Big jim’s Garage conversion and layout thread

[big jim]

No layout progress but got a few bits and bobs for when I get things running 

 

picked up this A113 personal carrier off eBay to try in my oxford warwell

 

where it fits perfectly without fouling the edge of the wagon or going out of gauge 

 

 

 

a few more warwells with them on, some VGAs and some side opening containers and I’ve got myself a nice little MOD train!

 

also picked up these fleichmann Ho 4 wheel coaches 2nd hand from richard at trident to run on the heritage line 

 

rhey looks quite nice behind the model rail J70

 

decals arrived for the 009 class 70 so I may get them on later if I get a chance 

[Powerhaul 70 Pey]

Hello Jim, that GBRF M.O.D train could look pretty special with some more of those army vehicles on those flats.

[big jim]

That’s the plan, get some more warflats and lots of the same carriers and a few land rovers etc 

 

the personnel carrier was only £10 off eBay and they are on there quite often, I think they are from a tank version of the hachette magazine railway part works 

 

when scale model scenery reopens after their move of premises I’ll get some mod containers ordered for the other flat wagons

 

of course getting trains running first would help!

[KDG]

Hi Jim.

 

The mini class 70 looks really good, top job.

 

The M113 fits well on the warwell wagon, but is an American vehicle not used by British army, although it looks a bit like the FV432.  They do the same job, battlefield taxi!  

 

British did use the M548 armoured equipment carrier in some numbers for a while, which is based on the M113 chassis, and is available from the same manufacturer.  Might need a repaint, but you are up to that.

 

Keep up the good work

 

 

[big jim]

I’m not after absolute fidelity with the train with correct colours etc, (or even country) I was just after something ‘modern’ and little which would on the wagon, I’ll have a look at the M548 though

 

ive really struggled to find any current RTR tanks hence why I went for the Personel carrier, certainly looks more realistic than a train of Sherman tanks behind a 66! 

[KDG]

You're right it is hard to find modern British AFV's to put on warwell's. S and S models have about the best range.

 

They do an FV432, a Sultan (armoured command vehicle) , and a Samaritan (armoured ambulance) they need minimal assembly and painting.

 

[big jim]

If they were at the stafford model show (remember those!) earlier this year I think I got a resin sultan off them

 

 

[Bloodnok]

On 25/06/2020 at 15:33, big jim said:

ive really struggled to find any current RTR tanks hence why I went for the Personel carrier, certainly looks more realistic than a train of Sherman tanks behind a 66! 

 

Modern tanks don't fit in the loading gauge anyway. They are too wide.

... Unless you are modelling the channel tunnel.

Edited June 27, 2020 by Bloodnok

[KDG]

1 hour ago, Bloodnok said:

 

Modern tanks don't fit in the loading gauge anyway. They are too wide.

... Unless you are modelling the channel tunnel.

I think the last British main battle tank that fitted on rail vehicles in the UK was the Comet family of 1944.

 

A major limiting factor on the design of British tanks during WW2 was the rail systems ability to transport them around. 8 ft 6 inch width, which limits turret size and therefore gun size.  Warwell's were built specifically to transport the new American built M4 Sherman, as they were too tall to go on the available flat wagons.

 

There are plenty of  more recent tracked armoured fighting vehicles that do fit though e.g. Warrior, FV432, Scimitar, Scorpion, Sultan, Samson, Samaritan, Spartan. etc.

[big jim]

First attempt at a scale scenes print your own kit last night, small station building

 

mounted the bits on relevant thickness cards and it’s made quite a weighty solid little structure, need to print off some new ridge tiles as I scored the original ones wrong and I’ve not bothered with gutters and down pipes as I’ll put some plastic ones I have on instead

 

 

 

for what it’s worth I’ve also got some interior bits to add such as chairs, vending machine etc 

[big jim]

Just realised I haven’t done anything with the layout since june!

 

been playing about with the 009 bit, tried the L+B loco on peco set track curves which it didn’t want to go round so I’ve had to make the curves bigger to n gauge set track standard which it can handle, which means I’ve had to re think couple of areas, the corner bit of the layout has been bugging me trying to do something interesting with it, the latest plan is a spiral, I’ve taken the board out and replaced it with foam risers which raise the track from board level to about 13cm high, when I put the track down I’ll be adding DCC concepts power plates to aid the loco with the climb 

 

that’s about all I’ve done, a week away in work now so that’s it for a few more weeks with the layout I recon 

[big jim]

My dad was around at the weekend and gave me my orders to get a move on with the railway, put the buildings away in a big box and concentrate on getting some track properly laid instead of mocking thing up so I listened to his advice and packed up the clutter and cracked on with track laying 

 

 

first up was laying the curve between the inclines 

 

Then it was the crossovers from the mainline to the branch line either side of the  mains, I’ve put a double slip on the left and a single slip on the right, I’ve yet to decide how far the line to the right will go

 

