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Kingsbridge


NoelG
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This layout started in 1993 and a few years after starting the project stalled.  It was designed at a time when I ran British outline stock, mainly LMS and GWR, as there was no quality Irish RTR stock back then other than my 1970s collected Hornby Slainte express, and Lima class 33, Br mk1s and Vent vans.  I only got back into the hobbey three years ago and have very slowly started to process this layout again.  The track was laid 23 years ago on peco foam underlay on the assumption that one day it would be re-ballasted.

 

Since then in recent years I have converted it to DCC (quicker job than I had expected, two wires connected to by DC section switch panel and all sections turned on), and collected Irish RTR stock from Murphy Models, Silver Fox, Irish Freight Models and some kits from Provincial Wagons and Studio Scale Models.

 

Any of you on IRM will have seen most of this before, but for the benefit of those not on IRM heres a few pics and videos.

 

Reverse engineered track plan

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Original track plan drawn when I was a teen

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Recent DCC sound demo of upper level station

 

LokSound demo on baby GMs

 

Early video of bare layout with lots of trains running

 

Kingsbridge terminis (Heuston) with poetic license

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Freight roads

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Lower level mainline through station with branch line junction

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Loco yard + shedDSC_6522.jpg

CIE Maunsell amongst big four BR stock

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CIE Black'n'Tan 141 class from Murphy Models displace BR steam locos from shed

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Knock specials at 'Woodvale Junction'

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Murphy Models 071 class arrive on layout

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Busy 'Woodvale' JunctionDSC_8922.jpg

 

MIR cement bubbles built by George Conna arrive

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Oil wagons arrive from eBay

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Weathering school for beginners

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Light weathering experiments with Bachmann and Lima wagons - Irish'ization

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Track ballast experiments continue in preparation for replacing Peco underlay

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Weathering experiments continue - lots to learn

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Time machine - its 1965

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It feels like it is only the beginning and I have an enormous mountain of scenic work to do, but its great fun taking it one step at a time.

Edited by NoelG
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Kingsbridge Terminus is in its early stages with track and platforms laid out but unfinished. Today my 30 year collection of BR outline stock was repositioned to storage, and CIE/IE/IR Irish stock moved in.

View down platform 2 as train departs, with EGV stabled in platform 3 nearly 20 years later :)
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View down platforms 3 and 4. AEC driving trailer on P4, Craven set behind 141 on P5
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Edited by NoelG
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  • 4 weeks later...

I have spent quite a bit of time recently trying to learn how to use an airbrush for the purpose of weathering and resprays.  It has been a journey of discovery requiring patience but very enjoyable if not even slightly addictive, once I finally got started after months of avoiding picking up the airbrush I bought over 18 months ago!!!

 

 

As a 'trainee' I tried reverse masking for the first time

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A relief when masking was removed!!! :)

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Respray experiment no 1 complete - Hornby LMS Stanier resprayed to CIE Black'n'Tab 'Bredin' look-a-like

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Light weathering of about 30 goods wagon was ongoing - used airbrush for this - will try washes and powers as future learning exercises

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Experimental 'Brandenberg' railway livery just for fun as Irish Rails new freight loco liveries look a bit 'militaristic' :)

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Far from perfect, but for a first weathering attempted am content with these goods wagon.

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Edited by NoelG
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  • 1 month later...

Finally bit the bullet and very lightly weathered one of my Black and Tan liveried Murphy Model 141 class.  Just enough to get the shine off it as a first step with minimal risks.  Boy I was worried I was might ruin a lovely model.  Used a bit of Railmatch sleeper grime, frame dirt and roof dirt.

 
Very light dusting to dull the loco down and get the shine off it.  More to do in due course with exhaust and fuel tank.
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Comparison side by side: Left very lightly dusted B181, Right pristine B165
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Side by side: B181 + B121 look more compatible now that both have a light dusting
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This time I experimented by leaving the walkway rails on, and just roughly masked the windows.  If I matt varnish her to seal the weathering I will have to properly mask the windows to stop them going opaque (i.e. tape or maskol might be easier).
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Next time on B141 I am going to try a wash using a lightish colour on the black body to accentuate panel lines.
Edited by NoelG
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Changed the bogies sides also on B121

 
B121 with 3D printed GM bogie sides fitted - filed the SW1500 bogie sides flat and then glued GM 121 sides on top.
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Next job is changing the fuel tank and adding all the grab rails.
Edited by NoelG
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New bogies sides fitted to B233 and B121.  

 
The Bachmann (Murphy Model) 141 chassis fits the Silverfox C class kit like a glove, and runs as one would expect from any centre drive chassis - perfect super smooth runner.  Planning two more of these using 141 donor chassis, one in 'Green' and one in 'all black' livery with the yellow flash.
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The Athearn SW1500 chassis less obvious now inside the 121 body shell with GM bogies and change of fuel tank
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A little fettling was needed on B121 body mounts to ensure bogie sides did not foul the steps.  The surfaces of 3D bogie sides for 121 were very smooth, and a different material to that used on the body shell (i.e. no evidence of 3D, more like IMP).  
 
