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GRANBY JUNCTION - Shunting Siphons for the Up Parcels with a Manor!


john dew
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14 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

 

A search for Millicast on RMweb found this thread John and yes, there will be a warflat or three on ANTB , with or without the Cromwell. I fancy something different as a load too, hence the look at the Millicast website.

 

they are pretty good  

 

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Cromwells were on the way out in our period Robin, but Comets, the odd Crocodile, and early Cents are fair game.

 

Cent tank modelling is like Hall or Castle modelling - there are so many variants and its easy to buy a "late" one when you need an "early one"

 

But don't fall into the usual tank traps (excuse the pun):

 

1.  Support weapons ( such as machine guns) would be removed for travel after and in late WW2.

2.  Muzzles would usually have a canvas sock over the end.

3.  From the Cent onwards, the turret is reversed and the barrel supported by a flip up bracket when in transit.  This only applies to main battle tanks - light tanks and grunt carriers, even with turrets, travel as they drive.

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Believe it or not but I was actually taken by the Humber Scout Car as a possible load and of course it has connections with my home town as an added bonus.:read:

 

http://www.milicast.com/shop/product.php?productid=1011&cat=65&bestseller=Y

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7 hours ago, M.I.B said:

John your description makes me think of Mrs Doyle and her knack of fallout of the same window repeatedly in  "Father Ted"..............

 

image.png.e70df5a471b35b4c9af7136e2212a792.png

 

:) Very droll........I have  put a few pounds on with the sausage and saurkraut......but not that much

 

Otherwise its remarkably accurate!

 

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1 hour ago, M.I.B said:

Cromwells were on the way out in our period Robin, but Comets, the odd Crocodile, and early Cents are fair game.

 

Cent tank modelling is like Hall or Castle modelling - there are so many variants and its easy to buy a "late" one when you need an "early one"

 

But don't fall into the usual tank traps (excuse the pun):

 

1.  Support weapons ( such as machine guns) would be removed for travel after and in late WW2.

2.  Muzzles would usually have a canvas sock over the end.

3.  From the Cent onwards, the turret is reversed and the barrel supported by a flip up bracket when in transit.  This only applies to main battle tanks - light tanks and grunt carriers, even with turrets, travel as they drive.

 

Thanks Tinker.......I wondered why I opted for a Comet rather than a Cromwell. Particularly as I briefly drove a Cromwell as 16 year old cadet.......it was converted to a  "funny ",  a mine flailer I think, with a TA Engineer unit

 

No support weapons on my Comet but I need to put a sock on the muzzle........but above all I need to get it on the railway!

 

Cheers

 

 

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48 minutes ago, gwrrob said:

 

Believe it or not but I was actually taken by the Humber Scout Car as a possible load and of course it has connections with my home town as an added bonus.:read:

 

http://www.milicast.com/shop/product.php?productid=1011&cat=65&bestseller=Y

 

That looks useful Robin.......and assembled in 10 minutes. I might be tempted.

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Scout cars are more of a "2 per Warflat" load - they don't weigh much.

 

What about the trusty AEC Matador which Airfix made - that and a scout car is a fine load for a Warflat.  They were still around in the 50s.

 

Or one scout car per LORIOT if you can get one.

 

 

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Thank you James, that is very kind of you.

 

With holidays and the new look rmweb I have rather lost touch with your layout. I do hope all is progressing well and you are enjoying persuading Train Controller to carry out your wishes.:rolleyes:

 

kind regards

 

John

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10 hours ago, gwrrob said:

 

A search for Millicast on RMweb found this thread John and yes, there will be a warflat or three on ANTB , with or without the Cromwell. I fancy something different as a load too, hence the look at the Millicast website.

 

Hi Robin

 

I guess I should thank you for the intervention.....the Warflat thread had slipped off my radar and I had completely forgotten about it. Not sure if I ever appreciated they came with Cromwells! A five year gestation may have been a contributory factor.

 

After your post I re-googled Cromwells. There is a lengthy, heavily detailed section in Wikipedia, from which I learned they were still around in our period .....a regiment (Hussars?) fought with them in Korea.

 

Then I checked out a Yorkshire retailer ( my Lancashire outfit still hasn't resolved their tiff with Bachmann) and was very impressed....so much so that two will eventually be wending their way to Vancouver. Hopefully two warflats and one warwell is not a total impossibility.

 

Now I have to work out which rake to drop from the layout

 

Best wishes

 

John

 

 

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Its hardly a surprise.....I have succumbed to Robin's suggestion. Two khaki WD Warflats + Cromwells are on order along with all the securing kit etches from Roxey.........thank you Robin. I will add them to the Warwell + Comet and one or two LMS PBVs. I gather this is not a wholly realistic set up for 1948 so I will have to devise a convincing legend and work out which goods train to remove from the layout! More on that later, after they arrive here

 

Phil-C, of this parish and a wizard with photoshop, very kindly enhanced last weeks back scene.

