Bakewell - Peak District Line BR - Layout Views

[Alister_G]

Those loco crews are truly Stakhanovite, straight off the kind of USSR propaganda posters I collected on a visit to Russia in the late '80s!  

 

Also like the wagons.  I must remember to pop to Halfords on the way home to get some primer & various paints for my next projects.  I am also feeling very foolish.  I have been attaching couplings to my Parkside Dundas kits with complicated arrangements of plasticard and thought what I now see are the mounts were some kind of scrap used to hold the sprues & runners in the mould...

 

I know exactly what you mean about the figures now you've said it. It's the square jaws and the poses, I think.

 

Sorry to have caused you to feel silly, but take heart that it took me a while to work it out too. It's only 'cos JasonT sent me some couplings ages ago with the mountings attached that made me realise.

 

Al.

[Alister_G]

NEWSFLASH!

 

Major Earthquake Destroys Station!

 

At approximately 19:22 on the 13th July, an extremely localised earthquake caused severe structural damage to the railway station at Bakewell.

 

Pictures from our intrepid reporter:

 

 

 

 

As you can see there were many casualties...

 

 

Actually, it was very carefully moved, whilst I tackled something I've been meaning to do for a bit: the station yard.

 

The station stands at platform height, which is a good 12mm above the goods yard surface, so I wanted to try and make a smooth sloping transition between the two.

 

I achieved this by layering up lots of offcuts of cork underlay:

 

 

 

 

and then glued a larger offcut of cork sheet so that it's top surface was level with the platform, and it sloped gently down to the goods yard surface.

 

For some unaccountable reason, I forgot to photograph that bit.

 

I then laid some newspaper over the top, to smooth out any transitions:

 

 

I then placed the building back in position:

 

 

and once it was correctly positioned, I added further newspaper right up to the walls of the building, to remove that "floating" look:

 

 

 

Once this is all dry, I will paint the yard surface, and maybe gravel it, using the stuff I used for the track by the barn.

 

I'm working late tomorrow, so it will probably be Wednesday when I do that.

 

Thanks for looking,

 

Al.

Edited July 13, 2015 by acg_mr

[westerhamstation]

Hi Al, as Elvis said I'm all shook up. That looks like it will give you some good modelling opportunites and I am looking forward to seeing this develop.

 I asked Mrs W Station if she felt the tremor I won't tell you her reply. All the best Adrian.

[Andrew P]

Nice work Al, I hadn't realised that that area hadn't been done already, I'm looking forward to seeing the end result mate.

[Alister_G]

I had a new toy delivered today.

 

Given that I've not long got in from work, I won't be doing anything with it tonight, but here's a couple of photos:

 

 

 

 

Still it might mean I can occasionally drill a straight hole...

 

Al.

[uax6]

I bet that pillar drill is a tad lighter than my table mounted one... I had to get a friend to lift it on to the bench. Man its heavy, but then its probably done 50 years hard labour.

 

Can you use yours as a mill as well?

 

Andy G

[Alister_G]

Hi Andy,

 

it was quite heavy enough, thank you!!

 

I assembled it in situ, but lifting the drillhead and motor section onto the pillar nearly broke me

 

No, It doesn't mill, although the chuck is swappable - it's held on by a Morse taper, but the bloody thing was greased when it came, so I had to degease it before the chuck would stay attached - but the table isn't driven in any way.

 

Cheers,

 

Al.

[uax6]

A mate has the Clarke version, and although it hasn't got a moveable table, it did state in the manual that it is suitable for 'light milling', presumably you add your own moving table....

 

Looking at the head arrangement the thing that you will find most annoying is the swtiches on the LHS of the head. I have mine wired through a magnetic switch that is fitted to the front of the bench, on the RHS, which is a much more natural place for it to be.

 

Now you can have fun buying up all those nice big morse taper drills for next to no money at car-boots.....

 

Andy G

[BG John]

I've got what looks like the same drill, that I've had for decades. I've done some very light milling on it using cutters held in the chuck, and the work held in a compound cross slide like this one.

[Alister_G]

I've got what looks like the same drill, that I've had for decades. I've done some very light milling on it using cutters held in the chuck, and the work held in a compound cross slide like this one.

