On Shenston Road. Some recent photos.

[Barry O]

Excellent weathering on "Druid"

 

Baz

[Swindon 123]

Todays photos deal with some of the latest acquisitions to the Shenston Road and EIC fleets. first up are some shots of the Sutton Loco works class 24's. Greg went for 24081, having worked on the loco in the late 70's. At he moment it is in "out of the box" condition, awaiting space behind the remaining Warships in the weathering workshops. It has been doing the rounds on Shenston Road for testing purposes, and is a nice runner.

 

D5000 is an addition to the EIC fleet of locos and has also been out on test. This loco differs from 24081 in the fact that the wheelsets, although being fitted with "EM" sets that SLW can supply as is 24081, have had the flanges turned down a little more. This was a personal preference as 24081 runs with the original EM sets in OK. Originally planned to be repainted in Blue, this has been changed as it would require detailing the underframe as it lost it's side skirts in that colour. Awaiting space in the paint shops for SYP to be added.

 

The third loco "on test" was just that. On test. Continuing problems with the reliability of Heljan motors in the class 15 and 16 locos, has resulted in a search for replacements. D8201 was an ideal doner loco having been acquired for spares a while back with a defective motor. After considering replacements, some motors became available from Cambridge Custom Transfers at a very reasonable price. With little to loose, a couple where purchased to see if they would work as a replacement. D8201 has been running trials on Hornsey Broadway and Shenston Road layouts to see if there are any weaknesses in the re-motoring. So far after 10 or more hours running on both layouts with quite excessive loads, the experiment seems to have been a success.

Here D8201 is put through it spaces. (Yes I know it's missing its underframe bits, but I can't be bothered to keep taking them off when removing the body to check inside ).

 

How it was done.

The original motor as fitted, (see below) was 12mm in diameter), so the replacement had to be the same. Fortunately it was.

 

With the original motor removed, the hardest part was to remove the flywheels off each end and refit to the new motor. Inevitably it resulted in the destruction of the original motor, but it didn't work in the first place, so no tears shed. The new motor was double ended, but not of equal length, so the armature shaft at one end was cut down so overall its shaft was the same length as the original. The flywheels could then be refitted and the motor put in place.

 

As the new motor was not round, but stood higher than it was wide, the original keeper plate could not be used, so new straps where made from plasticard strip to hold the motor in place. The original rubber cradle was left in the base under the new motor and one also put back on top of the new motor to help keep the motor in the right position to line up the drive shafts.

 

The position of the motor is crucial and if you look at the photo above there are two sets of cut marks in the loco chassis to mark the end of the flywheels with the original motor in position. The new motor had to match these marks to ensure smooth running. Also the motor had to be the right way round for electrical connections.

 

The original circuit board would just fit back into its original position, and with the wires connected back up it was rolling road tested to see that it would in fact run.

 

A bit of tweaking was required to get the best running from the new combination, and since then it has done many hours testing with heavy loads on Shenston Road and Hornsey Broadway, which both have formidable gradients on them, with no problems manifesting themselves so far. This testing will continue until something gives, up. Either me or on the loco??? Hopefully it will be me, and the loco will continue to perform faultlessly for ever. Next challenge. Can the same method be used in a class 16??

 

Next batch of photos will have a "Western" theme.

 

Paul J.

 

(Edited to add my monogram. Which I forgot and also some spelling and grammar mistakes)

Edited January 8, 2016 by Swindon 123

[Barry O]

Heljan really need to look at how they put motors in chassis - its OK when they work but a right pain to remove and then refit them. Interested in seeing the longevity of the replacement motors - I haven't tested mine yet.

[Enterprisingwestern]

More Warship "middle wicket dodgers".

Go and sit on the naughty step with Mr Bullock.

 

Mike.

[Swindon 123]

After a month off I have sorted some more photos out of Shenston Road that I took just before the New Year. Topic of this post is distinctly Western.

 

A spotters paradise, especially if you like Westerns with D1054 leading and D1005 alongside.