Added a fillet of wood at the end of the station 

 

Onto which the OO9 line will curve onto (I have revised this bit as can be seen in later pictures)

 

I then joined the tracks on the other incline too, so now from the ironbridge up the incline and back down below the castle spiral is connected 

 

as for the station I have a number of Hornby skaledale platforms, both curved and straight which I think I’m going to use for the station, the curved platform face is the heritage line which I’m going to put a run round loop in place next to the platform so I can have 2 trains pass each other and stop opposite ends of the platform (as per the loop at Dovey Jn!) 

the mainline can Have crossovers for trains to pass if required and a set of points onto the preserved line 

 

And back along the rear wall and the branch line, I was going to put a small yard on the high level bit but I need to be able to get the screen to drop down as far as I can 

 

the line will sit behind the screen 

 

Removed the previously added piece of wood ready to cut back a bit to follow the contour of the 009 track 

 

 

that was it for last night, I then went back and had a look again this morning 

first up, trimmed the wood above the end of the station, afterwards I placed a tunnel mouth there and realised I should have really trimmed it square to give me land above the tunnel mouth, not a huge issue as I can just back fill with some thin ply over the void 

 

next the branch line Board which rises slightly to allow a couple of bridges to clear the mainline below 

 

I have 4 of these laser cut bridges, 2 of which I will use to cross the mainline at an angle so starting at different places, the nearest one will be for the branchline which will rise up to the small station on the hill top overlooking the gorge the rear bridge will go toward the MOD/Nuclear sidings, running into a neck that will in turn go into a small fan of sidings where I can store my accurascale PFA and KUA wagons as well as FNA wagons 

 

The climb up to the station, I’m going to fit DCC concepts power bases to this bit and magnets to the 121 and 153 unit that I have to work this line to improve traction up the hill as it’s quite steep and curvy, similarly I’ve got a set for the spiral and my 009 locos 

 

However before I secure the branchline down I need to decide on how the heritage and 009 line will cross the valley, the whole ‘outcrop’ is currently loose and moveable and it’s final location will depend on how I build the viaduct!

 

i can either build it with a curved piece at the end or straight, with the curved piece I would have to have the dual gauge track entering a tunnel together......

 

 

.....then have it split within the mountain and exiting via 2 separate tunnel mouths 

 

to match the mainline

 

or have the viaduct straight, the outcrop moved back a bit (and trimmed slightly) and the track split before a tunnel

 

The standard gauge running into the tunnel and the narrow gauge curving around the outside of the outcrop in a sweeping S bend 

 

in all a productive day, 3/4 of the way round with track now, I would have had something running but I can’t find the transformer for the lenz DCC controller, the next bit will Fixing down be the crossovers I have in place at the castle end of the layout, that’s the most complicated bit of track regards making sure I put insulated fishplates in the right place etc then once that’s done it’s finish securing the track on hinged section And the final bit of plain line over the gorge (which will involve making up a Metcalfe Viaduct kit first!) 

 

 

 

 

Edited October 26, 2020 by big jim

[big jim]

Had a long week in work so needed a chill out for an hour or so with the layout before my fortnight of jury duty 

 

got the board secured for the branch line and also glued down the polystyrene risers up to the top station, put some cork down and secured the plain rail from the mainline to where the points for the MOD yard will be 

 

 

 

only a little bit but enough for tonight 

[big jim]

Secured the track leading up to the bridges this evening 

 

and over the bridge span, just one pin securing the track so I can slide the bridges out for now, I need to give them a coat of paint before properly securing them in place 

 

MOD yard, each long siding is going to be accessed From a curved point Behind the branch line incline 

 

The short siding coming from a short straight point, there will be a neck going back just long enough for 2 or 3 bogie wagons and loco, any longer trains can be split and shunted by the resident 03 

 

the line along the wall is going to be a nuclear wagon offload facility, ok not strictly MOD but the sidings will give me a good place to park my FNAs, PFAs, as well as warwells, mod internal wagons Etc 

 

I’ve got a small Bachmann shed that I’m thinking of cutting at an angle and positioning against the wall to make a short shed for the 03 to live in as it’s currently too big, I could even use both ends after the cut to make a double road shed 

 

Long sidings

 

Whilst working at the back of the layout I took the extension pieces of base board off to make it easier to reach over, having removed them I realise that really I don’t need them and I can get what I want on the existing boards 

 

I’ll just have to add a small curved fillet of ply in Both corners for the line to curve onto slightly 

 

The 009 line that was going to twist on a falling gradient on the extension board can now go straight down in front of the branch line, in fact the 009 trackbed is where the projector screen sits when open

 

The heritage line can go into a tunnel,  above which can be a board with most likely the mill buildings on, they shouldn’t obstruct the Projector too much, if they do I’ll think of something more low lying, i will most likely put a set of points off the 009 line to this area and put a small loco shed within the mill area 

 

 

Edited November 2, 2020 by big jim

[big jim]

only a little job but one That is quite important, set up the diamond crossing matrix on the lower level where both pair of lines are on the same level, adding this means trains can stay on the lower level of tracks 

 

hopefully I’ve got the right rails insulated so when I get power it won’t short out, I will be powering the rails from both sides of the crossover 
 

 

And once that’s working I can then look at getting the doorway section track glued down and Lined up

 

 

 

 

Edited November 5, 2020 by big jim

[JackB95]

Just caught up with the thread Jim. Looks absolutely smashing. The heritage line looks ace, and something you don't see modelled often. 

