RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted July 20, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 20, 2016 Thanks. The layout's name come from Winnie the Pooh, specifically the song 'Cottleston Pie'. Cheers, Ben. As a big Pooh fan, I spotted the name straight away. Is that a pie factory on the backscene? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted July 20, 2016 Author Share Posted July 20, 2016 They make stockings, not pies in the background factory (I'm a leg man). However, The Unicorn pub on Crow Lane serves an excellent Cottleston Pie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted October 30, 2016 Author Share Posted October 30, 2016 For the first time since February Cottleston's been set up in the garage. The spiders have done much more work on it than I have! We're taking it out to the Weston on Trent show on November 12th, helping raise money for the school there. I haven't lifted the dust sheets from the layout since February and without sounding too sentimental I realised how much I missed simply going out for half an hour's driving for the sheer pleasure of trundling some stock around. The only time I ever seem to get to drive anything is when the layout is set up at an exhibition. Better time management would probably help. Anyway, I'm looking forward to driving Cottleston again at Weston. Hopefully some of you will be passing, come and say hello if you get a chance. Cheers, Ben. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted November 2, 2016 Share Posted November 2, 2016 As the organiser of the Weston show I would like to thank you for offering to bring the layout over and support our school event. We are looking forward to seeing you on the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted November 9, 2016 Author Share Posted November 9, 2016 Thanks, Andy, The team and I are looking forward to it. The bacon baps will be very welcome. Cottleston got powered up for the first time since February this evening. Happily the points switched properly, all the signals came off and a shunter trundled around the freshly polished track perfectly. With all the time I've spent on Emsworth I'd forgotten how much I enjoy driving this layout. I think that once I have finished Firsby I'll make Cottleston 2. Hopefully I'll see some of you on Saturday. Cheers, Ben. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted November 9, 2016 Share Posted November 9, 2016 Looking forward to seeing you on Saturday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted November 13, 2016 Author Share Posted November 13, 2016 A thoroughly good time was had by Team Cottleston at Weston on Trent today. Thanks to Andy and all the school staff for looking after us so well. Setting up in a primary school classroom was a first, though the small tables, chairs (and loos) made me feel tall for the first time in my life. There's the layout - first time out of the garage for nine months and only a couple of minor problems to tweak. I did enjoy driving it again. 37114 'City of Worcester' waiting to set back into the military exchange sidings with a train of armoured vehicles. 56059 edges a military train into platform 2 ready for its departure to Didcot. A class 150 gets the road into Cottleston station with a service from Acrewood to Nottingham. 50033 'Glorious' brings in three redundant electric locomotives into the exchange sidings for ongoing storage in the military depot. Defence Logistics Organisation Thomas Hill Steelman Royale shunter (thankfully not yet in purple livery) in one of the exchange sidings. 60078 'Noor Inayat Khan GC' waiting by the old loading bank with a train of Land Rovers (you can never have too many) to go to Ashchurch. The depot's commanding officer has booked the saloon to have a run along the military branch to the exchange sidings. I hope he isn't too cross about the weeds. The depot's maintenance staff keep the ex Longmoor Military Railway J94 for special occasions. A former Transpennine class 158, now in Central Trains service, awaiting it's departure for Nottingham. It should be modified with Central Trains branding in the next few months when the transfers arrive. The layout's next outing will be Dereham in February. Cheers, Ben. 6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted November 13, 2016 Share Posted November 13, 2016 A cracking layout Ben. It looked superb. Thank you for your support. See you again next year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted November 14, 2016 Author Share Posted November 14, 2016 Another couple of pictures from Weston on Trent. The exchange sidings at a busy moment with a Freightliner 47 having a break in the loco siding while an EWS 66 has just uncoupled from its train of Warflats and Warwells. An EWS class 31, actually the EWS 31, waiting to be called onto its train. 10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted November 14, 2016 Share Posted November 14, 2016 More awesome pictures I see Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted November 15, 2016 Author Share Posted November 15, 2016 Thanks, everyone. Having had invitations to a couple of big exhibitions while we were at Weston on Saturday Cottleston's planned retirement has been put back to the end of 2018. There will be a limited refit over the next couple of months, before Dereham, which will involve the disused up platform being renewed and the hardstanding around the ground frame being replaced with something a little more convincing - probably suitably painted and weathered mounting card rather than the current plasticard. Cheers, Ben. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted November 20, 2016 Author Share Posted November 20, 2016 (edited) Another couple of pictures I found tucked in a phone... 50033 "Glorious" as a backdrop to the ongoing meeting between the Army and Network Rail. I used to travel behind the 50s a lot, back when I didn't have a car and was travelling between Skegness and Andover each weekend off from my courses at Middle Wallop. I like to think I must have travelled behind Glorious, but I never bothered to take any notice of the locos hauling my train. The sad, wasteful tale of HMS Glorious's sinking by the Scharnhorst in June 1940 captured my imagination many years ago and so 33 is my favourite 50. That former Transpennine 158 passes Moggs Eye signal box on its way to platform 1. Those colour light signals must be ready for commissioning soon. Visible in the background is a 37 in platform 2. That same unit, now in platform 2 with a Northern class 153 enjoying a layover in platform 1. Maybe the crew will be in The Unicorn on Crow Lane having a soft drink and a Cottleston Pie. Edited November 20, 2016 by Moggs Eye 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted November 20, 2016 Share Posted November 20, 2016 Another couple of pictures I found tucked in a phone... 