CME and Bottlewasher Posted February 19, 2012 Share Posted February 19, 2012 Great Thread and wonderful work Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaird Posted February 20, 2012 Author Share Posted February 20, 2012 Exhibition Report – Tonbridge. A really friendly exhibition both organisers and exhibitors. Lots of RMWebbers too! We were back to back with the Treneglos team, they were drinking some funny coloured tea! nice guys though. Didn’t recognise old dudders from his RMWeb pic, but good to put face to name, along with others too numerous to mention. As mentioned previously I was operating solo so had no time to chat (no PNB till 4 o’clock), so apologies to anyone I ignored. Should be better at Nottingham as we will be fielding a full operating team. Layout performance. It seemed to survive the journey intact and performed well up to usual standard with one exception, an FPL failure early on derailed a van being propelled into P3. Soon remedied by adjusting tension on the operating wire! The signals all worked faultlessly throughout, only problems were operator error, forgetting to reset. Locos and stock. Only one loco derailment to report, the 08 disgraced herself on the double slip exiting P1, took a van with her too!! She has been stripped down and back to backs reset along with some adjustment to the sprung front axle. The big diesels all excelled themselves, even the Cl40 who sometimes likes to attract attention to herself. I did have a word with them all before leaving home because they were in some respects going back to their roots, the home of the 1Co-Co1 wheel arrangement!! A problem with couplings on the stanier rake again turned out to be a dropper wire not dangling as it should, but this should have been checked by the FY operator (note to self etc..). Any other problems were down to the operator, like putting the wrong van on the tail of the Morecombe Prom, resulting in it being directly over the magnet when trying to attach the pilot – trainee drivers will be aware that this is not without precedent and should have been foreseen, so please feel free to chuckle at my expense!! The layout is now re erected in its place of residence and normal service has resumed, the Nottingham parcels is awaiting shunting out of P2, must go! John E Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinW Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Hi John, glad you got home ok on Saturday. If you had wanted someone to help you, you could of asked and I would have tried to find you someone (wouldn't have been me though sadly as I was nearly constantly being wanted) Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinW Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 That funny coloured tea was cold too. Must have a word with Damian about how long it took to bring the tea down from the upstairs cafe... Why go upstairs (and no doubt paid for it ) when there were exhibitors teas and coffees on tap in the room of the hall. Colin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bbishop Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 Colin, Tetleys don't just produce tea! There are other beverages as well, whether they should be on the exhibition floor is another matter and also why would anyone want to drink fizz?? But then maybe it wasn't Tetleys??? Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leander Posted February 20, 2012 Share Posted February 20, 2012 The signals all worked faultlessly throughout, only problems were operator error, forgetting to reset...but this should have been checked by the FY operator (note to self etc..)...Any other problems were down to the operator – trainee drivers will be aware that this is not without precedent and should have been foreseen, so please feel free to chuckle at my expense!! Chuckling as I read it! However too much chuckling will no doubt attract severe stick from the owner should one or other trainee err at Nottingham. Pleased to read that the layout survived the trip unscathed and was well received by visitors and fellow exhibitors. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 2ManySpams Posted February 20, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2012 Jesting aside (sorry to lower the tone), it was very good to see this layout in the flesh. I always enjoy looking at well observed models built well, particularly those that are a light different, don't belong to the flat earth brigade and pay a good amount of attention to things beyond the trains. This scores on all fronts and I'm sure will be very popular on the exhibition scene. I had no idea the layout lives only a few miles up the road either - what a coincidence to travel all the way to Tonbridge and be next to a 'local' layout! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted February 21, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2012 Hi John, Thanks for getting back to me, I've been considering templot for quit a while, guess its time to bite the bullet. Now that you've had the decorators in those arches in the retaining walls look superb, very inspirational, keep up the good work. Dan I don't know Templot. Have quite an old piece of software called Trax 2 which seems to work rather well (even for an IT numpty like me). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaird Posted February 21, 2012 Author Share Posted February 21, 2012 I don't know Templot. Have quite an old piece of software called Trax 2 which seems to work rather well (even for an IT numpty like me). Have a look at this www.templot.com Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Cocks Junction Posted February 21, 2012 Share Posted February 21, 2012 This is truly a superb and inspirational layout. May I suggest an item of steam-age platform-end "furniture" that doesn't seem to have been mentioned yet? Common, if not universal, on terminus (and departure end of through) platforms were water columns (or occasionally parachute tanks). They were usually positioned "inside" the platform signals, perhaps about a loco's length away so a tender could be topped up as the train stood at the signal awaiting departure. They would have remained in position at least until the end of steam operations in the area. They would be accompanied by a drainage grating and, perhaps in winter, a fire-devil. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Joseph_Pestell Posted February 22, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2012 Have a look at this www.templot.com That is quite amazing. Only looked at it for a few minutes but could definitely see myself using that to produce templates. Not quite figured how to draw the whole layout but that probably does not matter all that much. Offers so many more possibilities than Trax2. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaird Posted February 22, 2012 Author Share Posted February 22, 2012 This is truly a superb and inspirational layout. May I suggest an item of steam-age platform-end "furniture" that doesn't seem to have been mentioned yet? Common, if not universal, on terminus (and departure end of through) platforms were water columns (or occasionally parachute tanks). They were usually positioned "inside" the platform signals, perhaps about a loco's length away so a tender could be topped up as the train stood at the signal awaiting departure. They would have remained in position at least until the end of steam operations in the area. They would be accompanied by a drainage grating and, perhaps in winter, a fire-devil. Many thanks for your interest in the layout and your suggestion. Truth is, if you look carefully at the layout you will see that there is a lot of detailing work still to be done but as I have said elsewhere I want to get on with my next project, therefore it is unlikely that I will do much more to this layout. Regards John E Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaird Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 As I said earlier, normal service has resumed at Bradfield and the photographer is in business again. D129 has just come off the parcels from St Pancras, the stock can be seen being shunted into platform 1. Having been released by the pilot from Platform2, she has now set back onto the Skipton Mail in platform 3 D129 has been given the road and is making a vigorous departure. Also in the picture are my two latest acquisitions, the Gresley full brakes. A taste of more to come, taken from the fish dock inside the station. 42437 screeches to a halt with the Leeds parcels. This is normally a diesel turn so the troubles at Holbeck must still be present. It is early morning so all shunting and parcels at the moment, not good for the clients of the Midland Hotel! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
alangdance Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Great photos as always. I have be following your progess since day one. The track looks so good can let as know how you weathered the track. Keep the photos coming. Alan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaird Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Great photos as always. I have be following your progess since day one. The track looks so good can let as know how you weathered the track. Keep the photos coming. Alan Glad you like the photo's Alan. The track is ballasted with sharp sand when laid. I then spray the whole lot with track colour. When this is dry, I use artists acrylics well watered down to vary the tones and add oil marks etc. Big tubes of acrylics are really cheap, they sell them in bargain shops and even Lidl. Hope this helps, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Wonderful, great atmosphere love it, well done. All the best, Andy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaird Posted February 24, 2012 Author Share Posted February 24, 2012 Theres more!! We are now visting the station just after midnight, it is obviously a very full and bright moon but it is August! Once all of the passenger stock has returned and is being cleaned and serviced in the sidings, Gloucester Square takes on the look of a parcels depot. A variety of vans and trucks bring the mail and parcels from Bradfields Main sorting office. The items are strategically stacked along platform 1 so as to be adjacent the appropriate vehicle. When the Nottingham parcels arrives including the empty sorting van, the porters and postal workers only have a couple of hours to load. The Mail has loaded and departed for Skipton. We now see the two remaining vans off the Nottingham with the St Pancras parcels in front, having been shunted across from platform 2. D95 has just arrived with ECS from Leeds and is about to unhook and draw forward. D95 has drawn forward to the stops and will take a "breather" before her next duty. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leander Posted February 24, 2012 Share Posted February 24, 2012 Oh good, another steam loco to play with; one of Sir William's 'Big Tankies'. Looking good John, only three weeks to go until we take it to Nottingham (with the inevitable training session to be scheduled in the meantime). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaird Posted February 26, 2012 Author Share Posted February 26, 2012 I smell a rat!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Kazmierczak Posted February 26, 2012 Share Posted February 26, 2012 Stunning layout. However, methinks the "Rat" wouldn't have had a full yellow end in 1962 and would've been slightly cleaner. Think this example dates from 1964. Regards, Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidB-AU Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 D5269 hadn't been built in 1962. It was issued to traffic on 6/5/64. Cheers David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaird Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 D5269 hadn't been built in 1962. It was issued to traffic on 6/5/64. Cheers David Well I did say 62ish!!! but thanks for the interest and the information, all gratefully received. Regards, John E. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leander Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 D5269 hadn't been built in 1962. It was issued to traffic on 6/5/64. Cheers David So is there a 25/0 or a 25/1 being readied in the workshops John? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
coachmann Posted February 27, 2012 Share Posted February 27, 2012 A bit late in the day to say this, but it has taken me quite some time to catch up on this thread. The one thing that stood out right from the start was the 'clean' appearance of your track. Initially I thought you had laid the track on a cork underlay and sprayed it brown, but closer shots later in the thread showed that you had indeed applied loose ballast. To me it looks just right and does not overwhelm the sleepers. The rest of your layout is of course top drawer but at the moment my mind is on trackwork because the time is looming when I will have to tackle my own. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLaird Posted February 27, 2012 Author Share Posted February 27, 2012 Just timed it right to catch a rare visitor to Bradfield, a bit of a celebrity really. Leeds must have steam loco's to spare, a Jubilee on the Sheffield!! Drifting in to P2 with the 12/13 arrival from Sheffield. Unhooked and resting on the stops. Having been released by the pilot she awaits the road at the platform end. A smart departure LE to the shed. The loco off the Sheffield usually takes out the 4/31 Birmingham, we will have to wait and see if she returns. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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