Blackmoor, Lynton & Barnstaple Railway in 009 (c 1930) -East Grinstead done , next show is Taunton

[PaulRhB]

Unfortunately I’ll miss Tolworth again due to work, getting there when working until 2 is a bit of a stretch 😆

At least as you are so busy exhibiting I will get to see it eventually so keep posting the shows 😀

[roundhouse]

Thanks Paul

 

We will be at Tonbridge and East Grinstead next year plus one possibly in the South West but awaiting the formal invite. Still no big shows yet though.

[GWRPhil]

2 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

Thanks Paul

 

We will be at Tonbridge and East Grinstead next year plus one possibly in the South West but awaiting the formal invite. Still no big shows yet though.

Be good to see the layout. Would it be very south west or more Bristol way?

[roundhouse]

Replied to Phil by pm.

 

This morning another coach is having it's roof lamps replaced and will get the pipework once I ha e checked the book Measured and Drawn. It has been used to add the coach end acetylene pipe work and the acetylene generator box. I am also using a photo of of the brake coach taken at Blackmoor.

 

Only a few days left to work on these so will just get as far as I can with the modifications.

Edited November 5, 2023 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Apart from two coaches all are now equipped with Acetylene generators and roof pipework. Some are already back in the stock box but the photo below shows those being finished off earlier on.

 

 

One of the open thirds had a different style of generator so this has been modelled. It was eventually changed by 1935 but I am guessing that it was after the period I am modelling. The bow in the pipe run has since been rectified.

 

The last coach to arrive on the L & B was number 17. This was delivered with acetylene lamps so the rooftop bungs were not fitted. I had put them on this coach when I built the Golden Arrow kit so they have just been removed and the holes filled. This coach still requires the tops of the lamps painting black then a light weathering. It also requires lining and decals when I can eventually get hold of some.

 

Edited November 13, 2023 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

With all the modifications to the coaches nearing completion I have taken the plunge and started modifying the remaining 8 ton bogie vans to back date them to how they would have been in 1930.

 

These vans had most of the external cross bracing removed in 1934 as per the kits. I modified one about 30 years ago but never got around to doing the same to the other three.

 

One side is now ready for painting. Luckily I still have some spare S R decals to replace those that are in the way of the cross bracing.

 

With the show at the weekend I may not get thrm all modified in time.

[roundhouse]

A few last minute items worked on yesterday. The bogie van bracing is now complete apart from some weathering but out of tiem for this weekends show. This leaves another two to alter at some point.

 

A resistor was added to this van and also to a coach by modifying the bogie retaining clip. These are to trigger the block detection which I am hoping will work again this weekend. If it does then I will start testing automation in the near future.

 

The layout is now loaded ready for the 40 minute trip to Tolworth in the morning.

Edited November 10, 2023 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

What a morning. Car wouldn't start this morning but was prepared for that as it would not start yesterday having not used it for three weeks. Jump started it again and got here on time. Once the layout was set up tried the car but battery dead so it was up the road with a trolley to pick up a battery and wheel it back. However the computer got it wrong and it was too long so back up to the garage and swapped for another that did fit. Car now fine so it was back to the the layout to sort out a few gremlins. That's now generally running OK so it's time for lunch.

Edited November 11, 2023 by roundhouse

[Pete Haitch]

2 hours ago, roundhouse said:

What a morning. Car would nt start this morning but was prepared for that as it would not start yesterday having not used it for three weeks. Jump started it again and got here on time. Once the layout was set up tried the car but battery dead so it was up the road with a trolley to put it ck up a battery and wheel it back. However the computer got it wrong and it was too long so back up to the garage and swapped for another that did fit. Car now fine so it was back to the the layout to sort out a few gremlins. That's now generally running OK so it's time for lunch.

Whatever was going on 'behind the scenes',  I certainly enjoyed my visit to your layout mid morning. 

[roundhouse]

4 hours ago, Pete Haitch said:

Whatever was going on 'behind the scenes',  I certainly enjoyed my visit to your layout mid morning. 

Thanks

 

We had a good team looking after the layout today whilst I was sorting the car out.

[roundhouse]

With all coaches now at the show I had to find something to do in the shed early this morning. I then spotted a Golden Arrow kit on the shelf that I had built many years ago so decided to lower it to match the Peco ones plus make clearances for the bogies and couplers to go round the fiddleyar curves. It was out with the file and Dremel on the plastic floor. It will get a test today at the Tolworth show then I will probably do the necessay modifications to the acetelyne lamps to match the other coaches.

