Mayshill - GWR

[Jules]

I'm still waiting to to get the paint to finish off the goods shed...but in the meantime I have been doing another couple of bits and bobs.

 

First up...

 

 

I wanted some different coaches to supplement the 'B' set and autocoach that normally form the passenger service to Mayshill.  I haven't yet ventured into the realms of brass coaches, so I thought a quick and easy solution was to repaint a couple of the ancient Hornby (or Tri-ang) clerestory coaches.  I know these are not based on any GW prototype (or any prototype?), but I thought they would add some variety, quickly!

 

Besides an external repaint, I added interior partitions to break up the hollow look and replaced the large tension locks with small ones.  So here they are, a few evenings work and a bit of variety to the passenger stock.

 

 

 

 

An added advantage is that being short, I can add a bogie syphon to the train which os not possible with the B set due to the length of the cassettes.

 

The other couple of items I have built are the Wills barn and forge.  These are currently just placed on the layout, pending their permanent placement and landscaping

 

 

 

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

[Ruffnut Thorston]

The Tri-ang coaches were originally released to go with the Lord of the Isles loco....so were originally GWR coaches.

 

Also made in LNER, LMS, BR Blood and Custard, Bright Red, and "Railway Children" colours amongst others....

[wigancg]

Very impressive new coaching stock here, Jules. Well done! It's always nice to see different varieties to keep your interest flowing

 

May I ask you where your platform gas lamps are from? Are they Ratio kits?

 

Keep up the super work!

Chris

[Jules]

Sarah - thanks for the history on the coaches - I had one as a child in teak and that is the only livery I remember then in!

 

Chris - I have had the platform lamps for over ten years so my memory might note be quite right, but I think they are one of the Langley Models range.  They are white metal and need handling carefully when assembling/painting as they are a bit flexible!  Hope that helps.

 

I intend to attempt to paint the coach door handles and grab handles in a brass colour, and add some 'branding' when I get the chance!

 

Thanks for all the 'likes'

[Ruffnut Thorston]

Hi Jules.

 

The LNER Teak coaches were made to go (One brake, One compartment) in a train set with a Jinty (yes!) in LNER Green Livery!

 

There was also a brake coach in Black ED engineer's livery, later made in green....

 

The bright red coaches were made without buffers, and were from a Train Set (Sometimes 2 brakes, sometimes other combinations...) with the Jinty in Black lined white with 2021 as the number on the sides.

[Jules]

Sounds like Hornby getting their money's worth out of the tooling!!

 

I have actually done a bit more on the layout itself...although it isn't visible!  Since the layout was built, it has been strictly 'one engine in steam' due to the way I had wired it.  I have been toying with the idea of adding a couple of isolating sections (the main station line, the head shunt at the platform end and the loop) to enable one train to arrive as another is waiting to depart.

 

So after a few days of head scratching as to the best easiest way of doing this, this morning I got on and did it!  I'm always a bit reluctant to start fiddling under the baseboards as I always expect that it will disturb the existing wiring. Fortunately, I have managed to add the three isolating sections without mucking anything else up, and they work!

 

I'm not going to show any pics of the wiring in public - it's far to embarrassing!!

 

So here are a few pics of movements that weren't previously possible : 6407 waits to depart with the auto train while 4612 arrives with a freight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Mikkel]

Hi Jules, nice to see the 64xx taking up work at Mayshill. There's something very appealing about panniers in pairs! I've often thought the Brentford branch would make a great layout just for that reason along, they had a couple of them on the docks there. Good thing that the retro-fitting went well, I dread that sort of thing too!

 

Edited for spelling, cut my left index finger with the scalpel this morning!

Edited April 3, 2015 by Mikkel

[Jules]

Hi Mikkel

 

Ouch! Sorry to hear about your finger, hopes it's not too bad and doesn't prevent your modelling.  I've just been admiring your tea chests and chocolate boxes - they are superb!

 

The panniers are lovely locos, I think I have four now which is a bit excessive for Mayshill!

 

The 64xx is just out of the box, I still have to add my usual coal, etched plates, fire irons, lamp and crew.

[Mikkel]

What crew will that be Jules? Monty's?

 

PS: Just realized your pics are large size, they look even better like that!

 

PPS: Finger fine now thanks, one crate got a bit bloody :-) 

[Jules]

Hi Mikkel, glad the finger is better!

 

I'm not sure what the crew will be - I have a few figures in my spares box which might be suitable but which make they are I have no idea! If not, Montys might be an option.

 

Fortunately, it looks like the 64xx has a complete cab floor unlike the old 57xx so fitting the crew should be a lot easier.

[Jules]

I've finally managed to source some GW light stone paint (stopped off at Expressway Models at Buckfastleigh on my way to a few sunny days in South Devon), so the goods shed is finally painted.  It now just needs to be fixed in place with a few weeds round the base to hide the join.

 

 

 

 

 

At Trainwest, I picked up some lettering that has finally allowed me to create the name plate for the signal box, it's only taken a couple of years to do this!

 

 

I have also added some flowers to the cottage by the level crossing, another scene that needs completing!  Eagle-eyed viewers may notice the gap in the background where the crossing box should be - this is 'away' having its nameplate fitted as well.

 

 

Finally, some more flowers on the platform - spring must be here!

 

[wigancg]

What great additions to the layout today, Jules. Also, I must say...Snap! Today I have been "planting" the same exact flowers too on the platform here at Berry Pomeroy. Ideal and ever so simple to install with great effects.

Also, well done with the goods shed repaint. Perfectly GWR now! Also, I like your new signal box nameplates. I think they look similar to the one I have used here. Is it the Cooper Craft one?

