Nether Madder and Green Soudley Rly

[Annie]

Sounds a lot like the harbour sidings on my Windweather Tramway Sem.  Totally tram engine territory only .

[DonB]

Martin, your problem with a lifting flap may be solved with a couple of these hinge stays. they would be hidden under the baseboard.

there is a choice of sizes for the weight of the flap, and they feature a "soft close" 

https://www.marchesironmongery.co.uk/duo-forte-3666-lid-stay.html

 

There are also a number of heavy duty hinges designed for use in such things as bar or shop counter flaps, some very robust and nicely engineered in brass.

 

Sorry if I am doubting your woodworking capability, but I would have  thought that your baseboard maker would the man to approach for fitting these items, and indeed he may have ideas too.

 

With a lifting, hinged flap you do, of course, need to avoid clashes of scenic items. and also consider the problem of accidental damage to the scenic items when entering os leaving particularly during the layout construction phase.  

 

Other people have pointed out the need to keep points out of tunnels, similar strictures are generally applied to point work across gaps, as you have on your removable section at the platform ends.  Consistent alignment of the rails at that point (sorry!) may be a problem.

[Martin S-C]

On 01/02/2019 at 14:11, Nick C said:

Can you not have a removable trolley that you roll down (in the orientation of the diagram), then to the left - into the space occupied by the operator by the colliery in the diagram, allowing you to walk through from the right-hand side of the operating well?

Aha, the first time I try to use my L337 multipost skillz, I find 2 posts on different pages, therefore fail.

 

Nick - I am soooo glad you reminded me of this. I had just mentally limited myself to a trolley section that pushed away from the door (down on the plan) and then pushed left (erm... right on the plan) and therefore blocked the access way.

 

But today the Little Layout Lads came round and we re-measured and yes, a trolley section of 24" baseboard depth and 28" (doorway) width will very easily push away from the door and then roll to the right against the colliery operators position and give ample room for gentlemen of ample girth (aka me) to get past it to the left.

This is therefore The Plan. A wheeled trolley section of 24" baseboard width and 28" wide which we shall hold in place with suitcase clips and with brakes on the castors to be wired up with multipin plugs (or whatever the 2019 version of those is!)

 

[Martin S-C]

DonB - those hinges look like the bees knees and of course pub bar flap hinges of extremely robust design have been around for a long time but the wheeled trolley option is where we are now going. Rolling things along horizontally rather then lifting them up on end stops bits falling off as well, always a useful consideration with my aptitude of modelling.

[Harlequin]

What happens if someone is operating the colliery when access to the door is needed? I picture a sliding block puzzle moving various people and trolleys around before the door can be opened...  

 

The Layout Lads are probably on top of this already but: The shape of the baseboard section on top of a trolley needs to be a trapezoid so that it can be a tight fit against the fixed baseboards and still slide in and out easily. If it were a rectangle with a close tolerance fit then wiggling the trolley section in and out would be very time-consuming and frustrating.

 

 

The advantage of a lifting section of one form or another is that it doesn't consume any valuable floor space and doesn't rely on the floor being clear of obstructions. And it if remains level while lifting then you don't have to worry about things falling off so much.

 

P.S. Another more modern way for counterbalancing a lifting section: gas struts.

 

[Martin S-C]

Phil, you have this unerring but very valuable knack of pointing out the things I hadn't considered. Thank you for that. 

The colliery operator would have to leave their seat while the trolley is moved. They might in fact be now designated Colliery and Trolley Operator (CTO). In a session where a number of people entered the room, the CTO will have to be last in, first out.

We have the baseboard frame on one side already in place but I'll contact the LLC guys tomorrow to ensure the other side of the fixed frame and trolley side form a trapezoid. They may also have a design in mind that involves slides akin to kitchen drawer runners where the trollery's castors are lifted off the ground. I will check and thanks for making the point.

