GWR Branch - Castle Down. Mostly GWR with an odd SR working

[RJS1977]

Just found this thread. Looking good!

 

I'm sure I've seen that creamery before somewhere....

[sjrixon]

Cough.. Yes, you may have

 

The signal box is now also looking a little smarter with some fire buckets on the front. 

 

 

I'm going through a few odd jobs and the piles on my bench were getting too much!

[RJS1977]

 

 

I'm going through a few odd jobs and the piles on my bench were getting too much!

 

You might need one of these then:

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Inflatable-Rubber-Cushion-Hemorrhoids-Relief/dp/B006HF183K

[OnTheBranchline]

It looks great so far.

[sjrixon]

I've just seen the thread for the new Dapol announcement of the Mogul, very excited!

 

https://www.Dapol.co.uk/Proud%20to-announce-the-launch-of-the-all-new-OO-Gauge-GWR-Mogul-2-6-0-Locomotive

 

My Bachman one has always given grief and I'd be more than happy to buy a new one!

 

That said. Just opened a Hattons 48xx (PS, It's my Birthday). Then had to hide it so the kids can't find it, maybe get 30mins to at least run it in later.

 

And I've both the Dean Goods and the New Collet on pre-order. So it's going to be a busy time at Castle Down.

[Andrew P]

I've just seen the thread for the new Dapol announcement of the Mogul, very excited!

 

https://www.Dapol.co.uk/Proud%20to-announce-the-launch-of-the-all-new-OO-Gauge-GWR-Mogul-2-6-0-Locomotive

 

My Bachman one has always given grief and I'd be more than happy to buy a new one!

 

That said. Just opened a Hattons 48xx (PS, It's my Birthday). Then had to hide it so the kids can't find it, maybe get 30mins to at least run it in later.

 

And I've both the Dean Goods and the New Collet on pre-order. So it's going to be a busy time at Castle Down.

Happy Birthday Scott, the 48XX is a super model. Enjoy.

[sjrixon]

She has had 30mins running in, then I thought I'd fit a decoder.. 

 

Well, that isn't going in there is it!

 

[sjrixon]

I've ordered a very small Zimo MX621N chip from Wickness Models. Every day I stand by the letter box, but nothing yet

 

I figured I'd get on with my Prairie renumbering. What should have been simple, never is. The old GWR was really, really hard to get off with t-cut, the Mogul hadn't been an issue. I also replaced the steps on both sides, this model was a 2nd hand purchase that had taken a knock, so was missing steps on one side, but I figured not exactly a tough job to fix!

 

Now had some coal, re 'Great Western' ed and new number ready for my new plates. I think a splash of varnish tomorrow to seal it, then maybe some lamps and some very light weathering just to finish it. I might replace the coupling loops with wire too.

 

 

 

Merry Christmas Everyone! 

Edited December 21, 2017 by sjrixon

[Andrew P]

Excellent job Scott. looking very good indeed.

[Jules]

Happy Christmas!

 

Nice job on the prairie re-letting.  I did two of mine, plus a pannier, 2251 and something else!  It did seem like the old G W R was hardest to remove from the prairies.

[sjrixon]

Thanks everyone for the kind words and all the likes. 

 

The chip arrived for the 48xx very late today. I had a small window, so excitedly I installed it, set the ID and off it went. Well, it jumped, jerked, stopped, hiccuped and then shot off. Appears I'm going to do a lot more fettering with CV settings on this one.

 

Reading a few posts and the Zimo manual, lots of mention of coreless motors and further settings. I had a quick play but really didn't make any progress.. 

 

Off to sulk with some Christmas alcohol I think. 

[sjrixon]

After calming down over a small red wine, I found time to search this amazing forum a little better and found a few threads of people having similar issues.

 

I found this thread..

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/126760-dj-models-class-14xx-dcc-settings-that-will-stop-poor-running/?hl=%2Bcoreless+%2Bdcc

 

While I'm not one for blindly copying CV values, that's exactly what I did. I think nearly every value was different to what was currently set. It still needs some tweaks, as the acceleration and inertia is pretty flat, the loco does at least run nice and smooth over my branch. 

