Grove street yard

[Jenny Emily]

A video from this last weekend's Leigh model railway show. A few teething troubles were found, but they fixed themselves with a couple of squirts of WD40 in sticky point motors and switches.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jv03HC4xO5I

 

EDIT:

 

Another video on Youtube:

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nyg432Gsje4

[Hippo]

Hi Jenny.

Fantastic layout, just a shame i live to far away to have come along and seen it. The video looks good though.

How did the show go ? did you enjoy it, any advice for others ?

 

Cheers

Owen

[Jenny Emily]

Thanks!

 

The show went very well. Some of the tips people gave beforehand were very useful - a piece of carpet to stand on helped achy feet, and white cotton gloves saved damage from overhandling stock. I also discovered that you need less stock than you think you need, and that given that the average person stays watching for no more than a few minutes, you can shuffle the same few wagons between a couple of sidings all day and no-one notices (I rarely used the fiddleyard).

 

Of the locomotives I took, the new-style Hornby 09 and Bachmann 25 were pretty much bulletproof. The Bachmann 04 was pretty reliable too, but ended up rarely getting used. A lot of electrical issues were fixed by WD40 (even though people now say it isn't so good on points and motors - I've checked the layout and everything still works really well) to remove sticking on point motors and tarnish on the contacts inside really old Hornby Dublo switches that probably haven't been used much in forty years.

 

Taking something like juice to drink is handy, as tea and coffee can only take you so far. Leave most sources of payment out of reach for the day, otherwise you will spend a fortune on stuff. I had a budget of £20 and stuck to it (despite much temptation). If I had had plastic there, I would probably now own another Bachmann Drewry 04, a Bachmann Robinson 04 and a Heljan class 15.

 

Finally, a soldering iron is useful because even if you don't need it, some-one else will! I brought mine on the Sunday and did some enjoyable A-Team style modding underneath fitting uncoupling electromagnets.

[mudmagnet]

Hi Jenny,

 

Glad to read that you had a good show, bar a few teething problems - those always seem to exist on the first public showing regardless of the amount of testing at home! Nothing quite like an exhibition to highlight problems.

 

Layout looks very good and hope that you will be taking out again.

 

Also, glad to read that the carpet worked out well!

 

Richard

[Natalie]

Hi Jen

Glad you had a good exhibition- they are generally a load of fun aren't they? Nice to see some more female modellers on the circuit- show the men that we can do it too! (Not that I can really call myself a modeller though- my contribution on a stand usually consists of gossiping to the punters- something which I can excel at!)

[Jenny Emily]

The exhibition was great fun and I wish I had time to do more. The next one that the layout is provisionally booked at is in March 2011, and will be one that's far enough away that we have to stay overnight, so will be a slightly different experience (especially if I forget anything important). There are a couple of other big shows that I would love to do, but what I found was that the bigger shows seem to get their layouts booked anywhere over a year in advance. I'll just have to wait for some-one to get impressed and invite me.

 

On the improvement front, I was very impressed by DCC sound. I've waited 10 years to see the way the wind was blowing on DCC. Whilst DCC control wasn't my thing, the sound has sold it to me. The only problem is price, though 'Grove Street Yard' can be run with just two locomotives quite easily, or even one. This close to Christmas though it can wait. I was also impressed by working lights on other layouts, and have already ordered some yard lamps to see how they look.

 

My helpful operator was quite taken too. It was the first exhibition he has attended. His prefered scale is N gauge, and he managed to hoover up a loco, some wagons and a rake of MkI coaches. Perhaps it will spur him to build his first layout?

[Will Vale]

Glad you had a good show, and thanks for passing on the tip on the carpet - I'll have to find something similar for Rail-ex.

 

I brought mine on the Sunday and did some enjoyable A-Team style modding underneath fitting uncoupling electromagnets.

Excellent - that calls for a montage of some description 

 

Will

[rob D2]

" I pity the fool who doesn't have DCC sound...."

 

with apologies to BA Baracus. Although of course the A team would have turned the layout into an armoured personnel carrier....with a flame thrower.

 

Looks like you had fun Jenny !

