Upbech St Mary

[mullie]

The Lenz compact came back to life yesterday although the smoke that came out it a few weeks ago is not reassuring and I do intend to replace it probably with an NCE Power Cab. This video shows steam power at Upbech in the shape of the Bachmann J39, chipped by Model Yard some years ago and the model itself must be over ten years old. The tender was rebuilt on a Mainly Trains chassis last year after the original showed signs of wear in the axle boxes.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tpi8EazDxtA

[cornamuse]

mmmmmmm nice. oh how I wish I could get my stock running slowly and smoothly and quietly like that.

[mullie]

Apart from clean track and wheels, the most helpful thing I find in getting good running is to wire points so that polarity needs switching rather than relying on point blade contact. This also reduces the risk of a short when working under DCC. I change the points manually on this layout but polarity has to be changed via a small switch built into the front of the layout each time, on Pott Row polarity is changed by the Seep point motors.

[mullie]

Back on analogue today, perhaps it really is time to replace the 'compact.' as its died again. First video shows a class 24 leaving Upbech, the radii are too tight for this loco to shunt as the couplings get caught up going across the Y point but at least it has been seen.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMAFVwHeyb0

 

Second video shows the veteran K's tram on a shunting move, this loco is actually quiter on analogue as the basic Lenz decoder is noisy under DCC. I hope this year to upgrade to some more modern tram locos, ideally two Silver Fox J70s as I have another 'spud' that can be utilised. I might try some 'stay alive' decoders as well, have to see how things go.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7oHm_6-3F1o

[mullie]

It's been a difficult week after even more difficult weeks with little modelling done but great thing about this layout is that it is up and running in seconds, even 5-10 minutes of happy shunting is all it takes to get some pleasure from the hobby, but track does need a clean!

[mullie]

The Derby Lightweight pays a visit to Upbech on some sort of service or other. Seen laying over ready for the return journey.

 

 

[mullie]

Sunny days have arrived at last on the sleepy quay side

 

[mullie]

I've been trialling a DCC concepts stay alive decoder in my old Ks J70 and overall I'm pleased with the results and have decided to buy a second one to attach to another spud in the spares box, order two Silver Fox J70 bodies so I can run this layout in Wisbech and Upwell style and retire the Ks model as the body is rather featureless. Probably freight only but I am wondering about a passenger service, could something be converted to represent the old tramway coaches? The D&S kits go for a fortune on Ebay even if I had the skills to build them so will have to think of something else. The Hornby Thomas ones look too toy like unless someone knows different? I've even considered cannibalising Ratio four wheelers; smaller wheels shorten the bodies to create a verandah at each end, different axle boxes. As anything will be a compromise its what I can make work really with my limited skills. I know the passenger service stopped long before the war but modeller's licence is a wonderful thing!

[mullie]

An unusual shot of the goods shed.

 

[mullie]

Employer gave me an ipad to evaluate yesterday so tried out the camera this morning. This video shows the whole of Upbech perched on a set of bookcases in the spare room. The harbour end is used as a scenic fiddle yard at the moment with the great hand from the sky swapping stock, I prefer this as in such a small space it seems a shame not to maximise the scenic area. If the layout were ever seen in public I would put the fidle yard back in to the left of the harbour board. On the bookshelf it has to be one or the other.

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxSoi5i_U2k&feature=plcp

[Moxy]

Hi Mullie,

 

Only just come across this thread, fantastic atmosphere you've captured there.

 

The Hornby Thomas ones look too toy like unless someone knows different? I've even considered cannibalising Ratio four wheelers; smaller wheels shorten the bodies to create a verandah at each end, different axle boxes. As anything will be a compromise its what I can make work really with my limited skills. I know the passenger service stopped long before the war but modeller's licence is a wonderful thing!

 

If I may make a suggestion? The main problem with the Hornby 4 wheeler coach for a light railway coach is that it is too tall, it can actually be used as narrow gauge coach in 5.5mm scale! Someone (and I can't remember where I've seen it) cut a 2mm slice off the top of the sides, i.e. along the moulded line above the windows, which improved the proportions of it in 4mm scale.

 

Your mention of the Ratio 4 wheeler has given me another idea. Use the Ratio chassis & roof with a cut down Hornby body. You would have to put doors in the end & make the verandahs but the result would be something different.

