Wratting Road

[Squirrel Rail]

Hi Jack, good to see you posting again, Your 66 is next up on my list to do, Prentendalino will be a bit longer as need to be on my A+ game for that!! See you soon, Cheers Jerry

[BelsteadLane]

6 hours ago, armleyroad said:

Hello, no harm in taking a break from the hobby, for me it is better to have some time away and then come back to it. The gym will do you good mentally as well.

Normally, breaks don’t last long at all for me but this time round was a different story! I did a bit of spotting when LNER had reintroduced 91s back on the ECML and got some rather nice shots and clips of 91106, 91110 and 91111 - I believe 91101 has returned to service again in the last week so I must get a shot of that too! these always tempt to me to get a 91 + mk4 set but they won’t fit into the layout of course. 
 

as for the gym, the two sessions I’ve done down there this week I’ve really enjoyed - I tried home workouts a couple of years ago but wasn’t seeing improvements after a good few months. But I certainly know why now judging by how my body has felt recently... 
 

 

[BelsteadLane]

5 hours ago, Michael Pringle said:

Hi Jack-Life is a never ending juggling of time & resources and you will never find the perfect balance as events overtake us at all ages.Work,health & mental wellbeing are important things to prioritise in your youth.The gym will be beneficial & improve your coping mechanisms.You are a very focused & capable individual.You have exceptional modelling ability and a creative nous.Those abilities will not disappear by taking a step back from modelling.Do what you can when you can & do it for yourself rather than feeling you have to.People clearly enjoy the content you produce but do not ever feel obliged to produce it for the sake of it to please others & never feel you have to apologise for not doing so.Please accept my remarks in the spirit with which they are intended.

 

 

 
hi michael

 

Thank you very much for the kind words! I do try my best! Obviously, we never know what’s around the corner for us but life would be pretty dull if we did!

 

Hope you’re well 

[BelsteadLane]

4 hours ago, Squirrel Rail said:

Hi Jack, good to see you posting again, Your 66 is next up on my list to do, Prentendalino will be a bit longer as need to be on my A+ game for that!! See you soon, Cheers Jerry

Hi Jerry

 

thats great news about the 66. No rush with either of the two though! 
 

 

[saxokid]

Nice to see your back modelling again Jack

[BelsteadLane]

Another update 

 

Thought now was a good time to post! Life for me has starting to improve at long last, gym is going really well and I’m starting to see and feel a difference already in my (I think) third week. Always a good moral boost and shows I’m heading in the right direction. Other aspects of life have improved as well, so hopefully things continue the way they are - I’m not quite out of the woods yet but I’m definitely starting to see light at the end of the tunnel. 

went to see Jerry over at Squirrel Rail HQ to catch up and pick up one of my models he had done some correction work too. He resprayed the fronts of my Bachmann 66533 to resemble a Freightliner 66 and not an EWS! Before it had the ‘v’ pattern on the buffer beam that EWS 66s have, whereas now it has a more rectangular pattern around the buffers and couplings and looks as it should!

 

so thanks for that Jerry, can always count on him for resprays and even small jobs like this. He currently has my Bachmann 90047 which he is revamping and improving and also commissioning a new loco for the fleet but that’ll be a surprise for when it’s here!

 

As far as modelling goes, the motivation has started to return and I have spent a couple of free evenings this week in the shed -It’s like an oven at the moment! It’s fully insulated but once the heat gets in, it takes a while to come back out again! I havn’t done anything majorly exciting, just ran some trains and replaced a piece of track that had buckled due to the heat - pretty standard stuff after a break! Fortunately, it was a relatively easy fix and as it stands now, the new track is down, tested, ballasted and weathered in with the the rest. Apart from that, the layout is still in good nick, working order and running smoothly which is nice to see. 
 

Time for modelling is very limited now, with Monday evenings and Wednesday evenings being the main dedicated nights as these are my gym rest days. By the time I’m back from the gym on any other day, I havn’t got the energy as you’d expect! Weekends are reserved for my other half as well… so progress will be slower than before but slow progress is better than no progress.

