Camel Quay - A North Cornwall inspired layout in 4mm

[tender]

Hi Andy,

No this was the first,

 

 

followed by a chassis for Polly's 14xx.

Still a lot to learn with brass construction, but I quite enjoy it when I'm in the mood.

 

Haven't got around to painting yet, but purchased a air brush and compressor a few months ago. Something else to learn.

Ray.

Edited October 21, 2013 by tender

[N15class]

Hi Andy,

No this was the first,

 

image.jpg

 

followed by a chassis for Polly's 14xx.

Still a lot to learn with brass construction, but I quite enjoy it when I'm in the mood.

 

Haven't got around to painting yet, but purchased a air brush and compressor a few months ago. Something else to learn.

Ray.

Hi Ray

The wagon looks very good.

 

Is it one of M Finney's 4mm ones?

[tender]

Hi Ray

The wagon looks very good.

 

Is it one of M Finney's 4mm ones?

Hi Peter,

 

Yes, it is one of the Martin Finney LSWR wagons. The picture was taken a few months ago, it has since had the roof properly trimmed back and glued on but still not plucked up the courage to paint it.

Building this was a very steep learning curve having never come across etched brass kits before. Laminating the half etched detail overlays to the side of the sole bars looked particularly daunting at first but after a phone call to Martin Finney for some advice i was soon one my way. The kit goes together very nicely but i did find a few of the smaller bits (lamp irons etc) a bit fiddly. I guess this will get easier with experience.

 

Ray.

[georgeT]

Hello Ray, Fiddly or not you have made a smashing job of it, Halfords sell a grey primer rattle can in grey or white, easy stuff to apply and dries lovely, keep the pictures coming..

 

GT

[tender]

Thanks George, I did show it to Martin at ScaleForum recently and he did point out a few areas where it could be improved like removing the moulding marks from the buffers and the aforementioned roof, but overall I'm pleased with how it's come out.

Martin had a few examples on display in top showroom condition, mine will get the well used weathered look. I already have some halfords spray etch primer and a few scraps of brass to practice on and have just read Petesmodelpaintshop thread (N15class) for a few tips. Guess I should just get on with it.

 

Ray.

[RailWest]

Having looked further into the matter of the absent weight lever, it is clear now that the wire from the lever-frame was not attached directly to the arm. There was still a short length of down-rod (probably about 2'-3' long) attached to the crank on the spectacle plate assembly. The lower end of this passed through some sort of support/guide attched to a small rectangular plate fixed to the signal post just below the bottom of the bracket supporting the signal-lamp - you can get a good view of it in the pic at the bottom of p173 in the NCR book. The wire was then attached by some form of shackle to the bottom of this down-rod. There is some suggestion from other contacts of mine that there may have been some form of 'return spring' with the bottom support, but impossible to tell from the pictures.

There is quite a good close-up view of the rear of such an assembly on p199 of same book, showing the back of the Down Starting at Camelford (albeit a rail-built post).

[N15class]

It's. A shame he does not do 7mm ones I could do with a few. The ABS ones are a bit like hens teeth.

[Andrew P]

Hi Ray that wagon is a lovely job, well done mate.

 

Andy

[7APT7]

Hi Ray

 

Great work mate, will get to see it hopefully the weekend when I come over.

 

Jamie

[tender]

Having looked further into the matter of the absent weight lever, it is clear now that the wire from the lever-frame was not attached directly to the arm. There was still a short length of down-rod (probably about 2'-3' long) attached to the crank on the spectacle plate assembly. The lower end of this passed through some sort of support/guide attched to a small rectangular plate fixed to the signal post just below the bottom of the bracket supporting the signal-lamp - you can get a good view of it in the pic at the bottom of p173 in the NCR book. The wire was then attached by some form of shackle to the bottom of this down-rod. There is some suggestion from other contacts of mine that there may have been some form of 'return spring' with the bottom support, but impossible to tell from the pictures.

There is quite a good close-up view of the rear of such an assembly on p199 of same book, showing the back of the Down Starting at Camelford (albeit a rail-built post).

 

Many thanks for that Chris, it's given me some ideas on limiting the throw of the signal when operated from a servo.

I'll try and knock up a sketch for comment.

 

Ray.

[RailWest]

I'm still awaiting confirmation from other sources, but it would appear that the spring was compressed when the arm was pulled 'off' and the purpose was more to cushion the shock when the down-rod reached its limit of movement than as any sort of 'return' mechanism.

[RailWest]

Well, the latest 'spring' info is in effect "a bit of both" :-)

 

Apparently - on the assumption that it was similar to LMS/LNER practice - then there would be a spring that was compressed once the arm got to fully 'off', but also a spring (or later rubber) buffer to cushion the shock when it returned to 'on'.

 

How you might chose to represent all that in 4mm, assuming that it was not all shrouded anyway, is another matter!

[tender]

Thanks for the update Chris, I was going to post a sketch of my ideas but it's probably just as easy to do it and take a photo. Just need to pick up some brass tube at the weekend. In the meantime, anybody got any tips for cutting out and gluing the spectacle lenses for the signal arm?

[Piskey]

Ooooooo, yes please.

 

We've been trying to get down to southern metals for some time but the opportunity has escaped us so far this year.

 

 

There are details and photos of disc and miniature arm signals on the SEmG site.

