Popular Post Tim Lewis Posted September 27, 2017 Author Popular Post Share Posted September 27, 2017 (edited) Woo hoo!!! Finally....finally...finally..... Coldstream has a home of its' own. The cabin in the garden is pretty much complete, and a start has been made in getting the layout set up in there. Here's the room before I moved the boards in (you can click to enlarge on all the pictures if you want): and here are the boards set up. Space for luxuries such as furniture and seating is nice to have, but will diminish as the layout expands: I haven't done any more trackwork for a few years now, so it's still as it was: lots of sleepers laid, but only a few lengths of track, and only about 4ft of it is wired up (albeit temporarily). You can get some idea from this picture: Despite the lack of track, I couldn't resist placing some stock on the layout to give an idea of what it will eventually look like: Some close ups, firstly the coal drop area: D11/2 in the up platform with an Edinburgh-Newcastle via Galashiels and Kelso passenger, goods yard and cattle dock beyond: Then, a J39 arriving on a diverted ECML freight, whilst a J25 prepares a pickup goods: A view from the (double-sided) cattle dock across towards the station. The rake of 3 wagons (open-van-open) towards the right is standing in where the goods shed will be: and a more distant view (sorry about the lack of depth of field). The plate wagon to the left of the LMS brake van is in the end-loading dock. This gives some idea of the width of the layout at the western end: So, still a massive amount of work to do, but at least I now have space in which to do it. In other news, I retired from full-time work a few weeks back (might still do a bit of consultancy - we'll see), so in theory I also have the time as well as the space (although most of my retired friends say that they have less time now they've retired than when they were working). I seem to have now run out of excuses for making progress, so better get on with it! Edited January 31, 2023 by Tim Lewis Re-instate pictures 30 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Very nice Tim - a bit more than a 'cabin'! I look forward to seeing more progress and visiting the real thing some time. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RANGERS Posted September 27, 2017 Share Posted September 27, 2017 Now that really does look like a railway room! Don't know how I've missed this thread, the Tweed Valley route has long been a favourite topic of mine since Ian Futers wrote about it, along with the Wansbeck Valley, Border Counties, Rothbury and Alnwick-Wooler routes, in RM in the late 70s Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 Now that you have a railway room, things should leap along to completion (???) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
IanLister Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 Hi Tim Great to see you finally able to make some progress with time and space to get on. No excuses......... My Spittal and Tweed Dock EM layout is developing just a couple of miles along the road from Coldstream in a 40ft workshop in Wark. Any time you're up here doing research pop in for a chat. Regards Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Corbs Posted September 29, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted September 29, 2017 Wow, I have such room envy now! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted September 29, 2017 Share Posted September 29, 2017 G'Day gents Great model railway room (been following on FB) nice to see the railway stock getting an airing. manna Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted September 30, 2017 Share Posted September 30, 2017 Lovely track work. Glad you have a new home for it. Looking forward to seeing things progress as I'm just about to start laying track on my own or layout now that I have finally finished the templot planning, which I expect to be slow going! Still not decided myself what glue/ballast methods to go with, leaning towards pva as I have a lot of the stuff already, though I'm using balsa wood as a track base instead of foam or cork. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Tim Lewis Posted December 28, 2017 Author Popular Post Share Posted December 28, 2017 (edited) Thanks all for the above comments. Ian, I'd love to take up your kind offer of visiting your layout, though I don't get up that way very often. Not too much to report on Coldstream really, but I have done a bit of "arranging". Way back in Scalefour News 148, issued in July 2006, Gavin Clark wrote an article about his layout Kerrin Basin, and the experience of exhibiting it at Scalefour North 2003. With regard to the fiddleyard he said this: "The fiddle-yard has proved to be partially successful, but one or two changes will be made before its next appearance. Most significantly, pointwork will be moved around to create far more through sidings than in the initial design. Its next appearance is likely to be supporting Tim Lewis’s Coldstream layout when that appears, so a few extensions will be built in, to accommodate this as well." At the time, my (obviously wildly optimistic) plan was to first exhibit Coldstream in around 2007 - ha! Only around 11 years late so far, and counting. Still, better late than never. I now have the curved sections of the old Kerrin Basin fiddleyard, and am in the process of beginning to attach them to the scenic bit of Coldstream, although nothing is fixed in place yet: Since the last lot of posts, I have raised Coldstream up by around 15", so that the track height is around 48". There is a small amount of tweaking to do to get the alignment sorted. Note that, in general, there are more tracks on the curved boards than I will need. However, the down headshunt (i.e. the fourth track that doesn't connect to anything) will need a length of plain track adding to the fiddleyard. This is a view along the layout from the Tweedmouth end (Christmas tree not to scale!): At the Kelso end, the alignment will be something like this: The gap is where the road (A697) passes underneath the tracks: haven't made the bridge yet. This is a longer view: At the Kelso end, the track doesn't cross the baseboard edge at right angles, so there'll be some fiddling necessary to make it fit (probably involving a temporary piece of track): This is an overall view of the layout from the Kelso end: This shows the long gap at the back, which will be bridged by some storage sidings (when I've built them). Precise formation yet to be determined, but the turnouts (to go from 2 tracks to 7 sidings) will probably end up being on the rear curved boards. First priority is to do something "simple" to get one loop all the way round (so I can play trains!). Plenty to do in 2018! Edited January 31, 2023 by Tim Lewis Re-instate pictures 21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mad McCann Posted December 29, 2017 Share Posted December 29, 2017 Great to see you back on the radar, Tim. I missed seeing developments on this layout! D4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted March 2, 2018 Author Share Posted March 2, 2018 "Take me to the bridge" as James Brown was fond of saying! A bit more progress. I've made a bridge deck for the 'gap' at the Kelso end of the station that also copes with the different alignments of the scenic and fiddle yard boards (there's one sleeper missing at the board join). This is fine for current purposes but will probably end up getting replaced at some point. I've also completed laying the down line throughout the scenic section (with the exception of the curved switch blades for the turnouts): With some wiring lash-up under the boards, this allowed me to run a train from here (note subtle product placement!): all the way to the bridge: This was a bit of a milestone, and I ended up running it backwards and forwards about 20 times! I took a video (not of all 20 trips), but I don't know how to upload it. 19 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
