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West Kirby Town: Parcels traffic has increased.


Dmudriver
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Yes, can’t remember when the line closed, it was the Wirral Way when I was a teenager.  Before my time!  It was a tenuous link at best!  

 

As I recall, the Woodside - Chester line was 4 track, Bidston - Queensferry was 2 and I believe WK - Neston was 2 as well.  I did go for a walk down there to take some photos for Rod a few years back, the earthworks looked reasonable, even after all these years.  Certainly the bridge abutments were substantial sandstone affairs.

 

Yes, choccy specials from Cadbury in Moreton!  Perfect excuse to run parcels!

 

atb

Simon

 

 

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9 hours ago, Simond said:

Yes, can’t remember when the line closed, it was the Wirral Way when I was a teenager.  Before my time!  It was a tenuous link at best!  

 

As I recall, the Woodside - Chester line was 4 track, Bidston - Queensferry was 2 and I believe WK - Neston was 2 as well.  I did go for a walk down there to take some photos for Rod a few years back, the earthworks looked reasonable, even after all these years.  Certainly the bridge abutments were substantial sandstone affairs.

 

Yes, choccy specials from Cadbury in Moreton!  Perfect excuse to run parcels!

 

atb

Simon

 

 

 

I recall seeing a steam loco at WK Joint, but I was very young at the time. It was well after the end of passenger services and before they grubbed the line up in the early-60s when it was stil being used for freight.  The Hooton - West Kirby branch was single track throughout, with passing places at Hadlow Road, Neston, Parkgate, Heswall and Thurstaston (which by rights should have been a "Road" too!). Bridges, on the 1880s extension from Parkgate to West Kirby were built to double track width in anticipation of traffic which never materialised. I don't know if it was the GWR or LNWR being hopeful, I suspect the latter...

 

The other thing is that there was never a physical connection at Neston between the Hooton - West Kirby and the Bidston -Wrexham lines, so sending a Bidston-Shotton ore train down the branch from West Kirby would have indeed been a Great Way Round journey!  The 9F above must have been on a clearances run....

 

 

 

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Hroth

 

thanks, you're obviously a Wirral lad too. 

 

I have vague recollections of steam locos in Liverpool (Lime St, maybe Central High Level) but I'd not be betting any money on what they were - if pressed, I'd say a Jinty and a Black 5 but these may be entirely spurious "false memories".    They were certainly large, dirty and smoky, and I have no recollection of being impressed, despite being really quite keen on TTTE when young - and indeed on all things railway.  I don't recall steam at WK, and sadly, not really on the docks either.  Given that I was so keen, I'm surprised my Dad didn't take me to the shed down by B'head North, I asked him about it, and he said "sad really, it just didn't seem like it would ever change, and it didn't seem important at the time", which I guess is true about many things that pass.

 

I do recall very well the three majestic hammerhead cranes with the grabs in the Bidston Dock (now filled in) for loading the iron ore trains - and I have rather more certain recollections of double headed diesels pulling the trains up the bank from Bidston to the Rockers Bridge at Woodchurch Road.  A couple of school pals who lived in Meadway in Upton recall the noise of the 9Fs behind their house, but I lived in Manor Hill in the 60's so my nearest railway station was Birkenhead Park.

 

atb

Simon

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On 05/12/2019 at 21:52, Dmudriver said:

However, there's no chance it will become a regular visitor to WKT.  If there is another kettle, maybe an ex-GWR 14xx, with an autocoach or two ....  BUT ...... that's only a possibility, not a probability!!!

Rod

 

Hi Rod,

We could arrange a return visit to WKT for a pair of Prairie Tanks to pop in on the local service :P ...... by chance there are two sat here, with a suitable set of stock which could also be allocated westwards on a day return special!!  Not wishing to encourage your move to the dark side however.

 

What was the issue with the 9F and your pointwork - was it just the long wheelbase and 10 coupled wheels that were causing problems?