 

Thanks John, that looks very interesting, might just have to invest in one of those.

 

It's probably very rare that I would use it, but to have the facility available would be good.

 

Cheers,

 

Al.

[BG John]

It's useful for lining things up for drilling too.

[class"66"]

Very handy tool for any workshop

you wil get some jobs out of the piller dril..

[LNER4479]

This weekend, I've managed to get a bit of modelling done.

 

Then, I turned my attention back to the Parkside kits.

 

So here they all are on the layout, along with a repainted Hornby version:

 

mineralwagon016.jpg

 

mineralwagon017.jpg

 

mineralwagon018.jpg

 

That's all for now, thanks for looking.

 

Al.

Hi Al,

 

Great as always to see some modelling output from you.

 

If I can make an observation on the wagons? The bar connecting the bottom of the axleboxes on the mineral wagons was designed to restrain the braking force on a four block 'pusher' arrangement when fitted with the power (vacuum) brake (the ones painted bauxite red). Unfitted wagons did not need these bars. The more technically advanced 8-shoe 'clasp brake' arrangement also didn't need the restraining bars. As always, there were exceptions to the rule so best to check photos.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/36891-16t-minerals/page-66

Post #1637 on the above thread shows the two variations quite well

 

And now, stand by for the avalanche of posts proving me wrong...

[Marcus 37]

Hello Mate

Just having a catch up on you're thread. I know the feeling with the modelling drought. unfortunately to many things keep getting in the way. Nice job with the wagons in the end. They look very good now. I'm looking forward to seeing you're signals when they are built . They'll be the same as the ones I will need for PDW. Fancy doing some commissions........

The new tool looks the buisness but I wouldn't have fancied getting that down you're stairs. rather you than me!!

I will get round to having a trip up soon, which I really need to do, so hopefully see you in the not to distant future.

Cheers

Marcus

[Alister_G]

Hi Al,

 

Great as always to see some modelling output from you.

 

If I can make an observation on the wagons? The bar connecting the bottom of the axleboxes on the mineral wagons was designed to restrain the braking force on a four block 'pusher' arrangement when fitted with the power (vacuum) brake (the ones painted bauxite red). Unfitted wagons did not need these bars. The more technically advanced 8-shoe 'clasp brake' arrangement also didn't need the restraining bars. As always, there were exceptions to the rule so best to check photos.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/36891-16t-minerals/page-66

Post #1637 on the above thread shows the two variations quite well

 

And now, stand by for the avalanche of posts proving me wrong...

 

Thanks Graeme,

 

Does this mean the Parkside kits are wrong - or is it an optional bit that I should have cut away?

 

I'm not sure I built them prototypically anyway, as I've put brakes on both sides, should they be only on one side?

 

So much to learn, I'm glad you lot know what you're on about...

 

Al.

[Alister_G]

Hello Mate

Just having a catch up on you're thread. I know the feeling with the modelling drought. unfortunately to many things keep getting in the way. Nice job with the wagons in the end. They look very good now. I'm looking forward to seeing you're signals when they are built . They'll be the same as the ones I will need for PDW. Fancy doing some commissions........

The new tool looks the buisness but I wouldn't have fancied getting that down you're stairs. rather you than me!!

I will get round to having a trip up soon, which I really need to do, so hopefully see you in the not to distant future.

Cheers

Marcus

 

Thanks Marcus, yeah finding time to model, and also to be in the right mood for it, has been a struggle recently, but hopefully things have settled down a bit now.

 

Look forward to seeing you when you can make it up this way again, but enjoy your holiday in the meantime.

 

Cheers,

 

Al.

[Marcus 37]

Thanks Al. I still need some rough dimensions of the station at Great Longstone and some pictures as well. Just getting round to doing some work on the quarry floor so I'll try and put up some pictures tomorrow.

Cheers

Marcus

[Andrew P]

Hi Al, just seen the pics on Marcus's thread, I cant believe you ride a push Bike,   I thought you'd have grown up now and at least had a Motor fitted one.       To much exercise will wear you out you know.   :stinker: 

 

  

[LNER4479]

Thanks Graeme,

 

Does this mean the Parkside kits are wrong - or is it an optional bit that I should have cut away?

