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North Welsh Coast Railway - Welsh Dragon Rail


Anthony Ashley
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Simon,

 

Thanks for the generous wishes. Hope Christmas was good for you with lots of train presents.  I am now ready for more photos but my camera appears to have broken! Off to the repair shop on Mon to see how much fixing it will cost. 

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

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Dear All,

 

I realised my SLR camera is still taking photos but I have no LED monitor working on it. This means I can still take and down load photos until i decide to put it in for repair.

 

Latest photos of the Penmaenmawr scenic area with supports in place. The Penmaenmawr section is about 38 feet long and the picture below shows about 22 feet of this area. 

 

post-15340-0-53421700-1483781290_thumb.jpg

 

The elevation changes will be interesting to create. I bought some 20 metres of chicken wire with 1.3 cm hex shapes. This should  provide the support to create the valleys and elevation changes. Some experimentation will be required. The big hill on the third support is the hotel since knocked down.

 

post-15340-0-35129700-1483781299_thumb.jpg

 

post-15340-0-96903300-1483781316_thumb.jpg

 

Next is the track support boards.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

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Anthony,

 

Thanks, yes, great Christmas, apart from my car which is still in the dealership with "oh, no, that didn't sort it, it isn't that bit, let's change a different bit" electrical issues. Regarding "train presents", a Cowans 15t rail mounted breakdown crane kit :)

 

Good luck with the camera!

Simon

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Simon,

 

Cars can be a real money eater if you do not have a reliable one. Ours has done about 250,000 km and has had only minor issues, it is a Toyota.Good news as I have had my camera repaired this morning as it was a minor issue which could be fixed on the spot.

 

I have finished 2/3 of the Penmaenmawr track support. Photos are below.

 

The is the goods yard area furthest from Conwy, with a further 4 feet of goods yard left to complete of supporting boards.

post-15340-0-68907400-1483940995_thumb.jpg

 

A lower shot in hte same direction showing the hills and valleys I have to model on the right

 

post-15340-0-42023600-1483941005_thumb.jpg

 

View from the other direction.The hole in the vertical board to the right is start of the hidden the run around loop.

This loop will move to the inside edge of the layout and link into the other transition area between Conwy and Bangor.

post-15340-0-08617000-1483941016_thumb.jpg

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

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Dear All,

 

A photo of the first effort of the last scenic divider showing the Bangor side. The divider is high enough to incorporate the mountain next to Penmaenmawr. There will be further work on hte Bangor side but it is coming along. The mountain showing above the scenic mountain will only be about 100 mls in height, so a relatively thin strip in the background. 

 

post-15340-0-49252200-1484171443_thumb.jpg 

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

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Dear All,

 

A photo of the first effort of the last scenic divider showing the Bangor side. The divider is high enough to incorporate the mountain next to Penmaenmawr. There will be further work on hte Bangor side but it is coming along. The mountain showing above the scenic mountain will only be about 100 mls in height, so a relatively thin strip in the background. 

 

attachicon.gifIMG_0140V2.jpg

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

Looks good Anthony. How high is the top of the backscene from floor level?

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John,

 

The height of the top of this board above the floor level is 2.3 meters. The highest point of the mountain at the bottom end of the layout is about 2.4 meters and this will be in the middle of the end section. I have left a 150 ml strip between the mountain slope and the back board on the Penbmaenmawr side to paint in a strip of sky.   I will not have a back board behind this section due to the height and ease of access.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony 

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Dear All,

 

Work on the Penmaenmawr interchange with the hidden area has been progressing. I have finished trying to ensure all of the tracks going over the lift up section are fool proof and that has taken a few days. Cork has been laid and some track weathered. Some photos are below.

 

First pair of tracks going over the lift up section.

 

post-15340-0-44782300-1484657909_thumb.jpg

 

Second pair of tracks going over the lift up section.

post-15340-0-02658000-1484657926_thumb.jpg

 

Third pair of tracks going over the lift up section.

post-15340-0-51229500-1484657980_thumb.jpg

 

Curved trak after Conwy station. The station is the plan in the back ground

post-15340-0-34729000-1484658043_thumb.jpg

 

Looking back to Conwy and the first part of the interchange

post-15340-0-37157700-1484658171_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-15340-0-62867700-1484658213_thumb.jpg

 

Start of the Panmaenmawr goods area.

post-15340-0-07299000-1484658227_thumb.jpg

 

Looking from the Conwy side of the tunnel to Penmaenmawr

post-15340-0-18798300-1484658180_thumb.jpg

 

Tunnel mouth near Conwy station.

post-15340-0-10779600-1484658240_thumb.jpg

 

More work on hte Penmaenmaer area over the next few days.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

 

 

 

 

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Dear All,

 

Further work on the Penmaenmawr area. Photos are below.

