Les1952 Posted February 6, 2014 Author Share Posted February 6, 2014 Small report today. With club day on Tuesday and spending yesterday unpacking, testing, repacking and posting back to Hattons my replacement Fairburn , together with getting Furtwangen's tramway sorted, there hasn't been a lot of progress this week. The ground level around the colliery has had more done to it, but looks just like a load of jars and bottles standing on the layout- because that's what is holding the surface down while the glue sets.... However a trip to Digitrains this morning has meant the return of 63717, the Tyne Dock O1. Anyone wanting to see how this was made needs to look at Mr Simon's workbench blog on RMWeb. Apart from looking a little Dapol-ish with the sleeved wires passing from cab to tender it runs well- has a small Digitrax decoder wired in. Other news is that I've got the A3 chuffing 6 to the revolution, but now need to source whistle and speed restriction boards. J26 65776 was left at Digitrains for chipping next. After that there are two more 0-6-0s and the G5 to do, but some of these will go to Wickness Models. Still a lot to do, and it has just started raining yet again. All the very best Les 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 10, 2014 Author Share Posted February 10, 2014 (edited) More details. Some work today, having been away from the shed for much of Saturday or sorting locos when present. Furtwangen has its full compliment of trams- I wish I could say the same for Hawthorn Dene's loco fleet. Not a fruitful day- but "Cock O'The North" and a pair of kitbuilt 2-6-4 tanks have been earmarked for chipping. Mrs Rhodes is out feeding her hens. A Preiser figure partly repainted. From the same new pack of figures Mrs Thing is hanging out her washing at No.2 Council Houses. Mrs Whatsits at No.3 Liliput Cottages has brought her bowl of suet pudding into the yard to stir in the sunshine. She'll have to nip in quick when the next NCB train comes past. The cat is keeping a watchful eye on the dog below. The exit from the screening house where the flight begins. Probably has little resemblence to a real one, but could work. eBay time- must earn some money to pay for chipping the next batch of locos. All the very best Les. Edited February 10, 2014 by Les1952 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted February 10, 2014 Share Posted February 10, 2014 Coming on well, Les. . Mrs Thing and Mrs Whatsits are both very tipically "colliery" keep them coming. . . John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 18, 2014 Author Share Posted February 18, 2014 (edited) After a weekend playing trains at Sileby. A huge number of small details bought to be painted and installed on the line, which means inflicting pics of them on RMWeb as they are done. Yesterday (Monday) was spent sorting and painting. One or two bits finished, so here's the first batch. Mrs Thing has got fed up with the state of the wall behind her house, so she has asked Alf and Bert Painter to do something about it. So far Alf is trying to clean the soot off with a cloth and has only succeeded in spreading it about. Looking at it she needs also to get Bob the Bodger to straighten out the end wall of her yard. Can he fix it? No chance...... A little nearer the front Mr Rose has his pig, the Empress of Murton, installed in the concrete pigsty he added to the side of his pigeon cree. He hasn't yet worked out she'll generate enough ammonia to gas the pigeons if he doesn't clean her sty out regularly. Perhaps he should have built it in the dip behind his cree where the berry bushes are (just offscene to the right). Is that his daughter, young Rosie, trying to tell him something or has she just looked in to see unconscious birds? Further along the posts have gone in for the fence in front of the coal drops, and so have the uprights (a loose term given the angle they are at) for the safety netting where the flight crosses the railway and road to the beach. These need to be painted yet- they are copper rather than plastic for robustness- actually some Mercontrol copper tube I found in a box, left over from Furtwangen Ost. Still plenty to go in, huts, people, yet more bicycles, etc etc etc. All the very best les . Edited February 18, 2014 by Les1952 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 Following an email exchange last night Hawthorn Dene is now booked provisionally for a second exhibition. More details when confirmed. All the very best Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted February 19, 2014 Share Posted February 19, 2014 Anywhere near the prototype ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 19, 2014 Author Share Posted February 19, 2014 (edited) Anywhere near the prototype ? No, sadly- somewhat South of where I now live...... However, if you know an exhibition manager in my native area I'm always ready to travel. Les (at the risk of upsetting many readers when I'm asked where Darlington is I say it is in the narrow band of civilisation that separates Scotland from Yorkshire - a description I first heard in Richmond, Yorks uttered by Johnny Handle of the High Level Ranters) Edited February 19, 2014 by Les1952 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted February 20, 2014 Share Posted February 20, 2014 Sorry , mate don;t do clubs. but when I go to local exhibitions I'll ask about . . