The Junction & Conwy

[JackB95]

5 hours ago, ess1uk said:

File the round vent or whatever it is off the roof of you GSMR REB, they don’t have one.

Great update 

 

Oooh right! Gen. Thanks for that. 

 

Took this photo yesterday whilst sorting out back to backs on the Mk4s. Love it. 

 

 

I'm yet to put the pipes on the DVT, but I've put some black electrical tape between the cluser lenses and the lights so the unused marker lights aren't as obvious. 

[JackB95]

 

[RallyRob16]

On 18/08/2022 at 10:20, JackB95 said:

One kit that I've had in my possession for quite a while now was this Porthmadog Harbour signal box kit. Painted and assembled (rather badly because it wasn't an easy one to build), this'll form a scenic break between the 009 and the fiddle yard. Far from completed as it still requires the roof and details going on. But it's quite a nice little thing to have at least.

 

 

 

Hi Jack,

 

Could you tell me where I can purchase the kit of the Porthmadog Harbour station signal box?

Would definitely love to have one of these!

 

Cheers

 

Rob

[JackB95]

Hi Rob. Unfortunately it was made by a fellow friend and volunteer, and not made available for general sale. Sorry! 

[big jim]

Only just come across this thread, just at the right time too, I’ve been looking at revising my castle area to include the arch going over the mainline but at an angle as you have done but wondered if it could be done, the arches I’ve already made up won’t fit at an angle but seeing your pics I can see a new kit can be adapted 

 

I went to the alsager show today and picked up an extra arch and happened to show it to John (harry potter) who purely by chance mentioned your layout, I put two and two together and realised it was this one! 

 

[JackB95]

21 minutes ago, big jim said:

Only just come across this thread, just at the right time too, I’ve been looking at revising my castle area to include the arch going over the mainline but at an angle as you have done but wondered if it could be done, the arches I’ve already made up won’t fit at an angle but seeing your pics I can see a new kit can be adapted 

 

I went to the alsager show today and picked up an extra arch and happened to show it to John (harry potter) who purely by chance mentioned your layout, I put two and two together and realised it was this one! 

 

Welcome Jim. My arch was scratch built from leftover bits before the actual arch was released. As you say, it is possible, and quite choice!

 

Good old John. North Wales' finest! 

[big jim]

John was my instructor at DRS when I started there, top guy!

 

[Clan Mcadder]

20 hours ago, big jim said:

 

 

I went to the alsager show today and picked up an extra arch and happened to show it to John (harry potter) who purely by chance mentioned your layout, I put two and two together and realised it was this one! 

 

Glad its going to good use then haha , i thought it was possibly you when i sold it to you . 

[JackB95]

Nearly 3 months after they first started hitting the shops, I've finally got a complete Mk4 WAG set from Hornby... 

 

 

 

 

Been a fiasco communicating with the model shop, so I've since opted to support my local even more. But here we go! Can't wait to run it around. 

 

I've also put two more Dapol IOAs in my yellow rake to take it to 13 trucks. 

[JackB95]

Well well well, what do we have here 👀

 

 

The Ffestiniog Railway shop in Porthmadog has received more stock of its Peco 009 Carr 14 Snapper Bar coaches. Whilst it's not a true representation of the carriage as it is now, it's a gorgeous carriage nevertheless. More notably the lack of corridor connections, roof vents, and bottom of the bodyside. Suits the Britomart model lovely. 

 

I also fell into a trap on eBay. Warley was a hive of new announcements, including a rerun of the Revolution JNA box wagons. These are used in GBRf blue and various shades of grey on the North Wales Coast now with all grey rakes to Penmaenmawr, and a mixed set for Llandudno Junction's slate waste traffic. On offer for a great Buy Now price was a set of 5 grey Ermewa Tarmac as new ones, including a tail light version. Snapped them up, and they'll be joined by GBRf blue ones at a later date to form the slate rake. The Pen Stone one will operate with the MJAs which are nearly prototypical. The MJAs operated in their previous Freightliner days, so it's a half way compromise. 

 

 

[JackB95]

No layout update really, but just re-reading my previous post has jogged a somewhat recent event on the NWCoast.

Y'know where I said that MJAs have operated but in Freightliner Green to Penmaenmawr? Well they've now operated to Llandudno Junction in the blue colours on a new limestone flow trial! So that's a third freight flow for the layout 🤣

 

 

[WCML100]

1 hour ago, JackB95 said:

No layout update really, but just re-reading my previous post has jogged a somewhat recent event on the NWCoast.

