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Henley-on-Thames - GWR in the 1930's


Neal Ball
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Friday lunchtime update.

 

I’ve just received my 15th Bachmann members club special wagon.

 

I’ts a demonstrator wagon from Gloucester wagon co. Previous years have seen the 8 and 10 ton wagons.

IMG_8458.jpeg.1a5f9764bd299bcb729d766df8b54291.jpeg

 

Every year I keep thinking about whether to continue with the club, but then the wagon arrives and such thoughts disappear!

 

 

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A tale of two parcels!

 

One inbound, the other outbound:

 

My parcel from Gaugemaster for the Reverse loop module arrived in Spain on 2nd September and has been stuck in customs since then. (It was ordered on 16th August and sent the following day.)

 

Spanish customs at Madrid airport are struggling to cope with the number of parcels arriving in from the UK post-Brexit. Everything has to be assessed for VAT @21% as well.

 

The good news is that it was released from customs yesterday and moved into the logistics area this morning and hopefully will be here on Monday or Tuesday.

 

That means I can crack on and program the table correctly. With the module in place a loco can arrive on the table and go through 180 degrees to be turned ready for it's next duty. I am certainly looking forward to getting this installed.

 

The outbound parcel!

 

Is my WiFi gadget that gives me the ability of tethering up an iPhone onto my prodigy controller, whereupon I can then use the WiThrottle app. It's handy if I need to take a controller under the layout - (The current controller is only on a 3m lead)

 

Plus, it means for the sound fitted locos, I can easily dial up functions beyond F9 - With the Prodigy, to get anything higher, its a case of pressing the shift key and the number you want (Shift being +10), but I have never been successful with it. So using the iPhone gives me the ability of getting up to F25.

 

The parcel with the faulty WiFi unit arrived at Gaugemaster yesterday and hopefully they can get it fixed or replaced.

 

It's been a nuisance since I had the Heljan Railcar as I  have not been able to manipulate any of the light functions. 

 

Onwards and upwards!

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Here's a zoomed-in view of the edging texture:

1498397621_turntableedge9.png.7770652bc16dc985e50ea92be89947ad.png

 

And the warning plate:

650302973_turntablegirderwarningplate.png.afb7f58ca7cd4a61bdbb33b5445170a8.png

 

Neal told me the radius of the inner edge of the well and I was then able to make some textures based on photos of the Minehead turntable and fit them exactly around that radius. (They could in fact fit to any radius.) The same technique could be used to make other styles of brickwork or an array of sleepers, for example.

 

After printing at "Actual Size" from Acrobat Reader the graphic should be exactly the right size and can be stuck to card and cut out in much the same way as a Scalescenes product. I have an idea to make the cutting of the curves easier (and perhaps to add some indented real texture into the surface) by printing out a graphic for a kind of "compass" that you'd glue to a piece of ply and drill holes in marked positions.

 

Edited by Harlequin
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3 hours ago, Harlequin said:

Here's a zoomed-in view of the edging texture:

1813279065_turntableedge9.png.975f909ab44f5b9091f40593f14fe11c.png

 

And the warning plate:

2037356730_turntablegirderwarningplate.png.5151c42086959ebfdb95a6a0b41cbdb6.png

 

Neal told me the radius of the inner edge of the well and I was then able to make some textures based on photos of the Minehead turntable and fit them exactly around that radius. (They could in fact fit to any radius.) The same technique could be used to make other styles of brickwork or an array of sleepers, for example.

 

After printing at "Actual Size" from Acrobat Reader the graphic should be exactly the right size and can be stuck to card and cut out in much the same way as a Scalescenes product. I have an idea to make the cutting of the curves easier (and perhaps to add some indented real texture into the surface) by printing out a graphic for a kind of "compass" that you'd glue to a piece of ply and drill holes in marked positions.

 


Phils graphics made the job very easy and clearly very effective.

 

Thanks again.

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This Gizmo is amazing!

 

I've long been a fan of Gaugemaster (Happy customer, this is not a sponsored link!), but their latest gizmo is amazing.