50033 "Glorious" as a backdrop to the ongoing meeting between the Army and Network Rail. I used to travel behind the 50s a lot, back when I didn't have a car and was travelling between Skegness and Andover each weekend off from my courses at Middle Wallop. I like to think I must have travelled behind Glorious, but I never bothered to take any notice of the locos hauling my train. The sad, wasteful tale of HMS Glorious's sinking by the Scharnhorst in June 1940 captured my imagination many years ago and so 33 is my favourite 50. That former Transpennine 158 passes Moggs Eye signal box on its way to platform 1. Those colour light signals must be ready for commissioning soon. Visible in the background is a 37 in platform 2. That same unit, now in platform 2 with a Northern class 153 enjoying a layover in platform 1. Maybe the crew will be in The Unicorn on Crow Lane having a soft drink and a Cottleston Pie. These must be from the Weston show. I recognise the backdrop! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted November 22, 2016 Share Posted November 22, 2016 More awesome pictures!! cheers neil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted November 23, 2016 Author Share Posted November 23, 2016 (edited) These must be from the Weston show. I recognise the backdrop! I hope the kids from your class enjoyed the change in the classroom! It was good to meet a few of them. One of your ex-pupils (I think) had a drive after he spent ages watching the trains. Edited November 23, 2016 by Moggs Eye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted November 23, 2016 Share Posted November 23, 2016 I hope the kids from your class enjoyed the change in the classroom! It was good to meet a few of them. One of your ex-pupils (I think) had a drive after he spent ages watching the trains. What was the pupil's name? I did notice a trio of ex pupils around in the afternoon. A few of my class were around and seemed to enjoy themselves. I think they get surprised by how big the classroom is when all of the tables are cleared away. Was strange for me as this year's show was the first time my layout was not in there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted November 25, 2016 Author Share Posted November 25, 2016 What was the pupil's name? I did notice a trio of ex pupils around in the afternoon. A few of my class were around and seemed to enjoy themselves. I think they get surprised by how big the classroom is when all of the tables are cleared away. Was strange for me as this year's show was the first time my layout was not in there. I can't remember his name, though I did use one of the 'Excellent' stickers I found on your desk to reward his driving! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted November 25, 2016 Share Posted November 25, 2016 I wonder if it was Corey. He was always very keen on model railways. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted February 18, 2017 Author Share Posted February 18, 2017 Hi, Cottleston will be at Dereham this Saturday, February the 25th. Come and say hello if you're passing. Cheers, Ben. http://mnr.org.uk/events/modelrailwayday Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted February 25, 2017 Author Share Posted February 25, 2017 Hi, We had a good time at Dereham today, thanks to Pauline and her crew for looking after us. The layout performed well after a couple of tense moments first thing; 1 - During set up one of the operators came out with the immortal words, 'Where is the transformer for the controller?' After contemplating a day spent presiding over a 16' diorama it turned out that the above operator had done the kind of search a teenage lad would have considered cursory and missed the transformer in the electrical box right where it was supposed to be. 2 - A few minutes later, 'None of the points or signals work!' Happily that was just a loose wire. Due to work and family commitments I didn't get much work done on the layout before this show, apart from renewing the hardstanding and rearranging the huts around the military enclave near the fiddle yard. I think it looks better, but more importantly the edge of the hardstanding doesn't cause problems for rolling stock any more. The driver of a Central Trains 156 looks bored as she awaits the road for her service to Nottingham. A Northern train for Sheffield can just be seen under the old goods shed. It looks like one of the ground staff at Cottleston is taking a moment to chat up one of the local ladies. Presumably the driver of 50033 Glorious has nipped to The Unicorn, over the level crossing on Crow Lane, for some quick refreshment. A short time later Glorious is trundling through the slips past Moggs Eye box having dropped off some surplus electric locomotives for storage on the military railway. A busy moment in the exchange sidings with an EWS Class 66 waiting to get away with some armoured vehicles for the depot at Ludgershall while the MoD shunter will shortly be taking its train to the Cottleson depot. Cottleston is out next in July, in deepest Hertfordshire! Cheers, Ben. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony 37411 Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Looking fantastic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted February 26, 2017 Author Share Posted February 26, 2017 Cottleston now has invitations for 2019! Assuming ti doesn't fall to bits before then that will make 10 years of exhibitions. I may have to produce commemorative mugs! Cheers, Ben. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyram Posted February 26, 2017 Share Posted February 26, 2017 Congrats on gaining more invites. It is a very good layout. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 With a few months until the next show and with some time on my hands I've decided on a few refurbishment jobs which means the signal box board backscene has come off for the first time in ages giving a view of Moggs Eye signal box's rear. The concrete base for the box's REB is being renewed to look a little more like concrete, the factory building concealing the control panel is having a tidy up and then I plan to refurbish the platforms in the station. In between times I'm trying to work through the locos, units and wagon in the 'Workshop Draw'. So far a Northern liveried Pacer has had it's wiring and couplings repaired, 67029 has had new traction tyres and 08800, in a rather nice Intercity Swallow livery, has had extra pick ups added. Hopefully they'll all be running at the next show. Cheers, Ben. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moggs Eye Posted February 28, 2017 Author Share Posted February 28, 2017 I bought 08800, and early Bachmann model, some time ago as I've always liked the Inter City Swallow livery and couldn't really justify running anything like that in the era my layouts are set. Unfortunately it's always run so badly, with or without a decoder, that it was't fit for exhibition work. Then I saw an article in the October 2016 Model Rail about fitting extra pickups. A little bit of soldering and fettling later and I have my 08 tested and ready for it's next deployment. Unfortunately that's not until June, with Emsworth, but here it is anyway. Apologies for the quality of the pictures, I was using the phone. Cheers, Ben. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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