Black Notley - BR Eastern

[pwr]

Well I have mananged to put 3 boards together only to find that the foirst board has a complete lack of power and the points to the crossing won't switch!

 

However the Deltic has moved for the first time since I got it and it has an impressive amount of intertia due to the flywheels. I nearly drove it off the end of the layout!

 

I have a couple of videos which are really a trial effort and aren't really up to much but they are a start

 

http://youtu.be/6navjdhBLB0

 

 

http://youtu.be/keBbYgIW27c

 

 

 

Paul R

Edited June 9, 2012 by pwr

[daifly]

How do you get that Deltic to change its shape in the second video. It's most disconcerting!

 

Cheers, Dave

Edited June 10, 2012 by daifly

[pwr]

Dave

 

I noticed that too! The original video was fine before uploading to YouTube. However it did ask if I wanted to correct the shakiness to which I naturally said yes! I suspect that could be the answer. It's not easy holding a video camera in one hand an d the controller in the other! I need to get the wife to hold one or the other - now there's a dilemma.

 

I will hopefully report on the troubleshooting later. My original theory was that the inter board connectors were faulty but that would not explain why the two point motors don't work - they are wired in tandem. It may be the CDU is faulty. That would mean there is more than one problem. Hey oh at least I didn't discover this at an exhibition

 

Paul R

Edited June 10, 2012 by pwr

[pwr]

Another update. Managed to sort the two problems out preventing full running. The main feed bus from boards 0 to 1 had broken at the connector before the interboard plugs. An easy fix. The points were more of an issue. The fault was not what I thought nor where I thought. In fact one of the wires in the interboard leads had broken inside then plug. I had changed out the CDU for a spare I had but that did not cure the problem. Sorting out the lead did!

 

I am not sure that Din Plugs were necessarily the best form of plug and socket. I chose them because you can get 8 pin versions and the idea was to keep the number of wires across the joints to a minimum. Only one board join was planned to have two conectors the rest only one. Even where there is two I didn't need the second one! As a trade off I used a CDU for each board and the section switches and point controls are all on panels in each board - in effect signal boxes of their own. Although there are only 5 boards not including the fiddle yards there are only 3 boxes so to speak.

 

Its very necessary to have a full wiring diagram for a layout which is essential for fault finding along with a trusty multimeter.

 

My plan looks like this

 

 

I drew it all out on A3 before I wired the layout and highlighted the wires as they went in.

 

More videos now

 

 

This shows the 04 moving along. I seem to have run into problems with paint on the inside of the point blades and had some cleaning to do. Running is far from faultless but this is the forst time in well over a year since it has had any power in it and more then 2 boards connected at a time.

 

 

 

Next time I will post some of the steam locos

 

All for now any comments gratefully received

 

Paul R

[NSE DAZ]

Hi Paul,

 

Thanks for sharing the video's looking good I must admit I am liking the look of that 37

 

Keep up the good work,

 

All the best Darren NSE DAZ

[colin penfold]

How do you get that Deltic to change its shape in the second video. It's most disconcerting!

 

Cheers, Dave

 

I think if you watch the lamp post on the platform you'll realise it was the high winds that hit the country over the last couple of days LOL

[pwr]

Hi Paul,

 

Thanks for sharing the video's looking good I must admit I am liking the look of that 37

 

Keep up the good work,

 

All the best Darren NSE DAZ

 

Hi Daz

 

Yes it is better than I had imagined. It's the first time I had run it -shows how little time I get. Unlike the other two Heljans I have yet to have the bogies out and instal the couplings. the pipes are very fragile and I have broken a couple from one end that I need to replace with white metal or lost wax. Overall though I good loco and short enough to make a worthwhile branch engine. Class 37's did not work over the Braintree branch that often. Class 31's were more common amongst the diesels and Heljan will shortly be releasing one and the supply of funds is somewhat low presently! I also have an RJH version stashed somewhere.

