Camden Shed

[92220]

Chipping away....

 

Vacuum operating mechanism for the turntable:

 

 

The Dapol one was cut in half vertically and thinned down, handles halved in length and a lever fabricated out of brass fret waste. There is a cable from twisted 5A fuse wire too. Painted grey, and will get some oily wash plus whatever other extra treatments it needs.

 

Three more turnouts built:

 

 

These are temporarily placed here. They will be painted, wired and laid with all the other pieces at this end of the shed as I finalise the turntable and align everything to the rails on the deck. Ignore the position of that pit - it's shifted a long way in the cut out on the baseboard.

 

The 3-turnout-2-diamond checkrailed complex has been wired and tested - it all works and the tortoises switch the frogs correctly. Thanks to those who advised me on this some time ago when I was struggling with it. The track is errr..... a little rough. But the real thing was too, if photos are to be believed, and no loco can do more than walking pace here either, so I am hoping it will be ok. I could really do without rebuilding it.

 

Can't believe I only have one more turnout to build now! That's assuming that I don't have to rebuild any...........

 

Iain

[Jol Wilkinson]

Iain,

 

re our discussion at ExpoEM about LNWR signal levers.

 

Late on Sunday afternoon I discovered that they are now available from TimberTracks:

 

http://www.timbertracks.co.uk/index.php?route=product/product&path=5_6&product_id=214

 

Jol

[Michael Delamar]

good to see you at the weekend Ian and to see the layout pics, looking great.

[JeffP]

Rough? that trackwork LOOKS real.........

[Jol Wilkinson]

Rough? that trackwork LOOKS real.........

Jeff,

 

err, at the risk of being picky about some otherwise really excellent work, the flangeways are a bit wide.

 

As it is warm outside, I shall leave without taking a coat.

 

Jol

[92220]

Thanks Jeff, you're far too kind. Kinder than Jol, anyway....

 

Mike - good to see you too.

 

Jol - thanks, those levers look very good indeed! Now, £11 for 5.... I need about 25 for the no. 2 box. Ugh....! What about the no.1 box - the Type 13 ARP box? I guess they would be a more modern type?

I did also think about getting the plans drawn up for the shed building and giving those to Timber Tracks to laser cut. That kit of Watford shed was beautiful. But my wallet may not be able to stand it!

 

Camden Shed had two distinguished visitors on Sunday morning when Vincent Worthington and Mick Moore came round. They were very kind and complimentary, although the bodged nature of half of what I am doing must have amused them both too. But they did seem genuine in their enthusiasm. The backscene was popular (the only bit I haven't done!) and they did seem to like the buildings and general feel. That makes 3 proper modellers who have seen it - gordon s being the first - and none have laughed (at the layout) yet.

 

I managed to get the fixed 12 coach rake of mk1s to do to few derailment-free down circuits behind my namesake - actually, come to think of it, Vincent did laugh quite a lot at this point, given the excessive use of modellers' licence to run this loco, but I played the excursion card which stumped him as he couldn't prove it never did - and the 8-vehicle-and-growing parcels rake did likewise on the up lines behind a straight from the box rebuilt Patriot.

 

By one method or another, I have managed to accumulate over 50 coaches now. A few more picked up at Expo EM means I now have 6 mk1 suburbans and 7 LMS suburbans, all of which need a lot of conversion and alteration. Some Shawplan laser glaze beckons, plus all sorts of Comet underframe components, rewheeling, respraying, lining and numbering, weathering...... It goes on. I start wondering whether any of the LMS subs were in unlined livery in 1960. I also bought some more Comet sides - first on the bench will be a 50' period 3 kitchen car, and a 68' 12 wheel dining car of similar vintage.

 

Stage 1 of the Airfix/Dapol conversions:

 

 

More distraction from actually completing the layout!

 

Iain

[Black5]

Hi Iain, just caught up with your latest blog. the pointwork looks to be coming along nicely. The pictures of the turntable have made me decide to look at mine again and make improvements. Next for me on my humble version of Camden, the shed roof.

Look forward to seeing more pictures of your progress.

Regards, Jim.

[92220]

Hi Jim,

 

Yours is far from humble, that's for sure!

 

A couple of snaps (little more than snaps to be truthful, I'm wondering whether decent photography would show it up better, or just show it up....)

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think I'd posted anything showing these views in their current state. It could be a case of spot the difference. But comparing, for example, the second view to this:

 

 

gives a bit of an idea of the potential perspective. Not to mention how much detailing I have to do!

