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Burchill Edge Sidings - BR Blue Carriage/NPCCS Sidings, with a nod to Manchester Red Bank & Bristol Malago Vale


9C85
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5 hours ago, 9C85 said:

I did most of my rail travelling between 1986 and 1992 - perhaps I should pay homage to that era a bit more?

 

Careful with 1986 onwards - things can get really stripey!

 

2 hours ago, 9C85 said:

Does anyone know of a manufacturer who produces BR brake vans with NEM coupler pockets?... I would need to fit Kadees to it and I would prefer to use the plugin variety rather than have to perform plastic surgery.

 

I have a couple of Bachmann CAR type that are NEM pocket fitted, including one of a former Temple Meads one (that I once had a ride in along platform 5!), albeit in RES livery. I bought that at least 15 years ago so I'd imagine most available now will be fitted with a similar chassis and pocket.

 

Rich

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9 hours ago, 9C85 said:

Interesting idea, so which bits are used from each model? (Please excuse my ignorance)

Body and chassis from the Lima, bogies, driveshafts and motor from the Hornby. You can use the Hornby battery box or modify the Lima one. If you want a pre HGR loco, there is more bits you can reuse off the Hornby one (buffer beams for example).

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On 12/11/2020 at 21:35, 9C85 said:

 

 

20201112_203416.jpg.8b957f246b454216000721134d456148.jpg

 

 

Weird.  I have had this loco for four months and I was sure that when I first got it, the Kadee couplings I fitted to it were at the  correct height.  This evening, I have had a mini shunting session and noticed that the delayed action uncoupling wasn't working. Closer inspection reveals that the coupling is a good 2mm above where it should be.

When I first got the loco, I was aware that some early Bachmann Peaks had non-standard height NEM pockets, but I remember being quite relieved when I got the loco and things looked OK. Perhaps I  have just been convincing myself that everything was alright?

I am not sure what to do about it... I put quite a bit of effort into changing the livery from the white roof and stripes, then weathering it, and I have seen fixes for adapting the couplings to the correct height, but I may just take the opportunity to treat this as my first loco upgrade, sell it, and put the proceeds towards another loco.

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I am at another impasse. I recently got an unexpected bonus at work and thought I should use at least some of it to treat myself to something trivial ie something for the layout. 

I have been toying with the idea of getting sound fitted to another loco - the prime candidate being the Class 25. I am even at a point where I think I will have a go at fitting it myself. 

The main stumbling block is cost - there were some sound-fitted 25s on Ebay last week which went for around or not much more than the cost of a chip, so do I keep searching for bargains or do I bite the bullet? Also, my 25 doesn't have any lighting, so I would probably still be looking to trade it in at some point. 

The other slight issue is that I have noticed that if I have my 47 running with sound on, after a while of it idling away in the sidings (which happens a lot) I have to turn it off as it gets annoying - and believe me, the sound of a 47 is one of my favourite sounds ever.

I have also noticed that I enjoy the sound of the stock being shunted over the rail joints and this is more noticeable when there's no loco sound.

So, for the cost of a sound chip, I could probably get a second hand Heljan 33 to complete my loco line up and if, by some miracle I get another unexpected bonus from somewhere, I could use that to upgrade to a fully sound fitted fleet. 

No doubt that by the time I have decided what to do, my little windfall will have been swallowed up by everyday outgoings. 

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I’ve noticed that locos not is use have to be turned off too, despite really liking their sound. I think this is because they become ‘white noise’ when you’re not focusing on them. I thought having a few locos idling away on shed would be fantastic, but it’s really quite annoying unless you are actively focussing in it. I still love the sound each loco makes when moving though and I find running without sound a bit 2 dimensional now; there is a balance between loco volume and track noise to be found, which varies on acoustics and train speed (I have CV63 usually set to 75% - normally 90). 


Sound fitting a 25 (and the lights) is fairly easy, so don’t restrict yourself to a prefitted one. 
 

I have just found a new joy in the sound of an 85 - have a listen on my thread and you’ll be dreaming of putting the wires up!

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I was late to the party regarding AC electrics but will never forget my first day at Crewe in 1979. 

I think an 86 'City of Stoke-on-Trent ' was my first cop but there were so many that day. I believe I saw at least one member from every class from 81 to 87 that day. There was even a rumour that the APT might have been out , but it didn't turn up.

