Two_sugars Posted October 18, 2013 Share Posted October 18, 2013 And divn't forget a fully loaded beach wagon with a couple of beach shovels! ! ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 19, 2013 Author Share Posted October 19, 2013 And divn't forget a fully loaded beach wagon with a couple of beach shovels! ! ! The tipper wagons I've got are American in origin, so one will be full of sea coal heading up the track under the bridge- with the cab away from the punter so you can't make out it isn't a Bedford QL....... All the very best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted October 19, 2013 Share Posted October 19, 2013 I was only joking but very good. . . . on a more serious note, the steps are about 400 yards south of Hawthorn dene viaduct between Beacon hill on the west and Shippersea bay on the right.(looking north). .Grew up in Easington. . . Cheers John 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted October 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 20, 2013 Don't forget a couple of push bikes with full coal sacks slung over the cross bars being pushed up from the beach. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 I was only joking but very good. . . . on a more serious note, the steps are about 400 yards south of Hawthorn dene viaduct between Beacon hill on the west and Shippersea bay on the right.(looking north). .Grew up in Easington. . . Cheers John Further North than I managed on my field trip - the persistent mizzle and not taking a coat with me did for that- it was warm and sunny when I set off from Newark...... You can make out something when looking at the area on Google Earth. I'm aiming for an impression rather than reality (which I just haven't room for), so there will be steps down the bank below the landsale drops, but it isn't a full cutting at that point. At the other end I've had to invent an overbridge to hide the fiddle yard exit, though it will be about 4 inches in from the backscene holes and there will be a double row of hawthorn trees to hide the hole. The overbridge will just carry a track (rather like the one just North of the underbridge by the colliery site. All the very best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 Don't forget a couple of push bikes with full coal sacks slung over the cross bars being pushed up from the beach. I lost the will to live painting P.D. Marsh pushbikes for Furtwangen Ost, but a couple resting against the parapet of the overbridge at the South end, with sacks over the crossbars and a pair of shady characters mopping their brows, that I like.......... All the very best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 20, 2013 Author Share Posted October 20, 2013 First layer of grass. Small jar of diluted PVA and paintbrush at the ready, and with Gaugemaster puffer bottle filled with scatter it was with trepidation I tackled a trial area of the bank yesterday. The results are seen in the photos. The difference between the left side of the bridge cutting, which is done, and the right side which I've yet to start, is quite something. It still needs a lot of detail adding but the signs aren't bad so far. I was surprised to find some black bits in the scatter- ballast picked up with the minivac and returned to the mixing box. I like the effect and will add a lot more to the slopes below the washery and landsale yard. A trip to the BRM show at Peterborough today was fruitful. Three Bachmann decoders to do more locos, and a trio of backscenes from Gaugemaster- two plain cloudy sky and an open country field to do the front layer. I'll stand the middle ground (from some photos of the real area) off the sky by about half a millimetre and put the open fields another half millimetre in front- rather like I did on Furtwangen Ost, but hopefully without the mistakes. Talking to PD Marsh their conveyor kit is to be released at Warley- and the first parts to be ready are the ones I need, so the holes at the North End of the backscene can be plugged by the end of the year. The loco in Picture 2 was previously LNER 2000 used on Trevor Webster's Parnhams. Now he is selling the layout this J25, plus a K3 and a D20 have gone into BR black, with a J26 and a pair of J27s on decision- I already have BR versions of these. One Union Mills J39 is now chipped, and other UM lopcos will go off as I can afford them. Digitrains will get the Geisl Austerity tank to do sometime next week. Must finish now- cat feeding time.... Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 21, 2013 Author Share Posted October 21, 2013 Quick question Hopefully someone will know the answer and save me a 250-mile round trip to check.. Can Penshaw Hill be seen from Easington Colliery or is the hill in the way? This is on the basis that if it can be seen it has to be on the backscene somewhere..... All the very best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted October 21, 2013 Share Posted October 21, 2013 No Les, I don't even think you can see it from the village church. . . but there again. . . . modellers licence and all that . . . . . . cheers John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 25, 2013 Author Share Posted October 25, 2013 (edited) No Les, I don't even think you can see it from the village church. . . but there again. . . . modellers licence and all that . . . . . . cheers John Very many thanks for that. No intention of applying modeller's licence to put Penshaw Hill in the background if it isn't there- though it would have been a different matter if it WAS visible. The photos I have looking inland don't show a lot of detail I can't add either from photos or generically- there didn't seem to be a lot that was too distinctive, thank goodness. Anything I do add will be on a layer of backscene about 1mm in front of the sky. the layout is now waiting transport to Trevor Webster's tomorrow to have slots cut in the frame for the controllers and a pair of ends making to hold the halves together for transport. Then home again for a little adjustment to the wiring and scenic detailing can begin in