Christleton Junction - 1986 - Gateway to North Wales

[St Enodoc]

9 hours ago, 61656 said:

I have then applied a very very fine coat of “No Ox Id - a special” which is a very fine conductive lubricant.

Many of us use graphite sticks for the same reason.

[61656]

It’s been a while since I found some modelling time, possibly in part because of my ridiculous plan to weather every bit of rolling stock, change the couplings and clean the wheels. 
 

I faced up to the first challenge of getting the 20’s and tanks running. The kadee fitment was by far the biggest headache, but seem to be working fine now. Kadees are just on the end wagons, there are Smiths instanter couplings between them. 
 

For the moment I’m going to stick with the plan, but I have an emergency exit planned if needed. I also have something of a deadline as I’ve bought a surprise loco for a good friend (he’s not on RMweb before anyone gets excited!), which is due ‘this quarter’. It definitely needs a set of blue and grey coaches for when it’s unveiled.

 

Meanwhile here’s the tanks passing the next set for weathering. 
 

[61656]

A very light weathering for the 56… it may get heavier later, but it’s far too beautiful a model to risk. A varied level of weathering for the HAA’s; they’ll get the Point of Ayr tyre marks eventually. 
 

The eagle eyed will spot its coming in wrong line. The xray eyed will spot the couplings aren’t fitted yet. 
 

[5BarVT]

41 minutes ago, 61656 said:

The eagle eyed will spot its coming in wrong line. The xray eyed will spot the couplings aren’t fitted yet. 

Sure it’s not shoving a failure out right road?

Paul.

[61656]

With the tanks and hoppers ‘done’, a quick video of each moving off to the fiddle yard to allow the next set to be worked on. 
 

The new class 56 getting the HAA’s moving. 
 

 

Then a pair of dirty 20’s roll in with the tanks. The signal’s not there yet, but the driver still slows until it clears for the middle road. There’s a short overlap in the middle road, so all trains are cautioned on the approach, except in the rare event of greens all the way through. 
 

 

[bradfordbuffer]

42 minutes ago, 61656 said:

With the tanks and hoppers ‘done’, a quick video of each moving off to the fiddle yard to allow the next set to be worked on. 
 

The new class 56 getting the HAA’s moving. 
 

 

Then a pair of dirty 20’s roll in with the tanks. The signal’s not there yet, but the driver still slows until it clears for the middle road. There’s a short overlap in the middle road, so all trains are cautioned on the approach, except in the rare event of greens all the way through. 
 

 

Better get a move on with coal delivery....!

Spent a lot of hrs going in circles at 0.5mph....another piece of history gone.

 

Faward stop forward stop set back forward stop....stop stop...foward stop

Only ever unloaded in one go once....thought it was Christmas 

 

Nice weathering on Haa will look good with rubber markings when done.

G

Edited February 29 by bradfordbuffer

[5BarVT]

3 hours ago, 61656 said:

There’s a short overlap in the middle road, so all trains are cautioned on the approach,

That’s a very restrictive release for the DY, but then, you are modelling the LM!

And well done for blowing up for the cameraman.

Paul.

[61656]

3 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

That’s a very restrictive release for the DY, but then, you are modelling the LM!

And well done for blowing up for the cameraman.

Paul.

The cameraman already had his hand in the air, hence the driver acknowledged with a single hoot. 

[mallaig1983]

Weathering looks very nice Andy and the Cavalex 56 speaks for itself. Are the 20s from the latest batch? They sound good. I have an early Bachmann 20 and I’m wondering what sound/speaker combination to go for. I think yours are the latest model though?

 

Nice little videos, they came on my fire stick as ‘1 minute ago’ so I think I was your first viewer 😀. 

[61656]

39 minutes ago, mallaig1983 said:

Weathering looks very nice Andy and the Cavalex 56 speaks for itself. Are the 20s from the latest batch? They sound good. I have an early Bachmann 20 and I’m wondering what sound/speaker combination to go for. I think yours are the latest model though?

