toolongtoremember Posted October 5, 2019 Share Posted October 5, 2019 Great to see another update, great to see another small, high quality N gauge layout, just what N gauge was meant for! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted October 5, 2019 Author Share Posted October 5, 2019 (edited) Thank you. Whether it's high quality I'm not sure. I'm just trying to do my best for a first time layout. I used to think that big was beautiful but I'm with you now in that there is definitely a certain charm in seeing what can be done in a small space. However there are times when I wish i had an extra foot or two to play with. I'm thinking of adding a small extension at the rear so that I can fit in a couple of extra storage sidings. These should just about fit above the control panel. Cheers Nigel Edited October 5, 2019 by nharding99 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted October 17, 2019 Author Share Posted October 17, 2019 This 4' x 2' layout is now 4' x 2' plus a bulge! I have laid the foundations for a small add-on section which will fit just above the control panel (not currently in place). The idea is to add 2 more storage sidings. That's all for now, just a quick update! Cheers Nigel H 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted October 18, 2019 Author Share Posted October 18, 2019 In a burst of Friday night activity I have now completed the front fascia. The layout certainly looks smarter with that in place and the tunnels are pleasantly darker now. Also, in an act of clumsiness I managed to drop the baseboard tonight. There was some minor damage to one of the backscenes and I had to touch up a bit of chipped road surface. But on the positive side the new storage siding extension passed the shock and vibration test. Next job will be track laying of the new sidings and then onwards with the finer detailing. I do need to think about lighting, I may just keep it simple and try some clip on lights which I could clip onto the backscene (hopefully I can find some that diffuse the light sufficiently). That's all for now. Thanks Nigel 10 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted October 19, 2019 Share Posted October 19, 2019 5 hours ago, nharding99 said: In a burst of Friday night activity I have now completed the front fascia. The layout certainly looks smarter with that in place and the tunnels are pleasantly darker now. Also, in an act of clumsiness I managed to drop the baseboard tonight. There was some minor damage to one of the backscenes and I had to touch up a bit of chipped road surface. But on the positive side the new storage siding extension passed the shock and vibration test. Next job will be track laying of the new sidings and then onwards with the finer detailing. I do need to think about lighting, I may just keep it simple and try some clip on lights which I could clip onto the backscene (hopefully I can find some that diffuse the light sufficiently). That's all for now. Thanks Nigel Excellent Nigel looks really good espically for a first layout. To of gained more fiddle yard roads round the back on Lymebrook all the points are PECO setrack points which are shorter so you can fit more in.. Steve 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted October 19, 2019 Author Share Posted October 19, 2019 19 hours ago, sf315 said: Excellent Nigel looks really good espically for a first layout. To of gained more fiddle yard roads round the back on Lymebrook all the points are PECO setrack points which are shorter so you can fit more in.. Steve Hi Steve, thank you. I did initially try out some insulfrog points but I had some 0-6-0 locos that stalled on them so I went for electrofrog which are still a bit unreliable if the point blades get dirty but they probably worked out a bit better for me acknowledging that, as you say, I have lost some storage space because of that. I have power frog switching for all of the points on the viewing side of the layout and they have performed very well so far. Thanks Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted October 29, 2019 Author Share Posted October 29, 2019 Track for the two new sidings in the fiddle yard has now been laid, providing significantly more options for storage. I can now run 4 coach formations if I wish (though in general small is beautiful on this layout). The additional turnout used to create the new branch pushed my track geometry to the limits. I have had to relay the mainline curve and move it right out to the edge of the board to maintain a reasonable radius. Some trains just about catch the backscene so a small cut out will be required to remedy that. Hopefully I can put the Xuron cutters, track pins and fishplates away for a while now. Thanks for reading. Nigel H. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted November 1, 2019 Author Share Posted November 1, 2019 It's been a while since I showed some video. Here you can see that things are running quite smoothly for a Friday night session. The jib on the breakdown crane swings around a bit but it makes it round the rather tight curves! That's all for now. Nigel H 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freight Connection Posted November 21, 2019 Share Posted November 21, 2019 Well done with the layout article for the NGS journal Nigel. Enjoyed reading it this morning, great pictures as well. Regards - Steve 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted November 22, 2019 Author Share Posted November 22, 2019 12 hours ago, Freight Connection said: Well done with the layout article for the NGS journal Nigel. Enjoyed reading it this morning, great pictures as well. Regards - Steve Thank you Steve, that's very kind. The layout has moved on a bit since the article was written. Maybe there will be a "Return to Trinity Road" article at some stage. All the Best Nigel 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted December 26, 2019 Author Share Posted December 26, 2019 (edited) This will likely be the last update of 2019. It's been a good year for Trinity Road. I thought I'd end it with a shot of the first run out of the class 304 EMU on the layout... Things to look forward to in 2020... Finishing the class 304 and then getting the layout ready for its (and my) first exhibition at the N Gauge South East Show on 4th April (see https://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/146972-n-gauge-southeast-2020/) It should be fun! Thank you to everyone who has been a reader or made comments and may you enjoy a Happy New Year! Edited December 27, 2019 by nharding99 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alangdance Posted January 5, 2020 Share Posted January 5, 2020 Hi Nigel Love what you have been doing. And keep the updates going. What have you used for the buildings in fill on the backscene. Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted January 6, 2020 Share Posted January 6, 2020 If you're doing steam/diesel transition era you could have an AL6 without the yellow panels as they ran for a while like that. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 On 05/01/2020 at 00:21, alangdance said: Hi Nigel Love what you have been doing. And keep the updates going. What have you used for the buildings in fill on the backscene. Alan Thanks Alan. I have been using Townscene backscenes, mainly the town roofscape, judiciously chopped up and used in various places. I do rate these backscenes, especially if you're after a grimy city backscene, perhaps a tad ubiquitous but very good. Cheers Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 17 hours ago, BernardTPM said: If you're doing steam/diesel transition era you could have an AL6 without the yellow panels as they ran for a while like that. Thanks, an interesting point. I notice that Heljan have just announced this livery in OO but isn't there a bit of controversy about that? I'm not an expert but I think I've read and seen photos where they were used or stored at Crewe in that livery for acceptance testing but then received yellow panels in service? I think the AL6s were introduced in 1965 by which time you's expect them to comply with the yellow warning panel regulation. However I do have a spare N Gauge AL6 and it would be alot easier to repaint it into early blue without warning panels so I'd be more than happy to go down that route. That's definitely a possibility for the future. Cheers Nigel 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted January 7, 2020 Share Posted January 7, 2020 I have Modern Railways for July 1965 and the lack of yellow waning panel was highlighted by Alan Williams. In the June '65 issue mention is made of the first deliveries: E3101/3-9 from Doncaster and E3161-9 from English Electric. Of these just the last two from Doncaster had yellow panels ("the first a.c. locomotives to be so distinguished"). E3101 and E3103 were noted in revenue service for the first time on 1st May (FA Cup specials). There is also a photo of E3161 without yellow panel taken on 4/7/'65 on the down 'Red Rose', so it definitely happened. I don't have a full set for the period, so there may be more examples in Modern Railways and other contemporary magazines, of course. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 40 minutes ago, BernardTPM said: I have Modern Railways for July 1965 and the lack of yellow waning panel was highlighted by Alan Williams. In the June '65 issue mention is made of the first deliveries: E3101/3-9 from Doncaster and E3161-9 from English Electric. Of these just the last two from Doncaster had yellow panels ("the first a.c. locomotives to be so distinguished"). E3101 and E3103 were noted in revenue service for the first time on 1st May (FA Cup specials). There is also a photo of E3161 without yellow panel taken on 4/7/'65 on the down 'Red Rose', so it definitely happened. I don't have a full set for the period, so there may be more examples in Modern Railways and other contemporary magazines, of course. Thanks very much for the info. Much appreciated. So it looks like that is a legitimate livery. All the Best Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted January 7, 2020 Author Share Posted January 7, 2020 4 hours ago, BernardTPM said: I have Modern Railways for July 1965 and the lack of yellow waning panel was highlighted by Alan Williams. In the June '65 issue mention is made of the first deliveries: E3101/3-9 from Doncaster and E3161-9 from English Electric. Of these just the last two from Doncaster had yellow panels ("the first a.c. locomotives to be so distinguished"). E3101 and E3103 were noted in revenue service for the first time on 1st May (FA Cup specials). There is also a photo of E3161 without yellow panel taken on 4/7/'65 on the down 'Red Rose', so it definitely happened. I don't have a full set for the period, so there may be more examples in Modern Railways and other contemporary magazines, of course. Further to this... E3163 has yellow panels by 8th August 1965 if this photographer has his dates right... So the livery without warning panels might have been very short-lived in some cases. I'm still really tempted to represent one without warning panels though! 