opening up some of the points very slightly – Only a tiny difference but helped take some of the tension/awkward angles out here and there.

 

Before:

 

After:

 

In the end, I got it to all fit in fairly well in the space available:

 

Clearances seem ok and even the (admittedly old) Lima Class 50 can fit round the curve on the headshunt (might extend it by about an inch):

 

From the other direction (i.e. looking out of the tunnel when it goes back on):

 

 

It’s only loosely laid at the moment and I’m gathering the bits I need to lay it all properly and re-wire the point motors, droppers, etc. Been giving it all a good test and everything seems to run pretty smoothly through it so far.

 

Thanks for reading!

 

Chris

Edited October 23, 2023 by Chris64B
Edited to repair broken images

[ess1uk]

like what i see so far

[DCB]

That is one of the best 8X4 layouts I have ever seen, decent length platforms and a great period feel, an object lesson in what can be done by mixing streamline and set track and using every square inch of the 8X4.

[fishytrains]

Great to see the progress you are making, and the planning you are doing to ensure that things do work.

 

Mike

[Removed a/c]

Looks great, shall follow along. 

[Chris64B]

Hi again, thanks for the comments and positive feedback so far, much appreciated!

 

I've made a small amount of progress over the last few nights - managed to get some cork cut and glued (with PVA) and a first few lengths of track cleaned up and stuck down using a small amount of copydex - pleased with how well this worked having never used this method before. I put a thin layer roughly on the underside of each sleeper, pressed the track onto the cork lightly to leave an imprint and left it to dry for 10 mins or so, then pressed together (as you would an impact adhesive). Seems to work very effectively.

 

 

 

I've also made a couple of impulse loco purchases on Ebay - more details to follow...

 

P.S. I'm also trying the RMWeb photo upload so hope they work - hadn't realised you could do this!

 

 

 

 

Edited October 23, 2023 by Chris64B
Edited to repair broken images

[Chris64B]

Afternoon! A lunctime update to show off some recent purchases from a well known auction site.

 

Seeing as I hadn't bought any locos or rolling stock since I was little, I couldn't resist having a look on Ebay and I was suprised by the amount of interesting stuff for sale. For now, I'm sticking to older (cheaper) stock that is happy to run on the tighter curves of my layout and will be a little bit more robsut when little hands are playing!

 

Saying that, I'm looking forward to getting down to some old fashioned moddleing in due course and adding details like handrails and buffer beam bits and giving them a light weathering as they all look a bit 'ex-works' at the moment.

 

So here they are.....

 

47528 - The Queen`s Own Mercian Yeomanry - I really fancied a 47 as I thought it could cover a lot of bases, passenger duties, parcels, etc. I was pleased to find this one as during my research I found that it was named in a ceremony at Worcester Shrub Hill in 1989 so fits the period and location I'm (loosely) modelling. Plus I think this livery suits them particularly well and gives a bit of variety B):

 

37180 - Sir Dyfed / County of Dyfed - Again, I 'needed' a 37 - a serious ommision from my early modelling years! This one fitted the bill nicely as I found a good few pictures of it around Gloucester in the late 1980s. I'm quite tempted to try fitting the shawplan (?) etched windows:

 

The pair of them 'on shed' (the hastily applied sky was to hide the clutter of the garage in the background!)

 

31467 - A nice, plain, run of the mill 31! - I've already got a 31 in railfreight red stripe but I thought another one in BR blue would be nice seeing as they were pretty common in the period:

 

I hadn't planned to buy three at once, but two were from the same seller so I got a bit of a deal - my wife's response when they all turned up on the same day was "why do you need more trains?!" My reply was the obvious one, "why do you need more clothes?"

 

Cheers,

Chris

Edited October 23, 2023 by Chris64B
Edited to repair broken images

[PaulRhB]

"why do you need more trains?!" My reply was the obvious one, "why do you need more clothes?"

 

And you still felt you'd lost . . .

Nice work and yes the old scratchbuilds have stood the test of time well

[Jaggzuk]

Three great locos there and a good base for adding extra details at a later date. I keep thinking about the Hornby Railroad Class 31 in BR Blue as it is such a good price now. They were as you say such a common sight in blue. Just curious what make is your 31?

 

If you get any sluggish running problems with older stock, I have found a bit of an oil to all the running bearing etc makes a positive difference.

[Scott]

 

37180 - Sir Dyfed / County of Dyfed - Again, I 'needed' a 37 - a serious ommision from my early modelling years! This one fitted the bill nicely as I found a good few pictures of it around Gloucester in the late 1980s. I'm quite tempted to try fitting the shawplan (?) etched windows:

DSC_0224.JPG

 

 

Cheers,

Chris

 

The etched windows make a huge difference to those loco's. It's not too diffucult either but worth getting the laser glaze to match.

[Chris64B]

Three great locos there and a good base for adding extra details at a later date. I keep thinking about the Hornby Railroad Class 31 in BR Blue as it is such a good price now. They were as you say such a common sight in blue. Just curious what make is your 31?

If you get any sluggish running problems with older stock, I have found a bit of an oil to all the running bearing etc makes a positive difference.

Thanks Jaggz, sorry forgot to say they are all Lima models. The 37 and 47 are pretty much NOS and I don't think they've ever been run! They're already running better after a few runs round the layout! The 31 is a bit more used and needsbsome replacement buffers etc.

 

Agree that the 31s do respond well to basic detailing parts and adding those little ears on the front either side of the centre window (what are they actually?!). I think this Lima shell really captures the look and proportions of the prototype. Is the Hornby Railroad one based on the Lima shell?

 

 

The etched windows make a huge difference to those loco's. It's not too diffucult either but worth getting the laser glaze to match.

Thanks Scott, good plan! I need some snow ploughs for it too.

 

Cheers, Chris

[Jaggzuk]

Agree that the 31s do respond well to basic detailing parts and adding those little ears on the front either side of the centre window (what are they actually?!).

Windscreen washer jets cowlings I think.

[Removed a/c]

Yes the RR versions use the Lima tooling, i think it is the same for the 37s & 47s too. 

[Jaggzuk]

Back in 2012 George Dent did a rather nice detail upgrade to a Railroad Class 31.  

 

http://georgedentmodelmaker.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/brushing-up-gronk.html (note, the web link refers to a Gronk, but will actually be the Class 31)

 

In part 3 you can see the washer jet "ears" have been added.

Edited February 5, 2016 by Jaggzuk