Tetbury

[Chris Chewter]

Station sign has arrived from Scale Model Scenery.  I just need to work out how to put it together!

 

[Chris Chewter]

Spent some of my evening playing around with the camera to see how the layout looked on video, You may also notice that a few little folk have turned up from the Modelu range!

 

 

Its certainly been interesting as it shows that things still look a bit bare in places.  Nothing a few bushes won't solve!

Edited February 21, 2018 by Captainalbino

[Chris Chewter]

Well things have been a bit quiet on the Tetbury layout.  There's been a lot of reasons and a few excuses too, but I won't go into that.  One of the things that spurred me into making a few adjustments on the layout was when the kids asked to run some trains on the layout.  But one of the things I noticed was that trying to spot the furthest point was turning out to be a pain, and after watching the kids driving DCC fitted locos through incorrectly set points and setting off the short circuit alarm, I decided something had to be done.  There is a point down there. Honest... And a station!

 

 

I had used the SEEP point motor switch to operate the frogs, so after unsuccessfully dabbling with a points indicator board.  I decided that it was easier to fit auto frog juicers and run LEDs off the SEEP point.  I've spent the last few evenings soldering and connecting multiple Gaugemaster Autofrogs.  They work fairly well, although the furthest point seemed to prefer the original solitary Tam Valley frog juicer, which is a little odd...

 

Well the basic panel works.  Its a little bright, and I'm struggling to see from the blinding light it gives off, but it works!  Must buy a different diode to calm the green ones down!

 

 

I also created a signal diagram so that everyone knew which lever operated which switch.

 

 

However my ambition took hold and asked me why stop there? Why not combine the two? Well, an online order for a picture frame and a bit of CAD wizardry in a lunch break came up with this:

 

 

Now all I have to do is extend the cabling from each LED.

 

 

As for detailing, you can see from my first picture, Tetbury has acquired some extensive greenery!  I also thought that no station is completed without a sign, and I put together the scale model scenery sign.  However it hasn't come out as good as I would like.

 

 

I'll sort that out another day once I've finished playing with the soldering iron! After all, its a marathon, not a sprint...

Edited October 9, 2018 by Captainalbino

[Chris Chewter]

Haven't been able to put a huge amount of time on the layout today.  I ran out of cable clips, so decided that attemptig the rest of the mimic panel would result in a spaghetti nightmare, so i decided to take on the sign.  So on with a coat of matt black, and with a careful wipe over the bits that are supposed to be white, 

 

 

Sankey scenics provide a bespoke station sign set, however the spacing doesn't match the only photo of the Tetbury sign I can find.

 

The close up is a little cruel, and the white needs a bit of touching up, however it looks far better than the photo i took yesterday!

 

 

Perhaps I might give the rest of the station signage a go!

[Jack.W.Peake]

Just read through this from the start, very inspirational! Keep the updates coming, you've inspired me to redesign a part of my heritage era layout to look a bit like Tetbury and include some more interesting features!

[Chris Chewter]

Well the mimic panel is nearly finished, and its been an absolute mission!

 

 

Firstly, with the best will in the world and even when using a locator tool for the SEEPs some must have slipped when fitting resulting in the lights not working on over 50% of the points. I could have tried to realigning the SEEP motors, but that feeling of "if it aint broke, dont fix it" came across me, so i decided to leave well alone!  An alternative needed to be found, and this came in the form of the Gaugemaster GM500s instead of the Gaugemaster Autofrogs that I had previously fitted.  With hindsight, I would use the GM500s throughout, but then I didn't think I would hit such an issue!

 

After nearly a month of crawling back under the baseboard, testing, clipping, using several hundred cable ties and bell wire clips to try to tidy up the cabling, and a complete reel of brown wire to serve the LEDs, things are nearly complete.  Currently the GM500s are dangling under the baseboards at the moment, but it works!

