Fordley - Present Day Ballast Loader/Station/WRD...

[OllieTurrellDRS]

Great idea Jack! Can't wait to see the diagram

[class"66"]

Hows things Jack..  

[Jack374]

Hows things Jack..  

Good thanks Neil, I just can't seem to find much time lately. Hopefully I'll be able to build the rest of the boards this week and next (while I'm off college), then some more progress should happen.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

I'm still here...just...

 

Hardly anything has happened with the layout, but I hope to change this soon and progress with it (yes I have said that before!) and hopefully build up the other boards. Today I've ballasted the station line on the first board constructed, and some scenery and structures (I hope) will follow...

 

Many thanks for keeping faith in this layout...it will be finished eventually...

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[class"66"]

I'm still here...just...

 

Hardly anything has happened with the layout, but I hope to change this soon and progress with it (yes I have said that before!) and hopefully build up the other boards. Today I've ballasted the station line on the first board constructed, and some scenery and structures (I hope) will follow...

IMG_3022.JPG

 

Many thanks for keeping faith in this layout...it will be finished eventually...

 

Thanks,

Jack.

Coming along well jack,looking forward to more of this..

[Jack374]

Well...the layout and I are still very much here, and after going through a period of only wanting to modify stock, once I realised I had completed quite a few rolling stock projects, it dawned on me that I don't have a layout to run them on!

 

So I decided to get cracking on Fordley again. After assessing which jobs needed doing, I decided to first add the remaining copperclad sleepers to prevent the track being ripped up, which would be especially devastating now ballasting has been mostly completed on the first board. Some strips of copperclad were measured against offcut sleepers and duly cut and soldered to the rails, with some wood glued and pinned underneath to add stability. These have now been painted in either 'track dirt' or concrete colour, and this now enables me to ballast right up to the edge of the board...more on this later....

Also whilst I had the paint out, I painted the sleepers (matchsticks) that the point motors are mounted on:

And filled in the missing sleepers...there's a join in each of these tracks, see if you can spot them!

Finally, I've made a scribble of roughly what the footbridge will look like, which will provide a scenic break and add something more interesting to the layout. I realised that a modern station needs wheelchair access, so a double ramp with a set of steps to another footbridge over the lines will provide access and a handy scenic break...

 

And I'll leave you with some piccies. The retaining wall is just placed in position. These are circa 2008/9 when 57601 still wore the old west coast colour scheme and 60042 visited the west Lancashire lines (Ormskirk etc) with a charter...

 

Thanks for sticking with this, the progress should be continual now as this is what I'm focusing on currently.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Tug002]

Really like the snow scenes - how do you do them?

[Jack374]

Really like the snow scenes - how do you do them?

Simply sieve some flour over the desired area! I used icing sugar last year, but this stuck to locos and the track, which was obviously undesirable!

 

Just be careful not to dust any areas you don't want to, or get any on your best locos.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

So after delving into the archives (not!), I found a series of shots circa 2012 when DRS 37409 'Lord Hinton' and 37405 visited Ormskirk via Fordley on a RSC working on behalf of Network Rail. Firstly, the hourly stopper service pulled in, formed of an ageing 142 railbus...

Then the main event rolled in, and fortunately stopped for signals as it didn't have the road at Farington Curve Jn...

And off it went.

 

I can recommend posing models on a board and taking photos as an effective way of relieving stress with 7 days to go until the dreaded 'E word' period.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[OllieTurrellDRS]

Can we have more pics of the Network Rail Stock and the 37 Test Train please Jack? Also where did you get the NR Coaches?

 

Ollie

[Jack374]

Can we have more pics of the Network Rail Stock and the 37 Test Train please Jack? Also where did you get the NR Coaches?

Hi Ollie,

 

The coaches are both repaints that I've done myself, I've detailed how I've done them in my workbench thread (link in signature), so if you just search Network Rail they should both pop up. RE photos, I will once the board is back up because currently it's standing on its side on the floor.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

So with exams for the next few weeks, time will be tight, however I'm on study leave for this week and next so this should balance out the lack of time!

