Building Moorbach - a first project in TT:120

[Keith Addenbrooke]

18 minutes ago, JohnR said:

Apologies if you've mentioned this before, Keith, but are you looking to anglicise the signal box kit? Or is it more a "throw-away" kit that you wont use on an actual layout?

Hi John, as we have plenty of time before UK r-t-r TT:120 might be available (starting with the Heljan Class 31 planned for the end of next year), I’m actually thinking of Moorbach as a small test circuit layout using Continental TT, but I’m putting it here in this Forum rather than the Continental one as one of my aims is to use it as a stepping stone for a British GW(-ish) layout in due course, so I can share what I learn about the scale in general.  I’m not an expert modeller, so it’ll all be learning.

 

I’m quite happy modelling Continental or American outline in Narrow Gauge or Standard Gauge, and had TT:120 not come along now I didn’t see me returning to UK outline modelling for a good while (if at all).  TT:120 just seems to tick all the boxes for me, Keith.

Edited July 9, 2022 by Keith Addenbrooke

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Well, the time comes when the excitement of things new needs to turn into something productive if anything is to get done.  With Peco product now appearing (it’s real!), it’s a good time to make a start.  That’s been my task with my free time this weekend.

 

I must stress at this point that I’m not an experienced or skilled modeller, I can’t paint for toffee (my painting more often looks like toffee), and I’m one of the least practical people I’ve ever met.  But I do have fun, and anything I share is with the express aim of pointing out that if I can do it, anyone can - and I really do mean that.  Part of the idea behind TT:120 as I understand it is to bring commercial r-t-r support for UK outline modelling into the gap between N and OO, using the same correct scale / gauge combination as elsewhere, which all makes it accessible for someone like me.

 

So here goes.  I’m starting with the Auhagen building kits I’ve bought to get a feel for the size.  I also like buildings - here is my current collection of finished models (all I have room for on top of the spare wardrobe).  The yellow Santa Fe depot was scratchbuilt over a period of three months, the rest are kits, most of which have been shown on RMweb previously:

 

 

But the first step proves it’s not all glitz and glamour - painting grey components grey, simply so they don’t look like plastic:

 

 

But at least I’ve started.  The size is obviously a bit smaller than the HO I’m used to, but my initial impression is it’s still a very comfortable size - and if it increases my chances of completing a layout project, then it will be more than worth it.  Have a good week, Keith.

Edited July 10, 2022 by Keith Addenbrooke
Clarification

[rekoboy]

On the topic of TT-120 couplings I use the older style Tillig, now PIKO standard, hook and loop on all of my locos and on all of the freight stock. I employ the new Tillig or Kuehn coupling only on rakes of coaches which do not need to be split. The end vehicles in a rake have, of course, the older coupling. I find coupling and uncoupling for shunting or loco run-rounds much easier with the older Tillig or PIKO coupling with which the vehicles are slightly further apart. Uncoupling with the new coupling with my eyesight is difficult, to say the least! As you can see from the attached photos Kuehn's E German Reko coaches look absolutely fantastic when close-coupled, with corridor connections touching - and they still negotiate 310 mm radius curves! You can see from the second photo that the loco has an older coupling, and the end carriage of the set, too and so the gap between tender and first vehicle is therefore noticeably wider.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Last weekend’s modelling task was to paint the components of the loading dock kit a clean, plain grey.  The job this morning has been to make them look dirty again, adding various oil stains, animal stains and evidence of use over time:

 

 

I just use a very simple and gentle dry brushing technique to apply some darker grey and khaki colouring, with a piece of kitchen roll handy to quickly wipe away any excess.  Even this basic approach is something I wouldn’t have dared try a couple of years ago, but with the encouragement and example of contributors to various Forums here on RMweb I’ve made a start.  Oddly enough, the more often I give it a go, the easier it seems to get, and it’s not as if I’m aiming for an expert standard.  It’s also quite enjoyable.

 

This afternoon I’m off to our local 009 Society Group meeting - I’ve really enjoyed being a member since signing up last year and would recommend belonging to a society (all my Continental TT kits have come from the 009 Society Members’ Shop too).  Have a good weekend, Keith. 

Edited July 16, 2022 by Keith Addenbrooke

[AndyB]

Looking good, Keith. 

In addition to the dry brushing have you thought of giving them a dusting with weathering powders? Maybe something to try once it's been assembled?

