Bartb Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 Hi Steve Here is a picture of the Harris Box, enjoy. Do you remember Model railway Constuctor, and the article on Black dog halt ? in the 80's John 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted November 29, 2010 Author Share Posted November 29, 2010 Hi Steve Here is a picture of the Harris Box, enjoy. Do you remember Model railway Constuctor, and the article on Black dog halt ? in the 80's John Outstanding! :good_mini: This has just got to be the basis for the layout stock boxes!!!! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted November 29, 2010 Share Posted November 29, 2010 Do you remember Model railway Constuctor, and the article on Black dog halt ? in the 80's That very model of Black Dog Halt will also be at the Calne Show on 22 & 23 January, along with the Chris Hewitt's EM gauge model of Calne. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted November 29, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted November 29, 2010 Do you remember Model railway Constuctor, and the article on Black dog halt ? in the 80's MRC - June 1987 - I have it Steve if you need to see the article...same issue as a 4mm layout based on Coombe Junction... Pete 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scanman Posted November 30, 2010 Share Posted November 30, 2010 Ian Thanks for the suggestion and pointers. I actually live about 10 miles from the 'Wilts & Swindon Record Office' in Chippenham and with an enforced period of 'working from home' over the next month (..evicted while the office relocates across the road...), I am actually intending to spend some of my diligently working time in that fine establishment . (It's an added bonus that the cornish pasty shop is just round the corner... ) Cornish Pasty Shop???? B....y h..l I never spotted that! Nice location tho' and definitely more convenient and better laid out than their old site in Trowbridge. More convenient parking too. Same helpful staff tho' - and that's the important bit. Enjoy your visit(s)! On a practical note - I don't know whether you've used Records Offices before - if not, make sure you take two (I think) pieces of identification as you will have to get a 'CARN' card (County Archive Research Network) (luv showing off - but had to 'Google the term 'co I'd forgotten wot it ment!). Regs Ian 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium M.I.B Posted November 30, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 30, 2010 Steve, Calne show on the saturday or the sunday? I'm considering the slog over from Stansted on the saturday. May even stay the night - have a wander around the old ville and a pint or two in a local hostelry. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium M.I.B Posted November 30, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted November 30, 2010 I have just been discussing this post with M.I.B Snr, who cut his trainspotting teeth watching Castles and Kings, and later on hearing a thunder like no other coming towards Paddington at Langley. It turned out to be Duke of Gloucester. Sorry, I digress, but I am lucky to have him to reminisce "at me". He remembers the gate - it was in a hedgerow in the position I stated above. He also remembers a wander around the old sheds (or what was left of them in the early 80s). One had a cobbled floor with rails set into it. Where the rails were exposed you could clearly see that they were old broad guage bridging rails. He tells me that we walked from the Station to Black Dog Halt a couple of times, althjough I can't remember. I still think that is the best station name I have ever seen or read about. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Modelling Mike Posted December 3, 2010 Share Posted December 3, 2010 Hi Steve, Just spent some time going through your thread. It holds particular appeal to me as I grew up in a village near Chippenham and the Calne Branch has always fascinated me (not least because as a kid I could never work out why there was a redundant platform at Chippenham station!) It's strange, but I only recently found out about the Harris bacon factory (through work, rather than local knowledge) which is odd, as I'm a Harris myself! (No relation though, as far as I know.) I'll be following this thread with much interest. It's a great way to assuage my homesickness. Great work so far, and I can't wait to see the layout progress. Mike Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrislock Posted December 6, 2010 Share Posted December 6, 2010 Hi Steve, I have been catching up on your work - last I visited was while you were still building those rather impressive boards. You've come a fair way since then. Very interested to read your trials and tribulations with easitrac points, as I've been going through same over recent months, and forming more or less similar conclusions as to where to attach the cross bracing on the crossover pieces. Interesting also about the aluminium jigs - I reckon I must have one of the early ones as it does not have the cutaway. I have gone back to using Carrs 145 solder, as opposed to the 188 solder cream I have been using, due to some problems soldering in there. Am also using a heavier bit now as recommended on a seminar I attended. I can't say they are getting much easier though...maybe the gap between building each one doesn't help! Looking forwards to seeing your layout develop. Regards, Chris 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted December 23, 2010 Author Share Posted December 23, 2010 And suddenly... ...nothing happened! Well, this is not strictly true, but it does seem that very little progress has been made over the past few weeks! The long awaited period of domestic upheaval has come at last (SWMBO managed to get her job transfer and has come home) and the much enjoyed period of uncontrolled 'playtime' has been curtailed. The permanent work bench (aka the dining table) and the dedicated 'playroom' (SWMBO seems to think that this should be a dining room!) have been cruelly sacrificed on the altar of domestic re-organisation - also critical 'working practices' such as using all of the sitting room chairs to lay out the essential reference works and keeping the laptop on the coffee table to rapidly access RMweb and other erudite web sources are now frowned upon! Oh such hardships we suffer for our art... ...but on the up-side, with the chef being at home, proper meals (with fresh vegetables...) have ceased to be a distant memory. (My commiserations to the local Chinese, Indian, Pizza, chippy, and kebab outlets, for the decrease in their turnover - sorry ). On the layout front, work has continued in making the crossing assemblies for the points - the Easitrac aluminium jig has continued to be challenging and numerous practice assemblies have been made. I have not yet achieved what I consider to be an acceptable standard yet, but this is probably more due to my ineptitude rather than using the Easitrac system. They do say that practice makes perfect, but I now realise that that old sage doesn't actually say how many 'practices' it really takes; on a scale of diabolical to excellent, I think I'm just about at mediocre and will have to put in a few more attempts to make acceptable. To keep the pathetic crossings in perspective, and to feel that I am actually moving forward (albeit at a lesser pace than Brian the snail!), I have completed the sleeper-work