Hills of the North - The Last Great Project

[Mallard60022]

Just down the Road from you so no Postage charges.

Doubt they will go for much as Traders don't like Coach Kits....too niche.

 

http://www.vectis.co.uk/d039-lot-990376-comet-models-oo-group-of-coach-kits?display=grid&el=990376&header_id=0&keyword=&lo=ASC&pn=1&pp=96

 

All the best

Philth

[Jol Wilkinson]

7 minutes ago, Mallard60022 said:

Just down the Road from you so no Postage charges.

Doubt they will go for much as Traders don't like Coach Kits....too niche.

 

http://www.vectis.co.uk/d039-lot-990376-comet-models-oo-group-of-coach-kits?display=grid&el=990376&header_id=0&keyword=&lo=ASC&pn=1&pp=96

 

All the best

Philth

Unfortunately the Vectis information and photos don't help to identify what identify the contents of some of the lots. However, at the estimated prices I suspect some eBay traders will see an opportunity.

[Mallard60022]

32 minutes ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

Unfortunately the Vectis information and photos don't help to identify what identify the contents of some of the lots. However, at the estimated prices I suspect some eBay traders will see an opportunity.

You can contact Vectis and they will have a look for you. Very helpful folk there. Even take some extra pics for me in the past.

I could almost Guarantee they are 'complete' Kits from an estate or clearance.

[Enterprisingwestern]

1 hour ago, Mallard60022 said:

I could almost Guarantee they are 'complete' Kits from an estate or clearance.

 

No one has kits they haven't built when they die have they??!!!!!!

 

Mike.

[franciswilliamwebb]

12 minutes ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

No one has kits they haven't built when they die have they??!!!!!!

 

Perhaps we need a poll on that? 😉

[LNER4479]

4 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

Just down the Road from you so no Postage charges.

Doubt they will go for much as Traders don't like Coach Kits....too niche.

 

http://www.vectis.co.uk/d039-lot-990376-comet-models-oo-group-of-coach-kits?display=grid&el=990376&header_id=0&keyword=&lo=ASC&pn=1&pp=96

 

All the best

Philth

Good grief - that really is someone's kit mountain (looking thru adjacent lots as well). Trying to be 'good' here so that mine isn't too tall, come the day ...

 

Thanks for highlighting.

[Jol Wilkinson]

7 hours ago, Mallard60022 said:

You can contact Vectis and they will have a look for you. Very helpful folk there. Even take some extra pics for me in the past.

I could almost Guarantee they are 'complete' Kits from an estate or clearance.

Thanks.

 

There is only one kit I might be interested in but I wouldn't want the other fifteen in the lot.

[Enterprisingwestern]

7 minutes ago, Jol Wilkinson said:

Thanks.

 

There is only one kit I might be interested in but I wouldn't want the other fifteen in the lot.

 

It's a shame you don't know anyone with a business or trade stand Jol!!

 

Mike.

[Jol Wilkinson]

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

It's a shame you don't know anyone with a business or trade stand Jol!!

 

Mike.

I do Mike, but he doesn't deal in second hand stuff, only new kits in blue or white boxes.

 

Jol

[LNER4479]

Sometimes you sleep on things and ... not so much 'two steps forward ...' as maybe trying to avoid ploughing on regardless. Nothing drastic, but ...

 

You might not have picked up on this but the partially laid fan of points for Upperby goods sidings was bothering me so ...

 

up they came! To be replaced by this rather more simpler arrangement.

 

Now installed, with sidings adjusted and relaid to match.

One factor is that these points are right under the operator's nose so are not motored. Prototypically, they would have been set out thus so that the shunting staff are on the outside of the sidings and not stepping over rails to change points. The alternative of having three curved points on the furthest siding wasn't really working geometrically.

It does however alter which siding becomes the longest ...

 

Sidings now being extended in the Carlisle direction. Your eye will no doubt be drawn to the suspicious card circle, however!

Yes, second 'thunks' has resulted in the decision to include the outside, 60ft turntable (as per prototype). It fits, just ... but only by curtailing one of the goods sidings! So, Upperby yard is now 4-and-a-half sidings rather than 5.

Thinking here is that, without this turntable, everything that needs turning has to use the roundhouse turntable ... perhaps not the wisest of ideas?

 

With this decision, the track plan for the depot is finalised. Let's take a tour:

 

'Country' end. Locos will (normally) enter the depot via the Y-point behind the 3-way point. They then take the left hand route over the following Y point to take them on to the ash disposal road, followed by the coaler. This will be the normal sequence of moves round the shed - but it can be bypassed by taking the RIGHT hand route through the Y point.

To the right, just plonked for now, is the pointwork that leads to the depot EXIT (in normal circumstances. Between that and the wall are a series of stabling roads and two roads of the carriage shed.

 

Work is proceeding in laying the roundhouse roads. 16 down; 8 to go. As well as the furthest away roads not being full length, note how three roads in the 5 o'clock corner (as viewed) are also slightly shorter, so as to allow the outside roads a little more room to breath. Won't be readily apparent at normal viewing angles. In total, and not including the entrance / exit roads, 7 of the stabling roads are still full length and will thus take a Pacific.