 

All the best

 

Paul R

[pwr]

 

 

I think if you watch the lamp post on the platform you'll realise it was the high winds that hit the country over the last couple of days LOL

 

Hi Colin

 

I think it is more of the Heljan Shapeshifting technology! Or we could be about to witness the arrival of Dr Who's tardis and this is at time space dimensional shift! Ah the 4th dimension!

 

Paul R

[pwr]

No further work done on the layout as I have been hospitalised with a knee infection. I fell of a wall 10 days ago (long story) and was OK until yesterday when my knee which was healing well, balooned up to the size of an apple. I have had to be admitted for intravenous Antibiotics.

 

Even if I get out soon I am confined to lying on the sofa with my feet upi for at least a week.

 

All for now

 

 

Paul R

[trisonic]

Get well soon! I actually like the idea of "lying on the sofa with my feet up for a week"......but having had cancer in my foot, I know that it is really not fun after the first month.

 

Best, Pete.

[NSE DAZ]

Get well soon Pete fell of a wall what are you like, and what were you doing

 

Speedy recovery,

 

All the best Darren NSE DAZ

[pwr]

Daz ( and friends)

 

It is a long story but basically we have a three level garden as its on a slight hill. In one corner at a raised level we have a large pond and one of the (lazy) ways to get to it is to climb on the wall from the bottom level and walk round.

 

Well I needed to get to the filter and it was wet so I took the lazy route in a pair of slippers! I lot my fotting bhaving got on the wall - its about 3 feet high - slipped, tripped on a garden bench, went head over heals and somersaulted into the bottom garden hitting my head on the shed on the way down. Somewhere I badly grazed my knee and despite my wife cleaning it up, I must have picked up a nasty infection which went into my knee. The actual wound was not very deep - superficial really - and was healing up nicely when on Saturday it swelled up to the size of a grapefruit.

 

I am home from hospital now but I still can't put any weight on it although I can hobble round the house. I have to keep it up most of the time with an icepack on it. Had the GP round on Friday who says I am not going back to work this week.

 

The only regret is that it wasn't filmed. I could have got £250 from You've Been Framed. Could have paid for a Dapol 08!

 

I am not able to do much modelling yet but hopefully by the end of the week.

 

All for now

 

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Well not a lot happening on the layout but I have been installing drains, manhole covers and pavements! Hopefully some picture this weekend. I am using the Langley models etches. I have to repaint the road surface and the pavements and then install bus stops road signs and other street furniture. incidentally does anyone know how far in advance the warning signs for a crossing would have been in the 1950's. I am talking about the pre-modern road signs.

 

No further progress on the B2 I regret but the wife is off to Germany on business soon and the daughter is away so I can hopefully have some quality uninterrupted modelling time!

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Well somewhat later than hoped here are some photos of latest progress on the road constuction.

 

 

 

These show a general view with the pavements and drains in place. I am afraid I don't know much about the science behind drains and did not feel I wanted to research this on the Internet so these covers are just placed randomly. The gully drains are I suppose about right.

 

 

I chiseled out the holes after marking round the cover with pencil. The gully drains have black permanent marker colouring to suggest a deeper hole. Once glued in more filler was used to bed in round the edges. The whol road needs repainting now.

 

 

This photo shows the final position for the bus shelter. More fence to paint and instal. The kerbs are made from styrene strip, cut to length and placed indiviudually.

 

 

 

 

I am quite pleased with this - just now need to finish it off! The Leyland Pickfords lorry is Corgi.

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Sorry about the lack of progress guys - I seem to have even less time than ever.

 

Having said that I have now managed to source some GER valancing so I can now make a start on the station building. Its plastic and came from Perfect Minitures.

 

An LMS inspection saloon kit lies beneath the Christmas tree!!

 

Paul R

[pwr]

Well the long awaited update!

