FPH 603 Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Thanks Chris, much appreciated, hopefully more progress will be made this weekend. Sounds good. I look forward to it. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob D2 Posted March 14, 2018 Share Posted March 14, 2018 Hi Neil. It is ok, you can use the existing code 75 rail insulated rail joiners but on most sidings I have left them off and just rely on the gap in the rail. In terms of soldering the dropers I have had to do it to the side of the rail. The fishplate style little rail joiners are a nightmare to fit.... As I have wired it for cab control most parts of the track are independently fed Thanks for the info Rob, bit who is this mysterious Neil you speak of ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted March 14, 2018 Author Share Posted March 14, 2018 Thanks for the info Rob, bit who is this mysterious Neil you speak of ? Sorry Rob, I got my eyes crossed and thought it was a comment from Neil (Downendian)! Long day and not too much sleep! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted March 17, 2018 Author Share Posted March 17, 2018 More progress this weekend, even if for the time expended the progress is actually not that visible; wiring the layout control panel. One of the things I liked about Peafore Yard was having the control panel as part of the scenic board as it avoided a separate panel to carry around or lots of wiring between the fiddle yard and the layout. This has proved more complicated to achieve with Parsons Vale due to the track plan meaning that there was nowhere obvious to put the control panel at the fiddle yard end. Concealing it in a building sounded an inspired idea in principle but doing so restricted the size of panel. In turn wiring the layout for cab control has exacerbated the problem as the switches are bigger with more wiring. A monster solderathon produced this: The panel will shortly be connected to the layout and when some more wire is sourced will mean I can properly test the layout. The wiring won't be finished them as I have to wire up the points and the point motors before I can progress on to more exciting things. Also today I decided to experiment with the best way to do the Pebble dashing for the row of houses at the back of the layout. It is pretty rare I try a technique out on a bit of scrap first but as I have loads of spare house offcuts I had nothing to lose. The method attempted today was to cover the side with a thin layer of PVA then sprinkle on some Hamster sand which looked sufficiently fine. Unfortunately things didn't turns out as planned: I think I used too thin a layer of PVA and I also think the Hamster sand is to big (and too light in colour). Plan B is to see what is available in the world of textured paint, thankfully I have plenty of offcuts to practise on.... 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted March 24, 2018 Author Share Posted March 24, 2018 Following on from my last post, the control panel has been put on the layout and then joined to the previously installed track feeds. With the help of my daughter and the Hornby class 50, the layout has been tested and works as planned. Next time Alan comes over I will set the layout up and let him start to fathom out the operating sequence and panel. With the panel installed thoughts turned to the building to hide it. Post 94 from Tim V came just in time as it includes a clear shot of the stores building next to the water tower. This is ideal for the purpose as it appears to have no windows and is a straight forward rectangle, albeit with some nice details such as the outdoor light and associated wiring. As with most of my scratchbuilt buildings I start with a thick card shell, the card being artist mount card offcuts acquired some years ago, the stash will outlive me. It comes with the advantage of the edges being chamferred to 45 degrees, a bonus for making corners: To this brick work was added to 2 sides, although only 1 will be visible and the corner won't be visible either so the join is a bit more visible than I would normally accept. The roofing felt is fine wet and dry, doors and their furniture etc to follow. Viewed from the fiddle yard end, the building will sit slightly under the footbridge, 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steaming_chris Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 Viewed from the fiddle yard end, the building will sit slightly under the footbridge, DSCN2903.JPG I like the look of your miniature tractor in the background. Regards Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHC Posted March 25, 2018 Share Posted March 25, 2018 That looks like a series Land Rover to me...... Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted March 25, 2018 Author Share Posted March 25, 2018 That looks like a series Land Rover to me...... Keith It is, 2.25 petrol series 3, plan is to be back on the road next year all being well!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
KeithHC Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Firstly good layout looking forward to it progressing. Now LWB or SWB. I will show my age now have driven a couple of brand new series 3's and even owned a series 1 that was just six months younger than me. It was a boyhood dream to drive a LR for what is was designed for. Spent a year in the middle east and then two years on a motorway construction site. Keith 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