 

And the remainder of the yard looks like this. Having had ashes disposed and been coaled, all locos (apart from Pacifics) can turn and then run back (to the right) using the crossover onto the through line. Otherwise, locos continue on towards the siding and headshunt area that was curiously known as the 'Burma Road'.

Above the 60ft turntable is the area where many pictures of my beloved Duchess Pacifics were taken, with the roundhouse in the background. Very keen to replicate that!

 

Compromise, as ever, is the watchword; however, I do believe that this finalised layout does capture the main features of the old 12A and provides capacity for up to 40 locos. The most notable omission (perhaps?) is the old coal hole - felt it would have just have been too cramped to fit it in.

 

Onwards and upwards 🤓

Edited April 12 by LNER4479

[65179]

49 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

Sometimes you sleep on things and ... not so much 'two steps forward ...' as maybe trying to avoid ploughing on regardless. Nothing drastic, but ...

 

You might not have picked up on this but the partially laid fan of points for Upperby goods sidings was bothering me so ...

 

up they came! To be replaced by this rather more simpler arrangement.

 

Now installed, with sidings adjusted and relaid to match.

One factor is that these points are right under the operator's nose so are not motored. Prototypically, they would have been set out thus so that the shunting staff are on the outside of the sidings and not stepping over rails to change points. The alternative of having three curved points on the furthest siding wasn't really working geometrically.

It does however alter which siding becomes the longest ...

 

Sidings now being extended in the Carlisle direction. Your eye will no doubt be drawn to the suspicious card circle, however!

Yes, second 'thunks' has resulted in the decision to include the outside, 60ft turntable (as per prototype). It fits, just ... but only by curtailing one of the goods sidings! So, Upperby yard is now 4-and-a-half sidings rather than 5.

Thinking here is that, without this turntable, everything that needs turning has to use the roundhouse turntable ... perhaps not the wisest of ideas?

 

With this decision, the track plan for the depot is finalised. Let's take a tour:

 

'Country' end. Locos will (normally) enter the depot via the right hand exit off the 3-way point. They then take the left hand route over the following Y point to take them on to the ash disposal road, followed by the coaler. This will be the normal sequence of moves round the shed - but it can be bypassed by taking the RIGHT hand route through the Y point.

To the right, just plonked for now, is the pointwork that leads to the depot EXIT (in normal circumstances. Between that and the wall are a series of stabling roads and two roads of the carriage shed.

 

Work is proceeding in laying the roundhouse roads. 16 down; 8 to go. As well as it the furthest away roads not being full length, note how three roads in the 5 o'clock corner (as viewed) are also slightly shorter, so as to allow the outside roads a little more room to breath. Won't be readily apparent at normal viewing angles. In total, and not including the entrance / exit roads, 7 of the stabling roads are still full length and will thus take a Pacific.

 

And the remainder of the yard looks like this. Having had ashes disposed and been coaled, all locos (apart from Pacifics) can turn and then run back (to the right) using the crossover onto the through line. Otherwise, locos continue on towards the siding and headshunt area that was curiously known as the 'Burma Road'.

Above the 60ft turntable is the area where many pictures of my beloved Duchess Pacifics were taken, with the roundhouse in the background. Very keen to replicate that!

 

Compromise, as ever, is the watchword; however, I do believe that this finalised layout does capture the main features of the old 12A and provides capacity for up to 40 locos. The most notable omission (perhaps?) is the old coal hole - felt it would have just have been too cramped to fit it in.

 

Onwards and upwards 🤓

 

It's all really coming on.

 

Which Duchesses will you be sawing in half to pose on the rear shortened tracks Graham?

 

Simon

[philip-griffiths]

If you are operating points by hand, do I assume correctly that you are not powering the crossing separately, and are relying therefore upon the switch blades providing the power supply to the crossing?   Or is there a separate relay which you are firing at the same time as moving the point blades? 

 

Regards

[Enterprisingwestern]

2 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Compromise, as ever, is the watchword;

 

Yes, it's a shame when you have only got a small room to put your train set up in!!

 

Mike.

[LNER4479]

33 minutes ago, philip-griffiths said:

If you are operating points by hand, do I assume correctly that you are not powering the crossing separately, and are relying therefore upon the switch blades providing the power supply to the crossing?   Or is there a separate relay which you are firing at the same time as moving the point blades? 

 

Regards

Yes, it's relying on switchblade contact.

 

I know there's the Taliban out there for whom that is anathema; but it's not a red line for me for a simple set of dead end sidings.

 

I do have 'red lines' on other things, mind ...

[Sasquatch]

It's going to be interesting seeing how you go about building the "not quite round after all" roundhouse. Not saying that it isn't possible, just looks very challenging.

Fascinating stuff as always Graham, you've done an excellent job on the point work, there's something about bending turnouts that's very satisfying and it gives a very convincing look to the layout.

 

Regards Shaun.