 

1005, Western Venturer in the middle road at Shenston Road with a train of bogie bolster E's.

 

Close up of 1005.

 

D1022, Western Sentinel on passenger duties.

 

Paul J.

[CUTLER2579]

I have only stumbled upon this topic today and realised what I have been missing. Many of these photographs look so real I can't believe its modelling of the highest standard.    The Class 47 on page 1  Post 22    still baffles me as to the fact it is a model, I believe?

 Captioned as :-  47091 approaches Shenston Road light engine from the Birmingham direction and is about to run under the road bridge at the Brum end of the station.

 

Fantastic is the only word I need to use to describe this Layout.

 

Regards, Derek.

[Swindon 123]

Thank you CUTLER2579 for your comments on the photos and the layout. Greg is responsible for the layout and, most of the time, the locos. I only have to come up with new ways and areas to photograph it.

 

With that in mind and with Greg adding another Warship to his fleet, here are a few more to add to the collection.

Gregs latest Warship to come out of the shops, D837 'Ramillies' on van train exits the tunnel from the Wolverhampton end of the layout.

 

D837 snapped passing Class 47, 1720 on the stabling point on the approach to Shenston Road station.

 

Warships (D814) and Westerns (D1005) on shed.

 

On to the Whistlers now with D218 exiting the Wolverhampton end tunnel with a coal train made up of 21 ton mineral wagons.

 

D337 waits to leave the steelworks exchange sidings, LE & BV.

 

To finish off with the choppers as 8078 & D8074 descend the branch from the steel works with a train of empty 24t hoppers and mineral wagons.

 

 

Not sure what is next up to photograph. Greg is still working on his Warship fleet and has recently been updating his bogie oil tank fleet with Colin Craig bogies, so thay may well be featuring soon.

 

Until then.

 

Paul J.

[Phil Bullock]

Warship middle wicket dodger....whatever next???

 

More cracking photos folks - but on a point of order is that 841 on shed - not 814? Or did 814 acquire class 43 headcode panels?

 

Cheers

 

Phil

Edited February 29, 2016 by Phil Bullock

[ben pez]

Stunning layout & the weathering on those diesels looks very impressive

 

Cheers

 

Ben

[leopardml2341]

Warship middle wicket dodger....whatever next???More cracking photos folks - but on a point of order is that 841 on shed - not 814? Or did 814 acquire class 43 headcode panels?CheersPhil

Spotter!

[Phil Bullock]

Old habits die hard!!!

 

Hee hee

 

Paradox is when we used to see the real ones we couldn't tell them apart.... but then 42s didn't come to 85A very often....

 

Phil

[Swindon 123]

Warship middle wicket dodger....whatever next???

 

More cracking photos folks - but on a point of order is that 841 on shed - not 814? Or did 814 acquire class 43 headcode panels?

 

Cheers

 

Phil

Absolutely correct Mr Bullock, the previous photo gives the game away. It is 841 on shed. Dyslexic typing is my excuse. Yet more photos for the "middle wicket spotters", and they know who they are!! . I also can't tell 42's from 43's, but then as an ex Eastern man its only Deltics that really mattered.

 

Paul J.

[leopardml2341]

Agree rating is just for the 'Deltic' element, there's no need for owt else!

[d winpenny]

looking great,

 

david

[RBE]

Great modelling this. How I have missed it until now god only knows.

[Sillyofme]

Really nice looking layout an inspiration to us newcomers

 well done

[Legend]

Yes I came across this layout , I think it was on a banner headline that I happened to click on by mistake. It is a fantastic layout. In particular love the way the office, industrial building blend into the background, and of course the locos are terrific. I don't think I've ever seen Shenston Road in a magazine, it would be good to see an article on it

Edited March 9, 2016 by Legend

[Swindon 123]

Hello all and a month on from my last post I thought it was time to upload some more photos. As a request went out for some info on coil carriers on another thread, I thought I'd take some photos of Greg's collection and post on here with a little background on each.

