West Kirby Town: narrow gauge is coming to town.

[Simond]

I'll have you know that the Austin Allegro was voted car of the year, in about 1854. I have no idea who makes these judgements. My mum had one. She hated it, and she was never a Stirling Moss.

 

But I'm much more in agreement with Sir Digby Jones' comment - "It is what I call 'the British Leyland model' – you put a lot of money in at the top, and an Austin Allegro comes out at the bottom".

 

Couldn't have put it better myself!

[81A Oldoak]

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

 

Ahem:

 

http://www.morrismarina.org.uk/

 

http://www.allegroclubint.org.uk/

[Dmudriver]

Funny these cars should be mentioned: my Mum had a brown Allegro for years - the registration ended in an "S" - she only gave up driving it when she was 90 - and that was only 8 years ago!!!

 

 

 

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

Paul R" 

 

It would look good and you're not the first to suggest that, Paul: a few of the lads at the Club have - there were 3 running on the (Club) layout recently!!  I'm impressed with them (once the back-to-backs are sorted) but I've decided I won't buy one for myself - my 50 is really too big for the layout but I'm keeping that.

 

The 50 and the 4 x Mark 1s just fit into one of the fiddle yard roads: a 40 as well on the layout would be a bit too much.  I'm not averse to guest running though!!

 

A 25/3, if ever one gets produced would do very nicely, though!!  I know, the word is that Heljan are going to do the 25/1!!!  Not what I registered my interest in at Tower Models!!

 

Rod

 

PS   Chris, I only ever heard the description "bog cart" a couple of years ago!!  It was someone being derogatory about what I was driving at Llangollen!!

[Kev_Lewis]

Ahem:

 

http://www.morrismarina.org.uk/

 

http://www.allegroclubint.org.uk/

 

Where's the Top Gear boys and a piano when you need them!

[ianwales]

Hi

 

I learned to drive on an Austin Allegro, if I remember rightly one of the advertising points of the early Allegros was that it had a square steering wheel, I kid you not!!

 

Ian

[puddlejumper]

"Funny these cars should be mentioned: my Mum had a brown Allegro for years - the registration ended in an "S" - she only gave up driving it when she was 90 - and that was only 8 years ago!!!"

 

 

I bet the letters H,T and 1 were involved somewhere though..................

 

I used to have a Marina, great fun in the wet & snow but no guarantee it would ever get you there and back again, happy days

 

Edit to sort appalling spelling

Edited November 14, 2014 by puddlejumper

[Simond]

I had a loan of a near new Marina 1.8 TC for six weeks one summer when I was about eighteen.

 

Effectively the same driveline as an MGB, in a bodyshell made of something similar to, but less durable than steel, supported on four pogo sticks with castors on the ends. It must have had brakes, but they were not distinguished in any way.

 

I didn't crash it, but it taught me a bit about driving....

 

Looking back, I wonder why I studied automotive engineering. I suppose I figured it wouldn't have been hard to improve the breed. I imagine the Engineers in Canley, Cowley & Longbridge thought the same, but they weren't allowed to do their jobs. Rant, mutter, grumble.

 

S

[pwr]

Rod

 

If you do get any guest running please post a video.

 

The Heljan 40 is on my want list when I get any money albeit I have a green one which I think is from an old Parkim kit. It looks a bit too narrow. Check out some of the early pix on Black Notley.

 

Paul R

[Jon Fitness]

I had a loan of a near new Marina 1.8 TC for six weeks one summer when I was about eighteen.

 

Effectively the same driveline as an MGB, in a bodyshell made of something similar to, but less durable than steel, supported on four pogo sticks with castors on the ends. It must have had brakes, but they were not distinguished in any way.

 

 

It was basically a Morris Minor underneath....I think the lever arm dampers were changed for only slightly better pogo sticks!!

Apologies for going        Rod! 

JF

Edited November 15, 2014 by Jon Fitness

[Dmudriver]

No problem, Jon - in fact, it's quite fascinating!  Reminds me that my first car was a Ford Popular (any colour you want, ...etc!), Long nose, running boards, vacuum operated windscreen wiper, 3 forward gears, perished rubber grommets where the pedals went through the floor which froze your feet and ankles in winter, front tipping seats which weren't properly locked down!!  Oh, happy days!!!

[hayfield]

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:

 

IMG_0643 - Copy.JPG

 

The second from below:

 

IMG_0645 - Copy.JPG

 

The third showing the wire soldered to the point blades:

 

IMG_0646 - Copy.JPG

 

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

 

Rod

 

Just come across this thread and what a super idea and may translate to 4 mm scale, will have a try myself   

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

My station building is finished and is now on the layout!!  I still need to do more, like putting down paving stones, fitting fencing, etc, but it does look good!!

 

Here are some pics to show why I'm delighted but first,  just as a reminder, here's a picture of the real thing I've posted before:

 

 

 

The first one is an overall view with the platform canopy and the second is a closer view of the building and the concourse.  I'm in the process of adding a set of steps from the left end of the concourse down to track level.  This will be for staff only and will lead to a footpath to the signing-on point in the portacabin.  There's what looks like a trough in front of the building - this is where I have to finish the platform base!!  Also the canopy legs are not touching the floor but that will be rectified once I've done the platform base and the paving.  Eventually I'll add fencing along the edge of the concourse platform.

