pwr Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 That end shot of the MK1 really does show the incorrect profile adopted by Heljan which I understand was due to the fact they would not come out of the mould otherwise. Still as you say Rod, it's a quick way to get a decent rake of stock. My various MK1's are in boxes waiting to be built. Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 That end shot of the MK1 really does show the incorrect profile adopted by Heljan which I understand was due to the fact they would not come out of the mould otherwise. Still as you say Rod, it's a quick way to get a decent rake of stock. My various MK1's are in boxes waiting to be built. Paul R The incorrect profile of the Heljan Mark 1s was a tragedy. Of all the features of BR Mark 1 stock, the one that is most distinctive is the profile and for this reason I have never been tempted to buy even one. I find it hard to believe that it was a mould limitation. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 (edited) I find it hard to believe that it was a mould limitation. I dont believe that for a second! Edited May 22, 2015 by steve fay Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted May 22, 2015 Share Posted May 22, 2015 (edited) I have to say Rod it is coming along quite well, I still reckon that 115 just doesn't sit right on this layout of yours, you should flog it and put the monies towards a class 502 EMU project Damn that is one stunning bogcart .... but I resist to get one myself, the next Easybuild order of mine is a mixed unit made up from a Class 116 x 2 power unit "with Valley line markings", and the centre car will be one the the displaced 127 "lavatory" coaches placed into the 116 set to make them "oh so" luxurious, just because of the toilets !!!! Shawn doesn't know about the 127 request unless he reads this first .... Happy modelling Mate Edited May 22, 2015 by muddys-blues 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 I find it hard to believe that it was a mould limitation. I dont believe that for a second! That's what I heard too - Pete Waterman told me that also. If the stock had been designed differently this could have been avoided. Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve fay Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I think it had more to do with some one signing them off without pointing it out to Heljan as I'm sure they would have done something about it if it had Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted June 24, 2015 Author Share Posted June 24, 2015 Hi all. After what seems ages, I'm back on here!! I've been quiet because I've not done much, other than some maintenance and repairs and then fitting chips to the 115 and the 33. That took some time as the chips needed adjusting to take account of the peculiarities of WKT - mainly a 10mph limit through the station throat. Also the Zimo 695 chip refused to operate the white lights on the 33. After many emails to/from Paul "pauliebanger" Chetter and at least 30 minutes on his mobile test rig at Cleckheaton, we decided that, for some reason, the FL output on the chip didn't want to put anything out. So the white lights are now on F23 instead of F0, where they normally are. I think the red lights are on F10 as I like them separately switchable - as I think I've mentioned once or twice before!!! I've had some time away, too - 5 days in Scotland, a few at home and then 10 days in Switzerland (got home Sunday). The most pressing job now, though, when we get a decent day or two, is to replace some of the wood on the outside section. The 2 pics below show the problem. The strips of ply that hold the removable shutters in place are disintegrating after 3 years exposed to the weather, in spite of regular coatings in varnish. The second pic shows also a temporary repair effected before I went away - as I wanted the shutters to stay on. It's a strip of softwood, again varnished. However, this time the plan is to put that strip on, then an "L" shaped piece on top to stop water getting onto the edge, and finally all covered in felt. At the moment, I seem to be spending more time on maintenance and repairs than making progress on the scenery (hence the change of title to the thread!) but, hey, that's life!!! More soon. Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 (edited) Hi Rod, good to see you back on here with updates ... sorry to see the timbers warping there in your pictures ..... if you need to raise any funds for the Materials, give me a shout I am sure there or one or two things you could flog me to aid in your finances Not the drum kit though ....... Best of luck Mate Craig. Edited June 25, 2015 by muddys-blues 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted June 25, 2015 Author Share Posted June 25, 2015 Hi Rod, good to see you back on here with updates ... sorry to see the timbers warping there in your pictures ..... if you need to raise any funds for the Materials, give me a shout I am sure there or one or two things you could flog me to aid in your finances Not the drum kit though ....... Best of luck Mate Craig. Which drum kit did you NOT want, Craig? I've got an electronic as well as an acoustic one to sell!!!!!! Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted June 25, 2015 Share Posted June 25, 2015 Which drum kit did you NOT want, Craig? I've got an electronic as well as an acoustic one to sell!!!!!! Rod Sorry I should have said Drum KitSSSSSSSS ..... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted July 1, 2015 Author Share Posted July 1, 2015 (edited) Hi all. At last, some progress!! I decided today was as good a day as any to start replacing the strips of wood that hold the shutters in place on the outside tracks. I ripped all the old stuff off (it was not far off paper thin!!!) Having said that, it had lasted 3 years and done it's job, no water having got inside at all in that time - spiders, wasps and other creepy-crawlies, yes, but water no! I then fitted the vertical pieces and added the right angle mouldings along the top afterwards. I took some pix on my iphone as I was doing it and transferred them to my computer and now I can't find them, so I took some more with my camera. Unfortunately, these were taken after the job was nearly complete, but I think you'll get the idea. Again, for some reason, I can't get the photos into the body of the message, so I'll refer to them in the order they're in below. The first shows a view behind the vertical stripwood: the shutter slots up behind that and in front of the supporting legs and the rib further back. Previously, the felt was folded under here but I've cut that away - which makes slotting the shutters in much easier. I've cut the felt so that it's level with the front edge of the roof and it is then covered by the right angle moulding, as you see in the second pic. That pic is a bit featureless, but it shows that rain is unlikely to get under the strip as 1) the strip is 30 - 35mm wide, 2) the "roof" slopes down towards the fence which 3) helps to keep the wind from blowing rain underneath. The final picture shows the (nearly) finished set-up. You can just about see pencil marks where some more nails are yet to go and then I need to seal the joins with silicone, but it's near enough finished now. Ideally, I'd like to cover all that wood with felt, as further protection but I'll look at that a bit later. More soon. Rod PS It's just as well I finished it as it's just started raining - and I think I saw some lightning, too!! Edit: and now the thunder's started!! Edited July 1, 2015 by Dmudriver 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted July 1, 2015 Share Posted July 1, 2015 A very neat job there, keeping the elements out is difficult as Mother Nature has her ways!!!! I remember a good number of years ago visiting the Diggle & Westport Railway, and I wondered how that survived Mother Nature as that was boxed in, between each station, but not to a wonderful standard and there was scenery inside too!!!!! Still a wonderful railway, operated via bell codes, etc. Jinty Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 40 years back I learned the ropes there as a very green teenager! i was a regular for a few years until university, birds, bikes, boats & booze seemed more interesting! Wonderful railway!!! best Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted July 2, 2015 Author Share Posted July 2, 2015 The Diggle and Westport - is that the one on the Wirral - now owned (to the best of my knowledge) by John Penn? I've found my iPhone pictures, buried in the computer somewhere!! These are the 2 I wanted to put on yesterday. The right angle moulding isn't nailed down in either - I squeeze it a bit tighter when I do that, but it shows how they fit together. The second (sorry it's out of focus) shows the rather ragged cutting of the existing felt, but the moulding covers it easily. I've decided to use gutter tape over the wood to try and make it last longer. I'd planned to do some more this afternoon but it's raining, would you believe!!! It gives me a chance to put my feet up, though!! More soon. Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Rod yes! It was built (mostly) by Ken Longbottom of West Lancs fame. Simon 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted July 2, 2015 Share Posted July 2, 2015 Yes Rod, Ken Longbottom was the original constructor, and it's now in the charge of Jon Penn. I visited it when Jon Penn was in charge, not sure when ownership changed, as I said I was just a visitor, but was in awe of the way it was run and signalled. Jinty 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 Hi all. I got some more work done today and have now finished off the new edging for the shutters - I finished adding nails and the sealed various gaps where rain could possibly get in. The next job there is the gutter tape but it's not urgent - the wood and varnish will withstand the weather for a while. So, having done that, and the weather having cooled off a bit, I thought I'd have a running session. I took some pics of things as they were set up at the start of the session. They are below: (again I can't get them into the body of the post) The first is an overall view of the station area, with the DMU