Heaton Lodge Junction

[HeatonLodge40]

As an aside, the face of my cat Wizardora when I explained I was going to extend the river 

[AdeMoore]

Just crazy awesome Simon. When the backscene encloses the view it will move it into another dimension.

Fab it certainly is.

 Cheers 

Ade

[Enterprisingwestern]

On 04/08/2020 at 18:55, HeatonLodge40 said:

Believe it or not I’m actually short of space

 

I told you to do it 4mm!!

 

Mike.

[HeatonLodge40]

Bit of scouting around the country for temporary locations for HLJ to reside in whilst ‘on tour’, has meant I’ve dropped back schedule wise this last week.

 

However, I’m on the last lap of the scenic section before embarking on the triangular section (the Huddersfield lines) before long.

 

The second (Allan Downes built) derelict mill is next on the list. This frame and the one before with the rail over bridge have had walls & fences added. The Ten Commandments stonecast walls I’ve cut down to represent the tumbledown stone normally seen. Getting them to follow contours in landscape is difficult so I resort to snapping them into pieces before reconstructing them over mounds etc.

 

One of the other features will eventually be a haulage yard with 15 or so truck trailers from a company called Pattersons. They operated road tankers for food stuffs, and for a while used the old steam shed at Mirfield. 
After spending hours last year trawling the internet for a suitable 1:43 road tanker I eventually got 15 direct from IXO - a Spanish company that makes exquisite O gauge models.
 

Unfortunately these model road tankers are 1990’s era with 3 axles so I’ve just spent the last hour with a slitting disc cutting out one axle and shortening the mudguards as a trial. I’ll repaint these in Pattersons colours when I’ve time and add a bit of detail. 

Pictured is a (crap) photo of one of the original Pattersons road tankers and another pic of my butchery on one of the lovely IXO models.

 

Finally a pic by Terry Jamieson shows an MGR train heading under Woodend Bridge in the mid ‘80’s. Ref an earlier conversation on here, the coal is indeed like dust.

My pic (with no train sadly) is the same view from the same bridge 

[37114]

1 hour ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

After spending hours last year trawling the internet for a suitable 1:43 road tanker I eventually got 15 direct from IXO - a Spanish company that makes exquisite O gauge models.
 

Unfortunately these model road tankers are 1990’s era with 3 axles so I’ve just spent the last hour with a slitting disc cutting out one axle and shortening the mudguards as a trial. I’ll repaint these in Pattersons colours when I’ve time and add a bit of detail. 

Pictured is a (crap) photo of one of the original Pattersons road tankers and another pic of my butchery on one of the lovely IXO models.

 

The IXO models are lovely and the tankers look good 15 of them must have cost a pretty penny though!!!

[HeatonLodge40]

Largely vehicle based work this last few days. 

I’ve finally completed the full scenic 180ft and have now jumped to the final frame to add detail and infill a few gaps in the front. Plan is to work back through the whole layout fixing a few issues with the scenery and super detailing. Probably a couple weeks work.

 

Once Tim Horn delivers more frames next week to further progress the ‘middle curves’ ie the Huddersfield lines, I’ll begin work on these. 
 

The ex 007 James Bond Sherpa Van has been stripped down, repainted in mucky white and toned down with dirty black (mostly to hide my crap paint job). I removed Roger Moore & Barbara Bach from the interior but left Jaws’ dent in the bonnet when he jumped on it in the desert.

Front wheels are broken and re glued at an angle. The rear door took about an hour to open with a slitting disc.  The Yorkshire Water logo is just a cut out.

I’m not 100% happy with it but given the frosty weather conditions it’s passable.

 

Meanwhile the final mill frame is finished. I’m moving onto the next but one frame - the river - later. A temporary sky backscene has been added on the scenic break.
Last pic is the infilling of the rear scenic break.
Oh & I need to remove the BR logo from the man working on the sign. He works for YW now

 

[Mick Bonwick]

12 minutes ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

 

 

 

 

It's 24 degrees in my workshop, but I'm sitting here shivering! Marvellous rendition of a cold day, Simon.

[HeatonLodge40]

Well the last 3 frames are now signed off and done.

These comprise the scenic break with road over bridge & derelict mill, the frame with the River Calder & 2 large bridges, and the frame before this which includes a second derelict mill, the dirt track to it and a rail over bridge.

 

Spent the last few days super detailing, working from a list.
 

Here’s some pics of these last 3 frames..

Tomorrow is the sewerage worksThe second mill..Down on the river bank 

 

[HeatonLodge40]

A view from the other side showing the old track bed..

[Mick Bonwick]

At risk of repeating myself, but it's absolutely splendid, Simon. So true to life.

[Joner]

Awesome details. Can't wait to see it in the flesh. 

[HeatonLodge40]

Thought I post some pics of the final batch of frames from Tim Horn. 
As I mentioned previously these form the ‘middle curves’ to Huddersfield and include 4 tracks on two levels - the dive under lines on the lower level, and the two lines on top which also peel off to Huddersfield.

On the prototype up to 1986, these 4 tracks came together at Heaton Lodge South Junction. Likewise on the model these 4 tracks meet on the same level just before joining the fiddle yard. 
 

You can now see the position of the third scenic break in the form of another bridge. I’ll wrap the backscene around this and join it to the final scenic break at the end. 
Again, this creates a parcel of space which I’ll need to fill.

Pretty shortly I’ll be knocking together the scenery carrying trolleys from box section aluminium to roll into this gap.

From the viewing side it should be impossible to tell it’s anything other than permanent.

 

There will be at least 6m of double track joining the main Calder Valley line at a 45deg angle, so should be quite entertaining watching long trains climb up to the main line.

