West Kirby Town: narrow gauge is coming to town.

[Dmudriver]

Hi Two Tone.

 

Thanks for your posts.  I must admit I didn't really think about putting the speaker under the chassis: I think it goes back to seeing someone's a few years ago with iron filings stuck all over it!!

 

I've used the same connectors for my connections between the coaches:  I'll try and get a photo to show them in action, but the pics on the previous page show one end of them.  Yours do look very neat, though.

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Just a quick update.  Unfortunately, the lights on the trailer haven't gone to plan: the v4 Loksound doesn't seem to want to know 2-legged LEDs [sorry, I can't remember the proper term - is it bipolar?]  So, I'm going to have to take them out and replace them with 3-legged [?].  That means I'll take the opportunity to run the wiring up inside the roof of the coach rather than under the chassis.  But,as Christmas is coming, it may take a while, so don't watch this space with much anticipation!!

 

I tried to add the power car to the front of the 3-car unit as I thought it would look a bit different (but still prototypical) but couldn't as I use Kadees between coaches and screw link on the ends!!!

 

More soon - Christmas preparations permitting!!

 

Rod

[two tone green]

Have a look down this page for some more photos of what I did in my 108. It may help.

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/87265-fitting-sound-to-an-easy-build-class-108-dmu/

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Just a quick update - basically to say I've done nothing - well, I've changed my avatar, but that's all.  The 108 trailer lights still need doing, the chips for the pal at the club still need doing, the platform still needs finishing,, and so on!!

 

Not so much because of Christmas preparations, but I've been laid low for nearly a fortnight by some flu-like virus (and I've had a flu jab!!!) and that's put the Christmas preparations behind, too.

 

However, I'm feeling much improved now and I can see the light at the end of the tunnel (and no, it's not an oncoming train!!!)

 

The best bit of news is, though, that my Ivatt tank is on it's way from DJH and should be delivered on Monday.  I'll put some pics on here when I get it.  I can only run it on the rolling road as I've no chip for it yet but at least I'll get it a bit run-in.

 

More soon.

 

Rod

[pwr]

Rod

 

Sorry to hear you've been I'll mate - not a great time if year to be laid low. Good news on the Ivatt though; looking forward to seeing that.

 

Rumour has it that a new loco will be gracing the rails of Black Notley soon as I believe Santa will be dropping off a Heljan 40. I think there is an EasyBuild MK1SK under the tree also!

 

Hope to get more done on my signal boxes overvChristmas and will post on the Notley thread when I get some pics!

 

Paul R

[muddys-blues]

Hi Rod, just to echo the sentiment above, hope you are back on the road to recovery health wise, and you are 100% fit for the Festive activities and playing trains.

 

Best regards

Craig

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Thanks for your good wishes above.  Paul, I hope Santa doesn't drop the 40 off from too great a height - could cause some serious damage!!!

 

As I said a couple of days ago, my Ivatt was due for delivery today and, sure enough, it was delivered at 8.30 this morning.  A quick peek at it before I went off to the East Lancs on a Santa Special with my son's family (a really good experience if you've never done it - for grandparents and parents as well as kids!!), then unpacked it and tested it on my rolling road.

 

Unfortunately, that test didn't go too well as the sand pipes kept touching the rollers!!  So I took it (should that be "her"?) to the Club tonight.  Over an hour's gentle running-in in both directions, then faster with a load on.  No problems whatsoever..  She came off on a couple of rough bits of track but that was no problem with the loco: at slower speeds she was fine.  So, here are some pics of her on the Club layout.  Not been on my layout yet as I've not fitted a chip.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The final pic shows the shed plate - 6K which was Rhyl from 1952 to 1963, which is when I remember watching "The Welsh Dragon".

 

The only slight (very slight) problem is that the lamp irons are a bit further apart than on the last incarnation of 41276 so the frame for the headboard won't fit and will need remaking: otherwise I am really, really pleased.  Obviously she'll need weathering but I'll fit the chip and get her running on my layout first.  Then the preserved specials can start!!

 

That's it for now.  I'm not sure if I'll be on again before Christmas, but if not, my best wishes for a Happy Christmas to everyone.  Have a good one.

 

Rod

[puddlejumper]

Lovely looking loco Rod and I am not in the least bit jealous.........I wish !!

 

All the best and have a great Xmas

[bobster]

Very nice Rod, I have always liked these Loco's - Merry Christmas.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Just an update - the last of the year!

