Les1952 Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 The flight made and painted. When I started to hang the skips on the flight I worked out that it couldn't go round the outside of the wheel in both directions. The return journey now turns at the centre mast inside a guide. the view looking up into the colliery yard. The old boiler house has had some weathering also. Skips in place over the netting, viewed from wheelchair height. A Northbound express passed a Southbound train of fulls under the flight. A little grainy because the flash didn't fire. Also a little grainy for the same reason, the full hoppers are further onwards. Two miners are climbing the ladder to the safety netting to do some maintenance. More to do, and hopefully some better pictures later. All the very best Les 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted April 5, 2014 Share Posted April 5, 2014 Flight looks good Les . . . "full " side sagging as I remember it, return side a little tighter. . . .very good I think you've got the "feel" of the l coastal line and area about right . . . looking good! John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted April 5, 2014 Author Share Posted April 5, 2014 (edited) Flight looks good Les . . . "full " side sagging as I remember it, return side a little tighter. . . .very good I think you've got the "feel" of the l coastal line and area about right . . . looking good! John Thanks for that. I'm glad you didn't look too closely- the returns are sagging more than the fulls- does this mean I need to swap the skips across, they're travelling on the right-hand wire at the moment. All the very best Les Edited April 5, 2014 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted April 6, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 6, 2014 Just add a miniature Michael Caine in one and off you go... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted April 6, 2014 Share Posted April 6, 2014 With the colliery behind you and looking out to sea, The full ones are on the right. . . sometimes the buckets did not return to the upright position after tipping, but I think that would involve some cutting and shutting!!! Barry, wasn't it Ian Hendry who got tipped????? John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted April 6, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 6, 2014 Yes...Mr Caine was just shot.... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted April 6, 2014 Author Share Posted April 6, 2014 (edited) Buckets moved... I've spent a morning taking the buckets off the ropeway (breaking three in the process) and rehanging them with the fulls on the slacker wire. On most ropeways I've found pictures of the buckets come back upside down so they can drain, so that is how they've been modelled. With them having started off as Langley mine tubs, which are solid lumps of white metal modelling the returns upside down means they are a lot harder to look into...... The first mast coming out of the screens. The extra hanger marks where a bucket has fallen off and been replaced- the bucket is on the ground behind the ladder. It actually marks a bucket that snapped off and which couldn't be removed from the cable when I swapped them over- at least there is a plausible back story for it. A closer view of the turning mast. This batch has been taken with my old camera- it is lower resolution but has more of a mind of its own when focusing.... Crossing the netting Men climbing up to repair the tired old netting. Lunch is served- will get shouted at if I don't post and go... All the very best Les Edited April 6, 2014 by Les1952 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted April 12, 2014 Author Share Posted April 12, 2014 (edited) News Flash I can now confirm the following show booking for Hawthorn Dene Syston MRS Exhibition, Sileby, 21/22 February 2015 I'm also going to be at Braunstone, but Chris couldn't remember whether that is November 2014 or Nov 2015. However he is operating Furtwangen Ost at Quorn in June, so might remember then...... All the very best Les Edited April 12, 2014 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted April 15, 2014 Author Share Posted April 15, 2014 (edited) Latest Toy 60124 KENILWORTH would be a Heaton or York engine at the time the layout is set, so could be found on a Sunderland to York parcels working. Farish loco bought secondhand, breaking my rule never to buy Farish unseen. A few minor problems but now working satisfactorily, and taken into works for rem=naming and renumbering with the result seen in the pictures. I spent far more time than my parents thought was good for me hanging my nose through the fencing at Darlington shed, drooling over first Lemberg then Kenilworth. Memories. Not a lot done with the layout, though I have had to replace one of the pieces of setrack on the colliery end. When cleaning (with a piece of Dapol box inner) it disintegrated. Just in case I have any more go like that I bought three pieces- I have plenty of spare Radius 2 curves. I'll just need to make sure there are spares in the exhibition box before the layout goes out. All the very best Les Edited April 15, 2014 by Les1952 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted May 3, 2014 Author Share Posted May 3, 2014 May already Not a lot to report- I've been sorting out a box for rolling stock- and managed to get all but two main line trains into it- and one of those is the inspection saloon. I've a small plastic box that can take the remaining freight train and the "loose" wagons for the top, while the inspection saloon can live in the other box with the locos. The only scenic bit has been adding a few figures- notably a welder sitting dangerously atop the safety netting- fall one way and he's going to break his neck, fall the other and he toasts himself. Where are Health and Safety when you need them? All the very best Les 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted May 7, 2014 Author Share Posted May 7, 2014 Slightly more progress. Easter out of the way, Grantham Operatic Society show finished, and a two week gap until the exam board beckons.... Still not a lot of modelling done, though I bought a set of wheels (unseen) that I thought might go into the yard as old pithead wheels with another welder cutting them up. They have proved disastrously big- the search for pithead wheels to scrap continues- I'm now thinking of Airfix (Dapol) 9F kit wheels, or Rocket/Stirling Single wheels from the same source. 