West Kirby Town: narrow gauge is coming to town.

[Dmudriver]

Hi.

 

A bit more progress on the layout, but not my work this time.  Keith Harrison, who's building the station buildings for me, brought them to Barrow Hill this weekend, where we were both operating on Oldham King Street Parcels.  I couldn't resist taking a few pics so here's a couple:

 

 

 

For comparison, here's what you can see of them above the canopy on the real thing, from a picture I've posted before, of Michael Delamar's:

 

 

There is a second clock on the left side of the building and both of them work!!!  There's also one on the front of the real thing, but as that won't be seen, it's obviously not fitted.  We've compromised with the length of the building going left from the clock tower due to space constraints but I think it captures the feel of the building really, really well.  I am well pleased!!

 

We're going to trial-fit it to the layout shortly so I'll post some more pics then.  Part of the trial fit will be to measure up for the canopy over the concourse

 

More soon.

 

Rod

Edited September 29, 2014 by Dmudriver

[Jon Fitness]

 

**  I assume I'm OK to post this as it's only a detail from the picture (and a very overall good picture of the station at that!) and I've acknowledged the photographer and publication but if not, I'd be grateful if someone could put me right.  Mods, are you reading this?

Hi Rod,

I'm sure Jonathan won't mind you posting the pic. I meet up with him occasionally at Freckleton where I have my bus and he's a lovely chap. I'll ask him if he has any more pics of WK if I see him on Wednesday!

Nice new buildings by the way!

JF

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Another post but not strictly WKT, although related to the point construction I did earlier.

 

At the Club, we're building a "How to get started in 0 gauge" diorama.  Just 2 tracks with one point in each - one track RTR, the other handbuilt.  I've just built the point for the latter track and when it came to the tiebars, I thought I'd try something different.  On my own points, I've used JLTRT tiebars but I seemed to recall reading somewhere about wire and tube.  I had some left from point operation that I had on my previous layout so I used that.

 

I used the copperclad tiebars that came with the C&L kit and soldered short pieces of the tube to it 28mm apart.  I then soldered pieces of wire to the web of the point blades, bent them down at 90 degrees, fitted them through the tube and bent them at the bottom to hold the tiebar in place.  The photos show what I mean.  The first is a general view from above:

 

 

The second from below:

 

 

The third showing the wire soldered to the point blades:

 

 

I've moved the sleepers apart a bit for the photos - that's why the end of the blades aren't on the slide chairs.  I have to say I'm really impressed with it (although I say it myself!!!).  The movement from side to side is so easy that I'm tempted to replace the JLTRT tiebars on my own layout.  There, I've had to use thicker wire with the Tortoise motors to get the pressure required to hold the point blades over, but with this method there'd be no need.   Seriously, no, I'm not going to do it, but if any need replacing, this is what I'll look at doing.

 

In the future I'd use tube with a larger bore and thicker wire but I've established the principle.  Bending the wire underneath has to be accurate as it holds the blade in the correct position in relation to the stock rail surface but can't be too tight as there'd be a lot of friction.

 

The bit of tube in the centre of the tiebar is for the operating wire - I've not decided how to do that yet but it will be a hand operated lever of some sort.  I've gapped the tiebars (both of them) on both sides - two on the tube side and one on the rear.  They can be seen on the pics, but aren't readily obvious.

 

Although not "Strictly WKT", I've adhered to the principle of "Keep Modelling"!!!  (You can tell what TV I watch on a Saturday night!!  I do watch the football later as well!!)

 

More soon.

 

Rod

Edited October 3, 2014 by Dmudriver

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

I've not been on my thread for a while - mainly because I'd lost my modelling mojo.  Partly because I came back from Barrow Hill with a chest infection and also because the platform canopy still isn't finished.  I waited a month for the replacement parts and when they arrived (over a week ago) some were wrong and some were missing.  So I'm now waiting for the replacement replacement parts!!!!