 

 

 

 

 


If you are not already following his layout thread: Pen Y  Bryn, I would urge you to do so.......here is the link
 



Its a super layout, packed with amazing life like detail........ best start at Page 5 the earlier photos got lost somewhere.



After all my acrobatics leaning out over the station roof a lot of the little people outside the station did lose their balance and fall over! 


844985820_1.6Station.jpg.38eb613255d1ac11fd1be4a06033036d.jpg

The station is actually three separate buildings. Both the centre module and right hand wing are glued to sections of the roof. They have to be easily removeable to give access for maintenance.

Figures are vulnerable at the best of times. It is even worse when they are set up just outside, or in the doorways, of buildings that are easily nudged. The roof was even more susceptible to movement as I leaned over.

A large part of last weeks railway room time was spent glueing stuff back in place
 

78098549_3.0Centre.jpg.eea7b5d8251578730b853c22d3b59a3a.jpg


Close ups sure add to the todo list. The porter's jacket clearly needs a touch up.

Looks as though I missed the gentleman on the left......or else he had a good lunch.

I guess I must have had a good lunch when I positioned the taxi signs!


 

 

1127481855_5.1Closeup.jpg.6b74df5cbb9477ddee8edcd72353cca3.jpg

 


Lost count of the number of times I have had to re position the newspaper boy. He used to be positioned under a lamp post but sadly thats in the workshop for a while.

 

 

1211905426_6Soldiers.jpg.5213f640e5ca9a42c7ff3ad7fe543cca.jpg



Equally Lt. Huw Rees-Jones has lost his balance more than once, as has Ivor Evans who is now semi upright again... perpetually tying his shoe lace.

Hope you enjoyed a glimpse of Granby's little people. This is perhaps my favourite:


546990708_1.9Taxis.jpg.f7ab805771317a6c635ac7ec6571c98c.jpg

This weeks work is a bit more mundane. The point motors on two of the double slips failed along with one on a crucial route into the storage yard........one of the problems of a "mature" layout. It seems solenoids have a finite life...........more on this later

Regards from Vancouver

John

5 Centre.jpg

Edited by john dew
Photos 31/8/22
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Gosh, those are splendid pictures - the outside of the station gives an excellent impression of a busy transport hub!

 

As to my layout to which your referred above - I am concentrating on the N gauge layout at present (which will also be controlled with Train Controller) as I have to lay the track and complete the wiring to the rear area (the fiddle yards) before I can have the baseboards for the 00 gauge layout put in, as having those in place will make it hard to work on the track to the rear of the N gauge layout. However, I will have to complete the wiring for the 00 gauge layout before I can work on the signalling or scenery for the N gauge layout owing to the risk of crushing/damaging the scenery if I lean under the 00 gauge boards/over the N gauge boards for wiring purposes, so it is all a very complex sequence!

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13 hours ago, jamespetts said:

 However, I will have to complete the wiring for the 00 gauge layout before I can work on the signalling or scenery for the N gauge layout owing to the risk of crushing/damaging the scenery if I lean under the 00 gauge boards/over the N gauge boards for wiring purposes, so it is all a very complex sequence!

 

I dont envy you. The older I get the less I enjoy the stretching/crawling part of maintenance!

 

Good Luck

 

John

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3 hours ago, john dew said:

 

I dont envy you. The older I get the less I enjoy the stretching/crawling part of maintenance!

 

Good Luck

 

John

 

That is why I am hoping that, once I have done it, I will not have to do it all again! Thank you! I shall look forward to more updates on your splendid layout in time, too.

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The priority last week was to sort out 3 dodgy points

The first two, both on insulfrog double slips at the Station entrance, were pretty straightforward. Just replacing Peco Surface mounted points. I am beginning to realise that RR&Co creates a certain amount of wear and tear with solenoid point motors.....a signal is sent every time a route is set, even when the point is already in the correct position.


The third point took a bit longer. It was on the other side of the room at the entrance to the storage yard.

First problem was accessing it.............behind the monitor and all those terraced houses:

 

569303442_1.0Overall.jpg.e462e9c7e2ab78ddcf58975f5a354fe5.jpg

Fortunately the terraced houses/shops are made up in  30" lift off modules


 

18338665_2.5Shopsoff.jpg.77750011bff4b6bee43b5c6deef77c50.jpg

Disconnect and carefully remove the oversize monitor.......and we are ready to go. 

