RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2017 This is a lovely little layout, Dave, and much better than my hamfisted effort, though that paddy train needs something with a handbrake as the Peckett is not vacuum fitted. But you need a couple of sheep. Nothing says South Wales Valleys like straying sheep, nibbling on the grass and getting in the way of everything. At Dowlais, they learned to open the axle box covers and eat the grease. They had, and have, free access to everywhere including back gardens, dustbins, and the railway. Half a dozen have transformed my layout! I have a theory that sheep are in fact a collective Borg-like superintellient hive mind bent on the enslavement of humanity and world domination. If you doubt it, just look, I mean really look, into a sheep's eyes, and learn to live with the horror... All right, nurse, I'll take my nice medication now. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Corbs Posted February 9, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 9, 2017 Looks fantastic, Dave. Once more I am blown away by the pace of progress. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 All looking very nice Dave - but really should have a brake van of some sort. (Edit - or is that a brake compartment where the ducket is? If so - just ignore me.....) The Ratio brake coaches and the compartment ones are slightly different lengths I think. I'll have a dig around to find mine - but don't let this stop anyone else from helping out! BTW, those PO wagons look a lot different to when I last saw them! So does the Barclay....................... It's a brake 3rd, or whatever, but I've thrown the packaging away now and know nothing about coaches so I can't say exactly what. I deliberately bought a brake, knowing that the locos wouldn't be vac-fitted. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 This is a lovely little layout, Dave, and much better than my hamfisted effort, though that paddy train needs something with a handbrake as the Peckett is not vacuum fitted. But you need a couple of sheep. Nothing says South Wales Valleys like straying sheep, nibbling on the grass and getting in the way of everything. At Dowlais, they learned to open the axle box covers and eat the grease. They had, and have, free access to everywhere including back gardens, dustbins, and the railway. Half a dozen have transformed my layout! I have a theory that sheep are in fact a collective Borg-like superintellient hive mind bent on the enslavement of humanity and world domination. If you doubt it, just look, I mean really look, into a sheep's eyes, and learn to live with the horror... All right, nurse, I'll take my nice medication now. I've been looking at getting some sheep from the start. In the book that I mentioned at the beginning there are stray sheep around the railway and I once read of a South Wales colliery loco crew carrying a set of knives to butcher any that happened to get in the way. Apparently what was left would then be thrown in the firebox. Trouble is, I picked up a packet of sheep in my local model shop and then realised that there are different sorts of sheep and would these sheep be right for South Wales, so I left them, pending further research Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 I've been looking at getting some sheep from the start. In the book that I mentioned at the beginning there are stray sheep around the railway and I once read of a South Wales colliery loco crew carrying a set of knives to butcher any that happened to get in the way. Apparently what was left would then be thrown in the firebox. Trouble is, I picked up a packet of sheep in my local model shop and then realised that there are different sorts of sheep and would these sheep be right for South Wales, so I left them, pending further research P4 sheep? A sheep is a sheep as far as I'm concerned. You've been watching to much 'Countryfile' my lad! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Mountain_sheep 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_Mountain_sheep Blimey! A badger faced Welsh sheep! Wouldn't want to meet one of them up a dark valley at night! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Blimey! A badger faced Welsh sheep! Wouldn't want to meet one of them up a dark valley at night! You need to get out and about a bit more! Gordon A Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 You need to get out and about a bit more! Gordon A How about on the Saturday night April 1st? Doubt if we would meet any badger faced sheep. But some of the local women can be a bit strange............................................. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon A Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 How about on the Saturday night April 1st? Doubt if we would meet any badger faced sheep. But some of the local women can be a bit strange............................................. And April Fools. Sounds like a plan - Beer, curry, whisky and music! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
br2975 Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 But you need a couple of sheep. Nothing says South Wales Valleys like straying sheep, nibbling on the grass and getting in the way of everything. At Dowlais, they learned to open the axle box covers and eat the grease. They had, and have, free access to everywhere including back gardens, dustbins, and the railway. Half a dozen have transformed my layout! Once upon a time there were things called PACT meetings, where local councillors, residents, police and any other interested parties got together in an effort to eradicate problems effecting the quality of in the area. . Due to her job, my daughter would attend the PACT meetings held in Pontycymmer. . Without fail, the most pressing problem was a flock of feral sheep which terrorised the village, knocking over bins, ripping open rubbish bags, forcing open shed and outhouse doors and leaving residents paths, gardens and school playgrounds awash with their s**t !............they were not frightened of any man nor beast. . Brian R 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fat Controller Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I've been looking at getting some sheep from the start. In the book that I mentioned at the beginning there are stray sheep around the railway and I once read of a South Wales colliery loco crew carrying a set of knives to butcher any that happened to get in the way. Apparently what was left would then be thrown in the firebox. Trouble is, I picked up a packet of sheep in my local model shop and then realised that there are different sorts of sheep and would these sheep be right for South Wales, so I left them, pending further research There are two types of sheep in South Wales; those with the short right legs, and those with the short left legs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sir douglas Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 when we stayed at a camp site in the Dysynni valley near Towyn, a field next door had some big chunky brutish sheep, our dog tried having a go at it but quickly ran was when it retaliated Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 There are two types of sheep in South Wales; those with the short right legs, and those with the short left legs. Just don't talk about the back legs........................... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5050 Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 And April Fools. Sounds like a plan - Beer, curry, whisky and music! And Mrs 5050 is away for the weekend Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
