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Dunster. OOgauge on the GWR West Somerset line.


Sasquatch
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After almost a year Dunster has been reassembled.

 

Some minor work has been carried out too. To start with I cut the legs down which dropped the layout free of the apex ceiling. The scenic section with the pub now fits. 

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Next I talked those awful goods shed windows and scratch built new ones. 

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The junction signal never worked properly due to the mechanisms being the wrong way round, also one of the springs broke so I have built a new one using some of the original parts.

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This time I managed to get the lamp to shine green when on! It works great, I even managed animated balance weights.  

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Several other things have been fixed including not one but two solder connections to the controller. Pain in the butt having two problems as this took ages!

 

So I've been up there running GWR trains. Much joy!!!

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Now I'm re-planning the other two stations (Crowcoombe & Minehead) so that they will fit in the room with Dunster so that trains can travel from the fiddle yard through Crowcoombe then Dunster and terminate at Minehead rather than un-prototypically situate Crowcoombe between the other two. This will involve moving the controls from the back of Dunster to the front, reversing the curves at either end and making new lift off scenic sections there also. 

 More later. Shaun.

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Crikey Shaun, that's some jobs in the list above mate. I'd love to see the full run to Minehead, but what with that and GUN you've got a lot of modelling ahead of you.

I like to have a lot of modeling lined up Andy because I enjoy all aspects of the hobby and like to switch tasks when ever it takes my fancy.

Crowcoombe is mostly done and Minehead is all past the planning stage. I wont be starting it until trains can run end to end on one half of GUN! Makes sense I think to always have one layout working otherwise I could get depressed and loose my mojo!

 

reagrds Shaun.

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I like to have a lot of modeling lined up Andy because I enjoy all aspects of the hobby and like to switch tasks when ever it takes my fancy.

Crowcoombe is mostly done and Minehead is all past the planning stage. I wont be starting it until trains can run end to end on one half of GUN! Makes sense I think to always have one layout working otherwise I could get depressed and loose my mojo!

 

reagrds Shaun.

Same as me Mate, I have Kingsford up and running, so it's something to PLAY on if I get stale. It will be finished one day between other jobs on Trewithen, Oh and then there's Beale St. :no:  :no:

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Same as me Mate, I have Kingsford up and running, so it's something to PLAY on if I get stale. It will be finished one day between other jobs on Trewithen, Oh and then there's Beale St. :no:  :no:

Not to mention all the other projects. I got 5gals of gas for the chainsaw today and flooring for the spare room remodel. :drag:

 

Here's a couple of Dunster pics to whet your appetite for GWR branch line modeling mate.  

 

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Something else I've been working on in my spare time this week.

 

The picture didn't come out too bad, the base board edges in the background  give the impression of cornfields and houses in the distance.

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  • 8 months later...
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Dunster has been dismantled and made ready for this years Rogue Valley Model Railroad Show at Jackson County fairgrounds.

 

This will be a good opportunity to take some photographs and have a decent running session.

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While the thanks giving dinner is cooking (Yum yum but I'm not too sure what all the fuss over pumpkin pie is all about) , I have been carrying out a few last minute hacks...

 

The first thing involved the new cordless hot glue gun and some lead shot. In an attempt to get that old Hornby 27xx running better, the hot glue was injected into every orifice of the body and the shot poured in. All the other locos have had a thorough de-gunking, and re-lubrication with Kadee's graphite. The improvement to a few is like having new engines!

 

The junction bracket down starter had to be fixed after my 3 year old nephew gave it a good poking. A short length of piano wire and self tapping screw were utilized as extra springing to help it return to danger.

 

Friday evening I intend to paint some Quaintocks onto the back scene.

Saturday will see a 1930s GWR presentation while on Sunday I'll switch things about and run 1950s BR locos and stock. 

 

The layout is in the truck all ready for set up first thing tomorrow.   

This afternoon I built a large shelf in the truck bed. All the scenic sections are placed on a sheet of plywood up there as are all the fiddley ard bits and legs below. This will enable me to simply pull the plywood sheets out and retrieve all sections without trying to crawl about in there like a confounded  mole as in previous years!

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What a fun day! Shaun      

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This afternoon I built a large shelf in the truck bed. All the scenic sections are placed on a sheet of plywood up there as are all the fiddley ard bits and legs below. This will enable me to simply pull the plywood sheets out and retrieve all sections without trying to crawl about in there like a confounded  mole as in previous years!  

