1980s Norfolk Terminus - Loft Layout - New station

[SHerr]

A bit more on the Associated Octel train that I have started:

 

Liquid Chlorine Tanks. -TTA

 

Bachmann TTA chassis with body made from plasticard base, Dapol tank body, Plastruct sections for bottom framing and bund ends etc.

 

The dome tops are Dapol vacuum brake reservoirs and Bachmann TTA Walkways reduced in length. Ladders need a bit more work.

 

Transfers mainly Railtec including Orange waist band. Hezchems are generic type and incorrect at present, these and dodgy dry rub wording will be replaced with custom Order set at some point.

 

I am aiming for 3, probably 4 of these.

 

 

 

Ethylene Dibromide tanks. -TTA

 

Bachmann SSA scrap wagon chassis - I was going buy the Cambrian ones but found 2 cheap Transrail SSA's. The body again platicard base, this time with 2 cut and shut Roco tank bodies - again all found cheap at shows/eBay.

 

Again Dapol vacuum reservoir for dome and re-used the Roco walkway tops - under frame needs more detail.

 

Paintwork is straight Humbrol primer which looks spot on, then finished with Gloss - transfers again Railtec and even more Dodgy dry rub!

 

I have enough bodies and chassis for 2 wagons - the normal Octel train in the mid 80's was 1 or 1 of these with more Chlorine tanks.

 

 

 

 

 

Anti-Knock tank TSR

 

The body is the ancient Dublo Traffic Services Anchor Tank - complete fluke purchase from Doncaster show this year that I never even knew existed until I saw and recognised it - quick check with Paul Bartletts website and it was snapped up. Walkways are from the Dapol tank and likewise the chassis - these appeared to run on 2 or 3 different length chassis - one of which appears to be the ex Chas Roberts tanks which appear very similar to the Dapols.

 

Dome tops on these are larger and are 2 vacuum reservoirs glued together. I'm not happy with handrails yet and will have another go.

 

Transfers not yet sourced but I notice that Precision do a DIY tops data panel - also appears from elsewhere on here that they may have done some bespoke Octel logos so will also enquire.

 

The train will be sandwiched between barriers (probably Hornby Ferry Vans but could go for Bachmann VAA's is some can be found at a decent price, also a collection of CAR brake vans is being built up - need a stack load for Octel, Flask and Gunpowder trains. 

 

 

 

 

[Signaller69]

Those tanks look superb. I remember seeing the "Amlwch Tanks" passing through Prestatyn many times during the 80s.

 

Is that last photo taken at Crumps Wagon Works at Connahs Quay?

[P.C.M]

Thanks heaps for the info on the TTAs it's always been one of those projects I have had in the too hard basket but now most of the other stock is sorted I will have to have a look at doing a few. 

 

Cheers Peter.

[DIRTY DIESEL]

Those tanks look superb. I remember seeing the "Amlwch Tanks" passing through Prestatyn many times during the 80s.

Is that last photo taken at Crumps Wagon Works at Connahs Quay?

Use to catch it home (as long as it was a class 40) after finishing my shift as a box lad in early 80s, conversation went....

 

“Junction Box”

“Hi Bobby Amlwch Tanks are ready”

“If I can have a lift home I’ll get you out before the 1700 London’s, as Jack is on (Jack wouldn’t let them out till booked time)”

“No problem, Raymond is the driver & he’ll pick you up at the box” now you didn’t have to ask Raymond to put his foot down!!

 

Many a time ‘The Amlwchs’ we’re going under Queens Road Bridge and the London’s we’re coming off the Cob into platform 1, just because a 40 was on the front & the thrash world be ace!!,!

 

Martin, looks like Crumps as Shooton Steelworks is in the background I think.....

[SHerr]

Yes I think it is Crumps - there’s a really go thread elsewhere on here re Bromine tanks. A relative (possibly son) of the Crumps owner has posted some superb works shots of various Octel wagons - hope he doesn’t mind me copying the photo.

 

Those tanks look superb. I remember seeing the "Amlwch Tanks" passing through Prestatyn many times during the 80s.

 

Is that last photo taken at Crumps Wagon Works at Connahs Quay?

[SHerr]

No problems, I was daunted by the thought of them - to a point where it put me off a North Wales layout a few years ago as they are a must have train.

 

I spent quite a bit of time comparing Paul Bartlett’s photos with various HO tanks from Faller, Roco, Fleischmann, Electrotren, Lima etc. Only when I saw the Roco’s in the flesh was I convinced they would suffice. Then just a supply of Plastruct channels and square sections etc.

