Crinan

[Signaller69]

I'm looking forwards to seeing your idea develop. I haven't touched my 303 for a couple of days, but I have redrawn my proposed layout once again! Probably crack on again tomorrow, had another idea regarding the sides and doors. Hopefully it will make things a little easier.

 

Roja

Hi Roja,

My home project is very much a slow burner at the moment, nothing more than a few ideas currently and although it would be built with exhibitions in mind, Crinan will continue its evolution and remain my priority as long as it continues to receive exhibition invitations; I do have a few thoughts for further (not too major) alterations.

 

Regarding our conversation about 303's at Railex, I'm looking forward to seeing your builds. We touched on glazing; I have had a further look at the windows on the DC Kits sides; the glazing recesses leave only the thickness of the window "frames" around the windows so I will likely leave mine as is rather than use Replica glazing and then have to paint the frames, but we will see. As seen in the photos they are scarcely different to the thickness of an etched coach side:

 

Might be a while before this takes shape too!

 

Regards,

Martyn.

Edited August 1, 2018 by Signaller69

[Signaller69]

On holiday this week, not to the Highlands but to York. Railway Museum tomorrow, but some railway interest today too at the Derwent Valley Light Railway which is conveniently situated with the Yorkshire Museum of Farming at Murton Park.

 

This line is only half a mile long with small ex-BR & Industrial locos being used. The departing train travels towards York and at the end of the line runs round the train (today a BR Brake Van and bespoke 4w coach built on a LMS parcel van chassis I believe); the run round loop is just long enough for these vehicles or 1 Mk.1 coach. On arrival back at the station the second loco moves out of the siding and couples to the train ready for the next run. Once this departs the incoming loco moves to the siding ready to take out the next train. Full signalling is employed in the station area controlled from a nicely reconstructed small Signal Box. The station building has been lovingly rebuilt too, quite Col.Stephens in character. All in all a nice subject for a simple shelf or micro layout possibly.

 

And I purchased a little bedtime reading material...

[lmsforever]

Do I see the beginning of a new layout?

[37Oban]

Hi Roja,

My home project is very much a slow burner at the moment, nothing more than a few ideas currently and although it would be built with exhibitions in mind, Crinan will continue its evolution and remain my priority as long as it continues to receive exhibition invitations; I do have a few thoughts for further (not too major) alterations.

 

Regarding our conversation about 303's at Railex, I'm looking forward to seeing your builds. We touched on glazing; I have had a further look at the windows on the DC Kits sides; the glazing recesses leave only the thickness of the window "frames" around the windows so I will likely leave mine as is rather than use Replica glazing and then have to paint the frames, but we will see. As seen in the photos they are scarcely different to the thickness of an etched coach side:

IMG_20180801_184245_1.jpgIMG_20180801_183937_1.jpgIMG_20180801_184323_1.jpg

 

Might be a while before this takes shape too!

 

Regards,

Martyn.

Hi Martyn,

 

I'm looking forwards to seeing your home project develop.  I've actually done a wee bit to my 303 power car so I should be able to post a couple of pictures on here in a few weeks to show what I've been up to.  Most of the underframe gubbins have been fitted, which has been, how shall I say, fun, since the diagrams I have only seem to match what photo evidence I've gleaned off the internet just a bit loosely, and the dimensions of the various equipment boxes has used a bit of guestimation, but I think I've captured the essence of it, especially when I get it painted and weathered.  Then fit the windows, a few bits and bobs and that'll be it for awhile.

 

I've found the Replica Railways windows useful for scratch-building as they save a lot of fiddly cutting and filing.  Painting them is another kettle of fish altogether!  Patience, a fine brush, steady hand and plenty of water to wash away mistakes! (I use acrylics)  I've just ordered a sharpie fine liner to see if that is easier, hoping the shade ordered is a reasonable match to BR blue.  If it works then a silver one will be perfect for doing all the window frames and hoppers on the later refurbished units.

 

Next up the driving trailers!  And somewhere to run them!

 

Regards,

Roja

[Signaller69]

Do I see the beginning of a new layout?

Quite tempting as a "shelfie" I must admit! But would be pretty much at the back of the queue, interesting as the line is. Layerthorpe (DVLR) would be a good potential model too.

 

Too many ideas, not enough time/money/space as usual.....!

[Signaller69]

Hi Martyn,

 

I'm looking forwards to seeing your home project develop. I've actually done a wee bit to my 303 power car so I should be able to post a couple of pictures on here in a few weeks to show what I've been up to. Most of the underframe gubbins have been fitted, which has been, how shall I say, fun, since the diagrams I have only seem to match what photo evidence I've gleaned off the internet just a bit loosely, and the dimensions of the various equipment boxes has used a bit of guestimation, but I think I've captured the essence of it, especially when I get it painted and weathered. Then fit the windows, a few bits and bobs and that'll be it for awhile.

