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Greyscroft Mine - Cleveland Ironstone in 1955. EM gauge.


Worsdell forever

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Modernisation...

 

When I started the layout I built the headgear first, the simplest way to do it was to build in timber, the only problem with that is timber structures were phased out from the early 1920s.

 

Demolition!

 

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The 'wooden' structure at the back is the 'Horse Hole', ground level access for horses and equipment, men accessed the shaft from the upper level, the grey structure in front is the concrete base for the weighbridge. 

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I have now got round to rebuilding in steel using Plastruct H and I sections. I'm not sure what to do about the wheels, whether to use the original whitemetal ones that are a bit chunky and need more spokes adding or some nice etched ones that are actually large 2mm scale ones that are a bit small (4mm less than the W/M ones) and very fine, they may look under scale even though they work out at 10' diameter. 

 

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  • RMweb Gold

They do look good James, not cheap but good detail and a little bit bigger than the ones I have. I've sort of decided to refit the whitemetal ones for now, the layout will be at Pickering in three weeks, then I may order a set of them.

 

Got the top bit done last night (not sure what it's called), it will be removable as it is taller than the backscene ans so when fitted the transit/storage box won't fit.

 

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  • RMweb Gold

I've decided to keep the heapstead building as it is, I'm completing the roof and the head gear will be fitted 'through' it. The heapstead building will need legs at the back and probably some more buildings around it, it will also need access to it from ground level for the miners.

 

The end of the building with the owners name now on and weathered.

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  • RMweb Gold

Quite pleased with progress tonight, I've got the rear section of roof made and holes drilled for the frame to fit through, the frame is about 12mm higher than in previous photos, when the top triangular bit is removed there will be 5-6mm of clearance under the top of the transit box! The two braces/stays have been cut, these will need beams between them and steps fitting to one of them.

 

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  • RMweb Gold

Made a bit more progress tonight despite the temperature, cross bracing on the frame from 0.9mm wire and all the plastic bits stuck together, since this photo was taken it's had a bit of paint wafted at it, I'll put it all together when completely dry probably Saturday night.

 

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I noticed recently that some odd looking yellow and grey locos have appeared on DitD, same sort of thing has happened here but in a 1950s style...

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  • RMweb Gold

As promised, with paint, most headgear in the north east was painted either blue or green, I've gone for blue, mainly as I have a rattle can of blue...

 

Next jobs to do will be drill some holes in the roof for the wire, somehow mount the wheels, add steps up the rear brace and quite a bit of weathering.

 

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  • RMweb Gold

In between jobs on the mine headgear I've been starting a few other detailing jobs, the first of these is adding and improving the trees around the mine end of the layout, after reading Gordon Gravetts excellent tree books I have been inspired to build a few, the first is a Scots Pine, I'm thinking that there needs to be two more, one in front and one behind, maybe slightly smaller. I think this will fill in this corner nicely. 

 

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Ok Paul,

Firstly, isn't it funny the things you find out when building a layout. Who knew that timber structures were phased out in the 1920s? Not me, and a few others I dare say!

Secondly, I admire your dedication in totally rebuilding the head gear tower and demolishing the original.

Thirdly, what a great job you've made of it. From the photos, you'd never know that the tower is a rebuild.

So, I'm looking forward to inspecting this at closer quarters at Pickering later this month. Great work as always.

Cheers,

Mike 

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  • RMweb Gold

Thanks for the comments.

 

I'm wondering if less than two weeks before a show is a good time to test a new control system?

 

Three weeks ago at the Hartlepool show I bought an NCE PowerCab and tonight I've put the whole layout up and plugged it in for the first time (I've been slowly fitting chips into locos for the last few months). Although there are a couple of dry joints in the track, these can easily be sorted. I've tested the Q6, J26 and 4MT and apart from the 4MT shorting for no apparent reason when leaving the FY all seems to be Ok.

 

Couple of shots of North Eastern power...

 

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Made a bit more progress tonight despite the temperature, cross bracing on the frame from 0.9mm wire and all the plastic bits stuck together, since this photo was taken it's had a bit of paint wafted at it, I'll put it all together when completely dry probably Saturday night.