 

Had an afternoon to work on some things today, and have been wholly sidetracked by a rapidly developing enjoyment of coach building..... For more, see my coaching stock thread http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/82289-coaching-stock-for-camden/

 

Iain

 

Edit for spelling and grammar, and to add link

Edited May 26, 2014 by 92220

[92220]

Not a huge amount to show for this week, but this picture:

 

 

should give an idea of some of the tidying of the scenics that I have done. The ash ballast in the cess and on the yard area has been tidied, and then the shoulder of the mainline ballasting tidied on top of that. It needs weathering and all sorts of extra detailing - cabling, relay boxes, ballast piles, odd sleepers/timbers, signalling (I will definitely beg for Mike's assistance here) - but it is progressing.

 

And don't worry about the fish-eye effect. The buildings are not quite that wonky!

 

Iain

[TerryD1471]

Hello Iain

 

Very pleased to learn that you are still making progress, and also delighted that you met up with Vincent Worthington and Mick Moore. I have never had the pleasure of meeting Vincent or seeing his magnificent layout; maybe one day I will, but it remains an inspiration to anyone who models WCML 1950s(ish). Mick I had the pleasure of meeting over at Roy Jackson's establishment (there is no other word that does it justice!) and I was able to express my appreciation of his craftsmanship; I have acquired, by tortuous means, the wonderful signal gantry that he built for Bingham MRC's model of Hest Bank. It was their sad loss that the layout was destroyed in a fire, but the one piece that remained of the layout was the unique gantry (which I was agonising over building) and that I was fortunate enough to come by courtesy (ultimately) of Mick's workmanship.

 

Looking at your own results, I am impressed by the quality of the work you have done and the realism that you have achieved. I do hope you manage to continue to work towards your goal.

 

ATB

 

Terry

[CUTLER2579]

Terry,

Vincent is an absolute gentleman as of course is Mick Moore.I have the pleasure of knowing them both and I had the privilege of seeing Vincent’s layout which could only be bettered with the addition of some,Gresley,Peppercorn & Thompson pacifics. No,seriously a lovely layout and a credit to the man in that it was built by him on his own,I believe.I expect Iain will verify my comments about Vincent and the Railway.

Regarding Iain's layout I can only echo your comment :- "Looking at your own results, I am impressed by the quality of the work you have done and the realism that you have achieved. I do hope you manage to continue to work towards your goal"  I personally will continue to follow this excellent layout and will enjoy it as it reminds me of my spotting days at many places north of Euston and the Terminus itself..

Kind Regards, Derek.

[92220]

Hi Terry and Derek,

 

You are very kind: thank you.

I can only echo your comments about Vincent and Mick. A pleasure to show them round even if it was only a flying visit.

 

So what news?

 

I've had a few visits to the shed to do some modelling in the last couple of weeks, but not those good lumps of time where you get big things done and see a lot of progress. So I have been feeding my recently developed addiction to coach building. And coach modification.... And err....coach buying.

 

 

I'll put up an update on my Coaching Stock thread but the above pic might show a bit of the accumulated stock. A fair few Bachmann corridor mk1s now, probably about 28-30, so I really don't need to buy any more urgently, but I can't resist a bargain if they come up. I've managed to pick up 9 mk1 non-corridors too, and with a bit of work they will be fine. 4 Hornby Staniers, 7 ex LMS suburbans via Airfix and Dapol, 4 ex LMS BGs from Hornby, Bachmann and Comet, 5 more mk1 BGs, an ex Lima 42' LMS GUV, 2 Replica mk1s that were in a job lot - don't know whether they will make the grade - and the various builds and conversions in progress on the thread.

 

I also bought 3 new Hornby mk1s which look very decent and compare well to the Bachmann ones. I thought these were a bit expensive to be honest but I guess that is the way now - to get decent detailed coaches you have to pay.

 

Then I realised I got a free Duke of Gloucester in the box too......

 

I need to get on a mission to get the layout in a fit state to show some trains.

 

Iain

[92220]

To prove I have been doing something useful!

 

 

Ex LMS Stanier Kitchen Car D1912

 

Roof isn't fixed on yet, and it needs interior, glazing (frosting on all but 2 windows....) and weathering. But it's getting there.

 

Iain

[davidw]

Not seen your layout thread very impressive. How do you find time?

[92220]

Hi David,

 

Not sure I do find that much time at some points of the year! But the main reason might be that I have a lot of incredibly useful advice from all sorts of people, and on here in particular, so I don't waste anything like as much time as I would otherwise.

 

There is also a good bit of bodging going on and I don't sleep a lot. :-)

 

Iain

[92220]

Time for an update.....