 

 

I love it when people manage to get lovely tidy wiring under their baseboards.  I managed to get one board looking lovely-ish.  

 

 

I need to replaced the adhesive copper bus with a wired bus, but that's a job for another day.  Look the other way, and things didn't go quite to plan!

 

 

I now need to wire up the repeater panel above the point switches, but again, a job for another day!

 

If you are interested in the SEEP locator tool, the chap who makes them has put a helpful video up on Youtube.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Aw6iV-UsBJA

 

 

[Chris Chewter]

I thought I'd record a couple of my DCC locos added to the Tetbury fleet.

 

First up following the historic photo of a 55xx at Tetbury, is my sound fitted example.  I've managed to just about fit a SWD group 2 chip into the loco and a sugacube speaker.

 

Next up, is my DJ Models/Hattons 14xx.  This has had a Howes 14xx chip hard wired into the boiler, and a sugacube speaker fitted into the bunker.

 

Enjoy!

 

[Mikkel]

That's a nice video. I like the view down the slope. For once, a view from up heigh actually looks natural!

[Chris Chewter]

Whilst the wife caught up with her X-factor viewing, I decided to have a little bit of fun with Tetbury.  After a bit of videoing which I shall edit another evening, I decided to try to recreate DaveF's photo from post 87.  I was going to wait until either I finished off my 16xx kit or Rapido released their version as comissioned by Model Rail magazine, however I thought I'd see what happened.

 

First the original

 

 

And my attempt

 

 

Unfortunately it does show that the OS plan I used is probably inaccurate, resulting in the turnout being further away, but I'm not planning to rip up the trackwork just yet!  Its also very tricky to balance the camera to get the angle just right.  i think my coach may have been too far down the platform, but it was fun giving it a go!

 

[DaveF]

Whilst the wife caught up with her X-factor viewing, I decided to have a little bit of fun with Tetbury.  After a bit of videoing which I shall edit another evening, I decided to try to recreate DaveF's photo from post 87.  I was going to wait until either I finished off my 16xx kit or Rapido released their version as comissioned by Model Rail magazine, however I thought I'd see what happened.

 

First the original

 

1664.jpg

 

And my attempt

 

3711.JPG

 

Unfortunately it does show that the OS plan I used is probably inaccurate, resulting in the turnout being further away, but I'm not planning to rip up the trackwork just yet!  Its also very tricky to balance the camera to get the angle just right.  i think my coach may have been too far down the platform, but it was fun giving it a go!

 

I like it.

 

You do need the coach a bit further forward - in the photo of the real place the loco removed the beading from the leading edge of the coach as it hit it.

 

David

[Chris Chewter]

I thought I'd take a video to show a bit more of the Hattons/DJ Models 14xx in action on Tetbury. 

 

Shes a little tail happy and fitting the DCC chip in the boiler is an absolute nightmare, but she works reasonably well.

 

[JSWM]

This is a cracking layout! As a regular dog walker of the now disused line I think you have captured the topography to a tee! I have a place down the road in Nailsworth that also had a branch line terminus a lot of the buildings still remain although now private dwellings. I would love to model such a prototype and had thought about Tetbury or Nailsworth but alas space is an issue to do it justice as you have done. I will have to content myself for the time being with my fictitious micro. Once again well done.

John

[Chris Chewter]

I hope you will allow me to indulge in a little bit of rule 1. 4549 never made it to Tetbury as far as I’m aware, however before it was withdrawn, the smokebox numberplate went missing. Instead if chalking it on, someone painted the number on the buffer beam in the old Great Western style.

 

It’s a departure from the models original condition. Believe it or not, it was manufactured by Bachmann in Great Western green with outside steam pipes! It was always photographed in filthy condition under BR ownership, so I felt obliged to give weathering a go.

