West Kirby Town: narrow gauge is coming to town.

[Dmudriver]

Thanks for that advice, Simon.  I got the chip from SWD but they're closing today for 2 weeks.  I'll give Howes a ring and see what they say.

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

I forgot to add yesterday that my pal who's building the background buildings for me brought the first one to Railex at the weekend.  Here's a pic of it in the place it will be:

 

 

At the moment it's a bit too deep but he's deliberately left material at the back which can be cut off so that it will fit.  Here's another pic from the side:

 

 

And here's one of the actual houses on which the models will be based.  He's not aiming for scale models but to capture the feel of them:

 

 

Finally, another pic alongside a building that one of the lads at the club has let me have.  I'm not sure yet where that will go but I'm sure I'll find somewhere!!

 

 

Needless to say, I'm chuffed.  More soon.

 

Rod

[Simond]

Rod

 

I'll be not far from WKT (the real thing) over Christmas so let me know if any notes/photos/details required.

 

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

Hi Simon.

 

Thank you for the offer.  I've got enough "detail" shots, but what I could do with for the future are coastline shots I could use for the background to the "country section", ie. the bit that starts curving away towards the hole in the wall of the shed.  Shots from Thurstaston Hill might be useful but from what I've seen on t'internet the coast is too far away from there to give much detail.  There's houses between the railway and the sea pretty well all the way along between West Kirby and Meols so I might have to do with that, but if you spot anything that would look "scenic", then I'd be grateful if you could take a pic or two.   Hilbre Island and Red Rocks are possibilities, maybe along the coast between Meols and Leasowe also, but I never got that far when I did my site visit a few years ago.

 

Have a good time while you're there, that's the main thing: any pics for me would be a bonus.

 

Rod

[Simond]

Hi Rod

 

It's certainly a long way from the Merseyrail route to Thurstaston, but the old "Wirral Way" route might offer some possibilities. I haven't walked it for years, so I'll see what I can do, weather permitting.

 

It might be a case of "if you can see those hills, it's going to rain, and if you can't, it's raining already..."

 

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

Hi Simon.

 

I remember "If you can't see the Welsh hills ...... " from when I was a kid!!!

 

Then there's Ron Heggs' 4mm Manchester Central model which is taking me back to my student days. Is it age or railway modelling that brings these memories back?

 

Rod

[Park]

I like the photos above. The square tower is just so recognisable. I got the train from there many a time back to Meols, where I grew up

 

I see you are on about getting coastal views for a back scene. As was said it's not until Meols that the houses give way to fields and sandhills to the coast. Unfortunately now the coastal view is ruined by the many wind farm masts

There is the lighthouse at Moreton  near the coast or the older one in Hoylake village. Not far from WKT is the grand building of the Girls grammar school, which is across the tracks from the cinder track that runs alongside the railway. More imposing is the pub and church in Meols as if you look from Thurstaton they are very prominent. I will see what photos I have from the 80's with decent views

 

Just had a skim read of this all and see many mentions of 503's. If only someone did them in kits, I would have one to go with my 9f and Summers hoppers, Bidston here we come !

Edited December 19, 2015 by wermy

[muddys-blues]

Quote "Just had a skim read of this all and see many mentions of 503's. If only someone did them in kits, I would have one to go with my 9f and Summers hoppers, Bidston here we come !"

 

I am sure if Rod could get a 503 set or two, he would feel the need to sell that 115 set to make room .....   cash waiting if you wanted ?

 

Merry Chrimbo Rod

 

Craig.

[Dmudriver]

Ah, but if 503s were available, I'd then have to lay a third rail!!  Which I don't fancy!!  Even then, Craig, the 115 could be switched to the Chester service to provide much needed extra capacity:  so, much as I admire your  persistence, the answer's still "No"!!  

 

Merry Christmas to you and your family too, Craig, and to the other followers of this thread.  And all the best for the New Year to everyone: happy modelling in 2016.   

 

 

Rod

[muddys-blues]

Ah, but if 503s were available, I'd then have to lay a third rail!!  Which I don't fancy!!  Even then, Craig, the 115 could be switched to the Chester service to provide much needed extra capacity:  so, much as I admire your  persistence, the answer's still "No"!!  