 

attachicon.gifIMGP7476-001.JPG

 

I noticed recently that some odd looking yellow and grey locos have appeared on DitD, same sort of thing has happened here but in a 1950s style...

attachicon.gifIMGP7475-001.JPG

I think Paul has started a new scale/gauge here. 18.2 gauge in H0 is  roughly equivalent to Irish broad gauge (we did some sums), A good mechanism and EM wheels and away you go.

 

Mike

 

P.S. Just realised that saying "sums" makes me sound really old, which I am/feel.

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  • RMweb Gold

Well I think I've got all of the dry joints sorted, one of them was very dry, it hadn't had a bonding wire soldered on at all, just relying on the rails touching!

 

Anyway, I've been doing a bit of playing testing and Q6 63340 can be seen here restarting from the up home signal, the driver can be seen looking back to check that the brake van is following.

 

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  • RMweb Gold

I've been thinking for a while about improving the layout lights, up to now they have been three pairs of spotlights spread along the layout. There have been many problems with these, to start with the look awful, they don't give an even light and they always seem to be shining in our faces. Yesterday morning I asked my dad for suggestions on how I could replace them with something like the rig I built for Felton Lane, after a lot of measuring and much head scratching (awkward shape layout don't forget) he's talked himself into taking over the project (well I wasn't going to stop a joiner when there's wood to cut!) and is currently building three curved boxes the two end ones will be supported on two end legs and two of the existing brackets bolted to the back of the baseboards, the centre box will rest on the outer ones, held in place with pins/bolts. Each box will have two 600mm long fluorescent lights all linked together. The centre box will be cut to length when the two outer ones are fitted in place.

 

The three box tops, one with strips of softwood pinned and glued on to fix the sides to. The piece of ply on the left is for testing the stain - Ronseal Quick drying Woodstain, Teak.

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Lights are progressing well, the two outer boxes are built and I've got them fitted in place tonight, the centre one can be measured from these.

 

The first two boxes on the bench.

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The outer two boxes mounted with the top of the centre box laid/propped on these to align the outer ones.

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Front view.

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As promised, with paint, most headgear in the north east was painted either blue or green, I've gone for blue, mainly as I have a rattle can of blue...

 

Next jobs to do will be drill some holes in the roof for the wire, somehow mount the wheels, add steps up the rear brace and quite a bit of weathering.

 

attachicon.gifIMGP7576-001.JPG

Don't forget to add walkways and handrails between and around the winding wheels.

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  • RMweb Gold

Hi Dave, that's one of the jobs for today, I have some plastic mouldings for the steps with some handrails to match, the rails round the top might be a bit more of a fiddle though, might make them up from brass wire for strength.

 

Should have the lights sorted today as well.

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Made a start this morning on the steps and walkways, the steps are an American moulding by Central Valley, available I think from P&H Models. it will need rails on the other side as well, at the top of these steps will be a landing and another short set (laid on the bench) up to the top where there will be a walkway all the way round and between the wheels. This is as far as I got before it was all hands to the lights, which are done now apart from a couple more coats of stain. Oh, and one of the link wires is the wrong type and needs changing.

 

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  • RMweb Gold

A bit of progress.

 

The lights are now finished, seen here face down showing the inside painted white to hopefully reflect a bit more light.

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A walkway has been added to the headgear, the walkway will be blue and the steps black, the handrails will be added after painting.

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  • RMweb Gold

At close of play tonight, very pleased with how the lights have worked out, thanks to my dad for taking over this little project.

 

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Some signage has been added.

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The headgear in place, not looking forward to making the handrails...

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I think Paul has started a new scale/gauge here. 18.2 gauge in H0 is  roughly equivalent to Irish broad gauge (we did some sums), A good mechanism and EM wheels and away you go.

 

Mike

 

P.S. Just realised that saying "sums" makes me sound really old, which I am/feel.

 

Funnily enough, that's a combination I considered before starting in P4, 21mm gauge. There were more useful bits available in 4mm scale, and I thought I'd have ended up with track that was 1/8 overscale - I didn't know about Proto 87 at the time.

 

Sorry, I'm off topic.

 

I haven't commented on this thread before, but I love your layout, particularly the combination of rural and industrial elements. I hope the new control goes smoothly.

 

Alan

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