Dock Green

[chaz]

Thoroughly enjoyed finally being able to see Dock Green after following its development over 46 pages, and it was a real pleasure to meet Chaz and Sue.

 

Totally agree with all the comments about the quality of the modelling and all the attention to details. I could have spent hours just watching the trains from over the bridge parapet!

 

Julian

 

Thanks Julian. Like a lot of the bridges in London you wouldn't be able to see the trains over the parapet as the walls are too tall. No, you would have to peer through the railings on Peter's bridge.

[alant]

Hi Chaz,

 

Good to meet with you yesterday, as others have said layout looks good. Glad you made it back in one piece !

 

Alan.

[chaz]

As another Warley attendee I have to agree with the previous comments.  Dock Green really does look even better in the flesh than in photograph form.

 

Its also bigger than I expected but in this case bigger was better.  Seeing all the little items of detail that has been built up on here was fabulous.

 

Well done Chaz, stunning

 

Good to talk to you yesterday, and your kind comments.

 

"bigger than I expected" - Golly, I'm glad it's no smaller!  16 feet really is tight for 7mm. I took quite a lot of time and trouble over details so I welcome your comment. Constantly in my mind was the need to avoid a cluttered look. You do sometimes see layouts where every last space has been filled with something - not a good look.

[chaz]

I'm very sorry I didn't get chance to come and say hello at the weekend Chaz but I was extremely impressed at the back of a crowd.

 

Thanks Andy, pleased to hear you were there. Odd thing about the crowd. At one point I looked up from a tricky uncouple and there was absolutely nobody watching - a complete desert - and after a few more seconds, whilst I busied myself switching points I looked up again and a coach party had arrived. Weird.

[chaz]

We all enjoyed Warley very much, although I didn't get as much time looking at other layouts as I would have liked. A few people asked me for contact details over the weekend so I think Dock Green will be on its travels in the future (although most of the invites will be for 2015). I will post details here when we have decided which ones we can accept.

 

We got back to Eastleigh at 8:45pm after a trouble free journey down the M40 and A34 - by 10pm Dock Green was stacked away and will remain so until it comes out for a track clean and checkover before the Basingstoke show in March.

 

I now have a list of rolling stock that need attention. Top of the list is the Peckett "Susan". In the past it has been a very reliable runner but at Warley it developed the sulks and wouldn't run very far at all without stalling. Unlike its namesake it's obviously a bit of a prima donna. Despite the time before the Saturday KO being spent at a table polishing its wheels and cleaning the pickups I couldn't get its running up to the standard I would accept for a show. I intend to dismantle the wheels, motor, gearbox and pickups and give everything a good going over. A "heavy general" but with no need for boiler work    I suspect the problem lies in the pickups (Slater's plungers). Either they have tired springs or the brass plungers have worn out.

My BR/Sulzer type 2 (oh alright - class 24 to you youngsters) also had to be hurriedly withdrawn when it kept losing its feet. It only has one motor bogie, which ought to be enough for the max' loading on Dock Green - seven and a brake - but it was built from a JLTRT kit and so has a very light body. I think some lead, packed in the end that has the power bogie, should cure the problem. WTS

 

The big lesson I learnt is that each loco type taken to a show must have an understudy so that a failure can be subbed without drama. My plan is to take four spares to the next show, for the train-spotters amongst you the spare engines will be...

 

D2018

D5330 or D5612

68973

and an Ixion Hudswell Clarke or Manning Wardle - just in case "Susan" throws another wobbler....

 

I will keep this topic running on an occasional basis but entries will become necessarily more irregular as my attention now switches to a run-down narrow gauge railroad which runs through a wooded valley somewhere in the US. I fancy a complete change!

 

Chaz

[Siberian Snooper]

Hi Chaz

 

Did you get time to be daunted by the place or were you to busy operating?

 

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

 

SS

[chaz]

Hi Chaz

 

Did you get time to be daunted by the place or were you to busy operating?

 

I'm glad you enjoyed yourself.