avonside1563 Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I don't think it's necessary to have a brake van as such on a paddy train, the NCB weren't worried about such things but would probably have added a handbrake somewhere. There's a couple of shots of Paddy trains I posted here http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/118603-ncb-coach-livery/?p=2564165 and also this one below from one of the collieries near Hednesford in Staffordshire which is very similar to your's Ruston. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Corbs Posted February 10, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2017 There was some discussion elsewhere on this forum that mentioned additional safety chains on paddy trains. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 10, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) I don't think Valleys sheep look much different from your generic woolly bag of bones looking for new ways to die (as they were once described to me by a Brecon Beacons sheep farmer in a Brecon Beacons sheep farmer's pub), perhaps a bit more scruffy and underfed than a plump Romney Marsh specimen. They are bred for wool in Wales, not meat, by and large, and don't need fattening for the kill. They are almost beyond belief in the extent to which they have developed stupidity to an art form; I once found one on a mountain which had fallen into the only pool of water visible for miles in any direction and drowned. From the state of what was left, a sort of mutton stew but much less pleasant, this had happened some weeks before. This stupidity only applies to individual sheep and not the collective evil hive mind. There was a particular epidemic of them in 1976, when the very hot summer meant that their usual mountain grazing had dried up (and often burned) and they perforce invaded the lower levels mob handed. Quite a few, more than usual, got run down and we used to chalk them up on the cab doors of the Valleys class 116 dmus as confirmed or uncomfirmed kills fighter pilot style until officialdom hauled us over the coals and put a stop to the practice. Valleys residents tended to applaud, but the nice people from Penarth or Dinas Powis objected... The farmers whose sheep they were would leave long dead carcasses on the track in order to allege that they had been run over by a train and claim compo from the railway, so we used to have to report running them down. These incidents further showed the stupidity of the beasts. Any normal animal on a railway line will respond to having a horn or whistle blown at it in the following manner; it will look around to see where the noise is coming from, realise a train is bearing down on it at about 50mph, and get out of the way. A sheep, however, will run along the track in an attempt to outpace the train. A sheep in good condition can make about 20mph in a short burst, more like 15 over a distance, and the train will close on it even under emergency braking, and dmu brakes were pretty good. It will realise it's mistake in the very last second, and get out of the way, but then look around to make sure at which point it is brained by the cab steps. Stupid animals. Left handed sheep, with shorter left legs, obviously go anticlockwise around the mountain and right handed ones clockwise. Those with shorter front legs are uphill sheep and, with shorter back legs, downhill ones; the latter are quite rare because they tend to starve to death from not being able to reach the grass. If you believe that, you will believe the other stories you have heard about sheep in Wales. Rtr sheep in the sort of dirty white colour they come in will do fine, Ruston, you don't have to scale model them, but a coat of matt varnish and a bit of general scruffing up/weathering will 'enhance the presentation'. Position them anywhere but where they should be. Mine are Railscene and look ok, but if I ever buy any more I'll buy another make to put a bit of variety in the poses. Edited February 10, 2017 by The Johnster 6 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 The main thing I know about sheep, is that they are bred to the knowledge that when they hear a motor vehicle, the safest place to be is on the other side of the road.. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rockershovel Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 I think the skilful weathering of those wagons would easily withstand scrutiny of a few close-up shots! A wonderful mix of liveries. I do particularly like the interiors of the wagons.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ruston Posted February 10, 2017 Author Share Posted February 10, 2017 (edited) Baaaa! RTR sheep, from Unit Models. As yet unweathered. Edited December 23, 2022 by Ruston 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norton961 Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 Re post 116 of the paddy train at Hendesford, the coach is an ex LNWR 57' brake composite coach which I tried to buy about 25 years ago but the railway would not let me take the carriage away to restore, so it rotted away. The Cannock area had a number of ex LNWR coaches being used to carry miners around the system. So these internal miners passenger trains did not just use 4 or 6 wheeled coaches but proper ex mainline coaches. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BG John Posted February 10, 2017 Share Posted February 10, 2017 There was an exhibition layout around some years ago, that had a colliery branch with a sheep with one half either side of one of the rails! Can't remember the name now (of the layout, not the sheep!). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Johnster Posted February 11, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 11, 2017 (edited) Baaaa! RTR sheep, from Unit Models. As yet unweathered. You've got the idea spot on, there, Ruston! Edited October 3, 2017 by Ruston Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliebanger Posted February 11, 2017 Share Posted February 11, 2017 There was an exhibition layout around some years ago, that had a colliery branch with a sheep with one half either side of one of the rails! Can't remember the name now (of the layout, not the sheep!). I think that a early piece by Damien Hurst. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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