stabling point in the foreground. The second is a closer view of the platform and sidings area. The parcels train has stabled overnight and will leave fairly early on in the sequence. The 03 shunter has also been stabled in the sidings overnight and is awaiting the arrival of the Mark 1 ECS train. The following 2 pics show the fiddle yard area. In the first, the Mark 1s and Class 33 await their ECS working. The first movement of the day will be the Thumper, forming the first incoming service from Birkenhead. The second pic shows the kickback sidings with the Class 50, the 131 parcels unit (with the fuel tanker behind it), and the Coal Tank and inspection saloon. These will be fitted in as required. After this session, though, I have come to the conclusion that it's really too difficult to operate a something-like-real-life timetable with all the stock shown This is all my stock (I've recently sold some surplus parcels vehicles).*** To make space in the station or fiddle yard, I have to use the main line as a holding area - stopping trains at the Inner and Outer home signals. I think that would be realistic, but not for every movement!! So I've decided I'll run either weekday services - all diesel, including the parcels workings - or weekend services - which will not feature any parcels workings but will feature preserved steam workings instead. I've a couple of stock trays under the layout where the unused stock can reside so that's no problem. That will give me space in either the station or the fiddle yard and will allow some flexibility. There again, after a few "split" sessions, I might revert back to a crowded layout - we'll see what happens. Whatever does happen, I'm not planning to get rid of any stock, unless it's in the form of upgrading. More soon. Rod *** Sorry, Craig, the 115's going nowhere other than to Birkenhead and back - in model form!!! 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Rod, Taking a lesson from Ken Longbottom, although it might need a bit of a rip-up in your fiddle yard: at Westport, he installed a branch that dropped under the baseboards, with a couple (2 for sure, might have been more) sidings in which whole trains were stabled. I don't know if you could accommodate a kick-back under WKT but given that many of your operations are block trains, it would offer lots of storage space - it also keeps the trains under cover, and given the availability of track circuits & CCTV nowadays, it would be relatively easy to control. And the headroom required would be only enough for the stock, plus the thickness of a hand in case of an "oops". But given where you have got to, it might be a case of "I wouldn't be starting from here". Food for thought, anyway. Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 Hi Simon. That is definitely food for thought. I hadn't thought of extra sidings under the layout. It had crossed my mind to put a couple in the corner of the layout where the line bends round to exit the shed but I don't really want a point in full view where there wasn't one on the real thing. Mind you, there wasn't a DMU stabling point, either!!! However, as I type, I'm thinking maybe a point behind the road bridge might be worth considering - it will likely be mostly hidden by scenery between the bridge and exit from the shed. Mmmm, I'll look at that later. Plus, watching Jintyman's point building has got me wanting to build some more, so, a point on a curve???? The idea is definitely beginning to appeal!!! Watch this space!!! Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Hello Rod hope all is well, the outside maintenance looks to have gone well. Simon raises a good idea there the under board storage sidings, this will be something I am looking to incorporate into my layout, does anybody know off the top of their head what the minimum gradient is for 7mm models going up and down gradients I was thinking around the 10" - 12" gap so access for the hands of god an get in to sort out any derailments etc. Happy modelling Craig Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dmudriver Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) Hi all. I've been out in the garden with the railway this afternoon/evening and it's looking like extra sidings are a physical possibility, but whether desirable is another question. The reason I say that is that they would be laid in the corner area which doesn't feature in the photos that much. However, it would mainly mean having a backscene to screen the sidings (max 2). I don't think an incline to underboard storage is a goer, really, much as I like the idea. I had planned to have that area fully scenicked (is that English? - my spellchecker just had a fit!!) In fact, I'm very tempted with a Scalescenes church. [unfortunately, I can't get the link in - for some reason, I can't paste anything into my posts - is anyone else having this problem?] Anyway, the church is quite large in 0 gauge: it's 642 mm long, 280 mm wide and 446 mm high. Then there's the surroundings, gardens, graveyard, etc and I thought it would fill the space nicely. If I have a backscene to hide the hidden sidings (my "strategic