SteveyDee68 Posted July 28, 2021 Author Share Posted July 28, 2021 (edited) On 23/06/2021 at 01:03, SteveyDee68 said: Stockwise, I've picked up a few small hopper wagons and intend to upgrade/paint some old private owner liveried wagons from Airfix and Mainline, and maybe build a few Dapol mineral wagon kits. I've also picked up a couple of tar wagons off eBay matching those seen in photos of "White Peak" to represent that traffic. A gunpowder wagon* and a couple of vans for general stores should be enough to play with to run an appropriate service. I suppose I should get a suitable loco for mainline traffic - currently I have a J72 whereas perhaps a "Jinty" would be more appropriate? I have more than enough industrial locos ... Well, I guess it was inevitable ... picked up a Bachmann 3F "Jinty" off eBay for less than £40, suitable to be the 'main line' loco for a Peak District based layout. Thing is, I forgot I also bid on another of these locos as part of several items from another seller (including several more Airfix/GMR 5 plank wagons - which have brake shoes in line with the wheels and so are far more desirable than contemporary offerings from Mainline!) and it turns out I am winning that too, so I may end up with two Bachmann 3F tank locos! Shame it wasn't for a Bachmann 1F cabbed loco - I think those are really pretty little locos! HOURS OF FUN! Edited July 29, 2021 by SteveyDee68 Speling misstokes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted July 29, 2021 Author Share Posted July 29, 2021 Another eBay win - an Airfix/GMR BR 5 plank coal wagon. I now have a livery to copy for repainting my private owner wagons into! The question is, what to do for transfers for numbering etc? Meanwhile in another thread have just learnt that my pre-ordered Victory 0-6-0 tank loco would probably be capable of hauling 70+ loaded wagons! Was thinking that pulling four wagons into the loop on this layout might seem a bit of overkill for the motive power when it was pointed out that sharp curves, gradients and propelling wagons rapidly shortened the lengths of trains. Phew! Then again, the phrase "dozen or so" was also used, so perhaps not after all?! I think, perhaps, that J94 and 3F for mainline power, and Peckett W4s up to B2s will be the order of the day for the line to White Peak Limestone & Tarmacadam, with perhaps an occasional small diesel! HOURS OF FUN! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jerry1975 Posted July 30, 2021 Share Posted July 30, 2021 Hi. I've had some good Ebay bargains myself, regarding the transfers you mention, I know some people print there own using some sort of waterslide transfer paper or you should be able to buy some fox transfers perhaps. Jerry. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted July 30, 2021 Author Share Posted July 30, 2021 3 minutes ago, Jerry1975 said: Hi. I've had some good Ebay bargains myself, regarding the transfers you mention, I know some people print there own using some sort of waterslide transfer paper or you should be able to buy some fox transfers perhaps. Jerry. Thanks @Jerry1975 - I think commercially produced transfers are the way forward for me, as I have absolutely no idea what details should be on them! The new wagon has a “P” prefix to the wagon number - I’m assuming that means “Private Owner” for ex-PO wagon? Some more Google research required on my part, maybe even acquiring a few books on the subject! HOURS OF RESEARCH FUN! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted August 5, 2021 Author Share Posted August 5, 2021 (edited) Happy Birthday To Me! It doesn't take much to part me from my cash when it comes to models of small locos, and it's my birthday today, so I called into The Locoshed to see what Jim might have in store to tempt me... Bearing in mind I have the balance of my pre-ordered Kerr Stuart Victory class loco to pay, I shouldn't really have spent anything at all! Jim had one only of Hornby's newest Terrier models (which I have a hankering for) but after giving it a test run I noticed it had a streamlined chimney ie raked backwards at quite an angle! Back in the box it went, with some disappointment. Returning it to the cabinet, I found he also had a Hatton's Andrew Barclay Coronation for sale. A few minutes later, it was happily crawling around the test track pulling three Mark IV carriages over a dead frog point without stalling, so you can guess that the little bit of resistance I had quickly crumbled! To cut a long story sideways, the bank card was duly proferred and home she came... Now, how to go about sneaking another box in past the Household Authorities?! HOURS OF BIRTHDAY FUN! Afterthought: Perhaps I should replace my avatar (a stock photo of "Katie") with a proper photo of my Andrew Barclay sisters together? Edited August 26, 2021 by SteveyDee68 Missing word spotted! And a typo!! 