 

Priorities will be a Layout Update for YouTube and then I’ll get stuck in on more OHLE building and hopefully get some more work done on the road bridge that is crying out to be finished now…

Edited June 16, 2021 by WrattingRoad

[BelsteadLane]

Wagons Wagons Wagons…

 

Had a bit of a wagon fest lately. Lots of things going on surrounding them. 
 

My rake of Cavalex PGAs and some Bachmann JGAs were tremendously weathered by Tim from The Scrap Line weathering this month. He’s the man when it comes to rust. Very pleased with them and look superb running around the layout. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Yesterday, I had my rake of the newly re-released Dapol JNA wagons delivered. These are very nice wagons and can’t grumble at all considering the price of them compared to competitors. No problems with them at all running round the layout. I decided on 13 but was informed that they run in sets of 5 so a couple more will have to be sourced! I’d like to get a couple of Bachmann MOAs to throw in as well as seeing the two types of wagon together are common - perhaps the MLA can be considered/reconsidered by Dapol and others?
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One wagon was made the dedicated ‘end wagon’ of the train and I removed the coupling mechanism, and fitted a hose and coupling with hook. Wasn’t keen on what came in the detail packs for these wagons so knicked the hose out of a cavalex pga pack and the coupling from a Bachmann 37. The hose has since been trimmed back and painted to tidy it up. 
 

Plans will be adding loads and weathering and the rear wagon receiving a flashing lamp. The axles and wheels are metal so should be a straight forward task. Plan is to use an Illuminated models EOT lamp board - costs a couple of quid and has the correct double flash rate. And will easily hide under a pile of ballast. 
 

 

Speaking of flashing lamps, I got round to adding one to a Bachmann JGA. 
 

 

The lamp is a dccconcepts one and it’s powered by a Train Tech AL4 battery pack. Programmed to flash the prototypical twice per second. The battery pack is mounted in the bottom of the wagon which is part of the chassis. The body of the wagon comes away easily by removing the bogies and undoing four screws underneath. So getting access to the battery in the future won’t be a problem. A dummy load will be made and glued permanently in place to hide the battery. 

Weathering the JNAs is something I’m looking forward too and will hopefully get its flashing lamp working in the future. The layout deserves to work to be done first! 

Edited June 26, 2021 by WrattingRoad

[BelsteadLane]

The modelling motivation has continued being up and down, with more recent times seeing a decline in interest - I just havn’t had the time or energy lately. Time really has been flying too, I didn’t realise that it’s been a month almost since I’ve posted… 

but here’s what I have managed to do in the last month or so. 
 

I re-addressed the flashing lamp on the JGA wagon. I didn’t really want to cover up all the weathering inside the wagons (especielly the PGAs) just to be able to get away with a train tech battery pack so instead, I tried out an Illuminated Models EOT lamp module. This featured the correct double flash rate for modern image and sits quite snug inside the wagon out of sight - perfect. The only downside was fitting pick ups but it was straight forward and it had a nice result. 
 

 

 

 

Nice, out of site wiring 

 

 

and no need for a load!

 

 

 

with one pair of pick ups, the flash is unreliable as you’re relying on the track power - the track needs to be completely spotless. I tried adding a second run of pick ups which did improve things, but the running of the wagon was effected and it did derail. Fortunately, Illuminated models do the EOT module with a stay alive in it so I’ll be replacing it with one of those instead and should hopefully be able to run with just the one set of pick ups. 
And then all future wagons will receive the same treatment. 
 

 

Another Illuminated models product I’ve been messing with are the Bachmann Class 66 lighting upgrades. They’re replacement lighting PCBs which include the missing marker lights that the standard models don’t have - they also have the night time headlight but I havn’t bothered with (yet) These aren’t anything new with plenty of people already having shouted about them but boy, was I impressed. ‘Bug eye’ 66614 was the first in the fleet to receive its lighting upgrade. I’ll be doing both ends on all the 66s but so far, she’s only got the one end completed. 
 

 

 

 

Overall, I was very pleased. They’re a very straightforward kit and a must have for any Bachmann 66. I’ve got plenty of the kits for all my 66s which have different style of lights so it will be exciting to see different versions when completed. They’re crying out for resistors so will have a play around and hopefully make them even more realistic. 
 

