Speech End

[ParkeNd]

Quite a lot more work done to the layout since last posting so since the Website seems to now have been destroyed by it's lack of pictures I'll take a few new ones of the overall layout and attempt to post them.  See you soon.

[ParkeNd]

As promised here are some new photos of where the layout is at, attempting to make up for all the earlier photos being invisible because of some sort of website change.  The layout is now U shaped with trains arriving at the station from the fiddle yard on the other side of the room - and departing back to the fiddle yard which represents "yonder" towards Parkend.  I wanted the trains to enter the layout by passing some sort of notable structure - hence the road bridge.  I am now developing the section than runs under the window - mostly forest, countryside, fencing, entry into the goods yard, and a small business doing some sort of reclamation work on oil drums from Nissen huts with their "product" collected from a dock by the Class 3.

[ParkeNd]

Photos continued.

[ParkeNd]

And again - more photos.

[ParkeNd]

And the last ones for now.

[corneliuslundie]

Good to see your progress.

Jonathan

[ParkeNd]

It's fast becoming time to start work again on the layout.  I have 5 more locos to convert to DCC of which three have sockets and 2 don't.  I've sent to Kernow for a 21 pin chip for a pre-owned Bachmann 25/3 which has clearly never been out of the box, and when this is running I shall move on to a Heljan 24/1.  Running has been impeccable, but as someone pointed out, the goods headhunt would have been better had it been a little longer - but there isn't space.  Strangely, or perhaps some would say predictably, the best experiences have been with the two car Derby Lightweight and the Autocar setup - no need for loco swaps at the termini. Compared with the previous N Gauge layout relying on blade contact the modified points with polarity reversal have been a joy.  Next scenery additions are more fencing, and some Nissan huts.

[ParkeNd]

A brief update to the above.  The Bachmann 25/3 is running beautifully as is the Heljan 24/1 through a quirk of fate.  My Dapol 121 Bubblecar ground to a crawl even on maximum speed setting and I haven't been able to fix it - it's suffering from what appears to be an epidemic failure of this model related to gears not meshing and seems to related to the two power transmission shafts .  Maybe I'll go back to it sometime but in the meantime I have removed it's 21 pin Imperium DCC chip and put it in the Heljan 24/1.  So not a total loss.  However I do want to run a single car DMU service along with the GWR Streamlined Railcar from the bay platform (one running up while the other runs down) so I'm considering buying a second GWR Streamliner.  The Heljan by the way is stunningly detailed with all the tiny detail parts factory fitted.

 

Update.  I had to cut off the Heljan's tiny detail parts below the buffer beams on both ends because they caught on the NEM pockets and derailed the front bogies on my one 2nd radius curve which would have stopped it running on the Goods Line.  Visually it's made no discernible difference to my 75 year old eyes.

Edited October 15, 2022 by ParkeNd
Update on Heljan diesel

[ParkeNd]

I've just sent off for 20ft of Photographic 15" high back scene  (used to be called Just Trees) so these should be the last photos against a bare wall.  Since the last post the Class 21 has lost it's address twice so I've had to reprogramme it twice, and the Class 25/3 an tangle its buffers with some of the wagons, but no other running problems which is great since the trains run every day.  I've sent for long NEM couplers in a bid to solve this.  Just about to start painting some new line side fencing, and assemble the Nissen huts.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 21, 2022 by ParkeNd
1 photo removed - too repetitive

[ParkeNd]

Getting closer now to completing the insertion of DCC chips in the locos I purchased during the Summer 3 yrs and 2 yrs ago - 70% pre-owned and 30% new.  The Heljan locos have put up the biggest fights against being commissioned.  The inclusion of the factory fitted tiny detail pieces in the buffer beams fouls the couplings preventing the free swivelling of the bogies so have to cut off flush with the underside of the beam, there is always not quite enough room for the DCC chips, and the lack of proper axle bearings frustrates re-assembly on the panier tank engines.  The latest "fight" is with the Heljan Class 14 Teddy Bear essential on any DFR inspired layout - it won't in fact take a standard Ruby 8 pin chip and still allow re-assembly so I've had to send for the smallest Ruby 8 pin.  Although the latest Heljan locos look brilliant I'm not sure I would buy another one.  Fortunately my only remaining temptation is a Bachmann 8750 pannier tank engine!!

 

On the subject of backscenes, two tubes containing 20 ft of two different shots of "Just Trees" have arrived and I've decided to stick those with PVA glue to 6 x A1 Rowney Daler 1.4mm thick with the 33" length each cut in half down to 2 x 16.5" and then attach these to the walls.

[ParkeNd]

Update on the Heljan Class 14xx.  The smallest Ruby 8 pin chip fitted easily but lights whilst working including changing from white to red and vice versa when direction changes cannot be turned off. Had to use Superglue on a pin point to re-attach the ladders under the drivers doors and Glue and Glaze to reattach one of the side windows found in the box.  But it runs well and I think looks really good despite my criticism of the engineering.