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sb67 Posted August 5, 2021 Share Posted August 5, 2021 Nothing wrong with a bit of birthday self indulgence Steve. It's mine in a few weeks so I'll be planning on doing the same 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted August 6, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 6, 2021 On 30/07/2021 at 09:03, SteveyDee68 said: Thanks @Jerry1975 - I think commercially produced transfers are the way forward for me, as I have absolutely no idea what details should be on them! The new wagon has a “P” prefix to the wagon number - I’m assuming that means “Private Owner” for ex-PO wagon? Some more Google research required on my part, maybe even acquiring a few books on the subject! HOURS OF RESEARCH FUN! P does indeed mean ex-PO. Modelmaster used to do a few different sheets of BR wagon insignia, including some with PO numbers, but I can't see them on the website at the moment. CCT do a couple of sheets for 7 and 8 plank ex-PO wagons (https://www.cctrans.org.uk/products.htm) Can I ask where you got your table saw from? I've been quite tempted to get one (though any woodworking projects are limited at the moment until the price of timber drops a bit - there's a global shortage due to Covid apparently, plus a huge increase in demand...) 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted August 6, 2021 Author Share Posted August 6, 2021 (edited) On 06/08/2021 at 11:32, Nick C said: Can I ask where you got your table saw from? But of course you can - you just did! Oops - automatically dropped into my default 'teaching/learning opportunity' mode, as when asked by kids in class if they "can" use the bathroom, I invariably encourage them to ask the correct question! ("May I use the bathroom?") The table saw is available from B&Q and my particular example was from the Bury Superstore. Last time I was in (to buy an 8'x4' sheet of 12mm mdf, which they didn't have in stock, and so instead I bought an 8'x4' sheet of 18mm mdf for £38 - which previously had cost me £22*) they still had them in stock, and still priced just over £50. Be aware (I wasn't) that it needs to be screwed down or otherwise affixed to a solid base such as a workbench before use. I fastened mine onto (ironically) a piece of 18mm mdf which allowed me to then temporarily bolt it onto my Black&Decker Workbench, and that gave it a firm (and portable ... ish) base to work upon. It took me a while to figure out using the bolt on work guides, mainly because the instruction manual has obviously been written in Chinese and then Google-translated, as it isn't very clear with its descriptions, but for anybody with more (ie any) woodworking training or experience it is probably entirely straightforward. I found it easier to achieve a truly straight cut using this tool than a handsaw, jigsaw or rotary saw so thoroughly recommend it. Just be aware of the maximum thickness it can handle. Hope that is helpful. HOURS OF SELF-AMPUTATED THUMB FUN! * You are right about the price of timber! Edited October 18, 2021 by SteveyDee68 Typo spotted and then edited post for not-as-funny-as-I-thought-at-the-time humour Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Nick C Posted August 7, 2021 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 7, 2021 Thanks, I'll have a look next time I'm in my local branch of said orange emporium - I've not seen them there before though 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted August 7, 2021 Author Share Posted August 7, 2021 (edited) I suppose it had to happen eventually ... Having successfully purchased many items off eBay with no issues (except for one loco's chassis, that died after being cleaned/oiled at my local model shop!) I've finally found myself unhappy with a seller. Purchased : Bachmann boxvan; Bachmann Conflat A with container; three Hornby LWB mineral wagons. All listed simply as "used". I checked the photos carefully, and as I was happy made my bids and won them. Received well wrapped (only) in bubble wrap. Carefully opened up. Bachmann box van - perfect, other than one coupling had popped out. Bachmann Conflat - one buffer missing! Hornby mineral wagons - two out of the three had a buffer missing each! Rechecked the descriptions - no mention of missing buffers. Checked the photos too, then contacted the seller. Seller responded by stating that the Conflat clearly showed holes in the deck and a missing buffer. Checked the photo again ... if you looked VERY closely, you could see that it had been photographed in such a way that the buffer stock was in line with the coupling, which effectively disguised the missing buffer head unless you looked very very carefully. The holes in the decking I had seen and wasn't concerned about! However, regarding the mineral wagons he drew attention to his photos and explained that the coupling hooks were missing but could be easily and cheaply sourced from any model shop... Hang on! Who said anything about coupling hooks? I could see they were missing from the photos, and it bothered me not in the slightest because I am getting rid of the chunky Hornby tension locks anyway. So that made no impact upon my decision