Upbech St Mary, Upbech Drove and Pott Row a journey through 00 and then into EM and 009.

[mullie]

14 hours ago, lezz01 said:

Great shot mullie, I do like those Derby Lightweights they have more character than the met cams.

Regards Lez.  

I bought a Lightweight almost as soon as they came out, then a few years later had to order the East Anglian body shape as spares from Bachmann. I found the original bodies a few weeks ago.

 

One of my favourite DMUs too. I like the W & M rail buses too though the one I have is proving a challenging project. I'm sure it will be worth it in the end.

 

With the layout largely complete I am now focussing on improvements to the layout and stock including adding new items to improve on some that need replacing. This year will largely be about consolidation though I do want to get the narrow gauge layout up and running as it will give me a vehicle for my M & GN stock and it has a possible exhibition outing in 2025.

 

Today I took the fruit D off the layout as its use was making the layout look too crowded, I like the sense of space less stock creates. It may form the basis of another cassette.

Edited February 18 by mullie

[mullie]

In the end I have stripped the railbus down to the bare bones. Just a motor and some pickups. 

 

Here it is sort of put together.  Next job I will get the chassis up and running under DC and then hard wire in a small decoder. 

 

I'm not fussed about lighting and don't like DCC sound (it's OK I have my tin hat on). Tonight's digital sound in Mullie towers is the Jamie Cullum jazz show on radio 2, that'll do. 

[mullie]

When the garage is at a bearable temperature some changes have been made.

 

 

Essentially I don't like corners in back scenes so have never been fully happy with the factory area.  I like the low relief factory but by its very nature it didn't work from all angles. The corner has now gone. 

 

This area is now a work in progress while I sort out exactly how I want it to look and work. 

 

Things are much more open. 

Edited February 24 by mullie

[mullie]

I'm flitting about depending on the weather at the moment.  As it is cold again I've been driven upstairs,  though at least I'm next to my vinyl collection. 

 

Back to the class 24 , Brassmasters handrails fitted though I did solder 0.33 wire to them as I couldn't make them work as supplied,  not the products fault,  just shows I still have loads to learn. Silver Tay headcode discs and an A1 models fan. I have some bespoke @railtec-models decals as well. Looking forward to trying them.

 

 

 

This project is currently held up as I can't find any definitive photos of the roof, even a top down photo of a decent model as I know it's not right. I also need better weather so I can paint the thing and gloss varnish the body, again too cold to chance varnish. 

 

The changes are subtle but definitely improve this at least 20 year old model that still runs superbly. 

Edited March 1 by mullie

[john new]

25 minutes ago, mullie said:

I'm flitting about depending on the weather at the moment.  As it is cold again I've been driven upstairs,  though at least I'm next to my vinyl collection. 

 

Back to the class 24 , Brassmasters handrails fitted though I did solder 0.33 wire to them as I couldn't make them work as supplied,  not the products fault,  just shows I still have loads to learn. Silver Tay headcode discs and an A1 models fan. I have some bespoke @railtec-models decals as well. Looking forward to trying them.

 

 

 

This project is currently held up as I can't find any definitive photos of the roof, even a top down photo of a decent model as I know it's not right. I also need better weather so I can paint the thing and gloss varnish the body, again too cold to chance varnish. 

 

The changes are subtle but definitely improve this at least 20 year old model that still runs superbly. 

Can back up @mullie's weather comment. It has definitely turned brass monkey weather since lunch. Just got back from the food shop run in to Weymouth, had to stay in the car for a few minutes as the squall went over with heavy sleet and hail. Before lunch bright sunshine, if windy, and would have been warm enough to comfortably work outside.

 

[lezz01]

I like Silver Tay. He's doing me some shed plates for 22A Gloucester, 22B Bristol as they wern't in his list.

Regards Lez.

[lezz01]

Err maybe those shed numbers are the other way around.

Regards Lez.

[mullie]

I've used them for a few years, really like the products and always get excellent service. 

[mullie]

Look what turned up at Drove station,  that shunter again.  

 

 

 

Used to be much more interesting. 

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

'Scrap it'.........................

 

manna

[mullie]

I didn't intend to keep the 1960s stock on the layout so long.  A combination of low temperatures and being away a few times since Christmas means stock hasn't been swapped. 

 

This means the six wheelers finished at the end of last year haven't been seen. 