 

First up is a Coil J. B383594, representing a cut down Iron Ore tippler. The model started life as an old MTK Iron Ore tippler kit cut down and put on on an Airfix mineral chassis with replacement springs and Hybox axleboxes.

 

The next two wagons started life as Trix Pig Iron wagons. The bodies where basically left alone although scratch built chassis representing the two brake types where put under the bodies. The interiors where tidied up and timber baulks for the coils to sit on added. (More on the interiors later).

The first wagon up is unfitted B744519. followed by a shot of the interior.

 

 

Next the fitted chassis version, B744584 and its interior. The eagle eyed among you will spot that although carrying "fitted" bauxite livery, the wagon has lost its vacuum cylinder and is now unfitted. [Not an uncommon occurrence].

 

 

Next up is the 16T mineral wagon conversion, with the added interest that it has been modeled as one of the privately owned Richard Thomas & Baldwin fleet that could be found in South Wales. This is a bog-standard Airfix kit with timber baulks added. An interior shot is also shown.

 

 

The next wagon up is a Hybar conversion B495574. This started off a a Wren model and had had detail added to the body and chassis as well as interior timber baulks, as will be seen in the second photo of the interior.

 

 

The final two wagons offer a change in that they are both bogie wagons. The first is a Coil X, B960014. This started off as a mainline Bogie Bolster C and apart from the addition of the coil cradles is little altered, much like the prototype.

 

The final wagon is a Bogie Bolster R, and I admit to not knowing a lot about this wagon. I suspect that it is one Greg saw during his time on the railway or found a photo of one somewhere, but apart from that "I know nothing". The model is a kit of a Warflat, I think both ABS and Ian Kirk did one, with a scratch built coil cradle added. Hopefully Greg will be able to answer and other questions that arise.

 

As with all Greg's models, photographs played a big part in recreating them, each one modeled on a particular photo. The interiors and especially the timber baulks for the coils where difficult find any info on, but fortunately there was a series in the Railway Modeller  back in the early 1980's, by Keith Allen on conversions and rebuilds for the Airfix 16T mineral wagon kit. The January 1983 edition covers the 16T Strip Coil and Coil J's whilst the March 1983 edition covers LNER & BR single bolster conversions. Both have some drawings and photos of coil cradles.

 

That just about covers that in respect of early coil carriers and conversions. I suspect there are others in Greg's fleet that are hidden away and I haven't photographed yet. Until that happens that is all for this time. The next photo session may feature some hydraulic power or bogie oil tanks. I haven't decided yet.

 

Paul J.

 

[iak]

Whooosh

[Enterprisingwestern]

I was expecting 16 ton minerals full of black diamonds for some reason.

 

Mike.

[leopardml2341]

I was expecting 16 ton minerals full of black diamonds for some reason.

Mike.

Northern Oik

[Enterprisingwestern]

Northern Oik

Soon to be a Spanish oik.

 

Mike.

Edited April 7, 2016 by Enterprisingwestern

[Fat Controller]

Lovely stuff. The Pig Irons with 8-shoe brake gear weren't fitted, IIRC, though the mounting trunnions for the vac cylinders were present. There were 16t minerals and 27t ore tipplers (some of which were cut down for Coil J) that were so built. All part of the vacillations about the policy on fitted wagons from the mid 1950s onward.

[Ramblin Rich]

More wonderful modelling! I remember those Railway Modeller articles on Airfix 16t mods, I still have my vac fitted 16t and sand tippler models somewhere, probably the first real modifications I did

[Fat Controller]

More wonderful modelling! I remember those Railway Modeller articles on Airfix 16t mods, I still have my vac fitted 16t and sand tippler models somewhere, probably the first real modifications I did

Some of the modifications can still be applied to more modern kits. The Keith Allen in question wasn't my fellow-Turk, erstwhile Sheriff of Nottingham, and father of Lily, was it?