 

However, my mojo is on it's way back!!  I've taken the v3.5 XL chips and speakers out of my 2- and 3-car Class 108s and got v4 1.1A chips and new speakers to replace them.  They should be fitted in the next few days.  In the meantime, the 108s have been running in multiple on analogue on the club's layout - and running well, too.  Well, ..... once I'd sorted the motor wiring out - at first I had them going opposite ways on the same direction setting!!!!  It caused some amusement at the Club, as you can imagine!!!  [Mind you, it did happen in real life and a few years ago I had one axle in a 6-car train going backwards when everything else was going forwards - due to a faulty final drive switch.  I wondered why it seemed a bit slower than usual - and it was a p-way guy who spotted it!!!!]

 

A pal of mine who really enjoys building has got an empty work desk at the moment, so he suggested he'd build the 131 for me.  Suits both of us, that suggestion.  Plus, he's going to finish the Coal Tank for me - I'd got bogged down on the sanding gear on that.

 

Keith Harrison, who's doing the station building for me, has built the columns for the canopy over the concourse - unfortunately the pics are on my mobile phone at the moment but I'll add them on here later.

 

I'm getting the stuff ready for the modelling weekend at Missenden Abbey and am really looking forward to that.

 

So, as I said before, I'm getting my (modelling) mojo back!!!  More soon.

 

Rod

 

 

PS      Spell Checker doesn't like the word "mojo"!!!!!!

[Simond]

Funny how it comes and goes - as you'll see on my Porth Dinllaen that my mojo came back a few weeks back, and apart from the business trip, I've been busy!

 

You'll come back from the Missenden Abbey weekend full of whatever it is that fuels mojos!!!

 

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

Hi.

 

Further to my last post, I've got the photos of the columns off my iphone.  First is a photo of the real thing, taken on my site visit:

 

 

Then the 2 of the new ones.  The second is rather out of focus (taken on a phone) but it gives a good idea of the finished product:

 

 

 

What I don't think we'll be able to model (even if you could see them under the canopy) will be the anti-pigeon devices!!!

 

 

More soon.

 

Rod

[pwr]

Hi.

 

Further to my last post, I've got the photos of the columns off my iphone.  First is a photo of the real thing, taken on my site visit:

 

 

 

Then the 2 of the new ones.  The second is rather out of focus (taken on a phone) but it gives a good idea of the finished product:

 

 

 

What I don't think we'll be able to model (even if you could see them under the canopy) will be the anti-pigeon devices!!!

 

P1010146 - Copy.JPG

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

I'll bet you could if you tried!

[Dmudriver]

I'll bet you could if you tried!

Don't tempt us!!

[pwr]

Well if you could get them 3d printed they could be part of the structure! However I would bet these were not invented at the time your layout is set so you are probably OK

 

Paul R

[Dmudriver]

Well if you could get them 3d printed they could be part of the structure! However I would bet these were not invented at the time your layout is set so you are probably OK

 

Paul R

Fair comment, that, Paul.  They probably weren't fitted in the 70s/80s so no need to fit them!!    Phew!!

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Another update after spending the weekend at Missenden Abbey on a Missenden Railway Modelling weekend.  I really enjoyed it - doing scenery, would you believe??!!  The tutor was Barry Norman, who was very helpful, as was everyone else in the group - all helping each other out with advice, materials, opinions, etc.   The accommodation and food were top rate.  I'll go on one again and, if anyone is thinking about trying one, I would certainly recommend it  [And, no, I'm not on commission!!!]

 

I spent most of the weekend on trees.  As a born and bred city boy, my vision of trees was the typical "lollipop" one!!  Not any more!!!   I was driving home and looking at the trees at the sides of the motorway (when in a traffic jam, you understand!) and I'm now looking in detail at the trees in the village here - overall shape, arrangement of branches, colour of bark, etc!!   I also did a bit of hedging and a fair amount of trying to find a decent material for rough grass.  I couldn't find any carpet felt before I went away - I tried 3 carpet shops: standard response "We don't use that any more"!!  I've now found that Greenscenes sell it, so I'll try some of theirs.