danstercivicman Posted March 26, 2018 Share Posted March 26, 2018 Interesting concept and answers a question I had on carriage sidings Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted March 27, 2018 Author Share Posted March 27, 2018 Firstly good layout looking forward to it progressing. Now LWB or SWB. I will show my age now have driven a couple of brand new series 3's and even owned a series 1 that was just six months younger than me. It was a boyhood dream to drive a LR for what is was designed for. Spent a year in the middle east and then two years on a motorway construction site. Keith Thanks Keith. It is a short wheelbase, 1977 Petrol series 3 I bought it semi on Impulse back in 2002 and have had it ever since, although it is standard there are a number of new parts on it now, including the chassis which is a galvanised replacement. I built a model of it some years ago which will appear on the layout with a suitable horse box. Interesting concept and answers a question I had on carriage sidings Thanks, I am curious what your question was? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted March 29, 2018 Author Share Posted March 29, 2018 More work last night, I have made the doors and doorsteps for the stores building while Dave came over to progress the weathering on the 2 coaches I acquired back in January. Every so often I like to visualise how the layout is coming together with some stock on it, so far so good: 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted April 2, 2018 Author Share Posted April 2, 2018 One of the things I find most enjoyable about building a new layout is building the buildings, and even though 2 ready to place buildings will be used, both will be modified. Due to my inability to sleep more than 6 hours a night, I had a few hours this morning to work on the stores building. I like how this one is turning out and thanks to the links to the great photos posted earlier in this thread I have some good reference material. I have added door handles and lights this morning. 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted April 9, 2018 Author Share Posted April 9, 2018 Holiday time this week and a great opportunity to make some more progress with the layout. I have made most of the Fiddle Yard today. I wanted the fiddle yard to incorporate a table area of some description for storing stock and cassettes at exhibitions. Due to the length of the longest siding which can accomodate 3 carriages and a loco, I have decided to separate cassettes for Loco's and for the carriages. The locos and shorter cassettes will then be stored on the table area when not in use: Mandatory area for Pint glasses/mugs, a bit smaller than ideal but not the main priority in the design The end of play for today. A hinged cover and the cassettes to follow. The controller will also be on this board as well. 12 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted April 11, 2018 Author Share Posted April 11, 2018 On Post 74, I showed a photo of one of the lorries from a container haulier I used to work for which were based in Parsons Street. While the Seddon Atkinson tractor unit has been on hand for years, the trailer was more problematic as most of the trailers available from Corgi, EFE, Oxford etc are either much more modern combi trailers or the older trailers are flat beds. By the late 70's most of the trailers on the fleet were skeletal trialers (i.e. just a chassis without a floor) and were either 20" or 40" versions of which there is no rtr version so scratch building was required. I was initially tempted to make a 20" trailer (in reality 26" long) but based on the photos decided to go for a 40" trailer but with a 20" box so I can model some of the chassis detail. The 20" box is fitted on the middle set of twistlocks, the trailer being fitted with 12 in total so it can carry either 2 x 20" boxes, 1 x 40" or a single 20" box. If carrying a single box then it is located on the middle pins for weight distribution reasons as putting it on either the front or rear pins would overload an axle. I purchased an RTI 40" trailer chassis in the hope the bed and chassis would be separate but this proved not to be the case so in the end used the wheels, axles and suspension block. First off the chassis rails were secured to the suspension: Then the cross members were added for the 12 twistlocks as well as the landing legs to support the trailer when not connected to a Tractor unit. The RTI legs are not great so I cut the wheels of the bottom and made my own legs. I decided to add a fair bit of detail as it is likely I will keep this trailer and unit for prosperity when the layout gets sold at some point in the future. I added a winding handle for the legs as well as the handles for the twistlocks from brass wire: Final job was some mud guards prior to primer and painting, the wheels are only loosely in place as they will be fitted after painting. The box needs a lot of weathering, James Makin has done an excellent job on a Genstar box on his workbench so will try and do similar. 