 

It's the DCC40 reverse loop module, that I am using to change the polarity on the turntable:

 

1978870983_DCC40Gizmo.jpg.5cace75c241bb08363e3afbd7da18813.jpg

 

https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/magento/gaugemaster-dcc40.html

 

When a loco arrives on the turntable, the Red feed for the electrical supply is on the track furthest from the operating point. When a tender loco arrives at Henley on Thames, it will be coming chimney first and clearly I will want the loco to leave chimney first. Hence needing a turntable.

 

Having turned the loco on the table, the Red feed on the table is now on the wrong side - it is where the black feed is on the track going back to the station.

 

That's where this Gizmo comes in. As soon as the wheels cross the gap from the table to the adjacent track, the Gizmo changes the polarity straight away.

 

The first time I used it, I heard a sound similar to a switch, but after that, I didn't hear anything.

 

The wiring diagram that comes with the DCC40 shows the connections for a reverse loop. I found the following article about how to wire it up for a turntable.

 

http://m.airfix-shop.com/articles/guides/Reverse-Loops-part3.html 

Thanks to James Hickman at Gaugemaster who wrote the article.

 

 

 

Having sat underneath the layout, I disconnected the supply to the table and inserted the feed from the Gizmo - It was that easy - not even a 10 minute job.

 

It was then a case of testing it with some of my sound fitted locos, first up is Castle class loco no 4073 Caerphilly Castle. Seen here as it approaches the table:

 

1857136201_DCC40Operationc.jpg.abd8f6662325d31beaf134651f6b8b6a.jpg

The table  is marked "Head" and "Tail" - The Head is currently denoted by the engineer standing at that end. But there is also the "Caution" sign at that end as well. By having the Head next to the entrance track, I know that in this photo the track nearest the camera is Red; the line furthest away is Black.

 

I need the differentiation to get it fully programmed. Once I have everything programmed, I will remove the engineer - he doesn't need to be there.

 

Now on the table; at this stage the Red feed is still nearest the camera (From my normal operating position Red would be the track furthest away - I wouldn't normally operate from here!)

 

Now the magic starts to happen; firstly the table is turned through 180 degrees.

 

This sound loco is not fitted with a stay alive, so if the power fails, the steam sound will drop straight away. (Needs;ess to say it didn't).

 

At this point, the "Tail" is facing left - towards the entrance / exit road for the table. On the far right you will see the engineer at the "Head". This means that the track closest to the camera on the table is Black, with the track on the exit road, closest to the camera being Red. (The two polarities do not match). In the normal course of events, my circuit breakers would kick in as that would give us a short circuit.

 

96290684_DCC40Operationg.jpg.0af376517b5be5299fd92f3cdb7793e7.jpg

No 4073 Caerphilly Castle, having been turned is now ready to leave the turntable.

In this next shot, with the tender bridging the different track sections, under normal circumstances would have caused a short circuit. Indeed it has stopped with the tender on the table (Red & Black feed); whilst the loco is on the exit road (Black and Red feed).

 

Note: you can still see the engineer at the "Head" on the far side of the turntable bridge.

 

I now need to spend a day testing the whole table further and programming as I go. 

 

1957720233_DCC40Operatione.jpg.484faef19749d093188cc1be6d479d5c.jpg

 

To be continued... edit April 2022: It took ages to get this turntable working properly.

Edited by Neal Ball
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The turntable cont'd:

 

I couldn't resist getting a few locos on and off the table and at the same time swapping head and tail around.

 

It all worked very well. 

 

The next loco was 57xx 0-6-0PT no 5737 (I have just noticed that the buffer beam number needs changing!)

 

278115165_DCC40Operatione.jpg.457a9bcb9ec28e0fe4578212ad2a6624.jpg

 

 

Followed by a sound fitted 61xx

 

 

And then Caerphilly Castle came back onto the table:

 

1610305969_DCC40Operationg.jpg.de7537069d9da7824cbd94c98a5bec58.jpg

 

 

It's all work in progress - even on the smaller roads, there is a lot of work to do before I am happy with it all.

 

On the longer roads, I have laid down a card template which will be the larger area of loco hardstanding / preparation area. This side will include a hut at the end and associated "busy shed" items. 

