Les1952 Posted August 10, 2019 Author Share Posted August 10, 2019 The V3 has returned from its sojourn in London and will definitely be running at Ross on Wye. It has displaced an A4 from the Northbound parcels. In turn the A4 has moved to the Southbound heavy fitted freight. The two big expresses will have 60526 and an A3 rostered for them, with another A3 as spare, while the two coach express continues with an A1. The D20 has been relegated from local passenger to pick up goods, largely to reduce the number of passenger trains. Next outing after Ross on Wye is Worksop on January 18th next year. I also have enquiries for Milton Keynes in February and Howden East Yorkshire in March. In the mean time Croft Spa is at Loughborough in September then BMRC studio in Bourne for filming and Wirksworth in October and No Place is at Sleaford MRC in November. In between all that I'm in Alaska in September and Las Vegas in October. Who said things got quieter when you retired?.... Les 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted August 11, 2019 Author Share Posted August 11, 2019 A couple of the Drewry shunter showing the first stage of weathering. The problem with yellow is that it fades as fast as it gets dirty, so only light grot to outline the hatches and grilles and take the shine off the wheels. I will dust off the extra white chalk before I pack it away. The white basically hasn't worked- it came off when I applied the grot. Fortunately punters won't get this close to it as it lives on the colliery circuit. The cruel enlargement shows it worse than it looks in reality. Second coat tomorrow to correct after which I have no days left before loading the car for Ross on Wye. The pics also show some cinders have been applied to the cess to make it a little more even in colour. It seems to work on this board so I'll do the other one tomorrow as I pack the layout bits away. Les 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted August 18, 2019 Author Share Posted August 18, 2019 Hawthorn Dene at Ross on Wye show today. Les 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenB Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 It was nice to see it in the flesh. Stephen 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
millerhillboy Posted August 18, 2019 Share Posted August 18, 2019 Nice decent scale running, one of my pet hates is good N gauge layout ruined by 100mph freight trains and 200mph passenger working. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted August 18, 2019 Author Share Posted August 18, 2019 26 minutes ago, millerhillboy said: Nice decent scale running, one of my pet hates is good N gauge layout ruined by 100mph freight trains and 200mph passenger working. Many thanks. the track gang gives a theoretical TSR of 20mph across the front of the layout - theoretical because that gets interpreted differently by different operators- what is supposed to happen is that diesels and big steamers go very slow indeed while the 0-6-0s and WDs go a little bit faster - they had no speeedometers and would be on freight train bonus ie paid to the end of the shift even if they finished it early. All the very best Les 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted November 11, 2019 Author Share Posted November 11, 2019 (edited) Having had time away due to daughter getting married amongst other things, followed by showing Croft Spa at Wirksworth in the gap between her overseas wedding and Manchester reception bash I have now got HD set up to prepare it for its final (hopefully) year on the circuit under my ownership. the layout will definitely be sold around the time of Spalding show next year. Where have I been? This pic taken on the only overseas train ride I managed this time might help.... What is the next layout? A clue is in the pic below- some of the stock for it getting run in on Hawthorn Dene. Stock acquisition is going to be a little slow, taking place as suitable things become available that I can use my PayPal to buy. The BR78 was a "must have" as was the BR86 I have also bought as these were favourites on Furtwangen Ost. Not a lot else decided about the new layout 5 yet apart from the size (8 by 2 on two boards) and the fact it will be a roundy-roundy most likely in the form of a folded 8 to allow the fiddle yard to be at the back at the bottom with the station above and at an angle. The aim is to be able to keep two operators fairly active at a show while allowing it to be run by a single person for breaks and nattering to punters. Still no name and the period unsettled, though I'm leaning towards a present day privatbahn with plandampf allowing me to run little beauties like the 78 here. A privatbahn would also mean I would be able to use one or more of the Hunslets I've ordered for HD's colliery- likely now to be the last UK outline locos for a while (though I've said that before...) Les Edited November 11, 2019 by Les1952 Putin wright miss takes Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted November 14, 2019 Author Share Posted November 14, 2019 A little more on where I've been... Didn't get to see many of these, though there was an odd yellow one and a ginormous black steamer in the last week. Taken from the boat as we were waiting to disembark. "Town" of population 310 at the last census still manages to have this plinthed and an infrequent train service - there was an inspection trolley moving through the station just after we'd got back on the coach and couldn't photograph it... But where is it? Answers in a few days when I have some new HD pics to post. Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted November 25, 2019 Author Share Posted November 25, 2019 (edited) Mr Simon has just told me he would like to erect Gresby over Christmas. That leaves me four weeks to sort out HD for its next show rather than the seven I had expected. Train ride two posts ago was the White Pass and Yukon Railway. The plinthed 0-6-0ST is a Baldwin at Carcross in the Yukon, the third largest settlement in the Yukon, pop. 310. The BNSF was running along the quayside line in Seattle, taken from the observation lounge of the Norwegian Joy as we were waiting out turn to disembark and the big black steamer was the Union Pacific Big Boy, which we say from the party bus as we left Las Vegas for my daughter's wedding in the middle of nowhere- and I do mean the middle of nowhere. Family group of Richardsons- Mr Simon 2nd left, me on far right, with bride and groom at the wedding venue. Les Edited November 26, 2019 by Les1952 typos as usual.. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted November 29, 2019 Author Share Posted November 29, 2019 A couple of tweaks Most of today has been spent giving engines a little lubrication and a spin. Following a comment from the guy at Peters Spares in BRM I've been running the locos round backwards (apart from the odd few that usually run tender first.) I found a pack of Chinese lamp posts while looking for a set of whitemetal ones I bought for Croft Spa. In the absence of the latter I've placed them on HD. When the whitemetal ones turn up and are painted I'll replace these as they look overscale. I also planted the spare postbox from CS - they come in a pack of two. I have one or two more people to plant but need to think very carefully about these as I don't want to make the layout overcrowded. However the figures include more cats and dogs, which can go in without overcrowding things. I'm not ever so sure where the elephant might go...…... Blown up to this size these lamp posts do look a bit naff. That just gives me a bit of encouragement to get something done about them. Les 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted December 3, 2019 Author Share Posted December 3, 2019 Spent the last three days wheel cleaning locos, lubrication as required and running them in a bit. Two boxes of 18 done, two more boxes plus the reserve fleet still to go. One A3 seized solid - a foreign body in the works, and an A4 that needs a little TLC on its valve gear, plus a J39 with a split gear so far. There are still a couple upside down in the stock boxes. I've dug bits out of a type 2 diesel and a J27 so far- there must have been more debris on Croft Spa last time out than I thought. Each loco has done about 15 mins backwards - ie tender/bunker first if they normally run chimney first, or fan trailing rather than leading for the diseasals. That is because I've read the bit from Peters Spares in the mag about gear wear on locos that only ever run one way. I think I'll make that standard practice after lubrication. Mind you, some of them grind a bit when running backwards when they run smoothly and quietly forwards..... A trip to Sherwood Models tomorrow and a visit to Cotgrave Welfare on Thursday. It looks like it might be Monday before I get another full day in the shed. Les 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian D Posted December 4, 2019 Share Posted December 4, 2019 The more I look at your amazing scenic work in 2mm, the more I despair of my own 4mm stuff. Must do better (note to self, not you Les). Regards, Brian 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted December 22, 2019 Author Share Posted December 22, 2019 On 04/12/2019 at 23:06, Brian D said: The more I look at your amazing scenic work in 2mm, the more I despair of my own 4mm stuff. Must do better (note to self, not you Les). Regards, Brian Yours is brilliant. Now it is nearly complete the detailing, populating and making it come alive is the real fun. Enjoy it. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted December 22, 2019 Author Share Posted December 22, 2019 Now the main line locos are all working I've turned my attention to the colliery. A good deal of track cleaning and a repair to a soldered joint that had parted company (the one where a big dollop of bright silver is immediately obvious and which involved fiddling about under the flight of course) and everything runs as it should. I even got numbers 1 and 8 running together for a while. It didn't last long. No.1 decided not to play after a short while and it will need stripping down to sort out - not a priority job as it spends most of its life on the unpowered length in the shed. I've also added some more static grass around the trainspotters and track gang as this area was looking a little bare. The bits of bare mud and stony outcrop are untouched. Mr Simon has arrived for Christmas and he and I have packed the layout up and stood it on end in the shed ready for Gresby to return from the clubroom and be erected tomorrow. There is 12 feet and 2 inches of length to take a 12 foot layout..... Meanwhile I have confirmation letters for 18 layouts and 12 traders to do and put in their envelopes to be posted just after Christmas, and a load of show posters to print and laminate. Les 5 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted December 24, 2019 Author Share Posted December 24, 2019 (edited) Doesn't the shed look empty with all three layouts stacked away? NO PLACE on its bench with the trestles for Croft Spa and NO PLACE underneath it. Bags are those that go out to shows, and are ready for HD to go to Worksop in January. At the far end of the bench the ancient and decrepit laptop under its dust cover. At the far end of the shed Hawthorn Dene on end with Croft Spa beyond it. Looking the other way. The piece of plywood over NO PLACE is there to stop things falling off the shelf above onto the layout - or rather to catch things that Mr Clumsy (me )knocks off.... Gresby in place - one eighth of an inch to spare at this end. Just over an inch to spare at the other end. The grotty offcut of plywood is there to protect HD's scenery from having anything knocked onto it. Gresby in place taking up the whole wall. Mr Simon has (as always) re-tuned the box on the wall to Radio 2 (peasant) instead of repelling boarders with Meatloaf, Quo and Slade. May each and every one of you have the Christmas you hope for rather than the one you dread. All the very best Les Edited December 24, 2019 by Les1952 more trypos (as opposed to more tripe...) 