Upbech St Mary, Upbech Drove and Pott Row a journey through 00 and then into EM and 009.

[mullie]

1 hour ago, 1466 said:

I’m interested in your experience of regauging Oxford products to EM  .

Particularly the axle length .

Previously I’ve substituted Gibson wheels on Oxford axles because Oxford had used  shorter axles . 

Did you ease out the original Oxford wheels on their axles , please?
I hope that Oxford has now fallen into line with the industry standard of 26 mm  in recent production so I can slide in unaltered Gibson wheels .

I’ve got a couple of  Oxford GE and NE vans in the stash to do .

Thanks 

Ken 

At the moment, I have simply moved the wheels out on the axle, didn't even require any modification of brake gear if I remember rightly. I think you might be right, and there may be a need to put wheels on the existing axle. This is the only Oxford product I own so haven't tried rewheeling yet. I don't like the wheels as the treads are too wide. I do intend to buy more and would really like one in post war LNER livery though doubt that will become available any time soon.

 

If I remember I will stick a spare wheel set in the wagon as a test, I don't have any split spoke wheels at the moment.

 

Martyn

[1466]

26 minutes ago, mullie said:

At the moment, I have simply moved the wheels out on the axle, didn't even require any modification of brake gear if I remember rightly. I think you might be right, and there may be a need to put wheels on the existing axle. This is the only Oxford product I own so haven't tried rewheeling yet. I don't like the wheels as the treads are too wide. I do intend to buy more and would really like one in post war LNER livery though doubt that will become available any time soon.

 

If I remember I will stick a spare wheel set in the wagon as a test, I don't have any split spoke wheels at the moment.

 

Martyn

Thanks for your reply . 
If it helps , Gibson’s wheels fit ( loosely) on to Oxford axles ; just need Loctite or similar. It’s easier than shortening Gibsons axles … although I have done that on some other conversions.

All the best .

[mullie]

Lots to be done in the coal yard in autumn. 

 

 

A view over the hedge, unusually the J39 has run tender first down the branch.  

 

[manna]

G'Day Folks

 

A very faded LNER on the tender of the J39, would look good.

 

manna

[mullie]

7 hours ago, manna said:

G'Day Folks

 

A very faded LNER on the tender of the J39, would look good.

 

manna

One day the J39 will be detailed,  although running on Comet frames, the tender on etched frames, the body is still basic Bachmann. 

 

There was a  brilliant photo on Dave Fs thread this week of an E4 with BR number,  LNER on the tender and no smoke box plate. I need to find a similar photo of a J39.

 

The photo the model is based on doesn't seem to show any emblem on the tender which did happen in early nationalisation days  

[mullie]

A while ago I posted a video of a Bachmann shunter running the length of the layout. We have now returned to the early 50s and see the J72 running the length of the layout. A Bachmann body on Comet frames, Markits drivers, Hi Level gear box, Mashima motor. Most of the wagons are rtr either with replacement wheels or the existing wheels re gauged, can't remember to be honest.

 

 

The J72 shouldn't really be in this part of East Anglia but the chassis was originally built to run under a J72 body modified to look vaguely like a J65, that ran on Yarmouth Quay. Having built the chassis and got it working in 00 I thought, having gone to such effort why not try building to a more accurate gauge, a decision I have not regretted. The J72 is a reliable performer though let me down at SWAG last year so was put on the naughty step for the day!

 

Don't seem to be able to do anything about the flickering LEDs, I assume this is something to do with the interaction of the lights and the camera on my Samsung phone?

[mullie]

A J70 in repose at Upbech Drove. 

 

[mullie]

The J15 is on a connecting service.

 

 

 

A van needed shunting too.

 

 

 

 

[Gilbert]

On 05/03/2023 at 20:53, Alex TM said:

Although not yet sixty years of age I remember horse drawn vehicles in use with deliveries for coal merchants, rag-men, and a few breweries.  This was at a time when petrol wasn't being rationed; mind you, neither was the fresh fertiliser that was often left in the middle of the road ...

Early 1960s - I remember milk deliveries and "rag & bone" men with horse drawn wagons - in fact not so long ago on a visit home I walked past the old dairy (in a built up area of Liverpool) where the stable building is still clearly visible if re-purposed..

[mullie]

A layout is never finished........

 

Since it was built the entrance to the fiddle yard at Drove has been very open. For some time I have considered screening it more so a piece of plywood has been cut.  It is important to check clearances so locos and stock have been checked. Next job is to spray the wood grey, add the mounting board back scene, refit the factory, then develop the scenery to disguise the exit.