I will arrange a trolley structure so that people can also duck under it. I envisage the trolley being moved only at operating session start and end times where everyone enters and exits. Interim individual departures for cups of tea, nibbles and calls of nature would involve the individual ducking under. It'll be a "no drinks and food" environment so no trays of stuff being handed across the scenery and such. Much of the time I suspect I will be alone in there or maybe with 1 or 2 others so we will have lots of space to shift about. If we get frequent sessions of 6 operators I'll be so chuffed that trolley logistics will pale into insignficance.

[Martin S-C]

More procrastinating.

Trolley design now abandoned as it was pointed out that shifting the trolley around with various sundry operators and having to get through the door was like one of those puzzles with 16 spaces and 15 sliding blocks.

Having endured one minor heart attack 6 years ago one always lives with the thought in one's head that another could easily happen and if I were in the railway room on my own and there was an accident, the trolley with its suitcase style catches on the inside face and bracing struts for the legs below would make it very awkward for anyone else to get in to render assistance.

We are therefore going back to the lifting flap idea but will in the end I think plump for a simple top hinge set-up hidden by suitable pieces of scenery. On the side nearest the wall a goods shed and loading bank can be adroitly positioned to cover that hinge and on the operator's well side probably a clump of bushes or a small field barn will do the trick. Keep It Simple is always sound advice.

I'm also pleased to report that finally my very first fully repainted, lettered, weathered, named, numbered and decoder-fitted loco is ready for the railway. All my other stock has one or more of that list incomplete. Dean Sollers Colliery Co. Peckett No.501 was 99% complete last summer but just before Christmas Modelmaster supplied a lovely big bagfull of nameplates and its only taken me 7 weeks to get around to fitting the first pair. The Peckett is named after my father.

 

 

He looks like a Wilf, doesn't he?

Edited February 11, 2019 by Martin S-C

[mason]

The loco looks superb, very nice weathering and detail. 

Fantastic 

[Martin S-C]

Thank you Neil.

A parcel this morning contained this. No comment from me other than I think this is money well spent.

 

 

 

 

 

[woodenhead]

His mouth is missing

[Harlequin]

1 hour ago, woodenhead said:

His mouth is missing

Please don't even think about it!

 

Edited February 12, 2019 by Harlequin

[Stubby47]

The un-boxing video is very short.

[Martin S-C]

I kept it brief because I know you old geezers have a short attention span.

[81C]

When will the little face go on the front. 

 

 

 

 

 

                      A.N. Other-Oldenn

[Edwardian]

On 11/02/2019 at 14:10, Martin S-C said:

More procrastinating.

Trolley design now abandoned as it was pointed out that shifting the trolley around with various sundry operators and having to get through the door was like one of those puzzles with 16 spaces and 15 sliding blocks.

Having endured one minor heart attack 6 years ago one always lives with the thought in one's head that another could easily happen and if I were in the railway room on my own and there was an accident, the trolley with its suitcase style catches on the inside face and bracing struts for the legs below would make it very awkward for anyone else to get in to render assistance.

We are therefore going back to the lifting flap idea but will in the end I think plump for a simple top hinge set-up hidden by suitable pieces of scenery. On the side nearest the wall a goods shed and loading bank can be adroitly positioned to cover that hinge and on the operator's well side probably a clump of bushes or a small field barn will do the trick. Keep It Simple is always sound advice.

I'm also pleased to report that finally my very first fully repainted, lettered, weathered, named, numbered and decoder-fitted loco is ready for the railway. All my other stock has one or more of that list incomplete. Dean Sollers Colliery Co. Peckett No.501 was 99% complete last summer but just before Christmas Modelmaster supplied a lovely big bagfull of nameplates and its only taken me 7 weeks to get around to fitting the first pair. The Peckett is named after my father.

 

 

He looks like a Wilf, doesn't he?

 

That is stunning work.

 

I would never have the heart to do that to a fine livery, but it confers a compelling realism. 

[Martin S-C]

I have the Bachmann C Class in SECR livery... I know its worth silly money to a collector but;

1) I like to run my trains, not only enjoy them standing on a shelf (though I like doing that too).
2) If they go on my layout they must look as realistic as I can make them, therefore weathering!

