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West Kirby Town: Parcels traffic has increased.


Dmudriver
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Great work sir

 

Are you planning on having a platform canopy - station will look a bit bare otherwise?

 

Paul

Hi Paul.

 

Yes, as CUTLER2579 said, I was hoping to pick it up at Telford today and I have in fact picked it up.  It's not at home with me yet as the box was a bit big to bring on the train (only a loco-sized box!!) so it's in one of the club members' cars and I'll pick it up Monday.  Mike of Greenwood Model Products (who made it for me) showed me how to fit it together and I must say it looks really good.  I've found a flat piece of board to build it on and between now and Monday evening I need to get at least 4'6" of tarmacing done so that I can start building it up and put it in place.  I'll post progress on here.

 

To give you an idea, there's a good picture of it in this picture posted by Michael Delamar in post 83 of my previous thread entitled "Signalling at West Kirby"  (the link is:  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/48013-signalling-at-west-kirby-late-1970-early-1980/  )

 

link is :  7256334032_a2b959e9aa_b.jpg

 

 

It's been repainted since that picture was taken!!  This is a view underneath, taken by me on a site visit a couple of years ago:

 

 

post-7571-0-32396000-1337940724_thumb.jp

 

More soon.

 

Rod

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Rod

 

You'd better order up some third rail as well!

 

Paul

Funny you should say that, Paul, as I did mention it to Peter Clarke yesterday!!!  Seriously, though, if I ever did, it will be a while away yet and I might have to use displaced SR sets (which Peter Clarke produces!!!) as there are no 503s on the market - in 7mm anyway: they are produced in 4mm.

 

Rod

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Hi Paul.

 

Yes, as CUTLER2579 said, I was hoping to pick it up at Telford today and I have in fact picked it up.  It's not at home with me yet as the box was a bit big to bring on the train (only a loco-sized box!!) so it's in one of the club members' cars and I'll pick it up Monday.  Mike of Greenwood Model Products (who made it for me) showed me how to fit it together and I must say it looks really good.  I've found a flat piece of board to build it on and between now and Monday evening I need to get at least 4'6" of tarmacing done so that I can start building it up and put it in place.  I'll post progress on here.

 

To give you an idea, there's a good picture of it in this picture posted by Michael Delamar in post 83 of my previous thread entitled "Signalling at West Kirby"  (the link is:  http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/48013-signalling-at-west-kirby-late-1970-early-1980/  )

 

link is :  7256334032_a2b959e9aa_b.jpg

 

 

It's been repainted since that picture was taken!!  This is a view underneath, taken by me on a site visit a couple of years ago:

 

 

post-7571-0-32396000-1337940724_thumb.jp

 

More soon.

 

Rod

Love that picture with the EMUs in.

 

Real 'old world electric'

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Funny you should say that, Paul, as I did mention it to Peter Clarke yesterday!!!  Seriously, though, if I ever did, it will be a while away yet and I might have to use displaced SR sets (which Peter Clarke produces!!!) as there are no 503s on the market - in 7mm anyway: they are produced in 4mm.

 

Rod

 

Hi Rod

 

If you wanted the 503's have you thought of asking Worsley Works if they can do 7mm sides and ends as they say they want to expand their 7mm range and they can produce anything!

 

Alternativly, Judith Edge kits do the 4mm version and they say on their website they want to produce their 4mm stuff in 7mm so may be worth contacting them.

 

Ian

Edited by ianwales
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Hi Rod

 

If you wanted the 503's have you thought of asking Worsley Works if they can do 7mm sides and ends as they say they want to expand their 7mm range and they can produce anything!

 

Alternativly, Judith Edge kits do the 4mm version and they say on their website they want to produce their 4mm stuff in 7mm so may be worth contacting them.

 

Ian

There is always a way!

 

Hopefully though any 7mm design woud not be from plans blown up from 4mm as these are not always the most accurate.

 

I wonder if Peter Clark could be persuaded to do a 507/508 - this would also allow a 313/314 and 315. I'd have a 313 any day. They had 4 of them on the Clacton branch for a while back in the day.

 

Paul R

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HI Paul and Ian.

 

You got me pipe-dreaming there!!  However, in spite of the immediate attractions of cascaded slam-door SR electrics, I'm sticking to non-electrified lines!!  Probably influenced by 17/18 years driving first-gen DMUs!!  The only thing that might make me consider is if a 7mm RTR 503 appears but I think this is highly unlikely as there is nothing to develop the model into - the 502s were longer and wider.  This is unlike the 507/508/313/314/315, as Paul suggests.  I know nothing about those, to be honest - it's just the 503s as I remember them from my childhood and trips to the seaside.  Maybe cascaded SR slam-door stock might (but it's a very big "might"!!) appear but I wouldn't go putting any money on it!!  A blue Thumper might be worth a bet, but even so, it's a very long shot!!

 

Rod

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Hi all.

