"Hawkesbury" - the engine shed area is no more.....

[Chimer]

My photo, found the building (in Haytor Vale on Dartmoor) 

 

Just been waiting for an excuse to post it .....

[halsey]

The scene continues to grow.................

 

Praise once more for Metcalfe - the shop fronts are a very rewarding kit and I think the terrace looks just right.

 

Have I said I bought an airbrush and accessories over Christmas so weathering is going to be a big part of 2022!

 

Cheers

[Chimer]

You need the obligatory fence, to try to keep out the 13 year-old-me, clutching my trainspotter's notebook ....

[halsey]

Getting there I think - nicely busy - lots of chimneys need making and fitting now - not a job I enjoy so why did I save it up leaving app 100 to do in one go! 

 

Edit - phew new photos - chimneys all done - its surprising the difference it makes.

 

 

Edited February 6, 2022 by halsey
update

[halsey]

I've just taken delivery of a gaugemaster/piko track cleaning wagon and I can't believe the result from one circuit of my loop - on what I thought was pretty clean track!

 

 

[halsey]

Hi there - here are my 009 "experiment" conclusions (as apply to me!) - not intended to offend 009 fans in any way.

 

It was well worth the experiment and has provided a lot of fun BUT its not for me - the element I have developed on Hawkesbury will stay as I do like it BUT as a scale it isn't for me and it won't be developed further - I find the general "handling" of rolling stock extremely fiddly - the running qualities even across brand new turnouts with brand new locos (even when they run properly!) are IMHO poor and jerky - as my 009 element isn't a loop, track cleaning is a pain so the trade off to enable me to eliminate my bridge simply isn't worth it - one day I will have to build an "end to end" OO when I can no longer get under or acceptably use the bridge lift out and for now that is simply another project to look forward to.

 

I think its a great scale if you enjoy scenic modelling as you are effectively still modelling in OO but IMHO its not as appealing if operating trains is your thing esp if shunting wagons turns you on.

 

More debate coming I hope as this was in part undertaken to help others with scale decisions - its a shame all the pictures of the project have been lost but such is life.

 

Cheers

 

J 

 

 

[Chimer]

I just had a scamper through and as Andy Y promised, the older pictures seem to be coming back here and there - if there's anything pictorial I posted recently that you'd like to see again, I can probably find the originals.

 

So .... end to end 00 in that space without duckunders.  That'll be fun .... one day 🙂

[halsey]

1 hour ago, Chimer said:

I just had a scamper through and as Andy Y promised, the older pictures seem to be coming back here and there - if there's anything pictorial I posted recently that you'd like to see again, I can probably find the originals.

 

So .... end to end 00 in that space without duckunders.  That'll be fun .... one day 🙂

 

One day.............but not anytime soon!

 

No pictures need replacing I can think of - its a shame esp as just before the debacle Andy and I were talking about my "attachments" and how I could save them.

 

Some of my stuff which didn't show first off is coming back slowly so I guess we will have to be patient

 

Time to move on....summer is fast approaching and I have two new R/C Yachts built by yours truly to play with (one of which is pictured) and (having part ex'd last years smaller "trial" model) a new slightly bigger RIB (4m) with a slightly bigger outboard (15HP) to move it through the water and rescue said yachts when the River Severn gets the better of them.

 

All good here - and hopefully its the same at your end.

 

A long overdue question..............you are undoubtedly a great contributor to members layouts but what is the timescale (if any) for your own layout adventures or are you happy living vicariously 😀

 

Keep smiling

 

J

 

 

Edited April 9, 2022 by halsey

[halsey]

Here is an update just to show I'm still alive even though I remain disappointed so many threads have lost their value due to loss of pictures........

 

My new lift out section (see other thread) remains the best £200 I have spent on the layout as it has enabled the retention of the current "round the room" layout philosophy which to me is/was very important

 

The 009 running issues seem to have been completely solved by firstly selling/returning the locos which were never going to run properly and retaining in a velvet glove the one loco which runs like a dream

 

Also the frog juicers have worked 100% - my thanks to Coastal for selling me one on sale or return to show their faith in them - don't ask me how they work but they do!

 

In an attempt to revive my interest/spirits here is the beginning of the remodel of the engine shed area - why did I decide to do it?? - my age/dexterity is getting in the way of "hand of god" movements (and re-railing steam locos) so I wanted to remove a good proportion of the layout devoted to goods movements - for me this has already worked and additionally provided some fresh modelling opportunities.

 

This is still very embryonic but IMHO it is looking good so far...................

 

If you review the attached plan I have linked the headshunt and the turnout on the LH "end" of the bridge to add another "loop" modelled as a one way branch "through" station and then used the main line feed to the loco shed as the feed to the new docks edge which will be a simple runaround single track arrangement

 

Cheers - I can't believe its been a year since my last post - thankfully a pretty good one!

 

Update photo attached

 

 

 

 

Edited March 26, 2023 by halsey
update

[halsey]

Just a couple more pics as this evolves - I'm very pleased I made the changes and its given me fresh impetus to do more - you can just see the beginning of my first fencing attempts (post and wire) 

 

Thanks for looking

 

J

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by halsey