I am sure many owners of such models would think I'm bonkers to take a jar of mucky paint to such a lovely object but in my mind if a loco shows an appropriate patina of dirt it only makes it lovlier. Appropriate is the key word of course. I wouldn't want this

looking like this

Wilf is depicted in 1919 after a long heavy stint shifting coal wagons about for the war effort so he's pretty grimy but even so he's been tended to by enough cheap labour to keep him moderately clean. My goods engines will not be as bad as that and my passenger locos will be fairly clean.

Here's what I'd call pretty dirty for my layout and this condition might reflect much of my freight motive power:

 

And something well cared for that the public see close up:

Edited February 12, 2019 by Martin S-C

[McRuss]

Hello Martin,

 

regarding your future lift out section. Maybe these could be of interest for you. It is a lift up section, made without to complicated methods. You just need some wood, and a pair of roller bearing drawer slides.

 

 

 

I hope these would be some inspiration for you and others.

 

Markus

[Martin S-C]

Hi Markus, we have now more or less decided on a traditional hinged flap. Its simple, robust and allows emergency access without specialist knowledge. I've seen all kinds of very clever designs for access and so on but I have to say that for me, for a simple entry through a door and into a room is concerned, many are just over complex.

 

I am not saying that the above design is not fantastic, but its just more awesome than I need.

Edited February 12, 2019 by Martin S-C

[Annie]

10 hours ago, Martin S-C said:

Thank you Neil.

A parcel this morning contained this. No comment from me other than I think this is money well spent.

 

 

 

 

 

Yay! a C53 tram engine.  I always knew you had good taste Martin.

 

I really do like your Peckett 'Wilf' by the way.  A very nice characterful engine.

[Martin S-C]

Thanks Annie, I'm rather fond of him too. I think he may well develop a bit of a personality. With his ultra-short wheelbase I plan to use him as test engine during track construction because he's most likely to find dead spots and uneven bits, so really he's the contractors engine and I'll have to pose him with a few opens full of spoil as the engineers get to work.

I have two of the C53s on order, the second one is one of those that's still on a container ship somewhere and is one of the options without side skirts. The pair will work the branch which, with roaside tramway sections I am sure they'll be very much at home on. I will also use them to shunt the canalside wharves at Green Soudley which seems appropriate.

Some years ago we had two very characterful cats, a mother and her son. We called the mother Tosca and her son was Pontefract. I've had these nameplates made up to name the two trams after the pair. So not Toby the tram but Tosca the tram on my railway. Tosca, being a girl of course, will wear her skirts. Pontefract will go bare-legged.

 

[Annie]

Brilliant! - I like it.  Great choice of names.  I should name an engine after my poor old much loved and now departed moggy Sydney.

[chuffinghell]

8 hours ago, Martin S-C said:

Some years ago we had two very characterful cats, a mother and her son. We called the mother Tosca and her son was Pontefract. I've had these nameplates made up to name the two trams after the pair. So not Toby the tram but Tosca the tram on my railway. Tosca, being a girl of course, will wear her skirts. Pontefract will go bare-legged.

 

 

 

Many years ago I had a cat name 'Dave'

[Corbs]

Surprisingly common name for a cat, Dave, I think I’ve known of 3.

Martin, apologies if you’ve posted this already, but do you have any details on current or planned members of the ‘home fleet’ (not visiting locos)?

 

[Joseph_Pestell]

1 hour ago, chuffinghell said:

 

Many years ago I had a cat name 'Dave'

 

We have friends with a cat called Dave. The other one is, of course, Chas.

[Zomboid]

I've been trying to think of a way to reference my pet rabbit on my layout, but every idea I've had is pretty rubbish. She's called Kiki, named after the Studio Ghibli film "Kiki's delivery service". Hard to think how to use that in 1950s Louisiana, though.

 

I like the locos named after the cats though. They are good names for those peculiar machines.