Emsworth

[Moggs Eye]

Thanks 71H, another army aviation veteran perhaps?

Progress has been rapid over the last couple of weeks, as you might expect with the looming exhibition deadline (this will be the last one I commit before it's finished - maybe). There isn't that much left to do apart from weeding and then turning attention to the rolling stock to make sure that behaves itself.

 

 

This is looking long the station bridge towards the town centre and shopping precinct. I'm no artist, or photographer, but I had to go to my local town to get a perspective shot.

 

 

Here we are looking across the servicing point towards the shopping centre. This soulless temple to consumerism extends across Emsworth Station's main platforms and hides the fiddle yard.

 

 

Finally a view of the servicing point's supervisor's office and the recent delivery of new signage for the buildings. This was the last building to be installed and is still awaiting connection to the lighting circuit. I'm trying to avoid having dozens of orange suited trackworkers around the depot and this individual may be the only occupant. 

 

If you happen to be at Spalding over the weekend of November the 14th and 15th I'll be in the main hall looking either stressed or massively stressed depending on how it goes. Come and say hello and have a chat - the rest of the operators always enjoy it when I get distracted by visitors, they usually elbow me out of the way and take the controller out of my hand.

Happy days!

[ess1uk]

looking good 

i will see you there at Spalding at some point 

[class"66"]

More nice modelling

[Moggs Eye]

During the testing and crew training session over the weekend, which I'm pleased to say went very well, I had the opportunity to dig out some stock that doesn't really get a showing on Cottleston (the 'other' layout). Included is this 153 which was the first of a few I made before Hornby produced theirs. It was the first model conversion and repaint I attempted and I'm very sentimental about it.

 

 

Also dug out from storage was one for the steam fans in the shape of my Hornby Britannia which has been morphed in 70036 Boadicea (which used to run along the East Lincolnshire Line a mile from my house before they shut it in 1970).

 

 

The last building to be installed the other day was the Supervisor's Office for the Stabling Point which is now wired up to the wiring circuit. All the depot engineers and staff appear to be in there at the moment.

 

 

Work continues on the final detailing jobs. The sequence for the main lines is being written by David, my Operations Manager, and I have been working on a system for operating the stabling point and wagon yard, which had no physical connection to the main lines and is almost a separate layout. Rather than giving the operator a free reign to shuffle locos and trucks around as they like, which is hardly going to be very challenging, I have devised a card based set of instructions which well generate a sequence depending on how the cards are shuffled. As is exhibitions weren't stressful enough.

 

See you there.

Ben.

[class"66"]

Luv all this extra detailing

[Moggs Eye]

Here's the layout loaded into the back of the executive transport for the trip to Spalding.

 

 

Happily, it all went together and works okay.

If you're passing by over the weekend, come and say hello.

Cheers,

Ben.

[ess1uk]

Looked good this morning

[Moggs Eye]

Well, the layout's first exhibition has gone. I confess to being a little apprehensive and confess I didn't have a good day on Saturday. Despite the rehearsal session we had a couple of weeks ago Saturday none of us seemed really comfortable with working the layout. Having exhibited Cottleston a number of times we are all over the terminus to fiddle yard layout, but having two fiddle yards to manage on Emsworth was a much different way of doing things. However, we had a good-natured debrief after the show (and nearly got locked in), sorted out a couple of admin issues and went into day two with a little more structure and idea of what we were trying to pull off. 

By close of play yesterday I was tired and happy, feeling that we had put on a good show, kept some of the visitors entertained and laughed at ourselves when there was the odd derailment or platform mix-up. I'm still getting my head around the Kadee couplers in the wagon yard, it seems I was the only member of the team that couldn't work them.

 

Here's the layout ready for business on Saturday morning. We were opposite D and E videos, a constant source of entertainment!

 

A view west along the main board with a Hornby class 156 waiting for its departure for Doncaster (they usually only get Pacers and 153s on this service), a 58 being serviced (in my world EWS didn't thrown anything away) while the 08 is in the middle of shunting the wagon yard.

 

St Vincent Junction signalbox attracted a lot of attention, most people recognised its Midland heritage and it was compared to the box at Peterborough East and mistaken for a Southern area building because of its not very Midland colour scheme.

 

60040 stabled outside the servicing shed and still wearing its Army - be the best livery. The card system for keeping the yard operator sweating worked well, particularly when we took it out of the year operator's hands and passed control the main fiddle yard operator to cut down cheating. This did mean that if the yard operator was looking smug then low-balls would be thrown it, usually too many wagons for the repair yard. It did mean that that being yard driver was a sought after position as it was seen as a relief from managing the interwoven services on the main line. Keeping the two halves of the layout separate and giving them dedicated operators meant that something was usually happening front of house and we had some positive comments from people who appreciated how lively the layout was.