 

Regards

 

Paul

[mullie]

Will certainly investigate. My daughter owns Annie and Clarabel so I can use them for reference although I wouldn't be allowed to carve them up.. The J70 bodies are ordered so I will have something else to get on with.

 

Thanks for the comments

[mullie]

Like everyone, I sometimes feel like I'm losing my motivation. Pott Row my main layout can be very intense in its construction as track is SMP with all points built to fit and mainly in situ. Having just laid the track to the extension I found that a simple extension to the electric pencil would be a pain so decided to fit point switches that arrived yesterday. Started with good intention but the drill had lost charge and frankly I got to a point where I couldn't be bothered. I don't want to work points by DCC as I find it cumbersome, I prefer to work them separately and yes I have tried it, just a personal preference really. Pott Row can be found at http://www.rmweb.co....__fromsearch__1

 

So I turned my attention to my other layout. Upbech has been working on analogue for some time but I always intended to have the option to work under DCC but I wanted to acquire a separate power supply and PCP panel. This was duly ordered and also arrived last week, aren't birthdays wonderful things! Going through various bits and pieces I found a box I had built in woodwork lessons at school 35 years ago. Like all my woodwork it is almost square but it seemed a suitable size to house the PCP, would be easy to cut out and has a hinged lid. Upbech had been set up with a 5 din socket at the front as the Lenz compact used to plug in this way. The other switches visible in this picture are to change polarity of the points even though they are worked by hand.

 

 

I duly drilled out the lid of the box and fitted the plate and took the lead out the side. This didn't work as the plug and adaptor on the power supply were too deep and the lid now didn't fit properly and I was concerned it would stress the connections:

 

 

However, the idea worked so I duly drilled out the bottom to give the leads escape room through the bottom and attached feet. The next photo shows the box stuck at the end of the layout and in use:

 

 

Next photo shows the lid raised, power supply disconnected as this needs to be connected through the bottom via the right angle plug supplied and doesn't intrude into the box:

 

 

My idea was to create a system that would enable the Power Cab to be moved from one layout to another and so long as I fit a 5din socket that seems to be possible. I suppose it would be possible to store the plug in one end when not in use, that is why I put the panel at one end rather than in the middle.

 

The future of this layout is uncertain at the moment. It has existed since around 2008 and I'm starting to turn my attention to a new micro as a relief from Pott Row. It has always served a useful purpose as a way of trialling new and unfamiliar methods and it appears to have done so again today. Dare I say it I'm thinking of going way off piste as North American N gauge has appealed for a long time and I do have a small collection of books and Model Railroader magazines so watch this space as they say! Upbech would have to be disposed of as I don't have space for three layouts however small. Most things usually end up getting recycled into new projects!

 

Below shows another quickie project. Acquired this cheaply on Ebay, will chip it and run on Pott Row. I also have a J72 body modified to look something like a J65 just requires some minor chassis modification to the J72 chassis at the front end as the gap from smokebox to buffer beam has been shortened or I might just renumber it as one of those based at Ipswich in the early 50s. The loco is seen on my other layout challenge module from last year. I really ought to slot this into the main Upbech layout for variety.

[mullie]

J70 bodies finally arrived today so over the next few months I will try to get them up and running. They will run on spud bogies with DCC concepts decoders with stay alive. I'm toying with the best way to paint them as I've had quite a lot of success with spraying things black and then using dry brush techniques using artists acrylics to put in the final colours though not sure if I'm brave enough to tackle them this way. Will need to give it some thought.

 

I've never worked with a resin kit before, what is a good undercoat to apply? Obviously I will need to be careful so as not to spoil the detail. I'm aware I'll need to be careful with dust.

 

[mullie]

The layout is currently dismantled and to be honest I think it might stay that way. Upbech is over four years old and has been redeveloped three times. Now my other layout Pott Row has been extended no stock is really available to run this layout and in fact I don't even have enough locos! I'm now thinking about building a new micro perhaps in n gauge based on North American practice, something I've been contemplating for a long time.

 

I keep looking at the layout down the side of my computer table and I don't like the thought of dismantling the layout although everything will be stored for reuse. The layout has been great for learning new techniques both scenic and weathering rolling stock using acrylics. I can't store it if I'm not using it, the wife tolerates a layout down the side of the garage and the micro n the spare bedroom, a third layout really is pushing it!