 

I've started work on the platform awning.  This is what the parts looked like once I'd unpacked them all and set them out in order:

 

post-7571-0-11056100-1410338079_thumb.jpg

 

There's 11 sets of legs, with 3 sections to the roof in between them.  The supports lying vertically in the middle are extra beams which fit on the roof.  There are 4 skylights and the long strips along the bottom are the valances (bottom) and the main supports under the roof (just above).

 

I've done 3 bays so far and this is how they looked last night:

 

post-7571-0-01742400-1410338089_thumb.jpg

 

The first skylight one is on the right.  The extra beams on the roof fit on top of the roof between the columns.

 

Unfortunately, there's a slight hiccup in that the end sections are slightly shorter than the others which I didn't know about - the result is that the valances don't fit.  However, that is being sorted and in the meantime I'll start at the other end.

 

It's exciting!! 

 

More soon.

 

Rod

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Hi.

 

Things have moved on apace!!  I got so into the building yesterday that I've finished much of the 7 bays that I still had, just waiting now for the last 3 replacement ones to arrive.  This is an overall view of the canopy:

 

post-7571-0-84481500-1410440115_thumb.jpg

 

The piece near the left end is what is going to be replaced - hence no valance - but it gives a good idea of the finished article.

 

Obviously, it all needs painting but I am very pleased with it: it captures the look of the prototype really well.  Here's another pic of a 108 ready for departure:

 

post-7571-0-76491500-1410440129_thumb.jpg

 

and finally, a view I've wanted to take for a while - it will look better painted but I just wanted to try (I've already mentioned my impatience, haven't I??).  You can still see wet glue in places!!

 

post-7571-0-19036900-1410440142_thumb.jpg

 

That will look even better when the tarmacing is finished, the paving stones painted and the white lines added.

 

I said above I've finished "much" of the bays: I've not glazed or glued the skylights on yet as I want to paint the structure first.  The roof ribs over the skylights are not glued on, either - just put in position for the photos.  There's also the odd bit of filling to do but overall I am, as they say, dead chuffed!!

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

Edit:  spelling!!

Edited by Dmudriver
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Hello Rod.

 

How did these go together? good fit, much 'fettling' needed?

 

Rgds,

 

Andy

 

ps - Whole thing looking good - esp the signalling...... but that's my geekiness showing.

Not geekiness. Working semaphore signals are the difference between a layout and a great layout. I was at a local show recently and the host club's new 0 Gauge layout was having its first outing. The basic scenery was completed needing only detailing. However, the signals were not installed with the result that the the scene looked strangely naked. Try to imagine Petter Denny's final version of Buckingham without the fine array of gantries that controlled ingress and egress. 

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Hello Rod.

 

How did these go together? good fit, much 'fettling' needed?

 

Rgds,

 

Andy

 

ps - Whole thing looking good - esp the signalling...... but that's my geekiness showing.

Hi Andy.

 

It's gone together really well.  I've had to thin, ever so slightly, the tabs on some of the parts to fit into their slots - just a couple of wipes with a file, really.  There was a problem with the pieces that the valance fits onto: they're a bit thin in one place and I managed to break a couple, but that was after finding the valance was too short and having to take it off again - they're being replaced.

 

Otherwise, I can't speak highly enough about it.  All I gave Mike at Greenwoods was the length, height and width and some photos - he did the rest by CAD.   It's the first laser-cut kit I've done and I now want one of his portacabins!!

 

As for your "geekiness" about signals, I agree completely with Chris - working signals make the layout.  I personally don't see how you can model a railway without having the signals working to control the traffic.  If you're geeky, then so am I!!!! 

 

Rod

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Hi.

 

I've been doing some experimenting the last couple of days!  First, I wanted to paint the paving stones on the platform edges.  I had some GWR Light Stone paint which I thought would do nicely but, to me, it's much too dark. So I bought some Railmatch Cement which, to me, is too green.  Finally I've used BR Grey (as in blue/grey) and it seems OK.  Here's a pic comparing the three:

 

post-7571-0-23078300-1410805957_thumb.jpg

 

I prefer the grey so, at the moment,  that's what I think I'll use.  Ideally, I wanted something like the Stone but much, much lighter: if anyone has any ideas, I'd be grateful.

 

Second, I've started spraying the canopy.  I gave it a coat of lacquer first, to try and stop the paint soaking into the MDF and then a coat of Railmatch Matt White.  There are some areas that need filling before the final coat!!

 

post-7571-0-07867900-1410805968_thumb.jpg

 

Finally, I wasn't overly happy with the nearly pristine state of the tarmac, as most of what I've seen in real life has weathered to a light grey colour.  So I tried some Johnson's Baby Powder I found in the bathroom.  Why it's there, or how long it's been there, I haven't a clue - my youngest grandson is 13 (years, not months!!)  It looks a bit uneven in spread at the moment, but I think (and hope!!) that with a bit more work it will be OK.

 

post-7571-0-60211400-1410805979_thumb.jpg

 

Not perfect at all so far, but I thought I'd share the trials and tribulations of doing a platform my way!!!  I don't remember doing one before.  On my previous layout one of the lads at the Club did a paved surface for me.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

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Hi.

