West Kirby Town: narrow gauge may be coming to town.

[Dmudriver]

I suspect I've stepped onto a slippery slope, Simon!!!

[Hal Nail]

11 hours ago, Simond said:

Good stuff Rod, 

 

you’ll be fitting lights, motors, steering, sirens, bells & whistles to the fire engines,  in the style of Mr Favell, too, I trust?

 

Simon

Surely that's all been done so for wow factor we are talking extending ladder and an adapted Dinky hose with motor driven pump action?

[MarshLane]

3 hours ago, Hal Nail said:

Surely that's all been done so for wow factor we are talking extending ladder and an adapted Dinky hose with motor driven pump action?

 

With real water I presume ... although maybe real flames might be pushing it too much given the wooden construction of the surrounding areas!  

[Dmudriver]

48 minutes ago, MarshLane said:

With real water I presume

 

Ah!!  Am I right in thinking you can't scale water down?  Maybe a fine spray might be the answer? 

 

As for real fire, a 12" : 1' fire extinguisher would have to be on standby!!!

 

This is all getting a bit fantastic (word used deliberately!!) - and I'm just beginning to realise what I'm letting myself in for if I keep on this slippery slope.  Relatively easy things like station lights, but then lights in all the buildings in the backscene!!  They weren't built for lighting so they'd need light proofing (is that a proper word??!!).  For the moment I'll stick to the stock and see where we go from there!!!

 

Mind you, there could be a saving in the electricity bill as I could turn the shed lights off!!!

 

Anyway, the lights in the 128 are all working as I want them now.  I just need to work out how to show off the marker lights to their best now.  White Blutack is being considered - watch this space!!!  I've tried 2 new speakers but have decided to stick to 1 and this is now fitted to the underframe.  Photos to follow tomorrow probably.

 

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

It's done!!!  The Class 128 now has full working lights - white and red marker lights, interior lights and cab lights.  I mentioned white Blu Tack in my last post and that is what I've used.  Here's a couple of pics of the first try:

 

 

 

I made a couple of indentations in the Blu Tack using a 5mm LED and then positioned the nanoLEDs so that they were in the middle of that indentation/reflector.  The white and red LEDs are glued back to back so I tried to get them sideways on.  I succeeded on the right one, but not on the left: with the latter, the white is facing backwards and fills the reflector with white light: the red just shines forwards and there's not a lot goes into the reflector.  The right side is how I wanted it - one shining up and the other down.  This is prototypical as there are 2 bulbs in the reflector, fitted vertically.   Eventually, I got all 4 as the right hand one.

 

Something I hadn't noticed at the time became apparent when I put the body back on: there's too much Blu Tack in the openings, so that as the body slid down the front of the cab, it took some Blu Tack with it and distorted the whole lot!!!  I didn't put so much on when I did the other end so didn't have that problem!!

 

Here's a couple of pics of the 2 ends with the lights on:

 

 

 

The close-ups are a bit cruel in the reds, but in normal viewing they are fine.  The level of light is also good - I have got some DMUs whose marker lights are too bright and need some dimming down.

 

I mentioned also that I was trying a couple of new speakers: they are very slim ones and would have fitted under the propshafts on the unit but I wasn't completely happy with the range of sound.  So I've fitted another of ones I'm gradually fitting to all my DMUs now: here's a pic of it fitted underneath the chassis:

 

 

For the size, it gives good sound (to my ears, anyway!!) and I've more to fit to the rest of my fleet.  I could have had bigger ones inside the body, but I'm not too keen on the booming effect.  I've fitted a miniature plug and socket in the wires between the chip and the speaker, to make dismantling easier.

 

So that's the 128 virtually complete - I say "virtually" as I broke a couple of lamp irons taking the body off (see the first 2 pics) and one of the buffers has worked loose somehow, too.  Those jobs shouldn't take too long to sort ........... should they??!!   Then it needs weathering!!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

 

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Right, where was I?  It's been over 3 weeks since my last post!!!   I've fixed the lamp irons on the 128, as well as the loose buffer so it's back on the layout.   I've been running it this afternoon with the 131 in multiple - but more of that later.  It needs weathering now - another job to add to the list!!!

 

I've not actually done that much modelling these last 2/3 weeks: my daughter bought me a 1000 piece jigsaw for Christmas and I decided a couple of weeks ago to have a go at it.  It's over 40 years since I really did a jigsaw so I really was starting from scratch.  Fortunately, she got one that caters for my hobby and here's a picture of the finished puzzle:

 

 

I really enjoyed doing it - it's surprising how quickly the time goes!!  So she got me another one this week - 1000 pieces again but it's a back to front one: the picture is not what's on the box but what is happening behind you as you look at that picture. She likes to keep her dad's brain cells active!!!

