Mayshill - GWR

[Jules]

Hi again

 

The cassette bases are 9mm, as this is the same thickness as the main ply base boards.

 

when I remake them, I will get a piece of 9mm ply and cut them to the desired width, the existing ones are about 42mm between the sides, I will probably make the new ones about 55mm.  This should be wide enough to enable fingers to go deeper, but not so wide to take up lots of space.  I shall probably experiment a bit before cutting all the strips though!

 

Just for info, the original strips were bought straight from the large orange logo'd diy store, hence the width and length.  

 

hth

 

Jules

[john flann]

Jules, your cassettes look impressive-and simple-but do you have any problems with the stock wanting to escape as they are lifted and rotated?

 

And where do you keep them when not connected?

[Jules]

Hi John

 

The stock does try to escape when I rotate them, stopped by the use of a thumb on one piece of stock to stop the whole train moving. So far I've had no accidents, but it is not really a very good way of restricting movement.

 

Saying that, it only tends to be the coaching stock cassette I rotate.  With the freight stock, it is more a 'lift and replace'.  I remove the wagons bought in from the station, shift the loco back to the other end of the cassette and replace with the wagons to go out.  So a freight cassette just needs to be lifted (with a thumb of a wagon to stop movement) and moved to an empty spot on the fiddle yard frame.

 

The previous picture showed all the cassettes, they just move about on the fiddle yard frame and I replace the stock (freight and parcels) as required.

 

I think a traverser would as good (or better) for current operation, unless I make lots of cassettes for all the spare freight stock, but that would mean handling the locos more, which is something I try to avoid.

 

Hope that all makes sense!

 

Jules

[john flann]

Thanks Jules, that makes a lot of sense. It's the 'escaping' that concerns me and rotating 3'0 long cassettes can't be easy.

 

I have tried them but prefer in my old fashioned way the ladder I have.

[Matloughe]

Just a quick question Jules, the signal you cut down for the starter - what make is it? It looks like a Dapol one. Loving the layout - although not a GW fan it is certainly inspiring and I always look forwards to seeing updates. :-)

 

Cheers,

~ Gary

[Jules]

Hi Gary

 

Thanks for the interest and compliment  

 

The cut down signal is the Ratio GW Home signal (cat number 460 I think).

 

Cheers

 

jules

[Jules]

Continuing the theme of slow progress...

 

Some pages back in this thread I added the extension board with the dairy, and just before the entrance to the fiddle yard, a level crossing.  The part of the baseboard bounded by the road, railway and backscene had not been finished - actually it hadn't been started!  It was just the baseboard painted.

 

I had always intended putting a small dwelling of some sort in the space, and that process has now commenced.

 

The first couple of snaps show the empty space, with the ground level made up to the same level as the road :

 

 

 

 

I decided to use the Wills 'Farm Cottage Scene' kit as the building, as it is quite small and stone built.  I hadn't realised it was one of the craftsman kits, so a bit more work was involved than I thought!

 

As it was built from the provided plans, I made one change - rather than the slightly strange roof shape given in the plans, I changed mine to have a chimney at both ends and a more normal roof.  Unintentionally I also reversed the front aspect.

 

The snaps below show the current state - the building is basically finished, along with the two outbuildings.  The are currently just placed to give me an idea of the layout.   I still need to build the front wall, and then do a garden of some sort.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 7, 2022 by Jules

[Twright]

Looks good already - but I am sure it will look even better when finished.

[Mikkel]

Hi Jules, nice to see more progress here. The cottage looks really good, both the building itself and its location. I also really like that shed with the two doors, or is it a privvy!

Edited September 27, 2013 by Mikkel

[Jules]

HI Mikkel

 

The shed with two doors is, according to the instructions, meant to be for pigs! The other open fronted shed is a wood store.  A privvy is included in the kit, but not in the pictures - it's round the back out of view!

 

Cheers

 

Jules

[Job's Modelling]

Hi Jules,

 

Lovely branch line. A lot of nice modeling.

There are some brilliant pictures which capture the atmosphere of the layout.

Will follow the future development with interest.

 

 

Regards,

Job 

[Tomsontour]

Jules,

 

My first post on the forum, and just simply wow mate, i have been reading the forum for a while and always keep an eye out for your layout, really have created something special mate, look forward to more photos

 

all the best

Matt

[Jules]

 Thanks for all the likes and compliments, it's always nice to receive them

[Jules]

After owning my point ans shoot camera for about six years, i have discovered that it has a black and white function.  So here are a load of b/w shots...