 

I'm not sure I built them prototypically anyway, as I've put brakes on both sides, should they be only on one side?

 

So much to learn, I'm glad you lot know what you're on about...

 

Al.

Hi Al,

 

I suspect the Parkside kits provide a standard underframe, suitable for a variety of fitted or unfitted wagons. Hence if you're building unfitted wagons then just cut away the bits you don't need.

 

There were some batches of 16T minerals built as fitted wagons (and painted bauxite red) hence the kit can (presumably?) be built up as either variant (did the instructions not mention this?). Or is there a difference in axle spacing (9 foot for unfitted wagons; 10 foot for fitted wagons?) hence two different kits?

 

Most of my info on these ubiquitous vehicles comes from the Don Rowland book 'British Railways Wagons - the first half million'. Worth getting a copy if you're a BR steam era modeller

http://www.amazon.co.uk/British-Rail-Wagons-First-Million/dp/0752903780

 

In the chapter on the 16T minerals he tells the almost incredible story of the mass build of 253,000 wagons (yes - you read that right!) in the mid-1950's that saw off the wooden-bodied fleet. As part of the policy of the time to adopt the automatic brake wherever possible, there were orders placed for vacuum fitted mineral wagons to operate as 'block' trains and hence speed up the services. Unfortunately, once in service, the impracticalities of uncoupling then recoupling the brakes on each wagon as they were unloaded at their discharge points became all too apparent so they reverted to ordering unfitted wagons!! Formerly fitted wagons may have had their vac brake equipment removed but still retained the restraining bars and painted grey (hence I'm sure it was possible to see wagons in the condition in which you've portrayed them - but unlikely to be a uniform rake?)

 

I'm aware of the issue of brakes one side only but have never quite got to the bottom of that so far as the 16 tonners are concerned! Perhaps a 16 mineral 'guru' will stop by your thread and enlighten us both!

 

Coaching stock is much simpler!!!

Edited July 16, 2015 by LNER4479

[Alister_G]

Hi Graeme,

 

Yes, the kit is specifically an "unfitted" one, they do a different kit for the "fitted" version. However, it's interesting as if I look at the packaging, the image on it doesn't have the reinforcing bars.

 

 

From that, I take it that the undercarriage sprue might be the same for both kits, with the bodies being different. (I think the fitted kit comes in brown plastic).

 

However the instructions made no mention of that, they probably assume a basic level of knowledge on the part of the builder which I am sadly lacking!

 

I have heard that the 16T minerals is a subject worthy of its own degree level qualification

 

 

Edited July 16, 2015 by acg_mr

[Alister_G]

Well, as promised, on Wednesday evening I painted the yard, and added some gravel to it. However I didn't want to put any photos of it whilst wet, so I've waited 'til this evening.

 

Here's a few shots of it as it is now. I will probably weather it a bit before it's done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see, this bit in the corner needs some attention, and that's what I'm working on this evening.

 

I'll post up some more photos of what I've been doing in a bit, just waiting for various things to dry.

 

Cheers,

 

Al.

[Alister_G]

Carrying on, then, I glued up this strange looking item from various lumps of scrap wood:

 

 

 

This is the framework on which I will build a grass embankment that runs between the road and the yard, like this:

 

 

So, I took the framework, and some newspaper:

 

 

I covered the wood in PVA, and then added some scrumpled newspaper to bulk out the slope:

 

 

 

Then I folded over the main sheet of paper:

 

 

and then folded and shaped the fall of the embankment:

 

 

Here's what it looks like edge on:

 

 

and in position on the yard:

 

 

Next step is to make it look more like an embankment, and less like a piece of newspaper:

 

More soon,

 

Al.

[Alister_G]

So I took the putative embankment, and gave it a good thick coat of Artist's Acrylic Burnt Umber:

 

 

 

Then I gave it a good covering of short static grass:

 

 

 

More colours, and lengths, will be added later, after I've done some other things to it, but for now, here it is back on the layout:

 

 

 

It's looking pretty good already, but at the moment, there's nothing to stop the embankment sliding into the yard.

 

I wonder what I could do??

 

Al.

[HealeyMills]

Build a wall?

[Marcus 37]

Like he says.......

Looks good though Al. Amazing what you can do with an old Newspaper.