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

[Dmudriver]

2 hours ago, Barnaby said:

Makes me wonder whether you have sat at the platform end with a notebook and pencil and noted down all the moves or if you have devised your own moves but done them pro-typically

 

Hi Barnaby.

 

An interesting question and it has made me think back to my young trainspotting days!!  You said earlier you were from Liverpool originally so this might ring bells with you.   I started trainspotting at primary school which was close to West Allerton station on the old LNWR route to Euston.  We'd come out of school and go and watch the trains - names like The Merseyside Express, The Red Rose, the Manxman, The Shamrock stick with me.  Then we started going to Lime Street and that's possibly where the interest in terminal operation came from.  I remember being fascinated by the station pilots as much as the "Semis", Princesses, Scots, Jubs, Mickeys, etc!!  We also went watching football at South Liverpool FC - their ground was on the site of what is now Liverpool South Parkway station.  Then the station was known as Allerton and at the far end of the football ground was a cinder heap where you could stand and watch the football, the trains going through Allerton, but also the strange shaped engines with numbers beginning with 6 that ran below on the CLC to Liverpool Central (High Level).  So we spotted at Central, too and I've always hankered after modelling that - it was a bit more compact than Lime Street!!

 

I decided on West Kirby as I really fancied modelling that station throat and the station was a bit smaller than Liverpool Central (H.L.).  However, prototypical operation would have become boring - just DMUs in and out - and I wanted diesel locos so I added in loco-hauled moves and, there being no run round facilities, that would mean having a shunter based there too.  So that is  pretty much how I got to where I am now.

 

Yes, I've devised my own moves but the interest in prototypical signalling and operation comes from my years driving DMUs at the Llangollen Railway.  I used to spend time in the boxes (when they were open) watching and learning.  I also had a thread about signalling at West Kirby at around the time I was starting building this layout so that I could get it right.**

 

Hope this fills in a bit of background for you and maybe gives you some inspiration for your next project.

 

Rod

 

**  I tried to find the link to it, but I can't - it must have been archived when the new revised forum came in.

 

**  Tried a different search and I've  found it - here:  

 

 

Rod

 

Edited April 24, 2020 by Dmudriver

[Dmudriver]

3 hours ago, Barnaby said:

I'm wondering what you have modelled in the way of discharge and refuelling pipework and storage tanks.

 

Hi Barnaby.

 

Nothing too elaborate, I'm afraid!!  I've used a Peter Clark fuelling point and a Skytrex storage tank and discharge point.  The connecting pipework is all underground - whether that's prototypical or not, I don't know but it looks OK to me!!  Here are some pics: - discharge point :

 

 

storage tank:

 

 

fuelling point: (still work to be done on it!)

 

 

Hope this helps.

 

 

Rod

 

 

[Barnaby]

Thanks Rod that'll be a great help and a good read.

Yes most of the train formations you quote are familiar to me.

I lived in Mossley Hill and would listen of a night time to the coal train shunting the yard with a clatter as each wagon tugged on its coupling [late 50's to early 60's] in Allerton station yard.  This was Rose lane which led up to Allerton road by the Fire station.

We also used to call in at the signal box on the Garston docks line about 500 yds from Riversdale station towards Garston.  I also used to catch the workers train from there across the Mersey to the ICI factory at Runcorn. My mate used to run the box and we'd bring him a chippy tea while he supplied the brews and the levers. We would play cards and reply ding on the bells under instruction from him.

How things have changed.

Back to the oil/diesel point, I too have the Skytrex unit but it is great to see how you have set yours out, I was struggling with location for mine.  I wasn't sure what consideration I had to give like how near to a point I could go so thanks for that.

 

Regards

[ianwales]

On 24/04/2020 at 15:49, Dmudriver said:

 

Hi Ian.

 

Done them!!  Here's the pics - one from each side:

 

 

 

If you're thinking of doing the same, just be careful of the door placings if you want to be strictly accurate.  Shawn (Kay of Easybuild) cut them for me specially, using a line drawing in a DMU book (I can get the title if you want it).  

 

After it had been done someone - I think it was Brian Daniels - said he'd photographed the other side and the doors were not right opposite each other.  However, as you can only see one side at a time (and always the same one on my layout!!), I'm happy with it.

 

The others that were converted had doors in different places, apparently, so I'd suggest a search for photos.

 

Hope this is useful.

 

 

Rod

 

PS  That's not a radio aerial in the first pic, but the join between backscene boards!!!