 

2049066174_Locoshed-newhardstanding.jpg.718ca01400440e2411e89623959b47f5.jpg

 

 

As ever, it's all to be continued. But at least with these electrics going in, it feels that huge progress has been made in this area. 

 

It's going to be great to run a train into Henley on Thames, move the loco off the front, take it to the turntable, turn it round, whereupon it goes to the front of the train and hauls the carriages back to London Paddington.

DCC40 Operation f.jpg

Edited by Neal Ball
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1430658501_Manor-Accurascale.jpg.6e79b380fedd1caa99aa3647a8d4f7de.jpg

I am trying to tell myself, I don’t need one!

 

But this “tease” of the front end detail looks very good…. Manors weren’t needed at Henley on Thames…. Manors weren’t needed… !

 

In other news the loco servicing area is progressing nicely. I’ve now laid the base for the brickwork and I have purposely used a dark grey card, so I can get used to a very different area to the grass that surrounded the tracks before.

 

edit 1/4/22: I have a DCC sound fitted Manor on pre-order

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In very unrelated news….

 

Yesterday I picked up my Centenary diner again and made more progress in an afternoon, than I had previously done in the last 10 years.

 

I had the basic body built for me after my soldering ran into problems. Clearly I can solder electrics, but brass is obviously a different matter!

 

On the body,  I have removed all the sliding top vents on the windows. I was pleased to see how easily they came off - although I was using the xuron cutter! Having done that, I wonder if I should reinstate a couple as open Beclawet windows…. TBC 

 

The cast ends have been fitted and the roof has been fettled to fit between the ends.

 

There is a lot more work before it will grace the tracks, but I was very pleased with the progress. 
 

Photos to follow….. once I’ve been out with the filler I expect!

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1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:


79E80945-4321-4EA8-845B-3706A3D38B81.jpeg.a735d191730b8be4dcd4a7795381dc2f.jpeg

 

I am trying to tell myself, I don’t need one!

 

But this “tease” of the front end detail looks very good…. Manors weren’t needed at Henley on Thames…. Manors weren’t needed… !

 

In other news the loco servicing area is progressing nicely. I’ve now laid the base for the brickwork and I have purposely used a dark grey card, so I can get used to a very different area to the grass that surrounded the tracks before.

 

 

It would be...........wait for it......

bad Manors not to get one....

now wouldn't it!

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2 hours ago, KNP said:

 

It would be...........wait for it......

bad Manors not to get one....

now wouldn't it!

 

Ah! but then you would be expecting "The Can-Can" at Henley on Thames if you are thinking of Bad Manners lol 

 

 

 

Hat, Coat....

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13 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

 

I am trying to tell myself, I don’t need one!

 

But this “tease” of the front end detail looks very good…. Manors weren’t needed at Henley on Thames…. Manors weren’t needed… !

But Reading did have Manors at various times- and what did they do when they were short of Halls and Castles?? I say they used Manors and Moguls!!

But what do I as a BR 1960s modeller know?

Go on, indulge-you know you want to!

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2 hours ago, Tallpaul69 said:

But Reading did have Manors at various times- and what did they do when they were short of Halls and Castles?? I say they used Manors and Moguls!!

But what do I as a BR 1960s modeller know?

Go on, indulge-you know you want to!

 

Thanks Paul and @KNP earlier, I will have to do more research.... as Im still not convinced that Manors would have been down the Henley on Thames branch in 1936.

 

Now if you were talking about new Pannier tanks or at least a tank loco, the question wouldn't be, when it would be released, it would be how many.... 

 

Have a good weekend everyone.

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much ado about nothing!

 

We are on holiday - yes again! - which means there is not going to be much progress made at Henley this week.

 

I had decided I would bring the Centenary carriage with me…. But the reality is that something would get forgotten. It will therefore be easier to leave it at home and pick it up next week.

 

Instead, Ive brought up that pile of paperwork that sits on the side… Instructions / receipts etc. They all need sorting out one day…. And that day has come! 
 

