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Now with Videos! Stranraer ‘themed’ loft layout 1959-64


danstercivicman
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Thinking about locos...

 

I note that there were at least two STD 4MT 2-6-0’s on Shed at Stranraer.

 

They are prominent in pictures working the Branchlines but I have found no pictures of them at the Harbour.

 

Does anyone know if they ever worked into the Harbour?

 

They appear to be:

 

76112

76073 

 

A STD 4MT would add some variety but I have only seen pictures of them at Stranraer Town 

Edited by danstercivicman
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Double heading was common on the heavy boat trains...

 

Here’s my take...

 

44762 is a new arrival and will be renumbered to (corrected for error) 44726 which was a Carlisle Kingmoor engine. 

 

4478 needs the 9 adding to make 44789

 

image.jpg

Edited by danstercivicman
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3 hours ago, danstercivicman said:

44762 is a new arrival and will be renumbered to 45726 which was a Carlisle Kingmoor engine. 

 

Misstype? 44762 was a Black Five, 45726 was a Jubilee.

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There is now only 1 outstanding loco to have a good representative fleet...

 

A BR STD 6MT....

 

Interestingly...

 

The Bachmann Jubilees can haul 7 coaches

 

The Hornby and Bachmann 5MT’s manage 6 but not all Bachmann coaches which appear too heavy.

 

The Class 110 barely manages itself

 

The Crabs manage 6/7 parcels coaches

 

The Hunslet manages 4

 

The Ivatt 4MT manages about 5

 

Do you think they manufacture scale compression? 

 

Its the curved section that that presents the issues I guess even 762/630mm radius is by prototype standards extremely tight! 

 

 

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5 hours ago, danstercivicman said:

Looking at the fiddleyard- it pretty much fits everything I need atm but I’ve still got 197cm with which to extend if required :) 

 

The glaring ommision from the loco fleet is still the 6MT...

 

Hopefully it's in one of the next two cupboards I'm sorting through this week.... :P

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Hehe, 

 

I have that trouble finding things :) 

 

I’ve been trying to work our head codes with some help.

 

Woulf anyone know the headcodes for the Northern Irishman or the Stranraer Larne boat trains? 

 

I’ve seen 1A18 which is Glasgow Central via Ayr.  That is for a Class 126 and would be after the closure of the port road.  1A23 appears to be a return.

 

1D (next two unreadable) I’ve also seen on a DMU in earlier days so I expect D was the Dunragit/port road.

 

If I can find one for Saint Enoch that may help

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Taking the layout back to 1960 we see a Jubilee on a Class C parcels working...

 

Also 80002 has brought in a local train from Dumfries. 

 

A couple of overall shots showing a busy fiddleyard :) 

 

The fiddleyard could really do with future extension which would allow for more flexibility! 

 

image.jpg

image.jpg

image.jpg

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1 hour ago, danstercivicman said:

Taking the layout back to 1960 we see a Jubilee on a Class C parcels working...

 

Also 80002 has brought in a local train from Dumfries. 

 

A couple of overall shots showing a busy fiddleyard :) 

 

The fiddleyard could really do with future extension which would allow for more flexibility!

You have discovered the first law of fiddle yards, which is that they need to be at least half as big again as you originally thought...

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2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

You have discovered the first law of fiddle yards, which is that they need to be at least half as big again as you originally thought...

No, you are wrong UDJ. If one plans ones railway knowing what services and stock one requires, one will find that the storage yard is adequate to meet ones needs. 

 

Most of us build our layouts without thinking what stock do I need and how am I going to store it off scene. Coupled with our other problem of seeing " Oh! that does look nice" and going off and buying it and then trying to add to our working stock.

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A fiddle yard represents the rest of British Railways, thus must ideally be big enough to contain any stock that could possibly appear on the layout during the set period, i.e. a few hundred thousand freight and pool NPCCS vehicles.  Trust me, Clive, there is no such thing as a fiddle yard that is too big, though you are correct that most of us have too much stock and far too many locomotives!

 

I have the problem that, having determined my ideal stock levels at the planning stage and kept fairly close to them, I still don't have enough room in my fiddle yard.  This is because, if truth be told, I don't have enough room for a layout and have compromised.  I don't like handling stock and would like enough fiddle yard for it all to remain on the rails at all times, but crane shunts are necessary to maintain the timetable.

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Haha,  yeah I think my fiddleyard is ok for the current stock...

 

I had planned but then... I had some assistance with the timetables which opened up more stock....

 

Then I realised that the Kingmoor locos worked quite a substantial diagram it opened up more locos...

 

Then I realised that the 5MT’s often worked double headed..,

 

So that’s how it grows! 

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It's looking very good Dan, but as I found with Kings Moreton, 12 Roads were NOT enough, and Pencarne Junction was even worse.

 

Keep it going though mate, it is looking very good.

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7 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

No, you are wrong UDJ. If one plans ones railway knowing what services and stock one requires, one will find that the storage yard is adequate to meet ones needs. 