 

I've found the Replica Railways windows useful for scratch-building as they save a lot of fiddly cutting and filing. Painting them is another kettle of fish altogether! Patience, a fine brush, steady hand and plenty of water to wash away mistakes! (I use acrylics) I've just ordered a sharpie fine liner to see if that is easier, hoping the shade ordered is a reasonable match to BR blue. If it works then a silver one will be perfect for doing all the window frames and hoppers on the later refurbished units.

 

Next up the driving trailers! And somewhere to run them!

 

Regards,

Roja

Scratchbuilding 5 3-car sets is quite some challenge Roja, I'm glad to hear you have made further progress. Looking forward to seeing some photos too! I can understand your frustration with comparing drawings of rolling stock with photos, more than once I have found discrepancies between them, presumably due to changes carried out after the drawing being done and the photos being taken, and have had to resort to guesstimation in the same way as you have.

 

Cheers,

Martyn.

[Signaller69]

Had a mooch around the NRM with my good lady yesterday, this should probably be my entry in "when the real thing looks like a model":

 

Todays plan was to do the NYMR Pickering to Whitby but delays meant we missed the 9.25 service so will do that tomorrow instead. However this was rewarded with some Scottish traction in the form of 26038 arriving while we had a coffee. Shades of Inverness/Wick/Thurso?

 

An earlier arrival than planned in Scarborough should see some time on the beach in the sun too. :-)

[luckymucklebackit]

Had a mooch around the NRM with my good lady yesterday, this should probably be my entry in "when the real thing looks like a model":

IMG_20180806_112348_1.jpg

 

Todays plan was to do the NYMR Pickering to Whitby but delays meant we missed the 9.25 service so will do that tomorrow instead. However this was rewarded with some Scottish traction in the form of 26038 arriving while we had a coffee. Shades of Inverness/Wick/Thurso?

IMG_20180807_095119_1.jpgIMG_20180807_095609.jpgIMG_20180807_095730_1.jpg

 

An earlier arrival than planned in Scarborough should see some time on the beach in the sun too. :-)

 

"when the real thing looks like a pretty basic unprototypical model"  No weathering, too shiny, straight out of the box  

 

Nice photographs Martyn - Don't forget to wave for the camera at Goathland! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/124006-live-webcam-at-grosmont-nymr/page-11

 

Jim

[Signaller69]

"when the real thing looks like a pretty basic unprototypical model" No weathering, too shiny, straight out of the box

 

Nice photographs Martyn - Don't forget to wave for the camera at Goathland! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/124006-live-webcam-at-grosmont-nymr/page-11

 

Jim

Yes will look out for it Jim! I think the awful straight-out-of-the-box Hornby plastic fencing in the NRM photo is a giveaway too?!

[Signaller69]

*Warning: off topic photo heavy alert!*

 

Arrived home from a rather relaxing holiday in York & Scarborough last night. Yesterday was spent doing the full North Yorkshire Moors Railway run from Pickering to Whitby and back (with several hours at the Seaside town "doing the sights") behind the LNER liveried B1, banked by class 20's in both directions between Pickering and Grosmont, presumably due to light steam rules with the dry weather fire risk.

 

A pleasant surprise was seeing 37264 in large logo livery; last time I saw it was North of inverness in the mid 80s (sure I have a photo somehere) iirc. The BR green 24 looked in authentic late 60s condition with heavy weathering too! For a predominantly steam timetable it was good to see so many diesels in use too.

 

The railway also have a nice variety of cranes at various locations, as well as a LNER design Ballast Brake Van (as per my blue scratchbuilt one seen a page or 2 back).

 

 

This Blood & Custard Mk.1 had me stumped, numbered in the parcels series (M80509), can anyone throw any light on it as the body design is not like any Mk.1 I've seen before? The number and central door/window layout suggest a 57' BG conversion?

They also have a nice rake of LNER teak coaches and a good collection of BR wagons.

 

During the week away a few beers were sampled, for those real beer drinkers, this one at the "Black Swan" in York, by Black Sheep Brewery, was right up my street so no "Spanish Inquisitions" please!

 

"Back on track" normality will follow shortly!! ;-)

[Signaller69]

Good guess regarding M80509.....

 

http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=2081

Thanks for the link, thought it looked a little short for a standard Mk.1 passenger vehicle. Would make an interesting cut & shut model.

 

Martyn.

[Stevebr]

Good guess regarding M80509.....

 

http://www.ws.vintagecarriagestrust.org/ws/WagonInfo.asp?Ref=2081

The coach is a former BG which has been converted for disabled access with the larger doors. It is the first of 5 being converted including 3 Mk1 TSO and a teak vehicle

[luckymucklebackit]

During the week away a few beers were sampled, for those real beer drinkers, this one at the "Black Swan" in York, by Black Sheep Brewery, was right up my street so no "Spanish Inquisitions" please!

IMG_20180805_164643.jpg

 

"Back on track" normality will follow shortly!! ;-)

 

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!!

 

 

 

 

Well so it says on the small print!!

 

 steam+diesel+good beer = jealous!!!!!!!!!!

 

Jim

[Signaller69]

Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!!

