Parrot Hall - 80/90?s 25kv NW suburban in OO.

[garethevans1986]

Nice work!

[86902]

Stunning work buddy

Cheers

 

Bob

[kevpeo]

This week’s progress is in the form of bridges -

 

 

This is the scenic break into the fiddle yard. These are modified Peco girders, with bits of Wills 'vary-girder' underneath. The bridge pillars 'box-in' the head shunts. As you can see the signals have also turned up. These have been detailed and painted but I'm loath to fit them yet while the bridge works are ongoing.

 

 

I hope they work when I wire them in! And at the other end -

 

 

The (very) low relief station bridge. This is Wills vary-girder atop Wills brick sheets, with the gaps left for the steps. The weights are to hold it up for the photo. Kev.

[kevpeo]

Not much to report in this weeks update. But the big bridge piers have been clad -

 

 

Mainly in Slaters sheet but with detail from Wills. A start has also been made on the six feet of retaining wall to run down the back of the layout, but I'm awaiting further supplies of Wills dressed stone from John at Crafty Hobbies before I can push on with this.  But I can get the balsa framework done. Kev.

[PjKing1]

Looking good as always Kev

 

Cheers, Paul

[MRDBLUE17]

Hi Kev,

 

The scenic works are really taking shape and the boxed in head shunts are a very clever idea. You can certainly get a decent amount of stock on the layout too. I was in Crafty Hobbies on Tuesday when I was down for my Christmas visit getting a few supplies.

 

All the best

Mark

[kevpeo]

The retaining walls are in and awaiting cladding -

 

 

Complete with a ramp up to road level, this will be hidden by 'The Railway Arms' later. The more eagle eyed may have noticed the SLW 24! To become 24 073, for use on Loch Dour and Parrot Hall.

 

Merry Christmas all. Kev

[d winpenny]

Looking great, have a good Christmas

 

David

[kevpeo]

Let there be light -

 

 

First the positives! The electronics are very good, and the signals were very easy to wire in. The aspects do not extinguish straight away either, but fade out and in nicely.  The negative, the light bleed between aspects is awful!  Even though I'm only feeding in 9v, not the recomended 12, all three aspects lit up at first!  I've since added an extra resistor to each aspect, apart from the feather, and painted out the amber led to stop it lighting up red or green.  It is a good job I was only going to use them as two aspects anyway.

 

Speaking of 'feathers'-

 

 

Very nice, and better than I have managed with my soldering skills in the past! Kev.

[d winpenny]

Very nice

 

David

[kevpeo]

 

After a fresh delivery of Wills dressed stone from John at Crafty Hobbies, work recommences -

 

 

This is the first half of the retaining wall clad. And at the other end -

 

 

I'm not saying I'm tight or anything, but note the use of plain black plastic sheet to spread out the Wills sheets! As it turns out this was not really necessary, as my estimating skills have turned out to be rubbish. I thought I would need five packs, so I got six just in case, and have used three!!!!  John did say he would buy back any unopened packs though, an advantage of using your local model shop. The retaining walls are split into three pieces for painting off the layout.  As you can see work has also started on painting the backscene, but this is taking ages as the paint is just not drying at this time of year.  Kev.

 

[Removed a/c]

Just found this, following along with interest. 

[kevpeo]

In a recreation of a shot from up the page a bit, here is the now 24 073 sat in front of the now clad retaining wall -

 

 

The top of the wall has been capped with Metcalfe 'paving slabs' which has added a nice 'thickness' to them. And that is it for a couple of weeks, as Parrot Hall will now have to be dismantled to allow Loch Dour to be prepared for it's trip to Kendal show next weekend. Where the hell am I going to store all these bits of loose bridge/wall in the meantime! Kev.

Edited January 23, 2016 by kevpeo

[d winpenny]

Looking good as ever

 

David

[Carl BR]

The signals look good and it's nice to see that TT have addressed the issue of light bleed from one aspect to the others. The main reason I decided to build my own apart from the two AA signals.

 

The layout looks to be progressing well.

[kevpeo]

Work has not come to a complete standstill whilst Parrot Hall was packed up. The retaining walls and main road bridge have been painted -

 

 

The bridge has taken on a very nice blue shade!  And on said bridge, pavements, white lines and tags -

 

 

All ready for a nice bus!!!!  No, I will resist this time!  I didn't want to over-do the tags, so showed some restraint. The bridge will not be fixed until after the wires are installed, so will be toned down later.  At the other end the brick bridge got a far as a coat of primer before I realised I had not added the top angled capping. So is delayed slightly -

 

 

Once all these walls are attached to the layout it's all clear to commence scenic work and ballast. Kev.

 

 

 

 

[Markmiller2008]

Looking good Kev, What colour/paint did you use for the retaining walls?

 

Looks a good shade for my new layouts retaining walls.

 

Mark

[kevpeo]

Thanks Mark. The routine with the walls was first Halfords grey plastic primer. This was then overpainted, when dry, with ready-mixed water based kids black paint, a lot of which was then dabbed off with a sponge. Finally when this was dry, a very dilute mix of Humbrol matt white and white spirit was washed over and allowed to collect in the 'morter joints'. This last stage has to be done with the wall flat, so takes a couple of days to do all surfaces. hth, Kev.

Edited February 19, 2016 by kevpeo

[Markmiller2008]

Thanks Kev, i'll try that method out.

 

Mark

[WCML100]

Really coming together now, nice work

[kevpeo]

Starting to look suitably grotty now!

 

 

Yes the ballast and weeds at track level are now done.  The platform steps end -

 

 

When I sort out the steps that is ! And the road bridge end, with missing bridge-

 

 

And an overview -

 

 

As you can see the platform roads are freshly ballasted, to fit in with the engineering works theme.  And this poses a question.  My memory suggests that all that was used in the 70/80's to mark the beginning of a possession was a red flag/sheet on two posts.  And I remember taking a photo of such a thing, but can I bl**dy find it!  So am I wrong, should there be flashing lights etc?  Anybody got a photo they can post up?

 

So the next job is to clean up and cover the platform surface, and then the bit we have all been waiting for, the wires going up!!!!!

 

Kev.

[d winpenny]

Looking good bud

 

David

[vulcan product fan]

Starting to look suitably grotty now!

 

ballast 1.JPG

 

Yes the ballast and weeds at track level are now done.  The platform steps end -

 

ballast 3.JPG

 

When I sort out the steps that is ! And the road bridge end, with missing bridge-

 

ballast 4.JPG

 

And an overview -

 

ballast 2.JPG

 

As you can see the platform roads are freshly ballasted, to fit in with the engineering works theme.  And this poses a question.  My memory suggests that all that was used in the 70/80's to mark the beginning of a possession was a red flag/sheet on two posts.  And I remember taking a photo of such a thing, but can I bl**dy find it!  So am I wrong, should there be flashing lights etc?  Anybody got a photo they can post up?

 

So the next job is to clean up and cover the platform surface, and then the bit we have all been waiting for, the wires going up!!!!!

 

Kev.

like the contrast between the fresh laid ballast on the main line and the grime on the siding looks really good .

[Markmiller2008]

Looking Good Kev.

 

My sort of layout this!

Mark

[RBE]

I too like the contrast in ballast for the differing tracks. I usually try to do the same which I think makes the whole layout more interesting even when no trains are running. Looking forward to seeing the wires!