 

642528028_2.5Stripped.jpg.69c4ceea8229b40f163d8d20e3688504.jpg



The problem here was similar to the slip motors......one of the solenoids had given up the ghost. Except this was a standard peco motor attached to the point below the baseboard. I was not looking forward to replacing it!

But for once the sun and the stars aligned......

Some years ago I guess I must have replaced the entire point by dropping it in and using conventional rail joiners to slide in (insulating cuts were made further up the lines). In consequence I was able to lift the entire point clear of the baseboard and it was then relatively easy to attach a new motor and frog polarity switch.

 

 

 

996240938_3.0Pointfromabove.jpg.234f31bc4ee7b295a22a46963046851e.jpg

 

 

1551557299_4Pointmotor.jpg.183ccb413f5f65eff7565ec15a01321c.jpg



The switch still has to be clipped to the new motor in this shot..........I left it unattached until I was 100% satisfied that the switch was working correctly (years of frustrating experience there)


 

228808181_5Rampmeter.jpg.30833299968d20fbae94cb696dc504bc.jpg



Everything perfect........

I should have rushed out and bought a lottery ticket!

The gizmo above is a rampmeter.......one of the best tools I have ever bought.  I am not an electrician and I must confess I have never really understood how to read a multimeter. This device is idiot proof......if the circuit is good it lights up.....as simple as that.

Everything back in place.....The Mold-Bersham autotrain can now be seen entering Cynwyd


1264249181_6Closeup.jpg.63d8cd72ddebb0a888bf6d6846a58eaa.jpg

I know its time I showed some locos on this thread......... although in fairness that shot is really a segue into next weeks topic.

 

Robin of ANTB fame will no doubt observe and admire the position of the loco headlamp!  :D

Meantime.........is that a bus on the bridge?


 

2136101759_6.5Bus1.jpg.8b42127ca050d498ff0ae8b713bfedb0.jpg



It is indeed....... a terrible overworked cliche.....I should be ashamed


 

1751848344_7DewChara.jpg.8c6215d069d296521500cca9ff760ad9.jpg



Although in this case, I believe, I can be forgiven

As the World Cup (of Rugby for the uninitiated) approaches I will refrain from making any predictions but confess to a certain amount of optimism that England will ,at the very least, do rather better than four years ago!  The kick off times are horrible for us.....3am. I am recording everything I can, so modelling will take a back seat and I will studiously avoid turning on the Ipad to avoid the inevitable spoilers


Regards from Vancouver where its raining......heavily

 

Edited by john dew
31/8/22 Photos
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4 hours ago, john dew said:

The priority last week was to sort out 3 dodgy points

The first two, both on insulfrog double slips at the Station entrance, were pretty straightforward. Just replacing Peco Surface mounted points. I am beginning to realise that RR&Co creates a certain amount of wear and tear with solenoid point motors.....a signal is sent every time a route is set, even when the point is already in the correct position.


The third point took a bit longer. It was on the other side of the room at the entrance to the storage yard.

First problem was accessing it.............behind the monitor and all those terraced houses:

712652128_1.0Overall.jpg.128a8fa063fb403958d269eee452ace5.jpg


Fortunately the terraced houses/shops are made up in  30" lift off modules


37800490_2.5Shopsoff.jpg.47aca186045c908d7f69274090a731d3.jpg


Disconnect and carefully remove the oversize monitor.......and we are ready to go. 

1033342858_2.5Stripped.jpg.90cae61fcc790ba783f011dafc69af4c.jpg


The problem here was similar to the slip motors......one of the solenoids had given up the ghost. Except this was a standard peco motor attached to the point below the baseboard. I was not looking forward to replacing it!

But for once the sun and the stars aligned......

Some years ago I guess I must have replaced the entire point by dropping it in and using conventional rail joiners to slide in (insulating cuts were made further up the lines). In consequence I was able to lift the entire point clear of the baseboard and it was then relatively easy to attach a new motor and frog polarity switch.

 

1162452860_3.0Pointfromabove.jpg.8b3988f633e8d9a0299bb2be19bd878f.jpg

 

 

938953911_4Pointmotor.jpg.44a7be80fb4abd93f54559cb7b7c631b.jpg



The switch still has to be clipped to the new motor in this shot..........I left it unattached until I was 100% satisfied that the switch was working correctly (years of frustrating experience there)


1577185055_5Rampmeter.jpg.8ca6b93d3a639bcd91053ef8b663d357.jpg


Everything perfect........

I should have rushed out and bought a lottery ticket!

