Oak Road - 2013 to present (a fictitious place somewhere in Somerset) - Raising Money for Meningitis Research

[vulcan product fan]

Just missing a station sign and some people.....and the headlights!!

 

Close Up.jpg

stunning photo glad its not an 800 yet .

[Revolution Mike B]

I thought I'd take the the time I'm not working on the layout to sort out a few stock niggles, so last night I spent a couple of hours transforming Hornby's plastic REME HST in to this....

 

 

At the price they charge for these things there's some pretty poor issues, like the exhaust deflector looking like an afterthought for one! The lights are awful with a horrible blue glow to them too - I could go on with other issues but seeing as I got these from AC Models for a bargain price, it makes up for it. Ideally, I could do with a dozen sets of Lima deflectors but at £15 for a power car body, it'll get silly, so I'm thinking I could use some thin brass sheet to make my own - after all, that's all the Hornby ones seem to be.

 

On the plus side, the weathered HST sets look so much better and the darker roof helps disguise the ridiculously light shade of blue. 

 

I've got the 150/2 to finish of this week and then I'm going to start on the 150/1 and the 153. There's also a 158 in bits that I need to get cracking on at some point!

Edited September 5, 2018 by scoobyra

[Guest]

Okay... Wow.

Haven't stopped by for ages, but I seem to have missed an awful lot! Have 65 metaphorical "Likes" and a smattering of "Craftsmanships".

Terrific, as always.

[SouthernMafia]

^what he said, layout looks awesome. Glad I'm not working on mine currently as its just nowhere near your standard. Sorry I can't make Taunton.

[Revolution Mike B]

Cheers Pete, the learning curve is getting less steep every day as I learn more skills and get lots more advice from people that have been there, seen it and done it.

 

Rich, there's nothing wrong with Portland mate, it's a fine layout. I'm not sure the standard of Oak Road is high, more that I've tried to copy the real world errors. I've got a few more surprises up my sleeve for Taunton and something really simple that I've not seen on a modern image layout yet. The hardest thing about the whole project has been trying to get stuff made right, and then having to tell people that I've asked to make things, they've done it wrong and could they please do it again. Luckily....I have an excellent relationship with both Justin at Scale Model Scenery and Steve at Railtec, so it becomes more of a continuous improvement process - not that they've ever messed things up but things have been tweaked here and there. The same with Alan at Modelu with the lights - he ran off three sample sets before moving to the final (and excellent) light heads.

 

There's still this annoying niggle in the back of my head that says 'rip it all up and build Castle Cary proper!' 

[Revolution Mike B]

Nitwit Rail have been in this morning to make a start on the track repairs....

 

 

....but the Project Manager forgot the toothbrush so everything seems to have come to a halt!

 

You can clearly see the plasticard 'riser' on the right hand side of the track base which helps form the super elevation. This was not just a case of sticking it under the track like so many people seem to do - there's a start point and it gradually increases from nothing to +1.25mm as it enters the tunnel, and matches the transition of the curve. I need to be careful not to dislodge this as it'll be almost impossible to get it right again. The aim here is to remove the first 10 sleepers and replace them with new ones that haven't got damaged pandarol clips! I'm also going to see if I can get some pins in at the end of the board and solder the rails down to stopthem getting ripped out every five minutes....pretty much a school boy error on my part but I don't like the soldered copper clad look and I didn't think about copying the screw idea from Deadman's Lane! 

Edited September 7, 2018 by scoobyra

[Temeraire]

 I'm also going to see if I can get some pins in at the end of the board and solder the rails down to stopthem getting ripped out every five minutes....

 

Or you could just be more careful when handling the layout and add the spacers to the end boards perhaps?......

[mudmagnet]

I have packing boards at the end of boards. Mine are packed face to face, but a simple board across the end would suffice. I use 6mm ply and a spacer of hardboard where the bolts go through, but narrower than the depth of the board. This way, the ends of the track have a gap to the inside face of the end board.

[Temeraire]

Hi Rich

 

He knows, we’ve all told him enough times, he’s just not ‘got around to it’!

Edited September 7, 2018 by Temeraire

[mudmagnet]

Hi Rich

 

He knows, we’ve all told him enough times, he’s just not ‘got around to it’!

