Ayr Road

[jcarta]

Well another milestone has been reached on the rebuild, we have completed all the track work and commissioned all the point servo's and frog juicers so technically we can run some trains. Until Ray found that the double slip at Knowmoor was not moving as it should so he removed it, took it home and decided to rebuild the point blade movement and returned it the following day and all is well with it, mind you it was a pig to re-fit.

 

 

We then tested the railway by using his Jinty to see if we had any dead sections, we even ran his Jinty at very slow speed just to see if we could get it stuck somewhere. It ran like a dream and we were even more impressed that we hadn't cleaned the track for about 2 weeks and it happily chuffed around.

 

Jinty passing through Oldbrook Junc

 

 

Next up will be to install the signalling around the layout and once again Ray has started on the knowmoor panel, which will be removable when the railway is not in use so no one bangs into it and hurting themselves.

 

 

Jim

Edited September 23, 2020 by jcarta

[Ray H]

The woodwork to hold the console has (today) had three coats of (water based) varnish, designed for interior use. It should be enough to stop the MDF core getting damp and swelling.

 

There's an NCE mini-panel inside the console which accounts for the black flat ribbon cable coming out of the side. That will connect to the control bus via a twin female to single female RJ12 connector with the throttle connected to the vacant socket.

 

The control bus cable tucks away into a weatherproof box when the railway's not in use.

Edited September 23, 2020 by Ray H

[jcarta]

Thanks buddy..... really appreciate your assistance 

[jcarta]

Coming home from work today I had a nice surprise ...... sitting on platform 4 at Euston.... 40145 

 

 

 

 

[jcarta]

Not a huge amount happening at the moment due to the great British weather so it has been spent indoors doing other things. My mate Ray has been kept busy and keeping off the streets by building my Easy build Carflat and a fine job he has done too. I have another one on order for him to complete  along with some Wayoh bogies to build for a couple of Westdale MKII coaches that I have recently acquired. I have ordered up some decals for the Carflats and once in place then it will go back to Ray for the dinghams to be fitted.

 

 

After a lick of paint today she now looks like this

 

 

Tomorrow I will start to weather the underside and once the decals arrive and in place the I'll weather the whole vehicle.

[jcarta]

The decals arrived and have been duly fitted to the carflat and another set is waiting for the second one when Ray builds it. This morning after a spot of weathering it is was running up and down the layout with the assistance of a Class 40.

 

 

 

So its now back to Ray for the dingham couplings to be fitted.

 

Edited October 25, 2020 by jcarta

[Hal Nail]

On 23/10/2020 at 15:41, jcarta said:

I have another one on order for him to complete  along with some Wayoh bogies to build for a couple of Westdale MKII coaches that I have recently acquired. 

I do like that carflat.

 

Did your Wayoh bogies turn up? I've just got some GWR 9 foot Americans and the cast sides are a different wheelbase to the brass etch (the sides are in between 8 and 9 foot). I've got in touch with where I bought them but just interested if that's normal?

 

Are the carflat bogies Wayoh or the Easy builds own?

Edited October 30, 2020 by Hal Nail

[jcarta]

The Wayoh bogies were part of a Westdale kit (B4 Bogies) Wheels supplied by Shawn & Richard of Easybuild. 

 

The Caflat is also part of Easybuilds repertoire and the kit builds into a great representative of the real item. 

 

Jim 

[jcarta]

Well a month has passed and not a lot to report on the outside part of the railway so I have turned to the building side.....

 

Ray has built a second carflat for me and that has since been through the paint shop and the decals have just been attached so I will hopefully get a picture in the next few days.

 

A couple of weeks ago I managed to purchase off a well known auction site two Westdale MKII's coaches at an extremely good price so I have started to build the carcasses of each one so they can go through the paint shop together in the near future. 

 

 

 

So next step will be to start on the interior then onto the window frames and door furniture, that should keep me quite for a few weeks.

 

Jim

 

[pwr]

I'll be interested to see how these pan out. I have a couple of the old Parkin versions to do at some point.

 

I am after getting one of the new EasyBuild MK1 Pullmans. There were usually two of the Parlour seconds re-designated open firsts in the Harwich boat trains painted in blue/grey livery. These also had a MK1 RMB in  which were the only trains on the GE that  didn't have the full restaurant car.

 

They say you revert to modelling what you saw in your youth and I couldn't agree more although my main intertest is in the 1950's GE steam. So why am I just about to embark on building a model of APT-E in 7mm!

 

Paul R

[Captain Cuttle]

17 hours ago, jcarta said:

Well a month has passed and not a lot to report on the outside part of the railway so I have turned to the building side.....

 

Ray has built a second carflat for me and that has since been through the paint shop and the decals have just been attached so I will hopefully get a picture in the next few days.

 

A couple of weeks ago I managed to purchase off a well known auction site two Westdale MKII's coaches at an extremely good price so I have started to build the carcasses of each one so they can go through the paint shop together in the near future. 

 

 

 

So next step will be to start on the interior then onto the window frames and door furniture, that should keep me quite for a few weeks.

 

Jim

 

Jim,

I remember when he first bought these out, i always hankered after a corridor first in Southern greeen but he didnt do that variant. I like the roof etches, very prototypical, pity JLTRT didnt do them on thier Mk 2s.

[jcarta]

3 hours ago, pwr said:

 

They say you revert to modelling what you saw in your youth and I couldn't agree more although my main intertest is in the 1950's GE steam. So why am I just about to embark on building a model of APT-E in 7mm!

