SouthernMafia's Projects & Portland - a 'what might have been' NSE layout in Dorset

[SouthernMafia]

Further to my previous post, a post on some stock.

 

The 73 was finished off. I didn't get a chance to install a headlight and orange line before the show but may revisit these to "modernise" the loco, allowing it to be run through into 1999 when it was withdrawn. For those that missed it, this has not been stripped down, rather the original Dapol livery elements masked and sprayed over accordingly, including the BR double arrows.

 

 

I took some photos today of my 150 chassis mod which was asked about a few weeks ago. Using a method I found somewhere on here which involved hacking the chassis back to just the end bits, and remounting the motor. I then added seats from a spare interior, and a few chinese people off ebay. The effect is pleasing and I would say better than the revised Bachmann version, which has more window space blocked out. The speaker is in the fuel tanks, along with a microswitch to turn the end lights off for when running in multiple.

 

 

Finally a Kernow polybulk that received some weathering ready for the show, was quite pleased with how it turned out.

This is the Mark 2 version after I was informed that my first attempt was too Cornish and not Dorset enough !!

 

Edited March 13, 2018 by SouthernMafia

[The Fatadder]

Like the work on the 150 chassis, after seeing that I will be copying over the coming weeks. Where did you source the interior for it?

[SouthernMafia]

Like the work on the 150 chassis, after seeing that I will be copying over the coming weeks. Where did you source the interior for it?

There's a guy on eBay doing a load of spares/broken down models. He doesn't have any 150 interiors at the mo but might be worth asking if he can source. It's this guy:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F132048479649

[Revolution Mike B]

There's a guy on eBay doing a load of spares/broken down models. He doesn't have any 150 interiors at the mo but might be worth asking if he can source. It's this guy:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F132048479649

 

I've always thought he's a bit on the expensive side Rich

[SouthernMafia]

I've always thought he's a bit on the expensive side Rich

I paid £10 for the interior which I thought was Ok, but yes he's not cheap. Then again model railways aren't anymore

[Southwich]

Hi Rich,

 

Just found your thread; very impressive indeed! Like the "L-shape" - something different and think it works very well!

 

Will be following with interest from now on!

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[SouthernMafia]

Portland: nothing changed.

Stock: as usual a rush to the finish post with a show at the weekend! I'm helping out on the excellent Oak Road and felt some early 2000s trains were in order. If you know the area (Castle Cary) you'll know this train, orange lining has been finished on the loco (I hate orange lines) and hopefully it will be varnished in time for Saturday ! No, it's not the pink one! (Not this one anyway...)

 

 

Some more Virgin Mk2s also arrived this week for the diverted Cross Country. Looking forward to giving them a run at the weekend.

Edited May 23, 2018 by SouthernMafia

[Zomboid]

There's something not quite right about that locomotive. Can't put my finger on exactly what though.

 

I know - shouldn't it have circular buffers?

[P.C.M]

Something like this ??

[SouthernMafia]

Something like this ??

Well that's on the other end !

I went to run the chassis in last night on our club layout and the decoder blew! Good job that didn't happen at the weekend.

[The Fatadder]

I have an EWS 31 pending the orange lines, completely agree that its a nightmare job!   Is this going to be the Wessex pink one? 

[SouthernMafia]

I have an EWS 31 pending the orange lines, completely agree that its a nightmare job! Is this going to be the Wessex pink one?

No, it's not the pink one! (Not this one anyway...)

 

I've got 3 31s, the last of which will be the pink one, but will need the headlight moving. This will be 31454.

 

I might try Temeraire's method of spraying the orange line on first and masking it next time!

[SouthernMafia]

Funny what you can find lurking in kitchen cupboards...

 

[Temeraire]

Interesting location for a spraybooth!

[SouthernMafia]

Interesting location for a spraybooth!

I was pushing the Mrs for Intercity livered decor but this will have to do!

[SouthernMafia]

I just about managed to get 31454 into a reasonable state in time for the Brockenhurst show, where it ran well in TnT formation with 31452 and 5 Mk2s, it even pushed the set round Mikes layout!