Andy

[britishcolumbian]

Weathering is funny that way, isn't it? :)

 

But the more you do it the better you'll get and eventually you'll get the confidence to weather an expensive locomotive, too... (the first one I did terrified me!)

[Keith Addenbrooke]

I’ve added the animal pen fences that come with the kit, which takes this modular build about as far as I can until I have a better idea of what a layout plan might look like - at this stage the individual section of the loading dock remain separate, and about the only thing I can still do now will be to glue down the water pump when the paint dries:

 

 

There is a sprue of warning signs to complete at some point too - and vehicle ramps for end loading.

 

At this point I realise I haven’t bought any suitable rolling stock - maybe the loading dock will end up on the eventual GWR layout I hope to get to in time instead?

 

 

Knowing the Auhagen kits have been around for a while, I must say I’m really pleased with how clean the mouldings are and how easily the parts fitted together.  While this is a very simple kit to start with, it gives me every encouragement to press on.

 

I also had a bit of time to ‘play trains’ (NB: track is still H0m - mine is in a Hattons’ ‘Trunk’ awaiting collection or shipment when I’ve finished adding to my orders)

 

 

 

I also took some comparison shots which I’ll post in that thread.  Stay safe and have a good week if you can, Keith.

 

[Keith Addenbrooke]

 

Work first, play later.  But yes, I am as excited with this morning’s delivery as a kid with a new toy right now - which is perhaps why I’m still doing this at the age of 54 😃

[F-UnitMad]

9 hours ago, Keith Addenbrooke said:

 

Work first, play later.  But yes, I am as excited with this morning’s delivery as a kid with a new toy right now - which is perhaps why I’m still doing this at the age of 54 😃

Ooh, ooh, what could possibly be in those boxes???!!! 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤪🤪🤣🤣

 

🥳🥳🥳

[Keith Addenbrooke]

3 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

Ooh, ooh, what could possibly be in those boxes???!!! 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤪🤪🤣🤣

 

🥳🥳🥳

 

Sorry Jordan, you’ll have to wait until tomorrow - I’m timed out for today.  I did manage to open the boxes and check the contents, which were all good condition (which was reassuring to know as the delivery driver fumbled the package when putting it on the step for the now-obligatory photo and dropped it a few inches).  He then took a photo of the “Fragile” sign on the box side 😃.

 

I’ve got some photos to post here in this Forum when I get time - suffice to say my first impressions have exceeded expectations (which were quite high on this occasion to begin with), Keith.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

19 hours ago, F-UnitMad said:

Ooh, ooh, what could possibly be in those boxes???!!! 🤷‍♂️🤷‍♂️🤪🤪🤣🤣

 

🥳🥳🥳

 

No prizes for guessing what was in the long, thin, top box - especially as @F-UnitMad has previously sold me just such a box of Flextrack anyway 😃.

 

I’ve posted a couple of photos of the TT:120 track in the Comparison thread, so I won’t repeat them here.  My personal verdict on unwrapping the track was: “Wow!”.  The more I look at the detail, the more I’m impressed (though note: I don’t have any Code 55 N Gauge track for direct comparison).  I’ve read that the new track is firmer, and holds a curve better, and that certainly seems to be the case which will help track laying.  There is a compromise to get the benefit of the Code 55 double bottom rail, as there is no ‘daylight’ possible between the visible portion of the outer rail and the webbing below, and the sleepers will look a bit tall / chunky close up until ballasted, but at normal viewing angles it won’t be noticeable anyway most of the time.  And the track really should be ballasted 😃.

 

The lower box contained a good selection of air-filled bags and bubble wrap (ie: it wasn’t stuffed full of trains!).  Along with a few points (also shown in the Comparison thread) and some other items were the much anticipated trio of laser-cut kits for GWR branch line buildings.

 

It was these that first caught my attention when TT:120 was announced, and initial impressions have definitely exceeded expectations, as I noted last night.  All three kits look very well designed, neatly made and are very efficiently packed in environmentally friendly card.  The instructions look clear and simple, and the kits make good use of the double layered approach common with laser cut buildings.  Here’s a section of the Good Shed kit:

 

 

And a close up to give the door size for the loading gauge:

 

 

 

In terms of size, this is an internal door from the Station building kit:

 

 

The doors are about 6’6” tall and a bit over 2’ wide.  Part numbers are very clearly marked!