 

I have been spending most of my time progressing models that have been started some time but never finished. These include a Slaters 10T LNER Open. A 6W milk tank and continuing work on the B2 which is at the painting and lining stage. A couple of shots here

 

 

 

As you can see most of the lining is done except the boiler bands. Here I have a problem. Although they do not stand proud of the boiler very much, the HMRS Pressfix transfers I am using are wider than the boiler band and therefore do not sit properly. I am wondering if the Fox Transfers GWR lining is any thinner? Has anyone else come across this scenario and how did you get round it. The only other options I see to have are to cut the transfer in half horizontally or draw the lining myself with a bow pen. Neither option much appeals to me hence the enquiry about Fox Transfers.

 

Apart from that a couple of Class 31's have been drafted in to the Black Notley loco roster. These photos show them in an out of the box state that I will need to rectify. Class 31's along with the Class 37 are very representative of the modern image on the Braintree branch.  Here are some photos.

 

 

 

 

And the blue one on the daily fitted freight

 

 

 

 

 

I also managed to get to the excellent Tonbridge MRS exhibition and saw the brilliant Newhaven layout and met Colin Parks. Great work Colin.

 

All for now and hoping the next update will be less of a long time coming

 

Paul R

[boeing757]

Hi Paul,

Great to see Black Notley re-appearing - it's been a long time.

Ford Castle is looking very handsome, the lining in particular looks good.  Can't help you with the boiler bands but perhaps 2 single orange lines with reduced spacing between might work?

Also admiring the Brush Type 2s, I refuse to call them 31s. I remember them well at Felsted and my wallet might take a hit but I am resisting: I already have too much motive power. Luckily my first sight of one there was D5551, and that had no roof indicator panels so I can justify abstaining till that version is offered.

Thanks again for the Railbus drawing.

Bob

[pwr]

Thanks for the comments Bob.

 

it's a pity Heljan have gone for the wrong Railbus in their O gauge range although doubtless some of our GWR friends would disagree. The W & M would have been a sure fire seller if you ask me although the A C cars will no doubt find a home on many micro layouts. Hopefully we will see the advent of a few more O gauge converts when the Dapol range of small loco's appears.

 

I will not be buying an AC cars version although I will have some explaining to do when a Western turns up on Black Notley!

 

Paul R

[boeing757]

Paul,

 

Agreed, why oh why did they go for the AC cars model when they have already issued the proper railbus in 00? Surely it would have been much easier to scale the 4mm W und M up to 7mm.

Although I'm trying to maintain some discipline over what appears at Felsted, I do like the Westerns very much but will resist buying one. The Brush T2 is much more difficult to ignore.

I look forward to the next update.

 

Bob

[pwr]

Bob

 

I have a kit for the BTH Class 15. It's an old El Crappo thing so most of it will get thrown away and replaced with and built parts. It's got some resin bonnet roofs and they'll have to go for starters. I think Steve Beattie made a kit but I have never seen any feedback and I don't think they are available any more. Brian Daniels made a really good job of the El Crappo version so it can be done and I do have 4mm experience of MTK when I built a 2 car class 309.

 

A 7mm version of that would be good and I believe Shaun at Easy Build will make you up suitable kits. A lot of work would be involved though and I need to add to the steam roster before I go too far down that road. I think the next kit on the workbench will be the J68.

 

Before tat I want to start on the station building now that I have some per-cut canopy valance.

 

Right I must get back to lining Ford Castle

 

Paul R

Edited March 3, 2013 by pwr

[pwr]

Further to the previous post about methfix lining it seems that I can cut this down the middle of the black line and with care join them on the boiler band if I keep the lengths quite short. I suppose however the option I should have considered issuing the 4mm version! Oh well glutton for punishment!

 

Paul R

Edited March 3, 2013 by pwr

[pwr]

Well time for an update.

 

Today I have finally done something about the platform tops. Those who follow this topic will know that they are covered in a carbarundum type wet and dry paper which gives a great tarmac texture. This contains shiny pieces as some of the photos that were taken with flash in the past will show. Also it does not show up well in photos.