to bid on them. What did impact was that it wasn't stated in the description that there was any damage to the wagons and, furthermore, even though there were photos of each of the wagons, there was only one of each and photographed at an angle to show two buffers present on the near side, the far side obscured by the angle of the photo/wagon bodywork. Now, I know they say caveat emptor but I had assumed from the lack of mentioning any damage together with photos giving the appearance of being complete and undamaged that the wagons were complete* and undamaged. If it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck ... Now, his response to my polite enquiry as to the damage talked about missing coupling hooks (which can clearly be seen in the photos) but completely ignored my question regarding the damaged buffers (which cannot be seen in the photos) So, am I justified in feeling that he has deliberately hidden the fact that 2/3rds of one of his auction lots have damage which is far trickier to repair than simply replacing a coupling hook? The kindest feedback I feel like giving is to say that I think he is "disingenuous" in his listing, and encourage future buyers to ask explicitly via Contact the Seller regarding the condition of his items for sale before bidding, so as to have in writing a full and accurate description, and if he simply refers them to his photos to not bid. Maybe I am being very naive, and it may only be for a few £s, but I really dislike dishonesty on the part of eBay sellers! Saturday rant over! Steve S Edited August 7, 2021 by SteveyDee68 Ducks quack! 2 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted August 7, 2021 Share Posted August 7, 2021 Replacement white metal buffers can be sourced from Lanarkshire Models and Supplies. They do 53 different wagon buffers. Gordon A 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted August 8, 2021 Author Share Posted August 8, 2021 (edited) On 07/08/2021 at 11:45, Gordon A said: Replacement white metal buffers can be sourced from Lanarkshire Models and Supplies. They do 53 different wagon buffers. Gordon A Thank you @Gordon A for that information - that is incredibly useful to know, and I shall bookmark their website for future. It is a solution, although I guess I may end up having to replace all the buffers on each model to get them matching. As to which ones of the 53 varieties mentioned ... I hope they have nice clear photographs and not just text descriptions, or I am doomed! As mentioned in my rant, though, it's much more effort - and far more expensive - than simply adding a coupling hook: I wouldn't be surprised if the cost of replacement buffers works out at more than I paid for the wagons! (I am more relieved than ever that nobody bid against me and I didn't pay nearer to my maximum bid for them!) Steve S UPDATE The website has photos! Phew! Now, the only thing is trying to work out which one is correct for this type of wagon (image nicked from Hattons website - mine are the same but don't say "loco") Edited July 27, 2022 by SteveyDee68 Updating images in progress Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted August 8, 2021 Share Posted August 8, 2021 I don't know if Paul Bartlet's wagon website can be of help: https://www.bing.com/search?q=paul+bartlett+wagon+photos&cvid=79f176442fa24bfda12055db0d4ccd8c&aqs=edge.3.0j69i57j0l3j69i60l2.7831j0j1&pglt=43&FORM=ANNTA1&PC=U531 Gordon A 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted August 13, 2021 Author Share Posted August 13, 2021 (edited) My continued efforts to improve the loft ground to a halt earlier, as I ran out of paint! I shall have to visit B&Q tomorrow to get another tin of the same blue-grey colour. There's no real neccessity to paint anything, but by doing so I can perhaps unify the various different furniture and cobbled-together MDF units so it is a more pleasant environment to play work in. (And stop dust coming off the bare MDF too, of course) I have to say that the particular matt paint I am using, formulated to be used without an undercoat, is actually really good to work with, especially as it has virtually no odour and brushes are cleaned out easily with water. I have done some patch second-coat in places, usually on bare MDF where perhaps I was a little spare with the paint on the initial coat. I have also used again a black satin finish furniture paint which I originally created 'contrast edging' on mdf boards used in self built units, together with a pale blue colour of the same kind of paint which has worked well for top surfaces. (Unfortunately, this particular paint is no longer stocked which is a shame, as I had plans to use the black to refinish a baby grand piano I am in the process of renovating.) I shall post photos of the completed renovations once finished, hopefully* by the end of tomorrow evening. As I am also reorganising my modelling materials and storage for my models in the process, it has taken longer than I originally expected. Having ran out of paint, I took