danstercivicman Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 A great track plan and great space Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 Splendidly done... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wibble Posted March 2, 2018 Share Posted March 2, 2018 We'll crack open a bottle of bubbly when the first full circuit has been achieved - may well be a vintage year .... still think you're missing a trick not having a test circuit around the walls. ha ha Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Portchullin Tatty Posted March 3, 2018 Share Posted March 3, 2018 Looks good Tim! When shall I tell Terry to book you for?# I took a video (not of all 20 trips), but I don't know how to upload it. The easy way is to upload it to YouTube and then paste the link into the post. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted March 3, 2018 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 3, 2018 The easy way is to upload it to YouTube and then paste the link into the post. Yes, after all this time we need proof... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted March 19, 2018 Author Share Posted March 19, 2018 Looks good Tim! When shall I tell Terry to book you for?# The easy way is to upload it to YouTube and then paste the link into the post. Right. I don't know whether this is going to work or not, as I'm new to this YouTube lark. Hopefully this will link to a video: Not the most exciting video, but it does prove a point! Apologies for the dodgy camera work and the focus issues: still figuring out how best to take video on my DSLR. Cheers for now. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted June 5, 2018 Author Share Posted June 5, 2018 Another milestone reached!! A couple of weeks ago, several friends came round to help "Bridge the Gap" at the rear of the layout, and make a continuous loop (still just one track only). Here's the D11 doing it's thing with a train of 4 Gresley non-corridor coaches: Been watching the trains go round ever since! - must get back to some modelling! 14 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DougN Posted June 6, 2018 Share Posted June 6, 2018 Tim, I guess you will either speed up or slow down! No doubt you are keen to get another loop down so you can have 2 trains running around! The D11 does look very nice running. I guess these are straight swaps for the OO wheels to P4? The J39.... well I think it is.... ran very nicely too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
iak Posted June 6, 2018 Share Posted June 6, 2018 Whoooosh! Very splendid to see too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
davefrk Posted June 6, 2018 Share Posted June 6, 2018 Hi Tim, yes it feels great to hit a milestone doesn't it. A full circuit well done, I remember getting 'the full circuit' on Wharfeside and it fair cheers you up. Last time we spoke we talked about the ballast dilemma, I've nearly finished the ballasting on Wharfeside and it's had a few nice comments which makes the effort to get it right worthwhile. All the best, Dave Franks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted June 9, 2018 Author Share Posted June 9, 2018 Tim, I guess you will either speed up or slow down! No doubt you are keen to get another loop down so you can have 2 trains running around! The D11 does look very nice running. I guess these are straight swaps for the OO wheels to P4? The J39.... well I think it is.... ran very nicely too! Yes, the D11 is a straight Gibson conversion, and with no outside cylinders or valve gear to worry about it was pretty straightforward. You're right about the other loco: it's a Bachmann J39 body on a Bradwell chassis. Some more details on both on my workbench if interested. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevejjjexcov Posted June 10, 2018 Share Posted June 10, 2018 Re carrs ash ballast, I have used it but did crush it in an old pestle and mortar before use it looked OK and I used PVA and dropper method with no bits floating off. The layout will look great when finished. I will follow with interest. All the best Steve Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Blandford1969 Posted January 16, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 16, 2019 I'm not sure if you do Facebook, however there are some excellent groups which have some great images of Coldstream - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1688559298104109/?ref=group_browse_new - Alnwick and Cornhill Railway https://www.facebook.com/groups/downtheline/?ref=group_browse_new The Waverley Route and branches and https://www.facebook.com/groups/110241279016234/?ref=group_browse_new Railways of Berwick and the Eastern Borders Look forward to seeing more progress on your layout soon. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Lewis Posted January 17, 2019 Author Share Posted January 17, 2019 I'm not sure if you do Facebook, however there are some excellent groups which have some great images of Coldstream - https://www.facebook.com/groups/1688559298104109/?ref=group_browse_new - Alnwick and Cornhill Railway https://www.facebook.com/groups/downtheline/?ref=group_browse_new The Waverley Route and branches and https://www.facebook.com/groups/110241279016234/?ref=group_browse_new Railways of Berwick and the Eastern Borders Look forward to seeing more progress on your layout soon. Thanks for that. I don't "do" Facebook, as I think it would be another distraction I could do without. I have been aware of the Berwick and Eastern Borders group for a while (some of the photos on the disused station website are sourced from there), but I've not heard of the other two. Perhaps I should bite the bullet and join (it seems that it's not possible to see the photos without joining). There wasn't much progress on the layout last summer and early Autumn whilst I considered wiring and control options. Recommenced doing a bit of trackwork before Xmas, and am hopefully going to make considerable progress in the next couple of months. There is a little bit of progress to show (most of the up line is now laid but not yet fully operational), but I don't have any photos at the moment - maybe next week. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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