Tunstead Moor Sidings - A scenic shunting layout

[Ighten]

Oil was a more unusual wagon to be brought into the yard.

 

[Ighten]

 

I decided over the past couple of weeks to finally tackle one aspect that's been an annoyance for a long time (and no it's not the creases in the backscene grrrr)

 

The original photos from this thread have disappeared into the ether following the site crash but if you remember the size of the fiddle yard was heavily constrained by the original location. That's no longer an issue so I have taken the opportunity to scrap the small traverser and replace it with a simple set of Sidings. The traverser in all honesty never worked well and it actually became easier to simply lift and swap stock by hand.

 

 

You can get an idea of the size of the original yard here. It was limited. And below the size in comparison with the new section. I have hade to reconstruct the rear support and strengthen the base as obviously the layout now has to support double or more the weight of the protruding fiddle yards section.

 

 

By adding a ladder set of Sidings I now have two sets of Sidings easily operated probably with wire in tube that hold the same or slightly longer length trains and a third spare. But best of all I now have faultless running between the yard and layout as the traverser always refused to line up correctly.

 

Edited June 15, 2023 by Ighten

[Ighten]

Why is it when you start laying track at last you suddenly discover your one set of fishplates short.🤔 I could have sworn I had hundreds.

 

 

Anyway a bit more tidying up with new fascia boards attached to the extended fiddle yard.

 

[ELTEL]

Super model and a great inspiration of what can be achieved in a relatively small space.

 

I personally think it would look even better with a crew in the locomotives and a guard either in the brake van or strategically placed with his shunters pole.

 

Terry  

[Ighten]

On 29/06/2023 at 13:56, ELTEL said:

Super model and a great inspiration of what can be achieved in a relatively small space.

 

I personally think it would look even better with a crew in the locomotives and a guard either in the brake van or strategically placed with his shunters pole.

 

Terry  

I'm always should I or shouldn't I when it comes to adding crew.. Sometimes I think something isn't quite right when looking at stationary people. But your now the third or fourth person to mention it so I may have to get a few ordered and painted.

 

I still need to get the cobbles painted up yet though.. lol

Edited July 5, 2023 by Ighten

[Ighten]

 

 

Edited July 9, 2023 by Ighten

[Ighten]

Ok finally took the plunge and started to put some water into the stream

 Not sure if I am entirely satisfied with the result yet as it's a bit too clear and flat at the moment

 

 

 

 

[Gilbert]

I'm very much enjoying this layout but despite a quick run throughth I'm not sure if a trackplan has been lost since the thread started but is there any chance of one with some dimensions as well - thanks.

Chris H

[Ighten]

18 hours ago, Gilbert said:

I'm very much enjoying this layout but despite a quick run throughth I'm not sure if a trackplan has been lost since the thread started but is there any chance of one with some dimensions as well - thanks.

Chris H

Yes unfortunately I didn't keep copies then of pics or the drawings and relied on the site.. 😣

 

I'll try to re do it for you if I can remember the software I used lol.. 

[Tryfan]

Which "water" did you use in the stream please?

David

[Ighten]

15 minutes ago, Tryfan said:

Which "water" did you use in the stream please?

David

 

Woodland scenics murky water pour.. I was able to get a part bottle from an n gauge project a friend is working on.. It's good and easy but I'm unsure now how to go about adding ripples.. A few you tube vids seem to suggest PVA on top and a hairdryer but I now don't have any spare to experiment with 😂

[Ighten]

Ok I quickly put together a track plan using the Hornby hm7000 app.. can't quite get it identical  but I'll get the full measurements later for you. 

 

Basically it's all peco streamline code 75 with medium points. Short would have used less room but just looked wrong.

 

It's a simple inglenook basically. The left is the new fiddle yard.

 

[Gilbert]

Thanks for that - I have some Peco BH Medium points destined for something similar. I see from a previous post that the dimensions are 136cm in Length, 37cm in depth.

Chris

[Ighten]

That's correct.. I was going to get you the measurements for each siding should you wish but I'm not at home at the moment.

[Ighten]

Ok make your own story up for this one. Rule 1 - Heritage line - Stabling whilst the charter is turned around at Tunstead. 🤔 Or RES 47 Prince William waits for the road tanker to arrive to refuel before taking a charter back.