 

They are not as difficult as I thought they would be with a bit of patience, the domes has me stumped for a while.

 

Thanks heaps for the info on the TTAs it's always been one of those projects I have had in the too hard basket but now most of the other stock is sorted I will have to have a look at doing a few.

 

Cheers Peter.

[SHerr]

Not much modelling over the last 6-8 weeks due to weather (and its more of a winter hobby for me). Today the family were away and its tipping down so I decided to get the airbrush out and do some weathering especially taking on board some of the comments about being bolder with the use of black/roof dirt!

 

Started on my standard class 25, then started thinking about D200 and 25912, so I decided to try a grey roof Heljan 47 first to get used to a light roof.

 

Anway, pretty happy with results, although Tamworth Castle's roof still looks a bit cautious on the camera - even though I thought I had pushed it!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

New(wish) recruit 25095 - a North Wales regular in its last year, next on the weathering line!

 

 

 

Also, newly aquired bus, which I believe is bang on right era. 

[class"66"]

Very nice modelling here  

[SHerr]

With slightly cooler weather I managed the first running session for some time last night.

 

Also I recently purchased a 10m LED strip light roll from The Range for about £18 and have installed around all the scenic section. Certainly makes a big improvement especially around the end curve of the layout and helps improve the quality of the photos.

 

 

 

31296 Almwch Freighter - This is a Lima body and chassis fitted with Laserglaze windows, but fitted with the motor/bogie/drive unit from a Hornby Mazak failure as described elsewhere on the internet. It probably needs a bit more weight but runs pretty well.

 

 

31296 and 31270 - 270 is the original Mazak body (I was lucky it broke the chassis not the body) on a replacement chassis. Both 31's are fitted with TTS sound.

 

 

 

25279 shunts a Sturgeon in the Engineers Yard

 

 

25912 Tamworth Castle on the Gunpowder/Explosives train in the main reception sidings

 

 

 

47290 - Resprayed Large Logo Bachmann loco into original Railfreight Grey, arriving with Cement tanks, mainly weathered or resprayed Hornby/Lima, but second in is the 51L models kit for something different although a bit of modellers licence as I don't believe they really ran into North Wales.

 

 

40122/D200 arrives with vans from Manchester, she's now been fitted with a TTS sound decoder and whistles away happily at the buffers.

 

 

 

 

 

[SHerr]

New kid on the block collected from post office today courtesy of the guys at S&J Models - I have used them and always get excellent service - ordered Saturday night and card through the door on Tuesday morning. I originally had the new release Burma Star on pre-order but at £30 cheaper this was too good to resist so Burma has been cancelled.

 

First test run she ran a dream and is now waiting for me to pluck up the courage to get the airbrush out!

 

 

Running past the CCE yard

 

 

After arriving at the station - judging by the background I think I'm getting too many celebs!

 

 

[P.C.M]

Hi Mate, 

The layout is looking good and some nice additions to your loco fleet. First thing I would do with 33025 is paint the lamp brackets on the front yellow. 

 

Cheers Peter.

[SHerr]

After a few questions about the Liquid Chlorine Tanks I realised that I have a tendency to finish something then photograph it. As I came to build another one I thought I would record the task. As I said earlier I'm no scratch builder/superstar compared to a lot of projects on here but I did find it a fairly simple task for something that is not available - I still think if somebody was to do some resin bodies of small TTA's with the various different ends to fit the Bachmann chassis they would be on to a winner.

 

 

Build a standard Dapol tank and fill all holes/slots, then rub down

 

 

 

Cut a plasticard base the size of the chassis, add 2 square sections as guides.

 

 

 

 

 

Using Plastruct channel shave off one of the bottom flanges, the remaining flange goes to the top and fix on an slight incline between base and barrel.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the dome, take the Dapol vac brake reservoir and fill the slot, then drill a small hole in the top of the barrel in the centre and attach

 

 

 

For the bunds attach rectangular section.

 

 

 

 

For the walkways use Bachmann sections, shortened by 1/3rd, then glue in one of the offcuts to close the end.

 

 

 

Attach and get ready to paint

 

[class"66"]

More fab modelling here SHerr    

[EddieK]

Just found this topic. Looks like an interesting project, and your station building is certainly evocative of a North Wales terminus. Good collection of locos from the area, well done on the sealed beam Peak!

[SHerr]

Modelling has been quiet for the last few months but I have managed a few things.

