Shepherdswell EKR - 1960’s , next show is Stow In The Wold in May

[roundhouse]

Good morning.

 

Work continues on the layout with just a few weeks to go before its first show.

 

The O1 loco has had a coat of matt varnish over most of the loco and tender. Coal has been added to the tender.

 

Also the Airfix pug kit that I bought for a pound back in August is now ready for positioning on the layout. It won't be glued down so I that we can alter it's position. Seen here on timber baulks that have subsequently been painted.

 

More trees are bushes have been added with more ready to add.

[roundhouse]

The O1 now has Kadees fitted plus lamp brackets and vacuum pipes. It still requires a decoder installing. I thought that I had a, suitable one but turns out that decoder isn't working, so a new one will be ordered.

 

Further details are being added such as wild animals.

Edited September 23, 2023 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Another early morning visit into the shed so more progress on the layout.

 

The deer have been painted and fixed into place. Generally Kent doesn't have many deer especially East Kent. However Roe deer have recently been spotted near Shepherdswell. So  that's why I have done them as Roe deer.

 

The tracks left by the caterpillar have been added together with the driver wondering why it's failed.

 

And finally the handbrake stand plus the clack valves arrived in the post this morning, so the handbrake has been fitted to the tender of the O1.

Edited September 24, 2023 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Today I have been using hair spray. Nope not on me but to set the static grass in place. It's supposedly odourless but the shed has an aroma of a beauty salon (I guess😎).

 

Apart from fitting few squirrels and seagulls the layout is just about done for now. It will be fully tested again in the next week prior to taking it down to build the end panels for transportation.

 

Attention has turned to the loco stock box that I obtained second hand from a friend, so I have been altering the card stock trays to suit my locos.

 

The O1 has had the front sand boxes fabricated. The pipe will be added once the decoder which arrived this afternoon, has been fitted.

 

And finally I have the class 24 back on the layout. I have yet to decide if I fit sound to this loco.

 

[roundhouse]

And some of the final details are being added. Just the squirrels to add.

 

 

 

The O1 weathering is a underway.

Edited September 28, 2023 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

The squirrels are now in the trees. I hope that I have used enough adhesive to avoid hem falling out of  he trees when he layout is transported.

 

 

The class O1 loco is now complete and has a good run in today. However it has yet to be tested on the layout. This will be done in the next week.

 

 

And finally today, this old Mainline box van has had a new Parkside chassis with the end door hinges that had broken off, replaced with wire and styrene, and  weathering to blend them in just done this afternoon.

[nick_bastable]

wrong colour squiggles for round here 😁

[roundhouse]

On 29/09/2023 at 20:04, nick_bastable said:

wrong colour squiggles for round here 😁

Would they have been grey ones back in the 60"s I wonder. Also if I painted thrm grey thrn the kids would probably struggle to find them let alone us adults. I put a, sign out stating what animals can be found on the layout. It certainly gets the kids searching for them as well as their parents and others. I might have to add bins and put a purple one left over from the Liverpool show.

 

The touch screen track land has been created and tested over the weekend.

 

The O1 has had tender pick ups added which has greatly improved it's performance and is currently being used to give the layout a good test run before it is taken down this week.

 

[roundhouse]

Today the industrial locos are getting a clean and a test run.

 

Whilst taking the photo of Henry through the trees, it suddenly took off, crashed out through the protection across the opening where the fiddle yard goes and onto the floor. I tried to grab the wagons it was attached to but too late. Luckily apart from a few dents on the buffer beams it working fine but can't find the coupling. I will find it when the layout comes down in the next few days.

 

Not sure why it took off as it was stationary and the throttle was not in my hand to have knocked it. There's a stronger bit of protection now. UPDATE - coupling found and back on the loco.

 

The NCB blue Austerity wouldn't pull a Rake of wagons when in reverse. Taken the body off and re seated all working fine now. It did give me the opportunity to add crew to this loco.

 

 

 

 

Edited October 3, 2023 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Today the layout will be taken down as the legs are required on another layout for the Fareham show this weekend.

 

The Oxford Rail Adams radial / Tilmanstone wagon set obtained on Ebay arrived yesterday, just in time to be given a test on the layout once a decoder was fitted. Its never been run before looking at the wheels but did stall a fair bit. I gave it a good run on the High Line test circuit and it got worse.

So back on the workbench I took the chassis keeper plate off to find masses of factory applied greese that had spread along the keeper plate onto the electrical contacts. With the keeper plate cleaned up and much of the greese removed, the loco now runs much better on the layout. its now breing weathered.

