Bromley North

[Alister_G]

What an excellent photo. It is really hard to tell that it's not the real thing.

 

Superb!

[aeroken1]

More awsome photos.

[BR(S)]

A picture of a late Friday night commuter service from Cannon Street, taken from a nearby tower block.  Due to a points failure in platform 2, all services are currently having to use platform 1.  A Class 25 has recently arrived with an ex-Willesden Jct service; the coaches have been shunted out of the way by the resident Class 08 so the 2-EPB could enter platform 1 on top of the 25.  I must add some dividers to the buildings in the background to make the lighting look as though it's only on in some rooms.

 

 

As per eastwestdivide in entry #114, I have slightly increased the green and slightly reduced the red in the picture to give what I think is a more pleasing look.  I have also done the same to the picture in entry #126 for comparison with the original. 

 

And finally, a new video of Bromley North.  It's the Friday evening rush hour and the points into platform 2 have failed:

 

 

 

[BR(S)]

Not much of an update this one; just a list of things to do over the coming months (years?!) so I've got a record to come back to

 

Sound equip remaining locos and units

Wire-up 2 x SEEP point motors for trap points

Dapol SR sempahore signal on freight road

Finish lighting (station building, signalbox, platform staircase)

Ambient sounds (platform announcements, signalbox bells, general noise such as planes flying over, cars passing by)

Coach lighting

Working tail lights

Various small scenic items, including 3rd rail kickboards and signal ID plates

Finish signalling panel

Install Zebra crossing with working beacons 

Backscene

Weather vehicles

[37114]

Not sure how I missed this one before, lovely layout

[rob D2]

Cool layout indeed. Well done.

[BR(S)]

Many thanks to all those who have looked at my thread in the last few months and to those who have left comments.

 

After a long break from modelling, I got my recently purchased Lima Class 92 out today and started adding some of the detailing parts.  As this is a temporary addition to the fleet until someone announces a modern spec 92, I've turned it into a dummy loco.  It has also been kept in ex-works condition as the 92s would have been brand new during the time period of my layout.  It is currently on test on the Southern Region, being hauled by the Class 47; Bromley North is being used as the termination point.

 

The photo below has been subtly (I hope) filtered to increase the focus on the Class 92 and slightly darken the surrounding areas. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      

[class"66"]

Stil coming along great!!

[Class 74]

Such a cool layout... great photos & vids!

[BR(S)]

I've been adding drivers to multiple units today, so thought I'd take a few pictures to see what they look like.  You can only really see the driver in one of these 2-EPB shots, but I liked the other two pictures. 

 

An early evening rush hour service arrives from Cannon Street as the light begins to fade.  In the first picture, it startles a fox that runs for cover in one of the disused tunnel portals (a Unit Models item if anyone wants one):

 

 

You can see the driver in this post.  You can also see that he's changed the blinds to red already for the return journey (gives him more time to visit the station café!):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[gismorail]

Wow what a cracking layout , only just found this thread,

Now this really does go to show that keeping a project at a manageable size does reap the benefits as far as quality modelling goes.

Will follow with interest

[BR(S)]

I've been playing around with an image I posted on the Bachmann Class 47 thread a few months ago.  This has had a lot of photoshopping and the original is next to it for comparison.  I wanted to capture the loco in fading light with a grey, stormy sky.  I've also just made a subtle change and have added some blur where the exhaust port is to indicate the loco is idling (as per first few seconds here: http://www.youtube.com/embed/xqTCsYkhrRg?feature=player_detailpage).  Hopefully it's not too subtle.

 

[BR(S)]

Now this really does go to show that keeping a project at a manageable size does reap the benefits as far as quality modelling goes.

 

Having built a massive tail chasing layout several years ago, I would definitely recommend a smaller size one.  I was pleased with the large layout I built but, as you say, a more manageable layout allows a greater focus on quality. 

[Colin parks]

Hi BR(S),

 

A nice crop of new photos of your layout. The ones of the 2 EPB are especially good (I admit to some bias here!)

 

 

All the best,

 

Colin

[BR(S)]

I dusted off my Hornby Class 153 today; like most of my stock that isn't sound equipped, it doesn't get out much.  A lot of messing around with the original picture has produced this.  I'm pleased with the way the light reflects off the side of the 153 and shows off its details and weathering.  I also like the reflection of the buffer stop light in the driver's window and the halo of light from the headlamp. 

