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

[mullie]

1 hour ago, wiggoforgold said:

Morning Martyn. Happy New Year. Apologies if I've asked this before, but too lazy to look back! Where did you get the valance for the station building?

Alex

I've had it for some years.  Think it came from York model making supplies. 

 

Happy new year. 

 

Martyn 

[Gilbert]

7 minutes ago, mullie said:

I've had it for some years.  Think it came from York model making supplies. 

 

Happy new year. 

 

Martyn 

This one?

https://yorkmodelrail.com/shop/00-scale-ho-scale/canopy-brackets-and-valances/00-val105-canopy-valance-length-per-pack-500mm/

[mullie]

Happy Moo year to all who follow this thread  and happy modelling in 2022.

 

[NickBrad]

On 07/03/2020 at 16:45, mullie said:

Starting to get things in place for the debut exhibition I needed something to put the layout on. My Rickett Street set up wasn't going to work for a public setting so I found a pair of these on Ebay and assembled them today. Small when folded and nice and light. Buying these was cheaper than concocting something with wood and avoids my wayward sawing!

 

 

 

I realise it was a long time ago now, but do you have a link to these please as I've been looking for something similar for a long time

[mullie]

34 minutes ago, NickBrad said:

I realise it was a long time ago now, but do you have a link to these please as I've been looking for something similar for a long time

Pretty sure it was these:

 

https://www.screwfix.com/p/metal-trestle-68cm/6561p

 

Might even get to use mine this year, who knows!

 

Martyn

[NHY 581]

Morning. 

 

Keep an eye on LIDL. They stock their version of these trestles. I''ve had a pair for a few years now, in addition to another set from B&Q. 

 

Little to choose between in terns of quality and no difference in function. Big difference in price. 

 

That said, they've normally had these by now. However, they are doing a set of three height adjustable tables, each one is 100x60 for £39.99. Four height settings, Max height 93cm. 

 

Not tried them myself but they do look rather useful. 

 

Rob. 

[5BarVT]

23 hours ago, mullie said:

Happy Moo year to all who follow this thread  and happy modelling in 2022.

I think you’ve been influenced by that Sheep Bloke!

Happy Moo/Baa/Oink# Year to you too.

# other animal sounds are available, insert as desired.

Paul.

[mullie]

A bit more work on the cobbled area. To try and give the cobbles a bit more relief I used an AK products dark grey wash and highlighted some of the stones with pastel chalks. The barrels and grass were also washed to blend them in with their surroundings.

 

 

I have spent a lot of time looking at military weathering products and techniques, there are some amazing products available though prices are high. Most of the demonstrators on Youtube seem to have had products sent to them! I am trying to replicate the techniques using what I have available, mainly artists materials, aiming for a subtle blended appearance. 

 

I did buy an AK pin wash though I'm not sure what advantage it has over artists inks. I've yet to try the pigment fixer I bought. A lot of this is not  seen under normal viewing so it was a good area to practice techniques.

[boxbrownie]

Foreman ought to be shot for that greenery growing along the walls, sack him……it’ll save you all that static grass malarkey 

[mullie]

The LNER toad is very light and with Gibson wheels very free running. A bit more drag is needed to make the Kadees work reliably so a battle has ensued tonight. I wanted to take the van apart so I could put some weight inside, the van put up a fight and was very difficult to dismantle but I won in the end.

 

 

Lead weights are about to be added to the floor, I had no idea the internal detail existed.

 

Once the van is reassembled it will weigh around 45 grams, still not heavy but with a sponge brake added to one of the axles hopefully the couplings will work more reliably.

 

 

Edited January 7, 2022 by mullie

[NHY 581]

Hi Martyn. 

 

I was as surprised as you to find the internal detail etc when I pulled mine apart to do the floors. 

 

I agree, it's far too free running and I am doing exactly the same to mine. 

 

Thanks for posting. 

 

Rob. 

[NickBrad]

On 29/08/2020 at 17:04, mullie said:

 

 

 

The third board is in the foreground of the last shot. This track will be inlaid hence the incomplete sleeping. More on rolling stock etc to follow.

Hi, I am gradually working my way through this thread after losing track of it when working flat out during the first lockdown, (classed an an essential business, we furloughed some staff, but had to keep a skeleton crew to keep running which I was a part of,) and I cam across the above picture in a post.  I'm curious about the dimensions of the spdt switches you used as I need to purchase some to carry out a similar role on my current build, but cannot work out which size to buy. Could you please assist? 

I love the work I have seen up to now, (pg53 as I type,) I look forward to bringing myself fully up to date and following along with future progress.

[mullie]

18 hours ago, NickBrad said:

Hi, I am gradually working my way through this thread after losing track of it when working flat out during the first lockdown, (classed an an essential business, we furloughed some staff, but had to keep a skeleton crew to keep running which I was a part of,) and I cam across the above picture in a post.  I'm curious about the dimensions of the spdt switches you used as I need to purchase some to carry out a similar role on my current build, but cannot work out which size to buy. Could you please assist? 

I love the work I have seen up to now, (pg53 as I type,) I look forward to bringing myself fully up to date and following along with future progress.

The switches were bought from Ebay so long ago that they no longer show up in my purchase history. If I were looking for more I would order something like this:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/264488712752?hash=item3d94c17a30:g:VnEAAOSw1LJdmNT5

 

Because they are small they are more easily hidden. I also managed to pick up some omega loops which have been useful though I haven't always used them, sometimes knocking something up using Gibson straight 0.45 handrail wire. I simply drill a whole in the plastic switch and hold the wire with superglue.