[Jenny Emily]

I'm doing another exhibition at the end of the month. Despite favouring 1970s/80s BR blue, I've decided to backdate the layout to the mid 1960s so that the layout looks a little different from last exhibition. I've dug out a couple of steamers and two of my class 25s in earlier liveries. I've also changed all the stock to get rid of any air braked or TOPS coded wagons.

 

Add to this a couple of yard lamps from Layouts4U. These were simple to install, and work out a fraction of the price of the Eckon ones. The ladders out of the packet are a bit chunky for my liking, but were quickly and easily replaced with some spares left over from some Ratio signal kits I had lying around. I've wired them in series and added a resister so that they aren't too bright. Each kit comes with a resistor, so I used the spare one to dull down my colour light signal too. Hopefully it now won't suffer overheating problems.

 

I've taken a few pictures with the World's Worst Digital Cameraâ„¢ and the results are below.

 

 

D5218 in an early BR blue livery brings a solitary brake van into the yard. The loco was a limited edition model from Modelzone and managed to press my "oh, shiny!" impulse buy button. One of the new yard lamps can be seen on the left.

 

 

D5218 exiting the restricted branch into the yard.

 

 

A view back towards the oil sidings. A push-pull fitted Ivatt has ended up as the yard's shunter, with a two-tone class 25 also in attendance. Of all the liveries that a class 25 ever carried, I think the two tone green one probably suits them best (closely followed by the Intercity livery that ETHEL3 carried).

[Hippo]

Hi Jenny, good luck with the next exhibition, won't be long till your a hardened pro chasing all over the country.

 

The new lights look good, will you be replacing the oil depot ones with working ones now, and would you recomend the layout4U ones??

 

Owen

[Jenny Emily]

Thanks. The layout4u ones are very good for the price. The ladders are chunky, but easy to replace with spares from Ratio signal kits. Apart from that, no problems and the wiring diagrams are very clear. They come with all the resisters that you need to protect the bulbs when running in parallel on a 12V supply.

 

The oil depot lights will remain as is for now. I'd be looking for replacements in the same style as the non-working Merit ones when I do replace them.

[Hippo]

Thanks.

Duly added to my want/ need list

 

I look forward to the next instalment of Grove street yard, an extension maybe?

Cheers Owen

[Jenny Emily]

There's been one extension already to give me a four road traverser fiddle yard. To disguise it the scenic section was extended in a 5" wide strip along the front. There's provision to extend in the other direction too, but this would be nothing more than a scenic headshunt allowing easier shunting and larger locomotives like class 37s and my G2A Super D. However, I'm also aware that such an extension would remove some of the puzzle of shunting wagons on the layout, so it isn't a huge priority just yet.

[31A Driver]

Nice work Jenny,

 

I have to admit that Grove Street Yard was the inspiration for my own Watersmill Yard.

 

Andy

[Jenny Emily]

Nice work Jenny,

 

I have to admit that Grove Street Yard was the inspiration for my own Watersmill Yard.

 

Andy

Gosh! Thanks! That's quite an honour to know!

 

Small shunting layouts re great fun to operate, and practical when space is at a premium. Looking at the pictures of Watersmill yard I see you've got a good track layout too. I also see from your pictures that you have the same soldering iron too!

 

I'm currently looking at building a second extension for 'Grove street'. The fiddle yard has been great at exhibitions, but what I've found is that the main headshunt at the other end restricts the biggest locomotives to a class 24/25. A 14" extension will allow my fleet of class 37s to come out to play, as well as my G2A, Q1 and N class when backdated. I'm still at the planning stage though and no wood has been cut yet.

[31A Driver]

Hi Jenny, the soldering iron was a gift from my ex Father-in-Law, I've had it for longer than I was with his daughter

 

I think we may both have the worlds worst digital camera, I must get round to reading the instructions for mine one day.

 

Andy

[Jenny Emily]

My version of the same soldering iron came from my Grandfather's shed when his sight deteriorated about ten years ago. It's the best soldering iron I've used - I think he acquired it whilst he worked at Smiths instruments.

