Hills of the North - The Last Great Project

[Barry O]

My HD Duchess has taken on a new lease of life after receiving some modern magnets. 

 

Next time I come along we can give it a whirl... along with 4 sleeping cars(?)

 

Baz

[LNER4479]

Sounds good. Add to my four and we have the makings of a decent sleeping car train 😄

[coronach]

On 15/09/2023 at 17:37, LNER4479 said:

Good grief - I've actually managed to finish something!

 

Remember this? (Xmas 2021)

 

Or this? (May this year)

 

Or even this? (July this year)

 

Well, anyhow:

 

Ta daa!

 

Two more sleepers ready for service. That's 3 built so far, plus 2 acquired. Another 4 similar kits in stock so a bit of a way to go yet, but one day we'll be running night time sleeping car trains. 25 of 'em passed through Carlisle on a typical 1955 summer's evening - plenty of work for the Duchess fleet.😁

Lovely work

[LNER4479]

Just one pic on this occasion, to report, if not progress exactly, then at least the next phase.

 

To the left are the running lines past Upperby temporarily laid out in order to fine tune the alignment and baseboard shapes for the subsequent curves round towards Carlisle itself.

 

Perhaps not mega clear but, from right to left (over on the left hand side) we have: the WCML heading towards Citadel; Upperby goods reception lines, which morphs into the lines towards Crown Street Goods Depot; the through goods lines, which will curve round a full 180 degrees to run through Bog Junc (on the right) and into Dentonholme; Upperby goods yard and shunting spur.

 

The pointwork bottom left facilitates both goods shunting from reception into the yard and also light loco movements on and off depot.

 

All in all, a fair bit to keep me amused in the months ahead!

[LNER4479]

Meanwhile, trains keep running.

 

Next away from Central is an Eastern Region interloper. So, what's going on here, then?

 

Well, maybe this Treacy-esque image will explain? As is fairly well-known, three Peppercorn A1s were temporarily allocated to Polmadie (Glasgow) for comparative trials. Treacy captured one of them, 60161 'North British' working back to its temporary home with the morning Birmingham-Glasgow (having worked south in the night with the West Coast Postal) so here's my approximate recreation of that scene.

 

This required a certain amount of stock re-marshalling, spurred on partly by a couple of new MkI acquisitions. But the main reason was to give this Stanier 12w restaurant car a try. I built it over 20 years ago but it's never actually run anywhere. Until now. So far, so good.

Some of the other vehicles in the rake are a bit 'approximate' but it'll do for now, pending more suitable replacements.

 

Always worth hanging about at Shap Wells. Coming the other way is the premier train of the day.

 

This train has been 'finished' for some time and is a regular on the Shap roster.

 

Even in a slightly shortened formation (11 vice 13), it's a suitably long train.

 

I wonder how they'll cope with it at Central?

 

[LNER4479]

So how does an 11-coach train fit in at a station only originally built for 7 coach trains?

 

Quite easily, actually - you cheat...

 

Loco and front of train poke through the end of the station like so!

 

Can you see the train, bottom right?

 

Actually, this view summarises quite well this year (2023)'s work to date. In January there was nothing here, apart from the terminus station, ending 3 feet away from the end wall ☺️

Edited September 22, 2023 by LNER4479

[LNER4479]

Next heading south, it's ...

 

A Royal Scot on the Perth express. One day this loco will change identity to be the locally-allocated example, 46136 'The Border Regiment'.

 

No problem with this train; she's soon scurrying away past Shap Wells.

 

An interesting choice of motive power for the next train (all pacifics), the WCML fish train.

 

46256 gets the gig.

 

Meanwhile, a parcels train has sallied forth from Central.

 

And of course...

The reason for choosing 'Sir William' now becomes clear - this side she (he!) has the 1964 yellow cab stripe; Duchesses were occasionally seen on this train before their tragic demise.

I thought the Black 5 might have needed the banker with that train but seemed to cope fine. Good locos, Black 5s.

Edited September 22, 2023 by LNER4479

[LNER4479]

Now then, time for a 'spot the difference' competition.

 

Before ...

 

... after.

 

No? Aw, c'mon ...

 

It's all to do with alignment (you knew that really, didn't you?). Given that this layout is intended to be 'it' (god willing), then it's worth taking time to ponder at certain critical points. I was keen to check the onward curve of the WCML running lines towards Citadel, to make it as smooth and as gentle curves as possible - even though, in practice, it's a 180 change of direction.