 

The only advice I would have welcomed but couldn’t see in the instructions was with regards to the preferred adhesive / glue to use, and any tips on painting / priming what is a real wood product.  It means I’ll probably tackle at least one of the HO laser cut buildings I have in my stash first, to see what works (and what doesn’t).  For someone with more experience than me these questions won’t need asking of course.  My overall verdict: excellent, and I very much look forward to building these kits.

 

Having bought these kits and the track using proceeds from selling my H0m collection, I’m now thinking I’ll save them for use against next year’s budget to free up some funds for other things this year  There’s no rush with TT:120, and with a busy summer of family commitments ahead, modelling progress will have to be slower for the next few months anyway.  I also have some other live projects, including (but not limited to) the Continental version of Moorbach this thread is dedicated to.

 

In terms of TT:120, what I’ve acquired are some really top quality products, user-friendly and very well thought out.  This is going to be lots of fun, Keith. 

Edited July 26, 2022 by Keith Addenbrooke

[rodshaw]

On 25/07/2022 at 09:51, Keith Addenbrooke said:

 

Work first, play later.  But yes, I am as excited with this morning’s delivery as a kid with a new toy right now - which is perhaps why I’m still doing this at the age of 54 😃

Only 54? Then you are a kid with a new toy!

[Keith Addenbrooke]

It’s really encouraging to see the first showings of various projects already taking shape in TT:120 here on RMweb.  Well done to those leading the way.  Although the Summer months are usually when I hope to make modelling progress too (at my more basic level) it’s a particularly busy period for us this year so I’m spending more time thinking than building at the moment.

 

Having got some track and the Peco GW building kits I’ve returned to the question of what I might do with them:

 

On 21/06/2022 at 16:40, rodshaw said:

Good luck with the new layout. Any chance of a track plan? Come on, hurry up! 😛

 

In some ways I dig a hole for myself as I very much favour continuous run layouts to Fiddle Yard - Terminus Schemes for my own projects.  I’m also a fan of GW Branch Lines though, and one idea I’ve been looking at is Roy Link’s classic terminus from the Oct ‘78 Railway Modeller, “The Art of Compromise.”  Why?  With Peco promoting this as a ‘no compromise’ scale / gauge offering, it rather appeals to my sense of humour:

 

 

It would need a bit of modifying to make it buildable, but using the same 6’ length as the original OO plan it could work.  It’s also inspired by Fairford, which is my personal favourite in the genre* and one I looked at in OO as a possible layout plan 2020.

 

This is just a first idea.  The surprise  ‘not to be missed’ announcement of TT:120 two months ago means I’m trying to juggle four or five different small layout projects.  Given my lack of spare time (as well as limited skills and budgetary constraint), I will need to do some prioritising.  What I’ve seen of Continental TT in 1:120 is however very convincing and I hope this positivity is coming across in the various project threads in the Forum.  Be encouraged, give it a go.  Keith.

______________________________________

* even though or perhaps because it wasn’t actually built to be a terminus in the first place.

 

Edited August 9, 2022 by Keith Addenbrooke

[Moxy]

If you are looking at 'Art of Compromise,' have a look at Chris Ford's reworking of it in the October 2018 Railway Modeller.

 

Chris makes a few changes to Roy Link's plan, and actually builds it to prove it works.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

3 minutes ago, Moxy said:

If you are looking at 'Art of Compromise,' have a look at Chris Ford's reworking of it in the October 2018 Railway Modeller.

 

Chris makes a few changes to Roy Link's plan, and actually builds it to prove it works.

Agreed - thanks for flagging it up ( I’d forgotten about it).  I think it later ended up with the BRM team too who used it for a track / layout refurbishment demonstration which may still be available on the Warners’ World of Railways website.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

On 09/08/2022 at 22:07, Keith Addenbrooke said:

The surprise  ‘not to be missed’ announcement of TT:120 two months ago means I’m trying to juggle four or five different small layout projects.  Given my lack of spare time (as well as limited skills and budgetary constraint), I will need to do some prioritising.

 

…Sometimes I’d like to prove myself wrong!  I’d planned to build the Signal Box (Stellwerk) for Moorbach this week, but my spare time got swallowed up by a modelling ‘stocktake’.  It’s been a bit of a reality check - esp. as I also updated my budget & accounts!