I have mentioned before about having at least the yard reception road  'on the juice'.

 

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  • 5 weeks later...

It's more or less a month since I posted anything on this thread. All I can say is that I have been super-busy dealing with several DIY projects and family health issues and have had no time to even operate the layout, let alone write about it.

However, this evening I popped into the garage to put something away and managed to grab a 5 minute shunting session.  It was a simple drag of the Pullman stock from one siding and dropping it into another with the 08 as motive power.

Considering that the layout and loco have stood idle for a month and neither the track nor wheels cleaned, I am pleased to say that everything worked perfectly, including the Kadee Delayed-action uncoupling. 

I hope that I will be able to get some more sessions in over the coming weeks. 

I have a few items of stock that need weathering and I hope to get back into that now that the weather is warmer.

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  • 2 weeks later...

20210503_155524.jpg.3d4248f7494ff3e2c200ea15589fd337.jpg

 

Another two weeks go by without anything happening on the layout.  I managed to get an hour's session in this afternoon though. There's plenty still to do on the layout but I am still building a 12 inch to the foot scale shed for my daughter, which is consuming what little spare time I have.

 

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17 hours ago, 9C85 said:

20210503_155524.jpg.3d4248f7494ff3e2c200ea15589fd337.jpg

 

Another two weeks go by without anything happening on the layout.  I managed to get an hour's session in this afternoon though. There's plenty still to do on the layout but I am still building a 12 inch to the foot scale shed for my daughter, which is consuming what little spare time I have.

 

Sometimes it’s nice to have a running session without making any tangible process. I find a schedule is useful so that you can pick up and drop off around other jobs and distractions. 

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38 minutes ago, 61656 said:

Sometimes it’s nice to have a running session without making any tangible process. I find a schedule is useful so that you can pick up and drop off around other jobs and distractions. 

 

I have a chalkboard in the garage with long term 'jobs' on it that I listed at some point last year.

I have just nipped in to check and it says 'left end scenic break, point control, control panel '. I am yet to start any of these jobs :O

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4 hours ago, 9C85 said:

 

I have a chalkboard in the garage with long term 'jobs' on it that I listed at some point last year.

I have just nipped in to check and it says 'left end scenic break, point control, control panel '. I am yet to start any of these jobs :O

Potentially we are talking about slightly different things. I have an operating schedule (timetable) that I do little bits of each time I have a running session. 
 

I also have a ‘to do’ list. Units of measurement are Ice Ages. 

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Still better than my list.

 

It says on mine "build a model railway" and not even started yet. Having kids got in the way.

 

And sometimes i would not swap them, others they would be free to any home lol.

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21 hours ago, 61656 said:

Potentially we are talking about slightly different things. I have an operating schedule (timetable) that I do little bits of each time I have a running session. 
 

I also have a ‘to do’ list. Units of measurement are Ice Ages. 

Ah, I get what you mean.

 

I usually look at what's in the sidings and what's in the storage yard and see what I feel like moving from one to t'other.

 

I don't have a set working timetable as yet, but I do try to make it as prototypical as possible by having light engine movements corresponding to the stock moves involving the station pilot.

 

Yesterday I felt like emptying the yard of the passenger stock and concentrating on having it littered with grimy NPCCS.

 

I do intend to introduce more operating interest by using a 'random consist generator'* to put together my mail/'papers trains.

 

*either a deck of cards or a bingo machine

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I can understand what you mean about trying to keep operations as realistic as possible.

 

As I recall places like Malago Vale would be full of passenger stock overnight, then empty out

from about 05.00 onwards as stock enters service. The empty newsvans would then take their place,

while the NPCCS would also arrive, or spend the day in the west sidings by Bristol West Junction.

Around lunchtime the empty newsvans would go back to Old Oak, while empty parcels vans would go up to Temple Meads in the early evening to be replaced by the passenger stock as the evening service diminished, ready to start all over again.

I imagine you would need a lot of fiddle yard capacity to effectively clear the yard of passenger stock. 

 

cheers

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 05/05/2021 at 14:09, Rivercider said:

I imagine you would need a lot of fiddle yard capacity to effectively clear the yard of passenger stock.

 

Thanks for the info. That's basically what I try to replicate if I ever feel like a 'structured' running session. I decide if it's morning or evening and move stuff around accordingly. I eventually plan to install tower floodlights to enhance the evening vibe.