 

 

The third picture is an overall view from the approaches to the station.  I wanted to compare it to a view I've got, but I haven't got permission to use the photo but I can say it is looking pretty like the real thing (apart from the addition of the DMU stabling point):

 

 

The next one is a view of a reasonably busy station:

 

 

The 37 is in the siding at the rear of the station.  Finally, a view of the building and canopy from above:

 

 

So, all in all, I'm very,very pleased.  I'll be weathering the platform canopy to match the concourse canopy, but that will likely be in the New Year.  There's a bit of touching up to do on the valance yet.  

 

I've plenty to do - not only with this, but fitting chips, building the portacabin, starting the scenery and, would you believe, building a Chowbent kit for an LNWR push-pull driving trailer (now very rare) that  I came across:  as I've got a Coal Tank being finished off, I had to have it - or should I say, the preservation society based at New Brighton had to have it, to run under the permission granted by BR for preserved trains to run at weekends between West Kirby Town and New Brighton!!!

More soon.

 

Rod

[bobster]

Great set of pics Rod - Very nice.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[leopardml2341]

Looking good Rod - carry on, and you needn't be calm about it.

[puddlejumper]

Excellent stuff Rod, it's looking better every time

[Simond]

Rod,

 

Relax, (it's great)

Improve, (what you want to, what you think could be even better)

Enjoy! (an excellent layout)

 

It's looking great. You can spend as much time, effort and money as you care to, gilding a very nice lily.

 

I will hopefully find out what those plates are, come Christmas - will let you know.

 

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

Hi Simon.

 

Thanks for your comments.  It's quite gratifying to see people "like"ing the posts and the comments you and others add.

 

I'd noticed your comment about Christmas previously and meant to reply, but forgot.  Sorry, must be old age!!

 

The plates have gone now, unfortunately.  This is a picture I took in 2012 on a site visit:

 

 

They've been replaced by the station name on the boards on the 2 legs.  I think I'll go for the 70s version of the name on the posts - and on the platform lamp posts (when I get round to fitting them!!  The larger boards, between the 3rd and 4th pillars are, as far as I recall, advertising hoardings, and are in the centre of the platform rather than in line with the pillars.

 

Thanks for the offer, though.

 

Rod

[81A Oldoak]

Looking very good.

[Jon Fitness]

Really coming together now Rod. That station building and canopy are superb!

Jon F.

[pwr]

That view across the buffer stops at the platform end - superb

 

Paul R

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

I've done very little modelling but I have been playing with my camera again - well, the one on my mobile phone, anyway.  Sorry, but I couldn't resist sharing these:  all shut down, ready for the next shift:

 

 

 

 

Those do show the platform canopy well.  The final one is the steps for the path to the signing-on point.  Not yet fixed down, but that is where they will be.

 

 

Now I've got chips to fit and rewire in my DMUs..  I really must stop admiring the canopies and get on with some work!!             More soon.

 

Rod

 

 

[lippy]

I just wish West Kirby had got class 37s in the BR Blue period!!

 

Went there on a class 25 with a Ballast once, and saw the odd 40 and 47 in my younger spotting days.

 

Excellent modelling

[muddys-blues]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr .... Rod, I must stop looking at this thread   , I keep planting seeds in my mind about going O Gauge, I am just at the stage of getting started on planning my outside space, I gained non permitted planning this month for a block shed with a usable internal space of 7.75 mtrs (24.5') length & 3.85 mtrs (12.5') width, and outside the shed we have a blank canvas on the surrounding garden area of some 16 mtrs (52.5') x 13 mtrs (42').

 

I love modelling DMU's, and my era interest is Blue / Grey to the sectorisation liveries, so your DMU's have struck a chord with me, I have amassed a good stock of OO stock, and I looked into EM gauge as I do like the finescale fidelity of the trackwork, but I am thinking of discussing the possibility of going O gauge. building it in the shed and extending into the garden, just need to have the discussion with Mrs B to get approval of running through her "what will be" beloved flower beds and ornamental garden sections ... but Mrs B did discuss a water feature she had seen on Instagram, it what an 8' square feature made up of Railway Sleepers clad with stainless steel sheets, that once they had tarnished up gave a beautiful finish and texture to the feature, this was inspired by the Ex New York overhead railway line that is now a walk and garden feature, so I suppose I am some way there by incorporating some railway features.

 

Anyway I will keep looking in for inspiration.

 

Happy modelling

Craig.

[Barnaby]

Tasty looking work there Rod, definitely one to follow, oh yes.

 

Regards

[Jon Fitness]

Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr .... Rod, I must stop looking at this thread   , I keep planting seeds in my mind about going O Gauge, I am just at the stage of getting started on planning my outside space, I gained non permitted planning this month for a block shed with a usable internal space of 7.75 mtrs (24.5') length & 3.85 mtrs (12.5') width, and outside the shed we have a blank canvas on the surrounding garden area of some 16 mtrs (52.5') x 13 mtrs (42').

 

I love modelling DMU's, and my era interest is Blue / Grey to the sectorisation liveries, so your DMU's have struck a chord with me, I have amassed a good stock of OO stock, and I looked into EM gauge as I do like the finescale fidelity of the trackwork, but I am thinking of discussing the possibility of going O gauge. building it in the shed and extending into the garden, just need to have the discussion with Mrs B to get approval of running through her "what will be" beloved flower beds and ornamental garden sections ... but Mrs B did discuss a water feature she had seen on Instagram, it what an 8' square feature made up of Railway Sleepers clad with stainless steel sheets, that once they had tarnished up gave a beautiful finish and texture to the feature, this was inspired by the Ex New York overhead railway line that is now a walk and garden feature, so I suppose I am some way there by incorporating some railway features.

 

Anyway I will keep looking in for inspiration.

 

Happy modelling

Craig.

 

Sorry...had to be done

JF