Jump to content
 

BLACKNEY, a Glimpse of the Forest


westerner
 Share

Recommended Posts

I have done it that way John, but I was interested to find out how the Sling Branch was worked, Primarily as it was on a steep grade. It was basically run as a 1200yd siding with a loop at the end so that when working down the brake van would be behind the loco, Although when wagons were dropped or picked up at the last industry nearest the junction there was a certain amount of gravity movement. I find the way I've operated in the above photos slightly easier but still interesting. I'm afraid rule 1 comes in and it was a prototypical way of working on at least one part of the Forest lines.

  • Like 3
  • Agree 1
  • Informative/Useful 1
  • Interesting/Thought-provoking 1
  • Friendly/supportive 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, westerner said:

I was interested to find out how the Sling Branch was worked

The Sling branch is an especially interesting part of the old F-o-D network, not least because it started out as a tramway, so was never fenced in,unlike most of Britain's railway routes. 

  • Like 1
  • Agree 1
  • Informative/Useful 5
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Not posted for a couple of weeks as Nothing was happening to the railway, however having received  a Slaters ex-LNER/BR brake van I am in the middle of putting it together. Not a kit I would recommend for a total beginner. there appears to be no instructions or diagrams as to how the brake gear actually goes together , luckily it wont be seen very clearly behind the footboards and  I don't run my stock upside down. I've had to look at other kit instructions as to how the wheels and W irons go to together. I'll show photos of progress later.

  • Like 3
  • Agree 1
  • Friendly/supportive 8
Link to post
Share on other sites

Progress has been made on the Brake van. I can't say I was impressed with the lack of guidance on the brake gear supplied by Slaters. Although I made some effort at putting it on after looking at loads of photos on Paul Bartlett site and not really seeing any thing under the chassis from side views. I decided to leave what I had done alone. As I said in my last post it is a layout wagon, not a showcase one (I don't think I could ever do that), and I don't run my wagons upside down. Rather like my art teacher said. Paint or draw (or in this case model) what you can see, not what you know is there.

 

The chassis

179676232_brakevan1(1).jpg.3e562cbfb03e2225e4c93f7945fac56a.jpg

 

The body bits

804513369_brakevan2.jpg.15420869f794eeabb8f1f7c74b72b913.jpg

 

The body roughly placed on the chassis

brake_van_3.png.0366732ba95bb983331ad9b0011efbf1.png

 

Still much to do, footboard brackets and footboards, hand rails. painting and weathering. I'm taking it slowly to make the build last.

 

 

  • Like 17
  • Round of applause 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

I'll second that. I really like the weathering on the boarding and duckets, it's a case of less is more and took me back to being about 12 and climbing all over the rows of brake vans dumped on storage sidings in Leicester. I see a lot of things that are so heavily weathered, they look more like the wreck of the Mary Rose.

  • Agree 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

  • westerner changed the title to A change of Size and direction, A new name, BLACKNEY, a Glimpse of the Forest

Must admit I've never been over happy with the name of the layout as the Blakeney never had a passenger station, indeed it was one siding with a goods shed. And as the scenery developed and I was using bits from all over the Forest of Dean it became more of a problem for me. So after much thought over many weeks I decided to change the name to BLACKNEY, why Blackney, well the stream that ran alongside part of the line was known as Blackpool Brook, so combining that with Blakeney gave me the new name.

  • Like 10
Link to post
Share on other sites

I thought Blakeney was just fine, a nice 'might have been' alternative reality. But each to their own; I know I've spent ages sometimes racking my brain cell to come up with a name for a layout that I'll be happy with. Other people always seem to have better ideas!!!

 

 

Link to post
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

One of he problems I faced operating Blackney was the 3 link couplings, whilst occasionally I could couple or uncouple in a matter of seconds with a an un-coupler made of bent wire, sometimes it could take several minutes (or that's what it felt like) and it rather took the fun out of playing oops operating the layout. Then on another forum I saw a post by Capt. K. about how he made a magnetic un-coupler with one of those tiny strong magnets.  It was like the curtain had lifted. The only problem was that nearly all my stock has/had brass (ie non magnetic) 3links. I decide to make some as I had some 1mm iron wire. 

First make a jig using on of the Parkside links Basiclly 2 small panel pins in a piece of wood, one with the head cut off to be able to get the link off.

800227928_3l1e.jpg.283951a797d044bebc64cec9dbda88c9.jpg

 

The wire was then bent round the first nail using fingers and pliers.

959567465_3L2e.jpg.5099529f4a03004e5517732719476644.jpg

 

Then further wrapping with fingers but mainly pliers. until a loop had been formed.

 

1385719110_3L3e.jpg.c9766fb6309f92291f1c43e795d6e272.jpg

 

Then slip off the jig and cut through the overlap leaving a single link.

 

1074777109_3L4e.jpg.546c2c0db98464aa05cd0d2a660ff489.jpg

 

Amazingly within a tad they are the same size as the Parkside ones. 

 

Now to order the magnets and some brass tubing. I'll let you know how I get on.

 

 

 

  • Like 10
  • Craftsmanship/clever 2
Link to post
Share on other sites

I've seen these magnets in use on US diesel models to connect the air hoses and wondered if you could do the same to connect vac hoses on UK models. You would need a flexible hose such as that produced by Slaters but see no reason why it couldn't be done.

 

I am going to use some small magnets under my Freightliner flats and fix some steel washers under the container (there is room) and hopefully this will keep them in place.

 

Paul r

  • Like 8
  • Interesting/Thought-provoking 1
Link to post
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...