 

This week I've sprayed the wooden sleeper track 'sleeper grime' colour and also painted the rail sides with 'dark rust' on the concrete line. Cosmetic point motors have been added too, and I've posed a few locos on it so here's some piccies...

The first is to show the new rail sides painted, and this next is to show the work on a couple of coaches I've been adding commonwealth bogies to, with an A4 for haulage on the ballasted board...

Nnow for a bit of a sequence. Following further track renewal, DRS 66428 is about to couple up to an 'osprey' with some spent track panels...

Following shunting, it has just coupled up to some ballast wagons...

And as it waits to shunt some more before departure, Freightliner 70003 rolls in to depart with some more engineering trains:

 

Good fun!

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

 

Although I haven't replied for months, the layout is still progressing at an absolute snail's pace. The first two boards are up and running, however they have been used recently as a shelf for locos and stock and other odds and ends. I've effectively mothballed the layout to focus my attention on getting my first layout 'Tighte End Yard' finished, and then I will restart this one.

 

The image above is taken on the aforementioned layout, with some locos posed on it which have featured on my workbench thread over the last few years.

 

I'd like to wish everyone who has viewed, rated, commented or followed this project over the last 12 months a very Merry Christmas, and all the very best for the New Year.

 

Thanks,

Jack.

[Jack374]

Evening...

 

So I’ve a little more progress to show, which has taken place since Christmas. I’ve assembled the third board, which is the first of the fiddleyard boards and will also have the quarry loader on it, the design of which is yet to be finalised. The board length track is the new(ish) Peco bullhead track, which looks the part and is better (IMO) than the standard flat bottom track. I’ll use bullhead on the rest of the boards, as they’ll be sidings.

On the board joints with bullhead track I’ve glued some chairs to the rail sides over the solder joints to the copperclad, to make the joint less visible...

And the rail joints have also had C&L cosmetic fishplates added. These don’t need to be conductive as I’ve wired each piece of track individually. The end of the 'cripple' or loco siding can be seen behind.

And a photo of the whole layout so far, which I’ve set up like this on my test track roundy roundy so I can work on the most recent board and the first. The timber underneath the left hand board are two legs I’ve made, which are currently sandwiching the parts for the final boards, which have warped slightly.

 

Now, I’ve decided to mothball the layout, as mentioned before, until 'Tighte End Yard' is finished. Work will hopefully resume this summer though, when I can hopefully get the last two boards built and get the layout to a 'runnable' stage.

 

Thanks for sticking with this!

Jack.

[Jack374]

Evening one and all, and if you still follow this I thank you kindly...

 

First of all I shall get the apologies done with. In between the last post (nearly 2 years!) I’ve got a job and as such had to move to Derby. The layout unfortunately couldn’t follow me due to space and (as it happens) time constraints. However, with the current global situation, a special delivery from the parental courier service means I now have the whole thing down here with me. My plan was to resurrect the layout and hopefully get to a good stage by summer end, which may now be possible thanks to my parents.

 

Since the last post, nothing has happened to the layout, so from now I can report afresh. It’s worth noting I’ve since changed my modelling era from up to ~2014 to up to present day. I’ve also had a slight change of scenery, with the station building being based upon Croston station in Lancashire, which is now a private residence and seems a good building setup to model. A couple of updated Paint sketchings are below:

I'm still undecided on the backscene behind the platform, as I’m tempted by a factory stone building (drawn above), or terraces, or a country scene.

 

The first thing I did was to crack on with adding some ballast 'catchers' at each board end - a simple piece of card recovered from a document envelope and cut to match the ballast profile and give a solid support for the ballast at the end of the board:

Now I can finish ballasting the first board before adding some greenery hopefully.