E.g.: wwww.semgonline.com/proto/semaphore_09.html   www.semgonline.com/proto/semaphore_10.html   and www.semgonline.com/proto/semaphore_11.html

 

Also Stephens flap and SECR miniature arm versions.

 

 

Peter

[RailWest]

I've uploaded a close-up view of a SR-type miniature-arm 'yellow' ground signal (as used at various West Country locations) at www.trainweb.org/railwest/temp/gs-y-ms.jpg

 

Although a 'modern' construction (actually a new one now in use at Midsomer Norton South), it's a good representation for older layouts.

[tender]

Not posted here for a bit, basically not much been happening until a few days ago.

Camel Quay had another outing yesterday in its present state at the Rhyl and District Charity MRE.

In preparation for this we've been doing a bit of weathering to the ballasting and quayside and a little progress on the goods shed. Southern42 (Polly) will put up a few pictures from the show later on.

The fiddle yard has been extended along the full length of the layout making operation much simpler.

 

 

We can now run 4 passenger services and 2 goods trains without having to remove or manhandle anything on the layout.

[southern42]

Some photos I took at Prestatyn while Ray's hands were tied up with the controller to keep things moving.  I do have my uses.  :jester:

 

First, a peak at what people were up to - though you may spot the following (until they clean up their act): blutack blue sweaters (cushioning) on the gate and beer cart and item of hotel uniform underfoot.

 

Pub cellar boy having sneaked off to do some trainspotting above the quayside.

 

Delivery of ale from Avago Brewery.

 

Concierge (doorman to you and me) wondering where on earth everyone has disappeared to.

 

Poirot, Hastings and Japp immersed in a murder case bubbling with excitement.

 

The Station Master watching his strawberries ripen or keeping watch over his stretch of railway at a safe distance?

 

Passengers waiting for the next train queue up at Santa's Grounded Grotto.  But sshhh. Don't tell everyone it's still summer on Camel Quay.

 

 

For reference - the layout [taken at Llandudno exhibition 2013]:

 

 

Some trains on the next post.

 

 

 

 

 

[southern42]

The Rhyl & District MRE outing was all about running a set of trains to interest the viewer that would congest neither layout nor fiddle yard.

 

I'll start with the china clay wagons.  These would have come down from the clay dries.  Today they arrive headed by a Class 22 which drops off the pill box in the quayside exchange siding. There should be a set of empties here ready for the return trip.

 

The wagons are pulled out

 

and pushed onto the quayside track.

 

 

 

After the clay has been loaded onto the ship which is due in at high tide (in other words, when Ray has finished building the kit), Beattie Well Tank 30587 on pilot duty, is ready to shunt the wagons back to the station siding from where they will be picked up by the Class 22 for their return to the clay dries.

 

The goods train.  These had already been dropped off in the bay and stayed there all day. 

 

Local passenger train on next post.

[southern42]

Local Passenger Train

Beattie Well Tank 30586 [square splashers] departs with a local passenger train having already run around.

 

 

Train to Waterloo

N Class 31406 waits in the headshunt until the Beattie Well Tank departs with the local passenger train and T9 30726 arrives with the Camel Quay portion of the Atlantic Coast Express (the ACE Train).

 

The ACE Train has arrived, passengers have alighted and N Class 31406 moves into the passing loop;

 

reverses into the platform to pick up the coaches

 

and couples up.

 

The ACE train departs

 

leaving behind T9 in the platform.

 

Of course, most of this is accompanied by appropriate sound effects.

 

Polly

[Andrew P]

Hi Ray and Polly, Thank you for some wonderful sets of pics and a tour of the Layout, the choreography with the pics is just brilliant Polly and every picture tells a story, the ACE is just ace and looks the part.

George is about to embark on a new venture and I'm going to suggest he takes a closer look at this MASTERPIECE.

Thanks Ray, wonderful, well done to you and to Polly for some great scenics.

 

Bodgit, The Master Bodger

[southern42]

And now for the video: N Class 31406 departs with the ACE portion for Waterloo.

 

 

Listen out for coupling, injectors, guard's whistle, loco whistle, drain cocks and chuffing plus the Class 22 ticking over by the bridge.  You also get all the background noise associated with exhibitions.

[Andrew P]

Great Video, Cheers Polly, but wheres the crew,   gone for a dip in the harbour?   hahhaa

 

I like the N Class, have you seen the Bachmann weathered one, it is a fantastic looking model.

 

Bodgit

[southern42]

Yes, we have seen it, Andy, and Ray nearly bought it until he realised it had a number inconsistent with the area and would have needed renumbering so it'll probably be easier just to weather the one we've got and save a few quid.

 

We suspect the crew are in the Tavern up on High Street waiting for their overalls to finish their wash cycle in the launderette though Ray did find one floating around in the bottom of the stock box.

 

Polly

[7APT7]

 

We suspect the crew are in the Tavern up on High Street waiting for their overalls to finish their wash cycle in the launderette though Ray did find one floating around in the bottom of the stock box.

 

Polly

 

Hi Ray and Polly

 

Lets hope there was no red sock in the washer while at soapy suds laundrette. Quality name for the laundrette mate and excellent photos and VidClip.

 

Jamie

[ChrisN]

Polly,

Liked the video.

 

Was it the overalls or the crew in the bottom of the stock box?