reserve" storage area!!!) I wouldn't have the space. Also the land round (the real) West Kirby is flat, until you reach Thurstaston Hill a few miles away, so I don't really want to start building hillsides,etc. I've put "The Welsh Dragon" set and the 2 steam engines away and it only took a few minutes. The parcels rake would be the same, though I'd have to fit a set of Kadees to one end of 2 of them to make coupling up easier, again that's not much of a problem (2 of them are already coupled this way). All in all, then, taking them off and putting back on is no big problem. So, still a lot to think about but no need to make a decision just yet!! As I said, I've put that stock away and, all of a sudden, there seems acres of space - see the pics below. The situation is the start of the sequence. The first pic shows a general view of the station area (as yesterday) and there's an empty road in the stabling area. The second pic is a close up of the platform area. The parcels train is now in the back siding, the 115 in platform 2 and the inspection saloon and 03 in the outer siding. The third pic shows the kickback sidings in the fiddle yard - Class 50 in one and Class 131 with van and fuel tank in the other. I forgot to take a pic of the fiddle yard looking the other way, but the 2 roads nearest the fence are occupied, as yesterday, but I've now got 2 roads free. I operated for a while and there's now loads of flexibility - why, when I've only taken off 1 set and 2 locos, I don't know!! Still, I feel better about it!! So, that's where I'm up to now. More soon. Rod EDIT. When I look back at yesterday's pics, I realise the problem was having 3 out of 4 fiddle yard roads occupied most of the time by rakes that move relatively infrequently (Mark 1s, parcels and the "Welsh Dragon"), leaving only 1 road for DMUs to run in and out of. Leaving 1 or more of those rakes in the station area for a long time doesn't look right, but I was having to bring them in more often than I wanted to, to be able to operate the DMUs. Fascinating, isn't it? Edited July 4, 2015 by Dmudriver 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 Hi Rod - nice pics - I too am having problems pasting anything into my posts when I tried, I also cannot reply quoting a post ?, I used to be able too, but not since I have had a new computer Cheers, Bob. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jintyman Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) Hi Rod - nice pics - I too am having problems pasting anything into my posts when I tried, I also cannot reply quoting a post ?, I used to be able too, but not since I have had a new computer Cheers, Bob. Ok I had this before where you couldn't quote anyone, or attach pictures in the middle of your text. This was my solution. click to reply to a topic/post and you will get the following screen...... I have selected to quote the above post from Bob. Please note, I was already in BB Code mode when I clicked to quote Bobs post, that is why it's showing. Click on the button where the cursor is highlighted, and you will get the following screen, where the whole quote is changed to code. You can insert your images as well as I have here, as you just upload them and add them to post wherever you want. You will have to revert back to the original screen if you want to add smileys, unless you know the code,,,,,,, I only know one You can switch back and forth if you want to check how it looks if you want. Hope it works for you Jinty PS: Don't place your text and images into the existing code. Add them underneath as a completely separate entity. Edited July 4, 2015 by Jintyman Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobster Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Ok I had this before where you couldn't quote anyone, or attach pictures in the middle of your text. This was my solution. click to reply to a topic/post and you will get the following screen...... PC PIC1.jpg I have selected to quote the above post from Bob. Please note, I was already in BB Code mode when I clicked to quote Bobs post, that is why it's showing. Click on the button where the cursor is highlighted, and you will get the following screen, where the whole quote is changed to code. PC PIC2.jpg You can insert your images as well as I have here, as you just upload them and add them to post wherever you want. You will have to revert back to the original screen if you want to add smileys, unless you know the code,,,,,,, I only know one You can switch back and forth if you want to check how it looks if you want. Hope it works for you Jinty PS: Don't place your text and images into the existing code. Add them underneath as a completely separate entity. Hi Jinty Many thanks for the tip - Seems to work for me that way. Cheers, Bob. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
muddys-blues Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 Bah humbug !!!! *** Sorry, Craig, the 115's going nowhere other than to Birkenhead and back - in model form!!! Attached Thumbnails Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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