 

On to the second board, and I’ve removed the siding for the wagon repair works as it had a tight kink in the track (it was originally to be a loco siding) and didn’t look right. It was replaced with some Peco code 75 bullhead track, which wasn’t available 5 years ago () when I started, otherwise it would’ve been used a lot more! Here’s the new siding layout before gluing, with track pins added to hold the piece in position:

 

And finally to whet the appetite, a shot of my DRS class 20 pair which I finished yesterday. The lights on 303 are independently controllable and the loco featured in this February's BRM, so I’m chuffed with the pair. No doubt they’ll find use on Fordley:

 

And it is with confidence I can now say more updates will follow!

 

Stay safe and keep modelling!

Jack.

[saxokid]

4 hours ago, Jack374 said:

Evening one and all, and if you still follow this I thank you kindly...

 

First of all I shall get the apologies done with. In between the last post (nearly 2 years!) I’ve got a job and as such had to move to Derby. The layout unfortunately couldn’t follow me due to space and (as it happens) time constraints. However, with the current global situation, a special delivery from the parental courier service means I now have the whole thing down here with me. My plan was to resurrect the layout and hopefully get to a good stage by summer end, which may now be possible thanks to my parents.

 

Since the last post, nothing has happened to the layout, so from now I can report afresh. It’s worth noting I’ve since changed my modelling era from up to ~2014 to up to present day. I’ve also had a slight change of scenery, with the station building being based upon Croston station in Lancashire, which is now a private residence and seems a good building setup to model. A couple of updated Paint sketchings are below:

I'm still undecided on the backscene behind the platform, as I’m tempted by a factory stone building (drawn above), or terraces, or a country scene.

 

The first thing I did was to crack on with adding some ballast 'catchers' at each board end - a simple piece of card recovered from a document envelope and cut to match the ballast profile and give a solid support for the ballast at the end of the board:

Now I can finish ballasting the first board before adding some greenery hopefully.

 

On to the second board, and I’ve removed the siding for the wagon repair works as it had a tight kink in the track (it was originally to be a loco siding) and didn’t look right. It was replaced with some Peco code 75 bullhead track, which wasn’t available 5 years ago () when I started, otherwise it would’ve been used a lot more! Here’s the new siding layout before gluing, with track pins added to hold the piece in position:

 

And finally to whet the appetite, a shot of my DRS class 20 pair which I finished yesterday. The lights on 303 are independently controllable and the loco featured in this February's BRM, so I’m chuffed with the pair. No doubt they’ll find use on Fordley:

 

And it is with confidence I can now say more updates will follow!

 

Stay safe and keep modelling!

Jack.

looking good Jack...

[BenHenry]

On 28/03/2020 at 20:47, Jack374 said:

Evening one and all, and if you still follow this I thank you kindly...

 

First of all I shall get the apologies done with. In between the last post (nearly 2 years!) I’ve got a job and as such had to move to Derby. The layout unfortunately couldn’t follow me due to space and (as it happens) time constraints. However, with the current global situation, a special delivery from the parental courier service means I now have the whole thing down here with me. My plan was to resurrect the layout and hopefully get to a good stage by summer end, which may now be possible thanks to my parents.

 

Since the last post, nothing has happened to the layout, so from now I can report afresh. It’s worth noting I’ve since changed my modelling era from up to ~2014 to up to present day. I’ve also had a slight change of scenery, with the station building being based upon Croston station in Lancashire, which is now a private residence and seems a good building setup to model. A couple of updated Paint sketchings are below:

I'm still undecided on the backscene behind the platform, as I’m tempted by a factory stone building (drawn above), or terraces, or a country scene.

 

The first thing I did was to crack on with adding some ballast 'catchers' at each board end - a simple piece of card recovered from a document envelope and cut to match the ballast profile and give a solid support for the ballast at the end of the board:

Now I can finish ballasting the first board before adding some greenery hopefully.