earnets- (earnest even..........) All the very best Les Edited October 25, 2013 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted October 25, 2013 Share Posted October 25, 2013 The second photo shows the bottom of office street, to the right was the colliery offices(hence ofice street) and further right was the pit yard. The area between you and the street was allotments and colliery sidings. cheers John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 The second photo shows the bottom of office street, to the right was the colliery offices(hence ofice street) and further right was the pit yard. The area between you and the street was allotments and colliery sidings. cheers John Thanks for that- I'd figured the colliery sidings but didn't know about the allotments. As Hawthorn Dene is a ficticious colliery in the area I'm going to put allotments on the flat area at the front right and at the top of the bank to the left, with a row of four houses facing the backscene. The pigeon lofts (probably about half-a-dozen including the van conversion will mostly be along here also. The layout now has its end boards fitted for transport (photo to follow) and I've fitted the UTP sockets for the Powercab (or at least two of them- the third I'll get when I pick up the two 0-6-0STs from Digitrains. These two- sadly there isn't anywhere to put decoders in either of the 0-4-0s. A pair of WD saddletanks from DJ Models will fill the colliery roster. These will be able to shunt the screens without a runner wagon to convert the couplers. Time to go and get on with wiring adjustments. All the very best Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 (edited) Layout boxed. Pic as promised to show the two halves of the layout boxed together for transport. Cropped a bit close because the image had to be cut small enough to upload. I've fitted the two UTP sockets I have, and the NTP? socket. The latter is daisychained to the first of the UTP sockets as a permanent connection. The third and fourth sockets are on the bridge board (master and first UTP are on the colliery board. I've also acquired some matt black paint to do the insides of the ends before the lids are attached. The ends are quite open so no access holes will need to be cut in the end panels. I'll do that tomorrow once the wind drops enough for me to be sure I'm not going to get a shed full of apple tree. Loco developments. 65726 has come back from Wickness models having been chipped with 65860 the next to go. I've started to renumber the Farish J39/2 as 64843 which was a Sunderland engine in its final two years and which did get a late crest (unlike the Farish model of 64838 which had its last repaint 8 months before the first late lions appeared.....) Plernty still to do, hatches to batten down etc. All the very best Les Edited October 27, 2013 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etched Pixels Posted October 27, 2013 Share Posted October 27, 2013 These two- sadly there isn't anywhere to put decoders in either of the 0-4-0s. A pair of WD saddletanks from DJ Models will fill the colliery roster. These will be able to shunt the screens without a runner wagon to convert the couplers. What chassis. If its the little Arnold chassis of old then you can get DCC in them if you use the really tiny decoders you can now get. I've got an 0-4-0 Peco Peckett here fitted with DCC squashed in between motor and cab roof using a tiny CT decoder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 27, 2013 Author Share Posted October 27, 2013 What chassis. If its the little Arnold chassis of old then you can get DCC in them if you use the really tiny decoders you can now get. I've got an 0-4-0 Peco Peckett here fitted with DCC squashed in between motor and cab roof using a tiny CT decoder. They are the Arnold chassis- the Hunslet 0-4-0 side tank is the one I'd really like done- any idea which fitting service would be the best to use? I'm too ham-fisted (RSI and dyspraxia) to do hardwired decoders. The Manning Wardle is vastly overscale so I'll probably do up to make it respectable and send it off to eBay. All the very best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Etched Pixels Posted October 28, 2013 Share Posted October 28, 2013 The Peckett isn't exactly scale either although mechanically it's a delight - for some reason that little four wheel Arnold chassis runs beautifully compared to many much bigger locos. No recommendations on fitting - I tend to do my own for most stuff. Youchoos do lots of CT stuff so maybe they would be worth asking ? The fitting is basically top of motor insulating tape tiny decoder insulating tape roof with not a vast amount of air space Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 28, 2013 Author Share Posted October 28, 2013 The Peckett isn't exactly scale either although mechanically it's a delight - for some reason that little four wheel Arnold chassis runs beautifully compared to many much bigger locos. No recommendations on fitting - I tend to do my own for most stuff. Youchoos do lots of CT stuff so maybe they would be worth asking ? The fitting is basically top of motor insulating tape tiny decoder insulating tape roof with not a vast amount of air space Thanks for that- Digitrains rang this morning about the Peckett 0-6-0ST, so I picked their brains. The Hunslet will go there later this week. My Peckett is a rasonable representation of Lord Salisbury on a J94 chassis. The query was that the cab roof doesn't come off. However the little Hunslet tank has its cab roof detached at the moment after being dropped, which apparently makes it easier to do. Today's progress was all about getting the layout onto its legs and getting the PowerCab to talk to the entire layout. The controller pocket has been drilled out so that it can belifted off for transport. All parts of the track are now talking to the PowerCab- time for a little playing while scenics dry..... All the very best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 30, 2013 Author Share Posted October 30, 2013 (edited) Progress and arranging. Digitrains rang