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Coalorsdale - A shropshire Branchline - 1965 to 71


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I forgot to post yesterday, I've gotten two more signals in and working meaning I only have the signals for the bottom of the Incline to install. 

 

I also did some keyhole surgery.

 

The point in the tunnel was the last one on dcc that didn't have a spring, and was therefore a bit hit and miss. Trying to avoid cutting the entire tunnel open (again) I pulled the oak tree out and widened the hole at its base. 

 

This allowed me to see the point, and using a tiny screwdriver and a set of  reverse tweezers with my arm through the tunnel entrance, I eventually managed to get a spring in the point. 

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19 hours ago, Horsehay Railway Modeller said:

would it be feasible for the post to be burried in the embankment ? as seen above

We did occasionally have to put signals in awkward places. Even on an electrified line with colour lights I put in a signal where there was less than  a foot of cover over an underground obstruction. I just cast a concrete block either side of it with two steel beams attached, fixed the signal to those and a rigid bar attached to the post was anchored in a retaining wall.

To put your signal closer to the tunnel on that side would mean you wouldn't see the main arm. Not planting it in the bank would mean a very expensive retaining wall to get clearance for the left-hand bracket. You would probably need a Gallows Bracket or a gantry with the dolls hanging down as favoured by the LNWR to do any better. 

All that would be needed on a secondary line would be to put the post in a deep hole and put some stays into the bank to stop it from falling towards the track.

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I've gotten all of the signals in, I've left the junction signal for now as I was struggling to get it mounted and the mechanism working, so I may ommit it after all. 

 

At some point I need to ballast the new crossover and blend in the bases of all the signals. 

 

I'm thinking of doing some more scratch building / kit making to mix things up for a bit. Hopefully I'll make some progress on the station building. I'm also considering a pagoda as a lockup in the gap opposite the signal box 20210213_185626.jpg.e3c6ed9b5b18934626d708165a7ef680.jpg

 

Here's an older picture showing the cutout I'm thinking of adding the pagoda in  (opposite the box) .  It's not based on anything, but I thought it might look good? 20210119_141110.jpg.123d63952a16e1a169b838b32ab68193.jpg

Edited by Horsehay Railway Modeller
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Im just working on the drawings for the station building. the external dimensions and doors and windows are all relativeley accurate, based on photographs and google earth etc.  

 

Ive yet to find an origional drawing or photos of the inside. does anyone know roughly what the layout is. i may be missing an internall wall or two.

 

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 Now I've fitted a kadee to the first wagon d365 can be seen hauling the empty cemflos from the construction at the powerstation. 

 

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Seen here waiting for the local passenger to leave the platform. 

 

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And Continuing the journey up to the mainline at wellington. 

 

 I need to add a few different wagons and a brake to complete this train but I think it will stay as a set once complete. 

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I had a few hours spare this morning so I've ballasted another section of the Incline. 

 

Half is covering old ballast that needed re doing and the other is fresh. 

 

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I've also been pondering the works. 

I'm happy with the mock ups for the main building and the low relief warehouse  at the end of the tracks. 

 

However I'm not sure in the front building. 

 

It's a large area so I feel like there should be a building crammed in, but I'm not sure it looks right. Any ideas? 

 

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Today I spent a few hours creating work for myself and over engineering a solution to a very minor annoyance. 

 

Now I have dcc control in the storage tracks I can dispatch different sets through the station and even swap locos from the loco sidings.

 

However I realised that although this adds operational interest, it can be quite disruptive when I'm sat in any of my chairs comfortably (usually with my chosen beverage) , and I have to stand up and walk to somewhere I can see the storage yard and marks for uncoupling magnets etc. 

 

It's a hard life I know :jester:

 

My initial idea was a mirror, like those for turning off driveways, however I soon found that a cctv camera was cheaper (only £14 !) 

 

Long story Long. I have :

 

Installed a cctv camera connected to the TV, moved the mimic panel to just below the TV, wired up a blue led strip for 'night running'. 

 

Now I can sit comfortably in my armchair and dispatch trains from offscene, whilst 'trainspotting'  the station or viaduct. 

 

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Sorry for the phone photos Im sure I will take some on the camera at some point. 

 

 

 

 

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I'm just working on some planning for the section behind the Incline. I have an image in my head of a road running past a few cottages and a small field. 

 

I'm no artist but here is a sketch. 

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And my 1:1 template. 

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I only have 50mm of deoth. And I'm bit unsure whether to use photos for the cottages, or half relief buildings. I feel like half relief buildings will make the space crammed. But I'm not sure photos will look 3d enough. Any advice? 