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 21, 2014 Author Share Posted February 21, 2014 A visit and a couple of new images. Trevor Webster came over to look at the layout today, largely so I could pick his brains about the area at the very front and about bedding in the Nissen hut (huts shortly) that will be seated on a sub-base to help disguise the board join. He took away the chimney to build a small boiler house next to it to hide the join in the wall. Overall I think he liked the layout, and seemed to enjoy playing trains- even though he reckons I've gone over to the dark side. Not shown recently, there have been a couple of bits tidied up at the end. The Tyne Dock O1 enters with a train of steel from Cleveland Bridge probably for South Sunderland. I'm getting the hang of "Lemberg". Second video showing progress. This time working the inspaection saloon, she pauses just before the bridge where workers are doing more repairs. The concrete structure is an LNER lineside hut which is only part-painted and yet to be bedded in. I'm not sure if there was one near Easington but it is the correct type for the region. The figures are Graham Farish with their hi-vis overpainted- there wasn't such stuff in 1960...... Still a lot to do. All the very best Les 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold BoD Posted February 21, 2014 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2014 Looking very nice Les. I think the last time there was a hot air balloon over Easington was during the war. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 21, 2014 Author Share Posted February 21, 2014 (edited) Looking very nice Les. I think the last time there was a hot air balloon over Easington was during the war. Shhhhh......(Its hiding a nasty discontinuity on the backscene join) Don't tell them your name, Pyke! Les Edited February 21, 2014 by Les1952 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted February 26, 2014 Author Share Posted February 26, 2014 More bits and pieces. Yesterday I was presented by Trevor with the lancashire boiler house to go on the backscene hiding the last blemish- and giving a reason for the leaning-back chimney. He also has used Jim's hot-glue gun to put some beading on the underside of the lids that cover the ends. This means at last there is a black hole in the backscene at each end for trains to disappear into. The boiler house, partly seated in and awaiting a dirty wash and some foliage growth. The new black hole behind the overbridge. The second Nissen hut arrived this morning and has had its first coat of black and rusty. I've also got the sub-base for it cut to shape and a first covering of flock applied. The hedges that will help hold the sub-base in place have been stuck in at the front and side, and some of the extra foliage for these has been applied. I've also had a go at the baseboard in front of them. Meanwhile post-and-wire fencing is being constructed from the stile to the colliery wall. Much still to do. Les 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 (edited) Saturday again... Not all that much done this week as I've been out at exhibition (again) with Furtwangen Ost, then sorting out locos. I'll try to picture some of the additions for the next report. Meanwhile, the lift-off area with the Nissen huts is coming on. Also new since the last post is the sound-equipped 2MT. I've renumbered it 46477 as one that spent most of its time at Darlington. The older 2MT is also being kept and has been renumbered 46475, another Darlington engine. Although Darlington had them mainly for the Stainmore line , after that was closed they were short of work and used for all sorts of lighter duties. This one will work the inspection saloon mostly, with the older on spare or on light general goods. Here 47477 shuffles wagons onto the weighbridge then sets off down to the exchange sidings, stopping at the lane to let the fireman check all is clear before proceeding. Much to do, and a fine weekend in which to do it..... All the very best Les Edited March 8, 2014 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted March 20, 2014 Author Share Posted March 20, 2014 Take a pair of ancient tights..... cut a section off, spray it black, add rusty black particularly where the spray paint missed, superglue to tops of support poles, spend 15 mins releasing fingers, and lo and behold, netting of a reasonably dilapidated nature. Adding some rod front and rear to look as if it is stretched to it but rusting away we have the basis of the safety netting below the flight where it passes over the railway and track down to the beach. Plenty of grot still to be added, plus ladders and workmen trying to repair the poor clapped out structure- thereby giving a reason for the speed restriction on the railway below. I bought some ladders from N-Brass this weekend at Nottingham show and have added one to each of the flight towers (more skin removed). When all this is finished, and the pit yard surface is done, I can install the flight rope. However I need ten more P.D.Marsh mine skips first........ All the very best Les 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bri.s Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Saturday again... Not all that much done this week as I've been out at exhibition (again) with Furtwangen Ost, then sorting out locos. I'll try to picture some of the additions for the next report. Meanwhile, the lift-off area with the Nissen huts is coming on. nisens progress.jpg Also new since the last post is the sound-equipped 2MT. I've renumbered it 46477 as one that spent most of its time at Darlington. The older 2MT is also being kept and has been renumbered 46475, another Darlington engine. Although Darlington had them mainly for the Stainmore line , after that was closed they were short of work and used for all sorts of lighter duties. This one will work the inspection saloon mostly, with the older on spare or on light general goods. Here 47477 shuffles wagons onto the weighbridge then sets off down to the exchange sidings, stopping at the lane to let the fireman check all is clear before proceeding. Much to do, and a fine weekend in which to do it..... All the very best Les I totally love the video clip the sound of the steamer is amazing , love the shunting .I'm in the middle of converting my layout to dcc and I'm awaiting my first sound fitted loco a class 37 in BR blue for my coal and coke trains . Just wondering what controller your using , I've got a Bachman ez to start with but once I've learnt the ropes I'm going to move up to something a little better . Keep up the good work Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 Very many thanks, Brian. Always nice when someone likes what you are doing. Control is by NCE Powercab, of which I have two. One is permanently on the layout acting as master using the straight lead in the start set. The other acts as slave when on the layout but also runs the programming track mounted on the wall above the workbench. My workbench also has an oval of Unitrack set up with an analogue controller, or if Furtwangen Ost is being prepared for a show then that will double up as the analogue test track. Sound-fitted locos are A3 Lemberg and the 2MT, with WD 90344 waiting collection from Digitrains. I'm saving for a Dapol Bittern to make a quartet by the time the layout goes out for the first time in September. Hope this helps. Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bri.s Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 (edited) Thanks les ,that's a great help Where's the first show ? What chips do you use in your non sound locos ,I've been wanting to get a few for some of my locos but not sure which ones are good for n gauge and slow running ,I've a wd 280 a 37 and 47 that I'd like to chip there all dcc ready . In the end I'd like as many of my locos sound fitted but it'll take a few years . Im quite new to this and not sure what the best suit is , What chips would you suggest , sorry for the all questions . Thanks Brian Edited March 22, 2014 by bri.s Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted March 22, 2014 Author Share Posted March 22, 2014 First show is Grantham on 6/7 Sept. Chips are a mixture. There are s few of the cheaper Bachmann ones, in Farish locos. Those Dapols that have enough room have Lenz Silver Minis or Zimos- I prefer these but at £30-odd a pop it is an expensive business. The Union Mills are fitted with Lenz if Douglas at Wickness did them. These run much smoother than the pair with CT chips done by Digitrains (one) or DCC Supplies (one). Certainly Farish run well with the Bachmann 6-pin chips. Other makes less so, which is why I go for Lenz and Zimo. My older Farish mechs that need hard-wiring have been done by Digitrains- I'm dyspraxic so a mechanism probably wouldn't survive ne trying to hard-wire a chip into it. Whatever chips they use seem OK for Farish. I've been lucky. Trevor Webster has sold his two exhibition layouts I've provided locos and stock for, and we've downsized our club layout by 50%. That has left me with a substantial number of locos and a lot of stock to sell, and this has funded a comparatively quick fitting of more than enough locos to run the layout. There are 10 trains in each direction on the main line and two trains on the colliery, making 22 locos just for the basic service, plus at least one spare for each type of train. All the very best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bri.s Posted March 22, 2014 Share Posted March 22, 2014 Thanks again les, My 37's been done by Douglas at Wickness , and I'll be sending him my 56 next . Wow that's some locos I've 3 37's a 47,a class 108 dmu a 08 shunter and the wd 280 I really like the steamer once I've got enough diesels I'm going to start on the steamers . Are you doing any shows any further north ? . Thanks for the advice . Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted March 23, 2014 Author Share Posted March 23, 2014 (edited) Time to look at some locos I'm in the middle of a scenic bash at the moment and there isn't a lot ready to photograph. So as an interlude, some of the DCC loco fleet. The modern 6-pin decoders are a doddle to fit- getting inside the body is usually the hardest bit- my Class 101 DMU had as much of the glazing glued to the chassis as to the body. The test track along the shed wall above the mess that is my workbench. I do tidy up occasionally. The two 2MTs, both renumbered as long-term Darlington inhabitants. 