 

Thank you for your interest.

[mullie]

The factory area and coal siding need some detailing so last night out came the paints. First some of the 3d printed crates.

 

 

Some sacks

 

Some coal sacks

I may still play with the colours once in place but this is not a bad start. Sacks are Dart Castings and of course these are brutal close ups. Normal viewing distance will be around two feet.

[mullie]

In preparation for SWAG in April. the steam locos and stock will return to Upbech so back to backs and couplings on locos and stock are being checked.

 

 

 

The little white piece of foam board has a groove cut in it to set the height on the coupling loops of locos.

[mullie]

In other news, sacks, a few cases and some workers, deep in conversation have been added.

 

 

You would think these two would have finished their conversation by now, they started it on the Pott Row platform must be nearly twelve years ago!

 

Baseboard joint is less visible under normal viewing conditions as the low relief factory covers much of the normal view, the building is removable.

 

I'm going to leave this section alone now, don't want to overdo it. This area has taken considerable time and much won't be seen as it is at the back of the layout and wagons will be in the way. The platform lights can now be glued in place, I now need to find a proper GE station name board.

[boxbrownie]

I can see exactly what he is saying “just move the sacks over there before 10:15”

 

And the answer was……..

[MrWolf]

Twelve years? I wouldn't hold your breath for it being over anytime soon.

There's been a conversation about unloading a crate for the past fourteen on a certain GW layout around here.... and there's no sign of it being over.

 

[mullie]

Not posted for a while, work has been thoroughly rubbish. I have made quite a lot of progress with the layout and will post details over the weekend.

 

Tonight however, I started something I have wanted to do for ages. My Bachmann 08 was a stalwart of both Pott Row and Rickett Street. I have had a set of Gibson wheels to convert it to EM for a while so it was good to get started.

 

 

In this photo, the gear wheel is on the axle and now has wheels. The original Bachmann pick ups have been removed and the replacements will be remade with 0.33 wire.

 

I like taking old models and seeing what I can do with them. I have bought another J15 from NHY581 so am looking forward to getting that running though it is not top of the queue.

 

I bodged a class 10 out of a Hornby 08 and this will become a March 08 if memory served me right as I haven't looked at the photos  for a while. The bigger shunters were used on Norfolk branches because of the loads and distances involved during my time period. Smaller shunters were tried but were not successful.

[mullie]

Some work has been completed on the coal yard. I think I will add a horse drawn dray as they were still in use during this period and the village is not too far from the station.

 

[mullie]

A J15 at Upbech Drove.

 

 

 

[mullie]

Bit more progress on the 08 tonight. Wheels are in and the motor is working again.

 

 

This is an older version of the 08 so requires new pick ups from copper clad and 0.33mm wire. These are invisible once everything is reassembled. Outside cranks have been assembled tonight so may get the chance to put them in tomorrow.

 

 

Off work tomorrow, school is shut which gives me a chance to catch up with other work stuff, not a day off though I hope to grab some time on the layout. 90mph winds and a high tide that could cut us off from England tomorrow.

[mullie]

A J72 wandered into Upbech Drove this afternoon.

 

 

With the coal yard largely completed this is an overall view of the scenic end of the layout.

 

Edited February 20, 2022 by mullie

[mullie]

Hadn't realised it had been nearly a month since my last post. Quite a lot of time is being spent getting the layout ready for SWAG. This has included sorting out missing hoses and broken cosmetic screw couplings on locos and blending in scenics. The layout will be moved to a different part of the house with a flat floor, where I can work out lighting and the logistics of setting the layout up in a hall. Although the layout is very portable it is essentially a shelf based home layout, I never assumed it would get invited to an exhibition.

 

In other news, the 08 has made further progress. Seems that in quite a lot of cases, the long handrail on the side of the Bachmann 08 tends to break, mine had, so I knocked up a simple shape in 0.45 wire as this seemed the closest match to the Bachmann handrail size and soldered it up. Nothing technical, everything held in place with blu tac, using graph paper as a guide. I soldered four so I knew I would get two good ones.

 

 

This shows the handrail fitted so it seems to have worked.

 

 

The chassis meanwhile is weathered and working. Coupling rods will be blended in eventually.

 

 

I think a March 08 might have made it to Upbech in my time frame, so need to find a suitable prototype. As I've said before 08s and class 10s were used on the longer freight only runs i n Norfolk, I think this was due to the loading of trains and length of journey though others far more expert than me may know different.

 

In other news the experiment with Kadees is over. The couplings work fine though they do seem fussy about set up. The reason why I decided to abandon them is that  I couldn't be bothered anymore trying to find a solution to wagons being pulled towards the magnets. Over time the diesel stock will be converted to adapted mk1 S&W couplings same as the steam stock.

 

What to do with the Kadees, sell them or hold on until I build my long desired U.S themed layout!

[NHY 581]

Morning Martyn, 

 

Nice job on the handrails. They're not the most robust. Fortunately, mine are intact......for now at least. 

 

Regarding the Kadees, I'm coming to that conclusion myself and may well revert to T/L. Not sure yet but I will hang on to them to use on my Czech layout as and when I get around to it. 

 

Now, question. 

 

Regarding the class 10 diesels. Do you have details of the East Anglian examples ? 

 

Or could you point me in the right direction to do a spot of research ? 

 

Cheers, 

 

Rob. 

Edited March 13, 2022 by NHY 581