 

Most of us build our layouts without thinking what stock do I need and how am I going to store it off scene. Coupled with our other problem of seeing " Oh! that does look nice" and going off and buying it and then trying to add to our working stock.

Serious head on then Clive. The mistake that many of us have made, myself included, is to provide enough space to store trains without taking into account the need for empty tracks to receive trains from elsewhere. It's better to start from the premise that you need to provide enough space to store ALL your trains and spare stock in the fiddle yard and then add, say, 10%. If you've got room for that, good. If not, then you must make choices such as scaling back your plans or providing additional storage (cassettes, shelves, etc.). 

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2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Serious head on then Clive. The mistake that many of us have made, myself included, is to provide enough space to store trains without taking into account the need for empty tracks to receive trains from elsewhere. It's better to start from the premise that you need to provide enough space to store ALL your trains and spare stock in the fiddle yard and then add, say, 10%. If you've got room for that, good. If not, then you must make choices such as scaling back your plans or providing additional storage (cassettes, shelves, etc.). 

Hi John

 

When I designed Sheffield Exchange I made up my mind that the storage sidings (I hate the term fiddle yard, images of Keith Moon in Tommy come to mind) would all be the same length so anyone can take the longest train. I limit each line to only one train be it a 2 car DMU or and 8 car one. The width of the baseboards meant I could only have 9 sidings in each yard. At the start of a session I have 4 trains in the station (it has 8 platforms) and 18 in the fiddle yards. 22 trains keeps me entertained. Should I wish to run a fuel or coal train for the loco sidings. It gets placed on the mainline whizzed round a few times, does its bit in the station and then whizz round a couple more times before being placed back in the box.  Like all of us I have more stock than I need to run the layout so every now and then I rotate the stock.

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4 minutes ago, Clive Mortimore said:

Hi John

 

When I designed Sheffield Exchange I made up my mind that the storage sidings (I hate the term fiddle yard, images of Keith Moon in Tommy come to mind) would all be the same length so anyone can take the longest train. I limit each line to only one train be it a 2 car DMU or and 8 car one. The width of the baseboards meant I could only have 9 sidings in each yard. At the start of a session I have 4 trains in the station (it has 8 platforms) and 18 in the fiddle yards. 22 trains keeps me entertained. Should I wish to run a fuel or coal train for the loco sidings. It gets placed on the mainline whizzed round a few times, does its bit in the station and then whizz round a couple more times before being placed back in the box.  Like all of us I have more stock than I need to run the layout so every now and then I rotate the stock.

You've thought that out well, Clive, as those of us who follow SE will already know. The keys, I think, to what you are doing are a) using the main line as an extra fiddle siding and b) using boxes to store stuff off the layout. That works for you but wouldn't for everybody.

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I’ve also realised that my storage place has the loco side and that is more for display atm.  I can of course convert that into stock sidings and use Peco loco lifts for the locos. 

 

Thank you all for the kind comments :)

 

The layout is really a pleasure to run.  

 

My my daughter loves running the Hunslet and she is now using the uncoupling rod (guitar string thing) to uncouple stock.  She’s also helped ballast a siding! 

 

She’s so far got her parcels certificate and her shunted certificate and the layout Brings a lot of joy! 

 

I’ve been much helped by Silver Sidelines and I’ve managed to construct a good timetable.

 

A large number of books have also been purchased! 

 

Edited by danstercivicman
Terrible spelling
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1 hour ago, Clive Mortimore said:

I hate the term fiddle yard, images of Keith Moon in Tommy come to mind

 

Clive I am going to file that comment away and one day bring it out at some august gathering of model rail enthusiasts and see who nods approvingly.

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2 hours ago, danstercivicman said:

Yeah let’s avoid that please I’m now using storage area 

Serious head still on. I think there's a difference. To me, "storage area" suggests a place where trains are stored between movements but not remarshalled - what US modellers call "staging". A "fiddle yard" is a place where you break up and reform trains, often by crane shunting. I don't think this is an official distinction - it just seems that way to me.

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I’ve got pretty much all the stock I need now so it’s definately busy! 

 

Locowise:

 

STD 6MT Clan to get..

 

Stanier P3 Full Brake to get

 

2x XP Fitted Vans (can never have enough of these)

 

Gresley BCK 61ft?  Might be nice to be able to run a midday Newcastle boat train?  

 

 

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A new arrival:

 

45715 from Carlisle Kingmoor.  In need of cab detailing and crew but with added weight she comfortably hauls seven coaches (although sometimes the inner pony truck wheel seems to not turn on the tighter corner sections??!)

 

In suitable 1961 condition she looks great with the fowler tender!  

 

Just a STD 6MT to complete the fleet!!! 

 

 

 

D91AF0E7-ADA0-48CF-960B-6D4291580AA0.jpeg

5F56EFF0-8848-4B66-9A30-BA0F22D22B8B.jpeg

Edited by danstercivicman
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