 

[jetmorgan]

I'm just getting back in to model railways with building a couple of dioramas, the first of which is Wot Halt, so I can experiment with scenery techniques and re-learn how to do things as it has been over 20 years now. I've been following this build with interest. I'm at the stage of laying down modroc, painting and getting the grass areas done. browsing your postings you have use hanging basket liners for the rough grass areas and I'm thinking about following your example but having a look on the internet for hanging basket liners I find there is Coir liners and coconut liners, can you recall which ones you used or is there any real difference?

[Chris Chewter]

Don’t use coir or coco liners. You need the jute or sisal ones. Basically the green hanging basket liners, not the brown ones.



This pack I picked up from B&Q (You should have seen the cashiers face when I purchased this in January last year!), but most laid on Tetbury was a big roll purchased from eBay. 

The coco/coir liners can be used to make bushes by teasing them out, but I found rubberised horsehair better. Likewise, I bought a big A4 sized pack of rubberised horsehair on the world war scenics eBay shop rather than the tiny packs sold by most model stores.

Edited December 27, 2018 by Captainalbino

[Chris Chewter]

Not much to report on Tetbury at present.  Most of my time has been spent getting one of my projects off the shelf and converting it from a box of bits into a running Avonside loco.  Details about what I've been recently up to can be found here, including a few videos of the loco running on Tetbury: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/96593-avonside-trojan-cut-n-shut/?hl=%2Btrojan+%2Bcut+%2Bshut

 

 

However I've become aware that I was running out of space for locos being stored.  I had thought about buying a display cabinet to keep them safe in, but I looked at the timber remaining from the baseboard frames, and decided that I would have a go at making my own.  Its a little rough around the edges, but I now feel that the locos are less at risk of being knocked around, plus I now have rolling stock to hand to change things around as the mood takes me, and no longer keep on tripping over some 2x1 offcuts! 

 

 

I also found a few tam valley frog juicers on an old fiddle yard which I disassembled, so they've been fitted to the Tetbury fiddle yard. Sadly boring and not particularly photogenic, but it means less stalling over the fiddle yard pointwork!

 

I've also been looking at the layout, and making a list of jobs that still need doing.  In particular:

 

• Cliff faces still need painting.
• I have some Coopercraft platform trolleys that need making up.
• Layout edge fascias are needed to tidy the layout up.

 

Jobs for another day I think!

[checkrail]

Not much to report on Tetbury at present.  Most of my time has been spent getting one of my projects off the shelf and converting it from a box of bits into a running Avonside loco.  Details about what I've been recently up to can be found here, including a few videos of the loco running on Tetbury: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/96593-avonside-trojan-cut-n-shut/?hl=%2Btrojan+%2Bcut+%2Bshut

 

IMG_1376.JPG

 

However I've become aware that I was running out of space for locos being stored.  I had thought about buying a display cabinet to keep them safe in, but I looked at the timber remaining from the baseboard frames, and decided that I would have a go at making my own.  Its a little rough around the edges, but I now feel that the locos are less at risk of being knocked around, plus I now have rolling stock to hand to change things around as the mood takes me, and no longer keep on tripping over some 2x1 offcuts! 

 

IMG_1375.JPG

 

I also found a few tam valley frog juicers on an old fiddle yard which I disassembled, so they've been fitted to the Tetbury fiddle yard. Sadly boring and not particularly photogenic, but it means less stalling over the fiddle yard pointwork!

 

I've also been looking at the layout, and making a list of jobs that still need doing.  In particular:

• Cliff faces still need painting.
• I have some Coopercraft platform trolleys that need making up.
• Layout edge fascias are needed to tidy the layout up.

Jobs for another day I think!

 

 

Nice neat cabinet. I guess that big beastie on its top in the centre won't be heading towards Tetbury anytime soon.

 

John C.

[Chris Chewter]

Nice neat cabinet. I guess that big beastie on its top in the centre won't be heading towards Tetbury anytime soon.

 

John C.

 

I have been tempted to put the UP Big Boy in the platform, but I don't think it would fit.  That's the Revell Big Boy static kit, so Its just there as a bit of eye candy!