 

I've taken a couple of pics of the trees I made.  the first shows all 4 of them, going from left to right, the first and the 4th of the weekend.  I think there are signs of progression!  Barry Norman did help me, I admit, with the 3rd one, but the others are all my own work.  I will get better!!   The 4th one was an effort to make a "proper" 7mm tree and the second photo shows it alongside the signal cabin for size comparison.  

 

 

 

I also added the hedges I made - first ones I've ever done in my life.  The colours are all very uniform so that's more to work on, but I have to say I am really enjoying this side of the hobby.  And still learning, even at my time of life!!  And it keeps my brain active!!

 

The remaining bits for the platform canopy were here when I got home, so I'm working on completing that at the moment.  I'll put some photos on here when it's properly finshed.  So, onwards and upwards.  More soon.

 

Rod

 

Edit:  to complete the post - I meant to press the "Preview" button but pressed "Post" instead!

Edited October 28, 2014 by Dmudriver

[puddlejumper]

Sounds like you e got your mojo back, glad to hear it!!!

[Dmudriver]

Hi.

 

More progress!  My pal who's building the station buildings has sent me a couple of mobile phone pics of the finished items.  He's no objection to me posting them here.  This is a view from the platform end:

 

 

The platform canopy - which I have now built and painted in its white coat - will butt up to it.  In the real thing this part is at an angle to the canopy but we've built it square on.  Here's (again!) a picture of the real thing for comparison (I'll have to repaint the ends white):

 

 

His other photo is here:

 

 

And this is a photo of the real thing from roughly the same sort of angle:

 

 

The latter picture was taken a couple of years ago but on the model we've left the third archway clear as it was the entrance from the street at the time I'm modelling.  As I've said before, it's not meant to be a scale model, just to capture the flavour.  I think he's done it rather well!!  Certainly I'm happy.

 

My next job is to paint the ribs on the platform canopy dirty black and then weather the whole thing - not as badly as the 2nd photo above but not pristine, either.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

 

 

 

 

[bobster]

Very nice Rod - Will look great on the layout.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[Dmudriver]

Hi.

 

A rather fuzzy photo, but the concourse canopy and columns have now been repainted:

 

 

Really looking forward to seeing it on the layout but the problem is fitting a visit into our diaries - and I'm retired!!

 

More soon.

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

I've done some  varied modelling this past week or two.  As I said earlier, I'd got the remaining parts for the platform canopy so that is now built and painted and in place on the platform:

 

 

It needs a bit of subtle weathering now - and the platform asphalt finishing!!  But now the canopy's done, I'm more motivated to finish that.  I've also taken a pic from one of my favourite viewpoints - under that canopy:

 

 

The 115 in platform 2 and a 37 entering platform 1.  And I do like the light coming through the (glazed) skylight!!

 

I've started an MMP kit for a portacabin to be sited at the stabling point as a signing-on point and rest room for DMU crew, guards and other staff.  Here's what I've done so far - in roughly the position it will be planted - eventually.  The next bit is the square supporting legs but I'm not sure I'm skilled enough to fold those from the etchings (they're just over 2mm square!!).  I'll try, though, and if I mess it up, I'll use plastic ones

 

.

 

The rest of the plan for that area is to have a fuel tank and a fuelling point to the right of the cabin.

 

Finally, I've been fitting ESU loksound 1.1A chips to my DMUs.  Unfortunately, I managed to drop one onto a speaker as I was fitting it - and ruined it:  I tried it under power but got no sound or movement, just a wisp of smoke.  So it's gone back to see if I can have it repaired or replaced.  I did feel an idiot!!  To try and avoid such a thing happening again, I've bought some 8 pin sockets so that I can put the chip somewhere nice and safe, well away from the speakers.

 

I'm also wiring the lights up on the DMUs so that those at each end can be switched off so that when I run them in multiple, there are no lights showing in the middle of the train.  I do hate seeing that on a model!! I've seen it once on the real thing, but the lights were switched off before the train left the station!   (Who, me??!!)  I do this on my locos, so that I can switch the red lights off when there's a train on the hook.

 

So, that's progress for now - as I said in a previous post, my modelling mojo's back!!  More soon.

