Seven Mills Sidings, from TOPS to the POD, Page 169 and Bench Road, Stabling and Fuelling Point from Page 245

[Andrew P]

As it's Sunday, and the start of a new page, I thought I'd add an extra pic for today.

[chuffinghell]

I read the title as TOP of the PODS 

[Andrew P]

Another previously unused shot across the Yard for this mornings pic.

[Donw]

Hi Andy 

 

great to have you back. I wasn't expecting a master class on converting a garage top stuff. Having the door to the outside rather than the hall also means any dust, dirt, sawdust, plaster etc. will not get into the house. It can save a lot of aggro.  Look forward to seeing the layout set up.

 

Don

[georgeT]

Looks like a great new TOPS pod in the making buddy, it will be worth the hassle in the end..

[Donw]

I think you said the guys helping you were stepsons or stepgrandsons. I would have said they are quite like you for getting on with a job. 

 

Don

 

[Andrew P]

11 hours ago, Donw said:

Hi Andy 

 

great to have you back. I wasn't expecting a master class on converting a garage top stuff. Having the door to the outside rather than the hall also means any dust, dirt, sawdust, plaster etc. will not get into the house. It can save a lot of aggro.  Look forward to seeing the layout set up.

 

Don

 

5 hours ago, Donw said:

I think you said the guys helping you were stepsons or stepgrandsons. I would have said they are quite like you for getting on with a job. 

 

Don

 

Cheers Don, Grandson has got so much work come in from the Council that he has had to get back to that, so one of my Stepsons / Mike and one Son in Law have dived in with both feet. I must admit, the progress is far quicker than I imagined, even with me just doing the Labouring and taking the drinks orders for the wife, haha.

I recon another two two weeks, and the Layout should be being carried back in there and set up on the frames, then I might know if it will work or not.

 

Cheers.

A.

Edited June 22, 2020 by Andrew P

[Andrew P]

6 hours ago, georgeT said:

Looks like a great new TOPS pod in the making buddy, it will be worth the hassle in the end..

Cheers George, yes, well worth the effort now, I hope mate.

[pwr]

And your proposed expansion will add considerably to operating potential!

 

Paul R

[Andrew P]

2 hours ago, pwr said:

And your proposed expansion will add considerably to operating potential!

 

Paul R

Thanks Paul, I certainly hope it will, but it is the current Fiddle Yard end that may be the issue, as that needs to go across the door, so will need to swing at 90 degrees for access. I sould know in a couple of weeks, as the Layout will not function without a F/Y at that end.

Cheers.

[pwr]

Andy

 

Could you use a portable cassette system with say a removable board you plug in and use a two or three cassettes. Your trains are quite short so shouldn't be too heavy to carry a loaded one to a shelf somewhere when you need to take it off?

 

regards

 

Paul R

[Andrew P]

17 minutes ago, pwr said:

Andy

 

Could you use a portable cassette system with say a removable board you plug in and use a two or three cassettes. Your trains are quite short so shouldn't be too heavy to carry a loaded one to a shelf somewhere when you need to take it off?

 

regards

 

Paul R

This is what I'm hoping for.

 

We will have to wait and see.

 

[Andrew P]

Some more good progress today. 1 coat of PVA on the walls and ceiling and 2 coats of satin white, there will be at least 1 more coat of paint, and then see if that is enough to cover it.

Mike also did the step, using the old bricks from the doorway.

 

[D6775]

14 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

This is what I'm hoping for.

 

We will have to wait and see.

 

 

Given where the door is, would it not be easier to spin the whole thing round 180 degrees so you can get in & out?

[Donw]

Looks quite good to me  apart from the new 3 road fiddle yard as drawn.  The distance from the pivot to the start of the sidings has to be equal for all of them. It might wok easier as a traverser or move the pivot back towards the wall and just lose a small slice of fiddleyard to allow the board to swing. Easiest way to see is cut out the fiddleyad shape on a bit of card place on the plan with a drawing pin for the pivot you will see what I mean.