 

Anyhow, now I've explained all that, perhaps you can detect a different alignment on photo 2? By realigning thus, it both maintains a steady curve throughout and is also better aligned for the tight(-ish) curve that follows. Said curve was planned as standard minimum 3ft radius, but will now be closer to 3ft 6".

 

As usual, there's a trade off! I lose a bit of siding space, either in Upperby goods yard or MPD, but only a little. Should be worth it, especially as the orientation of the curve is the same as the prototype - plenty of classic photos on that curve.

 

Anyway(!) ... with pondering done, I could cut associated boards to final shape. No going back now.

 

And laid out again to check it all fits - it does! Just some final tidying up cuts required on the new piece of 9mm ply that has been deployed.

 

But, I know how much you all prefer the trains, so how about this:

 

Had a weak moment! Hattons were selling these off as 'bargains' (interesting!), about 75% RRP. I really only wanted the loco, although the coaches will always come in handy. But I was 'good' and watched the last one get sold to someone else.

Except that ... once you get an idea in your head ... I kept an eye out on Ebay and found some further flexibility on price and ended putting in an offer on one which secured this example at a further £50 less than the Hattons price. Result!

 

Don't panic - I know the loco is missing! It's been on the workbench, receiving attention. Nothing wrong with it (apart from a buffer sprung out of its housing), it's just that 46232 Duchess of Montrose is a bit hackneyed, being the original HD trainset loco. I fancied a close relative. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you the latest addition to the HofN stud. None other than:

 

46234 Duchess of Abercorn - the 1939 record holder. Surprisingly, for such a famous loco, she never seems a particularly popular example for the RTR boys. Or is that just my preception?

 

As well as renumbering/naming, I've added a few details, inc front steps and draincocks. In utter contrast to my other modern 'Hornby-Dublo' example (46252), the green on this example is lovely, really vibrant, rich colour. Correct tender type for '34 as well, I think she's pretty much 'spot on'. Very happy with my 'weak moment'.

 

Aren't they fantastic looking locos?

 

Edited September 24, 2023 by LNER4479

[St Enodoc]

On 21/09/2023 at 08:15, LNER4479 said:

You could extend the platforms round the curve a bit...

[LNER4479]

I could ...

[Sasquatch]

Hi Graham. Going back about 6 or 7 pages the conversation turned to getting a little done each day, (How do you eat an elephant....etc.) a philosophy which I have found only works until something or someone gets in the way. Take today for instance. I'd planned the day well with a nice "to do list" of jobs, all railway related. Before breakfast there was a text asking for an urgent door to be made. Next thing I know it's dinner time and after cleaning up the workshop was too tired to pick up a 00 paint brush. Then...  

 

...I found your wonderful and inspirational thread! (the mind boggles as to how I haven't found it before). So the evening hasn't been at all wasted!.

Will try to borrow a few hours catching up on here from somewhere in due course.

 

Keep up the good work (and the trains running).

 

Regards Shaun. 

[Barry O]

@Sasquatch.. can you point  Graham to your  invisible uncouplers Shaun.. he needs something similar

 

Baz

[Sasquatch]

4 minutes ago, Barry O said:

@Sasquatch.. can you point  Graham to your  invisible uncouplers Shaun.. he needs something similar

 

Baz

 

Recently a mark 2 type has been developed for Bradford Exchange which uses the spring from the Ratio point control kit. The spring doesn't work over long runs so some square brass tubes have been purchased with a view to making a simpler mechanism. More on this as and when it receives attention.

 

  Regards Shaun.

 

[Enterprisingwestern]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

@Sasquatch.. can you point  Graham to your  invisible uncouplers Shaun.. he needs something similar

 

Baz

 

I can't see those working!

 

Mike.

[LNER4479]

Latest update from Upperby:

 

A quick bit of DIY to provide baseboard support. Might look a bit Heath Robinson in places but it does the job and is very sturdy.

 

With the top board now permanently affixed, time for a final alignment check. If you are so minded to look closely, you might be able to see the alignment pins and how they've been moved into their finalised position. For example, pin 64 has been moved towards the outside of the curve by 4.5mm. This part of the curve now has a steady versine of 5 to 5.25mm, equating to a curve of 7 and a half foot radius.

 

Wasting no time, within minutes the grey paint was out to provide the base colour for the cess on the inside of the curve. The WCML running tracks will be in foam underlay; the rest will be cork. Once the foam tracks have been laid (following the alignment pins) the cork will be butted up against the 'up' (outer) line to suit. Priority always given to the alignment of the main lines - everything else fits in around.

Even just temporarily positioned, that curve looks promising.

 

Can proceed with tracklaying now 😊

 

[Sasquatch]

1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

I can't see those working!