 

It's a chilly autumn Sunday evening in 1992 and, with privatisation on the horizon, co-operation between sectors is shown in the form of a Regional Railways Class 153 on loan to Network SouthEast for the Bromley North to Willesden Jct services.  This is being used to assess the reliability and cost savings of second generation DMUs.  Only recently arrived in London, 153 303 is still displaying a Newport destination! 

 

[class"66"]

Still coming along great!!

[P.C.M]

Superb Layout, adding drivers certainly improves the stock. Love the heat haze coming out of the class 47.

 

Cheers Peter.

[BR(S)]

Not great pictures but they illustrate a new arrival on the Bromley North branch in the form of a Hornby Class 60.  It is seen on the freight road during a driver training run and will eventually be used to haul Speedlink freights to and from the local industry.

 

As with my Class 92, I was going to leave my Class 60 in ex-works condition as they would have been newish locos during my modelling period.  However, I decided I would prefer to have a slightly weathered one as the 60s were built about 4 years earlier than the 92s.   

 

This loco was 60077 in Mainline livery and it has been changed to 60060 "James Watt" in coal sector livery.  It just needs Hurst Models metal arrows and Brush plates, a couple of drivers and a sound chip. 

 

The Class 60 wasn't on my original list of loco wants, but the Hornby model is excellent enough to crowbar its way in!  This will also apply to the Realtrack Class 143 when released in Provincial or Regional Railways livery.

 

 

 

 

[class"66"]

Impressive!!

[BR(S)]

Some better pictures of my new, revamped Hornby Class 60, now with added drivers.  In my opinion, this is still the best RTR diesel produced so far (and it's even easy to get the body off and has room for a decent DCC sound speaker!).  Excuse the wonky buffer.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BR(S)]

My Legomanbiffo (Ian Bishop) Class 50 sound chip arrived today.  A couple of videos of it below.  The second one has been included to illustrate something new on these decoders: three detonator bangs if you want to assist another train!  As usual, the sounds are better in-the-flesh and my basic camera doesn't do them justice.

 

 

 

 

 

And with the Class 50 now up and running, some pictures:

 

 

Note the Presier figure on the left, sold as "Where's the ticket?"

 

 

The passenger reading the newspaper clearly isn't a rail enthusiast; he's ignoring the Class 50 and Class 60 at Bromley North!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[BR(S)]

It's a quiet Saturday lunchtime at Bromley North (12.48 according to the clock) and the morning rush of central London shoppers has subsided.  A couple of Mark 2 coaches are seen awaiting passengers for the next Willesden Junction service. 

 

 

Coach E9400 and its partner 5410 were previously allocated to Norwich Crown Point.  E9400 was wired for the Edinburgh to Glasgow push/pull services.  These coaches will now end their days unloved on these south-east to north-west inner suburban London services. 

[BR(S)]

I've been adding details to the layout today as I continue towards a crowded inner-suburban railway look.  The trick here is to add details that could realistically be found and not be tempted to put things in for the sake of it.  Some may argue that I don't always achieve this!  

 

I've put a couple of pictures below with annotations.  Many will be familiar with these details but they might give others some ideas. 

 

 

 

 

[BR(S)]

I've finished off the detailing on my Lima Class 92.  I've added metal Channel Tunnel logos, BR arrows, depot plaques and nameplates (Fox Transfers), white shoebeams and have given it full bufferbeam detailing (see second picture), including air brake and main res pipes, screw link coupling, ETS jumper cable, train control jumper cable (both modified Hornby Class 50 ETH cables) and ETS socket (Bachmann Class 47 part).  I've left it in ex-works condition as they would have been new during my time period.  Usefully for me, the shoegear was modelled by Lima in retracted position as this is a dummy loco being hauled on test.  I just need to get the pantographs to sit in a more realistic position and fashion a radio aerial for one end.

 

 

 

 

 

A side profile with my Class 60, the two being the last mainline diesel and electric locos to built at Brush in the pre-privatisation period. 

 

 

And the Brush builders plate from Hurst models on the Class 60, just above the data panel.  They come in plain silver and are easy to paint with the black surround.  To get the Brush name to show up, put some paint over the lettering and then wipe off the excess; the remainder fills the crevices of the lettering.

 

[BR(S)]

My Class 153 is now up and running after the fitting of a Howes sound decoder and large bass reflex speaker.  An excellent representation of the 153; I see a lot of these at my local station and the characteristic revving engine has been captured superbly.