[dibber25]

Why would the layout work better reversed?   I believe in later days after the 517's etc operation was by non auto fitted locos such as 74XX  58XX and 16XX.  Swindon had several 58XX which did Highworth and Tetbury branch duty as well as shunting around the station. I am not aware that Swindon had any auto train work but auto trailers worked to Tetbury without auto fitted locos, possibly because of low platforms which their steps made accessible.

 

Mixed trains were common but I believe the only connection with the Branch involved setting back into the down side bay. 

 

I did research Kemble the Junction and it was very unusual in having no goods sidings.  There were marshalling roads for the branch traffic for Cirencester and Tetbury branches but the goods sidings were almost a mile north, north of the A429 Foss Way.

 

No signals at Tetbury and just a ground frame, one engine in steam, not that exciting,less so than Ashburton traffic wise, but quite pretty.

 

The trackplan is probably a better basis for a pastiche generic GWR station than a faithful representation.   Especially as it was intended to be a through station, like Fairford and several others...

 

There were no low platforms on the Tetbury branch in steam days. Rodmarton halt and Culkerton had standard height platforms. (CJL)

[Chris Chewter]

 

I know it never happened in reality, but it does look good!

Edited January 20, 2019 by Captainalbino

[Harlequin]

Hi,

I just found this thread and it's my kind of thing so I'll be following with interest from now on!

You mimic board looks great framed up like a big signal box diagram.

I've just watched your last two videos and a couple of things struck me:

• The chuff rate seems to be too fast on both the 55xx and the 14xx. It's difficult to judge from the videos but that's my feeling. (I've found chuff rate is quite difficult to fine-tune on Zimo and ESU decoders because of the need to sync differently at different speeds but I think I've got there on a couple of locos, inc. a Hatton's 14xx.)
• The locos seemed to be starting and stopping a bit abruptly to my eye. Might be worth playing with the acceleration and deceleration CVs to give the locos a bit more "inertia", especially the 55xx.

Was the birdsong in the background real or from one of the sound chips? Whichever, it was very evocative!

All the best,

Edited February 2, 2019 by Harlequin

[Chris Chewter]

Thanks for the comments Phil.  You are definitely correct.  There has always been more important things to sort out on the layout rather than chuff rates.  There are certainly a few locos that behave oddly and need adjustment. However I thought I'd go ahead and post the videos to gauge whether people are interested in seeing more of the layout.  As for the birdsong, its one of those calming videos on Youtube.  (Personally I'd rather listen to some Transacord recordings, but each to their own!)

The starting and stopping abruptly is the challenge of trying to operate the layout whilst handling a camera.  Unfortunately it can make you feel like an octopus and the operation can suffer.  I've been meaning to try a few more videos so might try some adjustments and give it a go.  (Cleaning the track beforehand is also helpful!)

The comments are great because it reminds me that the layout is still of interest, and gives me the impetus to sort out some of the things that need sorting.  at the moment, I keep on putting off the cliff face, and I'm not happy with the goods yard.  Normally I just look at it and decide to leave it for another day. Perhaps a job for the summer months!

[Neal Ball]

Just found your thread. The layout looks lovely, very evocative of the rural branch line at Tetbury.

Your illuminated point diagram is great, something I shall need at Henley.

[Harlequin]

I've done a few signal box diagrams with the help of @The Stationmaster. The most recent was Cambrian Street (mid-50's BR(W) style): 

 

There are no doubt still ways to improve the style but it's reasonably close to the real thing, I think.

I'd love to see one of my diagrams printed, fitted with LEDs and mounted in the sort of frame you used, Captain. It's all vector graphics so should scale to any size and built in layers so that, for instance, the track circuiting or signalling can be removed if not needed.

If either you or @Neal Ball would find that style of diagram useful I'd be glad to have a go for you.

[Neal Ball]

Sounds very good Phil. What sort of cost?