 

I’ve therefore rationalised my plans to free up time, space and funds and I’m scaling back this Continental TT starter project to the diorama I’d originally envisaged.  It’s not a bad thing: I’ve seen everything I need to remain fully convinced by 1:120: the size, weight, level of detail, close couplings and running standards are all excellent, and it all looks and runs great on the new Peco track.  This is a great size to play work with.  So I may as well fast forward with TT to be ready when UK rolling stock appears (in 3-D print form and ‘scratch-aid’ metal kit form it’s already here).  I’ve therefore traded on the Continental rolling stock I’ve been testing.

 

Why post this at all?  Just in case anyone recognises my items on a retailer’s website soon and thinks I’ve changed direction again.  Not so 😃.  Members of the Swiss and German Modelling Forums here on RMweb helped me identify the prototypes for the items I bought and they represent quite a spread of eras and locations.  They were a good base for me to start from, but the extra investment I’d have needed to refine the collection for a layout wasn’t a priority, hence the decision to trade on now.

 

I have a busy few days coming up, but (hopefully) my next post here will show modelling progress in TT:120, Keith.

[Pacific231G]

On 09/08/2022 at 22:07, Keith Addenbrooke said:

It’s really encouraging to see the first showings of various projects already taking shape in TT:120 here on RMweb.  Well done to those leading the way.  Although the Summer months are usually when I hope to make modelling progress too (at my more basic level) it’s a particularly busy period for us this year so I’m spending more time thinking than building at the moment.

 

Having got some track and the Peco GW building kits I’ve returned to the question of what I might do with them:

 

 

In some ways I dig a hole for myself as I very much favour continuous run layouts to Fiddle Yard - Terminus Schemes for my own projects.  I’m also a fan of GW Branch Lines though, and one idea I’ve been looking at is Roy Link’s classic terminus from the Oct ‘78 Railway Modeller, “The Art of Compromise.”  Why?  With Peco promoting this as a ‘no compromise’ scale / gauge offering, it rather appeals to my sense of humour:

 

 

It would need a bit of modifying to make it buildable, but using the same 6’ length as the original OO plan it could work.  It’s also inspired by Fairford, which is my personal favourite in the genre* and one I looked at in OO as a possible layout plan 2020.

 

This is just a first idea.  The surprise  ‘not to be missed’ announcement of TT:120 two months ago means I’m trying to juggle four or five different small layout projects.  Given my lack of spare time (as well as limited skills and budgetary constraint), I will need to do some prioritising.  What I’ve seen of Continental TT in 1:120 is however very convincing and I hope this positivity is coming across in the various project threads in the Forum.  Be encouraged, give it a go.  Keith.

______________________________________

* even though or perhaps because it wasn’t actually built to be a terminus in the first place.

 

It looks good and Fairford, as I'm sure you already know, was intended to be a through station with the branch extended to a junction with the M&SWJR at Cirencester. Hence the goods yard beyond the passenger platform, so a plan based on it doesn't have to always be a BLT.

Ken Payne  later turned his well known EM gauge Tyling Branch terminus (layout of the month in RM in April 1957) into a through station on a continuous run.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Modelling time over the Summer was more limited than usual, but I did manage to make a start on the Auhagen Moorbach Station kit.  A long way still to go (the subassemblies and roofs are not yet glued together, and there’s a lot of detail to add):

 

 

The lower storey stonework and roofs have been lightly weathered to dull the plastic effect (the platform / base has also been painted: same reason).  In terms of what I’m learning about kit-building in this scale, all I can say is that my experience so far confirms exactly what our 3mm modelling friends have been saying for a long time - this is an ideal size to work in: big enough to see the detail (for example, even I could pick out the lettering on the station name board with a darker colour quite easily), yet small enough not to dominate available space:

 

 

All in all, very enjoyable, Keith.

 

Edited September 21, 2022 by Keith Addenbrooke

[Hobby]

Bit late now, but with some modifications:

 

 

Kidderminster Station until it was tragically demolished in 1968...

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Hornby’s announcement yesterday of an extensive range of TT:120 products brings my longer-term goal of a GW Branch Line in TT:120 a step nearer, as phase 3 and 4 releases listed in the catalogue are set to include a 5700 Class Pannier Tank and some coaches (maybe not the first choice models for a secondary Branch Line, but a pair could get me started).  GW wagons and a GW Toad Brake Van aren’t listed, but there’s no rush, and if the Hornby announcement encourages others to get involved over time options could widen. I’ve tried similar sized plastic and resin rolling stock kits in Narrow Gauge and they weren’t too awful.