9F drivers would scale as 10 foot diameter, and the Stirling Single would scale as 16 foot. Plenty to think about. In the mean time the weigh house is nearly done- in situ ( too much wide open space round it as yet) and final paint and weathering still to do. The flat area between the rails in front of it is a Dapol magnet. The weigh plate will sit over this. Also arrived three, yes THREE more pacifics- a Lemberg now unnumbered and waiting for the NGS to supply me with new plates. I'm hoping it will become Manna aka "Manna from Heaton", but there are other options. The other A3 started off as a Flying Scotsman, but has gained the Gladiateur identity given up by a blinkerless sister. Gladiateur in final condition had a high tender and banjo dome. It was another of the Darlington pilots, with spells at Gateshead and Heaton. Moving to Holbeck in about 1960, it passed to Nevile Hill in final condition, and would have worked to Newcastle via the coast, and finished up at Gateshead again. Third of the set is a Gateshead A4, Bittern. Gateshead treated their A4s as second-class citizens, preferring A1s for front line service. Bittern will be weathered, but not to full Gateshead horrible. I have 60018 Sparrow Hawk in mind for that if the money is available to buy another A4 later. After all, one can never have too many Gresley pacifics......... All the very best Les 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted May 8, 2014 Author Share Posted May 8, 2014 Painting the outside I've been looking at what colour to paint the front, sides, proscenium and end tops of the layout. Do I do it black, gloss black or a colour.? I'm tempted either to go for gloss black with the name on a North Eastern Region totem or to go for NE Orange. Disadvantage of the first is that it might imply a station at Hawthorn Dene. Problem with orange is that the paint would need to be specially mixed. The nearest colours on the chart rejoice in the names of "Hot Shot", "Halloween Wedding", "Vitamin C" or "Mimi's Kimono". Who picked these names I ask? For that matter can I please be paid to suggest some more....... All the very best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted May 8, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 8, 2014 NCB dark blue with the name in yellow? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium MrSimon Posted May 8, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 8, 2014 Looking good - love the net its all coming on well! How many Pacifics is that now? For the orange did you try the dulux mixing cards? I had to get my Gresby blue done on the shaking machine, orange would stand out in an exhibition room too Cheers Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted May 11, 2014 Author Share Posted May 11, 2014 (edited) Pacifics? DCC fitted (12) - A4 60010 Dominion of Canada, 60019 Bittern A3 60045 Lemberg (with sound), 60051 Blink Bonny, 60070 Gladiateur, 60075 St Frusquin, 60088 Book Law, 60094 Colorado, 60106 flying Fox, plus the anonymous one A1 60124 Kenilworth 7MT 70004 William Shakespeare plus 60501 Cock O'The North A2/2 waiting fitting, and another A1 coming- this has a chip reserved for it but won't get a new identity until after I've seen what plates Ray hansen has managed to dig out for me from the list I've sent him. He's bringing the plates to the Worldwide Group symposium at Retford on the 31st. I'm there with Furtwangen Ost, and the NGS shop is there also.. The showcase now has the three LNER liveried ones. Frame colour- I did think of NCB blue but decided against, as the shade seemed to vary too much between areas, and I never saw any sign of it at many smaller pits. I'm still thinking about whether to go orange or black- Dulux have a nice bright orange that isn't too far removed from NER- another silly name but that seems to go with the territory where paint is concerned. It can wait a few weeks, until the proscenium has been made. Still trying to get some wheels for the pithead wheels- these will be in process of scrapping in the yard- which at least should explain the lack of a pithead...... Still plenty to be getting on with. Les Edited May 11, 2014 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted May 11, 2014 Share Posted May 11, 2014 Re NCB blue I think they were delivered in blue but within about a fortnight they were all NCB "filth" Cheers John Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted May 11, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 11, 2014 no they kept the coal lorries clean ... even when somebody changed the cab colours to yellow with blue lettering... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted June 5, 2014 Author Share Posted June 5, 2014 (edited) Details and Pacifics I'm finally getting round to putting details in the colliery yard. A visit to the N-Gauge Society's Worldwide Group symposium in Retford last weekend with Furtwangen Ost has yielded a piece of ex-layout junk which is currently being stripped and added to Hawthorn Dene. Quite a few workmen waiting to be painted out of their hi-vis, circuit boxes, gas tanks etc- each needing removal, a bit of cleaning, and re-siting. By the drops, a tank for that new-fangled stuff gas. Boxes by the former pit head, bags of coal for the open-hearth fires in these buildings- and the men over the bath building no longer in hi-vis (and the wagon toned down). The gantry needs toning down. In the yard assorted junk appearing, with switch boxes by the buildings. Another secondhand A1. This one has had a chip transplant and now runs very well. Renumbered and renamed as 60116 HAL O'THE WYND, a long standing Heaton resident. This one worked mainly between Newcastle and Edinburgh, but did get used on Leeds