 

SS

 

Daunted, no SS, it was just that never having been as an exhibitor I wasn't sure how things would go. On the day the build went like clockwork, and was quite rapid with five of us. The break down went well too.

 

The only time I will get to operate Dock Green is when it goes to shows so you might imagine it was, at times, quite hard to get a handset from my grasp. So, yes, I was pretty busy operating and also talking to individuals watching (and also to the assembled throng - "Now, everybody, we are about to have some Signal Action. The high point of the session!" (points at signal and operates it). "Don't applaud, just throw money!". (Nobody did!) As an ex-teacher I do like a bit of banter.

 

Chaz

[Donw]

Chaz Did you get to see Bob Harpers Cascade Yard at the show. On3 in the rockies. I have seen it before and know Bob so he had me doing shunting as soon as I got there.

Don

[chaz]

Chaz Did you get to see Bob Harpers Cascade Yard at the show. On3 in the rockies. I have seen it before and know Bob so he had me doing shunting as soon as I got there.

Don

 

I did see it briefly, and admired the locos he has.

 

Chaz

[chaz]

A few photos from the Warley show (apologies for the strange colours - I blame the NEC lighting) - captions under snaps

 

 

On arrival, mid-afternoon on Friday. Sue (in the snap) and I locate our plot chalked on the floor. I check with a tape measure and they have given us slightly more space than we asked for. Now we just had to wait for the van to get in.

 

 

Quick chat between myself (standing) and Peter and Roy about how to assemble the lighting beam. On the right the first of the four boards is up, but looking a bit forlorn on its own.

 

 

Seen from the operators' side three boards are up and the legs are in place for the fourth and last. Another discussion on how things go together takes place between Dave and myself. Roy waits for the next task whilst Peter (on the floor) finishes off joining the three sections of the beam into one. We didn't have to use any packing to get the layout level - evidence of how flat and smooth the NEC floor is.

 

 

 

Roy and Peter about to lift the lighting beam (all sixteen feet of it) into position. I am just fiddling with one of the light fittings that has become detached from its clips at one end.

 

 

Dave tightens the fixing bolts, Roy stands back and admires the effect. Behind the layout I'm fitting bits of scenery. Note the carpet that I am standing on. Provided by Peter, it really did save our feet. At the end of the two days my head was spinning but my feet felt fine.

 

 

Jill's superb curtains really finish the presentation off. Peter checks the spelling!

 

I will post more snaps later if there's any interest (just click "like").

 

Chaz

Edited November 26, 2013 by chaz

[chaz]

Four "likes" before I'd finished editing some mistakes, that was quick. OK, I guess you want more - later this evening I will post some.

 

Chaz

 

EDIT   Five seven twelve FIFTEEN TWENTY(!)  Twenty three four five Twenty eight nine THIRTY ONE TWO likes, I'd better post some more snaps      OK - I get the message. Enough, already!  Alright, I get it - I will dig out some more.

Edited December 2, 2013 by chaz

[keefr2]

Great post Chaz - it brings home just how much work exhibitors like yourself have to put in for the public's entertainment! My only experience of 'exhibiting' is as a member of a static scale model club. When we display at shows, it's just a matter of unpacking the models (aircraft, armour, cars, ships etc), giving them a quick dust & putting them out on the table in some semblance of an 'aesthetic' display! We do have a detachable shelf arrangement that we use at the rear of the table at most shows, & even assembling those is enough hassle for us, we'd never be able to cope with assembling a layout, putting up the lighting, getting the electrics working etc...!!

 

And I'm glad to hear that, as I suspected, your worries that no one would be interested in your excellent layout were indeed groundless! My daughter & son in law currently live in Alton, so I'm already scheming to try & get to stay with them when a certain model railway show is on in Basingstoke next year - I'm determined to get to see Dock Green one day & as my plans to get the wife to agree to a weekend in Brum came to nought, I hope to have more luck next time!

ATB
Keith

[chaz]

Great post Chaz - it brings home just how much work exhibitors like yourself have to put in for the public's entertainment! ....