up on Monday- the Geisl Austerity is now chipped but the Peckett doesn't have a removable cab roof so is proving more difficult to do. In the meantime diesel 12011 is on loan from BR to the NCB to handle traffic- must remove "Merthyr" from the sides of the hoppers. In the distance the new terraced houses have arrived and I'm trying different positions for them before putting them on the bench to customise. The terrace is the new Lilliput Lane one- it is too fancy on the front, but terrace backs were pretty generic. The road will cut the corner beyond the terrace with a track coming from it down to the beach. I've also now got a clearer idea of how much space there is for allotments or similar to the right of the terrace. If the allotments are up here I'll have to rethink the flat space to the right of the bridge in the foreground. Trying out some of the small buildings at the back of the shed. The clips on the backscene are holding it together while glue sets. Trevor has decided to build me a low relief building to hide the join in the backscene- I'm thinking of a brick and corrugated iron structure- I remember something corrugated iron by the locoshed (it may even have been the locoshed) at South Hetton, and there was plenty of the stuff at Doxford's shipyard. Last but not least, D5013 gets a turn on a mixed rake of 16-tonners, probably on their way to customers South of York from one of the collieries along the North bank of the Wear. Much to think about. Les Edited October 30, 2013 by Les1952 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted October 31, 2013 Author Share Posted October 31, 2013 (edited) Plastering and other bits I started the day vacuuming the loose scatter off the layout - this time not saving for reuse as there is too much stray ballast in the sweepings. Next job was to get out the ModRoc and make the flat surface the terrace and road will sit on. Once this dries- probably Sunday- it will get a base colour coat, after which the cloud layer of the backscene can go on. In the meantime I'm going to do a bit on the ground surface at the pit end. This arrived in the post today- one of Davfen Miniatures allotments- I need something that will lift out to hide the board joint at the bridge. This needs backdating a little- the metal mesh and the conifer will have to go, and the ladder needs to be painted wood colour, but it is a start. I'll get one of his other shapes to see if I can make that one fit the space better, and maybe keep this one up by the terrace at the back. Enough ramblings for now... Les Edited October 31, 2013 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted November 4, 2013 Author Share Posted November 4, 2013 (edited) Weekend progress- slow. A weekend involving a trip to Braunstone show has meant only two slow days of modelling- and those have been interrupted by two chip failures (both cheap Bachmann ones and both in newish Farish locos) and trying to find a correct number for a late crest J39. The only one available is 64840, which definitely had a repaint in 1960. What an Ardsley loco would be doing on the Durham coast I don't know- I'll keep it on fast goods. The other two areas of progress are the pit yard base and the carcass of the overbridge. For these cat pouch boxes have provided a suitably thick medium- rather than balsa on the pit yard floor, and plasticard for the bridge. The bridge pic also shows the two rows of hawthorn trees that hide the holes in the backscene, and the cottages placed in their final position so I can build the road and track to the overbridge. Next jobs are to use either brick plasticard or brick paper to face the bridge, and finish the yard and measure up for the screening house. Trevor's low relief building for behind the shed will either be the granary from West Allotment sidings or the castellated screening house from Backworth B pit- there was a similar one on the Lambton system but I haven't yet got a picture good enough for Trevor to build from. Must get on. No building now until Friday. All the very best Les Edited November 4, 2013 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jack00 Posted November 4, 2013 Share Posted November 4, 2013 Les . Thats looking lovely. Keep up the good work. Cheers Jack Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted November 11, 2013 Author Share Posted November 11, 2013 Les . Thats looking lovely. Keep up the good work. Cheers Jack Very many thanks. Progress is a little erratic but beginning to get there.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted November 11, 2013 Author Share Posted November 11, 2013 What a difference a sky makes. Made a start on getting the sky backscene done this morning. One or two wrinkles I want to cover up and a 0.5mm gap (I measured it) that looks wider, but the difference even with these defects is amazing. I need another three house backs to continue the road with the start of another block. A knightwing kit I built is too small and looks wrong. I also need another pack of sky- the sheets are about 6 inches too short at one end and 4 inches too short at the other. Still, they'll give me some bits to cover gaps and a bad wrinkle at the Hawthorns end. I'll have to see gaugemaster as well as P.D.Marsh when I go to warley on Sunday week. Lemberg crosses the underbridge with an express as 12011 is still on loan to the NCB on the top level. The difference to the view of the shed is clear- even unfinished there is beginning to be some life.... Enough for now. Les 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted November 11, 2013 Share Posted November 11, 2013 Getting there Les. . . Grassy banks looking good.! ! ! ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted November 12, 2013 Author Share Posted November 12, 2013 Getting there Les. . . Grassy banks looking good.! ! ! ! Thanks for the compliment- always appreciated. HOT NEWS. Hawthorn Dene has been booked to appear at Grantham Railshow on September 6th to 7th 2014. No excuse for not getting on with things! All the very best Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now