[mullie]

Pott Row has been taking all my modelling time lately and I really enjoy working the layout and the extended layout is going to require more stock which will keep me busy for a long time. However,some recent cold nights reminded why I keep a micro layout in the spare bedroom and I've thought about building a new layout from scratch in all sorts of formats and even in n gauge but I like the track plan of this layout as it just works, it also runs well is simple and so long as I clean the track it runs.

 

Last night I worked out that I have a class 121dmu that doesn't fit with the scenario for Pott Row and a Hornby diesel shunter that is effectively spare as I develop the tank engine fleet of the other layout and with full yellow ends it's really out of period so what could I do. It occurred to me that this layout could have new scenics again this time with a much more urban feel. Geographically the layout could move (not sure about this yet) and with just a few new wagons I could move the period to one of my other interests, the immediate post steam pre tops era.

 

Tonight I dug through some spare scenic bits/ buildings etc and mocked up a different scenic treatment. Below is a Wills engine shed that could become some sort of industrial unit as I have a box full of bits I can use:

 

 

 

I also have a low relief factory that was scratch built from Wills parts, set against the back of the layout it would seem to have potential. As I prefer scenic stuff to laying track/building baseboards etc this is quite tempting:

 

 

Having followed the "build a layout for under £100" thread with interest the idea of minimal cost/ recycling is very tempting. This how the layout originally started, built in a month with just two box files. I would need some new wagons (Christmas is coming) and the layout is already wired for DCC. I could effectively end up with a new layout for minimal cost simply by raiding the spares boxes!

[mullie]

Been poring over various web sites, books etc and I can't come up with a revision I'm happy with, more buildings makes it looks cluttered and I didn't want to build more. It was meant to be an exercise in recycling items built for previous projects and keep costs down. However, all is not lost, I ran the j65 under DCC for the first time although I do need to buy a new small decoder either TCS or DCC Concepts. Also started painting the j70s today so I think I will revert to the idea of a Wisbech and Upwell style layout. Any stock built or developed for this layout can also be used on Pott Row.

 

I will also deal with some bits i'm unhappy with such as some gaps in the backscenes where the box files meet. The recent drop in temperature in the garage has most definitely focused my attention on this layout. It is back in its usual space although not yet wired up again. Also got the Hornby 08 working again last night, problem appears to have been pick ups not touching all wheels so this is placed on the layout again.

 

Below is shot of adapted J72 chassis working on Pott Row under DCC. Shame the decoder is too big as it worked well.

 

[mullie]

Made a start on painting the J70 bodies yesterday. Gave them an overall coat of Games Workshop Chaos black and then used artists acrylics to get a first mainly dry brushed coat of brown on the sides. Roofs were painted with a combination of paint and artists charcoal dust which I get by rubbing a charcoal stick on wet and dry paper then mix it in as I paint with a large soft brush whilst the paint is still wet. With artists paint you have to work in small sections as this makes it dry very quickly. Still some way to go but results look promising. I will need to source a better roof bell as the Silver Fox ones are more or less non existent, just a blob!

 

 

 

[mullie]

Made the fatal mistake of setting the layout up again. I think I'm a bit too attached to this layout to take it apart and redevelop it. The joy of it has always been that after a long day at work I just switch it on and off it goes and in the warm. I think evolution of the layout is likely. I like the layout with the dockside module attached so am considering buying some loco lifts to keep the whole layout scenic and use the main line behind the dockside as a scenic fiddle yard.

 

The layout doesn't feature many distinctive buildings or features that tie it to a particular region so perhaps Some different buildings and stock could be interesting. Finishing the J70s will be a start. As you may be able to tell; nothing is decided and as a lone worker it's up to me, all part of the fun!

[mullie]

I have a spare base board that was originally ear marked to extend Pott Row but as things are taking longer than expected I've abandoned that idea as it will probably be two to three years before I can even think about extending the layout as I need to finish the current sections that I've already been working on since about 2009. Today I set the board up and marked it out for a possible new micro layout, the object of the exercise being to build a layout using the three code 75 left hand Peco points I have and a selection of buildings, many of which were originally built for Pott Row before I decided to rethink the layout due to poor base boards and use Scalescenes products. I would also spend as little as possible though I'm not setting a budget. Track wise four yards of track and a loco lift might do it.

 

If I do go ahead, the layout will probably be set in London somewhere and utilise the class 121 DMU and Hornby 08 I own. I would like to move the time period forward although not quite sure where, post steam period certainly, I spent much of my time travelling by rail from about 1978-1985 so this period is tempting but would have to respray both models unless it is possible to buy spare bodies in blue but I've had no luck so far. Below are a selection of buildings available.