the opportunity to unbox a few more wagons purchased recently on eBay. Once again, I find myself slightly disappointed in a couple of the wagons - a couple of (early) Bachman iron ore hoppers. This time, buffers and couplings are all present, but the plastic wheels do not sit properly inside the axle boxes - they are too loose, and the wagons drop lower than expected onto them meaning they don't run properly. A quick inspection, and I am suspicious that the wheels have at some point been replaced with metal wheelsets and then plastic wheels swapped back in again when selling the wagons on eBay. Swapping out the plastic wheels for Dapol metal ones and the problem disppears, which confirms what I suspect probably happened. Unfortunately, I had already given feedback on the items saying that they were as described in the listing. Ah, well - another lesson to learn for future; to enquire whether wheelsets have at any point been replaced on items I am interested in buying. Maybe, perhaps, with a following wind, I might be able to do some actual modelling this weekend?!** HOURS OF FUN! * Turned out that this was more "hopeless" than "hopeful! ** Well, that didn't happen either! Well, not until the following weekend, a week afterwards! Edited August 26, 2021 by SteveyDee68 Corrected appalling English and added * retrospective notes 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted August 26, 2021 Author Share Posted August 26, 2021 (edited) Well, somebody can't sleep! Saying that, the moment I typed the above I yawned, so with any luck by the time I finish this I'll be ready to drop off! As commented elsewhere (on @Andrew P's newest thread Bute Road) my tidying up of my modelling bench grew like Topsy into reorganising most of the loft. In my own previous post, I said that I thought I would be finished the following evening. All I can say is, "A-ha. A-ha-ha. A-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha." However, although I am still not quite there overall, I can at least - and, at last - report that some bona fide actual modelling-type activity has taken place. Last Sunday. After mowing the lawn and just before tea* was served. I applied spray paint to the untreated track for the revised plan, vis a vis Halford's grey undercoat (overall), red undercoat (from the sides), brown "camouflage" paint (from above, for the sleepers), another waft of red undercoat (again from the sides), and call it done (a la Nervard, I seem to think). It might not look super realistic, but (a) it will do for now (b) I can always "improve" upon this later, treating it as a starting point and (c) it matches the previously painted track. I then used an offcut of mdf to scrape paint off all the top rail surfaces**. I now just need to finish the loft*** so I can (a) post pictures of my efforts to prove I'm not making this all up and (b) assemble the baseboard (already cut) on the new "assembly bench". I know, I know. The anticipation. How can you bear it?! HOURS OF FUN SLEEP (WITH ANY LUCK) * Or "dinner" for non-Northerners ** I had used blu tack to mask off the naughty working bits of the points beforehand, of course *** Once I complete re-cataloguing both the orchestra and string ensemble music libraries at Bury Music Centre! Edited July 27, 2022 by SteveyDee68 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted August 26, 2021 Share Posted August 26, 2021 Well at least is a start, and sounds like a good one at that. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barnaby Posted August 26, 2021 Share Posted August 26, 2021 (edited) That's a very interesting read Stevey and I have now marked it down to follow. I model in 0 gauge [very slowly] but like you my interest is in shunting and I'm trying to squeeze an interesting shunter plank layout into about 10ft. Keep on posting. I like this comment from your posts>>> Steve Sandiford - too many ideas, too little time/space/skills/money. Applies to me too, well I do have the space but all else do. Edited August 26, 2021 by Barnaby 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted September 17, 2021 Author Share Posted September 17, 2021 (edited) New job... New shed...* Still cataloguing music... Still need to finish loft... £500 to buy a completed 7'x18" shunting layout to play with operate seems a bargain when faced with a distinct shortage of time to further my own projects! In other news, a long detour home due to massive traffic hold ups today meant I passed my local model shop for the first time in ages... called in, and found myself puchasing two items of "rocking horse poo" - a 1960s period horse box truck in BR livery** and a new tooling Hornby SR bogie parcels van*** in BR maroon! Who says money can't buy you happiness? It certainly can, if model trains are what makes you happy! Steve S * Sadly not for a layout! ** Not for this layout, but to unload horses from the MK 1 horsebox c/o Mssrs Bachmann! *** To act as the 'template' to aim for, when improving the Triang models I already have! Edited September 