 

Rich

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10 hours ago, MarshLane said:

 

Hi Rod,

We could arrange a return visit to WKT for a pair of Prairie Tanks to pop in on the local service :P ...... by chance there are two sat here, with a suitable set of stock which could also be allocated westwards on a day return special!!  Not wishing to encourage your move to the dark side however.

 

What was the issue with the 9F and your pointwork - was it just the long wheelbase and 10 coupled wheels that were causing problems?

 

Rich

 

A 14xx/Autocoach and a Large Prairie were regular performers on the Joint before its closure, they never ventured onto Wirral/LMS metals in real life.  Of course, that doesn't stop them visiting WKT now!

 

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On 19/12/2019 at 22:14, MarshLane said:

 

Hi Rod,

We could arrange a return visit to WKT for a pair of Prairie Tanks to pop in on the local service :P ...... by chance there are two sat here, with a suitable set of stock which could also be allocated westwards on a day return special!!  Not wishing to encourage your move to the dark side however.

 

What was the issue with the 9F and your pointwork - was it just the long wheelbase and 10 coupled wheels that were causing problems?

 

Rich

 

Hi Rich.

 

A visit would be OK, but there's no way I'm going to be getting more kettles than 2 - at the absolute max!!   :no:

 

With the 9F, I'm not too sure what the problem was.  I thought it was the long wheelbase but my pal was talking about there being no flange on the centre drivers and smaller ones on the other 2 axles.  As it wasn't staying on my layout I didn't really investigate further.  However, it didn't derail going forwards, only in reverse!!!  If it's any help to your thinking, it was a Lee Marsh model.

 

"A 14xx/Autocoach and a Large Prairie were regular performers on the Joint before its closure, they never ventured onto Wirral/LMS metals in real life.  Of course, that doesn't stop them visiting WKT now!"

 

I agree, Hroth - I've seen pics of them at the Joint Station.  Which is why I think the Preservation Society would have a set and want to run it to WKT, alternating with The Welsh Dragon set.    Watch this space - but not in the near future!!!     (This would be the 2nd kettle I mention above!!)  

 

 

Rod

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HI all.

 

Just a bit of amusement.  I've started on the 116 parcels car-to-be by building the bogies.  

 

I thought I'd try them out on the layout, so went into the shed early evening - it was dark and raining!! - put them on the headshunt, having set all the points for the main line route, and gave them a shove, one after the other.

 

Now I don't know if I shoved too hard or the bogies are more free running than I remembered but they ended up in the covered section outside, almost in the fiddle yard!!!!!!!!

 

I then had to go out in the cold and rain, take 2 of the covers off and retrieve them!!!

 

I do like Easybuild bogies - they are so free-running and I think I must have built them rather well, too!!

 

Anyway, I may not be on here again until after Christmas, so have a good Christmas, one and all, and a good New Year, too.

 

 

Rod

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1 minute ago, Simond said:

A 14xx and a large prairie would constitute two of the extra loco you had in mind....

 

:)

Season’s Greetings!

Simon

 

Thanks, Simon, but the Ivatt is the only Prairie I'll need!!!   I admit I do like GWR small prairies, but I'm going to resist that temptation!!!

 

All the best to you too.  Have a good Christmas.

 

Rod

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6 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

 

Hi Rich.

 

A visit would be OK, but there's no way I'm going to be getting more kettles than 2 - at the absolute max!!   :no:

 

With the 9F, I'm not too sure what the problem was.  I thought it was the long wheelbase but my pal was talking about there being no flange on the centre drivers and smaller ones on the other 2 axles.  As it wasn't staying on my layout I didn't really investigate further.  However, it didn't derail going forwards, only in reverse!!!  If it's any help to your thinking, it was a Lee Marsh model.

 

Rod

 

Hi Rod,

We'll have to see if we can set that up in the New Year - I recall I owe you lunch!  So we know that a 1400 Class is one of the two ... Your not planning on a West Kirkby - London Euston direct service with a Duchess then :P

 

Have a great Christmas mate and all the best for 2020.  Here's to much progress and enjoyable times with O gauge.