 

Don

[Andrew P]

Just now, D6775 said:

 

Given where the door is, would it not be easier to spin the whole thing round 180 degrees so you can get in & out?

Unfortunately not Al, that is where all the meters are opposite the door, and we are still waiting for the change over to digital, and as the Baseboard is 3ft wide at that point, the engineers could not get to that meters, also I would not be able to even reach to re set a tripped fuse should I need to.

Furthermore there is a loft hatch that I need access to on that side.

 

Bad planning by the Builders almost 60 years ago, haha.

 

[Andrew P]

4 minutes ago, Donw said:

Looks quite good to me  apart from the new 3 road fiddle yard as drawn.  The distance from the pivot to the start of the sidings has to be equal for all of them. It might wok easier as a traverser or move the pivot back towards the wall and just lose a small slice of fiddleyard to allow the board to swing. Easiest way to see is cut out the fiddleyad shape on a bit of card place on the plan with a drawing pin for the pivot you will see what I mean.

 

Don

Thanks for that Don, that was just something I drew up whilst waiting to move and in Lockdown. I like your idea of the paper / card mock up though, I will certainly do that before attacking a nice fresh piece of Plywood.

[philip-griffiths]

Andy,  how are you providing ventilation into the space now that you’ve sealed up the garage door?  Concerned that if the door is closed you have no ventilation for adequate indoor air quality. 
regards. 

[philip-griffiths]

2 minutes ago, philip-griffiths said:

Andy,  how are you providing ventilation into the space now that you’ve sealed up the garage door?  Concerned that if the door is closed you have no ventilation for adequate indoor air quality. 
regards. 

Sorry. Just seen the picture of the door and noted the trickle vent. They are ok but not wonderful. Leave it open and it should be ok. 
 

regards. 

[Andrew P]

10 minutes ago, philip-griffiths said:

Andy,  how are you providing ventilation into the space now that you’ve sealed up the garage door?  Concerned that if the door is closed you have no ventilation for adequate indoor air quality. 
regards. 

 

6 minutes ago, philip-griffiths said:

Sorry. Just seen the picture of the door and noted the trickle vent. They are ok but not wonderful. Leave it open and it should be ok. 
 

regards. 

I normally work with the door open unless it's really cold, but we have talked about a window maybe later if required, but thanks for your concern.

[mudmagnet]

Looking great Andy. 

Glad that the move back down south has worked out well.

Looking forward to seeing you get the layout back up and running.

 

 

 

[Donw]

2 hours ago, Andrew P said:

 

I normally work with the door open unless it's really cold, but we have talked about a window maybe later if required, but thanks for your concern.

 

Nip out often enough for a cup of tea or to use the toilet and you will let fresh air in evey time you open it.  I have a nice big 4inch hole drill for the SDS that woould give you plenty of air  Seriously rather than a window take a brick or two out replace with an air brick and put a hit and miss on the inside. Meanwhile open the door if you are doing something creating fumes. 

Don

[Hal Nail]

10 hours ago, Donw said:

Looks quite good to me  apart from the new 3 road fiddle yard as drawn.  The distance from the pivot to the start of the sidings has to be equal for all of them. It might wok easier as a traverser or move the pivot back towards the wall and just lose a small slice of fiddleyard to allow the board to swing. Easiest way to see is cut out the fiddleyad shape on a bit of card place on the plan with a drawing pin for the pivot you will see what I mean.

 

Don

It can work pivoting as the tracks only have to line up in the one position - its not a sector plate - but will need a curved end where it meets the layout. Having said that, if not just using cassettes, I'd probably have the fiddle yard as a loose tray sitting on a folding support and slide it in and out of position. Would be tempting to mount it all on bogies and track but I digress!

 

Anyway it's only temporary until the inevitable extension into the hall. There really is no point having his and hers front doors so may as well let the old one go and just enter the house through a Gresley style corridor.

Edited June 23, 2020 by Hal Nail

[Andrew P]

This morning we see the Duff / 47199, and Rat 25285 on the Fuelling Roads.

[pwr]

You can feel the chill wind in the air and the impending rain. Great shot Andy

 

Paul R