 

I scratched around in my stock box to find the ubiquitous autocoach and was able to play trains for about 30mins undisturbed. This was the first time in a long time.

 

Pannier ready to depart Castle Down with a local and some fast fruit. 

 

 

A quiet time between trains. I've added a few more station staff, one passenger and some signs since I've probably last posted a picture of the station building.

 

 

The the 48xx slides into Castle Down with the autocoach. The bridge has had some work too, I'm not sure it's quite right yet. Comments?

 

 

 

What I didn't realise was what a sorry state the coach is in. It's missing a buffer and has a few scuffs on the roof and sides. After Christmas she will get upgraded with the Dart Casting kit now, I'll do a full respray as that would look better than the current airfix finish. A couple of the windows have some flash hanging over them too! Not very good quality control Airfix!

 

 

Then the Prairie pulled alongside with a goods working. 

 

 

 

 

 

[KNP]

After calming down over a small red wine, I found time to search this amazing forum a little better and found a few threads of people having similar issues.

 

I found this thread..

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/126760-dj-models-class-14xx-dcc-settings-that-will-stop-poor-running/?hl=%2Bcoreless+%2Bdcc

 

While I'm not one for blindly copying CV values, that's exactly what I did. I think nearly every value was different to what was currently set. It still needs some tweaks, as the acceleration and inertia is pretty flat, the loco does at least run nice and smooth over my branch. 

 

I scratched around in my stock box to find the ubiquitous autocoach and was able to play trains for about 30mins undisturbed. This was the first time in a long time.

 

Pannier ready to depart Castle Down with a local and some fast fruit. 

 

212.JPG

 

A quiet time between trains. I've added a few more station staff, one passenger and some signs since I've probably last posted a picture of the station building.

 

214.JPG

 

The the 48xx slides into Castle Down with the autocoach. The bridge has had some work too, I'm not sure it's quite right yet. Comments?

 

215.JPG

 

217.JPG

 

What I didn't realise was what a sorry state the coach is in. It's missing a buffer and has a few scuffs on the roof and sides. After Christmas she will get upgraded with the Dart Casting kit now, I'll do a full respray as that would look better than the current airfix finish. A couple of the windows have some flash hanging over them too! Not very good quality control Airfix!

 

218.JPG

 

Then the Prairie pulled alongside with a goods working. 

 

222.JPG

 

Scott

 

Have you build the Dart Castings autocoach upgrade kit before?

It is not the easiest of builds especially the steps, I found the instructions a little vague in places.

One thing missing was pictures, as the song goes - a picture paints a thousand words, so if you let me know I can photograph what I did for my one as a guide?

 

I suspect it's done now but does the Prairies buffer beam numbers match the brass side plate?

 

Model coming on well and beginning to get the feel of a GWR station. 

Edited December 23, 2017 by KNP

[sjrixon]

Kevin, no, I've not done an autocoach before. There are a couple of pictures and threads on here that I've book marked, but anymore would be amazing! I plan to place the order in the new year with 'Christmas Money'

 

Good spotting on the Prairie, the numbers are different. I've re numbed it, but the plates haven't arrived yet. So the buffer beam is the new one.

[sjrixon]

Hope everyone is having a nice Christmas!

 

Family was kind over Christmas and a few Oxford vehicles appeared as presents. They will start to appear on the layout in the coming weeks. They will want a dull down with varnish at some point, but it's nice to start adding some more life to the layout. 

 

First one a nice black jag. This must be one of the local gentry here to make sure the horse box arrives on time.

 

 

Then I thought it was time to start to bed in the dairy. I'd never really worked out what I was going to do here. So off we go!

 

 

Adding newspaper on the base and then a layer plaster sheet, I'll have this covered in no time.

 

 

[sjrixon]

Still all drying.. But the dairy is looking much better, a rough layer has now been painted around it (more pictures to come) and then I ran out of plaster sheet

 

 

Found some more plaster sheet on Amazon, so I'm going to try with some that isn't Woodland Scenics. 

[sjrixon]

Thanks for all the likes!!!

 

I popped out to the railway room this morning to take a couple more snaps. Still damp in places as the weather has cooled, I'm out for most of today so I might tweak the heating on out there for a while when I'm back. 

