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

[mullie]

Well Mullie that certainly looks mucky. But were things ever so bad as that?

Photos I've looked at taken in the late 40s early 50s suggest mpds were very dirty places and the shortage of labour meant as the 50s wore on things got worse though I'm happy to be corrected.

 

I don't have any personal recollections, steam was long gone in my part of Essex by the time I was able to take an interest.

Edited July 13, 2014 by mullie

[Classsix T]

Looks great Mullie, nice backscene too, it lends itself without overpowering the foreground.

 

C6T.

[john flann]

Mullie, they were, of course, dirty places but still business like. If you haven't seen it you might care to look at www.lostockhallmpd.uk/sheds.html for some ideas. A veritable source of useful photographic information.

 

PS-the link doesn't seem to work but googling will.

Edited July 14, 2014 by john flann

[PGC]

Try http://www.lostockhallmpd.org.uk/

 

Phil

[mullie]

I think I need to get some photos of the whole scene so you can see the ash pit in context . The ones posted yesterday concentrate on the ash pit area which was inspired by a shot taken at March in the mid to late 40s. I used it as inspiration because I liked it which is how I tend to model. In the same shot is an absolutely filthy LMS 8F that is only a few years old. The whole scene is not that filthy honest!!

[john flann]

Then if they are ashpits understandably 'mucky.

[mullie]

Some more general shots of the mpd, showing context of the ash pit now greenery has been added and also showing entry/exit from the layout at this end. I will try to get some photos looking the other way but it is hard because of the way the layout is built and framed.

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

This layout is built on a tight budget as family commitments have to come first and I'm sure like many on here are finding  everything is going up except wages! The fact that I hit 50 yesterday meant I was able to justify ordering the forthcoming J15 and D16 and the fact that they will arrive around six months apart means I can budget for them.

 

The early 50s period is more difficult because I want to capture the 'feel' I've seen in photos where a lot of pre grouping stock was still around but I don't have money or the skills to build kits. Therefore I've turned my attention to what I have and what can be picked up cheap so I will be bashing the following into some sort of shape over the coming months. This will be valuable experience and more authentic models can come later. At least I can say I built them, whatever mess I make!

 

 

 

 

I do have two of the newer Hornby Gresley's but even those were bought one at a time. As seen in earlier posts they are now weathered and have interior lighting. I do have a policy of buying only what I need. Even the decision to build track from SMP parts was because I could build it cheaper than I could buy all the Peco points I would need and I've ended up with a track plan that fits the small space with a minimum radius of three feet in all but one place.

[mullie]

Necessity dictated that I took delivery of a Dremel this week. I liked the look of it, favourable reviews and good range of accessories. My Precision Peteite drill gave up the ghost after only 35 years. They just don't make things like they used to!

[Jintyman]

Just read through this for the first time

 

What a wonderful amount of atmosphere in such a small space, it's a great piece of modelling. I'm not an Eastern fan, but it certainly captures industrial 60's well

I like the turntable area, and especially the way the backscene blends into the model.

 

Jinty ;-)

[mullie]

Recently I was reading an update on the excellent Outwell village layout describing a recent addition to the loco fleet; namely a J70 orignally of 'K's' parentage. I had largely dismissed the one I had owned for over 30 years as I now had two Silver Fox bodies though I had yet to source two decent power units. The Tram workshop bogie bought recently works really well but has no pulling power for a shunting loco.Therefore, as an interim measure I decided to stick a spud back under the K's tram using a  DCC Concepts decoder with Stay Alive. In use for a few days it now seems to be working fine and easily copes with the workload. At one point the other day it was pushing five wagons whilst pulling another two, more than enough for the layout.

 

Suppose I should give it a decent paint job and number it now!

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

The tea tray is out almost continuously at the moment. The long term aim is to reverse the 1955 modernisation plan on the layout and all but eradicate diesel traction! I estimate this will take about a year to bring to fruition but I have made a start and the upcoming Hornby releases will make things a bit quicker.

 

The M&GN inherited some ex LNWR corridor coaches in the 30s and some survived until the early 50s so well within my intended time period of 1948-55. On a recent family day out I called into the Pecorama shop in Beer and bought a Ratio LNWR all third and have started building it though progress has been rather slow. Photos show the first bogie built on a piece of glass to ensure it is level with the sides being held in place by Blu Tack to ensure a good bond. Since these photos were taken the second bogie has been built, axle box covers added and the brake gear added to one bogie.

 

Now need to mix and appropriate shade of LNER brown.

 

 

[A1X]

hi Mullie , could i be really cheeky and ask .do you have the length of the silver fox j70? 

 

many thanks 

James

[mullie]

hi Mullie , could i be really cheeky and ask .do you have the length of the silver fox j70? 

 

many thanks 

James

76mm long by 33mm externally

 

About 60mm by 30 available for a drive unit.

 

When funds allow I will look at things like the high level fly shunter kit or similar. I want something that is fairly powerful (the K's tram easily moved 6-8 wagons tonight and could have moved more). Also needs to work well under DCC. The Silver Fox bodies are good mouldings but as expected are very light so it has been difficult to find something powerful enough even when the body is packed put with lead.. One day maybe I'll have the skills to build a simple 0-6-0 chassis to go under them.