 

I've been trying to have a few running sessions before committing to fixing track, ballasting etc. I have to say the track plan has exceeded all expectations, I can run the full layout mixing freight, passenger etc or just spend half an hour shunting one of the yards (almost like a mini layout).

 

Since having space for larger layouts I have always jumped for through/roundy track plans but often got bored and started fiddling with the track layouts. This however is different, a passenger train can't just stop and carry on and likewise freight is at the end of its destination so has to go somewhere.

 

This week I have bit the bullet and started fixing the track - a new method for me, I read somewhere on here about using Copydex adhesive. I have used to glue the Wills sheets to Balsa sheet for the station walls and if you leave for 15 mins it grips like the preverbial brown stuff to a blanket.

 

Now leaving it about 10-12 mins it holds but is still pliable, this means perfect alignment can be achieved around curves etc with a loco or 2 to weigh down. I have now completed all main platforms and station throat.

 

A couple of pictures of 47544 with a plasser crane (DC Kits versions) and my newly completed Cambrian Sturgeon with Genesis cranes assisting with the track laying!

 

 

 

 

 

Departmental 97406 arrives with a pair of new Dapol Turbot on their first test run

 

 

After a session with the airbrush.

 

[SHerr]

The tracks in most of the station have now been weathered ready for ballasting. Before this can happen I also need to construct the platforms, after some pondering over facing material I decided to use L-Cut brick sheets. I thought card glued to wood would be less prone to warping.

 

I'm pretty happy with result, balsa top has been applied which will then receive plasticard copers and paving surfacing.

 

I recently also completed the small plant depot - I hadn't planned to make anything yet but after a lot of research to try and figure out sizes I purchased the Wills warehouse kit which was reduced in width but also lengthened. in hindsight it would have been easier to scratch build.

 

  

 

 

Platform walls and station area progress.

 

 

Some trackside detailing starting to take shape, Wills REB added next to Signal Box.

 

 

Plant Depot with DTS peeking out.

 

 

 

Class 25 279 potters around in Engineers sidings whilst 2 class 20's wait to take empty Ballast wagons back to Penmaenmawr Quarry after returning from Crewe.

[SHerr]

A few changes afoot - some I'm definitely making and some a strong possibility.

 

Through test running the layout a fair bit I've been pretty happy with how its working in terms of flexibility, however the one thing that is a bit lacking is freight/shunting variety - a lot of the trains are short block services and not a great deal of shunting and re-ordering. At the same time whilst rummaging around my box of unused stock I started to want to bring out some of my stock from my previous layout (mainly grain wagons).

 

I decided to try running the layout for a bit as an Anglia/Norfolk terminus. A lot of things in terms of loco's, DMU's, passenger trains etc don't really change - the 40's have to take a back seat and the 33 will only get an occasional outing but more opportunities for 20's and 37's. I will keep running and see if I stick with this,  revert back or run with a dual identity. 

 

Alongside this I've made a few track layout changes - some unrelated some are. Ive tuned the depot so that its now accessed from the carriage siding behind the platform. I've also purchased the Scenecraft single road shed. Its a more compact area but works better and free's up space elsewhere.

 

The area that started the depot has become a grain terminal (the buildings were always there as non rail served), and are the Walthers Cornerstone kit which I think really adds something due to its scale (and looks very British).

 

Final change is that the CCE depot has been altered and doesn't use the main sidings which will become holding sidings. I've also extended the headhunt area through the scenic break and will become a bridge rather than a tunnel. this allows the headshunt to take longer trains and run off the scenic area - it may also become a dock branch.

 

I've also done some loco re-painting - I've had a renumbered large logo 37057 in large logo unused for a while. I was going to sell and try to get a blue one but realised they were selling for less than a replacement would cost. I decided to repaint, I removed the headlight and door seal (as the headlight removed some of it). It was then resprayed blue and now portrays one of the blue split box examples that got welded doors early (quire a few existed mainly after bumps). Its taken the guise of 37024 which was a Tinsley machine in 1986 so could operate in Anglia or North Wales.

 

Some photo's to follow as I'm struggling to upload.

 

[SHerr]

[saxokid]

Some great updates here...

[ess1uk]

excellent, more 1980s

[SHerr]

Not a lot happened of late, mainly due to combination of warmer weather and a new puppy.

 

I have decided to commit to the change to East Anglia still set on circa 1986 ish but also extended slightly to 87 or even 88 and have made a few purchases to go along with this.