 

Surely with that nice new shelving in the truck they're now fiddley easy bits  :jester:

 

I hope that you enjoyed your dinner! It's looking very neat and tidy in the truck Shaun. I hope that it does indeed make for a swift setup. I like the idea of running different eras on different days and look forward to some pictures... maybe a few then and now setups comparing 1930s to 1950s in the same locations?. Enjoy the show!

 

Kind regards, Neil

Edited by Anotheran
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Surely with that nice new shelving in the truck they're now fiddley easy bits  :jester:

 

I hope that you enjoyed your dinner! It's looking very neat and tidy in the truck Shaun. I hope that it does indeed make for a swift setup. I like the idea of running different eras on different days and look forward to some pictures... maybe a few then and now setups comparing 1930s to 1950s in the same locations?. Enjoy the show!

 

Kind regards, Neil

That put a smile on my face Neil!

 

Good idea, I'll see what I can do mate.

 

Regards Shaun

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Quick show report then...

 

Bright n early Friday morning things got off to a great start. I was able to back my pick up right up to my spot in the main hall at the Jackson county fairgrounds. Half the layout was set up in minutes when the mother board fell over and crushed the double junc. down starter signal. I now believe this signal has been jinxed after reading back to page two. If I build a replacement it will have to wait as the Minehead section will be set during the preservation era!  

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Anyway the show was a lot of fun as usual, Dunster receiving much attention for a foreign layout. The train show here is far removed from those back in the UK. Most visitors here are the general public having a day out who know next to nothing about railroads and trains and tend to find the pigs, horses and goats more interesting. Some of the kids however know lots of the trains as Thomas the train's friends, one lad Sawyer spent most of the morning on Sunday visiting with us and seemed to know more about British steam than me! Nice one Sawyer!! :sungum:  :sungum: :sungum:  :sungum:  :sungum:  

 

So some pictures. Not many because I didn't find much time and when I did the SD card was full. Sorry Neil mate.

 

WWI with Andrew's ambulance train. Thanks Andrew it was a pleasure chatting with you.

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Great Western days... 

Period road transport from the second war.

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The signal dept. even showed up with a new signal!

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50s & 60s.

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We even had a request (from Sawyer for the Flying Scotsman) which was seen on Sunday morning and had to be  towed back to Bishops Lydeard  by a shunter after a failure. I've never cleaned the wheels.  

 

At one point I had my three year old Nephew Zane at the controls with a black 060 shunter. The youngest driver and yet the slowest train. He's learning well!!! 

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Great thanks to all involved at this years Rogue Valley show... 

Can't wait for next year,        

Shaun.

 

Edit; note to self,,, Need to change those 108 head codes.

Edited by Sasquatch
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Looks superb mate, littelen seems to be enjoying himself.

Mrs. S. brought him along on Saturday where he spent a good hour with me driving the trains and learning how it all worked.

He returned with his mom and dad on Sunday, took over and showed them, stopping the trains in the station before opening the crossing gates and proceeding.

 

I didn't downsize this image. Clicking on it shows the 7 very different trains we had assembled in the fiddle yard. Zane drove them all but his favorite was the Pullman very un-prototypical  we all know but popular with the Oregon show goers! My favorites were the mixed goods which had a different load in each wagon and the old Dapol auto coach and 14xx. I got it all detailed with lights, passengers etc. It ran really well all day! 

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  • 4 months later...

Dunster was our first layout done in 2009 I beleive. It has had some serious revamping in the tree department. Learned some tricks from Don at the Medford Model Railway Club & then incorperated some new ideas of my own to create Dunsters new trees. You can see in this video that the old trees are pretty bla.

Check out the fencing in this video. Mr. Sasquatch wanted it along the track but didn't want to spend that much money. So I said why not use match sticks! Drill holes in them, paint  & then thread beading wire through them! It was a real hit at the train show. The beading wire gives the fencing a convincing cable wire look to them.

Here are two videos from patrons at the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlGAbjxGjZs&list=PL2EFC64EB696CD17F&index=1

In this video Mr. Sasquatch devised an plan and created his own moving gates. Don't ask me how its over my head! Especially when he explains it to me. :O

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4JVOmOl3kQ&list=PL2EFC64EB696CD17F&index=2

Here are some photos of the new additions to Dunster. New trees, as you can see in this first photo and then a small house & greenhouse/nursery.