 

On to the second board, and I’ve removed the siding for the wagon repair works as it had a tight kink in the track (it was originally to be a loco siding) and didn’t look right. It was replaced with some Peco code 75 bullhead track, which wasn’t available 5 years ago () when I started, otherwise it would’ve been used a lot more! Here’s the new siding layout before gluing, with track pins added to hold the piece in position:

 

And finally to whet the appetite, a shot of my DRS class 20 pair which I finished yesterday. The lights on 303 are independently controllable and the loco featured in this February's BRM, so I’m chuffed with the pair. No doubt they’ll find use on Fordley:

 

And it is with confidence I can now say more updates will follow!

 

Stay safe and keep modelling!

Jack.

cannot wait to see this progress....

 

cheers Ben

[Departmental203]

Good luck with this one, Jack!

 

I will be looking forward to this layout's progress, I think you will end up doing better than me, frankly!

 

I hope you keep well during those uncertain times and I believe there is light at the other end of the tunnel...

 

Jules

[Powerhaul 70 Pey]

Hello Jack, I've just searched Croston station on Flickr and look forward to seeing how this progresses!

[Southwich]

Looking good Jack - looking forward to some more modelling updates! Hope you’re keeping safe and look forward to catching up soon mate.

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

[Jack374]

Thanks very much Neil, Ben, Jules, Pete and Will...I hope everyone is keeping well and not going mad being stuck inside! 

 

This week and yesterday I managed to do some ballasting. The ends of board 1 (LHS below) and one of board 2 were ballasted, along with the two sidings on board 2. The other bits I’ve left as they need cable troughs or some more orange tubes for cables to go under the tracks. I’ve put an order in for some suitable 'U' channel so hopefully I’ll get this done soon.

 

 

 

The black gaps below are from the top of each 'ballast catcher', and will be filled in with ballast (and boards are just pushed together with no alignment aids)...

 

 

As an aside I was originally going to have the layout fully signalled and with electronic points operating equipment done from Preston PSB. However, after reading Simon Paley's book 'Colour Light Signalling for Railway Modellers' (highly recommend), I’ve decided to only have the platform line and loop as PSB operated, with one ground position light controlling the exit of the wagon repair depot and another on exit from the two sidings.

 

All this means currently is I’ve removed the point motors from the points which will be hand operated, and I’ve got a brass etch for the hand levers which I’ll build soon. Signalling is currently rattling round my head, but I’ll probably end up scratchbuilding to get exactly what I want - and I’m a cheapskate!
 

Another taster shot, of EWS survivor 60065 arriving with two wagons for repair, whilst a Northern 142 awaits departure to Ormskirk. This must’ve been taken a year ago at least as tug 65 rarely leaves Toton now and the 142s are mostly now cans of beans!

 

 

Next jobs are to finish ballasting once I’ve installed cable trunking, then start looking at scenery, buildings and signals. Over the Easter weekend I might pull my finger out and build another board. The last two are currently flat pack as they came off the laser cutter.

 

Keep modelling!

Jack.

[saxokid]

On ‎05‎/‎04‎/‎2020 at 14:08, Jack374 said:

Thanks very much Neil, Ben, Jules, Pete and Will...I hope everyone is keeping well and not going mad being stuck inside! 

 

This week and yesterday I managed to do some ballasting. The ends of board 1 (LHS below) and one of board 2 were ballasted, along with the two sidings on board 2. The other bits I’ve left as they need cable troughs or some more orange tubes for cables to go under the tracks. I’ve put an order in for some suitable 'U' channel so hopefully I’ll get this done soon.

 

 

 

The black gaps below are from the top of each 'ballast catcher', and will be filled in with ballast (and boards are just pushed together with no alignment aids)...

 

 

As an aside I was originally going to have the layout fully signalled and with electronic points operating equipment done from Preston PSB. However, after reading Simon Paley's book 'Colour Light Signalling for Railway Modellers' (highly recommend), I’ve decided to only have the platform line and loop as PSB operated, with one ground position light controlling the exit of the wagon repair depot and another on exit from the two sidings.

 

All this means currently is I’ve removed the point motors from the points which will be hand operated, and I’ve got a brass etch for the hand levers which I’ll build soon. Signalling is currently rattling round my head, but I’ll probably end up scratchbuilding to get exactly what I want - and I’m a cheapskate!
 