services round the coast at times. The plates have arrived, and the A3 seen in the 7th May photo has now beome 60085 MANNA, "Manna from Heaton", photographed at West Hartlepool on parcels and at Sunderland on passenger. Still needs its cab roof painting black to the edges, and a light weathering. One of the other A3s will get full Gateshead grot- around 1960 Heaton's locos were usually a bit cleaner. Lastly another A4. The first model A4 I saw was a Hornby Dublo 3-rail 60030 GOLDEN FLEECE, owned by my good friend Mike. This one (bought new as 60005) is a homage to that model- I don't really care if it didn't find its way round the coast- I have found a pic of it at Eaglescliffe. In this reality it turned right at Norton rather than left for Ferryhill....... Still a lot to do. At least the bulk of the exam-board work is done, though the "tail" of this lasts to September..... All the very best Les Edited June 5, 2014 by Les1952 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted June 5, 2014 Share Posted June 5, 2014 I thought you'd gone A.W.O.L.! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted June 7, 2014 Author Share Posted June 7, 2014 A loco returns.. 60501 COCK O'THE NORTH back from a service at BR Lines and DCC fitting by Digitrains. Not the smoothest of runners, and since the photograph I've replaced the front Bogie with an older Fairsh one, which seems to keep the loco from random wobbling much better than the scale one does. It will get outings on parcels or fitted freight, the prototype was at York and only rarely saw a passenger train except when they were hard pushed. Significantly Thompson's rebuilds, even as failures by ECML standards, ran 10,000 miles per year MORE than the Western's top link Castles....... Next part of hiding the hole in the backscene- a gantry. This will have rusty pipes routed over it to hide its origins as an oil gantry. It needs a bit of muck applying, also - the sort of muck that neglected stainless steel goes. A stores building to fill some of the spare space at the pit end of the yard. All for now- men to repaint ready to plant. Les 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 (edited) More details in cruel enlargement Having got rid of most of the exam board stuff- absent from modelling, but WITH leave on the grounds I have to earn money twice a year to supplement my pension- time to add more bits to the layout. I'm still trying to fix a date to take it over to Trevor's for the proscenium to be added. The Sea Coal trader's AEC Matador is now finished (which didn't take long), painted (which took forever), grotted up (which took less than forever) and in position under the bridge. I needed an excuse for it not to be moving- I don't like too much action amongst the figures. Pauses in the action I can cope with. See below... The wagon has stopped and Ernie is lining up the starting handle for another swing while Eric looks on. They could have let the brakes off and just let it run down the slope, except that is how they got this far. Grandad sits on the tailboard and waits. Some more spare piping has given a water supply connecting the screening house with the baths building. Very cruel enlargement. A couple of miners are trying to move a hand truck over the rough ground. More to follow. Les Edited June 8, 2014 by Les1952 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Two_sugars Posted June 8, 2014 Share Posted June 8, 2014 I like the story-line about the beach wagon . . . . .They could have sent for help, except they knew that who ever they sent would have got as far as the 'Trust' and they wouldn't have seen him for the rest of the day ! ! ! ! Cheers Les . . John 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted June 8, 2014 Author Share Posted June 8, 2014 I like the story-line about the beach wagon . . . . .They could have sent for help, except they knew that who ever they sent would have got as far as the 'Trust' and they wouldn't have seen him for the rest of the day ! ! ! ! Cheers Les . . John Thanks for that- BTW the Matador is in "Erie Lackawanna Red", a jar of paint left over from a US project that never really happened.... All the best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 More close-ups. A busy few days- first another big batch of essays arrived to be marked, keeping me out of the shed for three days, then Bingham Town fair- and playing trains in Bingham Market to try to attract new members to BMRC- followed by a full day rehearsing in Lincoln on Sunday. This weekend is the GCR bash at Quorn, which will take out Thursday to Sunday. Hopefully I can get a name totem done. This might be the last chance before Grantham in September. I'm still liaising with trevor and Geoff to get the layout over to Whatton for the proscenium to be added. A man and the weighbridge added to the weigh hut- the weighbridge needs the paint finishing. Another bike found on the workbench, now paionted and added to the allotments- most of the allotment owners use their bikes to get there. Another figure leaning up by the pallets near the big tank. Hopefully it isn't a petrol tank if he's going to have a crafty smoke. A safety wall extends out from the end of the screens, just to make you have to try a little harder to get run over by a loaded wagon descending the grade.... A couple of oil drums have been placed beside it. Plenty still to do- another A3 just bought. This one will either be NIGHT HAWK or DICK TURPIN. All the very best Les Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Les1952 Posted June 24, 2014 Author Share Posted June 24, 2014 (edited) External details the totem for the proscenium arch is now made and delivered- at the GCR Steam event Furtwangen was next-but-one from the totem man, so it was easy to work out sizes and get the thing made. Trevor isn't very well at the moment so I'll have to delay getting the proscenium actually built for a little. Meanwhile black paint (gloss) for the frame. Much to do Les Edited June 24, 2014 by Les1952 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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