 

 

 

 

Well so it says on the small print!!

 

 steam+diesel+good beer = jealous!!!!!!!!!!

 

Jim

Ahhh, the classic lines!

 

I f*rt in your general direction!

 

Note on the pump it says "Golden ale tempered over burning witches"!

[Regularity]

Fetchez la vache...

Edited August 11, 2018 by Regularity

[Signaller69]

After a few weeks of precious little "Crinan" activity due to holidays and other projects, I have tackled a job I have been meaning to do for a while. This involved buying some Peco Code 100 Setrack(!), to replace the hidden Distillery siding where it enters the Fiddle Yard. This had used a sharp 'S' bend formed of code 75 Streamline in common with the rest of the layout, but had recently become a source of irritation and derailments as it crosses 2 joins fairly close together on a sharp curve (within 3") - firstly the fiddle yard board joint, then the sector plate joint. This was originally laid across both joints as one long length and soldered to copperclad strip either side of each respective join before using a slitting disc to cut both sets of joins (one of which is quite an oblique angle), however one piece of copperclad had worked slightly loose and I suspect a tiny bit of warping somewhere between the 2 boards lead to a slight twist and fractional mis-alignment leading to the derailments.

 

Hence the problematic area had all track removed, with the Setrack parts substituted (one Second Radius Double curve cut in half, and an Extra Short Straight sandwiched inbetween, formed into an 'S' shape, all soldered together, being all that was required). I found soldering the code 75 to the new code 100 fairly straightforward by soldering it directly on top of the code 100 joiners. Anyway, some pictures to illustrate the new trackwork:

The first pic shows the Code 75 to Code 100 soldered join by the scalpel tip. The last two show how tight clearances are in this area with the hidden line cutting the corner (through a heavily hacked Hornby barn on the visible part of the layout!). It should be remembered that the board with the swing bridge and hidden Distillery siding was a later addition to the original set-up; hence to match the existing fiddle yard and backscene alignment, the Distillery Siding had to take the route it does; the canal effectively preventing it from running inside the backscene. Full test running is needed yet but pulling/pushing wagons over the new track has been positive thus far - the BRT grain hoppers seen here being the largest wagons allowed due to the restrictive clearance.

Edited September 21, 2018 by Signaller69

[brylonscamel]

Thanks Martyn - this is interesting as I need to look at my own 'fiddle yard' options for the diorama I'm currently building and want to learn as much as possible. This bit of the modelling is unglamorous but rather important!

[ColinK]

That is a tight fit!

[Signaller69]

Thanks Martyn - this is interesting as I need to look at my own 'fiddle yard' options for the diorama I'm currently building and want to learn as much as possible. This bit of the modelling is unglamorous but rather important!

Thanks, I've tried to keep the sector plate arrangement simple and functional, relying on alignment by eye which works fine 99% of the time; the Setrack has certainly increased reliability in this respect and I'm glad to say it all works as it should.

 

Martyn.

[Signaller69]

That is a tight fit!

Yes, tighter than I'd like, but short of replacing the Hornby barn (through which the line runs) with a slightly longer and deeper building, I have already trimmed the backscene as much as I dare. Mind you the curve under the road bridge where the Distillery Siding runs onto the visible part of the layout is much the same. Bogie vehicles are a definate no-go!

[Regularity]

Yes, tighter than I'd like, but short of replacing the Hornby barn (through which the line runs) with a slightly longer and deeper building, I have already trimmed the backscene as much as I dare. Mind you the curve under the road bridge where the Distillery Siding runs onto the visible part of the layout is much the same. Bogie vehicles are a definate no-go!

I am reminded of the Auchmuchty Branch in Fife, which had a bridge with ½” clearance from the cab of an 08, and was taken very slowly...

[Signaller69]

I am reminded of the Auchmuchty Branch in Fife, which had a bridge with ½” clearance from the cab of an 08, and was taken very slowly...

There is tight, then there is TIGHT!

[rob D2]

Dunno why I wasn’t following your layout before...

 

It’s very nice, especially like the “ banavie “ scene !

[Signaller69]

Dunno why I wasn’t following your layout before...

It’s very nice, especially like the “ banavie “ scene !

Thanks Rob, much appreciated. Not much has gone on recently, though a few small changes may occur over the Winter. Mainly been tweaking in readiness for Wigan Show next weekend.

 

Martyn.

[Signaller69]

I have been thinking that MacBraynes should really have a ticket office near the Station and the Ferry pier, so I have made a small depot building based on that down the road at Ardrishaig:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Macbrayne_bus_Ardrishaig.jpg

 

 

It is a fairly traditional construction of a card shell, overlaid with Slaters Plastikard stone walling, and Wills corrugated roofing and windows. Signs were made on the computer, printed onto paper and then stuck to thin card backing using a Pritt Stick. I am still thinking about where it will go as the choices are quite limited; probably by the Lighthouse where the Bus Turn-around is, as I'm not too keen on the current arrangement; although this probably won't happen until after Wigan Show.

 

Thanks for looking.