Another taster shot, of EWS survivor 60065 arriving with two wagons for repair, whilst a Northern 142 awaits departure to Ormskirk. This must’ve been taken a year ago at least as tug 65 rarely leaves Toton now and the 142s are mostly now cans of beans!

 

 

Next jobs are to finish ballasting once I’ve installed cable trunking, then start looking at scenery, buildings and signals. Over the Easter weekend I might pull my finger out and build another board. The last two are currently flat pack as they came off the laser cutter.

 

Keep modelling!

Jack.

Coming along well I see Jack.

ive just started DRS theme to Flask loading depot..

[saxokid]

On ‎04‎/‎04‎/‎2020 at 02:51, Departmental203 said:

Good luck with this one, Jack!

 

I will be looking forward to this layout's progress, I think you will end up doing better than me, frankly!

 

I hope you keep well during those uncertain times and I believe there is light at the other end of the tunnel...

 

Jules

Yer agree with you here Jules..

[Jack374]

Evening all, hope you’re keeping well.

 

Firstly thanks Neil and everyone who has popped in or liked, many thanks!

 

Bit of progress to report on the points and signalling. Following guidance from Simon Paley (St Simon) about signalling for the layout - also obtained from his excellent book 'Colour Light Signalling for Model Railways' - I’ve decided the yard will be manually worked and not signalled, with only the bi-directional main line and the loop signalled. Pictured is a revised signalling diagram, with some extra showing a 'what could be' scenario beyond just the layout:

 

So signals needed are a 3-aspect + PL, 3-aspect platform, 3x GPLs and possibly a Banner Repeater. I’ve already got a CR Signals 3-aspect, so I’ll get another to match and make the position lights at some point. I’m undecided whether I need/want a banner repeater...it would be good to dispatch trains towards Preston, but is complex to make and expensive to buy! I’ll probably end up making one as a challenge. This plan has since been scrawled all over with more equipment positions, but more on this at a later date.....

 

This signalling change has meant a change in points operating equipment (POE). A trio of cosmetic point motors (electrically-operated type sold by Peco) were removed, and new sleeper extensions made from thick wooden tea stirrer; must’ve gone to Costa at some point to have nabbed such a thick stirrer! Also a couple of POE positions were changed to the other side of the point to give more clearance...the ballasting will be tidied up later. These were cut to match the sleepers around the point blade ends, and glued in place with wood glue and painted Railmatch 'Frame Dirt' in the absence of 'Track Dirt', but I can’t tell a difference and it’ll all be weathered again anyway...

 

 

This is to allow some hand point levers to be added. These are a lovely etch from Shire Scenes (part of the MJT/Dart Castings family IIRC), so these were soldered up. Blu-Tack and patience were my friend here, making sure the components were sufficiently hot before attempting to add solder and not adding too much solder. By the last one I had it down to a tee. I also added base plates from brass, with one from diamond plate (A1 Models) for variety. The others have protecting grids made from some spare Bachmann cl 57/3 radiator grilles of all things, as they were the perfect size! Holes were drilled to allow track pins through to secure to the board, as I’ve gone 'belt and braces' on these in the (misguided) hope that they’ll withstand the odd knock, maybe with a track cleaner, and not ping off.

 

Grids were sprayed yellow and levers white, and any other parts will be painted rusty/brown by hand.

 

Speaking of points, the real-life POE was added to board 1 in the form of some brazing rod to manually change the points. These were done the same as the second board (detailed earlier probably), with a simple chocolate block to attach some stiff wire which goes through the tie bar hole. Remember to thread on the choccy block before the last bend...doh! I also added some heat shrink/insulation tape to protect fingers from the copper and make them a bit more user-friendly. Pictures will explain better!
 

Some plastic tube is used to attach to the board with hot glue, which is surprisingly strong. This allows operation from either the front or back of the layout. Off the back of adding these, I need to find some stiffer wire and also order some large switches/microswitches to mechanically alter the polarity Of the live frog, as I’m currently relying on the blades making good electrical contact...not a good plan.