 

Anyway, this is not a puzzle thread on a puzzle forum so I'll get back to railway modelling!!   Storms Ciara and Dennis have made themselves felt!!  A couple of the fence panels behind my railway have suffered in the wind, as here:

 

 

Yes, those are bungees holding the left hand one in place - to keep the neighbours' dog in their garden!!  The wind hasn't affected the railway's stability (so far, anyway!!) but it did rip off a section of the new felt I put on the year before last.  I managed to put a couple of battens on to hold it down: more permanent repairs will take place after the storm season has passed.

 

I took the covers off today to check inside and there's just one place where the water's got in - right up against the house.  There was an accumulation of dust and gravel from  when the neighbours had the cladding redone and I think that's trapped water and it's somehow found a way in.  Here's a pic:

 

 

I've cleared that rubbish away so I'm hoping it will now dry out - the cork is wet but the baseboard underneath seems ok.   Having the covers off and having a sunny, if still windy, afternoon, I've had a bit of a play.  Mainly shunting stuff (including the 128/131 in multiple) around - platforms to sidings and vice versa, but using the fiddle yard.  No problems were apparent and it was  good to get back out there.  As I type, however, it's started raining again so the covers have gone back on again!!

 

That's where I'm up to.  Just the fire station to finish, the 128 to weather, the 116 to build and a layout to operate at some point!!  And who knows what else will crop up in the meantime??!!

 

More soon

 

 

Rod

[Jon Fitness]

Looks like the railway is holding the fence up Rod!

[Hroth]

On 16/02/2020 at 17:10, Dmudriver said:

Anyway, this is not a puzzle thread

 

Dunno.  Looking at the locomotives on the jigsaw puzzle, how many images of Hornby models are there? 

 

I think I can spot at least 6!

• Achilles Single
• Princess Royal
• Princess Coronation
• A4
• West Country/BoB
• EE Type 3

And 7 if you include the Rivarossi GG1

 

However, I don't think we can include Rocket.

 

Good to see that the model railway is so well engineered that it holds up the fence!

 

 

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

It's Friday, half term week, no grandkids' school runs to do, but I've still done no more on the railway!!  Mainly due to the rather inclement weather (to put it mildly - tho' I did get a bit of garden tidying up done in one brief, dry window!!!)

 

Just to clarify one point. though.  However much it looks like it, the railway is not actually holding the fence up - honest!!     The original layout was built outside by supports fastened to the fence posts but when I was having the shed built, I found that the layout outside was all that was holding the fence up - and I hadn't realised!!!!!!  The original plan was just to have the new shed built but after I found out about the fence, I decided to make the layout extension outside self-supporting.  There are just 3 small screws which help to hold the back panels upright but that's the only contact between the 2.  

 

So replacing the fence panels (maybe the posts as well, but I don't know yet) shouldn't affect the railway at all - fingers crossed!!  

 

 

Rod

 

 

[Dmudriver]

Well, a month on from the last post and life has certainly changed!!  Being in the at-risk group I am now staying at home more and socially distancing myself when/if I go out.  And the only time I do go out is for a walk in the (rather muddy!!) fields round about.

 

Which means I should have more time for modelling - but no, it's ended up as more time for playing!!!!  However, playing has become much more interesting because the changes that were afoot have now come to pass.  Regional Railways have become involved!!

 

You've seen the 101 already but that is now joined by this:

 

 

37429 with the unpronounceable (to me, anyway!) and difficult to spell long Welsh name!!!!***  I chose her because I found photos of her in the North West and North Wales with no snow ploughs, which is what I wanted.  She's fitted with a Zimo decoder with Paul Chetter's  Protodrive SL enhanced sound file .  And what a sound file it is, too!!  I'll do a video soon.

 

Here's another pic from the other end:

 

 

And finally, a helicopter (or maybe drone these days!!) view of the 2 RR liveried items of stock.:

 

 

I just need RR liveried Mark 2s now!!!  All in good time, though!!  

 

She was weathered, and the chip and speakers fitted by Jintyman, t/a Jinty's Railways.  Thank you so much, David.  (No connection other than as a satisfied customer).  I need to fit Dingham couplings - somehow!! - but I'm not rushing into that yet.

 

I'm also thinking about buying a Dapol 14xx tank to operate as a preserved loco.  OK, I don't need it but I've always had a soft spot for them as I have with the Ivatt tank.   Why, I'm not really sure because I was brought up in mainly ex-LNWR territory in and around Liverpool.  However, my first loco kit ever was a Kay's 00 kit for the 14xx tank, bought for me for my 21st birthday by my then girlfriend, later wife, now ex-wife!!!  I've not got the wife any more but I've still got that loco!!  It's languishing in a storage tin in a cupboard, along with various GEM kit-built LNWR locos - all in 4 mm scale.