 

The few spotters at WKT had a couple of surprises today.  First, this was spotted as they came out of the tearoom.  It had turned up on a special:

 

 

So an enterprising spotter got this from the side of the track as the loco waited to be released from the platform:

 

 

Then this one:

 

 

And finally asked one of the p-way staff on his way to the box to get this one:

 

 

Not believing what they'd seen they went into town and on the way back saw this coming in:

 

 

 

A quick run back to the side of the station to get this picture:

 

 

Before it went off again - obviously on a test run.  However, the Preservation Society were busy:  not just one test run, but 2!!  After a few frenzied texts, it turned out the loco and set was coming back, so they got this pic of it at the buffers in platform 1:

 

 

Another pic alongside the parked 37 for good measure:

 

 

And then the grapevine became rife with rumours that the Preservation Society (now based in New Brighton, having been ejected from WKT a couple of years ago) have been really busy and are expecting to be able to test run a newly restored ex-LNWR push-pull fitted Coal Tank in the next day or two.  Spotters will be flocking in in the next couple of days!!  Word also had it that the Society have got hold of an ex-LNWR push-pull coach and are planning to restore that to run with the Coal Tank.  Watch this space - and in the meantime sales of tea and coffee in the tearoom will soar!!

 

Enough of the fantasy - it's that time of year, isn't it?  The facts:  the Western is one of the 2 locos I've fitted with chips for one of the lads at the Club.  The other was a green Class 37.  I've taken them to the Club for him today.  

 

The Ivatt has been test run on DC a few times and I've now fitted it with a v3.0 Likpilot chip I had available and which will stay in until I get a sound one for it.  I'm going for a v4 1.1A chip.  I think that will be adequate: I tried turning the DC power to full with the loco at the head of a 7-coach rake and it barely pulled 0.55 amps for a very brief period as it started.

 

The Coal Tank is the one I started months ago but the building stalled when I was struggling with the handrails, sanding gear rodding, etc, so a pal of mine offered to finish it for me.  He's also painted it plain black as I am planning to letter it as LMS.  He's bringing it round in the next few days.  The push-pull coach is a Chowbent kit that I got hold of a month or so ago:  I've always wanted one so I'll paint it in LMS colours when it's built, to run with the preserved Coal Tank.  Eventually I may get a second coach to go with it.

 

Finally, taking the Western off the track but leaving the Ivatt and coaches on, the layout is beginning to look a bit full, as this final pic shows:

 

 

I've still got a 33 and a 50 to put on, together with 2 bogie parcels vehicles and 5 ex-Insulfish parcels vans!!  The 31 is off to a new home shortly but long-term, I'm thinking a 25/3 might be a replacement for it - a JLTRT kit if Heljan do the other 25.  But that is a long way in the future.  Unless, of course, one turns up on a stand at a show at a reasonable price:  I saw one a couple of years ago - superb looking model but at £1500 way out of my range.

 

Admittedly, I've got an empty 4-road fiddle yard outside but the shunting will really challenge me.  However, to me, that's one of the joys of operating a passenger station, particularly one with limited platform space.

 

By the way, the old toilet roll in the last pic is meant to represent a diesel fuel storage tank!!  That will likely come towards the camera a bit (this side of the asphalt crossings over the tracks) and the fuelling point will go between the toilet roll and the track rubber.  The portacabin will go roughly alongside the DCC controller.  

 

So, that's it for now.  Apologies for the length of this post, but it's been a while!!  A Happy New Year to all of you and yours and happy modelling and operating in 2015.

 

Rod

Edited December 31, 2014 by Dmudriver

[Simond]

Rod

 

Looking really excellent!

 

Have a great New Year

Simon

[bobster]

Looks superb Rod - Happy New Year.

 

Cheers, Bob.

[pwr]

Rod

 

Great update thank you. Do you have any video of that Ivatt. I'd like to see how the sound performs?

 

That Western looks good too. I'm pleased that I have one too.

 

Paul R

[Dmudriver]

  Do you have any video of that Ivatt. I'd like to see how the sound performs?

 

Hi Paul.

 

I don't have the sound chip in yet: it'll be after New Year when I get it.  However, I will video once it's fitted and the chuffs synchronised with the wheels.  May be a few weeks yet.

 

Rod

[lancer1027]

Great pics Rod. Invader looks great, just needs a little weathering.

 

I would love to see a couple more pics of your DMU's as well.

 

Rob

[ianwales]

Hi Rod

 

Good photos, happy new year to you.

 

Ian

[muddys-blues]

Hi Rod, good to see you back up and at it, nice Kettle and Western there on the tracks, just a couple of questions, what make are the Mk'1s are in the rear siding ? and on the shed walls is the plain white boarding for a back scene ?

 

Best regards & happy modelling

Craig.

[Dmudriver]

Great pics Rod. Invader looks great, just needs a little weathering.

 

I would love to see a couple more pics of your DMU's as well.