What does everyone else do with such things? File or scan… or of course… I never look at instructions so just throw it away!

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On 24/09/2021 at 05:42, Neal Ball said:

I am trying to tell myself, I don’t need one!

Don't be silly - of course you need one. How could you not need such a beautiful and detailed model. What is money for, if not to acquire such wonders? At the very least, the Manor could be hauling a "special" - and Henley is such a "special" place :biggrin_mini2:. Roll on, summer Saturdays...

 

Yours,  Mike.

 

PS I am sure I shall fall victim to Manor envy once they are released - I may indeed get examples of both the Accurascale and Dapol versions. You can't have too many Manors. 

 

OK, I have to admit to having stood in the sunshine too long at Aberystwyth station as an 8 year old... I'll come quietly now.

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On 25/09/2021 at 22:24, KingEdwardII said:

Don't be silly - of course you need one. How could you not need such a beautiful and detailed model. What is money for, if not to acquire such wonders? At the very least, the Manor could be hauling a "special" - and Henley is such a "special" place . Roll on, summer Saturdays...

 

Yours,  Mike.

 

PS I am sure I shall fall victim to Manor envy once they are released - I may indeed get examples of both the Accurascale and Dapol versions. You can't have too many Manors. 

 

OK, I have to admit to having stood in the sunshine too long at Aberystwyth station as an 8 year old... I'll come quietly now.


My “Manor gazing” is a bit different….. being at the West Somerset Railway when Dinmore Manor was visiting.

 

888848768_2-BlueAnchor-7820br.jpg.37c9abe98b8a99ce856c174871cbc2bd.jpg

 

This was September 2014 during the Autumn gala.

 

And Odney Manor during the Autumn gala in 2011.

 


 

Until I started searching for the photos, I hadn’t realised how long it’s been since we were last at the WSR. 
We had planned to visit this year for a couple of days as part of our trip back to the UK, staying at the Caravan and Motorhome club site on the edge of Minehead. That of course was pre-Covid19, so deferred until next year.

 

As for the loco…. IF I was to get one it would probably be the Accurascale version, sound fitted by them. 

 

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Talking of new locos…

 

Has anyone been to Didcot to see Pendennis Castle?

 

Again Didcot was on this year’s itinerary in the motorhome…. So hopefully we will see it next year…

 

This photo is from the GWS page for the loco, it certainly looks great in the sunshine:

 

 

The GWS page for the loco is here: https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/67/4079-pendennis-castle

 

32849358_4079PendennisCastle.jpg.7c8abcc27c6703c59aee78cdf71d2113.jpg

 

 

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6 minutes ago, Neal Ball said:

Talking of new locos…

 

Has anyone been to Didcot to see Pendennis Castle?

 

Again Didcot was on this year’s itinerary in the motorhome…. So hopefully we will see it next year…

 

This photo is from the GWS page for the loco, it certainly looks great in the sunshine:

 

EBD290CE-A74C-476C-A576-37DD6C57A554.jpeg.0f09835efcaf9839fe8426cfb7db66c3.jpeg

 

The GWS page for the loco is here: https://didcotrailwaycentre.org.uk/article.php/67/4079-pendennis-castle

 

 

 

 

 

I last saw Pendennis (in one piece) before it left for Australia. A trip to Didcot is on the 'must happen' list for next year!

 

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Apparently Pendennis is due to be launched into traffic next spring so the timing should work for you.

 

I first saw 4079 in 1970 when it lived in Didcot's lifting shop. However, I have never seen it in steam let alone had a ride behind. Roll on 2022.

Edited by Nick Gough
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2 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

anyone been to Didcot to see Pendennis Castle?

I've been following progress ever since the GWS managed to acquire Pendennis Castle and get her shipped back from Australia in 2000.

 

Such a significant locomotive historically, triumphing in the loco exchanges of 1925, and displayed at the British Empire Exhibition.

 

I suspect few folk expected it to take almost 22 years before she would steam again. That's similar to the time it took to restore King Edward II - and KEII was an utter wreck when that started! I am sure there will be a huge crowd next spring when she finally steams again.

 

Yours,  Mike.

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