This loco was obtained by the East Kent Railway from the Southern but didnt see much use as it was found to be unsuitable for the line. it was last used in 1940 before being sold back to the Southern in 1946 for use on the Lyme Regis branch and is now the sole survivor of the class , residing on the Bluebell Railway. Of course in my changed reality for the layout, it stayed on the EKR till the 1960's then went straight to the Bluebell.

 

The two Tilmanstone wagons are also being heavily weathered and will be for use only on the EKR, one will probably be left on the upper direct line  awaiting scrapping and the other probably for loco coal which came from the colliery. The wheel rims have since been toned down. The wording below 'colliery' says 'to be returned to Sheperdswell'.

Edited October 5, 2023 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

Just before the layout was taken down I temporarily connected up the engine shed lighting  to make sure that the diode and resistors were working as required. As it turned out only the diode was left in place.

The weathered Adams radial can be seen inside the shed with the lighting working.

 

 

And another one taken by the water cloumn. The loco has had a matt coat added after these photos were taken and will get a final wheel clean in the morning.

 

Lastly, just before the layout came down I test fitted the info panel to the front of the layout. This will actually be used at the weekend on Dobris at the Fareham show as the information sheets will be interchangeable for each layout. The panel has since had another coat of paint.

 

The layout is now down and the wiring under the board to the engine shed tidied up.

[roundhouse]

The end plates for boxing the layout up is now done so it's ready to load if I don't get chance for one last set up. All depends on the weather as it needs to be set up outside and rain is forecast.

 

All locos now in their slots in the stock box.

[roundhouse]

A final set up of the layout to check that the pelmet fits and to add velcro for the skirting and signage.

 

Now to box it all up again ready for the Furness show.

 

 

 

Edited October 11, 2023 by roundhouse

[Barry O]

Might see you at the weekend...

 

Baz

[roundhouse]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

Might see you at the weekend...

 

Baz

That will be good.

[Fishplate]

Good luck with the exhibition. 

[New Haven Neil]

How on earth have I not seen this thread before? 

 

Lovely work, really atmospheric and inspirational.  Wish I could have gotten over to see it, we can almost see Barrow from here on a clear day!

[roundhouse]

Thanks Neil.

 

The layout has worked well today although a few small issues, most already sorted but there are things to add before its next outing. 

 

One potential invite back to the area in a year or so.

 

A great evening as expected only just getting back to the hotel room. Looking forward to another good day at the show.

[roundhouse]

Good morning.

 

Looking forward to the second day at the Barrow show.

 

A few photos of the layout.

 

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by roundhouse

[roundhouse]

A short video of the first train to work on the layout at a show.

 

Edited October 16, 2023 by roundhouse

[Oldddudders]

44 minutes ago, roundhouse said:

A short video of the first train to work on the layout at a show

So short - 6 seconds - that the train hadn't quite arrived!

[roundhouse]

32 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

So short - 6 seconds - that the train hadn't quite arrived!

 

 

Thanks for pointing that out.

 

Correct video now added.

[roundhouse]

Thoroughly enjoyed taking the layout to Barrow in Furness at the weekend. We had a good spot, usual good evenings out with the club and usual other visitors. There was even a layout that turned up a year earlier than they were invited but the exhibition manager squeezed them in. The crew called themselves "The Univited" at the quiz on Saturday evening.

 

We had a good journey back home and the layout is now safely stored. A fair few behind the scenes additions to think about. The tray to carry the wagons from one fiddle yard to the other needs a rethink to stop them just being piled ontop of each other as that could lead to breakages with most of them being kits with fragile parts.

 

Just two mineral wagons were occasionally derailing and these have hopefully been suitably dealt with.

 

Unfortunately no show at present for next year so it looks like I have over a year  before it will be out again.

 

 

 

The Weston Clevedon and Portishead Terrier never ran on the East Kent Railway despite them actually owning the boiler before it was sold to them. Hence modellers licence / rule 1 applies.

 

Edited October 17, 2023 by roundhouse

[New Haven Neil]

I think the backscene works really well, it is a little lower then the way in which they are usually presented, which suits the locale.

 

The chuff synch on the Victory needs turning down a bit, may I suggest? 4 beats to the bar.

[roundhouse]

Neil

 

Thanks. I am pleased with the backscene as it really does suit the location.

 

I will have to see if I can alter the he beats. It's a Hornby Bluetooth decoder so not sure how easy it is to alter. Very good for the price though and with their current keeper it's still simmering away a minute after it is taken off the track and in stock box.

Edited October 17, 2023 by roundhouse