Heaton Lodge Junction

[HeatonLodge40]

49 minutes ago, St Enodoc said:

Could've been worse...

It is worse. There’s lots of ‘F off’ on there. I did think of using the airbrush to replicate it but thought best not.

 

Speaking to a train driver recently who often uses the route he said the dive under is known as the ‘F off’ bridge for this reason 

[Crepello]

Those HAAs look pretty convincing to me, especially with the replacement panel.

[HeatonLodge40]

Plenty of head scratching today infilling the gaps between the higher and lower levels. 
The first part of the dive under tunnel now sports a removable top for access. I’ve yet to line the walls with brick embossed sheet.

Had to resort to aluminium sheet as its strength and the fact it’s thin meant it cleared the frame latches and a colour light signal decoder mounted nearby that polystyrene wouldn’t. 
Infilling and constructing stuff like today is very time consuming.

 

Once I’ve skimmed everything with a thin coat of plaster I’ll turn to basic landscaping. 
It’s an odd structure the real dive under - the flat roof of it being brick too.

[HeatonLodge40]

Progress with this frame continues..

 

First section of the dive under tunnel lined whilst on the upper level the two furthest tracks start to peel off towards Huddersfield. These await painting/detailing 

Once the brown paint is dry I’ll start to add static grass, water(resin) for the stream then detailing will begin.. 

[blueeighties]

Whilst still on the subject of sunshine and 0 gauge, I took the opportunity to photograph this pair of finished beauties. As previously stated, not my work, all I have done is installed sound. 40009 and 40126, both JLTRT builds. Destined for work on HLJ ifd this crazy situation decides to ever right itself.

[Crepello]

Great weathering jobs. Could fool anyone into thinking they were The Real Thing.

[HeatonLodge40]

On the home straight with this complicated frame..

 

Needed to scratchbuild a plethora of bits and bats from brass including track circuit transmitters and an elevated platform for two relay boxes.

The dilapidated concrete fence is made from individual card sections sprayed with concrete paint and talc sprinkled on.

Didn’t forget the strengthening rebars which are left after a panel falls out.

 

The stream/pond at the bottom is my second attempt since the first resulted in the casting resin finding its way into to the floor overnight!

 

I usually make a long list of details to add once the main landscaping is done. The list on this board was a long one.

 

In the evening I’ve been weathering more MGR’s and a new batch of Accurascale’s excellent HUO’s which will run behind 40009 - as in the post above. 
 

 

[Softvark]

Spectacular modelling as always, Simon.

 

Just going back a bit - please could you let me know where you got the decals for the propane gas cylinders?

[Tony Teague]

The level of detailing that you are achieving never ceases to amaze me!

[HeatonLodge40]

2 hours ago, Softvark said:

Spectacular modelling as always, Simon.

 

Just going back a bit - please could you let me know where you got the decals for the propane gas cylinders?

I had to have the Calor logos made. Most transfer companies like Railtec for example will make bespoke ones 

[Softvark]

Thanks Simon, I thought that might be the case.

[sparkey1957]

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Rail-Engineering-Drawing-Heaton-Lodge-Stock-Ref-16/274338831309

 

Looks what's popped up on FleBay. 

[sparkey1957]

 

33 years ago today. Photo Credit Neil Harvey.

Edited April 17, 2020 by sparkey1957

[HeatonLodge40]

13 hours ago, sparkey1957 said:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/British-Rail-Engineering-Drawing-Heaton-Lodge-Stock-Ref-16/274338831309

 

Looks what's popped up on FleBay. 

Thanks for that. The same diagram is available online which is how I managed to get all the signal numbers.

Might make a bid though  

[HeatonLodge40]

Just finishing off this frame. It’s taken 3 weeks from scratch so it’s a bit overdue as I aim to complete one in 2.

That said it’s been a complicated one.

 

On the high level I’ve added a PW portakabin. This is an Intentio kit and very nice it is too. I added the window grills, used the talc on wet paint method to try and get the ‘pebble’ effect and scratchbuilt a brass door instead of using the wooden one (inc) as it was a tad too thick.

 

The truck is an IXO diecast model from Spain. It’s actually a SAVA, who back then made the BMC/Leyland FG under license.

