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Horseley Fields - N Gauge layout (was Dibben Junction)


Revolution Ben

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  • 4 months later...
  • RMweb Gold

Hello all,

 

The NGS Northants and Cambs area group now has a new meeting place - the village hall at Offord D'Arcy in Cambridgeshire.  The new venue is bright and airy with plenty of room, and is pretty much equidistant for all members to reach.

 

Today we had our first operating session at the new venue - mainly to check our club layout Horseley Fields was ready for its next outing, at the South West Herts MRC show at Queen's School, Bushey, Watford (not Potters Bar as previously stated) on May 10th.

 

As ever some small parts need regluing or replacing, but most of the important bits - point motors, power supplies etc seemed to work OK.  Also a chance to run some new stock acquired since the last show....

 

60163 Tornado in current blue livery with EWS inspection saloon.

 

post-420-0-20218600-1396803187_thumb.jpg

 

Lafarge livery 20168 beautifully repainted by Tom Smith with Lafarge JPA wagons.  I have only seen photos of this locomotive operating between Earles and the Lafarge cement works at Hope, but I'd be interested in any other workings such as railtours on the mainline.

 

post-420-0-55197300-1396803345_thumb.jpg

 

DBS 66 on a rake of Farish BAA wagons.  These are really superb models; it's taken me a while to get round to weathering these but they look very good indeed.

 

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Another shot showing the BAAs

 

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EWSi 66 with a short engineers' train incorporating NGS YLA "Mullet" kits, Farish YAA "Brill" and NGS YKA "Osprey" kits.

 

post-420-0-49009300-1396803304_thumb.jpg

 

Another shot of the Ospreys; they have been loaded with lengths of Easi-track - this is 2mm scale track with Code 40 rail but also makes for excellent loads!

 

post-420-0-22779000-1396803324_thumb.jpg

 

If you would like to see the layout but can't make it to Watford, we are also exhibiting at the DEMU showcase event at Burton on Trent on the weekending May 31st/June 1st.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

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Another differing Class 20 showing was this pair of DRS 20's converted from Farish 80's models using TPM kits. Unfortunately my Orange cantrails need work!

 

They need a good running in again as ive changed out the brass gears in one in favour of plastic ones and given them a good 20 year overhaul :D

post-18903-0-07073900-1396809758_thumb.jpg

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  • RMweb Gold

 

Hi Steven,

 

Yes, I looked at photos and decided they needed a little finishing off. I sprayed them with pewter paint that can be buffed to a shine, then dusted them with various weathering powders. The straps were computer address labels coloured back and cut out with a scalpel and steel rule, while the white "numbers" on the ends were just white paint dabbed on with a cocktail stick.

 

The coils were fixed to the wagons with tacky wax so I could run the wagons empty if I want!

 

Cheers

 

Ben a.

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  • RMweb Gold

Hello Steven,

 

Further to my message a minute ago, I have found another photo of the BAAs which might be helpful.  I've also remembered that before spraying the Farish coils I sanded the ends down slighly because the spiral was a little too pronounced to my eye, then after spraying pewter and buffing I ran a black wash over each end to pick up what remained of the spiral pattern.  Judging from photographs the strapping on these coils is pretty random; some have one, some two and some three straps.  Some also seem to have small labels on the sides as well as stencilled numbers on the ends.

 

post-420-0-56457300-1396913142_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

cheers

 

Ben

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  • 5 weeks later...
  • RMweb Gold

Hello all,

 

Fun today with Horseley Fields at the SW Herts MRC show in Watford. The new Farish Deltic stretched its legs on a special:

 

post-420-0-63437600-1399739232_thumb.jpg

 

And some new steel lorries made their debut. The distinctive covered trailers are a feature of nearly every photo I've seen of Wolverhampton steel terminal. I used axle sets from other models with scratchbuild bodies.

 

post-420-0-67352100-1399739404_thumb.jpg

 

There were pretty good sized crowds most of the day, and lots of younger enthusiasts:

 

post-420-0-69099300-1399739486_thumb.jpg

 

A couple more pics to come...

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

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  • RMweb Gold

Hello all,

 

Today's show in Watford also offered a chance to trial some n gauge couplers moulded in clear plastic I've been looking at. On a moving train they do seem to look less obvious. In response to previous tests I'd used a fine marker pen to add the "hint" of a coupler on the clear plastic.

 

post-420-0-82282800-1399739798_thumb.jpg

 

I have a video too but am struggling to upload. Will try again later.

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

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  • RMweb Gold

Hi Ian,

 

I didn't get time to weather the RHTT before the show so didn't take any shots. An oversight, really. Here is a pic of the two units last night:

 

post-420-0-15269000-1399744259_thumb.jpg

 

The other new item I did photograph are some mesh-sided OBA conversions:

 

post-420-0-97164000-1399744475_thumb.jpg

 

Cheers

 

Ben A.

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The Deltic looks very nice. Almost tempted to get one for renumbering as 55015 with white window surrounds as presented at the midland railway centre in 1988 when my layout is set. Obviously it would be used as a special but not a massive run from swanick to millers dale!

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Hi Ben,

 

Fantastic layout.

 

I am interested in how the mesh sided OBAs were done. I have tried scratch building mine with plastic strip and Nbrass signal mesh, not quite as good looking as the ones in your picture.

 

Matt

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  • RMweb Gold

 

Hi Matt,

 

I found the only way to get the mesh fine enough was to have it photo etched to my own design by PPD, in 2 thou stainless. The outer frames are similarly etched in 10 thou.

 

In a way it's kind of cheating - designing my own details, rather than just scratch building - but sometimes I've found that's the best way to the desired result.

 

Now I've proved the concept if there's interest I don't mind making the etches available to others, though I have no idea how much they'd be - probably quite expensive in such small quantities I'm afraid!

 

Cheers

 

Ben

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Ben,

 

Thanks for the reply - I did wonder if they were etches. The other compromise i had to make was on getting some strength into the wagon sides and have used half mm square sections which make for a very bulky side section but give needed stability.

 

I would not say that designing an etch is cheating it is all modelling at the end of the day. Besides if photo etches are cheating what does that make 3d printing! (Lets keep pandoras box firmly closed)

 

Matt

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  • RMweb Gold

Not so much Ben. The big cost is set up on etches. Once ppd have the tool set up they will only charge you material cost then on out for further etches.

 

Unfortunately these were on an etch with various other things I was trying out so there are only a couple on the photo-tool.  To make it even feasible I'd need another photo tool with just OBA frames on.  However if there is interest I will investigate how these may be produced - possibly via the NGS.

 

cheers

 

Ben A.

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