17, 2021 by SteveyDee68 Added footnotes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted October 7, 2021 Author Share Posted October 7, 2021 (edited) To (mis)quote the opening lyrics of a well known train-related ditty, "Time flies by when you're modelling a train"... Last night, whilst (still) tidying up, I put the new top surface board for the layout in the loft and then found myself laying the track out and locating the various wagons I plan on using. I surprised myself by finding I had more stock than I thought, and before I realised it I was moving rakes about by hand to get a feel for how operating it would feel. I want to be able to run four vehicle long rakes of swb wagons, or three if using 21t lwb wagons, to "White Peak"* but then assemble longer trains (plus brake van) for despatch to the mainline. However, my planned layout didn't quite work, and so a pleasant hour of reconfiguring the track ensued, culminating in a new plan that features a longer loop running diagonally across the board but also brings the two exit lines - one to BR and one to the quarry - next to each other. I have lost the scenic possibility of running the industrial line between houses as I originally visualised, but the operating patterns of the new plan are far more interesting. I'll post a photo up of the new track plan in the hopes that anybody following the thread might be able to suggest scenic treatments to make sense of alignment of the tracks - I have used settrack components, so curves are quite abrupt (or as I like to think, "industrial") and right now I am trying to envisage why the track layout is as it is? Looking at Shelfie or even White Peak itself, the scenery provides justification for the track layout, and any suggestions to help make mine look equally plausible are more than welcome! At this moment, the only thoughts I have are for a trackbed clinging to a hillside that topologically falls diagonally across the baseboard, the higher part being in the smaller "wedge" of baseboard and falling away into the larger "wedge". That means raising the datum level of the track up off the board top (that should make joining onto additional boards interesting to say the least!). The other "vignette" I am imagining is of a row of cottages clinging to a hillside with the trains working away behind and above them - I'm sure I've seen a photo of something like that somewhere on the internet, possibly of somewhere in Wales. I wish I had @Andrew P's artistic eye to be able to visualise (and show) those ideas - his ability to "think in 3D" (not to mention his fantastic backscenes) is what I find makes his layouts look so believable. I'd like to achieve that! If anybody wants to suggest scenic treatments, please feel free to do so! My only caveat is that I will need to base the location somewhere that visually links to White Peak (even if my industrial locos don't match those of the original layout) HOURS OF FUN! Steve S * As mentioned previously, I envisage these as being the exchange sidings serving that layout hence the train length! Edited July 27, 2022 by SteveyDee68 1 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted October 7, 2021 Share Posted October 7, 2021 12 minutes ago, SteveyDee68 said: To (mis)quote the opening lyrics of a well known train-related ditty, "Time flies by when you're modelling a train"... Last night, whilst (still) tidying up, I put the new top surface board for the layout in the loft and then found myself laying the track out and locating the various wagons I plan on using. I surprised myself by finding I had more stock than I thought, and before I realised it I was moving rakes about by hand to get a feel for how operating it would feel. I want to be able to run four vehicle long rakes of swb wagons, or three if using 21t lwb wagons, to "White Peak"* but then assemble longer trains (plus brake van) for despatch to the mainline. However, my planned layout didn't quite work, and so a pleasant hour of reconfiguring the track ensued, culminating in a new plan that features a longer loop running diagonally across the board but also brings the two exit lines - one to BR and one to the quarry - next to each other. I have lost the scenic possibility of running the industrial line between houses as I originally visualised, but the operating patterns of the new plan are far more interesting. I'll post a photo up of the new track plan in the hopes that anybody following the thread might be able to suggest scenic treatments to make sense of alignment of the tracks - I have used settrack components, so curves are quite abrupt (or as I like to think, "industrial") and right now I am trying to envisage why the track layout is as it is? Looking at Shelfie or even White Peak itself, the scenery provides justification for the track layout, and any suggestions to help make mine look equally plausible are more than welcome! At this moment, the only thoughts I have are for a trackbed clinging to a hillside that topologically falls diagonally across the