 

Rich

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11 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

HI all.

 

You may have noticed a change in the thread title.  No major changes, but improvements or progression - I'm not sure how to describe them yet.

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

You've ditched the DMUs and gone for a heritage steam centre :P Improvements or progression sounds interesting .... sat on the edge of the seat here!

Rich

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Hi all.

 

To Hal Nail and  Andy, no, nothing that drastic, I'm afraid.  Basically, I'm bringing the era forward a little.  I've already got a Regional Railways 101 DMU and I've decided I rather like the livery.   So I've sold the blue Class 37 and the inspection saloon (with a fair bit of regret) to finance the purchase of a Heljan 37/4 in Reggie Rail livery - complete with Zimo chip and Paul Chetter sound file.  It will be 37 429 "Eisteddfod Genadlaethol" ** with no snow ploughs.   I fancied a change, so no ploughs, and I could only find pics of 2x 37/4s without them - 37414 and 37429.  So it's going to be the latter.  Looking like this:

 

37429_Agecroft_1994.jpg.35700ee037be7d19071cf5743a662962.jpg

 

My coaches are Heljan Mark 1s in blue/grey but it's been pointed out to me that Heljan are planning Mark 2s in the future and Reggie Rail will be one of the available liveries!!  Those aren't a given for the layout yet but are leaning to the "probable" side of "possible"!!!

 

That's about it for the RR livery for the moment - Class 25s were only ever in blue as far as I know (apart from "Tamworth Castle" - which was blue but with full yellow ends) and the 50 is staying in LL blue as my son and grandson have earmarked it for when I go to the great marshalling yard in the sky and 50s never got the RR livery anyway!!!    2nd generation DMUs may be a step too far (even in RR livery) but don't discount it!  I'm not sure if any 1st generation DMUs got the livery apart from 101s.   EDIT - just checked and found pics of a 117 and a 122 in RR livery - so there is scope - and these are more likely than 2nd gen units!!

 

A Dapol 14xx is a possibility to join the preserved steam fleet but I need to sell some archery equipment first!!  [Anyone know anyone else looking for a bow, plus arrows, etc?]

 

I've bought some red/white nanoLEDs for the Heljan Class 128 - it bugs me that there aren't any reds fitted to it - and I've bought an adapter plate to help with the wiring.  Pics when I get round to fitting it/them.

 

The fire station has stopped at the moment, until I can work out a way to get the mortar between the bricks - various possibilities are being tried.

 

All in all, I've a fair bit of work to be going on with, so I need to spend more time at my modelling desk rather than my computer desk!!!

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

**   I couldn't spell that easily,  so I had to look it up on Wikipedia!!  (Sorry, David and Craig!!)

 

 

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On mortar - use a dilute acrylic paint and capillary action will take it round the mortar joints. Wipe off any that get on the bricks - you will be amazed at how quick this is.  That's what I did n the Notley signalboxes

 

Paul R

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The acrylic paint works, certainly, but on my own lasercut brickwork, I use a slightly diluted ready-to-use interior filler (Wickes, but there are loads of makes) wiped on, over the pre-painted brickwork, and then sponged off with a barely damp sponge.  This seems to fill the mortar lines quite nicely, but also matts the brickwork pleasingly.

 

I use Halfords red primer as a base colour for the bricks, and pick the odd ones out with lighter or darker colours.

 

hth

Simon

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On 15/01/2020 at 13:55, 47606odin said:

heres how i did it 

Thank you. 47606odin, that is very helpful.  It is, I think, similar to what Simond mentioned some time ago but seeing it in a video makes me realise that it's pretty simple really.