 

I have got three storage sidings in the hidden section, each of which holds a loco and six GUVs. I have also got the fiddle yard headshunt (also hidden) which can hold the same plus another loco, so that could be used to turn a train immediately if need be. 

 

I effectively have four storage sidings in the yard with the two peripheral sidings being the exchange siding and the fuelling point headshunt respectively.  There is room on the fuel point headshunt for probably 3 locos to be stabled there and still allow access to the fuel point.  I envisaged having two or three 31s burbling away in between turns. I currently use it to park coaching stock in need of fitter's attention.

 

The layout is taking a back seat at the moment, but I have just about finished the shed for my daughter at last.

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  • 1 month later...

Another reason for my lack of activity could be that a month or so ago I finally upgraded my Windows Vista pc for a 'gaming' spec Windows 10 affair, built by my clever nephew. 

The first thing I did was install Train Sim World on it and, lo and behold, it's got a Trans Pennine route, set in the rail blue era, including Manchester Victoria,  Red Bank sidings, and Newton Heath depot.

The locos on the route are a Peak , a 47 and a Class 101 DMU. I have also downloaded an add on including an 08 and a 40.

There's a few Newspaper shunt workings in the timetable,  but the rolling stock is limited to early Mk2 and BG coaches, all in blue/grey livery. If someone creates a GUV add on, then that would be nice.

I have to say that, having been underwhelmed by  Microsoft Train Simulator many years ago, Train Sim World is excellent. Whoever worked on the Trans Pennine route obviously knows their stuff.

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2 hours ago, 9C85 said:

Another reason for my lack of activity could be that a month or so ago I finally upgraded my Windows Vista pc for a 'gaming' spec Windows 10 affair, built by my clever nephew. 

The first thing I did was install Train Sim World on it and, lo and behold, it's got a Trans Pennine route, set in the rail blue era, including Manchester Victoria,  Red Bank sidings, and Newton Heath depot.

The locos on the route are a Peak , a 47 and a Class 101 DMU. I have also downloaded an add on including an 08 and a 40.

There's a few Newspaper shunt workings in the timetable,  but the rolling stock is limited to early Mk2 and BG coaches, all in blue/grey livery. If someone creates a GUV add on, then that would be nice.

I have to say that, having been underwhelmed by  Microsoft Train Simulator many years ago, Train Sim World is excellent. Whoever worked on the Trans Pennine route obviously knows their stuff.

A good friend of mine has it and it looks excellent. The quality is amazing. I really need to avoid it!

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I have now downloaded the Tees Valley Route complete with Triple Grey 37/5 , Railfreight coil carriers and coal hoppers. A bit later than my 'real' model layout era but it's an impressive piece of engineering including Lackenby steelworks,  Tees yard and Thornaby depot (albeit mostly derelict).

It's made me rethink my need for sound on my layout.  Having grown up in South Wales in the 70s & 80s, I have never wanted a 37 on my layout as I wanted something different from my everyday experiences. However, the sounds on the PC sim are absolutely superb and benefit from being heard through decent quality speakers/headphones, as opposed to a  phone speaker. The 37 and 08 are particularly good. It's not just the locos either- the wagons creak and clank as they speed up/slow down and the track joint sounds are accurate over turnouts etc.

So I can get my sound fix on the virtual layout and have my real layout whenever I need a shunting puzzle to sort out.

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 months later...

20211002_173235.jpg.611fa3c9b90a590fe0c6943dd535882d.jpg

It appears to be five months since I have touched the layout.  I have been in the garage quite a bit, but playing on my electronic drum kit. I have been getting my train fix from the PC simulator. I have also relaid my lawn and this time it has a 'gravel' (it's ballast but keep it quiet) border. I hope to get either an SM32 or G scale layout built in the garden next year, with a live steam loco if I am lucky.  I had a steam loco driving experience gift at Sherwood Forest Railway in the summer.  It was the second one I have had there and I loved it.

As for Burchill Edge Sidings, I have just had an hour shunting session on it (after a drum practise) and I was quite pleased with how most things worked.  It obviously needs a clean - especially the 08's wheels, but the bigger locos ran smoothly considering the lay off they've had. I don't know if I will get back into working on the layout again.  It works as a therapeutic shunting session provider and I am happy with that at the moment. I might get round to weathering the remaining 'clean' stock at some point.  Hope you're all well. 

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