Heaton Lodge Junction

[Steven B]

On 28/01/2022 at 19:37, HeatonLodge40 said:

47444 ‘University of Nottingham’ & 47421 Brontes of Haworth are both favourites that I used to see frequently at Heaton Lodge in the ‘80’s so both are included in this magnificent 7 line up.

 

Where did the name plates and crest for '444 come from? I'm after a set for my Farish model and wonder if they can/have been shrink-ray'd.

 

 

Steven B.

[HeatonLodge40]

8 hours ago, Steven B said:

 

Where did the name plates and crest for '444 come from? I'm after a set for my Farish model and wonder if they can/have been shrink-ray'd.

 

 

Steven B.

Hi Steven, apparently they came from Protoneo & Fox. 

[HeatonLodge40]

I’m mid way through building the new DMU & diesel depot, pics tomorrow.

 

However today I’ve been trying to fix the switched diamonds which failed at the exhibition - meaning I couldn’t run trains down the dive under.
Turned out it wasn’t a points failure as such but the outer rails had moved inwards off their chairs trapping the point blades. This I realised after I’d destroyed the tie bars in a frantic effort to fix them.

Just looking at these points (in the picture at the bottom) it’s impossible to see where the point wire attaches to a sleeper to move them - they are that well constructed. Top pic is some other working points where I’ve uncovered the slide bar.

I should say although I detailed the points I didn’t build them - pro track builder Norman Saunders did this.

Im determined to fix these by tomorrow night.. 

[jcarta]

Stunning craftsmanship 

[HeatonLodge40]

Friday update..

 

The track laying for the new diesel depot is complete, next up is painting the engine sheds & installing fuel points & a wash plant.

The reason for the diesel depot is to be able to incorporate light engine movements within its confines, so a loco can move from the shed to the fuel point then to the wash - all automatically. 
In the depot will be a Class 56 body on hydraulic jacks with its roof access doors open. (See pic). I know a shed this size wouldn’t be doing such heavy repairs but it adds a touch of interest. 
 

I should have the track work on the DMU depot alongside done this weekend too. There’s a road specifically for the Trans Pennine Class 124 (currently being re-motored) and two long roads for another 6 x 2 car DMU’s complete with run around siding. 
The noise and sight of all these idling away and moving out of the yard and back should be great fun. 
 

I’m slowly reassembling and servicing new rakes of wagons. The Motorail flats are all being re-wheeled with finer scale wheels to improve their reliability and already seem to run a lot better..

[TheSignalEngineer]

On 31/01/2022 at 21:16, HeatonLodge40 said:

I’m mid way through building the new DMU & diesel depot, pics tomorrow.

 

However today I’ve been trying to fix the switched diamonds which failed at the exhibition - meaning I couldn’t run trains down the dive under.
Turned out it wasn’t a points failure as such but the outer rails had moved inwards off their chairs trapping the point blades. This I realised after I’d destroyed the tie bars in a frantic effort to fix them.

Just looking at these points (in the picture at the bottom) it’s impossible to see where the point wire attaches to a sleeper to move them - they are that well constructed. Top pic is some other working points where I’ve uncovered the slide bar.

I should say although I detailed the points I didn’t build them - pro track builder Norman Saunders did this.

Im determined to fix these by tomorrow night.. 

Switch diamonds are always a pain in the backside in real life. We often had trouble with a set at Proof House that were prone to locking themselves up on sunny afternoons due to expansion.

[LongRail]

Did you model the lighting gantry on a real location as they appear too tall for the size of depot and look more like the sort of structure  you would see in a major marshalling yard

[Enterprisingwestern]

6 hours ago, LongRail said:

Did you model the lighting gantry on a real location as they appear too tall for the size of depot and look more like the sort of structure  you would see in a major marshalling yard

 

You're right and wrong in equal measures!, as 55C was in the middle of a marshalling yard it was illuminated by the tall towers as can be seen in pictures.

 

Mike.

[ferret1956]

8 hours ago, LongRail said:

Did you model the lighting gantry on a real location as they appear too tall for the size of depot and look more like the sort of structure  you would see in a major marshalling yard

Oh they were tall! We lived near Mirfield, and you could see the lights from my bedroom window. I always thought it weird that they reused Farnleys shed code for HM. And, to be fair, Simons fiddleyard is near enough a marshalling yard! 

Edited February 6, 2022 by ferret1956

[HeatonLodge40]

Yes the gantries are scale 120ft size of the Healey Mills examples in the pics above.

 

Good point by Long Rail though… the particular gantry in my pic is destined for the marshalling yard and isn’t in the correct position near the diesel depot. 
I’ve a much smaller resin built example for there. 

[HeatonLodge40]

This weekend I’ve almost finished the DMU depot siding and been repairing rough rail joints. 
This particular rail joint repair has now turned into a new 60ft concrete track panel. 
Those multi tools are great for jobs like this 

[26power]

On 04/02/2022 at 18:58, HeatonLodge40 said:

Friday update..

 

The track laying for the new diesel depot is complete, next up is painting the engine sheds & installing fuel points & a wash plant.

The reason for the diesel depot is to be able to incorporate light engine movements within its confines, so a loco can move from the shed to the fuel point then to the wash - all automatically. 
In the depot will be a Class 56 body on hydraulic jacks with its roof access doors open. (See pic). I know a shed this size wouldn’t be doing such heavy repairs but it adds a touch of interest. 
 