 

I could justify buying it by the saving in gym membership (frozen for the foreseeable future) and refunds on theatre tickets, a DCC decoder programming course I was booked on and various cancelled hotel bookings!!  However, it would also need a chip and speakers and an autocoach to run with - or maybe a B set!  So watch this space on that subject.

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

***  Maybe any of my Welsh readers could type it out for me??  

 

 

 

 

[Hal Nail]

If it's preserved, a blue and grey mk1 will do - or even a dmu!

 

Thats £200, saved so you can get the loco effectively free now!

[Hroth]

10 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

37429 with the unpronounceable (to me, anyway!) and difficult to spell long Welsh name

 

Rheilffyrdd Rhanbarthol? 

 

10 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

And finally, a helicopter (or maybe drone these days!!) view of the 2 RR liveried items of stock.:

 

In "those" days, still a helichopper!

 

10 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

I'm also thinking about buying a Dapol 14xx tank to operate as a preserved loco.  OK, I don't need it but I've always had a soft spot for them as I have with the Ivatt tank.   Why, I'm not really sure because I was brought up in mainly ex-LNWR territory in and around Liverpool. 

 

But an autofitted 14xx  (and trailer) was a regular performer on the "Joint" so its perfectly in character!  I don't think B sets were used (but I'm happy to be proven wrong).

 

Nice to see WKT soldiering on!

 

 

[pwr]

Great to have an update Rob

 

Looking good.

 

Our HO is closed so we are all working from home so no additional time for modelling!

 

Paul R

[ianwales]

13 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

 

 

 

Rod

 

***  Maybe any of my Welsh readers could type it out for me??  

 

 

 

 

 

Hi Rod

 

Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, English translation National Eisteddfod.

 

Ian

[Dmudriver]

5 hours ago, Hroth said:

But an autofitted 14xx  (and trailer) was a regular performer on the "Joint" so its perfectly in character!  I don't think B sets were used (but I'm happy to be proven wrong).

 

Dead right, Hroth, I'd forgotten about that.  Maybe that's where the idea came from, though I don't remember seeing any "in the flesh".  Definitely justification!!

 

And just before I saw ianwales' comment, I took this pic of the name plate:

 

 

More in a minute.

 

 

Rod

 

PS  From now on, I'll cut and paste Ian's typing!!  Thanks, Ian.

Edited March 23, 2020 by Dmudriver
To add PS.

[Dmudriver]

I've had cleaners in the house this morning - a regular visit - so I took refuge in the shed.  And took a few pics - as you do!!

 

Early morning on the stabling point:

 

 

The 25 is fired up and ready to go:

 

 

And later in the day, the RR liveried stock is seen in the platform:  (neither started up as yet - hence no lights, as the drivers are having a brew!!!)

 

 

Now that I'm in hibernation, I'll have time to deal with the leaning (and fallen over, lamp posts!!

[Hal Nail]

1 hour ago, Dmudriver said:

I've had cleaners in the house this morning

I hope you then disinfected everything they had cleaned?

 

Hat, coat... oh wait. I ain't going anywhere!

[D6775]

Really liking the RR stuff, making me wish I'd bought a RR tractor to do 427.

 

Al.

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Since my last offering last Monday, it's been quite a week!!  The weather's been decent - fairly warm and sunny - so I've taken the opportunity to have a few operating sessions.  That is, after a good track clean and all pick-up wheels on locos and DMUs also cleaned.  However, it's not been operating (playing, if you prefer!!) all week as other events took over.

 

I've been a season ticket holder at Everton's Goodison Park for 24 years and 13 years of that as a Senior.  On Sunday afternoon I get a call from the Supporter Liaison Department about this coronavirus, just checking up how I was doing, if I needed any help, etc.  It was quite a long chat, we had a good laugh and a joke and I felt really good after it.  Monday afternoon, I get a call from the same lad, saying a first team player is going to ring me.  Phone goes later, it's the Club Chairman, Bill Kenwright!!  20 minute chat and I'm feeling really, really good.  Bit later, another call, from Mike Keane, a first team central defender!!  20 minute chat, after which I'm over the moon!!  Wednesday morning, a 7 minute edit of the call with Mike Keane appears on the Club website, it gets onto Facebook, I get a call from a radio station group and part of the interview ends up on Smooth FM on Thursday morning!!  After the radio station call on Wednesday, another from the Club - the BBC want to interview me on BBC Breakfast!!  Quick chat with a researcher and I'm interviewed, live (no rehearsal), at about 8.45 Thursday morning!!!!  After that, I'm getting texts, emails and calls from people I've not spoken to for months - in one case, over 2 years!!