 

First up, just to let you know where we are...

 

 

Next, a few general views: 

 

 

 

 

 

Next up, the small prairie on the B set :

 

 

[Jules]

Continuing the b/w theme, the Collet goods arrives with a passenger/milk train combo, shunts the dairy etc.

 

Running over the crossing at Frog Lane

 

 

Passing the 12 1/2 mile post

 

 

 

After leaving the tank and fruit D behind, takes the coach into the station

 

 

 

Then re-arranges the dairy siding

 

 

 

 

 

[Jules]

The final few - the pannier arrives with a freight, first seen passing over Frog Lane again (must be the photographers new favorite location!),

 

 

before entering the loop

 

 

 

and after running round, removing the brake van and positioning it in the platform road ready to be on the rear of the departing train

 

 

 

then the wagon shuffling commences...

 

 

 

 

Hope you liked the shots

 

Cheers

 

Jules

[Job's Modelling]

A lovely set of black and white pictures.  

The last set with the local freight train is my favorite.

Edited October 12, 2013 by Job's Modelling

[The Great Bear]

Brilliant photos, Jules. (By a small margin, third from last is my favourite.)

[cary hill]

Thanks for the excellent sets of b/w photographs. I think they add an extra dimension to the presentation of your already outstanding layout.

[westerner]

Certainly enjoyed the B&W pix

[Jules]

A couple of snaps showing the newly planted bracket signal controlling entry to either the platform (main) or loop.

 

If the prairie is waiting for the signal to come off, it will be waiting a long time...both arms are fixed as I managed to break both of the plastic rods on the back of the arms when assembling it.

 

 

[gwrrob]

A couple of snaps showing the newly planted bracket signal controlling entry to either the platform (main) or loop.

 

If the prairie is waiting for the signal to come off, it will be waiting a long time...both arms are fixed as I managed to break both of the plastic rods on the back of the arms when assembling it.

 

P1050052.JPG

 

P1050054.JPG

 

A nice scene Jules but sorry to be pedantic but red headlamps were replaced by white from 1936 and a loco in GWR livery wouldn't have had them.My thread gets picked over by those discerning chaps too.Love the 45xx.

[Jules]

Hi Robin,

 

I thought I was chancing it a bit with the red lamps, I think replacing them with white ones will be easier than changing the locos insignia!

 

Cheers

 

Jules

[gwrrob]

 I think replacing them with white ones will be easier than changing the locos insignia!

 

 

No leave the livery as it's my favourite.

[Jules]

A few weeks back I had a PM from a member on here asking if I was interested I receiving a copy of the 'The Minehead Branch 1848 - 1971' - free!  I thought this a most generous offer, and duly accepted.  I few days later I received the book, and enclosed with it was this little beastie :

 

 

 

I was doubly gobsmacked not only to be given the book, but the loco as well was a real surprise ( as I went to the WSR gala the following weekend, I thought it appropriate to distribute a few donations about the various groups as way of a thank you).

 

As I already had a 14xx (which should really be renumbered as a 48xx), I thought I would make this one into a 58xx, just to be something a bit different.

So I loped off the top feed, replaced the molded handrails with wire, removed the box associated with the auto gear from the rear buffer beam, replaced the smokebox door and handle with items from Mainly Trains, added separate lamp irons on the bunker and added cab glazing.

 

 

 

 

From when I re-wheeled my 14xx, I had a spare set of wheels without the traction tyre groove, so I replaced the ones on the loco, so it now has no traction tyres.  I had to ease out the wheels on the axles so that they would negotiate the code 75 points, and I cleaned off the original grease and then lightly lubricated all relevant bits.

 

 

Brass cabside plates were added, and Fox transfers for the buffer beams.

 

 

Here is the (almost) finished loco, I have noticed I haven't painted the axle on the leading wheels.  I need to add real coal to the bunker, and a lamp.

 

 

 

 

The loco runs really well - my last Airfix 14xx (around 1980 ish I think) was a really bad running.  This is very sweet, although it does growl a bit!

 

edit : I forgot to say, I know the toolboxes should be further forward, but my saw blade is a bit bent so I need to get a new one before attempting to remove the boxes and reposition them!

Edited November 7, 2022 by Jules
Images lost - not on HDD