 

And finally, a couple of photos of the 20s. Taken on Good Friday, the pair have been shunted with cabs together...I heard rumours it was something to do with changing ends during reversal and the distance walked...

Big Jim can be seen in the cab finishing off before the pair are shut down for Easter with no inbound services due.

 

 

That's all for now, more soon!

 

Happy modelling,

Jack.

[saxokid]

27 minutes ago, Jack374 said:

Evening all, hope you’re keeping well.

 

Firstly thanks Neil and everyone who has popped in or liked, many thanks!

 

Bit of progress to report on the points and signalling. Following guidance from Simon Paley (St Simon) about signalling for the layout - also obtained from his excellent book 'Colour Light Signalling for Model Railways' - I’ve decided the yard will be manually worked and not signalled, with only the bi-directional main line and the loop signalled. Pictured is a revised signalling diagram, with some extra showing a 'what could be' scenario beyond just the layout:

 

So signals needed are a 3-aspect + PL, 3-aspect platform, 3x GPLs and possibly a Banner Repeater. I’ve already got a CR Signals 3-aspect, so I’ll get another to match and make the position lights at some point. I’m undecided whether I need/want a banner repeater...it would be good to dispatch trains towards Preston, but is complex to make and expensive to buy! I’ll probably end up making one as a challenge. This plan has since been scrawled all over with more equipment positions, but more on this at a later date.....

 

This signalling change has meant a change in points operating equipment (POE). A trio of cosmetic point motors (electrically-operated type sold by Peco) were removed, and new sleeper extensions made from thick wooden tea stirrer; must’ve gone to Costa at some point to have nabbed such a thick stirrer! Also a couple of POE positions were changed to the other side of the point to give more clearance...the ballasting will be tidied up later. These were cut to match the sleepers around the point blade ends, and glued in place with wood glue and painted Railmatch 'Frame Dirt' in the absence of 'Track Dirt', but I can’t tell a difference and it’ll all be weathered again anyway...

 

 

This is to allow some hand point levers to be added. These are a lovely etch from Shire Scenes (part of the MJT/Dart Castings family IIRC), so these were soldered up. Blu-Tack and patience were my friend here, making sure the components were sufficiently hot before attempting to add solder and not adding too much solder. By the last one I had it down to a tee. I also added base plates from brass, with one from diamond plate (A1 Models) for variety. The others have protecting grids made from some spare Bachmann cl 57/3 radiator grilles of all things, as they were the perfect size! Holes were drilled to allow track pins through to secure to the board, as I’ve gone 'belt and braces' on these in the (misguided) hope that they’ll withstand the odd knock, maybe with a track cleaner, and not ping off.

 

Grids were sprayed yellow and levers white, and any other parts will be painted rusty/brown by hand.

 

Speaking of points, the real-life POE was added to board 1 in the form of some brazing rod to manually change the points. These were done the same as the second board (detailed earlier probably), with a simple chocolate block to attach some stiff wire which goes through the tie bar hole. Remember to thread on the choccy block before the last bend...doh! I also added some heat shrink/insulation tape to protect fingers from the copper and make them a bit more user-friendly. Pictures will explain better!
 

Some plastic tube is used to attach to the board with hot glue, which is surprisingly strong. This allows operation from either the front or back of the layout. Off the back of adding these, I need to find some stiffer wire and also order some large switches/microswitches to mechanically alter the polarity Of the live frog, as I’m currently relying on the blades making good electrical contact...not a good plan.

 

And finally, a couple of photos of the 20s. Taken on Good Friday, the pair have been shunted with cabs together...I heard rumours it was something to do with changing ends during reversal and the distance walked...

Big Jim can be seen in the cab finishing off before the pair are shut down for Easter with no inbound services due.

 

 

That's all for now, more soon!

 

Happy modelling,

Jack.

Wow more great modelling and tips here Jack