 

Bachmann NSE class 47 ‘Kings Lynn’, Bachmann 105 - both picked up for very reasonable prices. I also managed to get 2 Dapol VTG hooded coil wagons as well as a very cheap DC Kits 105 which will run as a dummy to make a 4 car set and finally plunged for a Silver Fox 114 conversion which is likely to be modified to a parcels conversion but likely to be on a back burner.

 

Also the class 45/1 which hasn’t yet been altered from a 45/0 body apart from headlight has had the Tinsley treatment courtesy of Railtec transfers.

 

I’ve not set exact location in stone but i’m thinking of a cross between Kings Lynn, Yarmouth and a bit of Norwich- set somewhere around Hunstanton on the North Norfolk Coast, the layout will assume that the line from Peterborough ran to here rather than Ely and the location developed into a major town as both a holiday resort but with a decent sized harbour/dock. Norwich trains from the West reverse here (instead of Ely) and there are services for London, Birmingham, Peterborough and Manchester/Leeds on summer Saturday’s.

 

New Bachmann 105

 

Liverpool St service ready to depart and 2 31’s back onto the Leeds return service.

 

45128 Centaur is relegated to a UKF trip back to Whitemoor.

 

Hooded coil wagons and SPAs in holding yard waiting to be taken onto dock branch.

 

105 and 128 wait to run to Peterborough and being loaded with evening mail.

 

[westerner]

Interesting to see the change in geography. What caused the change from N. Wales to my neck of the woods, Norfolk?

[SHerr]

12 hours ago, westerner said:

Interesting to see the change in geography. What caused the change from N. Wales to my neck of the woods, Norfolk?

I had always been torn between the 2 and plumped for North Wales originally around variety of locos although not much in it. When I started test running trying out different operations I found that whilst passenger services had really good variety freight was a little limited in terms of different speedlink traffic and being able to shunt and mix things up.

 

Also I had 4 large capacity grain hoppers from my previous Scottish Layout  and 2 others to finish that are fairly unique and I wanted to keep running. The more I looked I felt there was more options.

 

I may well end up running ‘83/84 and ‘86/87 where most stock is same but more 40s and 25’s on earlier and more sector stock later.

 

In all honesty probably my normal routine of starting something and changing it before I finish!

[fishytrains]

Good to see the progress you have made. I can also see the benefit of running a mix of the two years you have highlighted as it does give more variety in terms of what can be run. I am doing something similar with my layout.

 

Mike

[SHerr]

A few more of my thoughts around services that will be operating - main period will definitely be 1986/7.

 

London Liverpool St - 47/4 +7 mk2 (with mk1 RMB - A la Kings Lynn services) - occasional 37 substitution.

Norwich - Birmingham - 31/4 + 5/6mk 1 - runs round and exits immediately. Can have class 47 subs sometimes

Derby, Manchester or Leeds - 2x20, 1 or 2x31, 37, 45, 47 + 7mk1 - occasional appearance of D200.

Peterborough/Nottingham 120/150

Cambridge/Norwich - 101/105

Aldershot - occasional troop train - 33 + mk1's

 

Parcels/Mail - Mail and Parcels from Peterborough - mixed vans - any traction goes. Also 114/128.

 

Freight onto layout either goes into speed link yard by station, Grain Facility or onto dock branch which will be extended from CCE depot headhunt and run in front of fiddle yard - main dock off scene.

 

Dock traffic - some runs from origin other traffic on Speedlink trip from Whitemoor - 

Steel VTG Hooded coils, SPA, BDA from Midlands/Sheffield

Cement PCA's from Midlands

Tanks - Chemical/Molasses

Coal - to Derby HTV's + 2x class 20

 

Grain - generally tripped from Whitemoor

PAA Grainflows, Grainflow Polybulk, Distillers Polybulk, Belgian Flat Sided Polybulk 

 

Speedlink Yard - Generally tripped from Whitemoor

Vans, Fertiliser, Soup Vans, MOD vans - potentially MOD Warflats

 

Branch/Onward towards Norwich-

Stone Redland - assuming train split at Whitemoor - class 20/45/56 - Have some Hornby PGA's to repaint/detail but will get some Cavalex hoppers next time a run comes out

Occasional Nuclear Flask - class 31/37

Grain

 

Trips from Whitemoor can turn almost anything up classes 20/25/31/37/45/47

 

Finally the Engineers Yard sees ballast held for weekends, spoil, rail and small OTP maintenance shed.