 

The main wet part is the ballasting of this siding down to the loading dock. I'd mixed a finer grade of ballast to give a view of being covered with more rubbish. I also then added some ground down coal around the dock to show some wear and tear. Still damp as this picture probably shows, so won't see the final effect for a couple of days.

 

The grey hard standing will be for a small hut, a loco is often left here between duties to the drivers ask for a hut where they could make a brew. This is also when I ran out of plaster sheet.

 

 

The next two show the start of the work around the water tower. I've bedded it in better with paper and then plaster sheet. Then had a quick coat of paint. Again a small platform where the pipe hangs with what will be a puddle underneath. I guess really it should have a fire devil, but I don't have one.

 

I've also completed the hedge and filled the gap down the back, closing off this side of things and better fitting into the backscene. There is a buffer missing for the creamery, but that's on the workbench. 

 

 

While I was on a roll I also was working on another very overdue job. The brewery had always just been dumped in, needing some work, but as it was filling it's job I couldn't really be bothered to do anything. 

 

Still not quite finished. But the backsceen has been screwed together, one side didn't line up with the other. The chimney has been re-done and is now fixed to the back to cover the join. The Brewery now also has some drain pipes and been better planted. A few sacks and other bits makes it look a little more at home now.

 

 

 

 

[Liam]

Scott, was it Peco code 75 or 100 track you used? Either way, the trackwork looks very nice, certainly has that finescale look about it.

[sjrixon]

Thanks! It's Peco bullhead, with code 75 points.

[sjrixon]

I tried to make some improvements to a truck as per a certain article in brm!

 

 

Shortly after all the plastic broke where I'd stuck it. Tried again with the same result. Any ideas?

[sjrixon]

With my wheels giving me too much both for this time of year, I thought I change focus quickly. 

 

I've a bunch of old Hornby Wagon kicking around the layout and a few had some very iffy weathering done many years ago. This was with enamel paint so I thought I'd have another go.

 

This was my slightly dodgy attempt, just smear some black on to make it not look new.

 

 

I managed to clean it back to this. The photo doesn't show up quite as much, it's actually quite a lot cleaner!

 

 

Then using inks and powders this was my result. I think the frame dirt is a little overdone, so I'm going to tone it down a little. But doesn't look too bad?

 

[sjrixon]

The GWR truck was a Christmas present from my wife, I gave her a short list of Oxford vehicles that I wanted to start adding some life to the layout. The crates are laser cut from Model Railway Scenery. They are really smart and so easy to build. The smaller ones are good too, but a little more fiddly. These were ideal as a little sofa project.

 

 

But Bob wasn't happy. How was he going to load that truck without a crane. So he has been petitioning the team at Swindon as if the yard is to be as busy as the roster shows they are going to need a crane. 

 

So Swindon delivered and Bob is a happy man.

 

[sjrixon]

I felt to complete my two trucks weathering projected I needed to add some coal. I've toned down the frame dirt and now completed both sides. It's not perfect, but better than an old plastic Hornby wagon.

 

 

Still waiting on plates, the prairie was looking a little clean against my new dirty wagons. So, I added a front lamp and then had a go at dulling it down a little. It's also had some shovels added onto the top too.

 

 

 

Certainly more dirty. Looks bigger and more set somehow with some dirt on it. Comments please?

 

First comment.. Really need to get the SLR out. You just don't get the detail with the phone snaps.

Edited January 7, 2018 by sjrixon

[KNP]

Scott
 
Here are those pictures of the autocoach that I promised.

The problems with close up's they show warts and all....

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you come to make the two sets of steps make sure you are in a calm, peaceful and patient mood as they will test you!!!!

I also installed flush glazing, painted the interior and fitted passengers.

 

A lot of the under chassis rodding I missed off otherwise it fouled the S&W coupling, I have mentioned before it's only fitted the loco end as I had no intention of it pulling rolling stock.

 

Hope they are of use and if you need anymore info let me know.

[sjrixon]

Thanks. That looks really smart and thanks for showing the coupling, I'm thinking I'll do the same.

 

A very timely post as I'm going to start taking mine sorry shortly.