 

Hi Rod

 

many thanks, food for thought.

 

Ian

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Part 2 of the video of 18th April is now published on Youtube.  The link is here:

 

 

 

And that, people, is the end of that series of videos.  And probably for quite a while as I've filmed, in this series, all my stock and every move I can think of at the terminus - the fiddle yard is just that and I've no room to expand the layout (even if I wanted to!!)

 

However, I will make 2 exceptions:  1) I have "concept tested" a cab ride video and it looks promising and 2) if/when I get any more stock.  On the latter front there should be moves in the not-too-distant future for an increase in the preserved stock - watch this space.

 

It's taken me a bit longer to do this not because of technical problems, but I've bought myself a smart TV which arrived a couple of days ago and I've been setting that up!!!  I'm very pleased with it and my videos look rather good on a 43" Ultra HD screen!!!!

 

I do hope you are all keeping well and occupied under the lockdown - life is going to look, and be, so much different when we emerge from it!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

 

 

[Barnaby]

4 great videos there Rod and made all the more interesting for me as I've travelled that line quite a bit through my teen+ years.

I particularly like the point work in front of the signal box, in fact I've noted it down in a sketch to use as a reference for my next small but perfectly formed 7mm scale micro layout.

 

Many thanks again Rod

 

Regards

Edited May 1, 2020 by Barnaby

[Dmudriver]

4 hours ago, Barnaby said:

I particularly like the point work in front of the signal box, in fact I've noted it down in a sketch to use as a reference for my next small but perfectly formed 7mm scale micro layout.

 

This is a photo of the actual layout in 1976, Barnaby.   It's the one I've used as a reference for the model - minus the 3rd rail, of course!!!  It's from the book "Merseyside Electrics".  I think I've put it in the thread before, but probably at the beginning - all 88 pages and 8 years ago!!

 

I added an extra siding as a headshunt to what was originally going to be a preservation depot, but that got hijacked by the DMU stabling and fuelling point!!

 

 

I've also seen photos of a station "down South" somewhere which had a similar layout but with the platform offset to the left of the main lines.  I didn't take copies at the time and now I can't for the life of me find them!!!   Frustrating!!!

 

HTH.

 

Rod

[Regularity]

One that was similar to West Kirby was Caterham:

https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/src/R1795.htm

Hayes had the platform in the middle:

https://www.s-r-s.org.uk/html/sra/R1598.htm
 

Don’t know if that helps.

[Barnaby]

Thanks Rod I have started reading all 88 Pages finding some more details of the Diesel stabling point and even some more videos to admire.

 

My intention is to have a greater goods influence but also some regular passenger traffic as I think the point work is more suited to that type of running.  I don't want to run in the garden and although my cabin is 20 x 12ft I want to only use about 12 x 2ft max.  There can be some lee-way to get this done but I want to keep my present layout which will be of a similar size when finished. 

 

I remember seeing a layout by Gordon Gravett  of Ditchling Green fame where he uses a 4-track turntable / storage yard which appeals to me.  I'm presently using cassette trays which I slide about and turn but turntable would allow me to run trains out, move the loco back to the front through all the interesting trackwork and into the table again.   The 4 track table would give me a reasonable amount of play time out and back and would only need me to rotate the table to start all over again.

 

If you have his book 1 there is a fabulous photo on P14 of some magnificent flowing trackwork [Francisthwaite Junction].  It is an 0 gauge model but it is quite similar to West Kirby Town's only somewhat more complex to me, it can also be found in MRJ 43.

 

 

 

 

Best

Edited May 2, 2020 by Barnaby

[Barnaby]

Thanks for your input Simon now I better give Rod his topic back thanks again both.

 

Best

[Hroth]

As there was nothing to watch on the TV tonight, I fired up the NowTV box, ran the YouTube app, searched for "West Kirby Town"  and had a nice time watching the trains going to and fro in widescreen splendour!

 

Well done!

 

 

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

I've now done the fifth and (possibly) final video in this sequence.

 

It's a cab ride video - featuring a split shift, so fiddle yard to platform, then shunt to stabling point.  Then the reverse.

 

I've made some comments about the second man:  I'm not getting at anyone in particular - all I'll say is "Been there, done that, got the T-shirt"!!!

 

Here's the link:   hope you enjoy it

 

 

It does show up imperfections with the layout which are normally not visible - the rear wall of platform 2, for example.   Together with rather large frog gaps in the points (rigid 4-wheel wagon with a heavy camera on it shows them up).  Hey ho!!

