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

[mullie]

The reason for choosing to model a period around 1963-65 as an alternative to 1946-51 is that East Anglia, being pretty much dieselised still had steam age infrastructure including run down branches like Upbech. As Manna said new stock was being built and introduced with varying degrees of success, there were still relics hanging about, and sometimes little improvement such as type 4s that couldn't improve on Britannia timings.

 

It is yet another fascinating period in East Anglian Railway history, a lot of it captured superbly by Doctor Allen, if only he'd dated his photos though I'm getting better at working things out.

[jollysmart]

I have to agree with you about Doctor Allen, his photographs beautifully illustrate the East Anglian railway just on the cusp of modernisation or complete closure with the last gasp of steam in a setting that hadn't changed substantially in decades. They certainly drove my liking for the area and it's complex railway history.

 

My bookcase content is also very like yours.

 

 I do like the colour palette that you use on Upbech it captures the overall look very well and has given it great character, I really do enjoy your photos of the layout and stock.

[mullie]

The other series that is good are those published by South Anglia publications and compiled by J.D. Mann. I think these were only available for quite a brief period, I have picked up a lot secondhand on Ebay very cheaply. I did think I would put in a link but Ebay doesn't seem to have any of them on sale today.

 

The M&GN in colour series are good too, published by the M&GN Society.

 

Thank you for the comment about the palette I use, I think the outcome is dictated by the fact that for weathering and scenic work I use artists materials rather than modelling materials as I can buy art materials locally. I basically use what I can get! Locos and stock are generally coloured using Tamiya paints as again I can buy those locally. I've spent all my working life around creative types and I think it has rubbed off.

[mullie]

As work on the shunter is paused the Derby Lightweight has been through the weathering shops. This is my usual style apart from one significant change. Looking at colour photos especially in the M&GN in Colour books real DMUs don't have the semi matt finish applied by Bachmann. I have some Johnsons Klear so using a high quality water colour brush I applied a succession of very thin coats. The underframe doesn't show up great in these photos, this has been highlighted by dry brushing and thin coats of black ink.

 

A photo of a lightweight at Mundesley was used as a reference.

 

 

 

 

The front and rear lights have paint on them that has dimmed them down, however I haven't been able to dim the interior lights, is there a CV I can adjust on what are quite old Bachmann decoders?

 

I picked these up cheap on Ebay, they really did help get the body off.

 

[steve45]

4 hours ago, mullie said:

As work on the shunter is paused the Derby Lightweight has been through the weathering shops. This is my usual style apart from one significant change. Looking at colour photos especially in the M&GN in Colour books real DMUs don't have the semi matt finish applied by Bachmann. I have some Johnsons Klear so using a high quality water colour brush I applied a succession of very thin coats. The underframe doesn't show up great in these photos, this has been highlighted by dry brushing and thin coats of black ink.

 

A photo of a lightweight at Mundesley was used as a reference.

 

 

 

 

The front and rear lights have paint on them that has dimmed them down, however I haven't been able to dim the interior lights, is there a CV I can adjust on what are quite old Bachmann decoders?

 

I picked these up cheap on Ebay, they really did help get the body off.

 

Interesting, what were these listed on ebay as?

 

Also who makes the corridor connections, they look really good?

[lezz01]

To dim the interior lights you can add a resistor to the circuit between the decoder and the first bulb/led depending on what is fitted to the DL for lighting. Or just give the light a swipe with a brown felt tip pen.

Regards Lez. 

Edited December 11, 2022 by lezz01

[mullie]

10 hours ago, steve45 said:

Interesting, what were these listed on ebay as?

 

Also who makes the corridor connections, they look really good?

The handles can be found here:

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/225192431778?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=JdappUZIQoK&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=auMLyRFMSru&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

Corridor connections are by Modellers Mecca 

[mullie]

An interesting comparison. Before.

 

 

After

 

 

The Kleer has really made a difference to the look of the sides, maybe not so apparent in these photos. 

[mullie]

A couple more wagons have been through the weathering shop to have  their weathering rejigged.

 

LMS Brake Van.

 

 

 

An LMS van with leaky roof!

 

 

The two of them seen together at Upbech Drove.

 

[mullie]

The Hornby shunter has successfully navigated part of the layout, the Brassmaster coupling rods seem to have been fitted ok, and the loco now has steps. I do have a set of the PDH etched steps but decided to to try some 3D prints from @mudmagnet as the garage is too cold for soldering activities at this time of year. Seem really good and I also took the opportunity to fit his improved air tanks to both shunters although you can't see them. The crankpins can now be shortened so the loco can traverse the whole layout.

 

 

 

Here is the Bachmann shunter for contrast, you can't see the air tanks but I know they are there.

 

 

 

The Bachmann shunter has cloudy glazing, it took exception to Tamiya flat clear, I may fit all the 60s stock with new glazing eventually.

 

Both locos will now have their weathering tweaked. I like the contrast between the Bachmann and Hornby takes on the 08 although the Hornby version is in theory a class 10. I like both and as me and rivets have nothing to do with each other I can get away with it!

[MrWolf]

I think that they both look great and if they now run as well as they look, I think that you have hit the jackpot. Just the right level of oily muck for a pair of locos that wouldn't be very old at that point.

[MrWolf]

Clunky internet repeat post.

 

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by MrWolf
Technology that fails to deliver

[mullie]

 

 

2022 has been a challenging year in many ways both personal and professional, developing the layout has provided a welcome escape.

 

The quay has been the major development, a micro layout in its own right. It needs some small adaptations so it can be worked independently, I plan to do those over the next few weeks. The original Upbech fiddle yard will be attached and electrical connections made. Potentially it can be moved inside during the next cold snap, with north winds the garage is very cold and has been unusable.