 

Nice little videos, they came on my fire stick as ‘1 minute ago’ so I think I was your first viewer 😀. 

Don’t start the I was first debate - I’m still in hot water about the hundredth follower!

 

The 20’s are fairly recent Bachmann offerings (December ‘22) with factory fitted sound. Given the choice again I’d go unfitted and opt for Legomanbiffo sound, but a 20 looks like a challenging speaker fit! 

[Fishplate]

1 hour ago, 61656 said:

Don’t start the I was first debate - I’m still in hot water about the hundredth follower!

 

😇 I woz robbed. . . .🤣

[61656]

With the production line back in full swing, an 85 waits to get the Dee Marsh to Mossend steel empties moving. 
 

The Cavalex BBA wagons are a lovely model and much improved by close coupling and the steel uprights. Just a pity they don’t have the Bachmann type couplings which would allow really close coupling. 
 

Like many of my freight rakes this one can probably be a truck or two longer. In this case, I may still even be able to acquire some!

 

[61656]

Probably my favourite part of weathering a loco is doing the research on it. Bachmann’s 47035 is my only 47/0 and a central part of the freight fleet. I have a 1986 and 1987 copy of the Platform 5 book that gives good information on numbers, liveries, depots and class variations. Ideally I like to model a loco that was within regular range of Chester and in the right colour in Jan 86 and Jan 87, which gives me confidence that it’s right for my period. 
 

A quick look shows that 47035 was no more in 1986, having become a 47/4 in 1984. In looking for a suitable new number I usually opt for a Crewe Diesel allocation, and then try to find photos on Flickr to confirm livery, likely workings, any unusual variations and such. 
 

My 47/0 is used for various turns, but includes MGR and Freightliner, which it turns out are somewhat exclusive. Some of the 47/0 fleet were slow speed control fitted for MGR work and thus didn’t get used on much else. This is good news as it means I need another one!

 

All this means 47187 is in the process of being created. 187 was a CD loco, banger blue, no slow speed, correct fuel tanks, regular freight loco, so looks like a good choice. It does need yellow headcode and a high intensity marker adding. Let the fun commence!

 

[61656]

I have a problem with the Cavalex BBA steel wagons….  I don’t seem to be able to get them to run with anything other than standard hook and loop couplings. The supplied screw couplings are beautiful, and could be functional, but not on my relatively small radius curves (450mm in the storage yards). I think I’ll have the same problem with any chassis mounted coupling on such a long framed vehicle. The NEM pockets are set too far back for Hornby / Roco couplers and the Bachmann fixed pipes are too rigid. Kadees throughout might work, but they don’t look the best. Any other suggestions?

[GD]

On 01/03/2024 at 22:35, 61656 said:

Probably my favourite part of weathering a loco is doing the research on it. Bachmann’s 47035 is my only 47/0 and a central part of the freight fleet. I have a 1986 and 1987 copy of the Platform 5 book that gives good information on numbers, liveries, depots and class variations. Ideally I like to model a loco that was within regular range of Chester and in the right colour in Jan 86 and Jan 87, which gives me confidence that it’s right for my period. 
 

A quick look shows that 47035 was no more in 1986, having become a 47/4 in 1984. In looking for a suitable new number I usually opt for a Crewe Diesel allocation, and then try to find photos on Flickr to confirm livery, likely workings, any unusual variations and such. 
 

My 47/0 is used for various turns, but includes MGR and Freightliner, which it turns out are somewhat exclusive. Some of the 47/0 fleet were slow speed control fitted for MGR work and thus didn’t get used on much else. This is good news as it means I need another one!

 

All this means 47187 is in the process of being created. 187 was a CD loco, banger blue, no slow speed, correct fuel tanks, regular freight loco, so looks like a good choice. It does need yellow headcode and a high intensity marker adding. Let the fun commence!

 

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but 47187 had a different boiler port, 47035 had the spanner boiler so the choice of 47/0 should be 47001 to 47035 and 47096 to 47186. 47096 had black panels at one time. 