 

Lastly, the wagon yard in a quiet moment.

 

Thanks to all the people who took the trouble to stop and tell us how much they'd enjoyed the layout, including one RMwebber who made himself known to me. Its not an accurate sample of public opinion because those who didn't like it would have walked past with out commenting to us, but the feedback we got meant we came away happier yesterday and with a few more exhibition invitations over the next couple of years.

Thanks to the Spalding club for looking after us, particularly Daphne who fought through the crowds on Sunday morning to distribute mince pies and chocolate brownies to the operators. Good drills!

Cheers,

Ben.

Edited November 16, 2015 by Moggs Eye

[55012]

A really good show with lots of good layouts but somehow we came back to Emsworth several times and enjoyed each visit. Thanks for chatting and I'm sure you will get the hang of the Kadees soon!

[Moggs Eye]

Thanks for the feedback, it's very much appreciated.

Cheers,

Ben.

[Moggs Eye]

If any of you are passing by Surfleet Village Hall (PE11 4BW) in deepest Lincolnshire on Sunday 13th of March there will be a model engineering show to which Emsworth has been invited.

After that our next model railway exhibition will be the Scunthorpe Modern Image Group's show in May

[class"66"]

More nice modelling here!!

[Ragtag]

Love the sign-changing scene

[Moggs Eye]

We had a trip to a small model engineering show near Spalding on Sunday, sharing a hall with some excellent radio control tanks (if you think some people have the sound on their locos too loud, these guys were very noisy) and amazing ships and boats (Bismarck and USS Missouri stood out). Our neighbours were a pair of gents with a big, old, O gauge tinplate layoutHappily Emsworth was proclaimed best in show and we've won tickets to a big model engineering show at Doncaster. Thanks to the organisers.

It gave us the opportunity to test out a new operating sequence and work out ways to keep the movements flowing both on the mainline and servicing point/wagon works sides of the layout. It all worked out well and even the Kadees behaved themselves. 

We ended up with three of the Spalding Model Railway Club juniors joining my lad and his mate for a drive and at one point I had six operators organising themselves around different jobs from drivers to signallers and a dispatcher. David and I, the 'grownups' were relegated to shunting the yard. To be fair, the boys did a cracking job and even kept to the sequence most of the time.

 

Apologies to the South Devon Railway Diesel lads, but 20118 Saltburn by the Sea appears to have been hired out at as a 'super shunter' to the Emsworth International Freight Terminal - here it is having just tripped a wagon up to the repair shed by Emsworth station.

 

Here it is again, propelling a steel wagon past the loco servicing point.

 

A quiet moment at the servicing point. The supervisor will probably want to know why the lights have been left on.

 

A view from under the Station Road bridge as a 150 trundles in with a Leeds service. The 153 in platform 2 is waiting for it to clear the single line with a local to Sheffield.

 

A class 60 moment. 078 is awaiting her next duty while 040 heads north with a train of armoured vehicles.

 

The 144 in platform 3 has just rolled in from Doncaster and will be heading back there as soon as the crew have changed ends. There aren't many guaranteed connections at Emsworth.

 

Not a lot of down time 60078 - here it is heading towards Leeds with a military train which seems to be mostly Land Rovers (you can never have too many).

 

Any similarity between stock on Emsworth and Cottleston is purely coincidental!

Edited March 15, 2016 by Moggs Eye

[Moggs Eye]

Emsworth is having a trip out to the Scunthorpe Modern Image Group's exhibition next weekend.

See you there.

Ben.

 

PS - I found these details on an events website, the club seems to be having some problems with its website.

2016 Model Railway Show

This exhibition, run by Scunthorpe Modern Image Group, concentrates on the diesel and electric era of railway modelling. There will be a number of layouts on display, specialist traders and modelling demonstrations, plus refreshments.

Performance times

St Paul's Church Hall, Scunthorpe

Ashby High Street, Scunthorpe, DN16 2JR

Sat 14 May

£3.50 (£3; Children £2; £9) / 01724 842732

• 10:00 – 17:00

Sun 15 May

£3.50 (£3; Children £2; £9) / 01724 842732

• 10:00 – 16:00
•  

[Moggs Eye]

Thoroughly enjoyed last weekend in Scunthorpe, how often do you hear that said! (Sorry Scunny). The Scunthorpe Modern Image Group are most hospitable and welcome exhibitors and traders alike with a bacon buttie and tea when you rock up in the morning. Good quality bacon too - highly recommended.