 

Rod

 

PS   And just for something completely different, I've had my first session tonight of a beginners' course in archery - and I'm beginning to feel the aches!!!

 

 

 

[Dmudriver]

Oooops!  I've realised this morning that the platform canopy isn't finished!!!  This picture shows what I've missed:

 

 

Yes, the black paint on the lower third or so of the columns!!  So that's the next job.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

[pwr]

Rod

 

Are those station signs strapped to the canopy supports?

 

Paul R

[Simond]

Car stops, I think, assuming you are referring to the small plates with two straps round alternate pillars

 

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

Hi Paul and Simon.

 

Funny, I'd not really noticed those before, Paul.  I've now checked another pic I've got from that time and there don't seem to be any - but, if you look closely, they only seem to be on the first three pillars and the other photo is taken from halfway down the platform.  Neither, unfortunately, are dated.

 

Simon, I doubt they are car stop signs as it's a terminus - though I can see that that may not readily be apparent from the picture.

 

Rod

[Simond]

Rod,

 

I knew that....

 

but they still look like...

 

I'll be up there at Christmas, if you haven't solved it beforehand.

 

best

Simon

[leopardml2341]

For my twopenn'orth, I reckon they're station names as pwr suggests (above). I think it's the oblique angle and the fact that the pic appears to have been taken with a telephoto lens anyway that shortens the depth perception?

 

Rgds,

 

Andy

Edited November 10, 2014 by leopardml2341

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Well, the painting on the columns is done!!  First pic here:

 

 

I didn't find getting the line between black and white very easy - in fact, if you look closely (I'm not inviting you to, just explaining in case you do!!)  you'll see they are still not perfect.  From normal viewing distance, though, they're OK.  I estimated, from my photos, what proportion of the columns should be black and started on the front columns.  I then measured 40mm from the roof beams and fastened masking tape round the column.  Unfortunately, I hadn't realised that all the roof beams are not exactly level with each other, so I ended up with a slight variation in height.  So I then cut a piece of plasticard 32mm long and used this to set the masking tape that distance from the bottom of the columns.  This meant that some had to have a bit of black added, others white.  I was using ordinary decorators' masking tape which allowed a bit of paint to creep under here and there - not the best idea!! For the rear columns, I used the 32mm plasticard and some Tamiya masking tape, with much better results.

 

Second pic:

 

 

If anyone looks too closely, the story will be that an apprentice has just done them!!  When I get the station building fitted, I'll aim to weather them both.

 

Finally, a photo of the Thumper and 115 in the stabling sidings:

 

 

 Nothing to do with what I've been doing, I just liked the look of them as I was photographing the canopy!!  The 108s that normally reside here are by my workbench, waiting for the new chips to be fitted.  I've got the replacement for the one I messed up so that's the next job!!  More on that soon.

 

Then I'll finish the asphalt on the platform.  Then ...?...?  So much to choose from really!!

 

Rod

[81A Oldoak]

Great stuff. It is amusing to reflect that in my teenage gricing years at Bristol Temple Meads  in the early 1970s we used to dismiss DMUs as "Bog Carts" of no interest. Understandable I suppose when they were surrounded by Westerns, Warships and Hymeks, but these days the sound of what we now call Heritage DMUs either in real or DCC form brings back happy memories. Still, there is even a Morris Marina owners' club so I shouldn't be too surprised.

[pwr]

Great stuff. It is amusing to reflect that in my teenage gricing years at Bristol Temple Meads  in the early 1970s we used to dismiss DMUs as "Bog Carts" of no interest. Understandable I suppose when they were surrounded by Westerns, Warships and Hymeks, but these days the sound of what we now call Heritage DMUs either in real or DCC form brings back happy memories. Still, there is even a Morris Marina owners' club so I shouldn't be too surprised.

Morris Marina owners club. I thought all Marina's had rusted away! You'll be telling us there's an Austin Allegro owners club next!

 

Paul R

Rod

 

This layout looks as if it could do with a Class 40 paying a visit on a Red Bank parcels?

 

Paul R