Y'know where I said that MJAs have operated but in Freightliner Green to Penmaenmawr? Well they've now operated to Llandudno Junction in the blue colours on a new limestone flow trial! So that's a third freight flow for the layout 🤣

 

 

always feels nice to get concrete justification doesn’t it! 🤔 I am always finding reasons like this myself for Greenford 🤣

[big jim]

1 hour ago, JackB95 said:

No layout update really, but just re-reading my previous post has jogged a somewhat recent event on the NWCoast.

Y'know where I said that MJAs have operated but in Freightliner Green to Penmaenmawr? Well they've now operated to Llandudno Junction in the blue colours on a new limestone flow trial! So that's a third freight flow for the layout 🤣

 

 

are those the twin wagons that Dapol do a model of? 
 

I’ve got a rake of 10 pairs (I think, could be 12!) but I’ve never actually worked the real things, I’ve seen them parked up in Doncaster but never to my knowledge seen them in service either 

[JackB95]

9 hours ago, WCML100 said:

always feels nice to get concrete justification doesn’t it! 🤔 I am always finding reasons like this myself for Greenford 🤣

 

Oh it sure is 😂 

 

9 hours ago, big jim said:

are those the twin wagons that Dapol do a model of? 
 

I’ve got a rake of 10 pairs (I think, could be 12!) but I’ve never actually worked the real things, I’ve seen them parked up in Doncaster but never to my knowledge seen them in service either 

 

Yep! That's them. I've seen them moving several times, but lots of workings are now the new JNA wagons. 

[JackB95]

First post of the year, and what a way to kick off 2023...

 

 

 

 

THE ACCURASCALE MK5A NOVA 3 COACHES ARE HERE 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

 

Friday saw the arrival of the highly anticipated Accurascale coaches, and what a flipping beauty they are. The DT was a tad troublesome with going round my super elevation, but the axles were soon regauged within better tolerances. I also loosened the bogies slightly to help as well. I've fitted the DT with a Trainomatic decoder, and the whole train works PERFECTLY in both push and pull modes. 

 

The colour match between the Daool 68 was always a question that cropped up, and Accurascale smashed it. The purple is a tad different but not noticeable if the loco is at the normal end. I'm yet to fit Liverpool destinations given they're more suited to my region. 

 

 

 

Cheers 

 

 

[WCML100]

They look absolutely stunning mate!

[JackB95]

On 29/01/2023 at 10:24, WCML100 said:

They look absolutely stunning mate!

 

Doesn't it just! Accurascale have done themselves so proud with these. I've not got anything of theirs on pre-order, but I'm going to keep a close eye on their second 37 batch as I'm quite fond of the idea of a 37/6 in DRS livery. After all, they frequented on the Valley flasks a lot...

 

The other day, West Hill Wagon Works announced a ton of new products to their website, including this rather smart looking 1970s office block which has been made by ATD Models (never heard of them until now). I found the instruction book on their website and it shows the model is capable of being a very low relief building which would, I think, suit the far end of the depot against the 2ft-wide backscene.

 

Three of the building sides put end on end would create a structure about 1'10" long, perfect to effectively span the full width. It'd be a rather nice depot admin block/messroom etc. I know I've got the big portacabin structure too, but that can still add to the scene.

 

Keeping on topic of backscenes, Metcalfe dropped a big hint at an upcoming product on their socials last year...

 

 

My thought process behind this rather impressive warehouse structure is to to displace the modern warehouses further down the layout towards the depot given they're much flatter, and put this in their place by the headshunt. I may have to built it a bit flatter if they're as 'low relief' as they are here pictured, but that'll be no problem. Rather quite like the idea of it! Hopefully it'll be red brick or something to that effect.

 

Metcalfe also released this prototype picture of a new Low Relief Old Hall, perfect for my Conwy scene...

 

... of which I propose something like this...

 

Not to scale, and very much dependant on how everything fits together... But you get the idea! It's heavily based on the real thing, with a one way street and a car park, and some buildings. The overbridge is on the right, with the classic castle arch on the left at an angle. Shall see how it all works! I think I'll raise the baseboard height a bit here as the car park is level at the platform.

Edited January 30, 2023 by JackB95
Helps if I actually attach the pictures I wanted

[JackB95]

The loft has been stuffed full of all sorts recently whilst I've had the house rewired. As a result, zero modelling has been done. HOWEVER. I've finally had the chance to make a start building the 1970s office for the depot. 