 

Upbech Drove appeared at SWAG and the Town Quay may be a static exhibit at the 2023 event, I have volunteered for the important jobs such as making teas and coffees, who knows I might be allowed near the pasties!

 

Happy Christmas to all who have followed yet another year of my ramblings and thank you for your input and support.

 

There are plans for a new module, watch this space, although I've said that before!

[NHY 581]

Merry Christmas, Martyn, 

 

Best wishes to you and the family. 

 

Rob. 

[mullie]

Father Christmas delivered a few goodies this year though with a lot of stock still needing conversion to EM and somewhere needed to run it there seemed little point in a lot of new purchases.

 

In the absence of a GE van  in post war LNER livery I went for this version as wagons were still around in pre war liveries during my time period though often in pretty poor condition. Just one at this stage, the Upbech layout doesn't need a lot of stock.

 

 

These books arrived, the Ilford and Fenchurch Street books mean I now have the set for the lines from Liverpool Street and Fenchurch Street to Southend. The Liverpool street to Southend line was much travelled in my formative years whilst Fenchurch Street to Grays was travelled regularly from 1993 until the move to Dorset in 2004.

 

I don't know why the Wisbech and Upwell book wasn't in my library years ago. A lot of the photos are known to me, though a lot aren't including some delightful views of old waterside parts of Wisbech now covered by roads. I really like this series of books and now have many of them, most picked up in very good condition secondhand. Eco book buying!

 

 

Hope everyone had a great Christmas and got what they wanted.

[NHY 581]

Morning Martyn, 

 

Santa is such a clever chap ! 

 

The Middleton book on the W&U is a favourite of mine. A good, oft repeated read. 

 

Rob. 

[mullie]

A job I've been meaning to do for some while. The quay module can now be operated independently via a 5 din plug at the front. The fiddle yard can also be used with Upbech St Mary and some of the cassettes are already in use on Upbech Drove.

 

 

Here we see the connection being tested with an etched wagon, the finer wheel flanges allow little tolerance.

 

 

 

The connection is secured using a coach bolt and the clamp which I think came from a lamp. I have two of these, they are really useful and were free.

 

 

When it next turns cold I can move this indoors, including fiddle yard it is only around four feet long, a nice micro layout.

 

I will experiment with moving wagons on and off the wagon turntable and siding using magnets or some other gizmo. It is such a short siding it is likely a wagon would have been moved using pinch bars or brute force. I also don't want a powered wagon as I want to be able to put a range of wagons in the siding during both periods, an interesting challenge.

Edited December 29, 2022 by mullie

[mullie]

Our intrepid photographer was walking off his hangover today down at the quay by walking to the pub and having a bit of 'hair of the dog!.

 

 

 

I hope 2023 will be a better year from a health point of view, though I am now more active as a musician which is much better and could shape an interesting 2023. In modelling terms I think consolidation and development of stock will be the main focus. The 60s period now has two weathered shunters and a DMU, only the type two from the current fleet left to do once I have acquired some detailing parts from Brassmaster etc. The 40s/50s period should acquire a second J15, it has been sat on my work desk for nearly a year!

 

A new module has been started, some stock acquisition, track building and baseboard construction has been going on at points last year, this is a new direction though it ideally needs the 4F and 4mts from Pott Row to run on it as well so they need converting to EM. I will post photos once there is something worth seeing.

 

I really should do something about the coaching stocks all are bodges, not sure that will happen this year as I may not have the time given everything else I want to do.

 

 

[mullie]

Whilst on a local passenger train the J15 is shunting the quay. 

 

 

Things are a bit run down, the boats are a recent addition. 

 

[mullie]

It is now approximately 1963, steam is pretty much gone.   A discussion about the future is going on while a Dmu waits for the dwindling patronage.

 

 

Later,  a class 10 brings in a short freight including empty beet wagons. This is the Hornby shunter with new cranks, coupling rods and steps. 

 

 

Pretty much all the 60s fleet has been through the weathering shop for an update. Some of the latest are seen here. 

 

[Oldddudders]

On 06/01/2023 at 20:39, mullie said:

Things are a bit run down, the boats are a recent addition. 

 

They look as though they've been there for ages! 

[mullie]

Photos perhaps in keeping with the current weather. Upbech Drove. 

 

 

Upbech St Mary. 

 

[NHY 581]

Morning Martyn, 

 

I must say, looking good. I do like your 350hp shunter. A Class 10 is on my ever expanding list of things to do. I'll have to apply rule 1 as my preferred example is a New England allocated loco........which isn't exactly rural East Anglia !

 

 

Rob. 

[mullie]

9 hours ago, NHY 581 said:

Morning Martyn, 

 

I must say, looking good. I do like your 350hp shunter. A Class 10 is on my ever expanding list of things to do. I'll have to apply rule 1 as my preferred example is a New England allocated loco........which isn't exactly rural East Anglia !

 

 

Rob. 

The changes are quite straightforward and mainly involved new handrail positions, door hinge modifications removal of the ladder and in its latest incarnation, Brassmaster coupling rods. It was based on a prototype photo as all my models are.

 

Both shunters are shod with Gibson wheels and cranks. The first set on the Hornby shunter lasted 4-5 years and then one split so I redid the whole set. This was one of the first locos I converted to EM so was quite a learning curve and the recent installation is neater.

 

The Mud Magnet steps are quite soft but easy to fit. I think it still has the original Lenz Gold Decoder fitted around eighteen years ago.

[NHY 581]

Morning Martyn, 

 

Thank you. I hadn't realised there were that many differences, especially the handrails. 

 

I need to look again at some photos before doing anything. 

 

Rob.