 

66614 is seen hauling the recently bought Dapol JNAs which were fitted with hunt couplings to bring them closely coupled together. They’re been fitted with standard couplings which, IIRC, we’re designed for the Oxford mk3 coach. But as you can see, these couplings bring the wagons buffer to buffer with <1mm gap. 
 

 

 

 

and how they were with standard tension locks! 
 

 

 

I was very pleased when they ran round the tightest circuit without derailing as I’ve never been able to run any stock closely coupled together. My guess is the kinematic coupling system which works wonders - I hope this becomes the norm for future releases. The JNAs still need weathering and loads and I’m quite looking forward to doing those when, again, I have the time. 

[Michael Pringle]

Great work Jack on those Class 66 lights & the JNA look superb close coupled.Always worth the wait for your quality updates.

[BelsteadLane]

Trying to stay a bit more on top of the updates at the moment!

 

After a visit to @Squirrel Rail HQ on Thursday, I collected 66083 and 90047. The 66 is a new addition and was commissioned for me by Jerry.  It’s a Bachmann model with resprayed gold bands, newer branding and numbers. He added cabside mirrors and gave it a prototypical weathering using photos I sent him. I think it’s the best looking shed in the fleet currently. He also added a ‘bar’ type coupling per my request which proved worthwhile because we discovered the nem pockets had been cut off from the previous owner before him. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

90047 was a rework of my existing model of it which was done by a weathering company in the past. I felt like it wasn’t quite up to my standards anymore so wanted it reworking and made even better. Jerry took it and gave it new buffers (the previous ones were pretty bodged) a new modern roof aerial, the green door it carried, improved plaque marks/scars, new numbering being more prototypically placed, new ohle flashes on the noses which were placed more accurately than before and faded freightliner logos before reweathering it as per photos of the real loco. It looks much much better now! 

 

 

 

 

 

now for some of my own work. I fitted Bachmann 66533 With it’s illuminated models lighting board. No more painted markers for this shed. Both ends were done. What I also do is file or cut back the fibre optic lense for the top marker light so it isn’t as bright unless looking face it on like real life. The brightness of the leds needs bringing down but that will get done once the loco gets fitted with sound - I can use CVS to bring down the brightness. I did this with my 66614 which has a loksound v4 to make it more realistic. 
 

before:

 

 

and after:

 

 

 

and here’s 66533!

 

 

 

 

 

note 66533 now has a bar coupling like 66083 above. I wanted both ends detailed because having no detailing on one end looks rubbish! I added the bar to 533 before purchasing 083 and I asked Jerry to make one up and add it to 083. 533 had successful trails running the coupling so I’ll be fitting it to all my 66s and having both ends detailed! Just need to weather in the newly detailed end of 533 and that’ll be sorted. 
 

 

 

I may trial a bar on my 90s at both ends so I can run them in both directions - the pantograph will make it more noticeable than a diesel! 
 

 

Im going on holiday to Cornwall for a week on Sunday. Finally, a nice break and the first holiday since before covid!  But my tasks for when I get back are fit 083s lighting upgrade and replace the JGAs flashing lamp module.
 

 

[BelsteadLane]

Hello all. 
 

A lot will already know this but a few weeks ago, my life was pretty much flipped on its head after a big event in my personal life. This event has seen a change in lifestyle, schedule, ambitions and goals - positive ones I’ll add. 
 

My enthusiasm is anything railway related is pretty much none existent now and I took a step back over the last few weeks to reflect on things. I reached a stage with the layout where it no longer appealed to me. I spent most of my time working on rolling stock future proofing them rather than working on the layout - I didn’t like it anymore or enjoyed running it. 
 

Cutting to the chase, due to the life I live nowadays, the constant mojo losses and the fact I’m my layouts least favourite fan, I decided I will step back from the hobby completely and disassociate myself from it. I’ve already taken down my Instagram page and taken my YouTube channel out of the public eye. I will simply log out of my RMweb account so I won’t be active on this for the foreseeable future. I may make a return, I may not. I’m taking life as it comes at the moment!

 

I want to say a big thanks to everyone who supported me and regularly checked in but now new doors have opened for me that I want to enter and explore. 

 

Thanks everyone and happy modelling and maybe one day I will post again. 
 