 

Making it was not without it's challenges, mistakes and accidents.  There may well be another vid - entitled "Bloopers and Outtakes"!!!  Plenty to go at provided I've not deleted them all!!

 

More soon.

 

 

Rod

[Barnaby]

Oh yes please Rod, 18 mins 21 secs of Railway enthusiasm, intrigue and skill dedication.

 

Best

[pauliebanger]

Brilliant, best use of a DMU sound project I've heard for a long time*; just as if I was standing in the open doorway looking over your shoulder.

 

*Second Man needs a bit more driving time to hone his skills. But perhaps he makes a good cuppa, eh?

 

I really enjoyed that, Rod, well done.

 

Now if you could get that camera into the Class 37..............

 

Best regards,

 

Paul

[jcarta]

What a brilliant video. very atmospheric a great birds eye view from the cab....

 

Love the Escort (RS200)? ..... You just need a Chevette HSR and a Lotus Sunbeam to go with it.

 

Jim

[Dmudriver]

41 minutes ago, pauliebanger said:

Now if you could get that camera into the Class 37..............

 

Now there's a thought, Paul!!!

 

Watch this space!!

 

 

Rod

[Barnaby]

Here's another thought.

www.lightinthebox.com/en/p/5-5mm-lens-2-in-1-usb-endoscope-camera-ip67-waterproof-inspection-borescope-2m-length-red-for-windows-android-snake-cam_p6392858.html?currency=GBP&litb_

 

Best food for thought.

Edited May 9, 2020 by Barnaby

[JeffP]

22 hours ago, jcarta said:

What a brilliant video. very atmospheric a great birds eye view from the cab....

 

Love the Escort (RS200)? ..... You just need a Chevette HSR and a Lotus Sunbeam to go with it.

 

Jim

The Escort looks more like a Harrier, and you probably  meant an RS2000, as The RS 200 was the fire breathing group B rally car.

Edited May 9, 2020 by JeffP

[jcarta]

31 minutes ago, JeffP said:

The Escort looks more like a Harrier, and you probably  meant an RS2000, as The RS 200 was the fire breathing group B rally car.

 

Yes your right ..... I did mean an RS2000 but then I remembered these had a nose cone where as the RS1800 I believe never had a nose cone...

 

A Harrier sounds more likely though..

 

Jim

[keithpr2]

I've just picked up on the video. Another masterpiece of how a model railway should be operated. And I am impressed with the range of sound effects built into the decoder (which I assume does not include the Station Supervisor - yet)

 

Never mind the imperfections of the layout, a very good introduction to the role for would-be second men! Mind you, it must be a patient driver supervising there: I heard no expletives being uttered and no references to early-onset dementia during the video.

 

As for those minor improvements, might it be worth having a word with Network Rail to see if they have any flexibility in Control Period 6 to fund the work?

 

I await the “bloopers and out-takes” - could there be some expletives then?

 

Keith

[Jon Fitness]

Ooh! Theatre indicator failed? Oh dear......

Cracking cab ride video though. Having attempted something similar many years ago I can appreciate how time consuming and sometimes difficult it can be.

JF

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by Jon Fitness

[muddys-blues]

Lovely cab ride Rod, thanks for posting it, brightened up my day watching it 

 

Stay safe, best regards

Craig.

[Dmudriver]

On 08/05/2020 at 22:50, jcarta said:

Love the Escort (RS200)?

I'm not sure what it is!  It's a Vanguard model - Escort Mark 2 it says underneath.  Here's couple of close up pics of it - lying on the embankment only to allow me to get a decent pic of it.  Not meant as a comment on Escort drivers!!

 

 

[Dmudriver]

18 hours ago, Jon Fitness said:

Ooh! Theatre indicator failed? Oh dear.....

 

Hi Jon.

 

It's only the platform 2  LED that's not working, platform 1 is OK.  It used to be a bit temperamental then it stopped working altogether: I suspect a joint has come unsoldered.   

 

It's ballasted in so taking it out to repair could be a bit of a b***-ache!!   But, as I'm likely to be having to shield for a few more weeks yet, I might just get round to fixing it.  Any advice?

 

 

Rod

 

PS  Thanks for the comment about the video.

Edited May 11, 2020 by Dmudriver
To add PS

[Dmudriver]

21 hours ago, keithpr2 said:

await the “bloopers and out-takes” - could there be some expletives then?

 

 Possibly - watch this space!!

 

 

Rod