 

So armed with my trusty old (very) Devilbiss Sprite airbrush I decided to do something about it. I mixed up some acrylic dark grey, black and dark earth  and gave it a wash over the tarmac area having masked off the platform coping stones. The whole thing is much better now and has achieved the desired effect of retaining the texture whilst removing the propensity to react to a flash.

 

So I could get some photos I placed Ford Castle on its chassis on the layout and this is the result

 

 

 

 

The surface appears much more realistic.

 

Ford Castle is in the final stages of construction. I have almost finished the lining - just one part of a boiler band to do and the footplate valance to finish.

 

I need to paint the cab interior, varnish it, glue on the smokebox number plate and depot plate, coal it and weather it. Not far now. I also have to investigate a binding chassis - it has a small stiff spot.

 

Anyway the remaining photos will show progress to date.

 

 

 

 

 

I couldn't resist the opportunity for another Brush Type 2 posing! This shows the loco deputising for a failed DMU or Railbus. Freight traffic on the branch is by now well down and there are only 2 fitted wagons in the loop. It can't be long before further rationalisation follows and BR withdraws freight services from the station!

 

I will continue to press on with Ford Castle but I really must start the station building and signal box.

 

All for now

 

Paul R

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Paul,

It's a long while since I last "looked in" here and I am very impressed your your "Ford Castle", she looks lovely! Much, much better than a 'Ford Ka' too, ha, ha!

Also, highly impressed by your Brush two's as well, I have been resisting for a long while with them, might have to indulge before too long though.

Does anyone know if there were any smaller main-line locos than Brush two's on such ER branch lines, please? I'm thinking of something like an early Derby Sulzer type two!?!

Cheers,

John E.

[trisonic]

Lubbly Jubbly!!!

 

I've been AWOL too long too...

 

Best, Pete.

[pwr]

Hi Paul,

It's a long while since I last "looked in" here and I am very impressed your your "Ford Castle", she looks lovely! Much, much better than a 'Ford Ka' too, ha, ha!

Also, highly impressed by your Brush two's as well, I have been resisting for a long while with them, might have to indulge before too long though.

Does anyone know if there were any smaller main-line locos than Brush two's on such ER branch lines, please? I'm thinking of something like an early Derby Sulzer type two!?!

Cheers,

John E.

John

 

Depends what you term main line diesel!

 

Yes the early sulzer class 24's did appear in the early days and there was also an allocation of the NBL Type 2 - class 21. The ideal loco however is the class 15 which would work singly or in multiple on heavier trains. There were also the short lived class 16 and at a push you could possibly get away with a class 23 baby deltic although these did not stray that far from the GN main line. Class 20's were also around in the early days being allocated to Devons Road Bow. The other iconic loco was of course the English Electric type 3 - the class 37.

 

There were also any number of the early shunters.

 

The problem we have is the lack of models. Steave Beattie has given up his range so there is no longer any source of the class 21 or 15 or 23. Class 24's can be had for a price from Just Like the Real Thing although given Heljan's prolific output I would not be at all surprised if this was a future item. Did I read somewhere though that JLRT are doing a class 21/29?

 

I have an El Crappo class 15 which was the MTK venture into 7mm with all the quality issues that come with it - any representation of the real thing is entirely accidental type touch! At least they never made any bones about it and the price was reasonable but there are some very questionable castings in the kit.

 

Many years ago I made an MTK 4mm 2 car Class 309 Clacton set whcih I still have and which is a nice model. However I had to throw away most of the underframe castings and scratch build. The cast front ends required major surgery but in the end I got a reasonable model out of it. For a 7mm version Easy Build kits will sell you the necessary parts to scratch build one or at least most of the coaches. You have to sort the rest out yourself through!

 

There was a good book published by OPC many years ago entirled Diesels in East Anglia by Ian Allan. You may be able to source one second hand but expect to mpay for it as it is as raare as hens teeth.

 

Paul R