 

 

 

 

There was a slight dip in the track between the track and fiddle yard cassettes caused by my shoddy carpentry and not quite getting the track levels right. It has always worked and reliably but sometimes and it is only sometimes, the couplings don't meet up correctly. I am being fussy but now the layout is largely complete I want to work on improvements and I do like it to be reliable in all aspects.

 

Pleased to say Upbech Drove has received an exhibition invite to the Poole exhibition in October, first outing to a non SWAG event.

[mullie]

Misty grey mount board added and trimmed. J39 is testing clearances.

 

 

I think the fiddle yard cassettes could do with a coat of paint to make them less obtrusive. 

 

Ballast has been reinstated, platform  needs glueing back in place, the factory building needs trimming to fit and that should do for now. 

[mullie]

More progress on the fiddle yard. Loco cassettes sprayed grey. 

 

 

Only first few inches of the shunting cassette were sprayed, wagon and coach cassettes will be similarly treated. 

 

 

[mullie]

A J70 is seen at Upbech St Mary, last time I looked there were no passengers.

 

 

Upbech Town Quay will be at the SWAG event in Taunton as a static exhibit on Sunday. As a prelude to this the J70 is seen shunting the quayside.

 

[mullie]

Upbech Quay seemed well received at SWAG today, the most usual comment being "I didn't realise how small it is." It is just 24" by 14" and was built to link Upbech Drove and Upbech St Mary. Here are a couple of photos of my little demo including various models built over time.

 

 

I laid out the various materials I use which made for some interesting discussion.

 

 

Lunch is of course important, the pasties are always excellent.

 

[JustinDean]

Good to meet you today Martyn; I very much enjoyed our chat!

 

Jay

[mullie]

21 minutes ago, JustinDean said:

Good to meet you today Martyn; I very much enjoyed our chat!

 

Jay

Good to met you too, chatting about music and trains, great stuff.

[mullie]

If anyone is watching the Magpie Murders on BBC1, much of it was filmed in Kersey,  Suffolk.  The pub is the Bell on which the pub on Upbech Quay is based.  

 

We had a couple of nice meals there before we moved to Dorset though that is nearly 20 years ago. It is a beautiful village with a ford running through the main street. 

[MrWolf]

Well that's a lot of atmosphere and detail in something that is a foot shorter than I thought it was. 

 

I think that I have now decided what the next project for me will be, not a quay, but definitely small.

 

I also have a hankering for a pastie...

[wiggoforgold]

I would have to add myself to the "didn't realise how small it was" category. I think it must be a product of photography as I was getting the same reaction. Sorry I didn't ' t get the chance to speak to you more as I had wanted to have a closer look at your weathering tecniques

Alex

[NHY 581]

I was utterly bowled over when I saw this, Martyn. I, amongst many others expected a larger scene. 

But what I saw was a truly lovely little scene which was perfectly formed with your signature colour palette which is so very attractive and like no other I have seen.

 

 

I must admit to being  inspired to produce something similar.......I do after all have a spare 60cm x 40cm "baseboard"

 

Mmmmmmm...............

 

 

[Nick C]

13 hours ago, mullie said:

"I didn't realise how small it is."

I certainly recall uttering those exact words!

 

Good to meet you yesterday - not sure I actually introduced myself, I was the one in the Watercress Line hoodie.

[mullie]

All parts of the Upbech saga have now appeared at SWAG, though Upbech St Mary only appeared virtually in 2020. The quay is now reinstalled in an Upbech sandwich and everything back on the layout.

 

Really enjoyed yesterday, thank you for the kind comments, a good day all round. East Anglia  was very well represented yesterday.

[NHY 581]

28 minutes ago, mullie said:

All parts of the Upbech saga have now appeared at SWAG, though Upbech St Mary only appeared virtually in 2020. The quay is now reinstalled in an Upbech sandwich and everything back on the layout.

 

Really enjoyed yesterday, thank you for the kind comments, a good day all round. East Anglia  was very well represented yesterday.

 

 

East Anglia was indeed very well represented.......and is it not the right time to embark on another segment of the Upbech Saga...? 

 

Just saying......

 

 

Edited April 24, 2023 by NHY 581

[mullie]

52 minutes ago, NHY 581 said:

 

 

East Anglia was indeed very well represented.......and is it not the right time to embark on another segment of the Upbech Saga...? 

 

Just saying......

 

 

There were some clues as to the next instalment on my table yesterday!

 

Watch this space as they say. 

[37Oban]

 

1 hour ago, mullie said:

There were some clues as to the next instalment on my table yesterday!

 

Watch this space as they say. 

Mayhaps a narrow gauge feeder line?

 

Roja