 

That'll be on the list soon - I'm just rewiring the Heljan 128 with red lights at the moment.  It's not quite as simple as it may sound as it means taking out the Heljan circuit board and wiring up an adapter board to fit on the Zimo MX644D chip.  To complicate matters, though, I want the lights switchable on/off at each end (for when it operates in multi) and the cab lights separately switchable.  It certainly keeps the grey matter alert - which is a bit difficult today after a slap-up late Christmas meal last night and a 6.30 alarm this morning!!!!!!

 

Also working out which wires are for the red/white lights on the nanoLEDs I bought is going to be a challenge!!!

 

More on the progress soon.

 

 

Rod

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Just a bit of an update on the rewiring of the 128.

 

These are the red/white nanoLEDs I am working with - so tiny I have to use a magnifying headband!!  (something like this - only a bit older!! - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Carson-MagniVisor-Head-Band-Magnifier-Flip-Down/dp/B004HW6CKY/ref=sr_1_38?keywords=headband+magnifier&qid=1579518984&sr=8-38

 

Here's a pic of those nanoLEDs alongside a 1p coin!!  

 

1218960482_NanoLEDsJan2020(2).jpg.9e840cc6075c9e3ae47314830793cf16.jpg

 

Certainly a test of how steady your hands are!!

 

The adapter plate is fitted to the chip (or vice versa!!) and there's wires everywhere!!  However, I made sure I labelled every one as I fitted them to the adapter plate:

 

538178284_IMG_20200119_204517-Copy.jpg.c0870768fe551fefe99b519ed3e62592.jpg

 

Just got to work out how to make the LEDs look decent through the lenses on the front of the unit.  I have ideas but I'm not that far advanced yet.

 

Then there's the chip to reprogramme!!    It's a bigger job that I thought but very enjoyable: it certainly needs concentration!!

 

More soon.

 

Rod

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Hi all.

 

And a bit more of an update!!  Much more progress made.  Look at all these wires!!!  Keeping track of them required full concentration but everything is wired up now and works!!

 

Here's a pic of the maze of wires:

 

863250242_IMG_20200122_213933-Copy.jpg.5ab2d5f6372c07b7b1fca7968c028250.jpg

 

You can't actually see the nanoLEDs but they are at the front, just under the driver's desks.   I managed to get the nanoLEDs working correctly - 2 reds and 2 whites at opposite ends, but unfortunately the reds lit up in the forward direction and the whites in reverse!!  But 4 touches with the soldering iron on the copperclad strips swapped them around and sorted that problem!!  The interior lights work and are now switchable on/off.  The cab lights work with a 9V battery but I've just emailed Digitrains asking for advice on how to get them working via the chip (ie, which CVs and what values for FO4 and FO5).  I've also asked how to switch off the red and white markers at each end when operating in multiple - this is something I've got with all my DMUs.   (I hate seeing red lights on the rear of a loco with a train attached, or in the middle of DMUs running in multiple!!).

 

The clutter in the body interior is one speaker and the underframe - because it needs the body on to hold it under the chassis.   The spelling of "lites" is deliberate - one letter less to get on the bit of masking tape!!  The resistors are for the nanoLEDs - all the other lights have Heljan-fitted resistors already in place.

 

I'll tidy the wiring up when I know the cab lights are working properly and I can get the body back on.  I'll then fit the LEDs - I'm thinking of mounting them over a piece of white plasticard with a bit of a bowl in it to act as a reflector (just like the real thing!! - and, yes, I've changed a few bulbs in my time!!)   Oh, and I've a couple of new speaker to try, too!!

 

I've found it really mentally stimulating doing all this and as I've always fancied learning more about decoders and what can be done with them I've now booked myself on a DCC Supplies training course - "Decoder programming and setup" - in April.  

 

So, nearly there with this unit: the question is "what's next - fire station or 116?"  I think it'll be the fire station and then I can get on with the remaining scenery when the weather improves and the days get lighter.   Then the 116 for a bit of relief - or a change of scenery!!

 

That's it for now - more soon.

 

 

Rod

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