 

Look forward to seeing how the completed baby 70 turns out. 

[big jim]

I’m going to try and have another day in there tomorrow, maybe get the hinges section done, possibly start wiring up the track feed around the crossings etc 

 

im really annoyed as I got a tillig standard gauge/narrow gauge crossing track about 6 months ago that I can’t find anywhere, without it I can’t get the narrow gauge line the right side of the standard gauge before it combines over the viaduct, I’m loathed to buy another as I will no doubt find the original once I get a replacement 

 

agreed, I really should finish the mini class 70 

[big jim]

So much for going back in the garage and cracking on, I can’t find the power supply for the lenz 100 anywhere!

 

i have a maplin regulated DC supply (13v) that I tried instead but as soon as I put a loco on a short length of track on the incline it shorts out, put a Bachmann analog controller On the same piece of track and trains will run so it’s not a track short, any thoughts?

 

I might go and get the class 70 in the house in a min and get that done 
 

 

[big jim]

Went back in the garage to look for something else and found the lenz supply, wired up and working nicely so that means I can now crack on wiring up all the lines I’ve fixed down 

[LongRail]

Sod’s law always find something when you are not looking for it

[big jim]

Joined up the crossings to the mainline track

 

Might not look like much but the lights in the 66 mean I have power to the track, just one line at the minute but ready to solder other wires to the other lines to get the whole lot live 

 

And a quick question, I’ve put insulated fishplates on both rails at the V’s of the double slip as shown by the red arrows, do I need 2 in each V or indeed any as it looks to me the toe of the V is insulated, as it stands now is the V totally isolated as the class 66 I’m using to test comes to a stop if driven slowly onto the slip, it will glide over without losing power as I think it just bridges the dead bit  (it’s a peco code 75 double slip) 

[big jim]

Not done anything this week but I’ve had some 2nd hand skaledale platforms arrive, both single and double sided, just enough to do all I need

 

 

the heritage line will have a run round loop on the straight section so a train can sit in the platform while another passes it and then stops on the curved bit

 

the mainline will have crossovers each end so trains can pass a stationary one in the platform as well as being able to cross on to and off the heritage line, hopefully I may get some of it secured next week 

 

 

[big jim]

Couple from last night, had to order a new dual gauge crossover for the narrow gauge line to cross the heritage line after I lost the envelope with the one I got in June in!

 

rhe other set of points can go to a small yard and loco shed 

 

i then cut a piece of card as a template for the base to the castle for when I cut the wood but Faye had other ideas 

 

so I went back indoors and started to make up the Metcalfe castle bits, starting with the main building, took me about 3 hours to do, seriously impressed by it, particularly the windows 

 

 

 

and then went on to the gatehouse which is about 90% finished in this picture 

 

 

Loving the layers on the door arches, there is even a portcullis to fit nearer the end 

got the battlements to finish as well as a small turret and outer flank walls, then it’s on to the extra walls and small towers 

[GWRPhil]

8 hours ago, big jim said:

Couple from last night, had to order a new dual gauge crossover for the narrow gauge line to cross the heritage line after I lost the envelope with the one I got in June in!

 

rhe other set of points can go to a small yard and loco shed 

 

i then cut a piece of card as a template for the base to the castle for when I cut the wood but Faye had other ideas 

 

so I went back indoors and started to make up the Metcalfe castle bits, starting with the main building, took me about 3 hours to do, seriously impressed by it, particularly the windows 

 

 

 

and then went on to the gatehouse which is about 90% finished in this picture 

 

 

Loving the layers on the door arches, there is even a portcullis to fit nearer the end 

got the battlements to finish as well as a small turret and outer flank walls, then it’s on to the extra walls and small towers 

that is a seriously impressive Metcalfe kit and really nicely put together

 

Edited December 15, 2020 by GWRPhil
spelling

[bradfordbuffer]

On 16/06/2020 at 19:35, big jim said:

And here we go....

 

 

 

 

and with the fine detail picked out and modelu 3d printed me in the cab

 

and on the dual gauge track 

 

decals of some sort to add, probably get some N gauge ones and adapt them 

Reminds me from late 80s early 90s slot of cut and shut 47s 31s 37s etc mounted on a single boogie doing the rounds at exhibitions as a 'novelty item' like a mini me! usually driven at mack2 round the layout...Lima locos cheap as chips at one point ...