 

Would save some much time not needing to repair the ends of the track …….

[Temeraire]

Would save some much time not needing to repair the ends of the track …….

 

Exactly! 

[Revolution Mike B]

I KNOW!!!! 

Edited September 9, 2018 by scoobyra

[St. Simon]

Hi Simon

 

Cheers - it's getting there slowly.

 

Yes, the signal is for the bay platform but the western region has a lot of oddities and can use both RIs and JIs for the same thing. In fact, we still have feathers at Eastleigh on the down, but theater boxes on the up for some reason!

 

Mike

 

 

There are loads of those kinds of oddities on the Western. At Swindon, JIs are used in the down direction, but theatre boxes are used in the up on platforms 1-3. Bristol Parkway is even more random. In the down direction, you can now be put into any of the four platforms. On platforms 1, 3 and 4, you’ll have a route indicator showing either F, A or T (Filton, Avonmouth or Tunnel), but on platform 2, the starter is fitted with junction indicators!

 

Fair enough, I hadn't heard of that Western oddity before, I knew that JIs were used into Bays, but not out of them. 

 

In terms of Bristol Parkway, the difference might be in the case of the routes from 1,3 and 4 aren't as obvious to the driver as the routes out of platform 2, hence the difference in route indications

 

Simon

[PaulRhB]

You can write exceptions as long as there's a good reason to prevent confusion or aid sighting, we did it to remove a JI on a design as it would cause confusion compared to the other 4 platforms. The standard is a guide but like the rule book it can't cover 100% of possible scenarios, forcing things to conform can make operating difficult in certain situations

[Revolution Mike B]

I've had a productive 'week off' from the layout which saw me finally finish of the 150/2 that I got from Ian a year ago!

 

 

 

Obviously it's an old tooling version but at a total cost of £80, it was a damn sight cheaper than the Kernow one! It's not perfect as I should've removed the cab hand rails but I'll live with it. I've also chipped the remaining HST power car sets, weathered them, finished of all of the MK3 roofs and fitted a combined total of 104 brake discs!!!!! 

 

This week, it's back to the layout and I've put the new sleepers in to the damaged section of track and I'll ballast it once I've painted it all up. It's quite uncanny that Castle Cary has recently had a similar thing done in what would technically be the same place.

 

At some point this week, I'm going to have a look at the ski ramps where the Ansford Road bridge board meets the station throat board to see if I can flatten them out without wrecking everything - I really don't wan't to be taking the track up this side of Taunton if I can help it. It's a fairly big job which could easily end in disaster and at worst case scenario, if left as it is, trains can run happily on the main line and the branch without too many issues.

 

........and then there's the small matter of making a few hundred trees....wish me luck!

 

 

[stock_2007]

Good luck...great layout by the way

[Trevor_H]

Nearly there with the weathering. Just need some dirt between the ballast and the platform, along with some damp patches and moss!

 

This is a great photo - your hard work on the track is really paying off here, read your comment about tillig points and I have to say just purchased a couple for a curved section - off scene but the range is great and the fact that they are flexible is a bonus!

 

158.jpg

 

Too say I'm really pleased would be an understatement because this is my first real attempt at modelling properly.

 

Best crack on with the other platform........

[Revolution Mike B]

Yesterday was quite productive as managed to get the new sleepers in on the down main. I've filed the rail ends back slightly and I'm taking Ian and Paul's advice with the spacers for the end plates!

 

 

I've now found the problem causing the ski ramps and it's a combination of the cork track bed, and the plywood. Both have blown slightly. I've managed to cure the branch line ramp and now things run a lot smoother over it than it did - ignore the unsightly blob of solder, it won't be seen once I've re-ballasted...

 

 

 

..although I've now found another issue with the branch line point whereby the right hand blade has dropped causing everything to ride up and derail!!     I've got a plan that may work so fingers crossed, I can sort it this evening.

 

The final job last night was to remove the ploughs from the 153 bogies and mount them directly to the chassis. I can see why Hornby did this but it looks pretty rubbish when the plough swings half a mile each way as the unit negotiates curves! 

 

 

I just need to weather it now and fix the dodgy lights.