 

Things to finish off:

 

- source blue stars for front

- repaint roof correct darker grey (or at least tone it down with some washes)

- source laserglaze glazing - the factory stuff never goes back in properly after a repaint

- source nameplates - despite constant nagging when I see him, Brian at Shawplan still hasn't made them! 

- add sound - potentially looking at my first EM2 to go into 31452, which has had its motor removed, with a normal speaker in 31454.

- finish weathering 

 

 

 

You'll note the pictures are all of the same side, we won't talk about the other side....! Some work on the transfers to do.

[SouthernMafia]

Things quiet on Portland at the moment but stock has seen some work along with thinning of some of the fleet, mainly anything a bit too modern or not local to Hampshire and Dorset (but I still can't resist a Colas 60!)

I also embarked on a 'get things running' programme so anything previously not fitted with a decoder now is.

 

Bachmann Colas 47727 with some detailing and orange box movement to the right place:

 

A Colas 70 arrived:

 

Virgin 47814 has some front detailing:

 

Years ago I did a 3-way nose swap with some Bachmann 37s but never researched the configurations correctly. Now stuff like this bothers me so a 2-way swap occured to make this more accurate. 37239 on the left has its original nose back and will become 37178. 37035 on the right has a nose of 37042? and will become 37046. 37035s nose is on 37013 in Mainline:

 

47190 is being transformed into Solent local 47197. This has had the fuel tanks swapped out from a 47474 and will have cosmetic attention to one of the flush ends to reinstate the blanked headcode box and lights:

 

A Bachmann 170 has been DCCed and I was experimenting with fancy features:

 

Stock box arrangements. These are excellent but only available for 8 items. Some tweaking means a rake of 10 (or two rakes of 5 as here) will fit nicely:

 

Lima TEAs are becoming chassis less TCA LPG tanks, these have been rebogied with spare Dapol HIA bogie sets which are the correct Y25C bogies for this type of wagon:

 

Also working on revised Fawley TTAs which have a different ladder and walkway configuration:

 

The walkway is from Stenson models and is very nice, however is slightly wrong for the Fawley tanks. There is also no lower walkway as found just above the buffer beam. This was made using a PCA walkway from the same company:

 

The walkway was tweaked a bit to closer match the prototype. Revised end ladder and handrails also added. Still some final grab rails to add here:

 

Lastly with the spare bits off the TTA walkway I wanted to see if could be used elsewhere so I had a go at a Lima PGA. It's too short but looks much better. Have also rewheeled and Kadeed two, only 25 to do!!

 

Life is busy so modeling time remains limited but working on stock in preparation for Redbridge attention the Southampton show in January, hence a focus on "Solent" trains.

[Revolution Mike B]

Good work Rich....

....do you fancy lending me the Colas Darlek for Taunton?     

Edited September 7, 2018 by scoobyra

[SouthernMafia]

Well, it's been a while but I thought a resurgence of this thread was in order. Since the Basingstoke show of March 2018 when Portland really was last seen I've moved home, changed jobs (now driving for Go When Ready...I mean GWR) and somehow extended my modelling period further back into the 80s, and the 60s!! The latter thanks to our club layout Redbridge Wharf which has seen significant progress over the last 18 months and is mainly set in 1967.

 

With the current social climate eradicated I've managed to get loads of work done on my neverending list of projects. I've also managed to get two boards of Portland up in the new flat, with a view to various projects on the layout including:

 

- rejigging the Yard to provide a run-round and self contained operating area

- a complete rewire including replacement of the old noisy Fulgurex point motors with servos

- relaying and widening of the platform, and extending the bay by a loco length

- potential reballasting of the dark grey (it's too dark)

- wiring and interlocking of the signals

- finishing off the scenics

 

I've brought boards 3 and 4 with me to the flat, so rejigging of the Yard is the first of these projects to be tackled. Trackwork has been lifted in places, and I've been playing around with a layout that could work. I wanted to see what the new Peco bullhead points were like, and two of these will be used for the run-round.

 

 

Annoyingly I can't access my supply of Code 75 bullhead rail whilst the lockdown is on so not much more can happen here until it's recovered!

