Davidson Parkway: WCML 1980s - 2000s OO Gauge

[Patriot87003]

Happy New Year!

 

Modelling time has been reduced in recent months due to plenty of work and domestic life interruptions. I was looking forward to the festive period to enjoy some shed time but catching Covid before Christmas then a flu-type bug since Boxing Day put paid to that!

 

However, recent months have seen a few new arrivals to the layout and some running sessions …

 

One of the first depot open day’s I attended was Old Oak Common’s during 1985 where several Class 47’s were on display in GWR green livery along with 50007. So when Kernow models announced 47484 IKB I couldn’t resist! 
 

 

I also like the ScotRail livery and remember seeing a Class 47 in the livery at Crewe during 1987, so 47712 has also arrived. Both of these 47’s will be random visitors to the WCML either on way to/from works and hauling inter regional services.

 

 

Another new arrival is Heljan’s Class 45 45133. This will also visit the WCML on the odd cross-country and secondary service.
 

 

I always liked the railfreight coal livery on the Class 58’s, so an EFE 58018 has arrived …
 

 

Another Class 47 to arrive is the Bachmann collector club 47845 County of Kent.
 

 

Finally, the most recent arrival is Accurascale’s Class 92 Charles Dickens, 92022. What a box! One of my first work roles back in 1994 was to print out the data charts sent across from the Class 92 testing over at the Velim test track in Czech to support the safety case. 
 

After some testing and running-in, the Class 92 hauling its first freight service on the layout … very impressed!

I have a few things on the to-do list around the layout in the coming months and a few videos planned to be recorded. Finally, a few items pre-ordered and a few others on a wishlist (funds permitting!).
 

 

[Patriot87003]

I’ve started a new project to increase the number of loco-sidings below the layout. A few reasons have prompted this … the first being thinking about operating the layout transitioning between the mid-1980’s era through to the early 2000’s and back again. Also a few nice additions to the fleet are pre-ordered! I also like to include light engine moves on and off the main layout to rotate the fleet and provide operational interest, while not having too many light loco’s cluttering the main layout loco sidings and depot at any one time.

 

The spur towards Yard 4 has created an opportunity to use this baseboard space. The baseboard will be extended a bit to increase the space without interfering with the footprint of the main layout above.

 

The planning stage used lining paper, Peco point paper templates, railway curves with Tracksetta curve templates. It’s looking like I’ll be able to fit 13 new sidings. Due to the distance from the control panel, I’m intending to motor each turnout and locations have been checked to avoid any clashes with the baseboard frames.

Track for Phase 1 of the project has arrived. This will cover the three new turnouts to be installed from the Yard 4 approach line, along with the five turnouts for the seven sidings. 2nd Radius curves are the minimum being used. A couple of short sections of set track have been cut to check the plan and the spur for the second group of sidings has been repositioned slightly to allow for slightly longer sidings.

 

Next stage of the project will be to remove the existing access track to Yard 4, install the three turnouts (with point motors), reconnect the access track to Yard 4, install the turnouts, point motors and sidings for the Phase 1 seven roads, plenty of dropper wires to be connect and testing. I’ll then check the plan for the remaining space and Phase 2 sidings, modify the baseboard and install the track. I’ve used the recent colder evenings to draft an update to the Yard 4 control panel.

 

 

 

[Patriot87003]

Well … work has gone crazy busy recently so progress with the layout and latest project is paused for now … however my birthday pressies from 2021 have finally arrived! 😁 Just unboxed and tested each 87 and each are very smooth runner, while no obvious QC issues to report so far. A few pics …

 

I couldn’t resist hooking the IC Exec liveried 87’s to a steel coil rake … over 10,000hp! I’ll renumber and rename one of them while probably keeping the other as 87009 City of Birmingham.