Question please, what do folks use to prime thin wire before painting? (i.e. for hand rails and grab rails).
Edited by NoelG
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The fuel tank looks good Noel, made a big difference.  Re hand rails, if possible I usually attach them before painting unless decals get in the way otherwise I use grey primer.  I have found if knocked the paint scrapes of the wire but I use a black marker pen to do any touch ups.

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  • 1 month later...

B121 hauling GAA special from Ballygowhatsit to Waterford in simulated 1963 old cine film footage. Wagon at the rear carrying spare hurleys and six milk churns.  During the era when some flying snail green livery coaches were still running with the then new B&T livery.

 

 

B121 hauling loose coupled mixed freight

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  • 1 month later...

Some new rolling stock arrived on layout today.  Bell 20ft containers.  I decided to try a pair before investing in a rake.  The 20ft Bell containers are from C-Rail and the container flats are RTR 2 axle skeletal wagons from Irish Freight Models.  Personally I like the way short wheel base container rakes look on layout curves.  20ft containers straddle the era between loose coupled pickup freight and modern era uniform bogie freight, and could be found in mixed rakes with goods vans and open wagons. 1968-1972 yummie era.

 
 
B121 shunts two 20ft Bell Container wagons
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Bell 20ft Containers from C-Rail.  Love the detail on these containers and they look right at home on the superb RTR 20ft two axle skeletal container flats from Irish Freight Models.
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B121 waits to enter the goods sidings after the morning goods train to Kingsbridge has departed and freed the road.  B141 hauling a ballast load passes in the up line loop.
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Looks great. Bell containers are a must and a rake of 20ft & 40ft containers will  be awesome.

 

 

Thanks Pat.  Yes looking forward to collecting some more 20ft Bell wagons.  As for 40 footers, bogie freight is a little modern era for my taste buds.  One of the nice things about the 20ft Bell's is they can be mixed with other 2 axle goods formations, fitted and unfitted, and dare I say it even punctuated by a brake van. :)

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Some early morning traffic out west at the junction.  

 
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Note the opaque cab windows on B141.  This was caused by spraying rattle can varnish on wagons in the same room last spring.  The B141 was about 8 feet behind me at the time well away from the spray area.
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What Varnish were you using to Case that to happen?, Never seen it before. You could always 'drop' the drivers window down and install a fresh bit of Scrap clear Plastic and hope the sun shines when the loco is moving!

 

One more thought Would Johnson clear floor polish help clear that up i wonder but It looked pretty severe TBH.

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What Varnish were you using to Case that to happen?, Never seen it before. You could always 'drop' the drivers window down and install a fresh bit of Scrap clear Plastic and hope the sun shines when the loco is moving!

 

One more thought Would Johnson clear floor polish help clear that up i wonder but It looked pretty severe TBH.

 

 

Hi George.

I was using a Humbrol 49 Matt Acrylic Varnish rattle can to seal some wagons I had painted and applied transfers to. I used a portable spray booth with an extractor fan directed towards an open window but not ducted out the window. I suspect the fan was the culprit as it probably recirculated some of the varnish into the room despite the dense fan filter. The 141 was about 8 feet behind me in the same room, and the two cravens that were also affected on one side but not as badly.   I suspect this might not have happened had I used the airbrush and perhaps also left the fan off.

 

Lesson learned. solomen.gif Since then I always spray varnish in a shed or outdoors if its dry and warm, and nowhere near other rolling stock (i.e. well away from the layout).

 

Noel

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  • 1 month later...

Busy early morning goods traffic at Kingsbridge's Woodvale Junction. B121 about to depart with some empty beat wagons and a few vans, as 190 arrives hauling recently acquired IRM cement bubble wagons.  B188 and B165 recently weathered with a heavy rake of IRM ballast wagons waits for the road  to clear while a fuel train behind overtakes the slower ballast train on the down loop.

 

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Later B121 double heads with 190 to haul a heavy train of IRM cement traffic in that era when B&T and Supertrain livery co-existed for some years.

 

 

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B188 + B165 wait as another Irish Cement train pulls into the up loop in preparation for being passed by an express passenger service on the up through road.

 

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I'm just loving this hobby once again.  Choo choo!!!  s3762.gif.d88713b619d168efb2a5ba6f2165e1

 

Apologies for the volume of posting these past few days, but lots going on in the workshop, and have been reinvigorated by the new IRM wagons and the final end of summer! :) 

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The second batch of IRM Cement bubble wagons arrive on the layout this evening.  Just a little more weathering for these ones, but not filthy. 

 

IMG_3432.jpg

 

Next up will be to give parity of esteem to the rake of pristine IRM ballasts behind - weathering beckons for them.

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  • 1 month later...

Fairwell to my two DC block section control panels.  Since moving to DCC these have become redundant.  I've only two wires connected from the NCE controller to the layout via these and have had all section switches left on.  I don't have any droppers, just  a pair of wires for each of four block sections on each loop.  Back in the days when I made these I had 'push to make' switches at the end of the 5 termini platforms so if I got distracted a train could never hit the buffers. smile.png These had the old 'relco' track cleaners, but DCC seems just as good at keeping track clean.

 

 

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. . . . and this little beauty from a hobby electronics magazine in 1970s - inertia control - brake simulation - I thought I was on Star Trek :) 

 

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