 

Keep up the super work. Always a joy to see Mayshill's updates

 

Chris

[Jules]

The signal box nameplates are indeed Cooper Craft. Fiddly to assemble and paint, but well worth it!

[vulcanbomber]

Well done with painting the signal box name, when I had a go it was a complete disaster..! I think copper craft should have done the letters in white, then the board could be painted black and the paint scrapped off over the letters

[john dew]

I am afraid that I cheat and print them out using Open office ......you get a smaller font size than Word.

 

The layout looks superb Jules.....the iconic GWR BLT where the sun never sets!

 

Glad the retrofit wiring worked......not something I look forward too..

 

 

Regards from a sunny Vancouver

[Jules]

 

 

 

 I think copper craft should have done the letters in white, then the board could be painted black and the paint scrapped off over the letters

 

Couldn't agree more! The letters for the station name are in white, and as you say, it makes it far easier to remove the black paint from the letters, rather than the white paint from the black background.

 

Here are a couple of pics of the crossing box - I had a bit more 'fun' painting this name board than the main signal box one.

 

 

 

Thanks John.  I had tried using Word to print nameplates and other signs, but I think the combination of Word, the printer and the paper made me give up!

 

Regards from a sunny South Gloucestershire!

 

[Job's Modelling]

Nice to see the progress on your layout.

Still enjoying it.

[Jules]

Well another few weeks have passed, and there is some minor progress to report on the slow evolution of Mayshill!

 

First up, I think I have just about finished the corner with the level crossing/cottage.  The cottage now has its surrounding wall finished, grass and flower borders and a couple of trees.  I'm quite pleased with the overall result.

 

 

 

The second change is that I have finally built a proper fiddle yard!  I have been using wooden cassettes (as shown a long way back in this thread) which were ok...ish except the constant danger of stock falling off the ends, plus the sides were slightly warped which scrapped the paint off a few handles! So I have built a four road ladder type fiddle yard.  Each track is isolated to give a bit of operational flexibility.

 

 

Since the pictures were taken, I have added strips to the edge of the board (re-used from the old cassettes) to contain any stray stock.  This also allows the empty space to be used for storage.

 

While construction was ongoing, the station at Mayshill played host to a few visiting locos...

 

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

[Job's Modelling]

The cottage with his front garden give the corner the right atmosphere. 

I think that the garden walls can use a little weathering at the bottom. 

[Mikkel]

Hi Jules, what is the rental rate for the cottage please? I wouldn't mind living there 

 

I really like the scene around the house, it's all very natural but well thought out. A little weathering of the crossing gates maybe?

[Andrew P]

Morning Jules, its really looking excellent and that Cottage and Crossing is just perfect, you have a really good eye for detail and it shows in every shot. I put flower Beds on my O Gauge Trebudoc, platform, (see next edition of Hornby Mag, due out this week) and it really brightens up the whole place and makes it pretty, pretty as opposed to just another Station.

 

Well done, really excellent.

[Jules]

Thanks for all the likes and comments

 

 

 

I think that the garden walls can use a little weathering at the bottom.

There will probably be some tufts of foliage added the next time I do some scenic work, helped by a layer of dust!

 

 

 

Hi Jules, what is the rental rate for the cottage please? I wouldn't mind living there

The rates are very reasonable! Although if you want to see trains running - you might be disappointed.  

 

After taking the pictures, I had a nice long operating session. It was slightly spoilt by the odd wagon derailing on the point leading into the station.  This point has now completely failed - one of the blades as snapped/fatigued/failed at the clip that holds it onto the tie-bar so it flaps around loosely. It is usable for the platform road, but not for the run round loop or sidings.

So the only train I can really run is the Auto!

 

I now have the joyous task of getting the old point out and replacing it, without inflicting damage to anything.  A task I could do without...

[Mikkel]

Annoying, hope you get it replaced without too much trouble 

[60012 Commonwealth of Australia]

Hi,

 

Been a while since I have been on this thread - interests waned and after a visit to England I have my heart set on 1950s ScR in Crimson and Cream. Real shame about the points, thats going to be annoying. I wish I could get my layout up to the standard yours is at, but that is unlikely, as school commitments, especially in a couple of years when I start VCE/IB will be extremely time consuming.

 

Peter

[Jules]

Crikey where does the time go? Its been almost six months since I posted anything to this thread so thought it time for a quick update.

 

As stated in my previous posting, the point at the station throat failed.  I replaced this fairly quickly, but it took some months to re-instate the ballast.  In some ways, having to replace the point was a bit of a blessing.  When I originally built the layout (as followers of this thread may remember), the exit to the fiddle yard used to be just beyond where the signal ox now is.  This had a slight rise in the track as the two boards were at a slightly different height. When the extension was added, it had to slope down again! So there was a nasty little hump over the baseboard join.  While replace the point, I took the opportunity to remove this - much better and smoother running results.

 

The picture shows the re-instated point.  I also took the opportunity to cut away the scenery around the signal box back to the baseboard level, this makes it much neater.

 

 

The other main task I have done is to replace the water column with a water tank.  The existing water column had no tank to feed it, so I used the Ratio GW water tank as a replacement.  I also installed it on a brick hardstanding - I'm sure the loco crews appreciate it!

 

 

The last two shots have a small praire posed next to the water tower.

 

 

 

Unfortunately my trusty Kent Panel Controls KPS controller has developed a fault.  I used it in 'minimal feedback' mode as this provided a bit of 'umph' on curves and better slow speed control.  Is there a similar controller out there?  I don't really want a full feedback controller, and a controller with no feedback doesn't quite cut the mustard (or my dodgy electrics!).

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