[ParkeNd]

For comparison. The real D9521 seen at Parkend in 2017.

Edited November 3, 2022 by ParkeNd
Missed the D out of D9521

[ParkeNd]

Just started yesterday to work on establishing a back scene.  So far not encouraged with results. I'm using idBackscenes Just Trees which I've found is too prone to wrinkles and I frankly doubt the scale.  It's OO Gauge but looks far too large.  I shall limit myself to just this one first piece until I've thought about it for a while and held it in place so I can judge the effect.  I wasn't looking for it to actually ruin the layout.

[corneliuslundie]

I simply went out and took photographs near where we live, and where the layout is meant to represent, and printed them on our A3 colour printer. But stitching them together was a problem, mainly the sky which never seemed to match even with photos taken a few seconds apart in the same direction. I ended up painting over the sky. The joins I managed to disguise with buildings or trees.

But a bit harder if your afternoon walk doesn't take in the Forest of Dean.

Jonathan

[ParkeNd]

Update on the back scene.  Holding the one section of idBeackscene I have mounted on card in position against the wall behind the layout in the intended position, and then in every other position behind the layout, I can confirm that the scale is at least 2x too big.  It looks totally ridiculous.  They might be about right for O Gauge although I have no possibility of comparing it.  I strongly advise anyone modelling OO gauge to steer well away from the two items originally called Just Trees .

 

Just what I am going to do now I don't know.  Feeling angry as I do just now my intuition is to leave a back scene right out of the equation - I've put far too much work into the layout to wreck it with such an inappropriate commercial product.  If I want a background in photos I can more easily and more convincingly paste them into a second layer on Facebook.

[Tim Chambers]

Completely agree-the "Tree" backscene is ridiculously out of scale for "00"-very frustrating, I was going to use mine for a "FoD" plank but will have to think again.

What a bu**er.

Tim

[ParkeNd]

Following my disastrous experiment with the grossly out of scale Just Trees backscene I'm trying another approach.  I don't actually NEED a back scene for me - it's not an exhibition layout and the only time anyone else sees it is via photographs.  I can add sky in most locations on the layout except in the corner by the station building where the bookcase intrudes.  So I am trying just a "cornerscene" using the top 12" of another backscene of a distant village that I bought for the other side of the layout.  Photos of work in progress.  In photo 3 the card assembly is just stood in place temporarily.

 

 

[ParkeNd]

Almost ready to be fitted in place.  The instructions say not to treat it like wallpaper bu applying adhesive to every square inch - seems to have worked.

[ParkeNd]

Corner backscene now fitted - at last.  First photos taken with it shared below.  I think it works well enough for me to get two more at the corner behind the woodshed, and from the bridge to the forest I the corner by the curtains.

[corneliuslundie]

Yes, at low level it looks pretty good.

Jonathan

[ParkeNd]

14 hours ago, corneliuslundie said:

Yes, at low level it looks pretty good.

Jonathan

Hi Jonathan,

That was the idea - for photos at running height.  It's 12" high above the baseboard and the couple of inches removed from the bottom of the purchased backscene cut out scenery that was a bit too "close" and also overscale.  Plus using just 12.5" of the Daler Rowney mounting board allows me to get two full length pieces out of one A1 board.  The baseboards are deliberately 36" above the floor rather than "dining table" height (from my N gauge modelling experience days)  which promotes a natural tendency to look along the rails rather than viewing the trains as if looking down from a road bridge or embankment. 

 

[ParkeNd]

I've been exploiting my tripod's ability to rotate it's extension through 90deg to position the camera above the the baseboard instead of just beside it.  The photo below shows what is capable.  The second two photos show where the next two backscene sections will be positioned.  In addition to this I am just about to start painting and installing more line side fencing, stiles, and gates.

[ParkeNd]

The goods shed area from an alternative angle along the tracks - while I work on painting and installing more fences, gates, and a stile.  Photo is comprised of 9 separate shots stacked in Zyrene Stacker.  Camera suspended over the layout on a horizontal arm.  Bounced fill in flash.

[ParkeNd]

I can see I haven't posted yet this year - unforgivable!!  Haven't been idle though. I am in the process of detailing the front edge of the added L section where it approaches the goods yard.  I've nearly completed and painted four Nissen huts, plus a goods loading ramp where a host of workers and a couple of fork lift trucks are already "in stock" to Womble forest scrap and turn them into useful products that will be despatched by train in crates and drums to eager and waiting customers.  The goods loading ramp will feature very detailed handrails which I thought were going to be plastic but are, to my surprise, precision cut card.  Several feet of additional flexible fencing and gates have already been installed and foliage and bushes are ready to be weaved around them,  I have some etched brass frets to make 4 GWR benches and I will do my best to assemble and paint them as best as I can but have to admit the prospect terrifies me.  Thank heavens they aren't N Gauge like my last layout. Photos very soon.

[ParkeNd]

Time for the promised photos.  This is what the barren gravelled and grassed section at the front of the layout section just around the corner from the Goods Shed looks like now.