emt_911 Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Just take your time, read all you can and choose carefully. There's no need to rush. Michael I have to agree with Bill, the last thing you want to do is rush for what you think you want unless the plan is one of the following. 1. Build a heritage Layout 2. You want to constantly invoke Rule 1. Speaking from (costly) experience take plenty of time before deciding. Duncan Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Morning Jeff, I'm beginning to realise that... What with all the Lunesters' encouragement, I can see me getting another one fairly soon... Only problem is making sure I get ones that will fit with the one I've already got... Lots of RTR possibilities for the time 76114 was at Corkerhill - Black 5s (as uax6 says), Standard 5s, Jubilees, Standard 2-6-4Ts, Britannias. Regular visitors from Holbeck - Scots (Corkerhill had a couple of its own for a very short time), Jubilees and A3s. From Kingmoor - Black 5s, Jubilees, Clans. From other 67 district sheds - Fairburn tanks, Black 5s, Crabs, B1s. Plus the occasional 'unusuals' such as Duchesses from Kingmoor and Polmadie, WD 2-8-0s, A2s, A4s. Go for it! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted February 19, 2013 Share Posted February 19, 2013 Lots of RTR possibilities for the time 76114 was at Corkerhill - Black 5s (as uax6 says), Standard 5s, Jubilees, Standard 2-6-4Ts, Britannias. Regular visitors from Holbeck - Scots (Corkerhill had a couple of its own for a very short time), Jubilees and A3s. From Kingmoor - Black 5s, Jubilees, Clans. From other 67 district sheds - Fairburn tanks, Black 5s, Crabs, B1s. Plus the occasional 'unusuals' such as Duchesses from Kingmoor and Polmadie, WD 2-8-0s, A2s, A4s. Go for it! This is giving me ideas, as I have Black 5, Jube, Std 5 and 5, Farburn, Crab, Duchess, B1 etc plus others so here we go with the Steam Depot I still haven't got my free Standard Loco yet. Andy. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 Thanks for all your comments, plenty to digest there. I'm sure I'll have some questions in the morning... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 Morning all, I've been playing with the various depot allocation websites to get a feel for what locos / classes were around at the same time as 76114, and the answer seems to be, as alluded to by pH, a wide range. This varies depending on the shed it was allocated to: at St Rollox Riddles' Standards and ex-LNER types; at Parkhead, mostly ex-LNER types; at Corkerhill, Standards and ex-LMS. So plenty of options, but I could do with doing a bit more reading to get a feel for the area. Any suggestions for books / things to read gratefully received... Ideas for a layout at the moment are steering away from a shed, towards something with more playability operational potential. I definitely do not have room for a mainline layout like Kirkby Luneside, or Stockrington (nor will I have the stock to fill one!), something more akin to Jason's Bacup (but without the quality buildings) is much more likely. Ideally this would have scope for a range of locos (ex-LMS, ex-LNER, BR) and stock. But enough of trying to run, I'll go back to looking at DCC systems... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jukebox Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 Hi Michael; Something I noticed earlier in this thread - you had your new acquisition at the club layout. I'd suggest that this is as good a place as any to get your "mainline" fix, and that then free's up your home plans for "something else". Maybe you should take a step back to really earthy questions like "what part of modelling do I enjoy doing the most: structures? electronics? kit building? scenery...?" And then maybe even think about what grabs your interest in the 12"-to-the-foot railway (outside of mainline running, which we can now tuck away as a "club" activity). You might find a station diorama ticks your boxes; of a small bridge diorama (perhaps with an un-scenic'ed fiddle yard to provide operational interest). There's nothing wrong with doing a shed BTW - it goves you a logical place to store locomotves, and you can then acquire what models you like and display them in a theme a few at a time, or as Duncan suggested, a heritage centre. You are in a fortunate place: no rigid plans means you can travel down whatever road takes your fancy. And there's nothing wrong with back tracking if your motivation wanes, or you decide you have changed your mind. But take your time now, and always remember: it's only a hobby! Cheers Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted February 20, 2013 Share Posted February 20, 2013 ... at St Rollox Riddles' Standards and ex-LNER types ... I'm sure it won't affect your plans, but St. Rollox was an ex-LMS shed, and its allocation, right to the end, was mostly ex-LMS engines with some Standards. There were attempts to get the shed to accept ex-LNER engines, but they generally didn't stay long. Probably the best-known ex-LNER engines there were the 2 A4s sent for the Aberdeen 3-hour trains - 60027 and 60031. (They also had a couple of A3s for these trains, 60090 and 60094, but they did not last long.) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 I'm sure it won't affect your plans, but St. Rollox was an ex-LMS shed, and its allocation, right to the end, was mostly ex-LMS engines with some Standards. There were attempts to get the shed to accept ex-LNER engines, but they generally didn't stay long. Probably the best-known ex-LNER engines there were the 2 A4s sent for the Aberdeen 3-hour trains - 60027 and 60031. (They also had a couple of A3s for these trains, 60090 and 60094, but they did not last long.) Ah, yes, now I look at it again, while there are a lot of ex-LNER classes in the allocation listing, they didn't stay long. Thanks for pointing that out... Two interesting diesels in the list at St Rollox too - a Peak (Cl46) and a Cl26... Hmmm... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 Wise words Scott, thank you. If you think I'm beginning to run away with ideas please do start to bring some reality into my thoughts! I agree with you about the mainline running - I'd not thought about using the club layout for mainline running, but then if I ever do build the N-gauge layout my stock needs, that will provide the same. You raise some interesting questions... I think I enjoy the 'getting things to work' process - I then seem to lose interest as I try to do the scenery, sometimes because I have no idea what I want to do for the scenery, othertimes because I know what I want, just don't know how to get there. I like kitbuilding (more of that 'getting things to work' thing), and am enjoying the challange of the Fabricators shed on Leeds South. I think I want a layout with operational potential - more so than you would get with just running trains round and round (previous layouts) or shuttling units back and forth (Leeds South). N-gauge has never been great for shunting, so something that allows a bit of shunting, reforming of trains, and the like would be good - I quite fancy the idea of a shunting plank to play with. Maybe I shouldn't get another loco, and get some wagons to play with instead. A shed layout doesn't appeal to me at the moment, I don't see that there is much play value operational potential to shuttling locos around. As you say, I don't have to tie myself down to anything at the moment, so I shall keep looking around for inspiration. To this end I've ordered another couple of books through Abebooks, not quite as cheap as the last pair, but still good value. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted February 20, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 20, 2013 Shortly after I got home late last night, my neighbour appeared with a package that had been delivered to them. Except it was meant for me. Turned out to be the two books I'd ordered last week "Great Railway Photographs by Eric Treacy", and "The Golden Years of British Steam Trains". Only problem is, I've got to put them down and go to work... Lots of interesting pictures in there... I hope these are what you want/need. They have a wide area of photos so that you are not limited to one region. As Scott says, take your time and find out what you like and what appeals to you. If you find that you like an area where your 4MT did not go then you could renumber it. Have fun. My problem is that I like 4 & 6 wheel coaches and have got an interest in the Cambrian, (Wales), steam Underground, GWR and LCDR (Kent). All of these are per 1910 and my era is really about 1895. When I build a layout it will probably have to run GWR and Cambrian with an excursion or two from the LCDR. We shall see. Even if you do not build a strict prototype then there is a lot of fun to be had in researching an area/era. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted February 20, 2013 Author Share Posted February 20, 2013 They are very good books - and unlike some I've seen, concentrate on the scene, rather than the loco, which gives a good impression of the setting of the railway. I have to say though, I think I prefer the loco and 3 or 4 coaches pictures over the loco and 10 or 12 - they seem to have more character. And the photos of goods trains show how uniform and boring todays trains are - very few have more than a couple of wagons the same. My next book purchase turned up today - "Standard Steam Locomotives of British Railways" by Rodger Bradley. Lots of text and details about them, including a chapter on locomotive trials, and a description of the reasoning behind them. Looks like a good read. Interesting fact from a quick glance through, the LNER built 80 different classes of loco, the other big three 67 classes between them. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted February 20, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2013 Hi Michael. I threatened a catch-up (in the Lounge) and that's just what I've done! Wow - you've really been bitten by the steam bug. I like my diesels, but I just as much love my kettles. So I'm very pleased to see you branching out. If you can justify a 9F in your chosen layout scheme, get one. Probably the most successful of the BR Standards, magnificent machines in their own right and one of Bachmann's very best locos. There's a weathered 9F due out this summer. Don't buy a Hornby Railroad. The Bachmann will haul a black hole up the Long Drag! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted February 20, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2013 I was watching a video of the S&C yesterday and it struck me that although 9F's were supposedly the pinnacle of steam locomotive development, the older and less powerful 8F's outlived them. Was it due to route availability? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 Hi Michael. I threatened a catch-up (in the Lounge) and that's just what I've done! Wow - you've really been bitten by the steam bug. I like my diesels, but I just as much love my kettles. So I'm very pleased to see you branching out. If you can justify a 9F in your chosen layout scheme, get one. Probably the most successful of the BR Standards, magnificent machines in their own right and one of Bachmann's very best locos. There's a weathered 9F due out this summer. Don't buy a Hornby Railroad. The Bachmann will haul a black hole up the Long Drag! Jeff Sorry but I have to disagree with the BOSS, my railroad 9F has had the front steps modified, real coal, crew, cab doors and front steam pipes and the weathered and most people think it is a Bachmann one when they see it crawl along my layout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Physicsman