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted April 11, 2018 Share Posted April 11, 2018 How soon do you think it will be before an RTR one appears? After all, look what happened after you built the Motorail carflats. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 How soon do you think it will be before an RTR one appears? After all, look what happened after you built the Motorail carflats. Geoff Endacott About 2 years probably Geoff. The same thing happened with my MK1 BSO as well. I look forward to someone announcing a Steam heating van now I have the bits on order to build the one pictured on page 4. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Signaller69 Posted April 12, 2018 Share Posted April 12, 2018 Superb job with the trailer, really looks the part! I've modded a few commercial model lorries based on specific c.1970 versions to suit my layout (eg cab rebuilds, modified box van rear etc) but not attempted anything along the lines of your trailer build as yet. Very inspiring! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted April 12, 2018 Author Share Posted April 12, 2018 Superb job with the trailer, really looks the part! I've modded a few commercial model lorries based on specific c.1970 versions to suit my layout (eg cab rebuilds, modified box van rear etc) but not attempted anything along the lines of your trailer build as yet. Very inspiring! Thanks, I thought you did a good job with your Leyland/BMC wagon on your thread, especially starting with a base toys D series which is not their finest hour. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted April 28, 2018 Author Share Posted April 28, 2018 Slow progress of late, due to various other things. The layout is buried in the garage at the moment so most modelling has been focussed on the work bench. The class 31 is in the paint shop, so hopefully won't be too long although to make the most of having the blue paint out I have made a start on the steam heating van. This is based around a Parkside PA10 20t mineral wagon chassis and bits of a MK1 BSK. The old adage of never throw anything away, I had just enough bits left over from my 2 x Bachmann MK1 BSK's into 1 x BSO conversion (pre Hornby days) to provide the bodysides for the steam heating van: Next step is to fit the griles under the bodyside windows and other details then make the ends. The roof detail will be a challenge, the photos on page 4 being the best guide I have. The container trailer is now finished and I have weathered the container, last bits to do but it has come out nicely, the trailer needs a bit more weathering as they weren't kept quite as clean as the tractor units. Weathering the container was fun but hard work, there is no chance of me ever building a container terminal if I need to weather 40 - 50 boxes... 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted July 23, 2018 Share Posted July 23, 2018 How's it going? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted July 24, 2018 Author Share Posted July 24, 2018 How's it going? Slowly unfortunately! I will get some photos at the weekend but the main change is the layout has been ballasted and the road surface is laid but that is about it since April... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
37114 Posted July 28, 2018 Author Share Posted July 28, 2018 As promised earlier in the week, below are some photos; with the weather turning wet and my in-ability to sleep reaching new depths I have made some progress on the layout: Since the last update I have secured the wing walls to the bridge and made the road surface. I have fitted drain covers and in due course will make up the parapets for the bridge. I have been working out which/ how many road vehicles will go on Parson's street bridge and ended up with this arrangement: On the railway side the ballasting has been done, it now needs weathering. I was finding the allover brown colour scheme of the layout rather depressing so have done some initial ground cover at the rear embankment near the footbridge. For the photos I decided to put some stock on the layout, I also find it helps a little with visualising the end result: Now that the layout is starting to have scenery on it the next stage of work is really the carpentry to box it in which will be quite a step change and will also allow me to move it from it's current very inconvenient location in the entrance to the garage 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
westerner Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Good to see some new photos. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mulgabill Posted July 28, 2018 Share Posted July 28, 2018 Nice to see some progress Rob, but I do have one small quibble. It hit me straight away, so I have to mention it, just in case. Your drains, which you have carefully remembered early on (with me would be an afterthought) are at the peak of the bridge. Where no water would run into them. I suggest they would be more effective half way down the slope. Look forward to seeing more progress as the railway side is already beginning to look the part. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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