Bath Queen Square

[Nig H]

I meant to post some pics of the chassis of my Belpaire 3P a while ago to compare with Jerry's superior arrangement. This was my second loco, and the first with a partially scratchbuilt chassis. I assumed I would have to have a series of spur gears included but my teacher, Mike Raithby, suggested a 38:1 worm wheel on one of the drivers, so that is what I did. At the time I didn't know such a set up was allowed. Anyway, it works reasonably well and is relatively simple to make. I hope the pics are clear enough.

 

 

 

 

Nig H

[Donw]

Bit patronising Don. Quite obviously the difference is one is N, the other is 2FS. There are an increasing number of N gauge modellers using fiNetrack. I'm using it on a customers layout and my next exhibition layout, early 1970s blue diesels in N will make use of it.

 

Jerry

 

You are quite right Jerry. I shouldn't make such comments. Years ago before adopting 2mm I built some N gauge track using copper clad. No one else seemed to have tried it and most thought I was mad. Times have changed rather and I am pleased if people are having a go.

Don

[queensquare]

Some new items of stock for Bath. First up are half a dozen SDJR six wheelers from the excellent Worsley Works etches with my own six wheel underframes ( a few of which are still available). These will of course be blue. Photographic evidence suggests that by the 1920s, on the mainline at least, complete rakes of six wheelers were rare although they were regularly seen as spares/strengtheners - the full brakes in particular turning up all over the place.

Alan Doherty at Worsley also does the SDJR bogie stock and I'll be tackling these next.

 

 

This second picture I have posted elsewhere but as it's built for Bath I include it here as well. It's S&D 7F number 83 in original condition with tender cab. It's the work of John Greenwood and is quite simply stunning, even in this far from finished state.

 

 

Jerry

[DLT]

Stunning stuff Jerry, will you bringing some of this to Railex?

Cheers, Dave.

[queensquare]

Stunning stuff Jerry, will you bringing some of this to Railex?

Cheers, Dave.

Thanks Dave, the 7F is back at Wadebridge works for finishing but I will be bringing the coaches along with a selection of other stuff to the members day next weekend and to Railex in May.

 

Jerry

[queensquare]

After a long summer where very little happened on Bath (too busy in the garden!) progress has now started again. The single line up Bath bank is now in place and wired and the downline toward Foxcote is progressing well. These couple of phone snaps show one of the first test trains, 7F No 88 with 25 minerals and a brake van unassisted up the bank - the maximum allowed without a banker (and I've not worked out how to do that yet)

I'm pleased to say that she made it ok but this is nearing her maximum load, whats slightly disconcerting is my test engine, a little Farish Holden tank with a fairly crude 2mm chassis took 40 and could have done a few more!!

Other than JBS's stunning backscene there are no scenics yet other than Tuckingmill viaduct and Combe Down tunnel mouth. Roughing out the contours is the main task over Christmas along with the last few points to convert Highbury into Foxcote New pit. At the other end I need to make the bridge over the lower Bristol road so I can lay track into Bath Junction.

 

 

Jerry 

[nick_bastable]

Great to see this project moving forward

 

that looks most impressive but  for my own sanity is there a reason the R is missing? 

 

Nick

[Douglas G]

That has to be the most impressive painted backscene I have seen!

[D869]

Lovely... but where is the garden railway thread?

 

[DLT]

Stunning Stuff as ever Jerry!

Cheers, Dave.

[queensquare]

Great to see this project moving forward

 

that looks most impressive but  for my own sanity is there a reason the R is missing? 

 

Nick

 

Thanks Nick, yes, the 'R' fell off!! The loco is long overdue for a repaint when it will also receive a new coreless motor and a chip.

That has to be the most impressive painted backscene I have seen!

 

It is stunning, JBS is the master with the paintbrushes.

 

Lovely... but where is the garden railway thread?

 

 

I will start one soon. I was hoping to have trains running before the clocks chaged in October but didnt quite make it - grand opening in the spring!

 

Jerry

[TomE]

That really is a beautiful back scene, and when the rest of the scenery is in that will be a great spot to just watch the trains go by!

 

Tom. 