 

By Friday morning, I'm just coming down to earth, so I have another operating session.  Saturday was not too good weatherwise, so I just potter in the shed and start thinking about preserved locos, etc and decide I'm going to get a Dapol 14xx tank.  So one is now bought and paid for!!  It'll have a Zimo chip and speaker of some sort fitted and will get a bit of light weathering so that it looks clean, but used - as it would in preservation.  This is a pic of what I'm getting - except it will have the later emblem:

 

 

It'll be numbered 1457, which was shedded at Birkenhead Mollington Street  for a while.  The shed plate will be changed - to 6C, I think it is.  Whether 1457 had a top feed or not, I don't know - in fact, as I'm not a kettle man, I don't even know what a top feed does!!!  Even if it didn't have one, though, Rule 1 will apply!!  Why didn't I check it more thoroughly?  Well, some retailers seem to be closing down and this was available - so I took the plunge!!!  And this just a week after saying watch this space - above!!!

 

I'll source an autocoach some time (maybe 2!) but I'll check the bank balance first!!   And, in case anyone's wondering - no, I got no appearance fees!!!!

 

And lost in all of what was going on, I got a text on Monday late afternoon from the NHS, saying I'm one of the 1.5m "at high risk" people so I'm now not to leave my house for 12 weeks!!***  It'll give me plenty of modelling/playing time (when it's a bit warmer!!) so the question now is: where to start?  Possibly more scenery, certainly the fire station, in fact, there's plenty to do!!  As well as learning how to use Skype and Zoom!!

 

All in all, an eventful week!!  Hopefully it'll just be railway modelling from now on!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

 

***  And wash my hands frequently, etc, etc.   

 

 

[Hal Nail]

Nice story: Looks like you'll stay up now as well! I support Hanwell Town who have had their first successful season in living memory (2nd with games in hand) only for it to be expunged. Probably be in a relegation fight as usual next year 

 

The late logo Dapol 14xx doesnt actually have a top feed and there is a photo of 1457 at the Swindon dump and it didnt have one at withdrawal. It didn't actually make it to green but that doesn't really matter if it's as preserved. You would want to get some details wrong anyway for that authentic preservation look!

 

Suggest you get your plates from Narrow Planet as the loco comes with a moulded surround and normal ones dont fit. NP are doing a 14xx special to the necessary dimensions. If you pop me your address I bought a load of smokebox number plates on Ebay which fit perfectly so I can send you that - I find Narrow Planet's too small for the Dapol mount usually. You diesel boys dont realise the hassles we put up with!

 

 

Edited March 29, 2020 by Hal Nail

[deltic17]

3 hours ago, Dmudriver said:

Hi all.

 

Since my last offering last Monday, it's been quite a week!!  The weather's been decent - fairly warm and sunny - so I've taken the opportunity to have a few operating sessions.  That is, after a good track clean and all pick-up wheels on locos and DMUs also cleaned.  However, it's not been operating (playing, if you prefer!!) all week as other events took over.

 

I've been a season ticket holder at Everton's Goodison Park for 24 years and 13 years of that as a Senior.  On Sunday afternoon I get a call from the Supporter Liaison Department about this coronavirus, just checking up how I was doing, if I needed any help, etc.  It was quite a long chat, we had a good laugh and a joke and I felt really good after it.  Monday afternoon, I get a call from the same lad, saying a first team player is going to ring me.  Phone goes later, it's the Club Chairman, Bill Kenwright!!  20 minute chat and I'm feeling really, really good.  Bit later, another call, from Mike Keane, a first team central defender!!  20 minute chat, after which I'm over the moon!!  Wednesday morning, a 7 minute edit of the call with Mike Keane appears on the Club website, it gets onto Facebook, I get a call from a radio station group and part of the interview ends up on Smooth FM on Thursday morning!!  After the radio station call on Wednesday, another from the Club - the BBC want to interview me on BBC Breakfast!!  Quick chat with a researcher and I'm interviewed, live (no rehearsal), at about 8.45 Thursday morning!!!!  After that, I'm getting texts, emails and calls from people I've not spoken to for months - in one case, over 2 years!!