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Hi David, I’ve spent a very pleasant hour catching up with this thread back from the beginning, and I’m extremely impressed at your skills and how great the layout looks. I struggle with analogue so what you’ve done with ‘code’ etc is impressive witchcraft to me! 
 

I have a couple of questions if you don’t mind. 
 

I love the appearance of your ballast, and when you posted about it you didn’t go into the weathering. Is it simply airbrushed with sleeper grime/dark grey to give it that realistic look? How about the clinker ballast in the siding? 

 

Also - the Dapol 122. I know you’ve had issues with the chip, but I’m still DC. Has the model itself run OK or do you wish you’d spent the extra on the Bachmann? 
 

Thanks a lot and I’m following with interest. Cheers! :good:

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12 hours ago, Railpassion said:

You could try one low relief cottage mock up to get a feel.

Your pagoda looks within 3ft of a main line - the men would not be happy.  

 

I think I'm going to try printing out some photos and see how they look. I'll give it a measure, I may cut further back into the sculptamold. 

 

3 hours ago, Andrew D said:

 

I have a couple of questions if you don’t mind. 
 

 

Thank you for your kind words, 

 

The track was initialy weathered with a can of sleeper grime. Since then I've been around with blacks and greys with the airbrush just seing what looks good. The sidings are ballasted with a mix of soil, ballast and smashed up coal ( I hit some real coal with a hammer to get a bag full of scale coal and dust). 

 

When the 122 was running it worked really well. It took some running in, and if it ever sat for a day or two it would need a few laps at top speed to get back up to full performance.  I think alot of the issues with it are from dcc, but I've also heard if you disconnect one worm gear ( it's all wheel drive) it runs perfectly every time. 

 

I'll do some more investigation when I get it back from Sheffield, it's currently getting a new decoder for free after I emailed customer service 

 

 

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Thanks for that. Interesting to hear how you ballasted the siding especially. I am considering the Nevard-esque Das Clay technique, but it sounds messy and laborious and relies on expert painting skills afterwards (which I do not have). Your method sounds a lot more straightforward! As for the 122, I hope you get it sorted. It doesn't sound right that you need to fettle a brand new model to get the best out of it. I am a total numpty when it comes to anything under the bonnet so things like that put me right off. Thanks again for taking the trouble to reply :good_mini:

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I tried a rough print on the layout, as well as my 1:1 plan for the road and field etc. I'm happy with the scene overall, but I'm not sure on the houses, I think they need to be smaller. I think I might also get a wills craftsman kit and make up a low relief version based on this photo

and see which looks better. 20210219_212635.jpg.d751db0019031f429a136bf948910cbf.jpg

 

20210219_212655.jpg.2d658be0f4bad3ff7773cf3a92375e9a.jpg

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I think the cottages look sort of all right, but what do they look like with a train in front of them? (Well slightly to the side so you can still see them). False perspective is a good theory but looks silly if you don't get it right.

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21 hours ago, whart57 said:

I think the cottages look sort of all right, but what do they look like with a train in front of them? (Well slightly to the side so you can still see them). False perspective is a good theory but looks silly if you don't get it right.

I'll have another look when I go out to the garage again, although I am leani g towards a low relief version. 

 

 

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I'm just working on some name plates for the signal switches. Ive decided to permanently ommit the junction signal so I can move on with other projects Instead of getting stuck on the signalling. 

 

I'm not too fussed about correct numbering I just want some labels to easily ide tify the switches for the 4 signals from left to right as they are viewed from the control panel. 

 

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These will be added in the middle of my current panel to cover the temporary switches. 

 

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Now i have fitted more kadees it is alot easier to shunt around the station. I have therefore been thinking about goods operations a little more. 

 

Through trains:

(so i can watch things run in circles)

  • I have the cement train headed for the power station construction, which i hope to extend with some steel girders or simillar that will stay as a fixed rake running loops around the layout when i want to just let something run. 
  • If i add another siding in the storage yard i can also run coal trains in a loop to powerstation A which was still operational.

Local Goods:

(shunting the station and works)

  • I can run trains to and from the works, which will give me the opertunity to model all sorts of wagon loads, basically anything that could be cast in iron or any of the materials required for the casting process. I can shunt these at the works. and there is oppertunity to swap locos at the station due to weight restrictions on the incline, or even have a banking loco at the rear if assistance is reqiured.
  •   local goods services, which will allow me to run a pickup goods operation. Dropping wagons from the down goods train at the small goods yard behind the engine shed,and picking up empties from the coal sidings on the up train. I can also Model small through trains that may be running between the goods depots and small local stations further down the line. This may include market,and agricultural trade to and from farms.

Time to buy more rolling stock 

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