47475 is the silent one with a Bachmann chip, 46477 the Zimo sound-fitted one from Wickness Models. Two of the A3s. These are both modified. 60051 Blink Bonny is my original Lemberg, fitted with a replacement New-type tender and renumbered. 60088 Book Law started off as a Bayardo but now has the boiler, chimney and blinkers from a "Not Quite Perfect" A3 bought from Dapol at their open day, again renumbered and renamed. Both have Zimo MX621 decoders. The pair of J25s. 65726 has a Silver Mini inside the tender, done by Wickness Models. 65695 was chipped by Digitrains (as a J26) with a CT decoder in the cab. The J26 had a pickup problem so I swapped its tender onto the spare J25. The tarpaulin is to hide all the wire. 65726 was previously one of the fleet I supplied to Trevor Webster's "Parnhams" as LNER 2000. This J39/3 has a tender with a CT decoder, done by DCC Supplies, but swapped to the J39 as the J26 loco needed some attention. The B1 is a Dapol one, renumbered and remnamed by me, with a Lenz Silver Mini decoder, as has the second B1 (also renumbered). The D20 was one of the fleet I supplied to Parnhams as LNER 711, now repainted and renumbered, then sent to Wickness Models for a Silver Mini in the tender. The "what if someone had bought them" pair- Silver Link and Papyrus. Both with Silver Minis and both used for specials. I'm going to have to give Papyrus a new pair of front buffers. On the colliery the Peckett is number 1 and the Geisl J94 is number 8. The Peckett was remounted on the best J94 chassis I could find, and the pair were chipped by Jeremy at Digitrains. Two of the V2s- the other two haven't (yet) been done. This is the modified pair, one with outside steampipes, and the other with a BHE double-chimney. Both fitted with chips by Digitrains. Most of the rest of the fleet haven't been modified, weathered or repainted- yet..... All the very best Les Edited March 23, 2014 by Les1952 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bri.s Posted March 23, 2014 Share Posted March 23, 2014 That's a very nice loco fleet , At the moment I can fill 3 of my fiddle roads one day I'll be able to fill them all lol. I think I'll get a Bachman decoder to start with so I can test my track and layout wiring then I'll move up to the better ones . Thanks again for the advice. Keep up the good work . Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted March 30, 2014 Author Share Posted March 30, 2014 Fairly Quiet Week .....but most of it spent on details and touching-up. Now I've got ladders up the three flight towers, the next one is for the work gang to access the safety net for repairs. I've got some more ladders so there will be one on the other end. All I need is some more people in appropriate positions. Looking at the net from the other side reveals why they are having to fix it. The farmer who has the field between the railway and the sea has left his muck spreader next to the hedge ready for next season. Ballasting and work on the ground at colliery level is what is taking the time. The GWR-type lineside hut has now been fixed in its final position, as yard office for the landsale yard. Some sacks (needs more) and a man with a shovel- but still a lot to do to this area. Lastly, while moving things around to find the pot of cheapo Chinese figures I turned up the pack of sunflowers I used on Furtwangen Ost, and discovered there were still well over a dozen left. The local leek show now has a sunflower section as well as the usual pot and trench leeks. Must find a lean-to greenhouse or two for these allotments. All the very best Les 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 (edited) 90344 back again. Now fitted by Jeremy at Digitrains with a Zimo sound chip and a Pauliebanger sound file. Not as strong a loco as I thought- the sound shows up that it was slipping a bit on the layout ends. It will probably run the empties northbound (a Hartlepool engine returning empties to Dawdon or Vane Tempest collieries perhaps. A Sunderland WD would be a little more likely to be on Southbound empties. Southbound empties hauled by 90344. The video is a little shaky as I was trying to run the camera and the controller at the same time. You can see that the flight now has its wires and some buckets. I'll get pictures of the flight done when I've added a few more buckets and finished painting the wire. All the very best Les Edited April 4, 2014 by Les1952 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bri.s Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Very nice video and loco/ sound Brian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted April 4, 2014 Author Share Posted April 4, 2014 Thanks for the compliment. Tomorrow's job, apart from finishing painting the flight wire and some more miners, is to matt varnish the cab and tender sides of the WD- there was a number missing from the side you couldn't see on the vid- I'd forgotten to varnish over the cab after I renumbered it. On Sunday I'll start to weather it. All the very best Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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