[lincolnshiremodeller]

4 hours ago, 61656 said:

I have a problem with the Cavalex BBA steel wagons….  I don’t seem to be able to get them to run with anything other than standard hook and loop couplings. The supplied screw couplings are beautiful, and could be functional, but not on my relatively small radius curves (450mm in the storage yards). I think I’ll have the same problem with any chassis mounted coupling on such a long framed vehicle. The NEM pockets are set too far back for Hornby / Roco couplers and the Bachmann fixed pipes are too rigid. Kadees throughout might work, but they don’t look the best. Any other suggestions?

 

Have you tried the Hunt magnetic couplings from Westhill Wagon Works? I've used the buckeye variants on coaching stock ad am about to try out a different variant on freight stock. 

 

I prefer Kadee couplings but they are just becoming so darn expensive to roll out to every loco, coach, and wagon. So I'm in the process of swapping some out with the Hunt couplings on fixed wagon rakes that don't get shunted.

 

SJ

[61656]

5 hours ago, GD said:

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news but 47187 had a different boiler port, 47035 had the spanner boiler so the choice of 47/0 should be 47001 to 47035 and 47096 to 47186. 47096 had black panels at one time. 

Well that’s a pain… but appreciated nonetheless. Time to choose again. 

[61656]

With hook and bar couplings temporarily in place, the weathered rake of Cavalex BBA wagons gets lifted out of Christleton Junction towards Moss End by an 85. These were often double headed over Shap by pairs of electrics, which is something that could definitely happen again here. 
 

The BBA wagons are much improved by a light weather and the addition of the steel uprights. How long they’ll last is another matter. 

[61656]

With 47103 (praying to relevant deity that it remains so numbered) soon to be released into traffic, the freight fleet is making good progress. Next up are the Rats, which are already weathered and just need Kadees. I’m a little bothered by the different shades of yellow front end, but not enough to take action. 
 

Most of the speedlink fleet is already weathered too, although a couple of wagons need a bit of work. My previous efforts have left a shiny white residue in places, but that should be sortable. My current regime of using Humbrol colour wash doesn’t seem to have that result, long may it continue. 
 

 

After that it’s the turn of the Bescot 31. I tried to heavily weather that and it doesn’t look right at all. Reviewing pictures of dirty locos shows that the bodysides and cab fronts always stayed fairly respectable, even when underframes, roof and grills were deeply oil stained. You can make as much mess as you like, but you may need to clean it up!

[61656]

It’s been a whole month since anything happened on the layout, partly due to trying to get some house restoration projects progressed (one has a positive impact for Christleton - more to follow), and partly due to excessive time in the Alps. 
 

I had always planned to spend time on the timetable in the quiet evenings of my holiday… little did I understand the challenge! My previous full run through of the timetable resulted in a hand marked copy full of notes (some of which must have made sense at the time), plus I have 3 new multiple unit sidings to allocate. This will be helpful as the 5 units often ended up on top of each other or sharing siding space with other trains, which limits their length. 
 

Here’s an extract of where I’m up to:

 

 

A quick explainer for those new to the layout. I got hold of the 1986 passenger and freight working timetables, and copied all the movements for Chester (on which Christleton is geographically based). Reading across you have:

 

Move number

Time 

Origin (usually a fiddle yard road or platform)

Destination (as origin)

Headcode

Train Description

Timing Load - from the WTT which gives an indication of loco hauled and train weight etc. 

Real from - actual origin

Real Dep time

Real To - actual destination 

Real arrival time (not always shown in the WTT)

Booked loco - from the 1986 loco allocation diagram where known, or just the type from photos

Loco - loco type on the layout

Stock - consist on the layout

Formation - not used much, occasionally I’ll add where a specific coach is added. 
Comments

 

I then have all the fiddle yard roads to show what they are holding at that time. These don’t get printed out but are essential for planning. 5 Crewe roads, 6 Warrington (W2 can exit to Crewe, W3&4 can enter from Crewe), 6 Holyhead roads. HWT which allows trains to access the Warrington roads from the Holyhead lines. 2 stabling roads at White Lane carriage sidings and a White Lane through road allowing trains to exit to the carriage sidings and then transfer to the Holyhead or Warrington roads. Finally the MU roads nominally allocated to Hooton, Helsby and Piccadilly. 
 