[A1X]

thanks mullie

[mjcampbell]

Check out Halling chassis: http://www.halling.at/en/Accessories/Drives

 

I've got a couple of 9mm gauge Variodrive units and they are superb runners, with double flywheels they are slow, smooth, and powerful. The only thing is, they are short on wheels for a J70, but given the skirts perhaps you can live with that. 

[mullie]

Since coming back off holiday I've struggled to get going especially as I'm also working on a separate micro layout as well. Track has been thoroughly cleaned and everything is back up and running and quite a lot of maintenance has gone on in terms of servicing stock, checking and tweaking back to backs etc. which doesn't make for good photography. The area around the ash pit has been darkened as I felt it was too light under the layout lighting and I still don't think I've quite got it right but as I use acrylic washes it is a case of 'gently does it' and anything can be undone.

 

One ongoing project is coaching stock so I can gradually back date the layout. For M&GN services I am currently building an ex LNWR all third from a Ratio kit. Photos are scarce but seem to suggest that they remained gas lit unless anyone knows different. This is a surprisingly fiddly kit so progress has been slow simply due to lack of time as work kicks in. Photo shows progress so far. The colour of LNER brown is a subject of quite a lot of debate everywhere and it would appear it was locally mixed so may have varied quite considerably. I've used reference photos including those in 'On Great Eastern Lines' by Peter Swinger and feel that the Tamiya red/brown spray can is not a bad match and I can buy that locally.

 

 

Stock will have detailed interiors and lighting as per the Gresley stock in earlier posts

[john flann]

Martyn, those Ratio kits are fiddly. Sooner you than me. I only got as far as building three or so of the 4 wheel coaches. And that was enough.

 

But I'm sure you will make a go of it.

 

i can't speak of 'correct' colours. I don't worry over much because so many circumstances come into play. Doing what seems 'right' is the way I do things. 

[mullie]

Changed my phone for a Nokia Lumia 620 last week and just for fun I tried taking some photos of the layout. Have to say the quality isn't bad.

 

4mt on the turntable moving to the coal road

 

 

4F shunting a goods for South Lynn.

 

 

Venerable K's J70 in need of a paint job stands on a siding between duties.

 

 

V3 being prepared on the ash road to take over through coaches from the Liverpool Street train

 

 

The London train arrives behind a Battle of Britain Class on loan from the southern region and still waiting to be renumbered!

 

 

The BOB and the J70 show something of a contrast in loco design!

 

 

Still lots of renumbering and weathering to undertake but work takes priority at the moment. I try to run the layout at least twice a week for around 45-60 minutes a time. I'm still working on the LNWR all third. The interior is now painted and awaiting passengers before addition of lighting and final completion. Still, it's a hobby so no rush.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

20,000 views, quite a milestone for a one man layout based in a garage methinks.

 

Thanks for your interest.

Edited September 8, 2014 by mullie

[Boco_D1]

20,000 views, quite a milestone for a one man layout based in a garage methinks.

 

Thanks for your interest.

 

I'm not surprised it's an excellent layout and i have found it a great source of inspiration for my own East Anglian layout.

[mullie]

Start of a new term so work is manic to say the least. Therefore modelling has taken a back seat but I still manage to make small bits of progress. The LNWR coaches now have an interior with some passengers though there will be a small delay as I intend to number the sides and seal, most likely with Satin varnish before assembling the body and haven't yet ordered the relevant sheets. According to my research the seat colours are broadly correct, please correct me if I have it wrong. In the meantime I will start on the Stanier brake coach I picked up on Ebay for a fiver, ok it might not be up to the standard of the latest Hornby models but it will be fun to work on. Both coaches will eventually be lit and I already have the parts in stock.

 

 

 

The seat ends won't be seen once the sides are added

[mullie]

My new Nokia Lumia phone is great for recording things quickly during an operating session so here goes. Bit of an indulgence because there is nothing really new to see, I'm just impressed by the camera on my phone!

 

J39 takes water whilst on a GE line goods

 

 

The 08 has been called from the main part of the station (only part of platform 4 is visible on the layout) to speed up shunting of a GE line goods.

 

 

Wagons being shunted for the jam factory. No run round means two locos have to be involved. Resident factory shunter is currently a J70. Plans are afoot to get the remaining wagons numbered and finish painting. 

 

 

J39 waits in the loop for its next move

 

 

M&GN line train has arrived, this is the Gresley all third still in LNER livery

 

 

State of the art 1951!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mullie]

Work really does get in the way of things at the moment so not much to report. However, whilst  having a 'play' today I started writing down and refining the moves into some sort of sequence. Because of the restrictions imposed by the layouts size and the layout of the fiddle yards trains do arrive in a pattern so doing this will give me time to think about any refinements needed.

 

Pott Row is a real place roughly north east of Kings Lynn and lines ran close but not through the village so that also gives pause for thought. As it is, the M&GN services run down from South Lynn and as it is not a summer Saturday (though it is summer) it is perfectly legitimate for them to be shortish trains as I understand it.

Edited September 20, 2014 by mullie

[mullie]

The layout can be operated at night as the DMU and the Gresley's are both lit. A couple of photos showing the atmosphere that can be created.