 

Am I tempted by any of Hornby’s other offerings?  A Setrack test circuit could be of interest when rolling stock starts to appear, although for layout use I’ll admit I’m happy I’ve bought Peco Code 55.  If my budget allowed (space and money), an original livery HST would tempt me, as I think it has others.  It could run happily alongside the blue Heljan 31 I’ve pre-ordered.  But my budget is spent up at the moment, so I’ve just signed up for the Hornby TT:120 Club for now, Keith.

[ianb3174]

On 07/10/2022 at 19:28, Hobby said:

Bit late now, but with some modifications:

 

 

Kidderminster Station until it was tragically demolished in 1968...

And again 'untragically' a couple of years ago. Now we have a 'lovely' modern station with a waiting room/concourse. 

[Hobby]

It's better than the brick hut it replaced, though! I was not sorry to see that go, but it would have been nice to have that black and white building still around.

[Keith Addenbrooke]

My thanks to @ianb3174 and @Hobby for information on Kidderminster - though I’ve spent much of my life in the West Midlands, I don’t know Kidderminster well - we mainly lived on the other side of Birmingham when I was growing up, then Coventry became home for nearly twenty years.  A useful example, thank you.

 

In terms of TT and Moorbach, I’m afraid it’s another non-modelling update this weekend.  Heljan have withdrawn from TT:120 since my post on 11th Oct above, so my Class 31 pre-order has been cancelled.  I wanted to spend the funds freed up with the retailer who’d been holding my order and from whom I’ve bought my Peco TT:120.  I’ve been looking at my other projects as I don’t model or collect UK outline in the Scales Heljan supports, so my focus has been elsewhere.

 

As my space and budget constraints point me towards small projects, I only need a couple of locomotives and a few pieces of rolling stock to test an idea (as I did successfully with Continental TT rolling stock earlier in this thread).  The Auhagen Moorbach station remains my current building kit project, but I’ve been researching and window shopping for one of my other existing interests this week, sorry.  Have a good weekend, Keith.

Edited October 14, 2022 by Keith Addenbrooke

[Keith Addenbrooke]

It’s been a while since I reported any progress on Moorbach.  I’ve had a bit of free time this weekend to begin some modelling again.  I started with an HO practice piece to get my eye back in, then moved on to the next stage of this TT build, gluing the main station pieces to the painted platform and adding some details to the lavatory block (just the guttering downpipes to add, which the instructions suggest doing once it is in place):

 

 

 

The train in the background of the main picture is an unpowered Atlas Z-Scale model (forced perspective - my workbench isn’t that big!).  Nothing exciting, it’s just nice to be at the workbench again, even if only for a short while.  Have a good week, Keith.

 

Edited January 15, 2023 by Keith Addenbrooke

[Keith Addenbrooke]

Thank you for the encouragement in response to my post at the weekend - it’s very kind, as I’ve never been a skilled modeller.  I’m on chauffering duties tonight, so have had a bit of time in between lifts for the next bit of the kit - decorative paper inserts:

 

 

I don’t remember these as part of a plastic kit before, so I approached them as I would a Card kit, using a steel rule and a Stanley knife to gently score my way through the paper, and a solvent free glue as the adhesive:

 

 

(Note to self: when using tinlets of paint as weights, full tins are more use than nearly empty ones!)

 

I wanted to avoid glue marks showing through the windows, so glued the two larger inserts to the party wall that joins the two parts of the building, as it has no windows.

 

 

I also brushed a small amount of glue into the bottom corners using a cocktail stick so as to hold it all level.  

 

As well as “boxes” for the lower floors, there are individual blinds / curtains for the dormer and attic windows.  I used a sewing pin to apply some glue to the window frames, and the usual clothes pegs to hold them as they stuck - all very straightforward:

 

 

Because the paper is glued behind the glazing, which is in turn behind the window frames, it does give an impression of depth that I’m quite pleased with:

 

 

Again, there’s nothing new or sophisticated in any of this, but I share it in case it’s helpful and, as I often say, because it shows that if I can do it - anyone can.  Once again, I’ve not found anything in TT to be any trickier than in HO or OO, Keith.