The gizmo above is a rampmeter.......one of the best tools I have ever bought.  I am not an electrician and I must confess I have never really understood how to read a multimeter. This device is idiot proof......if the circuit is good it lights up.....as simple as that.

Everything back in place.....The Mold-Bersham autotrain can now be seen entering Cynwyd

1163189005_6Closeup.jpg.b79636643ff562d1153a5601935d7754.jpg


I know its time I showed some locos on this thread......... although in fairness that shot is really a segue into next weeks topic.

 

Robin of ANTB fame will no doubt observe and admire the position of the loco headlamp!  :D

Meantime.........is that a bus on the bridge?


1185222347_6.5Bus1.jpg.67f3ae45f282453c6d643e650b60f9b1.jpg


It is indeed....... a terrible overworked cliche.....I should be ashamed


2011512909_7DewChara.jpg.e5a9aa836efc857011c26c0d81aa131b.jpg


Although in this case, I believe, I can be forgiven

As the World Cup (of Rugby for the uninitiated) approaches I will refrain from making any predictions but confess to a certain amount of optimism that England will ,at the very least, do rather better than four years ago!  The kick off times are horrible for us.....3am. I am recording everything I can, so modelling will take a back seat and I will studiously avoid turning on the Ipad to avoid the inevitable spoilers


Regards from Vancouver where its raining......heavily

Good work John. I do like photos that show me what's under the baseboard and outside the modelled area.

 

Ron W Dew - family connection?

 

For once kick-off times are good for us so weekend work in the railway room might drop off for the next seven weeks.

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2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Good work John. I do like photos that show me what's under the baseboard and outside the modelled area.

 

Ron W Dew - family connection?

 

For once kick-off times are good for us so weekend work in the railway room might drop off for the next seven weeks.

 

Thanks John

 

It doesnt approach your standard of tidiness I am afraid but I have had a bit of a clear out........Granby doesnt get many visitors but this Sunday one of your NRMA colleagues, Anthony Ashley and his wife are paying us a visit......so there has been a lot of testing and cleaning.......I have warned him that careful cropping conceals a multitude of bodging.

 

No family connection  that I am aware of. It was a three pound special from Hattons. I had to google Somersham to find out where it was.....Huntingdonshire is/was a county I had forgotten all about.

 

Enjoy the rugby.......I hope I will

 

John

 

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1 hour ago, john dew said:

 

Thanks John

 

It doesnt approach your standard of tidiness I am afraid but I have had a bit of a clear out........Granby doesnt get many visitors but this Sunday one of your NRMA colleagues, Anthony Ashley and his wife are paying us a visit......so there has been a lot of testing and cleaning.......I have warned him that careful cropping conceals a multitude of bodging.

 

No family connection  that I am aware of. It was a three pound special from Hattons. I had to google Somersham to find out where it was.....Huntingdonshire is/was a county I had forgotten all about.

 

Enjoy the rugby.......I hope I will

 

John

 

I will too. Give Anthony my regards. Haven't seen him since he finally retired.

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Hi John, just checking in to enjoy Granby. That was a lucky point replacement! Or maybe you were thinking ahead when you put the original one in.

 

I like that shot of the autotrain, and notice to my amazement that the road traffic actually moves and changes direction between the photos :)

 

Can I ask what the second monitor - the one on the wall - is for?

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On 21/09/2019 at 22:21, Mikkel said:

Hi John, just checking in to enjoy Granby. That was a lucky point replacement! Or maybe you were thinking ahead when you put the original one in.

 

I like that shot of the autotrain, and notice to my amazement that the road traffic actually moves and changes direction between the photos :)

 

Can I ask what the second monitor - the one on the wall - is for?

 

 

Hi Mikkel

 

Good to hear from you.

 

I would like to pretend that I make a point of moving the vehicles on a systematic basis....ensuring consistency by recording each movement in a specially created database. The reality is I shuffled everything around to get a better close up of the back of the bus.:D

 

The monitor on the wall.......long story....it is actually a TV that cascaded down from our living room some 5 years ago. It can be switched between TV and Monitor modes. It used to be quite useful up there because you could check loco speeds and stop/brake markers from the other end of the room. Unfortunately to work as a monitor it requires a driver which is now obsolete. Mr Gates helpfully ( I assume he thinks its helpful) now overwrites this driver each week. The TV that replaced it has now, in its turn, been replaced and cascaded down to the train room as the over large but very effective monitor seen on the computor table. In consequence the monitor on the wall is now basically redundant..........well you did ask!

 

Best wishes

 

John 

 

 

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1 hour ago, john dew said:

The monitor on the wall.......long story....it is actually a TV that cascaded down from our living room some 5 years ago.

You could watch the rugby on the TV while you're playing trains...

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