I dismantled this, converted it from left hand drive to right hand drive, filed the bottoms of the tyres down (so it sits better), added a sleeping BR PW chap in the passenger seat, (much of whose head I had to remove) changed the no plate to a British one before giving it a coat of dirty black. Probably overdone it a bit but hey ho

Edited April 21, 2020 by HeatonLodge40

[jamie92208]

Good evening Simon.   I know that your layout is set somewhere near 1980.   By sheer chance I was scanning some negatives today as it was my eldest's 40th and I wanted a picture to embarrass him.   (Aren't parents wonderful)  On the first strip of negatives that I scanned these two pictures appeared.   Taken at the west end of Batley viaduct on Monday 21st April 1980.   I hope they are of some interest to you.

 

 

I think that I was standing on the trackbed of the old GN line.  The state of the 47 might be of interest.  I was amusing myself whilst my wife was having an ante natal check up.   the young man was born on the early hours of the Wednesday morning.  I know I've got some photos of freights at Heaton Lodge somewhere and will post them if they turn up.

 

Jamie

 

[HeatonLodge40]

Thanks Jamie for those pics. Yes you’re definitely standing on the old GN line, didn’t live far from there some years ago.

 

9F 2-10-0 Evening Star has now landed (a Finescale Brass loco) and will be in charge of steam specials. With its synchronised sound and smoke I’m looking forward to seeing it pull 12 coaches on ‘The Downesman’. 

The 9F has always been my favourite class of steam locomotives and ‘Evening Star’ especially so.

Possibly the steam equivalent of a Class 56 I think..

Edited April 24, 2020 by HeatonLodge40

[jcarta]

The 9F was a good looking work horse in all of it's guise's ..... sadly a very short work life.

 

Jim

[Enterprisingwestern]

 

The Downesman.

Brilliant tribute.

 

Mike.

[jamie92208]

That 9F looks stunning Simon.  I've got a photo of it running through Cross Gates about the time that you are modelling. I'll look out for it and post it.   I've also found three more from April 80 at Hanging Heaton.

 

 

Hope that you are keeping OK.

 

Jamie

[HeatonLodge40]

Last week saw the remaining frames delivered which complete the full circuit, so I’m back on the fiddle yard side constructing and laying track.

Main job was to create a double junction & crossover which mirrors the same on the scenic side. 
 

To break this up I switch onto weathering and modifying stock during the day. Seeing as there are so few Heljan VAA vans around, I bought some with the EWS livery which I’m repainting into the earlier Railfreight colours. 
Still a huge shortage of rtr wagons in O gauge..

[HeatonLodge40]

Thanks to Ben Jones at Heljan who tipped me off, I managed to buy this photo of Heaton Lodge Junction.

Its unusual as it shows the signal box and semaphores which all went in early 1970.

And of course a Class 50 which I’ve never seen a picture of at this location. I know they often did Settle/Carlisle runs before being transferred to the western region. 
So I’m guessing this must be ‘69 early 1970.
 

[jamie92208]

1 hour ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Thanks to Ben Jones at Heljan who tipped me off, I managed to buy this photo of Heaton Lodge Junction.

Its unusual as it shows the signal box and semaphores which all went in early 1970.

And of course a Class 50 which I’ve never seen a picture of at this location. I know they often did Settle/Carlisle runs before being transferred to the western region. 
So I’m guessing this must be ‘69 early 1970.
 

They spent most of their time on the West Coast Main Line until the full electrification in 74. However the first 4 or 5 did tests from Crewe up to Carlisle over the S&C with a 20 coach test train when they were first built. That must have been about 67/68 as steam was still around.

Edited April 28, 2020 by jamie92208

[APOLLO]

is the class 50 hauling those 100 ton tank wagons seen on the left ? Wonder what the working was - ex Cadishead / Stanlow ?

 

Brit15

[4630]

37 minutes ago, APOLLO said:

is the class 50 hauling those 100 ton tank wagons seen on the left ? Wonder what the working was - ex Cadishead / Stanlow ?

 

Brit15

 

Ellesmere Port to Charington Hargreaves oil terminal at Liversedge Spen perhaps?