[queensquare]

Another 'phone snap', this time to show how the layout formerly known as Highbury has been integrated into the big layout but also to show how far the down line has made it.. There are a couple of pictures over on the Highbury thread of the early days of merging the two layouts together but now things have progressed I thought I would post more here.

 

As can be seen, Highbury, now known as Foxcote New pit has had about six inches added to the front so that the double track mainline can pass. The old through line on Highbury will now form one of two interchange sidings connected to the upline via the double slip just visible behind the box and a short spur which doesnt exist yet. The box is based on Midsomer Norton and is only temporary. Its one I made in card as a teanager and is rather crude but is the only survivor of my original S&D layout in N back in the 1970s. The overall feel I'm after is like the sidings at Writhlington Colliery near Radstock and the box, when I build the replacement, will be based on that which was a standard S&D Bath extension box with, unusually, a blue brick base.

 

In the distance the 7F and coal train can be seen on the viaduct with Combe Down tunnel beyond. The line goes from single to double in the rock cutting just south of Tuckingmill, Midford is completely missed out and Lower Twinhoe bridge will cross the line roughly where the Fluxite pot and solder are sitting. Between TM and Twinhoe bridge will be the tall Midford down advanced starter and the very attractive Midford up outer home with its calling on arm. Those who are familiar with this stretch of the S&D will know that trains would often be held here waiting for the single line descent into Bath to become clear. At one time I had toyed with the idea of doing Midford down this side of the room but in the end plumped for a series of familiar S&D scenes and integrating the colliery. 

 

As others have said John's backscene is superb and there was always going to be the potential problem of integrating this stretch with the rest of the layout, painted by me, (same style, not the same league). Thankfully the foreground scenics at either end rise above the horizon line so there will be a physical break. At the far end will be the mass of Combe Down, at the colliery the clump of trees will be replaced by a large batch, the Somerset name for a spoil heap. 

 

 

Jerry

 

 

[D869]

Where I live a batch is a bread roll. Best not to get the two confused.

 

Regards, Andy

[queensquare]

This is what I originally intended building down this side of the room - Combe Down tunnel to Midford goods yard

 

 

 

 

with Midford goods yard and Long arch bridge to the left (south)....

 

 

and the viaduct and tunnel to the right (north). Tucking Mill itself and the Somerset Coal Canal are at the front - no sign at this time of the little Light railway that ended up being built there!

 

 

Those who have seen my NSLR Tucking Mill layout will now understand why the viaduct is so prominent on the backscene!

 

Jerry

[Bulwell Hall]

After a long summer where very little happened on Bath (too busy in the garden!) progress has now started again. The single line up Bath bank is now in place and wired and the downline toward Foxcote is progressing well. These couple of phone snaps show one of the first test trains, 7F No 88 with 25 minerals and a brake van unassisted up the bank - the maximum allowed without a banker (and I've not worked out how to do that yet)

I'm pleased to say that she made it ok but this is nearing her maximum load, whats slightly disconcerting is my test engine, a little Farish Holden tank with a fairly crude 2mm chassis took 40 and could have done a few more!!

Other than JBS's stunning backscene there are no scenics yet other than Tuckingmill viaduct and Combe Down tunnel mouth. Roughing out the contours is the main task over Christmas along with the last few points to convert Highbury into Foxcote New pit. At the other end I need to make the bridge over the lower Bristol road so I can lay track into Bath Junction.

IMG_1967.JPG

 

IMG_1965 (2).JPG

 

Jerry 

 

Fabulous Jerry!

 

Gerry

[modfather]

Looking very good indeed. It's nice to still see progress.

[Izzy]

- 7F No 88 with 25 minerals and a brake van unassisted up the bank - the maximum allowed without a banker (and I've not worked out how to do that yet). I'm pleased to say that she made it ok but this is nearing her maximum load, whats slightly disconcerting is my test engine, a little Farish Holden tank with a fairly crude 2mm chassis took 40 and could have done a few more!!

 

Jerry 

 

Yes, weight directly over the drivers can make a surprising difference. Once you are fully DCC I don't doubt you have little trouble banking. Although it does seem easier with some handsets/controllers than others, those that can 'pick up' the current speed of a loco - mainly the encoder type I think.