 

 

Edited March 4 by mullie

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

No, you keep your 60's stock, I run mine from 1923 to 1970, it's what we like.

 

manna

[mullie]

11 hours ago, manna said:

G'Day Folks

 

No, you keep your 60's stock, I run mine from 1923 to 1970, it's what we like.

 

manna

By around 1963 East Anglia was dieselised,  it is a fascinating period when early diesels were operating and breaking down amongst victorian architecture.

[Mikkel]

Please do both, those six-wheelers are excellent. And the weathering is unmistakably in your style.

[mullie]

The steam period is roughly 1946 - 1951 meaning the six wheelers are valid and the layout could be visited by my M&GN 4mts once converted to EM. The two eras are so different I prefer not to mix them.  However both can be seen among the traditional infrastructure. 

[NHY 581]

When I eventually get around to building my larger East Anglian layout, it will be firmly set 1965/66. All green diesels, small yellow warning panel. No steam but good cross section of diesel classes, railcars and DMUs. 

 

I would also like early 50s branch layout but we need an E4 to complete a smaller loco roster and compliment the J15 and forthcoming tanks from Accurascale. 

 

So for now, diesels it is. 

 

Rob

 

[wiggoforgold]

7 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

we need an E4 to complete a smaller loco roster and compliment the J15 and forthcoming tanks from Accurascale. 

 

 

 

 

Seconded

[mullie]

I third it and am planning to do something about that later this year. I spoke to Colin at Gibsons a while ago, no 4mm E4 kits are likely so it will have to be a whitemetal kit.

 

Martyn

[mullie]

Last of the 1960s photos for a while before I put the steamers back on. Nothing exciting,  just that  class 10 shunter again,  no excitement for any local spotters if any could be bothered. 

 

 

 

[mullie]

The J15 pulls in with a pair of ex GE six wheelers, no more Ratio bodges!

 

 

This was quite a difficult shot to get as the carriages are longer than the ex GWR hacks used previously.

[mullie]

Not been on here for a while, not had much to show though a few projects have been progressing very slowly. Also been away to somewhere warm, very nice it was too.

 

This has been a frustrating winter as it has been difficult to get anything finished due to the low temperatures in the garage, with things slightly less artic progress is being made to finish things. The class 24 is the first project to be completed, Silver Tay headcode discs, Brassmasters handrails, @railtec-models custom transfers and an A1 models etched fan. The roof still isn't right, and I've been unable to find definitive photos of the roof at the non fan end to change things, though that could change..

 

 

 

 

The loco was gloss finished, decals applied, then treated with Klear to represent D5045 in a slightly work stained way. I have a photo of it working on a P way train south of Yarmouth when it wasn't looking too scruffy. The loco is around 25 years old and a favourite of mine.

 

This is one of the things I will have with me at the SWAG event where I will be happy to talk about the way I splosh paint about and will have Upbech St Mary with me. Please say hello if you are passing.

[mullie]

Last two photos of the type 2 for a while that has made its way to Upbech St Mary's.

 

 

 

The layout will be reconfigured today,  the quayside board will come out and a fiddle yard added to the St Mary's board in readiness for its SWAG adventure. 

[mullie]

I think the crew must be in the pub!

 

[mullie]

How to invalidate a warranty in an easy lesson.

 

The Rapido W & U carriage was put in the servicing cradle, bogies removed so the couplings could be disposed of. The wheels were removed, the closest I could find were some 10.5mm Lowmac wheels in the EM Gauge society stores, they slotted in easily and so we have a successful conversion. The wheels don't have the rivets of the supplied wheels but so long as I don't tell anyone I'm sure it will be fine. The original wheels can be compared to the Kean Maygib replacements at the bottom of the photo.

 

 

Here is the carriage posed on St Mary's, it desperately needs a visit to the weathering shop before SWAG. The model now has S&W couplings too.

 

 

This was an impulse purchase, something I usually resist, I had turned down the chance to buy Eveleigh W&U kits and intended to keep this end of the line goods only. It is a lovely model though delicate.

 

The Trams are in line for an upgrade too, etched lamp irons, detail the roof and sort out those side windows, they are good reliable performers. I don't think they can ever compare to the Rapido model but having looked under one of those I don't fancy an EM conversion.

Edited Wednesday at 19:30 by mullie