 

 

[branchie]

Truly magnificent! 

[HeatonLodge40]

Work started yesterday on the Bermuda Triangle. So named as this is where the trains disappear 

 

I’m determined to make this triangle a big feature now although it was never part of the original plan. 

With 20ft of fields at its widest part I’m making the scenery removable over the lower tracks which are hidden, and the rest on the aforementioned trolleys which will push into place to fill the space.

 

Today I’ve been making the removable top covers from ply for the apex of the Bermuda triangle. 
Apart from ply I’ve used a lot of foam board to block out the light as I want the long tunnels totally black.

 

The temporary bridge in the pics (yet to be sawn in half) will be the third scenic break - the back scene wrapping around this and the second bridge/scenic break nearby. A road will link the two bridges.

The river will be extended and curve away (and be removable as it’ll be built on a trolley.)
Should have it done in a couple weeks. 

[jcarta]

14 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Work started yesterday on the Bermuda Triangle. So named as this is where the trains disappear 

 

I’m determined to make this triangle a big feature now although it was never part of the original plan. 

With 20ft of fields at its widest part I’m making the scenery removable over the lower tracks which are hidden, and the rest on the aforementioned trolleys which will push into place to fill the space.

 

Today I’ve been making the removable top covers from ply for the apex of the Bermuda triangle. 
Apart from ply I’ve used a lot of foam board to block out the light as I want the long tunnels totally black.

 

The temporary bridge in the pics (yet to be sawn in half) will be the third scenic break - the back scene wrapping around this and the second bridge/scenic break nearby. A road will link the two bridges.

The river will be extended and curve away (and be removable as it’ll be built on a trolley.)
Should have it done in a couple weeks. 

 

 

Simon, You certainly don't believe in making life easy for yourself do you?

 

Mind you it will look superb and give the layout a huge amount of depth in this area. 

 

Jim

[HeatonLodge40]

3 hours ago, jcarta said:

 

Simon, You certainly don't believe in making life easy for yourself do you?

 

Mind you it will look superb and give the layout a huge amount of depth in this area. 

 

Jim

I’m more worried about what I’m going to do when it’s finished Jim.
 

Even tho I plan on having a big sofa mounted next to the junction on an elevated fabricated metal stand (seriously), there’s only so much time I can lounge on it watching trains go by with my binoculars and a fridge full of beer.

 

I was discussing yesterday with the two chaps installing the automation (and doing a fantastic job) the possibility of using the fiddle yard for another layout curving in the opposite direction in the future.

 

Pondering this maybe it could include 9ft high floor to ceiling moorland scenery mounted on aluminium box section and another 200ft run but just double track. 
 

 

 

[rob D2]

I admire the project greatly ,

the sheer scale of it would give me sleepless nights !

[Mick Bonwick]

2 minutes ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Pondering this maybe it could include 9ft high floor to ceiling moorland scenery mounted on aluminium box section and another 200ft run but just double track. 

 

 

Thus creating a world shortage of static grass!

[Tony Teague]

3 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

I was discussing yesterday with the two chaps installing the automation (and doing a fantastic job) the possibility of using the fiddle yard for another layout curving in the opposite direction in the future.

Pondering this maybe it could include 9ft high floor to ceiling moorland scenery mounted on aluminium box section and another 200ft run but just double track. 
 

 

I'll tell you whose mad...

 

Have you sought help for your condition? I'm sure it must be available!

[bcnPete]

3 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

I was discussing yesterday with the two chaps installing the automation (and doing a fantastic job) the possibility of using the fiddle yard for another layout curving in the opposite direction in the future.

  

[sir douglas]

make a few quid with one of those seaside telescopes at one end of the layout

[jcarta]

8 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

I’m more worried about what I’m going to do when it’s finished Jim.

Let me help you with this one ...... You will be helping us with the scenery on Ayr Road 
 

Even tho I plan on having a big sofa mounted next to the junction on an elevated fabricated metal stand (seriously), there’s only so much time I can lounge on it watching trains go by with my binoculars and a fridge full of beer.

You bring the fridge and binoculars', I'll bring the beers and the train spotters notebook 

(Maybe you could wallpaper the loo!!!! 

 

I was discussing yesterday with the two chaps installing the automation (and doing a fantastic job) the possibility of using the fiddle yard for another layout curving in the opposite direction in the future.

Yes, Yes, Yes ..... More to see

 

Pondering this maybe it could include 9ft high floor to ceiling moorland scenery mounted on aluminium box section and another 200ft run but just double track. 

I / we are just impressed with your enthusiasm 

 

[HeatonLodge40]

Nothing too sexy this week I’m afraid.
 

It’s all been trolley constructing & cutting plywood sheet to fit on top of them.

However it’s possible to see the triangular landscaping taking shape, with much of the polystyrene landscaping on top.

And the course of the river is easy to see as it bends sharply towards the camera.

Just a huge amount of fettling heights & lengths of aluminium and plywood.

 

Finally the first batch of lighting gantry rig bases have been delivered.

These bases will be situated at the operating side of the layout and 7ft high vertical booms will slot into them which in turn support 7ft wide horizontal booms into which lightweight LED batten lights slot.

So the lighting will be from above, and in front of the layout.

 

I want to finish the whole layout in one month so have got this triangle to complete, the scenery for it, the extended river pour and the 4 tracks round to the fiddle yard. 
Then there’s the backscene to bring round and the foam board tunnels (which hide all track heading towards the scenic side). 

 

[Geoff Endacott]

3 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

I want to finish the whole layout in one month...

 

Then what are you going to do?

 

Geoff Endacott

[Simond]

WCML, in Z.

 

all of it...