 

... I'm determined to get to see Dock Green one day & as my plans to get the wife to agree to a weekend in Brum came to nought, I hope to have more luck next time!

ATB

Keith

 

Keith, I would hardly count it as work. Provided it's well organised (all the bolts in labelled boxes, socket wrenches colour coded, all the stock in cassettes that double as carrying cases etc etc) it's pretty straightforward to build and to dismantle. And this first time at a big exhibition was no chore - I was just pleased that it all went together so smoothly.

 

See you in Basingstoke!

 

Chaz

[ScottY80]

Hello,

 

It was great to see Dock Green in the flesh and to be able to place all the items I have seen on this forum. Reading about its birth and growth has been of great encouragement as I endeavour to forge ahead with my own layout. Seeing Dock green now all 'grown up' was on a very short list of 'must do' things at Warley this year and it was the highlight.

 

I especially like the scene at the right end (facing the front) of your layout. The wooden planking looks so good as do the cobbles!

[chaz]

Hello,

 

It was great to see Dock Green in the flesh and to be able to place all the items I have seen on this forum. Reading about its birth and growth has been of great encouragement as I endeavour to forge ahead with my own layout. Seeing Dock green now all 'grown up' was on a very short list of 'must do' things at Warley this year and it was the highlight.

 

I especially like the scene at the right end (facing the front) of your layout. The wooden planking looks so good as do the cobbles!

 

That's a most encouraging comment, Scott. Thank you.

 

One thing that pleased me is that the layout looks just as good from the operators' side. I made an early decision to finish all buildings "in the round" so that the scene would work whichever way it was viewed.

 

Chaz

[chaz]

OK, here are some more snaps. As most of them are from Sue's camera they overlap the last lot a little....

 

 

First shot, loading up on Friday morning, has Peter and myself inside the van moving stuff around while Roy and David wait patiently with the next baseboard.

 

 

On Saturday morning before the advanced ticket holders come in Peter and David are selecting stock for the first train whilst I have the Peckett on the table, hoping to improve its running. Unfortunately I failed to get it up to the standard needed and I reluctantly withdrew it. The ex-GNR saddle tank was substitute - the estate was deemed to have hired it from BR (something that did happen occasionally).

 

 

Peter studies the schedule for the next move while Dave is operating. I'm in conversation with a spectator (there was quite a lot of that during the two days!)

 

 

Running repairs. This Parkside Dundas LNER van had shed both its axleboxes on one side. After a hunt for them (found in a cassette) I glued them back into place and the van returned to service, thanks to superglue!

 

 

At times there was quite a scrum in front of the layout. It was nice to see so much interest.

 

 

This group spent some time watching and were fun to talk to.

 

 

A few minutes before the 5pm close on Sunday. Dave and Roy have started running wagons out of the yard and into their cassettes ready to packed away.

 

 

Sunday evening - the layout has been broken down and boxed up. The baseboard pairs are fixed together and all the smaller boxes are on the tables ready to go. Roy, David and myself are discussing the route home while Peter has gone to get the van. Sue and I had to get the free bus back to the car park whilst the lads got away sharpish in the van. In fact both vehicles were back home in Eastleigh within ten minutes of each other.

 

Chaz

[Hugh Flynn]

Hi

Got to say this was my favourite layout in show everything just looked right.

Even though I am a diesel man I still enjoyed watching it.

Hugh

[chaz]

Hi

Got to say this was my favourite layout in show everything just looked right.

Even though I am a diesel man I still enjoyed watching it.

Hugh

 

"Got to say this was my favourite layout in show"

 

Thank you Hugh. You're not the only one to say that.

 

"everything just looked right"

 

It took a lot of effort in the three years to get it all together. If you see Dock Green again look out for some further details which may be added.

 

As a diesel man you might have enjoyed the Drewery shunter 11135 which did most of the yard pilot work and the English Electric type 1 D8025 which ran some of the train arrivals and departures? Unfortunately I had to withdraw the BR/Sulzer type 2 - D5052 - as it kept slipping.