 

Great progress and it's only Tuesday....I can be tree making by Friday!    

Edited September 11, 2018 by scoobyra

[Tug002]

I've had a productive 'week off' from the layout which saw me finally finish of the 150/2 that I got from Ian a year ago!

 

Half a 150.jpg

 

75 and 75.jpg

 

Obviously it's an old tooling version but at a total cost of £80, it was a damn sight cheaper than the Kernow one! It's not perfect as I should've removed the cab hand rails but I'll live with it. I've also chipped the remaining HST power car sets, weathered them, finished of all of the MK3 roofs and fitted a combined total of 104 brake discs!!!!! 

 

This week, it's back to the layout and I've put the new sleepers in to the damaged section of track and I'll ballast it once I've painted it all up. It's quite uncanny that Castle Cary has recently had a similar thing done in what would technically be the same place.

 

At some point this week, I'm going to have a look at the ski ramps where the Ansford Road bridge board meets the station throat board to see if I can flatten them out without wrecking everything - I really don't wan't to be taking the track up this side of Taunton if I can help it. It's a fairly big job which could easily end in disaster and at worst case scenario, if left as it is, trains can run happily on the main line and the branch without too many issues.

 

........and then there's the small matter of making a few hundred trees....wish me luck!

The real 150219 is still in the very livery shown here.It was working the Newquay branch yesterday (I think): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBz40D4wwvQ

Keep up the good work (and the good humour).

[Revolution Mike B]

I did a bit more last night and added the kerb stones on the main road as far as the other side of the bridge and tidied up the pavements. In true 'Mike' style, I got it wrong the first time around (cheers Dave  ) so I had to redo them today!!

 

 

 

Dave had some Woodland Scenics tree armatures kicking around that were a bit too tall for N Gauge so I had a go at making the plastic twig look more wooden.....

.....and here's the result...

 

 

I've stuck the road bed on the bridge down and once I've finished the girders underneath, I'll stick the whole thing in properly and line up the road surface. Then I can add the palisade fence either side and finish it off! 

Edited September 13, 2018 by scoobyra

[shanks522]

You keep on like this Mike and the roadway will out do the railway!!!

 

Looking really good! can't wait to see it in the flesh one day.

 

Graham. 

[Revolution Mike B]

You keep on like this Mike and the roadway will out do the railway!!!

 

Looking really good! can't wait to see it in the flesh one day.

 

Graham. 

 

Cheers mate. I can't have a proper railway without proper scenrey!

 

I'll stick it on Ian's roof rack for Folkestone 

[Revolution Mike B]

Things are progressing quickly now so here's another picture update. It's all still work in progress so please bear with me.....

 

Network Rail Access Point...

 

 

More fence....

 

 

I had a go at painting the points white...

 

 

....but scrapped the idea as it just didn't look right on code 75!

 

So here's where I'm up to....

 

 

 

The static grass is awful as I put too much on in one go and it's ended up laying flat. All my own fault for trying to cut corners but seeing as it's only temporary, I'm not too fussed, and the bits that are permanent will have more bushes and trees on them so that's my get out of jail free card!

 

There isn't going to be an awful lot more done before the Worthing show except the trees at the other end and a bit more fence, and if I'm honest, it's not going to be finished for Taunton either, as there's a load of station bits and pieces that I still haven't made up yet, let alone adding people to it! The main thing is, it'll look a lot more complete than it did for Gaugemaster and if I compare it to Ian Lampkin's great Banbury layout, he's been doing stuff on and off for ever adding more and more detail to it.

 

I was hoping to get the lighting rig underway but there's no hope of that this side of Christmas as Tidworth is out a few times towards the end of the year and I'm really needing to spend a bit of time with Nicky...otherwise I'll be getting divorced before we've even got married!   

Edited September 18, 2018 by scoobyra

[stock_2007]

Looking very good, painting the points white is a new one for me

[jamest]

Hi,

 

Not posted for a while but I've trying to keep up with your progress - you are far too self critical, but I understand that as I think we all are.

 

I don't see many weak areas to your modelling :-), but the landscaping and the roads really put the layout at the next level....very very good.

 

Really looking forward to seeing this at Taunton.

 

All the best,

James