In the screen shot I’m working on movement 314, which is just over halfway through the day. The original timetable used codes MU1-5 for the units. I’m updating this to D1-4 for DMUs and E1 for the 304. I’m trying to keep the same units on the Helsby and Hooton shuttles, and obviously the EMU stays on the Oxford Road / Piccadilly services. 
 

Most of the changes are fairly straightforward, but occasionally I find some shuffling is needed where previously a DMU arriving from Llandudno was allocated to leave on a Piccadilly service for example. Ultimately it should free up quite a bit of fiddle yard space to add more services if I want to. 
 

I’m also sorting out various errors from the original draft. One example is adding an additional tank train flow from Warrington to Crewe and back. This frees up siding space to allow stock to run for the booked RM&EE path. This extra tank train will probably become a diverted Stanlow to Hunslet, which I have photos showing various locos including double headed 25s. 
 

I’m also going to add a few trip workings to both Chester and Warrington. The former should allow some of the shunters to get some mainline turns. 
 

Hopefully it won’t be too long before I’m back running a proper timetabled service!

[5BarVT]

8 hours ago, 61656 said:

little did I understand the challenge!

Fun, isn’t it.

I haven’t been back to mine to update it for some time.

Gets even more fun when you have computer based train operation because it all has to be converted into the operating system . . . 
I have started, but I haven’t finished!

Paul.

[61656]

1 hour ago, 5BarVT said:

Fun, isn’t it.

I haven’t been back to mine to update it for some time.

Gets even more fun when you have computer based train operation because it all has to be converted into the operating system . . . 
I have started, but I haven’t finished!

Paul.

That’s somewhere close to insanity!

 

I suspect it will take quite a while to get mine error free. It probably takes about 3 months for me to run through 24 hours!

[St Enodoc]

3 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Fun, isn’t it.

I haven’t been back to mine to update it for some time.

Gets even more fun when you have computer based train operation because it all has to be converted into the operating system . . . 
I have started, but I haven’t finished!

Paul.

 

1 hour ago, 61656 said:

That’s somewhere close to insanity!

 

I suspect it will take quite a while to get mine error free. It probably takes about 3 months for me to run through 24 hours!

Now we've started the full sequence (main and branch) I'm making notes every session and entering them in the master spreadsheet. Once we get to the end of the sequence (some time next year?) I'll have to recreate all the driver/signalman/yardmaster spreadsheets from that again. Can't wait...

[61656]

I’ve been trying to find out more about trip workings, specifically how the ‘target’ numbers were allocated and what they meant. Target 92 seems to be the code for the trip freight from Llandudno Junction to Holyhead. The Junction was the end of the Speedlink service from Warrington and linked it in with the rest of the Network. 
 

I think by 86 most of the smaller freight destinations in the Chester area had gone, so I may need to add a couple of local workings to justify an additional couple of trip workings each day. It would be nice to justify a couple of wagons that aren’t tanks, opens and vans. Suggestions?
 

 

[Wummyock]

11 hours ago, 61656 said:

I’ve been trying to find out more about trip workings, specifically how the ‘target’ numbers were allocated and what they meant. Target 92 seems to be the code for the trip freight from Llandudno Junction to Holyhead. The Junction was the end of the Speedlink service from Warrington and linked it in with the rest of the Network. 
 

I think by 86 most of the smaller freight destinations in the Chester area had gone, so I may need to add a couple of local workings to justify an additional couple of trip workings each day. It would be nice to justify a couple of wagons that aren’t tanks, opens and vans. Suggestions?
 

 

How about a wagon repair depot somewhere nearby? You can then run anything and everything? Return trip working every day with number of wagons decided by a 12 sided dice maybe for some variety?