 

Merry Christmas to you and your family too, Craig, and to the other followers of this thread.  And all the best for the New Year to everyone: happy modelling in 2016.   

 

 

Rod

 

Rod .... my Mum always says the world loves a trier ..... and you are very trying at letting this 115 go 

 

Nadollig Llawen & Blwddyn Newydd Dda to all

 

Craig.

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Just a short note whilst food is cooking for my family party tomorrow  I nearly started this by quoting Victor Meldrew:  "I don't belieeeeeeve it!"   I've fitted the v3.5 Lokpilot chip to the Coal Tank after I'd taken out the existing weights and the speaker:  I wanted those out as the loco was stuttering a bit with the sound chip in and I assumed it needed more weight to get good contact with the track.  After I'd fitted the Lokpilot to the chassis, I ran it on my rolling road just to check it before taking it to the shed and it ran fine.  So I put the body back on and ran it on the layout: it ran perfectly!!!  And the whole thing is lighter than it was before!!

 

So maybe the stuttering wasn't erratic contact/pickup at all but the sound chip beginning to play up.  It's useless anyway now so I'll send it off in the New Year:  at least I can run the loco though.

 

Once again, best wishes to everyone.

 

 

Rod

[Simond]

Hi Rod,

 

Got a few snaps for you today from the old Wirral Way line. Too many and too big to post here, but pm me your email & I'll shoot them over after the hols.

 

This one from Caldy, for tasters.

 

 

Hope it's what you're looking for

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

Thanks, Simon.   PM on it's way.

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Just a bit more to add to the last message about the Coal Tank.  I've tried it today after the family have gone and it pulls and pushes the 3 (plastic) coaches of "The Welsh Dragon" set with no problem at all.  And that's without any extra weight!!  It normally only gets used on the Inspection Saloon but is considered a standby for the WD set.  It manages them so I may well just put the original speaker back in and do without any extra weight.  I'll then have 2 sugar cube speakers over but I'll find somewhere to use them!!

 

Rod

[pwr]

What a great shot.

 

Happy Christmas everyone

 

Paul R

[leopardml2341]

There's something curiously 'friendly' about a 503.

 

Looks like its already fitted with kadees

[Dmudriver]

I have to admit that looking at that picture of the 503 makes me think that, if one was available, I would be tempted to add a third rail and have a couple.

 

BUT, they aren't available so I'm not faced with that decision. Plus, because they were very restricted geographically, I can't see there being a demand for a kit. Scratch building is an option, but not for me. So, I can spend my Boxing Day pipe-dreaming rather than wrestling with a decision!!

 

 

Rod

[muddys-blues]

 Cough, cough, cough, I am sure if you contacted Allen Doherty at Worsley Works he may be able to do some brass etches sides and ends    now a couple of them would be nice whirring into WKT "the model"   no harm in asking !!!

 

Sorry Rod, our game is off today, so pipe dreaming is all I have left to do today

 

Best regards

Craig.

Edited December 26, 2015 by muddys-blues

[Simond]

I grew up with green 503s. Never going to build a model, but would dearly love to see some..

 

And they'd look great on WKT!

 

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

Don't know about you, Simon - and this may be insulting if you're rather younger than me - but I can remember the old Westinghouse clerestory roof trains on the Mersey and Wirral Railways!!!

 

I can also remember my Dad showing me a mouse that ran up and down the cables that were slung along the wall of the tunnel under the River.  At least, he got me to believe there was a mouse running along the cables!!

 

Ah, happy days!!

 

Rod

[Simond]

Rod

 

I think I'm younger than you...

 

As for the mouse, Terence Cuneo?

 

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

"As for the mouse, Terence Cuneo?"

 

Hi Simon. This was a moving mouse!! I don't know if you remember, but the cables were strung/looped over fastenings on the tunnel wall so that (to a little kid like myself) they seemed to go up and down as we moved along. My Dad convinced me there was a mouse running along them - down, up, down, up , etc!!!