 

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I'll try to get some videos on here of the new Dunster soon.

Mrs. Sasquatch(SWMBO)

 

Dunster was our first layout done in 2009 I beleive. It has had some serious revamping in the tree department. Learned some tricks from Don at the Medford Model Railway Club & then incorperated some new ideas of my own to create Dunsters new trees. You can see in this video that the old trees are pretty bla.

Check out the fencing in this video. Mr. Sasquatch wanted it along the track but didn't want to spend that much money. So I said why not use match sticks! Drill holes in them, paint  & then thread beading wire through them! It was a real hit at the train show. The beading wire gives the fencing a convincing cable wire look to them.

Here are two videos from patrons at the show.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlGAbjxGjZs&list=PL2EFC64EB696CD17F&index=1

In this video Mr. Sasquatch devised an plan and created his own moving gates. Don't ask me how its over my head! Especially when he explains it to me. :O

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4JVOmOl3kQ&list=PL2EFC64EB696CD17F&index=2

Here are some photos of the new additions to Dunster. New trees, as you can see in this first photo and then a small house & greenhouse/nursery.

 

attachicon.gifIMG_0038.JPGattachicon.gifIMG_0032.JPGattachicon.gifIMG_0033.JPGattachicon.gifIMG_0035.JPG

I'll try to get some videos on here of the new Dunster soon.

Mrs. Sasquatch(SWMBO)

 

Pardon my ignorance but what is beading wire?

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The cab detail on the WD 4-4-0 is very realistic and well done.  I have a County with a similar backhead which would benefit from such detail but after trying very hard to paint it decently, gave it up as a lost cause. :cry:

 

Brian.

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The cab detail on the WD 4-4-0 is very realistic and well done.  I have a County with a similar backhead which would benefit from such detail but after trying very hard to paint it decently, gave it up as a lost cause. :cry:

 

Brian.

Such work is only carried out with very fine brushes on days when feeling extra calm and rather brave Brian! Lets hope the new Oxford moguls will be just as well detailed when they come onto the market.  

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  • 1 year later...
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Bruce from Medford model railroad club called me last week, inviting me to this years show. Quite a bit of mending and cleaning has ensued. Amongst which is a new signal much missed since the last one got damaged two years ago.

 

The new one is more in keeping with the colour scheme of the station buildings. I have modeled the single arm tubular post down starter that one stood opposite the signal box. It uses mostly Ratio parts mounted on a piece of Evergreen tube. Both the balance arm mount and the signal arm mount are a tight push fit onto the tube, this allows for fine adjustment between them and the actuator beneath enabling adjustment of the arm to be set just perfect. I purchased some 14V grain-of-sand bulbs on eBay Tuesday that arrived yesterday and built the signal up yesterday evening. The wires from the lamp are fed down the tube with the resistor re-soldered on for illumination of the lamp.

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More pictures after the show.     

 

Regards Shaun

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A hundred little things have been fixed on Dunster today and the new signal installed.

 

Pannier tank awaits the road to Minehead with a local passenger.

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Quite a tranquil setting.

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The gates have been wound open by the signalman and he has pulled the down starter off.

The train gets underway for the last mile or so of it's journey. 

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Signal returned to danger and the gates are reopened to motor traffic, that's if anyone is about.

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7 hours ago, jcredfer said:

Lovely peaceful start to the day.  :drag:

 

Thank you.

J

 

Hi J.

Mrs. S. had to drag me away from last nights running session. I had cleared away most of the trains leaving just two short passengers and a pick up goods. Less is more so they say, it's very relaxing playing signal man and driver.

 

Some much needed interesting moves are required for show running and last night I discovered that shunting the pick up goods can be made complicated by introducing a Butllins through train. Something like this...

 

Shunting engine clears the brake van from the running line and the ground dolls return to danger. 

Gates open and the down starter is pulled off (or the up depending on which way the express in approaching).

The train rumbles past.

Signal returns to danger and gates close.

Points switch and ground doll flips off

Shunting resumes. 

 

See why she came and got me.

 

We've been forecast snow for Tues/Weds, lets hope it's not a big dumping and I can get the layout to the show. Then I can get some decent pictures,

 

Regards Shaun

Edited by Sasquatch
Skatoosh on the key board.
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