Jack. 

[BelsteadLane]

Hi All. I completely forgot I had this 🤣

 

As a lot will know, I returned to the hobby almost a month ago now. I’ve made a YouTube video since then bringing everyone up to date with the layout which can be seen here:

 

Layout Update!

 

Ive posted to my Facebook page several times too showing what I’ve gotten up too since making the return. 
 

i mainly just ran all the trains giving them a good stretch of the legs which was very fun but tedious! 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I made a new purchase and also done a swap with a friend and acquired Bachmann 37405, Bachmann 66077 and finally, a One Class 170!  The 37 I’m still yet to test. The 66 needed a bit of TLC but now runs well! And the 170 has been hardwired for DCC and is currently waiting for it’s lighting upgrades. 
 

 

 

 

 

Priority for the layout is completing all of the headspans and portals for the OHLE. I’ve already done a few more and am about half way there now. I’ll post those up later on in the week. The other half has helped a wee bit too! Time to put a ring on it perhaps?

 

I’ll be posting on this again now and am very much enjoying the hobby again. It’s good to be back!

[Melangoose]

It’s good to have you back.  Missed you videos for the last year or so.  Always nice to see your stock in the layout.

[Graham T]

I've only just come across this thread - looking forward to seeing more.

 

[Departmental203]

Hi Jack, it's great to see you back on here (as well as Facebook too!)

 

I do look forward to seeing the progress over the near future and hope to stay tuned!

 

Good luck

 

Jules

[BelsteadLane]

Been hard at work scratchbuilding the rest of the OHLE on the layout over the last few weeks! I posted a how-to on YouTube on how I built them which you can see below. Note I only focused on the headspans here. 

 

 How-to build Headspans

 

I wrote up a couple of posts on my Facebook page showing how I done them too, and done a post for a Headspan and a Portal. Would be too long to post on here. Link to my Facebook page is at the end of every post I make at the bottom. 
 

 

here’s some photos of them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

and with 90001 underneath. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now I’ve built these; I can start thinking about what to do around the scenic break area. I’ll be building up the bridge for it soon so just need to think about what to do around it. Maybe embankments either side to model a cut in? Or is that too simple and cliche?

 

 

 

Edited November 14, 2022 by WrattingRoad

[DavidMcKenzie]

It's only my opinion, but simple done well is something that looks great on a layout. A plausible and well modelled background, which is not distracting attention too much from the main focus (the trains) works well. 

 

Top stuff with the OHLE. 

 

All the best,

Dave

[BelsteadLane]

15 minutes ago, DavidMcKenzie said:

It's only my opinion, but simple done well is something that looks great on a layout. A plausible and well modelled background, which is not distracting attention too much from the main focus (the trains) works well. 

Less is always more! The layout is simple but only because of how small it is! 

 

17 minutes ago, DavidMcKenzie said:

 

Top stuff with the OHLE. 

 

All the best,

Dave

cheers 👍 all the best 

[DavidMcKenzie]

1 hour ago, WrattingRoad said:

Less is always more! The layout is simple but only because of how small it is! 

 

cheers 👍 all the best 

 

Yeah definitely agree with that. It might be small/simple, but it's brilliant modelling. The only thing giving the picture below away is the the sky, other than this it could be the real thing. 

 

 

All the best,

Dave

[BelsteadLane]

1 hour ago, DavidMcKenzie said:

 

Yeah definitely agree with that. It might be small/simple, but it's brilliant modelling. The only thing giving the picture below away is the the sky, other than this it could be the real thing. 

 

 

All the best,

Dave

 

and the lack of overhead wires 😅

[Melangoose]

Just seen your video on how you make your OHLE gantries.  Well done you, they are very good and you explain it piece by piece, which is great.  Look forward to seeing the layout develop.

[BelsteadLane]

Hi all. 
 

RMWeb was very much left in the dark as I kept forgetting about it and that’s why I never updated it. 
 

For those who don’t know, Wratting Road is now in the skip but I’ve since started building a new layout and made a new thread for it. You can click below and follow that instead!

 

thanks. 
 

New Layout!
 

 

Edited May 1, 2023 by WrattingRoad