 

Paul R

 

Paul

 

I'm with you on that one ..... A nice APT running around but I don't think my mate Ray will be too happy constructing the large amount of catenary that I will have to have..... Then I would need a couple of 76's so that will need to be another branch that I will require and then I have to look at getting the odd Classes 81 - 90's...

 

Jim

[jcarta]

1 hour ago, Captain Cuttle said:

Jim,

I remember when he first bought these out, i always hankered after a corridor first in Southern greeen but he didnt do that variant. I like the roof etches, very prototypical, pity JLTRT didnt do them on thier Mk 2s.

 Afternoon Alan

 

I hope all is well with you and that the railway is keeping you on your toes. I haven't really looked at the JLTRT ones but I wish I had purchased one before PW left the scene as they seem to have doubled in price.

 

Jim

[Ray H]

2 hours ago, jcarta said:

..... A nice APT running around but I don't think my mate Ray will be too happy constructing the large amount of catenary that I will have to have..... 

 

Jim

 

When did you say you were thinking of moving up north?

 

[jcarta]

3 minutes ago, Ray H said:

 

When did you say you were thinking of moving up north?

 

 

I'm sure I mention 'we' 

[pwr]

3 hours ago, jcarta said:

 

Paul

 

I'm with you on that one ..... A nice APT running around but I don't think my mate Ray will be too happy constructing the large amount of catenary that I will have to have..... Then I would need a couple of 76's so that will need to be another branch that I will require and then I have to look at getting the odd Classes 81 - 90's...

 

Jim

 

 

Jim

 

Its OK APT-E was powered by Gas Turbines. It was the P Train that was tested on WCML

 

Paul R

[jcarta]

11 minutes ago, pwr said:

 

 

Jim

 

Its OK APT-E was powered by Gas Turbines. It was the P Train that was tested on WCML

 

Paul R

 Doh..... Brain fade 

 

I still like the idea of an APT-P  but I suppose I'll have to settle for an HST when it arrives from KMS

 

Jim

[pwr]

1 hour ago, jcarta said:

 Doh..... Brain fade 

 

I still like the idea of an APT-P  but I suppose I'll have to settle for an HST when it arrives from KMS

 

Jim

 

I've taken a punt on the KMS version. Did I see somewhere they are partnering with Cavalex?

 

Paul R

[jcarta]

You are correct, it is on their website

 

'KMS Railtech are excited to be launch partners of Cavalex Models'

 

I'm not sure how far they have got with the HST but I feel it's going to be quite a big seller providing it's priced right.

 

Jim

[pwr]

13 minutes ago, jcarta said:

You are correct, it is on their website

 

'KMS Railtech are excited to be launch partners of Cavalex Models'

 

I'm not sure how far they have got with the HST but I feel it's going to be quite a big seller providing it's priced right.

 

Jim

 

Which is probably why its a good move not to partner with Heljan!

 

Paul R

[jcarta]

Over the past day or so I have managed to spend the odd hour or so furthering the build of the MK2. I have started on the interior seats so these will need to be vanished and then start on the tables followed by the guards area.

 

I have also started putting some of the door furniture on one side and my plan is to do the over side in the next day or so. I am not going to use the floor that comes with the kit but to replace this with a nice piece of 3mm oak that I found online in a hobby shop.

 

 

 

Jim

 

Edited December 4, 2020 by jcarta

[pwr]

For a basic kit these aren't half bad.

 

Paul R

[jcarta]

The MKII's are sitting on the bench following some filling and rubbing down and both have been given a coat of primer in readiness for a coat of blue.

 

In the meantime I spent my time wisely looking through the world wide web looking for bargains and lo and behold I found some. First up was a Class 25, reduced to sale and the only thing wrong with it was the grills on each side had come unstuck and needed re-attaching.

 

 

Second bargain. a Class 33 sadly in green but I already had one in this colour so I thought why not . It was also advertised with damage, hence the reduced price ....As I read on only the damage was a set of buffers had broken in half so onto the Gaugemaster web site and some new ones duly purchased at a mere £1.... Result

 

 

 

[jcarta]

With all this hard work done trawling the world wide web I had been thinking what to do with yet another green Class 33. Well it's obvious. it will need stripping back to basics and will be repainted into good old BR blue and probably in the guise of 33056 'The Burma Star'.

 

Last night out came the paint stripper and the loco body submerged and left overnight. This morning whilst 'er indoors is wanting to play Mrs Christmas with the decorations I carried on with scrubbing the paint off and now after a final warm soapy bath the loco now looks like this.

 

 

Well worth spending the extra time scrubbing it clean...... I hope the kitchen sink comes up this clean now I finished making a mess.

 

 

[gismorail]

On 23/10/2020 at 15:41, jcarta said:

Not a huge amount happening at the moment due to the great British weather so it has been spent indoors doing other things. My mate Ray has been kept busy and keeping off the streets by building my Easy build Carflat and a fine job he has done too. I have another one on order for him to complete  along with some Wayoh bogies to build for a couple of Westdale MKII coaches that I have recently acquired. I have ordered up some decals for the Carflats and once in place then it will go back to Ray for the dinghams to be fitted.

 

 

After a lick of paint today she now looks like this

 

 

Tomorrow I will start to weather the underside and once the decals arrive and in place the I'll weather the whole vehicle.

Love the Triumph Dolimite Sprint .....a very rapid car back in the day