 

I spent an hour filing some rails and building the very crisp etch from Pete Harvey into a stop of the correct pattern for the siding just in front of the turntable. Amazingly for me, it was soldered very cleanly and first time too. Then, while adding the final tiny strip for the buffer pads, I unsoldered part of it. And then had about 5 goes at resoldering it square, all the while making a bigger mess.

 

 

I'll add the buffer pads from microstrip...... I'm not risking that again.

 

Eagle eyed Camden Shed devotees may notice some more track laid.

 

 

And a quick glimpse of a local train on the up slow. Terrible old mechanism in the Replica Standard 4 - this was a very early weathering exercise. The whole loco will be replaced as I have a variety of Hornby components to turn into one of the 75000 class on the Bletchley services.

 

 

I've done a little more on the coaching stock and will post an update in that thread too.

 

I'm hoping to get a bit done over the next couple of weeks as work is much quieter, although there does seem to be a bit of a pile up in the diary, both sporting and social. Somehow I managed to knock it round in 66 yesterday so I can at least temporarily convince myself that I can play golf like I used to - a veneer of confidence that will disappear as soon as I start chopping it like Jamie Oliver again.

 

Iain

[cornish trains jez]

 Amazingly for me, it was soldered very cleanly and first time too. Then, while adding the final tiny strip for the buffer pads, I unsoldered part of it. And then had about 5 goes at resoldering it square, all the while making a bigger mess.

 

 

 

Hi Iain,

 

I know the feeling. I was building some hand rails for my coaling tower and got them all neatly soldered together until the last bit and like your buffer stop, the rest came unsoldered and was a nightmare to get back together.

 

I'm really enjoying reading the progress on your layout by the way.

 

Best regards,

 

Jeremy

[LNER4479]

I don't know what I'm more impressed by - the quality of your modelling or your round of 66

 

Was that actually 66 or taking handicap into account? Whatever, here's a little tribute:

[CUTLER2579]

Strange how these Very Good modellers  (Iain & Great Northern) get their excercise walking through grass trying to find a small white dimpled ball. 

 

I could give you some advice on this subject. :nono:

 

Oh well OK.

 

Most fair sized towns still boast a Sports Shop and they sell such balls by the boxload.

 

Seriously though my Son used to play off an 11 handicap and would be very pleased with a 66  Iain. Well done my friend.  (Was 666 so edited)

 

My handicap was hitting the ball straight yet I was pretty good at Cricket , strange.   So I stuck to Squash.   

Edited July 11, 2014 by CUTLER2579

[92220]

Thanks for the interest and welcome to the thread Jeremy.

 

Graham - yes it was a gross 66, but my handicap wouldn't have made any difference. They say every blind squirrel etc etc. I live in hope that this particular squirrel may have found a miracle pair of glasses......

 

Derek - good advice were it not for the fact that I am easily as pedantic about golf equipment and balls as the most exacting of modellers is about fidelity to prototype. So a box of rocks wouldn't do the job for me. Cricket was my first love too, but it's hard to bowl fast (or at all) as you get on a bit. Or at least it was for me. So I gave up.

 

Doing a bit more today I hope, so will try to post a further update later.

 

Iain

[92220]

Update:

 

I've fabricated the wheelstops to go around the turntable:

 

 

 

These were made from small pieces of fret waste filed to shape, and then soldered with scraps of rail. I've got a couple of clear photos of these that I'm not able to post, and I'm very happy at how accurately I have been able to represent them.

 

Painted and installed:

 

 

 

Buffer stops painted and all the track laid around the turntable

 

 

A good bit of weathering will be done once the entire yard area is fully wired up and tested.

 

Iain

[92220]

A few more pics of the work in progress:

 

 

 

 

Plus a chance to play, briefly!

 

 

 

 

 

 

46248 is turned before coaling, watering and ash disposal, while 45545 Planet on an up parcels, and an unidentified northbound express, pass the shed.

 

Iain

[mikemeg]

There really is only one thing to say of the squence of photos above - this is beginning to 'tell it like it was'.

 

And, in the late 1950's/early 1960's it was simply a wonderful place.

 

I just love these threads around re-creating the great locosheds; these cathedrals dedicated to the steam locomotive (words are borrowed but no less valid for that) which were such a joy to behold, especially on a Sunday.

 

Ah, Semis, Scots, Patriots and Jubes, with the ubiquitous Black 5's and all the rest which made up an ex-LMS shed; lovely!!

 

Regards

 

Mike

Edited July 20, 2014 by mikemeg

[bobster]

First class work Iain - A joy to follow this layout.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[LNER4479]

Don't play briefly - play a lot!

 

Absolutely fantasic with the locos and stock placed on there, the area around the 'table is a very convincing recreation. Can't wait to see more.