Long Ashton - a modern LMD with two identities

[RPNaylor0301]

Welcome to the first of many posts (predominantly asking for help and advice I’m sure!) around Long Ashton LMD. 

 

The layout was built for me by Simon at BespokeTrax, as a variant on his Kipling Park design. While I don’t think it appropriate to discuss cost and spec in too much detail, I’ll get out of the way first that I highly recommend his work, and would encourage anybody in a similar situation to have a chat with him (no affiliation other than as a satisfied customer). 
 

So first, as this is RMWeb, why did I renege on the modelling bit? Simply put - space. I found myself with 2280mm x 650 mm in my home office to house the layout, but alas, I had nowhere to build the layout. My office has to be serviceable from 08:00 Monday to 17:00 Friday (...working in NHS IT has been fairly fraught these last six months) and I simply couldn’t afford the space for modelling mess and half finished work (not that I’d have gotten close to this anyway..!)

 

As for the layout, well it’s a small TMD set in the North West somewhere around either 1998 or 2020 depending on my mood. It’s DCC, controlled by a Hornby select (for now) and predominantly (for now) features Hornby TTS sound and bastardised ex-LIMA bodies on Hornby DCC chassis..! The setting was chosen a) to give me some tenuous excuse to run the DRS fleet and b) as a sort of ‘Leicester Beale Street’ moved 120 miles diagonally across the country...

 

Currently (as found in the terrible iPhone 8 pictures below...) running the DRS fleet while I await Hornby’s take on the GBRf loco services fleet. I still have some work to do - signage is next on my list (planning interchangeable depot and access signage depending on era) and I need to add a couple of ‘90s vans in place of the Network Rail / CityLink examples for this period. Depot will also be lit and detailed internally (taking, as with much of the layout, huge inspiration from Cheadle Ridge Lane TMD..!)

 

For now, a couple of dusk pictures to give you all an idea of where we are at the moment...

[RPNaylor0301]

A Friday night view from the camera at Mountford Fabrications. 37607 and 37609 have just returned from loan to Freightliner, while 37611 is being readied for route learning along the North Wales coast. 20204 and 20206 have arrived with an empty FNA requiring some attention before its next use. 

[RPNaylor0301]

An earlier shot taken from the access gates, as the two 20/9s arrive with their flask. 

[RPNaylor0301]

The sinking winter sun casts dramatic shadows around the depot as 37611 awaits the road. 

[RPNaylor0301]

A passing drone (...wait, this is 1998! - Ed) captures 607 and 609 leaving the depot the following evening, and gives a nice view of the track plan (including the fuel point and cripple sidings). 

[RPNaylor0301]

The same movement captured by a dog walker (or more specifically a trainspotter with two black labs...) from the footpath overlooking the site 

[RPNaylor0301]

A quick shot between the showers this morning, 607 and 609 have departed for more intermodal duties, but 611 is back and the flask has been shunted in for the attention of the depot team. 

[RPNaylor0301]

Sun was creeping out on the way back home - looks like it might be a 20/37 combo to trip the repaired flask back to Sellafield..! 

[RPNaylor0301]

Quick dash to the fence for the delivery driver, prompted by a familiar whistle. 20906 has been refuelled and has re-joined 904 to power the repaired flask wagon back to Sellafield. 

[RPNaylor0301]

Later in the week, another delivery finds the 20s stabled in the wagon sidings. 

[RPNaylor0301]

Twenty years on, the same footpath has just been cleared. A solitary visitor betrays the change in ownership...

[RPNaylor0301]

Back to the 90’s for today’s Picture of the Day. Seen from the gap in the old fence, 37611 gets a final write up as she awaits the road for an evening route learning trip down to the Valley loading point. 

[RPNaylor0301]

The same evening sees an empty FNA dumped in the siding due to a problem opening the hood. That’ll be shuffled in for the fitters to attend to tomorrow. 

[RPNaylor0301]

Finally something functional - had my first experience with hunt couplings this afternoon. I went for the ten pack of close couplings (NEM sockets). About 15 quid posted for ten pairs, so 75p per coupling. Certainly cheaper and better than trying to come to my own solution (given that I don’t have a vast collection of stock to sort!)
 

Functionally, they’re excellent. I haven’t got point motors on my layout, so am used to having to lean over to make changes. Very similar principle here for me, but means that I don’t have to lift and twist to separate tension locks, so my derailments / poor contacts are down significantly. The magnets are strong enough that I’ve not had any separations yet (!) but malleable enough that a thumb and index finger are enough to separate loco and wagon. 
 

As for size, the close coupling pack that I’ve been sent maintain about the same distance as a pair of NEM tension locks did previously. For the next round I’ll probably go for the ultra close coupling as I don’t have any significant curves on the layout, with the option of mixing short and long if I need to (to get round potential buffer beam detailing). 
 

I had one magnet loose in the housing (think the glue didn’t quite take), but a quick dab of revell contacta seems to have sealed that back in nicely.

 

Overall probably not the best option for an automated yard layout with frequent coupling and uncoupling, but since a) my points aren’t motorised (...yet) and b) my movements are very much arrive - drop - leave - new loco picks up and moves, they seemed like the best way to improve on tension locks without any extra intervention. Based on my limited experience I’d imagine they’re fantastic for long run layouts ala West Coast Cement where all separation / joining is done in a fiddle yard.  
 

Finally a couple of pictures - the track level 20 / 37 combo should highlight my thinking behind going ultra close next time. 