 

It's a lovely kit made by ATD Models and sold additionally West Hill Wagon Works. Instructions are clear and rather Metcalfe-esque too. The card is thin unlike Metcalfe, but it goes really nicely together and before too long, I ended up with this

 

 

 

 

Only three of the four sides have been made, and whilst there's a bit of finishing off to be done such as blackening out the windows, and fitting some form of roofing, they're effectively done! Really love the look and feel this building gives, and I feel it ties the scene in really well. 

 

My next modelling project is to get my resprayed 143 (later ATW livery that's never run before) numbered up, so will throw that onto the workbench thread when it's done. 

 

Thanks! 

 

 

[JackB95]

The second 143 FINALLY enters traffic after 4 years of gathering dust in its box

 

[Merfyn Jones]

On 16/03/2023 at 13:26, JackB95 said:

The second 143 FINALLY enters traffic after 4 years of gathering dust in its box

 

 

Hello Jack, layout coming along nicely.

Love the Britomart pulling No.14 buffet, reminds me o the Sunday beer trains we had as volenteers back in the days gone.

We talked about the Bachmann BSI couplings a while back. I am still trying to find the easy way to uncouple them without damage.  Just pulling apart just pulls them from the box !  They stay coupled very well as I have run a train of 3 x 150 plus 2 x 153s together without them splitting.

Any ideas ?  Merf.

 

 

[JackB95]

6 hours ago, Merfyn Jones said:

 

Hello Jack, layout coming along nicely.

Love the Britomart pulling No.14 buffet, reminds me o the Sunday beer trains we had as volenteers back in the days gone.

We talked about the Bachmann BSI couplings a while back. I am still trying to find the easy way to uncouple them without damage.  Just pulling apart just pulls them from the box !  They stay coupled very well as I have run a train of 3 x 150 plus 2 x 153s together without them splitting.

Any ideas ?  Merf.

 

 

 

Good to hear from you Merfyn. Not sure about the uncoupling problems! They're good at holding trains together, so guess they're maybe a bit too stiff? Not sure what to suggest unfortunately! 

[Merfyn Jones]

10 hours ago, JackB95 said:

 

Good to hear from you Merfyn. Not sure about the uncoupling problems! They're good at holding trains together, so guess they're maybe a bit too stiff? Not sure what to suggest unfortunately! 

 

Thanks Jack, I'm sure their is an easy answer, somebody must know.

 

[JackB95]

Oh hello... 

 

 

 

 

Brand new from Bachmann, the Arriva Trains Wales 158 has arrived with modellers, and what a beauty it is! 

 

Thanks to Tony's Trains of Rugby for the swift and easy sale. A brilliant place to get your models. 

 

It would've been rude not to pose it next to my other matching ATW stufd wouldn't it? 

 

 

 

I tell you, the colour matching across Bachmann Hornby and Cairns Road Works is bloody good... 

 

Oh, and have I mentioned it's got sound?

 

 

 

[JackB95]

After 3 and a half months of being away for fixing, the Accurascale Mk5A DT has finally returned, and seems to be in good working order! Well, certainly better than it was. 

 

It suffered poor back to back measurements on the wheels (wider than normal, which is a new one for me), and the lights flickered like a strobe. I still think the driving lights need a stay alive on the decoder. Bit of a shame given the saloon lights have one and it works amazingly. But hey, they're always learning to improve their models, so here's to future developments. 

 

Needs the destination screens fitting, but otherwise, welcome back! 

 

[JackB95]

This wasn't the part of the plan... 

 

 

Decided to see what 57s people were selling on Facebook. Found an advertised 57312 (factory weathering) with sound for £140 from a few weeks ago. Thought it'd have gone... but it hadn't! Well, not until I took it.

 

So welcome The Hood (or Mick Lynch if you fancy). Works a treat. Just needs the usual servicing to widen the wheelsets and clean the wheels and contacts. I'll upgrade the lights and speaker at some point, but otherwise - ooof! 

 

Keeping on the subject of the 390 drag, Hattons advertised one of three coaches I needed the other day (thanks to the wishlist email!). I did wonder if they'd get the others too, but didn't hold off buying it there and then. The next day comes, Amazon tell me they've messed up so sending that carriage back to Liverpool, and Hattons announce the other two I need are now available 😂 oops! Once the final coach arrives, we're laughing. 

 

I've made a start on the 390 couplings, but I'll put that on the workbench thread later.