 

Its doing the lining that is the difficult part.

[Tramfabriek]

It was great to see the layout again, loved the sheep and great talking to you. Didn't look like you had a stressful morning behind you.

 

Sven

[mcowgill]

On 13/10/2023 at 12:14, roundhouse said:

This morning I decided to start changing the roof lamps on the caches for the acetylene type resin printed type by ST Models.

 

Do you have a link or contact for the ST Models roof lamps?

 

THanks,

Martin

[roundhouse]

7 hours ago, mcowgill said:

Do you have a link or contact for the ST Models roof lamps?

 

THanks,

Martin

Martin

 

Here you go.

 

https://stmodels.co.uk/products.html

[roundhouse]

8 hours ago, Tramfabriek said:

It was great to see the layout again, loved the sheep and great talking to you. Didn't look like you had a stressful morning behind you.

 

Sven

Sven

 

Nice photo.

 

It was good to have a long chat. The car had been sorted out by then so I had relaxed quite bit. Today the touch screen computers performed well with no locking up on them. I even managed to get all the block detection working again as the Digikeijs unit had lost the block section addresses whihc was easily changed back to what they should be.

[roundhouse]

he  Golden Arrow coach had a good run on the layout on Sunday. However the wheels were still binding on the underside so this morning it had a bit more plastic ground out and is now much better. It will now get the usual upgrades plus I am experimenting with lining.

 

 

Quite a few people mentioned about the release of the Lionheart Manning and Wardle. Our response  'like this one'. I had mine behind the layout and it became quite a talking point. None were on sale at the show and no signs of the coaches either that being good for my wallet.

 

A few photos taken over the weekend.

 

 

Edited November 14, 2023 by roundhouse

[DLT]

8 hours ago, roundhouse said:

Quite a few people mentioned about the release of the Lionheart Manning and Wardle. Our response  'like this one'. I had mine behind the layout and it became quite a talking point. None were on sale at the show and no signs of the coaches either that being good for my wallet.

A very slippery slope......!

[roundhouse]

4 hours ago, DLT said:

A very slippery slope......!

Yes, I am going to have to be very careful, a friend is selling his kit built rolling stock.

[roundhouse]

I have now recommenced work on the Chris Leigh kit of brake coach number 1 (and 2) after putting it aside many years ago.

 

I had used clear perspex sides but the very thin brass etches just would not stick to it, so I have built up the non glazed areas in styrene. The etched sides have also been reduced in height by a couple of mm so that they match both the Peco and Golden Arrow coaches. The roof is a profiled styrene done many years ago but has since been filed down to the correct width.

[roundhouse]

The Chris Leigh coach is now on its bogies with Greenwich couplers fitted. The running boards have been fitted as close as possible to the same height of the Peco coaches. The acetylene lamps bar one have been fitted but I will have to order more ST Models lamps to complete this coach. I will require more for the other coach kits.

[roundhouse]

A line up of three coaches

 

On the left is the Chris Leigh kit of coach no.2, middle is an all 3rd by Golden Arrow thats also had its running boards altered and on the right is a Peco composite.

 

In the background is another Golden Arrow kit partially assembled many years ago and will be next on the workbench.

Edited November 23, 2023 by roundhouse

[Barry O]

When are you building the extension to the layout?

Baz

[Phatbob]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

When are you building the extension to the layout?

Baz

Only after Father Christmas brings him a bigger car to transport it in I would imagine. 😉

 

[roundhouse]

Not just a bigger car but more operators.

 

The Chris Leigh coach number one now has seats. The first class areas also have armrests plus the dividing partition between smoking and non smoking.

 

I also ground the dog box grilles off the etched sides as these had long gone by 1930. Afterwards the patch on one side had been painted green but the other side was still work in progress.

 

[roundhouse]

The infilled toplights have been painted and the vents above the doors formed out of styrene. No easy to see them now that they have been painted.

The sliding window frames and door drop lights have now been added after using the SIlhouette cutter to produce them in 10 thou styrene sheet. These will be painted brown once the glue has set. Just requires glazing and passengers before the roof is fixed on.

 

Not looking forward to doing the lining. Its that fine that it might be better to just leave it off. We shall see.

 

A couple more invites have landed. More on them once they are fully confirmed. Also an article is underway for one of the mags.