 

Rob

HI Rob.

 

The Western is a nice model, but I don't remember seeing any in the flesh, having spent most of my life in the Northwest.  When I started taking my son spotting we did have holidays in Slough and Devon - we went to Exeter a lot on those latter holidays, but that was late70s/early80s and they'd gone by then.  Mind you, that's when my love of 50s started!!

 

I agree it could do with weathering but he just asked me to put a chip in it, so that's what I did.  Just as well as I'm not good at weathering!!

 

I listened to the sound and must admit to being disappointed.  I don't think it's the SWD rendition of it, probably that the loco's a hydraulic.  Plus the fact that I don't know what they sounded like in the flesh, as I've said.  I much prefer 50s and 37s!!  However, the sound did all work OK, so I'll probably see it on the Club layout on Monday and will listen more closely then.

 

There's pics of my DMUs in various places on this thread, but they may take some finding as we've now got to 28 pages, so I'll collate some later and put them here.

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi Rod, good to see you back up and at it, nice Kettle and Western there on the tracks, just a couple of questions, what make are the Mk'1s are in the rear siding ? and on the shed walls is the plain white boarding for a back scene ?

 

Best regards & happy modelling

Craig.

 Hi Craig.

 

The Mark 1s are Heljan.  There's been a lot of criticism of them relating to the shape of the tumblehome and, whilst I can see the point, they look like Mark 1s to me and they run well, so I'm more than satisfied.  They were weathered by a lad I know from another Club.  He was used to weathering 4mm models and got quite a shock with the size of the 0 gauge ones!!!

 

The white board is hardboard and will eventually cover all the walls behind the layout.  At the moment it is the backscene, whether I add more to it will remain to be seen - no decision made yet.

 

All the best.

 

Rod

[leopardml2341]

Hi Rod,

 

Firstly - A Happy New Year to you and yours.

 

Second, have to agree with 'liking' the Western.

 

1009 was the first one I ever saw in 1973 on a Paddington to New Street service at Birmingham. It made such an impression that I just had to buy a Dapol Western (4mm though) and the appropriate plates to rename it as 1009, even though I have no justifiable reason at all.

 

Was the same when I bought a 7mm Deltic...............

 

Keep up the great modelling in 2015.

Edited January 1, 2015 by leopardml2341

[pwr]

  Do you have any video of that Ivatt. I'd like to see how the sound performs?

 

Hi Paul.

 

I don't have the sound chip in yet: it'll be after New Year when I get it.  However, I will video once it's fitted and the chuffs synchronised with the wheels.  May be a few weeks yet.

 

Rod

 

Fantastic

 

I will look forward to that!

[Dmudriver]

Hi Rob.

 

""I would love to see a couple more pics of your DMU's as well."

 

Your wish ... and all that!  I've 4 units altogether (so far):  to be precise 3 x DMUs and 1 x DEMU.  There's a 115 (4-car), 2 x 108s (1 x 2-car, 1x 3-car) and a 205 Thumper (3-car).

 

Here are some pics of them:

 

The 2-car 108 in no. 2 platform.

 

 

The 3 DMUs in the stabling point:  (before the 115 was fitted with lights and destination panel)

 

 

The 115 and the Thumper in the stabling point:

 

 

Finally, the 115 leaving platform 2 and starting the snaking over the crossover:

 

 

Hope you like them.  Note:  the layout has come on a bit since these pics were taken!!

 

Rod

 

 

 

 

[lancer1027]

Thanks Rod. They do look nice.

[pwr]

Hi Rod

 

Are you planning to get any more DMU's.

 

I am thinking of a 101 or Cravens 105.

 

The 101 could be 2 or 3 car or 2 car power twin.

 

A Royal Mail 127 conversion would not look out of place either

 

Regards

 

Paul R

[Dmudriver]

Hi Rod

Are you planning to get any more DMU's.

I am thinking of a 101 or Cravens 105.

The 101 could be 2 or 3 car or 2 car power twin.

A Royal Mail 127 conversion would not look out of place either

Regards

Paul R

 

Hi Paul.

 

 

I've got an idea of having a 105 sometime but I have to admit to liking the Thumper rather a lot and a blue one would suit nicely. However, I can't multi-up the Thumper with the others and, even if I multied 2 Thumpers, they wouldn't fit in the platforms (5 is the most I can fit). I could, I suppose, have a 2-car Thumper but as far as I know, they were the early ones and were later extended to 3-cars. So, most likely a 105, but not for a while yet.

 

I've just got the Coal Tank (plus a couple of coaches my pal's lent me) so I've got to get that integrated into the operations yet!! So there's no time scale on another DMU yet.

 

Rod