Coleshill (Forge Mills ) layout and stock

[46256]

Photos 

[46256]

I have been working on commissioning the new control panel. The old one went out of service when enforced changes to the track layout mainly around the fiddle yard made it obselete. Fitting tortoise point motors upside down then soldering them never an easy task. My layout boards are low down to allow maximum use of the loft eaves and generous track curves. The down side getting my body into all sorts of contortions to accomplish the wiring. The pleasure though if flicking a switch from the panel alongside my workbench and a far flung pair of points operating makes it worthwhile. I have had my Garratt and coal train testing the crossovers from the down fast to down slow by the station jct signal box..and regaining the down fast via the newly installed set by Park Hall wood. I have videoed the result. I am hoping my good friend John will add the result herein due course as he has done previously.

Crewe works erecting shop currently idle....darent work on these locos otherwise will lose interest in the electrics which I find a necessary chore

[rowanj]

And here is the video of the post above.

 

[46256]

Sincere thanks to John for adding my clip. The Garratts travelled on the Derby line to Bimngham bringing coal to the city. They either diverged at Kingsbury and travelled to Whitacre joining the Leicester line thence to Water Orton and onto the slow lines just before the signal box crossover or down the fast line 1909 cut off and thence the crossover. I have to say recreating this scene has made all the recent discomfort worthwhile

[46256]

Layout rewired and panel now commissioned. The only thing more boring than wiring.....writing then reading about it. It is worth it though being able to recreate such movements like light engines from the yard travelling through the station to the  slow lines crossover. Halting then reversing over and back towards Saltley A scene not witnessed in real life for many years. One quick mention of the rewire....almost complete then the dreaded short deactivating all the points. I finally discovered it to be two wires some feet away under the boards where the outer casing on two wires had frayed exposing and touching.. 

Back now to the sexy world of loco building

[46256]

A rare ,in fact in my case the first time , failure of a tortoise point motor. It was one of the pair controlling the crossover between the two circuits east jct. I couldn't understand why it didn't throw whilst it's conjoined counterpart did. Direct application of juice still didn't cause it to move so out its come, fortunately have spares, one of  which will be wired and tested before I position my bulk under the baseboard to fit.

[46256]

Wiring complete replacement point motors ...had a second fail ...both fitted. 

 

whilst disappointed at the failures just been working it out ..they were first batch fitted ...quite a number of years ago. The one was the most awkward to fit had me lying on roof joists ...shoulders and neck positively killing me. I suffer for this hobby ....anyway as if to compensate, working on loco went well, pick ups and front comet bogie with Gibson wheels added to 45735 and happily running around the layout. Cylinder stretcher also added....needs motion and a bit of careful weighting with lead to complete.

[46256]

More work on comet....slidebars crossheads...connecting rods....all working and being tested....lead also added to chassis and loco body...wm comet belpaire backhead installed in cab. I have a dilemma whether to put the yellow warning stripe on her. I have the transfers from Fox. It would date her to the last year of her life...

[rowanj]

On 29/08/2020 at 18:55, 46256 said:

More work on comet....slidebars crossheads...connecting rods....all working and being tested....lead also added to chassis and loco body...wm comet belpaire backhead installed in cab. I have a dilemma whether to put the yellow warning stripe on her. I have the transfers from Fox. It would date her to the last year of her life...

I had the same dilemma when I built Prince Palatine, Brian. It would have looked different, which is helpful when I have a few (too many?) A3's. In the end, I decided it was too restrictive datewise, but it was a close call.

Edited August 30, 2020 by rowanj

[46256]

Thanks John and that would be the only reason as a livery variation...as to its signfigance not allowed south of Crewe...clearly my layout is a little to the south of that location . It is I suspect a mark of growing older but not too long ago all the express rebuilt Lms 460 s all looked the same to me now the cabs buffer beams etc distinguish the differences. Comet is suitably different not to require any further markings.  Most of the motion now added and working just brakes cab glazing to finish .

[46256]

Comet without yellow stripe nearly complete cab glazing, front footplate steps and stanier whistle to finish

[46256]

Two photos of my recent work on LMS 460 classes...46131 The Royal Warwickshire Regiment might not look to altered but this was the Scot body I almost destroyed trying to create 45735...it was so bad I bought a replacement Scot body alongside. I decided though to repair the original naming it after my boyhood county of origin. 46120 will now need a chassis. The second photo 45735 now complete 

[46256]

The three other bodies being worked on 46120 as mentioned alongside it is 45521 Rhyl the Bachmann boiler etc from their version of the rebuilt jubillee married to the Hornby patriot cab....lastly a GBL Royal Scot being tinkered with to see if I can make it presentable. The split chassis has been discarded..moulded handrails scraped off and the front buffer beam deepened with plasticard.....cab lowered .....can't make my mind up yet if I want the expense of a new chassis for it....

[TheSignalEngineer]

On 06/08/2020 at 16:14, 46256 said:

The Garratts travelled on the Derby line to Bimngham bringing coal to the city. They either diverged at Kingsbury and travelled to Whitacre joining the Leicester line thence to Water Orton and onto the slow lines just before the signal box crossover or down the fast line 1909 cut off and thence the crossover. 

Talk of the 1909 cut off took me back to when my parents bought a house in 1967. The old gentleman next door was born at Nether Whitacre. As a youngster he had worked a steam engine pumping out the workings on a bridge site on the new line. 