I should have the track work on the DMU depot alongside done this weekend too. There’s a road specifically for the Trans Pennine Class 124 (currently being re-motored) and two long roads for another 6 x 2 car DMU’s complete with run around siding. 
The noise and sight of all these idling away and moving out of the yard and back should be great fun. 
 

I’m slowly reassembling and servicing new rakes of wagons. The Motorail flats are all being re-wheeled with finer scale wheels to improve their reliability and already seem to run a lot better..

 

Would there perhaps be greater clearance between the shed building and the wash plant?  To allow maintenance access to both perhaps?  Maybe scope to slew that track to the left?  Hope this helps.

[HeatonLodge40]

5 hours ago, 26power said:

Would there perhaps be greater clearance between the shed building and the wash plant?  To allow maintenance access to both perhaps?  Maybe scope to slew that track to the left?  Hope this helps.

Good point! I’d not decided on its final location but that makes sense 

[HeatonLodge40]

Fitting tail lamps again today.

Motorail flats (or any flats) are the worst because of the clearance. Only room available for the battery holder is between the axles in the bogie. Looks a mess but it works. 
 

These 15 flats I’ve also re-wheeled too as I couldn’t get them to run reliably at Wakefield without constant derailments.
They use the Ellis Clarke MK1 coach bogies, the sides of which swivel up and down on a pivot. I’ve glued these bogie sides so they are now rigid and after testing today it seems to have cured the derailment problem. 

The 15 Motorail flat train pulled by two Railfreight ‘31’s was probably the most requested after the steam specials at Wakefield 

 

I did have a few constructive critical comments from Wakefield I’ve taken on boards.

Most common was lack of tail lamps on all trains, no corridor connections between coaches, lack of 40’s & 45’s and the Class 124 Trans Pennine (which seemed to be an unlikely hit). 
 

[rob D2]

Nice work , dunno if it’s been pointed out but cover page showing wrong dates .

[steve4rosegrove]

2 hours ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Fitting tail lamps again today.

Motorail flats (or any flats) are the worst because of the clearance. Only room available for the battery holder is between the axles in the bogie. Looks a mess but it works. 
 

These 15 flats I’ve also re-wheeled too as I couldn’t get them to run reliably at Wakefield without constant derailments.
They use the Ellis Clarke MK1 coach bogies, the sides of which swivel up and down on a pivot. I’ve glued these bogie sides so they are now rigid and after testing today it seems to have cured the derailment problem. 

The 15 Motorail flat train pulled by two Railfreight ‘31’s was probably the most requested after the steam specials at Wakefield 

 

I did have a few constructive critical comments from Wakefield I’ve taken on boards.

Most common was lack of tail lamps on all trains, no corridor connections between coaches, lack of 40’s & 45’s and the Class 124 Trans Pennine (which seemed to be an unlikely hit). 
 

As you're DCC would it be practical to pick up juice for the lamps from the track?

 

[Simond]

That’s what I do with my coach lighting.  
 

One bogie shorted to one rail and the other shorted to the other, this “American” pickup system avoids friction (not an issue for a tail light, but it would be on a rake of coaches) and I used a capacitor to avoid flicker due to poor or intermittent pickup.

 

sorry the commentary is a bit broken up.  If you want a circuit diagram I can draw one for you.

 

hth

Simon

Edited February 7, 2022 by Simond

[HeatonLodge40]

3 hours ago, rob D2 said:

Nice work , dunno if it’s been pointed out but cover page showing wrong dates .

Whoops I’ll get my IT guru onto that now 

[HeatonLodge40]

2 hours ago, steve4rosegrove said:

As you're DCC would it be practical to pick up juice for the lamps from the track?

 

Yep it would but I guess I’m guilty of sticking to what I know !

[steve45]

On 06/02/2022 at 21:46, HeatonLodge40 said:

This weekend I’ve almost finished the DMU depot siding and been repairing rough rail joints. 
This particular rail joint repair has now turned into a new 60ft concrete track panel. 
Those multi tools are great for jobs like this 

Very prototypical to do this sort of work over the weekend, I hope you finished it by Monday morning

[TheSignalEngineer]

On 06/02/2022 at 07:19, ferret1956 said:

Oh they were tall! We lived near Mirfield, and you could see the lights from my bedroom window.

I remember being able to see the ones at Basford Hall from the M6 near Barthomley which is about four miles away.

[HeatonLodge40]

Finished the fictitious DMU depot & small MPD today. I truly cannot stand track laying. Also finished laying in a new track panel which was complicated as the multi tool had massacred the wood beneath it so was uneven. 
 

Other jobs this weekend are repairing and servicing more wagons before putting them back on the layout. 
The Accurascale HUO’s have suffered pretty badly with absolutely caked on dirt on the wheels & lots of missing buffers and brake gear. All fixable of course but I’m now keeping a couple of each type of wagon as spares. Given most of the wagons travelled at least 8 true miles I guess it’s all to be expected. 

[TheSignalEngineer]

1 hour ago, HeatonLodge40 said:

Given most of the wagons travelled at least 8 true miles I guess it’s all to be expected. 

My wagons would need to do about 1300 laps  for that.

[blueeighties]

DMU depot looks fab. Great home for smoky rattly 101s 

[HeatonLodge40]

1 hour ago, TheSignalEngineer said:

My wagons would need to do about 1300 laps  for that.

Yes I still don’t know why I didn’t make do with a Hornby express freight train set