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully work will ease off in the next week or two to allow some progress to occur during the Easter break and beyond … while a few other pre-orders are on the horizon. I recently attended the Model Rail Scotland show and the forthcoming Heljan 86’s look good … 

 

 

 

[cairnsroadworks]

21 minutes ago, Patriot87003 said:

Well … work has gone crazy busy recently so progress with the layout and latest project is paused for now … however my birthday pressies from 2021 have finally arrived! 😁 Just unboxed and tested each 87 and each are very smooth runner, while no obvious QC issues to report so far. A few pics …

 

I couldn’t resist hooking the IC Exec liveried 87’s to a steel coil rake … over 10,000hp! I’ll renumber and rename one of them while probably keeping the other as 87009 City of Birmingham.

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully work will ease off in the next week or two to allow some progress to occur during the Easter break and beyond … while a few other pre-orders are on the horizon. I recently attended the Model Rail Scotland show and the forthcoming Heljan 86’s look good … 

 

 

 

The pair looks great. Now the million dollar question - does 87006 have black doors in model form?!

[Graham108]

Just a quick question out of curiosity - why is your 92 running with panto down yet the 87's are running with both up!

[Benjamin Brady]

The 87s on the steel look great, still an excellent layout and with all this wcml stock coming on line it's really adding to your layout. 

[Benjamin Brady]

The 87s on the steel look great, still an excellent layout and with all this wcml stock coming on line it's really adding to your layout. 

[Patriot87003]

5 hours ago, cairnsroadworks said:

The pair looks great. Now the million dollar question - does 87006 have black doors in model form?!

Thanks! To answer … yes, the cab doors and window surrounds do appear to be black on the model.

 

3 hours ago, Graham108 said:

Just a quick question out of curiosity - why is your 92 running with panto down yet the 87's are running with both up!

Oops; well spotted! With the 92 I took the pics as soon as the loco was placed on the layout … and before I read the instructions regarding how to unclip the pantograph! I had a quick try but didn’t want to force it to risk breaking. I’ve since learnt how to unclip the pan but not taken any pics since.

 

[cairnsroadworks]

10 hours ago, Patriot87003 said:

Thanks! To answer … yes, the cab doors and window surrounds do appear to be black on the model.

 

Oops; well spotted! With the 92 I took the pics as soon as the loco was placed on the layout … and before I read the instructions regarding how to unclip the pantograph! I had a quick try but didn’t want to force it to risk breaking. I’ve since learnt how to unclip the pan but not taken any pics since.

 

Thanks for the reply. Shame. The window surrounds should be black, the doors should be the same as the rest of the body. Never mind. Love the layout, keep the pics coming. 

[Rich Papper]

Just had a catch-up on this thread - what an awesome layout. I last had a read through after seeing the BRM article. I love how well you’ve tucked the storage sidings underneath to keep as much on the tracks as possible. Can’t help but feel there’s a career to be had as a contortionist to get in those gaps though!

Rich

[Patriot87003]

On 25/03/2023 at 07:17, Rich Papper said:

Just had a catch-up on this thread - what an awesome layout. I last had a read through after seeing the BRM article. I love how well you’ve tucked the storage sidings underneath to keep as much on the tracks as possible. Can’t help but feel there’s a career to be had as a contortionist to get in those gaps though!

Rich

Thanks Rich for the lovely comment … and yeah! Under the main layout can be cosy …  I’ve tried to make it as accessible as possible; knee pads are essential!

 

The layout now has 13 additional storage sidings! The project has included adding an infill baseboard, track laying, adding point motors and dropper wires and adding buffer stops. A few pictures of the progress below …

Three turnouts were inserted between the access lines to Yards 3 and 4. Surface mounted point motors were added due to baseboard frame position. Turnouts towards sidings 1 to 7 added, with the track to form sidings 1-3 laid.

Another view at the same stage …

The track to form sidings 4 to 7 was then laid …

An infill baseboard was installed adjacent to the access lines to Yard 4 …

Turnouts and track laid to form sidings 8 - 13. Clearances checked at each stage as well as length of each siding. Each can store a MK3 coach (23m long in real world), so should be long enough for even the longest of loco’s. A few spare offcuts of flexi track were joined.

