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Heaton Lodge Junction


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12 minutes ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

This from the same point looking west..getting a bit more frosty now..

45ED7B41-12C3-457F-ADC2-94B5806E8A4E.png

 

Are you hinting that the four seasons will be depicted on the layout, from Spring through to Winter?

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7 minutes ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

View looking east ..

5F5BCA2D-C00B-45FE-8304-F17801918EEA.png

 

Been following this thread for a while now and this shot really does bring it all together.

The crossovers alongside the other 2 track section together with a few freights in the distance really does do this justice now.

 

It is looking awesome and I have nothing but huge respect for your dedication to this Simon.

 

Is the decision a recent one to run 2 eras?  I thought you were always dedicated to the mid 80s (which by the way most suits this location I would say). I grew up with memories as a young kid of Healey Mills and Tinsley in the early 80s. 

Class 40s in their twilight years and all that.

 

Having enough stock choices for 28 or more train lengths in one era (including shorter formations) could be a challenge mind?!

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18 minutes ago, Stubby47 said:

 

Are you hinting that the four seasons will be depicted on the layout, from Spring through to Winter?

Ha nope I’m working on the basis the sun rises in the east and being a cold morning hasn’t yet melted the frost in the west :) 

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19 minutes ago, Growling said:

 

Been following this thread for a while now and this shot really does bring it all together.

The crossovers alongside the other 2 track section together with a few freights in the distance really does do this justice now.

 

It is looking awesome and I have nothing but huge respect for your dedication to this Simon.

 

Is the decision a recent one to run 2 eras?  I thought you were always dedicated to the mid 80s (which by the way most suits this location I would say). I grew up with memories as a young kid of Healey Mills and Tinsley in the early 80s. 

Class 40s in their twilight years and all that.

 

Having enough stock choices for 28 or more train lengths in one era (including shorter formations) could be a challenge mind?!

Thanks. It’s a good point, yes the 1980’s is the prime era it will run in and always be associated with.

 

However when it’s in front of the public the ‘90’s with EWS liveries and others will appeal to slightly younger modellers. So yep it will probably alternate eras every couple hours.
Obviously the track layout had been even more rationalised by then but bit of modellers license will have to prevail..

Edited by HeatonLodge40
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Great progress again. The layout takes me right back to the late 80’s - I’m hopeful of seeing a peak pulling a few PV mkIIs along here. I spent many hours on this section maximising the miles you can do on a day rover - even as late as ‘87 you could still get a 45 if you waited long enough. I also got a 31/4 one time which was pulling a late LIV-NCL and trying to break the land speed record. 
 

In relation to the Hi Vis question, I joined BR in ‘93 and was issued all over orange water proofs and a very small orange vest. The water proofs were excellent for cycling and rarely worn trackside. The first reflective stuff came out in mid ‘94 and I remember the local manager saying that the standard hi vis vest went up from £3 to £14!
 

By ‘97 I was issued a longer length reflective vest. At this time regular trackside staff had full reflective gear although it wasn’t worn often. 


Hard hats came in about ‘02 with gloves and glasses coming in around ‘09. 

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1 hour ago, 61656 said:

Hard hats came in about ‘02 with gloves and glasses coming in around ‘09. 

Hard Hats and Gloves were an 'As Necessary' when I was Signalling Works Engineer c1990. Hard hats were worn when anyone was working above you or crane operations were going on such as using a Hiab on a lorry. They were also specified for jobs under mechanical signal boxes because of the moving parts.

Gloves were used for dirty jobs like pulling cables or handling materials such as concrete troughs. 

 

These are a couple of Hi-Vis shots I have put up before but have copied over for information. The first was at Essington Wood in 1981, full orange jacket and shorty vests.

post-9767-0-84917700-1347836412_thumb.jpg

 

The second is full orange overalls at Kings Cross Thameslink in 1989. Still no reflective stripes.

post-9767-0-17825700-1515181912.jpg

 

 

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Thanks for that Andy your videos are great :) 

 

Last couple days I’ve been back threading concrete sleepers onto rail (a frustrating job at the best of times).


Next job is also mind numbingly boring ie chopping up dozens of styrene strip to make the concrete trunking. 
It really is the only way to get the random prototypical effect but making it and laying is slowly drives you mad.

 

In making the trunking once chopped into roughly 2cm sections I stick them onto masking tape sticky side up to hold them down as I spray them with good old Halfords primer

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8E7D0BC2-4BD5-4B6D-9642-071FB58B1432.jpeg

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On 09/10/2019 at 20:23, HeatonLodge40 said:


Well there are 4 fiddle yards with 7 roads each so room for 28 trains in total.
Probably just have 14 trains of both eras to be honest 

 

Where are the fiddle yards for the 60's and 70's going to be located?!!!

 

Mike.

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Good point Mike..!

 Seriously though I actually considered setting HLJ in 1966 originally but decided the unbelievably complicated track work and the fact I couldn’t remember that era meant the 80’s won in the end.

 

That is not to say HLJ may just go retro one year with 9F’s,8F’s and Black 5’s (amongst others) hauling 80 wagon goods trains. That is of course if I can find a way to borrow 30 odd steam locos and the associated stock :) 

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On 12/10/2019 at 09:45, HeatonLodge40 said:

This from the same point looking west..getting a bit more frosty now..

45ED7B41-12C3-457F-ADC2-94B5806E8A4E.png

 

 

It all feels just below freezing, when there is ice skimming on top of the puddles of mud, perfect for breaking with the toes of your runners, huddled into a bit of a bundle in a K-way (not sure if that translates to UK slang or not, a thin folding nylon jacket that goes into its own pouch), but waiting and watching to see what the noise coming is going to bring you.  The grass breaks so beautiful when you kick at it, and as the sun rises in the east, you seek out those first rays to stand in and warm up a bit. 

In other words, what a wonderful scene- it reminds me of '81, in terms of temperatures and it being like that. 

 

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These 2 latest frames are nearing completion.

Concrete trunking laboriously laid, other detail such as leaves, relay boxes, discarded bricks etc also added. Track ballasted, weathered, and dummy fishplates too.
Also rail sides I’ve painted a mixture of a dark rust and track colour. It’s easy to make rail sides look too red.
 

Tomorrow I’ll be starting on the static grass & fencing before installing the aforementioned cottages into the scenery. 

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