But plenty of other things have been keeping me busy, including:

 

- DCC sound speaker upgrades to EM1 and EM2, the EM2 in a 56 and 60 is particularly nice

- coach lighting with Stay Alives in Bachmann Mk1s and 205 Thumper

- Flashing tail lamps 

- Bachmann Voyager lighting

- Various repsray/renumber projects

- nearly complete 4-REP for Redbridge

 

I'll share some of these shortly.

I've also been trying to refine my (too large) collection of stock, to at least keep it down to relatively local locos and trains that ran in the Solent area, so some locos have disappeared, whilst other new ones like the very impressive Hattons 66 have arrived.

 

More to come.

[Markmiller2008]

Rich

 

Keep up the updates, ive missed not seeing any.

 

Some of your projects on Twitter are super, hope you share here too!

 

Mark

[SouthernMafia]

Thanks Mark. The layout certainly took a back seat for a while but now I have two boards I'm a bit more enthused to continue with it.

 

Here's the latest in a line of projects I've been doing in the form of DCC lighting.

I was never too fussed about having working coach lighting, since I rarely run in the dark, and any factory fitted stuff always seems to be a horrible orange colour, not very prototypical. Then someone at our club said any stock running on the layout should have passengers in them, of which my Blue/Grey Portsmouth to Cardiff MK1 set features. All very well and good but from a viewing distance of around 6 feet you couldn't really see them! So I decided to experiment with my own install of coach lighting, using the method from this thread:

 

A neat little circuit and I soon had it up and running. Also took the opportunity to do a bit of crude interior detailing.

 

 

Eventually the whole 6 coach rake was completed, and a steady tail light added at one end.

 

 

The steady tail lamp is for 1960s running, and thoughts soon turned to how to add a flashing tail light at the other end for 1980s running. 

 

After some discussion with fellow club member eldavo, we arrived at the following circuit which he had used on his N gauge DC layout Waton. 

 

 

As I'm modelling 00 and not N like Dave it didn't need to be tiny using surface mount components, phew! Plus most of these I have available in normal size, and with a basic bit of electronics knowledge I had a working circuit board.

 

 

The LED used in the actual lamp is very small, the nano type. The back of a Springside tail lamp is drilled out and the LED fitted.

 

 

Lastly the completed circuit is squeezed into the Mk1 toilet end, and a small switch added underneath to turn it off if required.

With hindsight I could have got rid of the capacitor and fed it off the already installed Stay Alive for the coach lighting, but nevermind! 

 

 

Pickups had already been previously installed for the coach lighting, and consist of thin prosper bronze strip (see further below).

 

The finished article:

 

I'd also been busy with a 3 coach Thumper, using a similar method for the coach lighting.

 

 

And speaking of Thumpers, another centre coach was done for a friend in Connex livery, using some nice Precision Labels connex stripes.

 

 

That'll do for now!

[SouthernMafia]

After finding some bits of rail some good progress was made over the weekend with the revised yard track plan. The new run-round is installed and now needs painting, and the other two sidings are waiting to go in, now I really have run out of rail!

 

A bit of clever ? planning and a 33 fits in the headshunt...just!

 

 

The crossover here is a pair of Peco bullhead points which I wanted to try to see what they're like. The tiebars are replaced with my copper clad method, and wiring altered so they run properly. Very impressed with the detail and although you could build one cheaper, you couldn't build it quicker!

 

[Southwich]

Trackwork looking very good! Been following on Twitter for a while, loving the units as well. 
 

Looking forward to seeing more progress! 
 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[SouthernMafia]

A bit of board bashing yesterday and suddenly a big hole has appeared!

 

 

Luckily not for long and the lowered surface is now glued in place. Hopefully with a bit of careful terrain grading this will be a loading dock adjacent to the run-round, and a motorail siding with ramp adjacent to the carriage sidings.

 

 

Some wagons in situ:

 

 

Lots to do! Including a full rewire :/

 

 

[Rhysb]

Rich,

 

Great to see some updates! Very jealous of the Thumper centre car! Really like the changes to the layout too!

 

Good to hear the REP is coming along well. Was interesting to see the progress last time I saw you. Looking forward to seeing how it has come along!

 

All the best

 

Rhys