Johnson Street IEMD: General update - 9th October 2020

[Johnson Street IEMD]

Johnson Street IEMD - General update - 9th October 2020

 

A while ago a modelling acquaintance suggested i do my blog updates through the layout topics area on here, and still as a relative newbie, I didnt really understand what he meant or how to go about it - and didnt want to seem silly for quering this further, i left it, thanked him for his suggestion and carried on as I had been, now, for some reason this evening, i thought i'd go explore and see if i couldnt figure how to actually do this, so if it doesnt quite work out, then thank you to my fellow modeller for tickling my creative juices into doing this now, albeit some months later. 

 

Here and now as of early October, there is no real update on the layout itself but i may tomorrow get to see someone who may hold the key to getting the final stages of it complete. 

 

Layout

 

The layout aspect of the project as it stands is awaiting some techy end solutions as well as a bit of softly softly detailing bits before its ready to be handed back to me, 

 

Infrastructure

 

A close friend of the local model shop is in the process of making up some ''nbrass'' portals which will cover sections of multitrack works across the main shed and holding sidings on the layout - when these are complete, these are going to be wired up to the layout along with the PECO single track masts for the applicable single track sections. I have been looking on here for updates regarding PECO's catenary updates but there appears to be no such link, which seems really strange, given that their offering in the OLE market is on a par/superior to Dapol, depending on one's opinion, i think it would be fair to say, i have seen the Dapol gantries and whilst i dont consider myself to be an expert on the subject of durability, i think the PECO masts appear far more durable and have opted to feature them on my forthcoming layout.

 

Traction

 

As planned what was initially revealed as Bachmann Class 90 number three, which was really always going to be a donor for what became Bachmann 90 Number four - having snared Malcolm Rail 90024 - is close to being finished in a secret paintshop not so far far away in the same galaxy - this one after alot of too-ing and fro-ing is going to be the first of my long term stored 90s - the backstory being that it will arrrive at Johnson Street for maintenance and during an inspection on an exam,  a more serious issue will come to light.  This 90 will get its big reveal on here hopefully not too long from now.

 

In addition to this, an unexpected additional arrival will come in the form of an ex-EWS Class 66, some of you may recall that i had one such example done some time ago, but it turned out that it was an eight pin example, and earlier this year, i opted to sacrifice this example, which had been numbered 66002. Now, several months later, i have been able to snap up what appears to a later Bachy 66, also in ex-EWS form, this will soon (hopefully she says) DCC sound fitted (with one my missing sound chips), again, it's running number to be revealed soon, but that it is one of DB's current ex-EWS 66s.

 

Real world inspiration

 

In recent days, I have been lucky enough to get to see two of my DB90s in action on the WCML and i have made videos of these on youtube, if you look at my more recent blog entries, you will see some of 90028 and 90024  who I fondly call Bill (90028 - Sir Bill (William McAlpine) and Malcolm (90024 Malcolm Rail DB).. My other DB90 named favourites are DB Blue (90034 DB ex DRS in blue - cutely named from inspiration from Law and Order SVU character BD Wong - so DB Blue) and Christine (90037 - recently reliveried into a striking DB red with  various images of gliders - well worth searching google for it - nice touch DB ) ... i'm still working on the other DB90 nickname(s) for my forthcoming 90s - of course, there is Jack (90036 - Driver Jack Mills) ... which I will be having in my 90 pool at Johnson Street - but that one is some way off.

 

 

Edited October 10, 2020 by DBC90024