 

By Friday morning, I'm just coming down to earth, so I have another operating session.  Saturday was not too good weatherwise, so I just potter in the shed and start thinking about preserved locos, etc and decide I'm going to get a Dapol 14xx tank.  So one is now bought and paid for!!  It'll have a Zimo chip and speaker of some sort fitted and will get a bit of light weathering so that it looks clean, but used - as it would in preservation.  This is a pic of what I'm getting - except it will have the later emblem:

 

 

It'll be numbered 1457, which was shedded at Birkenhead Mollington Street  for a while.  The shed plate will be changed - to 6C, I think it is.  Whether 1457 had a top feed or not, I don't know - in fact, as I'm not a kettle man, I don't even know what a top feed does!!!  Even if it didn't have one, though, Rule 1 will apply!!  Why didn't I check it more thoroughly?  Well, some retailers seem to be closing down and this was available - so I took the plunge!!!  And this just a week after saying watch this space - above!!!

 

I'll source an autocoach some time (maybe 2!) but I'll check the bank balance first!!   And, in case anyone's wondering - no, I got no appearance fees!!!!

 

And lost in all of what was going on, I got a text on Monday late afternoon from the NHS, saying I'm one of the 1.5m "at high risk" people so I'm now not to leave my house for 12 weeks!!***  It'll give me plenty of modelling/playing time (when it's a bit warmer!!) so the question now is: where to start?  Possibly more scenery, certainly the fire station, in fact, there's plenty to do!!  As well as learning how to use Skype and Zoom!!

 

All in all, an eventful week!!  Hopefully it'll just be railway modelling from now on!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

 

***  And wash my hands frequently, etc, etc.   

 

 

Lovely football story from you - in my eyes Bill Kenwright is a fantastic bloke - many years ago I attended a Everton - Newcastle game and ended up sitting virtually next to him on the way home at Lime Street - I wanted a Pink football paper so as we had a spare 10 minutes - he give me a £5 to buy him one too so I sprinted off back down the platform - the Pink cost something like 50p and when I got back he said ' keep the change'! - I always remember that - I had a good chat to him on the journey after that.

It could be a lot worse - you could have a certain Mike Ashley in charge, someone who is systematically destroying my club and once again showing his true colours in recent days. If Ashley dared to phone up any supporters he would probably try to sell them a pair of Sondico goalkeepers gloves to fend off the virus! Please everyone don't shop at his tat stores once this is over.

Love the layout as always.

Ashley out!

Edited March 29, 2020 by deltic17

[Dmudriver]

On 29/03/2020 at 19:30, Hal Nail said:

The late logo Dapol 14xx doesnt actually have a top feed and there is a photo of 1457 at the Swindon dump and it didnt have one at withdrawal. It didn't actually make it to green but that doesn't really matter if it's as preserved. You would want to get some details wrong anyway for that authentic preservation look!

 

Funny you should say that, Hal Nail!!!

 

The loco has actually arrived with Jintyman, who is going to fit the chip, etc and guess what??  - it's got no top feed!!!   Here's a couple of the pics he's sent me:

 

 

 

The box clearly states it has one, but hey ho, now it looks correct.  OK, it never carried this livery in service but it's now preserved and, as you say, it doesn't really matter if it's as preserved.

 

It'll be a few weeks yet as it will take time to get the plates but I've got time so no hurry.

 

 

Rod

Edited March 31, 2020 by Dmudriver
spelling

[Dmudriver]

Hi deltic17.

 

On 29/03/2020 at 23:06, deltic17 said:

It could be a lot worse - you could have a certain Mike Ashley in charge, someone who is systematically destroying my club and once again showing his true colours in recent days. If Ashley dared to phone up any supporters he would probably try to sell them a pair of Sondico goalkeepers gloves to fend off the virus! Please everyone don't shop at his tat stores once this is over.

Love the layout as always.

Ashley out!

 

I fully understand how you feel.  My partner and her kids (both in their 40s!!) are Newcastle supporters - her son has a season ticket at SJP.  (is it still called that these days?)  They think exactly the same as you.

 

Makes me feel really fortunate to support a club like Everton!!  And that story about your experience with Bill Kenwright is typical of what I've heard of him.  

 

Thanks for your comment about the layout, glad you like it.

 

 

Rod

[Hroth]

There's a couple of pics of a 14xx and Autotrailer at West Kirby Joint In Disused Stations. It doesn't appear to have topfeed, which I believe is correct for autofitted locos.

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/w/west_kirby/

 

But I can't read its number...

 

Its the 6th down in the block of pictures. The last four are depressing to see.

 

 

 

 

[Hal Nail]

53 minutes ago, Hroth said:

It doesn't appear to have topfeed, which I believe is correct for autofitted locos

 

 

Could be either - it was pretty random.  The boilers were replaced every few years and they just used an already refurbished one from stock so many locos had top feeds come and go at different stages.