The layout performed well, with the exception of one point failure, and two new drivers (thanks guys) were broken in and have said they'd happily drive again. The public seem to like the card system that runs the loco yard, particularly when it gets busy in there. I'm not quite sure how it happened, somebody ay have sabotaged the pack of cards, but at one point there were so many locos stacked up in there it looked like a Sunday morning and we were struggling to find motive power for the freight services.

Making it's debut was 31466 in its EWS livery. It used to be a Fragonset 31452 before I thought I'd have a respray session. It was only when I'd started the whole process that I realised that 452 and 466 had different positions for their high intensity headlight. I can live with that. It needs some weathering and a couple of handrails, but I'm generally pleased with how it turned out.

 

Here's my favourite class 60 taking on fuel.

 

Finally, a random composition of several generations of motive power at Emsworth. We all felt a little smug about having successfully smuggled a 'kettle' into a modern image show.

 

Our next outing is to the Suffolk seaside at Southwold.

Cheers,

Ben.

[Moggs Eye]

If any of you are coming to the Southwold on August 6th and 7th, come and say hello. The team and I will be enjoying a trip to the seaside with Emsworth.

See you there.

Cheers,

Ben.

[Moggs Eye]

Southwold has been and gone. We had a thoroughly good time and were well looked after - the food was excellent.

The layout worked well, aside from set of points that refused to operate constantly throughout. 

Having an operator out the front operating the loco/wagon yard works well for having a chat with the visitors or even letting the children shunt the locos.

While the layout hasn't been modified of late there were a few new items of stock being trialled.

Here is 60065 'Spirit of Jaguar' in a similar condition to that I saw it in during a rialto to Southport a couple of years ago. It used to be 60077 in triple grey livery, but as I'd always wanted an EWS liveried class 60 I thought I'd have a go at changing its livery myself. As well as the prototypically faded decals and DB branding I've fitted Shawplan grills and windscreens.

Wanted another, short train for my Police liveried 47 I decided on a fuel train for some Freightliner depot to other. Inspired by conversations with People-Who-Know about wagons I set about upgrading walkways with A1 prodicts, new suspension from S kits and cobbled together handrails . They were finished by suitable decals. All I need now are a couple more when I get time.

Finally, a new Land Rover in a Bachmann OBA. I now have five similar wagons loaded with Series 1, 3, Defenders and Sankey trailers to amuse passers by. There are a surprising number of Land Rover enthusiasts attending model railway exhibitions.

This 90 in the station car park, along with the 101 FC next to it attracted much attention.

Cheers,

Ben.

Edited August 8, 2016 by Moggs Eye

[joppyuk1]

I like the last picture. Looks just like the Mrs while I'm going round the show, though it's usually a crossword book she's got!

[Wherry Lines]

I really enjoyed seeing Emsworth 'in the flesh' at Southwold.

[Moggs Eye]

I like the last picture. Looks just like the Mrs while I'm going round the show, though it's usually a crossword book she's got!

It was good to meet you. Hopefully next time will be over Firsby.

Cheers,

Ben.

Edited August 11, 2016 by Moggs Eye

[Moggs Eye]

A few more pictures from Southwold...

 

 

60065 is waiting in platform 1 for 60040 to clear the single line section so it can continue eastwards. The PICOP has just come down from the signal box after having had with the signaller about some impending possession.

 

 

Simultaneous departures from Emsworth. The Northern class 156 in platform 2 has got the feather on its signal so it must be heading north to York. The Class 31 is heading south towards Sheffield.

 

 

Another angle of the 31 and its train of military vehicles passing the signalbox and just about to gain the single line section. It looks like there's another class 60 in the inspection shed. 

After noticing how the shed was blocking the view of the station for many visitors at Southwold I've decided the shed is to go. The idea is that the shed has been demolished leaving just the lower walls, including he refuelling equipment and the open inspection pit. That should open up the views across the station and the people waiting on platform 3 for some Pacer variant to take them to Doncaster.

 

 

Cheers,

Ben.

[tamperman36]

Very nice little layout, I like the MOD trains and loads, keep up the good work

[rob D2]

Nice new stock - I'm tempted to add a 31 in EWS or mainline blue ( there was only one of each )

 

Your stabling point looks great next to the station - normally these look a bit contrived but you've pulled it off perfectly !

[Moggs Eye]

Nice new stock - I'm tempted to add a 31 in EWS or mainline blue ( there was only one of each )

 

Your stabling point looks great next to the station - normally these look a bit contrived but you've pulled it off perfectly !

 

Hi Rob,

I just had a look at a picture of a Mainline liveried 31 - very smart, and quite tempting. I did wonder about having one with EWS branding over the Mainline, but maybe that's a fictional livery too far!

The Inter City livery looks good on a 31 too...

Cheers,

Ben.