baseboard, the higher part being in the smaller "wedge" of baseboard and falling away into the larger "wedge". That means raising the datum level of the track up off the board top (that should make joining onto additional boards interesting to say the least!). The other "vignette" I am imagining is of a row of cottages clinging to a hillside with the trains working away behind and above them - I'm sure I've seen a photo of something like that somewhere on the internet, possibly of somewhere in Wales. I wish I had @Andrew P's artistic eye to be able to visualise (and show) those ideas - his ability to "think in 3D" (not to mention his fantastic backscenes) is what I find makes his layouts look so believable. I'd like to achieve that! If anybody wants to suggest scenic treatments, please feel free to do so! My only caveat is that I will need to base the location somewhere that visually links to White Peak (even if my industrial locos don't match those of the original layout) HOURS OF FUN! Steve S * As mentioned previously, I envisage these as being the exchange sidings serving that layout hence the train length! Thanks very much, and your comments are much appreciated. My one regret is that I really struggle with Town or Industrial settings hence almost all my Layouts tend to be out in the Country. I'm the same when doing my Art, I tend to paint Rural Landscapes as opposed to people and Towns etc. I'm sure this will turn out just fine and so the main thing is to enjoy what your doing. All the best. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted October 9, 2021 Author Share Posted October 9, 2021 (edited) Note to self - stop buying "bargain" eBay rolling stock ... just found another box I'd forgotten about, holding six Airfix Centenary coaches, a brand new Bachmann plywood sided van with (incorrect) stepped NEM couplings making it uncouplable (that will soon be sorted!), a kit built high bar wagon, two completed but unpainted Airfix meat wagons and lastly another meat wagon body on a badly assembled underframe kit which won't move (given that one axlebox set is skewed to the body and the brake shoe mouldings are hard up against the other wheel-set it is hardly a surprise!!) At least I knew this stock needed working on... Just realised I didn't post the photos - will rectify this afternoon* HOURS OF FUN! * something came up! Edited October 15, 2021 by SteveyDee68 Circumstances & typos 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted October 15, 2021 Author Share Posted October 15, 2021 (edited) Well, here's some proof that I do actually do something to justify all the garbage I write here... Insert image here The workbench ... it's not misty in the loft, no idea what caused that on the photo! Model Rail sentinel loco on the rolling road, other recent purchases (J94 and Oxford Rail "Radial Tank" 4-4-2) awaiting their turn. The Mainline warship opened up ready for installation of some replacement 3D printed final drive gears, hopefully to sort out the lumpy running. Bottom left corner are the shelves built to house the Scale Model Scenery stock trays - I now have the eight required and simply need to glue them together and fit a suitable handle to the end of each to make extraction easier. Insert image here Adapted shelving (to the slope of the roof) for modelling books and magazines, with a good old Lidl display vabinet displaying most of my loco collection (plus my beautiful Bachmann breakdown crane!). Ignore the folders (temporary inputting project for the music library I am organising) and the iMac does not live there normally (yes, still organising other parts of the loft!) I've not took a photo of the new "island" unit, as I have the top board for Castlebrook Sidings on it, but on the shelves built into the side are stored my various EMUs and coaches. My Hornby and Bachmann Pullmans are currently in the stock tray shelves, awaiting (covered) storage. Gradually getting organised! Insert image here DRS Engineering currently resides to the right of my work bench - you can see I have placed locos and stock to evaluate operation. There's "mist" on this photo, so I will guess perhaps I have a dirty camera lens on my iPad! Insert image here Finally - Blackford Wharf! This is taken from the fiddle yard end towards the buffers. The car sitting on the paper bottom right is (possibly) an overbridge to act as a scenic break. Main line to the right, line to "White Peak Limestone" on the left. Insert image here Looking from the opposite end (buffer stops) towards the fiddle yard. The coloured paper indicates the footprint of various possible Scalescenes structures, but the scenic treatment is not yet fixed in my head. The stock is placed to indicate lengths of sidings, loops etc ... The loop can take 4 x swb wagons, or 3 x lwb wagons. The short siding can hold 4 x swb wagons or 3 x lwb wagons. The headshunt can hold 4 x swb wagons or 3 x lwb wagons blocking the point. The headshunt can hold 3 swb wagons or 2 x lwb wagons clear of the point. The headshunt