 

I've not done much on the layout these last few days but I did have an operating session yesterday (with the canopy in place) and came across an unexpected operating difficulty.  The 2 pics will hopefully explain it.  Each is from one of the 2 driving locations and show a pretty full station at the end of the session.  However, they both show the problem:

 

post-7571-0-94444200-1411249101_thumb.jpg  

 

post-7571-0-27270900-1411249113_thumb.jpg

 

Spotted it?  Even with the soon-to-be-replaced bit of canopy at the station building end, with a train in platform 1 (the near one), you can't see the buffers on platform 2.  I don't want to go ramming the buffers and I need to get the placement pretty accurate if I'm putting 2 units in the platform so I need to find a way round it.  With no train in platform 1 it's a bit easier but I/you still have to bend down to see under the canopy!!!!

 

A camera and TV screen (as in the fiddle yard) is probably a bit of overkill - I suspect I may end up with a mirror up on the wall somewhere!!  Unless anyone's any other suggestions?

 

More soon.

 

Rod

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Rod

 

On one layout with which I was involved, the same issue was dealt with by adding a mirror up high on the wall. The location was good, but the mirror was too small (I think we used an old car wing mirror, from the days when door mirrors were new-fangled!), so I would advise getting something quite large, and possibly slightly convex.

 

If I may, I think you need to tone down the canopy a bit when you final- coat it. I think it's a bit "loud" in the pix.

 

Can you get in to uncouple, or do you have auto couplers?

 

Best

Simon

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Can you get some form of light beam or infra red detector bem that cuts the power when the beam is broken or causes a light to come on in the control panel so you can cut power.

 

The other alternative is to cut the track and cross the gap with a diode so the current only flows one way but this is dependent on the motor bogies all being in the same place. Having said that you could have a series of them and switch them on or off dependent on stock.

 

On the other hand a mirror seems less hassle!

 

Paul

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If it is just the final few mm to the buffers, how about a microswitch with a long piano wire lever, would be pretty much invisible but could be arranged to be pushed, operated, triggered by the guard irons / buffers / wheels as the stock approaches?

 

Could then put an indicator light somewhere suitable.

 

Another approach would be the photo-cell, as suggested above - non-contact, but more wiring & soldering! There is a circuit in my Arduino thread as I did something similar for my turntable - let me know if you need more info.

 

Best

Simon

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What about some type of micro switch arrangement which would trigger a warning light so you could see where everything is??

 

We used that - admittedly in a fiddle yard - on a layout which was operated from one end, the train ran through the scenic section, and when it hit the switch (gently!) a light came on, the operator knew he could then change the points and the train could return when necessary (it was a Liverpool Overhead train so effectively a "unit")

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How about an IRDOT from Heathcote Electronics? It's an infra red detector, so no visible light beams, and would only require a small hole in the track for the detector. You could use it to light an LED to indicate that the train has reached a specific position.

 

http://www.heathcote-electronics.co.uk/irdot1.html

 

The price seems reasonable.

 

Julian

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Hi all.

 

Thank you for your suggestions concerning the stopping point on platform 2.  Having thought about them all, I'll start with the most low-tech - putting something on the platform at the tail end of 2-, 3- and 4-car formations (a sort of stop board in reverse!!!).  If that doesn't seem satisfactory, then it's a mirror and finally the IRDOT.  I'll keep you posted.

 

"Can you get in to uncouple, or do you have auto couplers?"  

 

"No" is the answer to both questions, Simon.  I don't intend to couple or uncouple in platform 2 anyway (in the pic above the parcels stock is only stored there ready for putting in the fiddle yard on the next operating session).  Even so, I am considering using autocouplers and would go for Dinghams if I do.

 

"If I may, I think you need to tone down the canopy a bit when you final- coat it. I think it's a bit "loud" in the pix."  

 

That's a fair point, Simon.  However, if you look at the photo in post 578 and the one below, you will see that the roof support beams are painted black and the bottoms of the pillars are also painted black.  I think that will tone it down a bit - I don't want to make it as rough-looking as in post 578, more like in this one:

 

post-7571-0-91435400-1411332080.jpg

 

This is a detail from a photo by Jonathan Cadwallader in the book "Merseyside Electrics".**  However, if it still looks too bright I may have to give it a fine coat of light grey or similar.

 

"Put an old redudant chimney on the canopy roof left over from steam days or for a more modern solution put on a crawl board with an engineer fixing the roof "  

 

I liike that idea, marsa69 - it would certainly add some interest to the roof.  However, as the roof is solid concrete I don't think crawling boards would be called for but possibly a ladder and someone cleaning the skylights.

 

On that subject - how widespread was hi-vis clothing in the late 70s/early 80s?  That would lend a splash of colour - though why you'd need one on a roof, I don't know!!!  

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

**  I assume I'm OK to post this as it's only a detail from the picture (and a very overall good picture of the station at that!) and I've acknowledged the photographer and publication but if not, I'd be grateful if someone could put me right.  Mods, are you reading this?

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