 

 

This old Lima is having a scrub up to DCC with sound, a full etched pack from fox and new glazing and buffer detail. Weathering will be limited but I am wondering looking at pics if I should go for a more glossy finish

[Ighten]

Ok I have to admit it looks a lot better in the flesh than in a picture but the first element of upgrading the 47 was fitting flush windows.

 

 

Axle boxes have also been corrected, though I seem to get some pics where all three have been painted , some where the middles are not and some there no 2 ends middles were missed..

 

Now normally I would have glazed after weathering but this was kept in such good condition I couldn't help diving in.

 

Waiting now for etches and 8 pin sockets and chips 

Edited July 19, 2023 by Ighten

[Ighten]

Again pics don't really do justice but just trying out the fox etches in the layouts lighting makes a great difference.

 

 

One immediate issue though is the Crewe cats and number plates are printed way too large by Lima. Now my last t cut effort on a Lima model left me with a yellow plastic mess. So I will live with it and touch up later when I look at light weathering. The Crewe cats by the way are a real delicacy to cut away.

Edited July 21, 2023 by Ighten

[Ighten]

 

With axle boxes painted and all etches attached. Probably doesn't look much different in the photo but in movement the way the etchings just catch the light and add depth really makes a difference.

 

 

Next it time to get the socket in and test it with a blanking plug in place. Don't want to fry a sound chip. It previously sounded like this though after a full service it's now running a lot quieter. 

 

 

 

 

 

[Multigauge]

Loving the Lima duff. It looks good with the adornments and flush glazing; do you plan to change the buffers? I've been discovering DCC sound of late - I have a class 20 and bubble car which sound great - but I've also got a Lima 73 running DC and it sounds like your 47; sometimes I wonder if it gives all the sound I need 😂

[Ighten]

The buffers will be primed sanded and repainted.. tbf unlike the Hornby version of the same tooling there's nothing that wrong with the buffers (from a distance). Hornbys current 47 for some reason has shorter buffers.

 

I stripped the motor over the last day or 2 cleaned and serviced and have to say it hardly sounds much louder now than a typical DJM model.

[37Oban]

I have a Lima 20 which I've sound chipped.  Before I did this it sounded like a bag of spanners falling down the stairs, but, as you've done, I stripped and cleaned the motor and now all you can hear is the sounds provided by the chip, even at low volume.  In my humble opion I think all Lima locos benefit from a really good service and clean, irrespective of whether you use dc or dcc.

 

Roja

[sb67]

On 23/07/2023 at 10:35, 37Oban said:

I have a Lima 20 which I've sound chipped.  Before I did this it sounded like a bag of spanners falling down the stairs, but, as you've done, I stripped and cleaned the motor and now all you can hear is the sounds provided by the chip, even at low volume.  In my humble opion I think all Lima locos benefit from a really good service and clean, irrespective of whether you use dc or dcc.

 

Roja

Did you follow any videos to strip and clean the motor? I've got one on my list of things to do.

[37Oban]

Hi,

 

there are some videos on  Youtube, MikesMovies Lima Loco Service guide is quite comprehensive, but I did mine serveral years back and added a TTS sound chip at the same time.  I can't see the video I watched, but it was a fairly simple process.  It has to be for me since I have effective use of only one hand after a stroke.  IIRC I didn't remove the gears but carefully cleaned them in situ and used a small piece of wet & dry to remove any pips from their backs, then they nwere lightly lubricated.  I did remove the rotor and cleaned it and all the contacts and pickups.  I didn't touch the wheels as I fitted some Ultrascale EM sets at the time.

 

However, if you don't fancy doing a motor strip down, there are several companies offering alternative motors that are a direct replacement for the Lima, and other pancake motors, and offer superior performance.  I didn't need this as my current layout is only 1.6 metres long, but I may try one one in the future if my roundy roundy ever gets built! 

 

Roja

[Ighten]

 

this is quite comprehensive but there's plenty more available and you certainly don't need the jewellery cleaner.

 

Key things are a tiny bit of lubrication on each side of the motors armature and a dot of grease on the gears. Turns a bag of spanners into as almost quite as modern.

 

 

 

 

[Ighten]

Cabs rebuilt and back in place. Buffers tidied up a bit. (Black body, silver shank and grey front) TBH the front grey is wrong and using oils for the oil marks hasn't given me the feathering in I wanted, so I'll redo them later or take some powders to them as looking at photos they seemed to carry a bit of rust and grime on the buffers.

 

 

Edited July 24, 2023 by Ighten