[RPNaylor0301]

Twenty years after DRS moved out of Long Ashton, Mountford Fabrications is still trading from the same unit, although the security cameras that captured our visitor have been upgraded.
 

The depot at Long Ashton have seen some short occupations since the blue stuff moved to Crewe and Carlisle (anybody remember Advenza?), but some fairly heavy goings on in the sidings beyond the gate have been accompanied by more frequent visitation to the stabling point.
 

The gen machine reckons that Long Ashton sidings will be re-opened to hold the cast offs of recent modernisation, and the depot refitted to service the locos that deliver them. Time will tell, but there are murmurs of a froth worthy route learning trip this weekend...

[RPNaylor0301]

Must’ve snuck in late last night. , although good job it’s a bit away from the residential area or we’d all have heard it!

 

Took the dogs down towards the depot end this morning to see what work had been done on the new fencing and roadway (the old one was looking pretty knackered...)

 

Apparently LSL are moving some redundant coaching stock to Long Ashton sidings over the next few months, so new hire ‘Great Rocks’ has been sent to sign off a couple of drivers. Gen has it leaving tomorrow afternoon, so the quick iPhone pic will have to suffice for today as it’s chucking it down! 

[RPNaylor0301]

Security camera on the corner of Mountford Fabs picking up a fair bit of movement on this sunny but windy November morning. 
 

GBRf have taken over the running and maintenance of Long Ashton TMD, primarily to look after their Rail Services Fleet, but 66s and possibly even 69s coming off the HS2 infrastructure works are expected to make use of the facilities when closer to the Southern WCML. The location means that fuel delivery by rail is still under strong consideration. 

 

LSL and GBRf look to be splitting the delivery of warm store / pre-scrap coaching stock to the adjacent sidings. Mostly mk2 and 3 stock that has been displaced, but should mean plenty of vintage traction drifting in. Apparently GBRf are reinstating 20901 to act as a bit of a super shunter for the sidings...
 

Rumour has it we might even see some Network Rail representation as they assess the newly stored assets for suitability for a lick of yellow paint...

[RPNaylor0301]

A bit of pre-lockdown exuberance saw some of the local kids down near the depot last night chucking fireworks about. Network Rail response unit down today to help shore up some of the fencing and possible routes of ingress. 
 

Reviewing the security camera footage from Mountford reveals a surprising appearance in the early light of day. 37688 apparently had an evening run South East towards Burton-On-Trent, and it looks like it may have returned with a friend who is receiving some attention in the shed...

 

Apparently HNRC are looking at returning some stored 20s to traffic!

[RPNaylor0301]

Looks like 20904 has been moved into the sidings off Long Ashton depot for now (apparently sitting outside Nemesis’ depot for the last ten or so years hasn’t done it any favours..!)

 

Gen has it that there’ll be more EE whistle around the place, however, as apparently 37688 will be getting some help with the stock moves next week. 

[RPNaylor0301]

Running a bit late for work this morning so couldn’t play about, but had to run down to the fence for a quick iPhone snap of these idling by the fuel point. 
 

Apparently HNRC have hired them to ROG to move some stock to Long Ashton, so should get a few opportunities to catch them in coming weeks!

[saxokid]

On 07/10/2020 at 16:17, RPNaylor0301 said:

The same evening sees an empty FNA dumped in the siding due to a problem opening the hood. That’ll be shuffled in for the fitters to attend to tomorrow. 

Ive just made open top one of these flask wagons for my drs flask loading site

[RPNaylor0301]

Who says the modern scene is boring? HNRC loanee 20118 in RF Grey has just arrived at Long Ashton with LSL’s D8107 (...for renumbering at the depot, of course!)

 

2020 (nearly ‘21...) and ‘bang up to date’ sees BR Green, RF Grey and a sector 37 running, not to mention 9(3)7s and 73s from Network Rail, 47s and 20s from GBRF (when they arrive..!) 

 

Bring on ‘21, let’s see what else comes back to the Mainline!

 

 

[RPNaylor0301]

The LSL 20 pair arrive back at Long Ashton after a stock move - photo taken as they prepared to back into the carriage sidings. 
 

First project for the new year is renumbering these to D8096 and D8107. One is TTS sound fitted, but given that these are now running at about double their new price, one has had the motor and gearing removed. Very simple process but gives a nice dummy 20 to run around. 

[RPNaylor0301]

As seen here being dragged back to Crewe by another LSL loco - 37688

[RPNaylor0301]

Christmas has seen a stock movements pause for a week. GBRf’s three Rail Services 47s all sit on standby to move some ex-EMR mk3 stock after New Year. Meanwhile 20118 has shunted a poorly JNA that was detached from a Christmas possession into Long Ashton shed for attention. 
 

Really impressed with the new RailRoad+ models from Hornby. Obviously we’re talking ‘for the price’, and I’d expect that they won’t hold a candle to the likes of the Heljan 47 when released.
 

Hornby have certainly improved their RailRoad effort, however, with a much better attempt at the liveries than previous (at least these have warning flashes etc)! They even have separate nameplates in the box, which isn’t to be sniffed at in the price range. 
 

Running is fairly solid out of the box. They perform well at low speed, but do struggle with the three way point into the fiddle yard (almost certainly due to lack of weight in the chassis). The multiple working pairs do behave consistently however, so at least that bodes well. 
 

Overall a strong recommendation for the casuals like myself, coming in at around £100 for a DCC sound fitted loco seems very fair in the current climate of £125+ D.C. for the more premium models. I’d also suspect that with a bit of skill these could be turned into something quite superb, but we’ll see about that in the New Year.