 

 

Rod

[Dmudriver]

Hi all.

 

Yes, I agree a 503 - or two - would look good on WKT but not at the expense of anything else. [Craig, take note!!!] As I said, though, the kit doesn't exist, so there's no decision to make!!

 

On to speakers: after the problem with the chip in the Coal Tank, I decided I'd try the sugar cube speakers with the XL decider in the Thumper. I did put a question on the DCC Sound forum and got a reply that said it should be OK. Thinking the same myself, I tried it. Wired the speakers in parallel and set the unit on the track: it started up and OK and ran for 2 to 3 feet and then the sound degenerated into a cross between a hiss and a crackle. Turned it off, tried again - OK for a few seconds but then the noise again. This time I let it run but after another 2 or 3 feet, the unit stopped running, so I switched all off!!

 

There was no flame, no smoke, no smell but to be sure I took the speakers out and reconnected the bass one that was originally in the unit back to the XL. It was absolutely fine, so I hadn't damaged the chip. Next, I fitted the speakers, again in parallel, to my 2-car 108 which has an ESU Loksound 1.1A chip in it. I thought they may have been damaged but, again, they worked perfectly.

 

So, the experiment with sugar cubes to an XL didn't work, but I got away with no damage.

 

Next job is to fit 2 speakers to the 3-car 108 (one under each power car) and then 4 (2 under each power car) in the 115. I can fit 4 to the 115 as I've 2 chips in it: the 3-car 108 only has the 1 chip and the lights and sound are through-wired (there's a speaker in each power car).

 

Putting the speakers under the chassis does improve the sound as there's none of the resonance you get with them being inside the coach body. The Thumper is not great for this and I can't get the bass speaker under the chassis - I'll have to get it nearer the hole in the floor, I think, to reduce the resonance. (It's fastened to the roof at the moment).

 

More soon as work proceeds.

 

Rod

[Simond]

"As for the mouse, Terence Cuneo?"Hi Simon. This was a moving mouse!! I don't know if you remember, but the cables were strung/looped over fastenings on the tunnel wall so that (to a little kid like myself) they seemed to go up and down as we moved along. My Dad convinced me there was a mouse running along them - down, up, down, up , etc!!!Rod

I do recall the looped cables!

 

I also recall the old terminal central station - with the dead-end headshunt. I'd worked it out, at an early age, but could never convince my mum to allow me ride a train into the void, and back out again. She wasn't having it, and that was that! There was a huge staircase from the island platform ( through one of those concertina gates) up to the underground corridor that connected the road and Lewis's basement. Was there an overground station too? I think there was, but it's a long time gone and I was less than 7 years old, I guess.

 

I never saw the mouse!

 

Best

Simon

[Dmudriver]

Hi Simon.

 

"Overground"?? In Liverpool?? How long have you lived "darn sarf?"    Yes, there was a ground level station - Liverpool Central - known as the High Level station - the terminus of the CLC line from Manchester via Warrington Central and Widnes: although the latter could be avoided.  I used to travel on it, but from Garston, when I was at Uni - 108 from Garston to Warrington Central, then 115 to Manchester Central.  The huge staircase you mention came up onto the concourse at Central - I've seen a pic of it recently:  this is it:

 

 

The stairway you mention is on the left. Also found this one:

 

 

They're both taken from a page of photos I've found here:

 

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=liverpool+central+station+pics&qpvt=liverpool+central+station+pics&qpvt=liverpool+central+station+pics&FORM=IGRE

 

There's a lovely pic of the dark and dingy underground station with a 503 at the platform - just how I remember it!! There's also some good ones here:

 

http://www.disused-stations.org.uk/l/liverpool_central_hl/index.shtml

 

I once went out with a girl who lived in Hunts Cross so used to travel from Central with her after she'd finished work - on a green DMU!!  I used to get off at Garston (no relationship whatsoever to "getting off at Edge Hill"!!!) Isn't it amazing what memories come back once you get on track??!! Excuse the pun - unintentional - honest!! I've a lot of fond memories of travelling on that line to/from Manchester.

 

Rod

Edited December 31, 2015 by Dmudriver