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BernardTPM Posted January 8, 2020 Share Posted January 8, 2020 (edited) Transisition from the varied '1956-64' era liveries to 'Corporate' Blue is an interesting period, full of odd anomalies like this. Another thing to note, some of the AL6s had the bufferbeam in Rail Blue rather than red, and then there's the two early variations of yellow panel on AM10s, not to mention the near contemporary Railfreight 'box arrow' schemes. Edited January 8, 2020 by BernardTPM 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted January 11, 2020 Author Share Posted January 11, 2020 The completed AM4 is looking right at home on the layout (apologies that the sunlight is a bit harsh). This was one of the layout goals so it has been good to get it finished and I think it is an important characteristic of the layout. One the couplers needs to be made a bit more reliable but it runs nicely. With a new found confidence in creating DMUs and EMUs I'm thinking of creating a BRCW class 104. These units were very visible on routes to Buxton, Marple and so on. I have a class 108 two car set that could be used as a basis. I have N-Train 3D printed ends. I need to compare window arrangements and if they are similar then it could be a fairly straightforward conversion. But for now I'm going to enjoy the 304! Thanks for reading Nigel H 6 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Share Posted January 19, 2020 (edited) The refinements continue... I have added a layout name board (purchased from a trader at Warley) which is attached to the back scene using velcro. You will also see that I have added a couple of clip-on lights from B&Q at £10 each - the bulbs were almost as expensive as the fittings! The lighting is adequate, not professionally diffused but shadows are minimal, I think the lamps will do a job. Cheers Nigel H Edited January 20, 2020 by nharding99 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sf315 Posted January 20, 2020 Share Posted January 20, 2020 The pic above Nigel is great. Glad my layout was of inspiration for you to produce the above well done. Steve. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted January 20, 2020 Author Share Posted January 20, 2020 (edited) 1 hour ago, sf315 said: The pic above Nigel is great. Glad my layout was of inspiration for you to produce the above well done. Steve. Thanks Steve. I think you've posted previously that there are a few other layouts that have been inspired by Lymebrook Yard. I'm aware of one. So your layout deserves alot of credit for that. It must feel like you are the CJ Freezer of the new millennium . But seriously, thanks for your encouragement. Lymebrook Yard is a great layout! Edited January 20, 2020 by nharding99 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted February 16, 2020 Author Share Posted February 16, 2020 Most of the ongoing work is aimed at making the layout more robust (both operationally and for transport) and adding of finer detail. I'm starting to see why modellers say that a layout is never finished. I thought I had reached a stage of completion but keep finding improvements that I would like to make. I'm not a perfectionist but will keep working it up to a better standard until I'm even happier with it all. The goods yard is even more overgrown now. I don't want to over populate it but I felt that a little of the open space needed breaking up so more overgrown grass has been added. I also fixed the yard lights which had ceased to work due to a loose wire. All wiring has been inspected and tidied up. I have started to add road signs. Some are printed out from Scalescenes sheets, others I have created by myself. They are stuck onto wire posts. The zebra crossing could ideally do with some belisha beacons. I've been ironing out some rolling stock problems. The AM4 was decoupling too frequently for my liking. I have replaced one of the bogies, added a new coupler and that is solid now. This set of suburban coaches has had some bogie problems fixed and had Easyshunt couplings fitted so this gives me another option for local passenger services. That's all for now and thanks for reading! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
nharding99 Posted March 26, 2020 Author Share Posted March 26, 2020 In our strange new "locked down" world I haven't spent too much time working on the layout. I have prepared a black cloth screen to conceal the layout's legs. Of course the debut exhibition for Trinity Road (4th April N Gauge South East Show) is now cancelled, hopefully there will be another opportunity to exhibit at some stage. There are some rolling stock projects that I can work on (create a class 104 DMU from a class 108, weathering of stock, upgrade plastic wheels to metal, add EasyShunt couplings to more of the wagon stock to enable more shunting,). I have previously shown a few video clips, I may try to put together a more complete and more polished video at some stage with a variety of movements and stock. Maybe I can put together some sort of story so that might be fun. That's all for now. I hope that you are managing to stay safe and well. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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