On 24/08/2020 at 08:32, 46256 said:

 It is worth it though being able to recreate such movements like light engines from the yard travelling through the station to the  slow lines crossover. Halting then reversing over and back towards Saltley A scene not witnessed in real life for many years. 

Don't forget the brake van. It wasn't unknown to propel one all the way to Washwood Heath.  When working Under The Wood if we had something heavy to carry we would get the train to Water Orton then stand by the exit signal from the sidings to hitch a lift.

On one occasion we had to take an fpl, some cranks and timber to the West Junction. We loaded it on to a dmu at Saltley and the local lineman Doug Swain arranged for an engine and brake to come into the Down platform. The kit all went onto the end of the brake and was rapidly unloaded by the worksite and the loco sent on its way.

Edited September 7, 2020 by TheSignalEngineer

[46256]

Yes have a photo of such a movement engine propelling the brake van out of the sidings exit line.....the van leading.....then for it to crossover at the east jct and back engine first to Washwood Heath. I must try and film it...not seen in real life for... Nearly sixty years?

 

in respect of the crossovers signal engineer I saw the ones on the slow lines used often....can only recall one occasion when the crossover on the fast lines were used...can you recall the reasons why and when they would use the fast lines crossover?

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by 46256

[46256]

This photo seems to contradict me ....it's by DJ Norton....I do have another just not scanned into this iPad of engine and van t'other way around...a photo I think by d edging ton ?

[46256]

The real thing ....a Scot at Water Orton leaving the sidings on the nightly Crewe freight

[TheSignalEngineer]

I think pushing the van out then returning west pulling it was the norm for engines to the Sutton Park line and Walsall. Pulling it out then propelling was common going to Washwood Heath. Regarding which crossover was used it was probably a matter of convenience. I would agree that going out onto the Nuneaton line was more common as once you had passed over the junction on the way out the Fast lines were then clear. Using the Fast lines crossover would be less likely as the engine would be blocking the Up Fast for the whole move then both Fast lines coming back.

[46256]

How about this? how many wagons is this 4f pulling.....coming from Kingsbury jct joining the Leicester line at Whitacre thence down the slow lines to a Water Orton. Whitacre was always a strange place a massive station that served a smaller community than either nearby Coleshill or Water Orton. I seem to recall in Br days it was the hub of the permanent way gangs. My friend Steve Baker...his dad....never knew his first name...Mr Baker to us urchins...was based there. I suppose the large building was a legacy of when it was the main route from Derby to London. 

 

[TheSignalEngineer]

I don't know what the limit was for that bit but assuming it was something like a Kingsbury - Washwood Heath trip it was pretty flat. On a similar type of line from Stafford to Rugby via Bescot they could take equivalent of 64 loaded 13T mineral wagons in the LMS Western Division Loads book.

[46256]

Back to working on locomotives ....I have a GBL std class 4 Tank...a young colleague has the model railway bug. This loco was just sitting in my to do pile. IHe mentioned travelling recently on the SVR with some train mad friends . 80079 is his favourite loco. I have therefore decided to detail the model stick the comet chassis and bits from my spares box including a big mashima and high level gearbox under it. I will then give it to him hopefully to encourage his enthusiasm for the hobby further. One difference we have, he likes his models to represent locos that still exist in preservation, I on the other hand want locos that no longer exist.

 

on another note bought a Body only Robinson A5/1... Thinking it was a nu cast or craftsman.....should have read the full description...it's a plastic scratch build...I await its delivery with a degree of trepidation...buy in haste repent in leisure. I did buy it after seeing a full nu cast kit sell for £225! this was considerably cheaper.....the vendor did warn " it's suitable for fine fettling"

 

I will fettle away and show results here....I know about as likely to travel through my location as the turbomotive....and that's another story....

 

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

I look forward to seeing how you get on with the A5.

 

manna

[Staffordshire]

  Talking of Royal Scots,  the latest addition to my collection ...

[46256]

9 hours ago, manna said:

G'Day Folks

 

I look forward to seeing how you get on with the A5.

 

manna

G'day manna

 

I have been studying the photos supplied by the vendor....an excellent trader with whom I have had a number of previous purchases. The work required would I feel mean me discarding most of the model. I have contacted them and asked them not to post. I will make the payment though in good faith...thankfully nowhere near the £225 of the nu cast kit. I have ordered the Isinglass drawing for the loco so might yet attempt a scratchbuild myself.

 

[John Tomlinson]

2 hours ago, 46256 said:

G'day manna

 

I have been studying the photos supplied by the vendor....an excellent trader with whom I have had a number of previous purchases. The work required would I feel mean me discarding most of the model. I have contacted them and asked them not to post. I will make the payment though in good faith...thankfully nowhere near the £225 of the nu cast kit. I have ordered the Isinglass drawing for the loco so might yet attempt a scratchbuild myself.

 

FWIW there is a Craftsman kit in etched brass for the Robinson A5, these do come up on ebay from time to time and from memory don't seem to be enormously expensive, not £225 anyway.

 

I do watch kits on ebay, despite having enough in a cupboard to see me out into my second century. The pricing seems all over the place. Sometimes things go for silly money, and I can only assume the buyer has just become obsessed with winning the auction. The really daft thing to me is paying large sums for old whitemetal kits, that frankly are probably a bit rough, when a modern equivalent in brass is available. A week or two back I had my eye on an ancient Sutherland, later Cotswold, L&Y 0-8-0, just out of interest as I like big freight engines. This went for just under £100, although for an extra £20 the buyer could have had a London Road kit to current standards!

 

John.