Posted February 21, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 21, 2013 I was watching a video of the S&C yesterday and it struck me that although 9F's were supposedly the pinnacle of steam locomotive development, the older and less powerful 8F's outlived them. Was it due to route availability? I know you prefer the 8F. I really like them too. But weren't they both effectively discontinued at the same time - August 68? There are certainly a few 9Fs knocking aroung - NYMR usually has one doing its duties. Both great locos! Jeff Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pH Posted February 21, 2013 Share Posted February 21, 2013 I know you prefer the 8F. I really like them too. But weren't they both effectively discontinued at the same time - August 68? There are certainly a few 9Fs knocking aroung - NYMR usually has one doing its duties. Both great locos! Jeff The 9Fs didn't quite make it to the end. The last ones were withdrawn from Carnforth in June 1968. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Jason T Posted February 21, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 21, 2013 When I said outlived, I only meant by a month or so, but it does seem strange so I guess there is a logical reason? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 I've been having a look at the area around Balloch today - interesting mix of railways, traffic, and scenery. Built originally as the Dunbarton and Balloch Railway, it became a joint line between the Caledonian and North British companies to prevent the Caledonian building a rival line over the same route. It handled traffic from Sterling (North British) and Glasgow (Caledonian). It had a small goods yard and loco shed, and extensive carriage sidings beside the line onward to Balloch Pier (excursion traffic?). Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted February 21, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2013 I've been having a look at the area around Balloch today - interesting mix of railways, traffic, and scenery. Built originally as the Dunbarton and Balloch Railway, it became a joint line between the Caledonian and North British companies to prevent the Caledonian building a rival line over the same route. It handled traffic from Sterling (North British) and Glasgow (Caledonian). It had a small goods yard and loco shed, and extensive carriage sidings beside the line onward to Balloch Pier (excursion traffic?). Sounds interesting, with a mix of locos and traffic. I assume that it is close enough to Glasgow for a reasonable amount of traffic? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted February 21, 2013 Author Share Posted February 21, 2013 It's 20-30 miles out from the middle of Glasgow, and is the end of one of the commuter lines. These days it gets a half hourly service through the low level lines (to Airdrie I think). Not sure what the traffic levels would have been back in British Railways days. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold ChrisN Posted February 21, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 21, 2013 It's 20-30 miles out from the middle of Glasgow, and is the end of one of the commuter lines. These days it gets a half hourly service through the low level lines (to Airdrie I think). Not sure what the traffic levels would have been back in British Railways days. You either need a Bradshaws for the period or even better a working timetable. I am afraid that my latest Bradshaw is 1912 which is a little early. WTTs do come up on eBay if you are lucky, but there might be a kind soul on the forum who has the details that you need. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 I've found some carriage working diagram documents courtesy of the BRCoachingStock Yahoo group that cover Balloch in the 1950s. Interestingly, despite being west of Glasgow, they are in the eastern region CWDs. Most of the sets that appeared at Balloch appear to be 6 or 8 coaches, which is a bit longer than really I wanted. Still, it's been interesting finding these things out, and I've certainly learned a lot from doing the searching. Hopefully this means I'll be better at finding information about other places. Some interesting gems from the carriage working diagrams: Where two composite coaches are together in a set, the first class ends should be adjacent, ditto with a composite and first coach. All rakes should be formed with a full brake, or the brake compartment of a mixed coach at the outside ends. (To break this needed authority of managers.) There was an awful lot of attaching / detaching of coaches that went on - even to the point of coaches being swapped between trains, giving direct services between 4 cities with only 2 trains that met in the middle. There are some strange (to me) services mentioned - e.g. a Perth to Kensington Olympia Sleeper. All very interesting... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichaelW Posted February 22, 2013 Author Share Posted February 22, 2013 Spent lunchtime doing a bit more research, and found some photos on flickr of 76114. Steaming outside works. Unloved on shed. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Oldddudders Posted February 22, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 22, 2013 There are some strange (to me) services mentioned - e.g. a Perth to Kensington Olympia Sleeper. All very interesting... Perth to Kensington would be a car-sleeper, with GUVs full of cars - and sleepers full of their drivers and passengers! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted February 23, 2013 Share Posted February 23, 2013 Hi Michael, I have just popped in for a catch up and you have some very interesting stuff going on here, good on you Lunester. Bodgit Lunester 3rd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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