 

Basic layout design can just be made out I hope:

 

 

Station buildings; low relief based on Colchester in Essex.

 

 

 

 

Alternative built from a free Model Rail kit taken from the original supplement

 

 

Could insert an overall roof?

 

 

Low relief factory could be used as scenic block?

 

 

Revamped Hornby signal box picked up cheap on Ebay some years ago

 

 

 

Something different: goods shed very loosely based on Walton on the Naze

 

 

 

Wouldn't know what to do with Upbech, suppose it would be scrapped and recycled like my previous efforts? Who knows, I really need to make up my mind but part of the fun is in planning and dreaming about the next layout!

 

Hope this is of interest. If I do go ahead I will start a new thread

[mullie]

New micro layout will be started soon. Most likely future for this layout is that as much as possible will be recycled and then everything else put in a skip. A sad end for what has been one of my most successful layouts. It has been so beneficial to have a layout that can be used as a basis to try new techniques without a massive outlay of money. Amongst others the following techniques have been developed on this layout:

 

Sector plate design.

Use of das modelling clay for ground work.

Learning to wire Peco points to change polarity and ensure better running with short wheel base stock.

Lay track successfully across base board joints.

Use of acrylic paints for scenic work, particularly using artists colours rather than specifically railway which are difficult to source where I live.

 

New layout will be much more urban in nature but as with all my micro layouts will be built on as tight a budget as possible so as not to deflect funds from my main project. Although a sad end I do not feel the four years this layout has existed have been wasted. Scenic work has been updated and improved three times in that period.

[Oldddudders]

I feel some of your buildings look very like the urban grot of the Gospel Oak - Barking line, at least as it was in the 80s and 90s. This is urban modelling as you choose to make it - with short DMMU trains, and freight whenever you want and of whatever length and commodity you want, being a key route around London between main lines.

 

Have a look at the route and see what you think.

[mullie]

I feel some of your buildings look very like the urban grot of the Gospel Oak - Barking line, at least as it was in the 80s and 90s. This is urban modelling as you choose to make it - with short DMMU trains, and freight whenever you want and of whatever length and commodity you want, being a key route around London between main lines.

 

Have a look at the route and see what you think.

 

I grew up in Brentwood in Essex and spent quite a lot of my time travelling to and from London from about 1978 to the early 90s often by train to Liverpool Street (before redevelopment) and later by car and lived in New Cross from 1982-85. My first micro layout was based on urban 'grot' as I remember it. I have fond memories of travelling during those times and I certainly think this is where I'm getting my inspiration from for the new layout. Barking Gospel Oak is a good idea, thanks.

[mullie]

Looked up Barking Gospel Oak then moved onto the lines around Silvertown. Inspiring stuff!

[mullie]

I think any plans for a new layout are going to have to wait, after all this is my second layout. My work schedule is quite horrendous at the moment and the thought of starting from scratch on a new project doesn't fill me with much enthusiasm at the moment, a month or so ago it was very different. I'm making small and measurable progress on Pott Row and enjoying operating the layout.

 

Thoughts today turned to how to adapt this layout and make it quite different and perhaps be able to vary stock and era. Last night I was looking at Canada Road/ Street. Although I can never dream of modelling to that kind of standard the flexible approach taken could work with this layout although this layout is obviously very rural in nature. The layout is based on 'Carl's Exports' and the principle of the track plan is such a sound one that without a lot of effort I'm not sure with the current time available I could better the principle.

 

So today I extended a second road into the fiddle yard so the layout could actually function as a junction with trains arriving and then being shunted prior to moving off down the 'branch.' My original fiddle yard allowed this, only this time I've inserted a piece of plain SMP track as this better matched against the Peco track it needed to join to. I may not put in a passenger station as this could clearly identify a region, my class 121 could visit on a special.

 

I really need to make up my mind. The buildings seen in the previous posts are all stored carefully as they have been for some years and I still plan to build a layout for them one day. Below is a photo of iffy quality showing the extension made today, not very exiting but this could significantly improve operating potential still further.

 

 

I can build urban layouts, the layout featured below is Leyton Street built about 10 years ago and featured in Carl Arendt's third book. Time to do it again I think. This one lived on top of a wardrobe so you could only look at eye level!

 

 

 

 

I can also do rural bleakness!

 

 

This is Pott Row mark 2, very different!