 

Mike.

Oh ye of little faith...

 

Scrap that last...couldn't see the joke. The penny drops eventually.   

Edited September 28, 2023 by Sasquatch

[LNER4479]

16 hours ago, Sasquatch said:

Hi Graham. Going back about 6 or 7 pages the conversation turned to getting a little done each day, (How do you eat an elephant....etc.) a philosophy which I have found only works until something or someone gets in the way. Take today for instance. I'd planned the day well with a nice "to do list" of jobs, all railway related. Before breakfast there was a text asking for an urgent door to be made. Next thing I know it's dinner time and after cleaning up the workshop was too tired to pick up a 00 paint brush. Then...  

 

...I found your wonderful and inspirational thread! (the mind boggles as to how I haven't found it before). So the evening hasn't been at all wasted!.

Will try to borrow a few hours catching up on here from somewhere in due course.

 

Keep up the good work (and the trains running).

 

Regards Shaun. 

Thanks Shaun (including thanks for uncoupler details).

 

Re getting a little bit done each day, my regular routine is early evening. This evening it was 7 to 8.30. Evenings otherwise just involve the tele being on, either showing a certain north of England soap opera (which I can't abide) or endless repeats of rail-based travel programmes. They're OK - just been through Sri Lanka with Bill Nighy - but they do get a bit 'same'y after a while.

 

The above update is the result of the last two evening's work. Tomorrow will be tracklaying ... and so on.

 

I appreciate that the above might not suit your own circumstances but, for what it's worth.

 

I do occasionally dip into your 'grim up north' thread and am equally inspired by your own efforts.

[Tony Teague]

Looking at the pictures above, I couldn't quite work out what function the bicycle performs; do you have to pedal it to power the layout?😏

[BoD]

34 minutes ago, LNER4479 said:

 

 

 

My Dad always said look after your tools and they will look after you, but never said anything about giving them a cushion to have a nap on.

[LNER4479]

42 minutes ago, BoD said:

My Dad always said look after your tools and they will look after you, but never said anything about giving them a cushion to have a nap on.

That B&D drill is 35 years old, I'll have you know. Been in bits several times, brushes renewed etc. It can be excused feeling a bit delicate these days 😆

[St Enodoc]

4 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

rail-based travel programmes...with Bill Nighy

They are OK but they'd be a lot better if someone would teach Bill to pronounce place names in the customary way.

 

3 hours ago, Tony Teague said:

Looking at the pictures above, I couldn't quite work out what function the bicycle performs; do you have to pedal it to power the layout?😏

I think it's for the loco lamp that's standing on the floor, which has had its nasty fossil-fuel consuming interior replaced...

[Enterprisingwestern]

10 hours ago, Sasquatch said:

Oh ye of little faith...

 

Scrap that last...couldn't see the joke. The penny drops eventually.   

 

Some fell on stony ground!

 

Mike.

[Dragonboy]

11 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

That B&D drill is 35 years old, I'll have you know. Been in bits several times, brushes renewed etc. It can be excused feeling a bit delicate these days 😆

That’s sounding like Trigger’s broom there.

 

Brian

[LNER4479]

8 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

They are OK but they'd be a lot better if someone would teach Bill to pronounce place names in the customary way.

 

I do find myself shouting at the tele a lot whilst they're on - and not just at Bill (and not just at that particular series for that matter). But I guess we shouldn't complain. Time was when a programme about railways of any sort was a major event ...

[scottystitch]

13 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

Latest update from Upperby:

 

A quick bit of DIY to provide baseboard support. Might look a bit Heath Robinson in places but it does the job and is very sturdy.

 

With the top board now permanently affixed, time for a final alignment check. If you are so minded to look closely, you might be able to see the alignment pins and how they've been moved into their finalised position. For example, pin 64 has been moved towards the outside of the curve by 4.5mm. This part of the curve now has a steady versine of 5 to 5.25mm, equating to a curve of 7 and a half foot radius.

 

Wasting no time, within minutes the grey paint was out to provide the base colour for the cess on the inside of the curve. The WCML running tracks will be in foam underlay; the rest will be cork. Once the foam tracks have been laid (following the alignment pins) the cork will be butted up against the 'up' (outer) line to suit. Priority always given to the alignment of the main lines - everything else fits in around.

Even just temporarily positioned, that curve looks promising.

 

Can proceed with tracklaying now 😊

 

I haven't seen/thought of that alignment pin arrangement to ensure the proper curvature before.  An excellent idea.

 

I may just use that in future.

 

Best

Scott.