 

Izzy

[Donw]

That looks spectacular Jerry. Really making the most of 2mm. JBS's backscene does help but the viaduct looks very good. I am glad to see 88 on it. 88 is something of an old friend having been on the WSR for some time.

 

Don

[queensquare]

Free day today which I could have spent in the workshop on the layout but instead went over to Midsomer Norton, partly to pick up my 2017 S&D Trust calendar and Christmas cards but principally because they had the recently restored Sentinel in steam.

The loco spent most of its life at Croydon gasworks and was never in LMS, or any other mainline livery come to that but it is identical to S&D 101 and 102 (LMS 7190 and 7191) which worked at Radstock between 1929 and 1960. Its a fascinating little engine and great fun to watch as it stormed out of the station sounding as if it was going like the clappers but actually doing not much more than walking pace due to its gearing and chain drive!

A really enjoyable afternoon despite the grey, drizzly weather.

 

 

 

I have a picture of one of the S&D pair sat in Bath yard, presumably receiving some attention which couldnt be carried out at Radstock. 

 

Jerry

[Robert Shrives]

Hi , as said good to see progress and 7F stunning model, sorry if missed a thread elsewhere but would love to know more.

Just a final comment on track been building both 2mmfs and finetrax for a few years now and it just gets better - I do it just for fun and my local club - N finetrax branch in the wings. It will take a while to over come the" Peco block" but getting there!  - We might be helped if the OO bullhead works but only time will tell.

 

As a very little boy long ago I spent time with dad at Midford, only 2 when the line closed but it had a good impact on me, so great to see model .

Thanks from me !

Robert  

[queensquare]

Hi , as said good to see progress and 7F stunning model, sorry if missed a thread elsewhere but would love to know more.

Just a final comment on track been building both 2mmfs and finetrax for a few years now and it just gets better - I do it just for fun and my local club - N finetrax branch in the wings. It will take a while to over come the" Peco block" but getting there!  - We might be helped if the OO bullhead works but only time will tell.

 

As a very little boy long ago I spent time with dad at Midford, only 2 when the line closed but it had a good impact on me, so great to see model .

Thanks from me !

Robert  

 

Thanks Robert, not sure what thread youv'e missed  - the Tucking Mill one perhaps - the link is in my signature below. Good to hear you are enjoying track building - N or 2mm makes no odds, correct sleeper spacing and finer rail makes a huge visual difference. Go see Tom E's Ropley thread to see N at its best.

 

We must be the same age, I was also 2 when the S&D closed. I have no memories of Midford but first went to Bath in the early/mid 70s as a young spotter, curious of this other station and railway. The station was in a terrible state but the goods yard buildings were still there but no longer in use. It must have had an impact as I built my first version of Bath around my teeneage bedroom walls in about 1978/79.

 

Jerry

[Re6/6]

Lovely stuff Jerry.

 

A question.....! Has an 'N' version of 00-SF, l guess N-SF ever been tried? 

 

The reason for the question is that l'm looking for a finer 'N' 9mm 1:160 scale track with finer looking crossings that could take the modern later and finer continental stock without having to wheel change. When l was a member of the 2MM Society some years ago there was a continental section in the society but l never managed to progress with anything.

[sp1]

Lovely stuff Jerry.

 

A question.....! Has an 'N' version of 00-SF, l guess N-SF ever been tried?

 

The reason for the question is that l'm looking for a finer 'N' 9mm 1:160 scale track with finer looking crossings that could take the modern later and finer continental stock without having to wheel change. When l was a member of the 2MM Society some years ago there was a continental section in the society but l never managed to progress with anything.

Have a look at Burton on Trent, by RBE (Cav) - he's using his own standard, which he calls N2, which seems to equate to something like N-SF

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/100029-burton-on-trent-in-n2/&do=findComment&comment=1916132

[Orange Cat]

Lovely stuff Jerry.

 

A question.....! Has an 'N' version of 00-SF, l guess N-SF ever been tried? 

 

The reason for the question is that l'm looking for a finer 'N' 9mm 1:160 scale track with finer looking crossings that could take the modern later and finer continental stock without having to wheel change. When l was a member of the 2MM Society some years ago there was a continental section in the society but l never managed to progress with anything.

 

There's fs160 if it is continental modelling you are interested in.