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted January 19, 2020 Author Share Posted January 19, 2020 Worksop show yesterday. Bad start when I discovered at 8am that I'd not got the three diagonal struts that hold the legs in place. Race back to Newark - hopefully no speed cameras - and back to Worksop with struts by 9am. Trains running smoothly by 9.30 and enough on the layout to have a decent service by the time the show opened at 10am. Moral - no more layouts with attached legs- too heavy and bits there to forget. Trestles being bigger don't get left behind. Rare use of a J39 on the coal empties. I couldn't find either of the B1s lamped for this train. Either I forgot them or was just a little too flustered. We only had 7 trains running each way instead of the usual 9, and those that did run were shorter in many cases. The two big coal trains had an impact as a result. A rare view round the back with the G5 on push-pull duties and the V3 on a slightly shorter parcels than usual- I have the trays inside of two of the aluminium stock boxes in the wrong outer so most of the parcels were left at home, as was the inspection saloon, and two trays of Pullmans that only run on Croft Spa were in the stock box instead. Still it didn't affect the punters, and it made a change not to have any sound running - the sound WD hasn't yet come back from DCC Supplies. Next outing is Milton Keynes in Feb. A few cobwebs and some dust to vacuum up before then - and the Class 25 to send to Bachmann for a repair. Les 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Thumper Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 On 24/04/2016 at 19:15, Les1952 said: The three-axle coach Mr Simon did. It will be added to the paddy train. On Croft Spa it might sit in the carriage dock if I'm too lazy to actually shunt it at a show. Hello, Sorry to quote this picture up from 4 years ago, But on my internet travels, I have been looking for examples of this sort of coach in N gauge and how people have built them. I know they are BH enterprises kits and I have one in my possession, with two more on the way. I wish to ask what chassis that is underneath? I have been pointed to Fleischmann 3 Axle coaches, but none seem to be the same length as this example pictured. If anyone could help out with some advice it would be greatly appreciated. I would be happy for information to be messaged to me on the forum, to help keep the thread clean and on topic. Many thanks, LT Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrSimon Posted March 11, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2020 Hi LT, I used the Fleischmann 3 axle chassis but you have to cut it at 1/3 and 2/3 to reduce the distance between the wheels. There’s some pictures of how that coach was made on my workbench thread, here: Cheers Simon 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leicester Thumper Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 (edited) 4 minutes ago, MrSimon said: Cheers Simon! many thanks chap! Cheers Simon! many thanks chap! Edited March 11, 2020 by Leicester Thumper Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted March 15, 2020 Author Share Posted March 15, 2020 The next outing (Howden this weekend) has been cancelled. Tomorrow the layout goes back on end in the corner and I'll do a big tidy-up of the workshop over the next two weeks or so. After that the baseboards for Bregenbach should arrive from Grainge and Hodder and I can get on building those. While I'm still allowed out I'm going to have to get a couple more split pin hinges for the new boards. Plenty to do even if I'm going to be largely confined to home for 2 or 3 months. All we need are a couple of packs of toilet rolls- we didn't buy any last week because Waitrose in Harrogate don't keep the colour my other half wanted.... Les 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted June 24, 2020 Author Share Posted June 24, 2020 The layout is still stored in the corner. Spalding, which was to have been its last show, has now been cancelled. That just leaves Farnham in October If I find this one is cancelled as well then at some time over the summer I'll get Bregenbach packed up (it is nearly ready for a trial fit of the end boards) and set up HD to get a set of pics to make an assembly manual ready for sale. If Farnham is still running I'll need to erect the layout in any event and do the manual and pics at the same time. If its prospective buyer then is still interested he can come over and have a play (and hopefully take it away with him). If not I think I'll try the N Gauge society mag first then eBay. Of course anyone on RMWeb is welcome to contact me. The price is reasonable as it doesn't include controllers or the lighting rig (or trains, though some NCB stock could be negotiated). It does include the layout curtain. More worrying was the visitor from next door who has taken a liking to the shed- and worked out how to get past the protective boards and into the layout. Spiders I don't mind, but I don't want to be mending cat damage. I've put a large single piece of ply in front of the layout behind the three taller single pieces. He shouldn't get through that. The alternative of shutting the shed door doesn't work when the outside temperature gets into the upper twenties- the sun makes the inside temperature get into the early forties with the door closed. Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted June 25, 2020 Author Share Posted June 25, 2020 And the good news (for Hawthorn Dene) is that on closer investigation this morning it was Croft Spa that was invaded by next door's cat. Possibly good news overall as there is less he could break while furtling about. Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 G'day Folks Enjoy all your layouts. If you want to keep the cat out, make a door frame and put some chicken wire on it, you'll still get the breeze. manna 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted June 26, 2020 Author Share Posted June 26, 2020 7 hours ago, manna said: G'day Folks Enjoy all your layouts. If you want to keep the cat out, make a door frame and put some chicken wire on it, you'll still get the breeze. manna It is finding somewhere to put such a thing. The workshop already contains two layouts more than it was designed for. Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
manna Posted June 26, 2020 Share Posted June 26, 2020 G'day Folks Screw it to the door frame, have two doors. manna Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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