 

I notice you've been adding point levers to Watersmill yard. I've just bought some point levers from Dart castings and am waiting for them to turn up to fit them. I saw layouts with point levers at the Leigh show and was very impressed. It just goes to show that a layout is never truly finished until you sell it or dismantle it. Hopefully these will be done by the time I do the LYDCC show this coming weekend, if Mr Postman is efficient. If not they'll get done by Nottingham next year in March which is the next booked exhibition for 'Grove Street'

 

My plan is to also build a proper lighting rig as controlling the light at exhibitions can make or break any model. I also want to add a 14" headshunt extension on the right hand end so that I can shunt the yard with class 37s, as well as be able to use match trucks with shunters that are semi-perminantly coupled and fitted with extra power pickups. Maybe then my L&Y pugs might finally work without needing constant prodding.

[45156]

Hi Jenny

 

Just got round to reading the whole Grove St Yard thread as I am working through the layout posts and it takes time - there's a lot of threads to get through.

 

I like what I see there - and I enjoyed the step by step "how I did it" posts.

 

I think that your solution for the L&Y pugs is the right one, as they do stick a bit on pointwork, and as your layput has a lot of that, then there's a lot of potential for stalling. It is also quite prototypical.

 

You are a talented RM Webber, what with your exhibition standard layout, and being a published author! How do you find the time?

 

Regards

Stewart

[geon]

Jenny

 

Thanks so much for taking us through all stages of construction right up to exhibition. It was great to see the layout in the flesh at the

Lancs and Yorks DCC exhibition in Rawtenstall on Sat 30 Oct 2010. You have a tallent for design and construction - but also the patience to explain.

 

If this photo does not attach you will find some at..

 

 

http://picasaweb.google.com/mellormap/TrainShows#

 

There are a few shots of other layouts I saw that day

 

try also http://s279.photobucket.com/albums/kk129/mellorphoto/

 

John

[Jenny Emily]

Thanks! Some great photos there

[DDolfelin]

Hi Jenny,

I'm very late to this layout.

Nothing to add - all good!

 

You seem to be concerned with your photographs but most are quite good.

You're right - light is a great help.

Best tip otherwise is to stand over 3 feet away from the subject to increase the depth of field.

Crop the resulting pictures on the computer.

... er, and hold the camera still

[class"66"]

Nice pictures...

[Jenny Emily]

Thanks for the comments! I have no camera at the moment so I am unable to photograph the revamping of some of the backscene buildings to make them more imposing. At the moment progress of on any extension has stalled due to work commitments and an active book signing tour (I seem to be in another town and another Waterstones every weekend). All I have to show for it is a large piece of marine ply in my Father's workshop. I also dismantled in the middle of last year the final section of an old layout that was going for scrap and salvaged a lot of the scenic materials for the extension, so 'Grove street' will stick to its small cost reputation when the extension does eventually happen!

[DDolfelin]

Good luck with it and with the Book Tour - it brings in the pennies (and pennies make points).

 

I've looked again at your 'scrap' yard.

It's very good indeed.

 

I've made a few scrap yards in my time (see website ⬇) but yours seems a cross between a restoration railway stockyard and a genuine breakers yard.

Just looking at it makes me want to rescue the loco!

Congratulations.

[Jenny Emily]

Thanks - the scrap yard always seems to attract a lot of comment at shows. It loses a little of its magic when I tell people what's actually in it. Some people then spend time playing "spot which kit that bit came from" and try and identify all the bits.

 

They include:

 

* Dapol pug kit

* Airfix RAF emergency set

* Parkside Dundas OO9 'V' tipper

* Airfix Prestwin silo wagon kit

* Airfix HMS Belfast

* Airfix HMS KGV

* Airfix HMS Cumberland

* Revell HMS Ark Royal

* Airfix Prinz Eugen

* Airfix Bismark

* Modelscene milk churns

* Leftovers from Ratio Oil depot kits x2

* Leftovers from two Parkside Dundas MDV steel mineral wagon kits

* Leftovers from Ratio LMS van kit

* Tamiya Leopard tank kit

* Ratio Pallets sacks and barrels

* An assortment of all the offcuts from varoius profiles of plastruct comonants

 

I think that's everything. All of the above happened to be in my bits box when I started work on the layout. A lot of the kits were badly damaged from childhood, lovingly scooped up into the tin as they broke by my Mother. Other kits were salvaged from a layout being dismantled and scrapped. Nothing was bought specifically for 'Grove Street Yard' and everything had been built up and painted in its former role before it reached the bits box. I shudder to think what the cost of all that stuff would be if I had to actually buy it to make the scrapyard.