Building Elmstone Heritage Railway

[Chris116]

I have been building an 8' by 1' layout. It started out as a US Shortline (Wisconsin Central Shunting Puzzle in the US part of the forum) but very quickly became duel purpose with removable platforms. The original thread is not the right place to discuss a layout with J70s and other small locos in the UK. Work has now started on the UK platform. I laid the tarmac but then when I was about to start the paving found that my supply of suitable glue had run out. So much for having a spare as I discovered I was using the spare!  Looks like the next planned essential shopping trip to get milk will also have to find some glue! The photos show the basic platform with my two J70s from Model Rail. The buildings are not fixed and will not be until I have sorted out exactly where the pathways, flower beds and tress will fit in. 

 

 

Edited February 7, 2021 by Chris116

[Chris116]

I have copied the track plan I am using across from the Wisconsin thread. The grey area is the fiddle yard which will be view blocked by a large number of trees. The second line from the fiddle yard is a display track for the heritage museum that is supposed to be on behind the station but can't be seen as the backscene is in the way! 

 

 

[Chris116]

Having built a US based depot for the alternative use of this layout I managed to forget to put a ramp at the end of the UK platform! So this evening has seen that put right. The other end will not have a ramp as there is a bay road used for museum display. 

[Chris116]

Work on Elmstone Station has seen some more brick walls built and the first building is now fixed to the platform. The photos show far too clearly that where the sheets of tarmac are butted together some weathering work is required. This can wait until the other two buildings are fixed in position and some hedges and trees have been added to the scene. 

[Chris116]

I have had a break from working on the layout due to being unhappy with the way the two baseboards joined. There was a 1mm step on one side which I could see affecting running. No point in doing anything until that was sorted and I could not work out how to make it all level without a complete rebuild. 

 

Yesterday I decided that feeling sorry for myself was not going to solve the problem and I got to work. Unscrewed one of the cross members, removed the dowels that aligned the boards wrongly. Drilled new holes for the dowels, put the cross member back and a much happier me had a cup of coffee to celebrate. 

 

Then I decided that being on a roll I would start track laying. I got my Dremel lookalike out only to find the power supply no longer worked! A look around the net found that my 15 year old drill was no longer made and getting a new power supply was not going to be possible. New drill with all the kit ordered and due for delivery on Wednesday so track laying will have to wait as I use the drill with a disc to cut the track. 

 

The top photo shows the hedge added to complete the garden for the house ar the end of the platform. The second photo shows all of the station and the improved baseboard joint. 

Edited February 28, 2021 by Chris116
Added photos and details.

[Chris116]

Having spent most of my time working on the US Depot for the layout I returned to working on the UK station over the last few days and attach three photos of the new building which along with the others is fixed to the platform base. 

 

While I have been pleased with the way the Metcalfe buildings have gone together, I am less than happy with their self adhesive paving stones which seem to have very little stick on them so I think I will have to lift them and use some uhu on them to ensure they don't fall off the area they are supposed to be covering. 

[Chris116]

A few signs added to the buildings. It looks as if Starbucks have opened a new branch in the end of the main station building. 

 

Edited April 17, 2021 by Chris116
Extra photo

[Chris116]

Having taken a break from RMweb due to adverts making things take twice as long I have got back to reading as things have settled down on the advert front.

 

I have not done much on the layout due to domestic chores taking far too much time! However I was in Brighton just before Christmas and walked past a secondhand model shop also sells stamps. The railway section is fairly small but I found a Bachmann Ivatt 2MT 2-6-2T which was very dusty and the wheels appeared totally locked. It was in a junk box rather than on show. I asked how much they wanted for it and was happy to part with £8 for a spare body as I have a number of Ivatt's already.

 

Today I have put some power to the wheels and found it totally dead. Took the body off to find more carpet fuzz than most houses have. In with the fuzz were a good supply of small screws which I think we're the main reason for the motor not working. I cleaned all the fuzz out, rescued the screws and removed the dust covering the body. Managed to knock one of the front step units off but a dab of glue sorted that out. Put the loco back on the track and it is now as smooth running as the best that I own. A definite great result and has made me determined to get on with the wiring of the layout which is not one of my favourite jobs.

[Chris116]

So 18 months later and I haven't got the wiring done but it should be finished by the end of this week. I now have some suitable coaches to run behind the two J70's I own and look forward to the arrival of the Rapido Wisbech and Upwell tram coaches I have on order. 

The Hattons Genesis coaches are in GNR livery and I am very pleased with them. Given that the layout is supposed to be a preservation society run line the fact that the Wisbech coaches and the J70's are in BR livery and the Genesis ones are in GNR livery does not cause me a problem.

 

 

[Chris116]

Wiring now completed so a running session seemed the best way forward. One of my J70's, 68223, hauled the four GNR Genesis coaches into the station from the fiddle yard as a ceremonial first train with the Ivatt 2MT 41304 ready to couple onto the back of the train to take the first train back to the fiddle yard but at that point things went wrong.

 

The direction switch on my Combi controller appears to have disintegrated when I tried to move the Ivatt off the loop line to join the train. So it looks like any celebration will have to wait for delivery of a new Combi controller.

 

 

 

Edited August 21, 2023 by Chris116
Missing photos