 

Another view of sidings 8-13 from a different angle … buffers installed and glued in position on most of the sidings (a few to be bought and installed to complete). Not the smoothest of prettiest of track alignments but it’s functional and been tested and no problems so far.

Buffers also installed on sidings 1 to 6, while siding 7 is protected by the frame up to the main layout.

Under the board is a bit of a nest of wires at the moment with the dropper wires from each track and point motor! I’ve repositioned a few of the Lego Technic wiring holder pieces and re-glued.

 

Updating the control panel and completing the wiring will keep me busy for a while! 

[Patriot87003]

Quite a bit of progress has been made with wiring the new 13 loco sidings, with all the dropper wires for the track feeds connected. I have also updated the Yard 4 panel.

 

This pic is the original Yard 4 panel before modifications;

 

I used the Visio drawing software to design an update to include the new sidings with as minimal number of changes to the original switches and wiring.

 

I used spray mount to stick the print to the panel but unfortunately it has seemed to have gone off … and the paper was see through and awful! I then made another print and stuck on top using double sided tape and thankfully looks ok. I then used clear sticky-back plastic over the top. I also made a reverse print for the underside of the panel to help when wiring. It’s not the prettiest result, not helped by the spray mount issue … but as long as it works then I’ll be happy.

I began to drill holes for the switches for the points and isolating sections …

 

All of the switches installed and with the blue toggle covers …

 

With the switches installed, I’ve completed the bus wires for the point motor switches and isolating section switches, with 4 of the isolating switches wired so far, tested and working ok. 9 more to go, then it’s the turn to wire the point motors and diode matrix.

[Patriot87003]

With wiring the new loco sidings still progressing, a new loco has arrived to fill one of them! A bit of a random purchase as well …

 

Growing up in Croydon during the 1980’s saw the new Foster Yeoman Class 59’s head to Crawley on aggregate workings. My dad also took me to Stratford and Reading and was always impressive to the the silver 59’s in action; radically different to the traditional BR traction and liveries.

A 59 passes Selhurst Depot heading towards Norwood Junction (approaching Tennison Road bridge) during the early 1990s. I wish I had a better camera back then!

A 59 runs through Stratford station …

 

The new 59’s by Dapol look impressive and I had been tempted … but the resistance ended this week! So 59005 has arrived …

 

 

While the Foster Yeoman 59s were mainly confined to the west, east and south of London, I did travel aboard a mini-tour along the WCML between Crewe and Wigan NW during August 1995 as part of the Crewe Basford Hall open day event … so some justification!

 

A pic of 59003 and 59101 as the Pathfinder tour left Crewe to head back to Bristol TM …

[Patriot87003]

Time flies! Another busy few months have seemingly flown by with a mix of domesticated life and work that included a 7 week training course in Milton K. I did manage a 7 day rover ticket to have a few final trips aboard the Cross Country HST’s.

43007 and 43008 have a brief rest at Plymouth during the glorious weather, 3rd September 2023.

 

 

As for the layout, the wiring for the new Yard 4 loco sidings was successfully completed. The control panel working well with the LED lights installed to show position of the points for the new sidings;

 

The underside of the baseboard with the two diode matrix boards;

 

The new sidings begun to be used …

 

A few new arrivals to the layout have included an Accurascale Class 37 …

 

… also a couple of the Cavalex Class 56’s. I recorded a brief running session and this also shows that I did give in and buy a rake a Yeoman PTA’s that also compliment the Class 59 that arrived last year, also a rake of Cawoods.

Other developments inside the shed have included replacing the original fluorescent lights with new LED lights, also laying foam tiles on the floor to help these ageing knees and joints!

I’ve begun to plan the next mini-project for the layout. Will hope to commence in the coming weeks. In the meantime I’m looking forward to attending the Doncaster show on Saturday as well as a jolly to Model Rail Scotland, plus I’m vowing to have a few more running sessions this year!