 

Chaz

[chaz]

I had hoped to take lots of close-up photos of the railway and maybe even shoot some video but in the event we were so busy that there weren't too many chances. Most of the photos that both Sue and I took were of the layout from a distance. Videos take too much time to do and will have to wait until I can next put up the whole layout at home.

I did manage a few close-ups before the public came in.



This is the scruffy old J52, standing on the transfer siding. After the failure of the Peckett this loco took over its duties and worked pretty faultlessly for the whole two days, with a precautionary wheel clean on Sunday morning the only attention it received. This loco had beam compensation installed after its original rigid frames proved less than ideal. This transformed it and it became one of my most reliable runners.

 

 

Photo above is of the underside of the saddle tank showing the compensating beams.

 

 

Above - The other reason it runs so well - it's fitted with an ABC gearbox

 

And to finish this post - a couple more snaps taken at the show

 

 

BR 16T steel mineral in the usual condition - rusting both inside and out. By contrast those two lorries are just a bit to clean. A job for later.

 

 

The Heljan English Electric Bo-Bo type 1 performed well, with its characteristic whistling sound providing a good contrast to the steam locos.

 

Chaz

Edited November 27, 2013 by chaz

[Jack P]

Looks fantastic Chaz! Wonder if anyone else took pictures and would care to share them here?

[ScottY80]

Here are 3 photos that I took:

 

Edited November 27, 2013 by ScottY80

[chaz]

Looks fantastic Chaz! Wonder if anyone else took pictures and would care to share them here?

 

Thank you Jack, for the comment and - yes indeed - if anyone got good photos of Dock Green please do post them. Video, anyone?

[chaz]

Here are 3 photos that I took:

 

IMG_1337.JPG

IMG_1339.JPG

IMG_1338.JPG

 

Blimey, that was quick. Nice ones, Scott!

 

That's Roy (deploying the uncoupling pole) and myself doing a stint.

Edited November 27, 2013 by chaz

[chaz]

I hope Scott doesn't mind if I copy one of his photos onto this posting....

 

 

 

You may be interested in the wagons that the saddle tank is coupled to.

 

Closest to the loco is a wagon built from a kit which had a resin one-piece body which included the tarpaulin and the solebars. Interesting idea that went together easily - just needed the white metal underframe parts adding. I put in a brass floor to make the brake gear easier to assemble.

 

Next is a GWR 3 plank open built from a Coopercraft kit. These have excellent moulded detail - I just needed to add wheels and some decent buffers.

 

The third wagon is the only scratchbuilt wagon I possess. It's an LMS Medfit with a body out of styrene sheet and an underframe from brass channel. ABS white metal fittings finished off the running gear although the door controller (well really a side controller) I made from brass.

 

The van is an ex-NER fruit van, hence the ventilation slits in the upper sides. This was soldered up from a Connoisseur etched kit. I have sung the praises of this brand of kit before - any beginner to etched brass could do a lot worse than start with one of these.

 

Chaz

Edited November 27, 2013 by chaz

[81A Oldoak]

I hope Scott doesn't mind if I copy one of his photos onto this posting....

 

 

 

You may be interested in the wagons that the saddle tank is coupled to.

 

Closest to the loco is a wagon built from a kit which had a resin one-piece body which included the tarpaulin and the solebars. Interesting idea that went together easily - just needed the white metal underframe parts adding. I put in a brass floor to make the brake gear easier to assemble.

 

Next is a GWR 3 plank open built from a Coopercraft kit. These have excellent moulded detail - I just needed to add wheels and some decent buffers.

 

The third wagon is the only scratchbuilt wagon I possess. It's an LMS Medfit with a body out of styrene sheet and an underframe from brass channel. ABS white metal fittings finished off the running gear although the door controller (well really a side controller) I made from brass.

 

The van is an ex-NER fruit van, hence the ventilation slits in the upper sides. This was soldered up from a Connoisseur etched kit. I have sung the praises of this brand of kit before - any beginner to etched brass could do a lot worse than start with one of these.

 

Chaz

And for those of you who are unsure, the veritable Chaz is the one leaning over at the far end of the layout.