for the first two points and fitted the outside curved stock rails... ...this in itself was not difficult, but threading the individual chairs onto the rail was a real test of the eyesight. The PCB sleepers inter-spaced with the ABS plastic strips are to provide the power feeds to the rails. An etched brass chair plate will be slid between the PCB sleeper and the rail (filling the apparent gap) and soldered in place; power drops then can easily be taken to the sleeper. In theory this should be far easier than soldering the dropper cable directly to the rail... Well, I suspect my modelling time will now be curtailed in line with the festive season - just typical when I get back into the flow of things , but on a more positive note, I'm quietly confident that SWMBO has honoured her earlier promise and Santa will be bringing me some cattle wagons :D And on that note, many thanks to all of my friends on RMweb who have taken the time to contribute to this work - it has been through your help and encouragement that Smokey Bacon has progressed as it has done and that my 'mojo' has been constantly refreshed Happy Christmas & a Merry New Year 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Looking good Steve. Just to let you know, brass easi-trac chairs are now available at request from the association shop. I've got a few and they really are a better option than the etched chair plates. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted December 23, 2010 Author Share Posted December 23, 2010 Looking good Steve. Just to let you know, brass easi-trac chairs are now available at request from the association shop. I've got a few and they really are a better option than the etched chair plates. Thanks for the tip Bryn, I'll look into this in the new year ; I'll stick with etched plates for this section of track (as I've got the bits and have already started...) but your sugestion looks like a good way forward! I've looked on the site and found them (1-183 Easitrac Sprue of chairs - as 1-181 but cast in brass (to order only) £ ask each) - just as a matter of interest, what was the cost and the lead time? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted December 23, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 23, 2010 I guess its just a case of finding a new modelling routine steve... Have really enjoyed this thread since you started - long may it continue in 2011 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryn Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Jjust as a matter of interest, what was the cost and the lead time? I honestly can't remember, mine were from the prototype batch which Mick Simpson had done many moons ago. I just remember, at the price given, you wouldn't want to make a whole point using them But for your uses, they'll be cost effective. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chinahand Posted December 23, 2010 Share Posted December 23, 2010 Hi Steve, Notwithstanding the revised domestic arrangements you are still achieving things that I would not even attempt. I continue to enjoy your thread and look forward to following it in 2011. Wishing you a Merry Christmas and a Peaceful New Year 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted December 24, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 24, 2010 My abiding memory of Calne was the smell as you got to the town. Do youplan to model that? Nice work though. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
-missy- Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Merry Christmas to you too Steve This thread and your presence at the club has been a refreshing change. Take a short break this Christmas and I am sure that after the new year you will return with new ideas and enthusiasm. Missy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bartb Posted December 24, 2010 Share Posted December 24, 2010 Merry Christmas Steve Look forward to seing the layout progress more next year. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted December 24, 2010 Author Share Posted December 24, 2010 My abiding memory of Calne was the smell as you got to the town. Do youplan to model that? Nice work though. Don No - my plan is to make the kids wash more often... ...seriously, until they invent a micro size dcc 'smell' chip, I think the aromatic atmosphere will be on hold On a different note, I see that you are located on the IoW - as a natural 'corkhead' myself, its great to see that fellow islanders are rail nuts.... Merry Christmas 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium M.I.B Posted December 24, 2010 RMweb Premium Share Posted December 24, 2010 Welcome back, and welcome back to your mojo. Have you seen the Harris vans that Burnham & Distric MRC have had made - luckily for me they are in OO. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted December 24, 2010 Author Share Posted December 24, 2010 Welcome back, and welcome back to your mojo. Have you seen the Harris vans that Burnham & Distric MRC have had made - luckily for me they are in OO. Hi MIB & Merry Christmas to you . Thanks for the interesting pointer, I've found the 'Harris Vans' you refer to and they do look rather interesting... However, I've no records of Harris' ever having their own 4-wheel box vans - all my information points towards leased GW Siphons (4 wheeled Siphon D Siphon C and 40' bogie Siphon F) and even these were not specifically marked as 'Harris' until the 1930's. I'd be very interested to learn where B&D MRC got their 'inspiration' for the prototype? The Pinniger coal wagon further down the page is a valid representation of a PO wagon - another PO wagon of interest is the W E Neate on the left... Though this model does show how 'N' transfers are too big for 2FS bodies... EDIT - 23 February 11: Corrected 'typo'; Siphon D should have read Siphon C - oops. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveBedding Posted December 25, 2010 Author Share Posted December 25, 2010 ... and in keeping with the festive season, the ultimate cake from that large green butt-slapping supermarket... Many thanks and all the best to everyone. 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilgrimsjulie Posted December 25, 2010 Share Posted December 25, 2010 Well this is a message from SWMBO......Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year..... Many thanks for all the suggestions for the Christmas List that I received I think that he was pleased with it all Mind you I also think that I may have to give the dining room up for the modelling room again shortly after the festive season!!!! That is of course if I can even keep it for that long!! 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted December 25, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 25, 2010 I like the wagons despite your concern re the transfers. The 2mfs/N gauge size issue is bound to crop up now and then. I wonder if the GWR was happier taking its own vehicles on the end of passenger trains hence getting faster delivery so maybe that why Harris used them a lot. I think there was some brass chairs at expo probably went quick though. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold bcnPete Posted December 26, 2010 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 26, 2010 best wishes to you steve - assume that cake is now history? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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