can hold a loco and 2 x swb wagons or 1 x lwb wagon. The long siding can hold a loco, 8 x swb wagons plus a brake van, or a loco, 6 x lwb wagons plus a brake van. The long siding is isolated at the end to hold a loco. Scenically, I am torn as to whether the layout should be viewed with the long siding at the rear (with exit points in the traditional "far away from the audience" position) or at the front, which means the exit tracks are to the front. I need a reason for the curves/diagonal nature of the trackwork (actual reason is to ameliorate any sharp reverse curves through the short set track points). I do actually like the curve through the trackwork, even if not streamline points, but why build it like that? I wonder about the trackwork being on a "shelf" on the side of a hill - the cottages I thought might be lower, so the trains are viewed just above the rooftops, with the hill rising steeply behind. But then why the abrupt termination at the buffer stops to reverse direction? Really open to any scenic suggestions, but the trackwork is just about finalised (I am pondering a loco shed/workshop - after all, White Peak Limestone only has a tin shack at the loading facility end of the branch to provide shelter for the locos! Well, that feels like the biggest update in ages! HOURS OF FUN! PS Burnstow Dock is due to occupy the central bench once the baseboard is constructed for Blackford Wharf - in its current position, the mock ups for the silos and warehouses are simply too tall to stand up under the sloping ceiling at the edge of the loft. Edited July 27, 2022 by SteveyDee68 Replacing images in progress 4 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted October 15, 2021 Author Share Posted October 15, 2021 A Bachmann Stanier Class 2 2-6-2 tank loco has just been acquired via eBay, and my eye is on a Bachmann 3F tender loco from the same seller, as well as a Bachmann Standard Class 4 with a BR1B tender (suitable for SR)... two of those are intended for Broadhaven but I wonder if the 2-6-2 would ever be seen on minerals? Need to dig out Hornby magazine's recent supplement on Midland Region train formations... Did I mention that this should have a bit of a Peak District look to it? Perhaps shades of Cromford & High Peak might work? Steve S 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted October 15, 2021 Author Share Posted October 15, 2021 (edited) Inspiration ... Edited July 27, 2022 by SteveyDee68 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveyDee68 Posted October 18, 2021 Author Share Posted October 18, 2021 (edited) So, Friday at 8:00pm I mentioned inspiration... I remembered a photo of Cromford Wharf in an old book I had/have about the C&HPR, showing the canal running close to the tracks and making for a narrow site. Eureka! Now, where else had I seen something similar? Of course, the Cromford Wharf thread by our very own @Alister_G - so a very enjoyable time I have had this weekend reading through that, Ladmanlow Sidings and Cawdor Quarry (where I had previously remarked that his efforts were turning me away from wharfs and riversides towards mineral workings!) Crikey! Looking back now I can see the influence of all three of his layouts together with White Peak Limestone and Tarmacadam upon the development of this micro! Mind you, I don't think I could copy his patience or skill in modelling stone walls block by whittled plastruct block! (Amazing, inspiring, totally awesome modelling!) When I wrote on Friday evening, I was feeling quite tired and aching, and by 9:15pm that night I was in bed. Sadly, all I have managed to be able to do this weekend is read through (and react to) various threads, as a bout of the lurgy* has laid me low all weekend. (I'm typing this having woken up at stupid o'clock in the morning, feeling cold and aching again ... time for another Lemsip, a hot water bottle and an attempt to get some sleep before the alarm announces a new day at 6:30am...) Of course, being confined to bed can also be expensive, as there is no excuse (other than sleeping) to miss the end of eBay auctions! I have wanted to add a Bachmann 3F tender loco to my collection as additional motive power for this layout (as well as the Jinty 3F tank loco, and the J94) and I got one at a very reasonable price, together with a Standard 4MT 2-6-0 with a BR1B tender (suitable for SR BR) from the same seller for a similarly agreeable price. I now have a large bundle of goodies (including the aforementioned 2-6-2 tank loco) to collect at some point - that is all of my modelling tokens spent this month, especially as I also went a bit crazy buying vehicles for Burnford Dock and a whole bunch of inspirational C&HPR and other books! Sadly, I don't think I'll be collecting them any time soon ... the way I feel now, I think I shall be confined to bed for at least another day! Steve S * The good news is that the PCR test says it isn't Covid... Edited July 27, 2022 by SteveyDee68 Typos - it's 4am!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now