 

 

Part of the goods yard sto the east of Penmaenmawr. I have added the goods loop on hte far right to increase storage arera. Apart form that the track layout is prototypical for most of Penmaenmawr.

post-15340-0-37149700-1484886528_thumb.jpg

 

The transition to the hidden area is at the top of the photo.

post-15340-0-94729200-1484886560_thumb.jpg

 

 

Some complicated track work in hte OPenmaenmawr arera.

 

 

post-15340-0-05235900-1484886585_thumb.jpg

 

Ii shall continue the track work over the next week. I had to make some height adjustments for the main lines, as I have started their height increase from closer to the station, having looked at more pictures of the lines.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony 

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Dear All,

 

I have been focusing on the Penmaemawr goods yard and main lines. The cork has been laid and most rails cut to fit, but a few still to be inserted.  The photos are below.

 

Conwy in the back ground and the station building for Penmaenmawr will be in about the middle of the photo.

post-15340-0-59217500-1485249378_thumb.jpg

 

post-15340-0-31791200-1485249405_thumb.jpg

 

View from the Conwy end of Penmaenmawr.

post-15340-0-65260100-1485249432_thumb.jpg

 

The van has been positioned to try to show the height of the mountain with the supports for the mountain in the back ground. Sea level will be at the bottom of the green beam.

post-15340-0-50852800-1485249450_thumb.jpg

 

 

The coach against the tallest pat of the mountain. 

post-15340-0-88462400-1485249510_thumb.jpg 

 

I need to paint the cork, secure those rails and work on the mountain as my next project.

 

All comments are welcome.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony Ashley

post-15340-0-20130200-1485249323_thumb.jpg

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Dear All,

 

I have been working on fitting the Penmaenmawr track accurately with cutting the track required between the point work. It is shaping up very nicely.

Ross and I have also done considerable work on the mountain end of the layout. Sarah has been doing some excellent work on the scenic dividers which looks great.

 

I have used small blocks of wood on the dividers to provide a ledge for the wire to hang off. I also provides good definition for where the mountain will go. Only 3 more days till my return to Sydney for the final 10 and a half months!!

 

I shall post some more photos tomorrow.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony  

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Dear All,

 

Simon thanks for your comment above. I have more development on the mountain below.

 

Have now completed fitting all of the Penmaenmawr track up to the point where the main lines curve to the sea and climb a gradient.

Sarah has also finished her art work on the new scenic dividers. Any encouraging comment to her would be appreciated, as I think she has done a really good job (those art classes are paying off). 

 

Photos below.

 

 

Scenic divider between Bangor and Penmenmawr with a small return added to it. The unpainted wooden shape at the top of the photo in the middle is the profile for the top of the mountain on the Penmaenmawr side of the layout. I shall use my chicken wire over the top of it to create the shape of the mountain. I hope it works!!! 

post-15340-0-80100300-1485590325_thumb.jpg

 

 

The small return with the profiled top of the mountain in the middle top of the picture. The unpainted mountain on the right is part of the hills behind Penmaenmawr. I shall curve my mountain to go from the end of the top profile on the left to the one on hte right. This gives me a bit more spare space to get to the height needed on the western side of Penmaenmawr to link into the mountain, as I have had to cut out some of the western end of the town to fit everything in..  

post-15340-0-24030900-1485590353_thumb.jpg

 

 

Mountain risers and the mountain profile on the Penmaenmawr side of the divider. To give a sense of scale you can see a van at the bottom of the riser under the unpainted top mountain profile at the end of the scenic divider. 

post-15340-0-61358500-1485590377_thumb.jpg

 

post-15340-0-62225900-1485590394_thumb.jpg

 

 

Track work for Penmaenmawr, featuring the goods area. The 2 wide gaps between the rails will be the position for the narrow gauge platform. 2 of the platforms hold 2 narrow gauge tracks and the other just 1. I have been looking at Z scale track by Rokuhan to provide the ready to run track.

 post-15340-0-70435000-1485590409_thumb.jpg

 

 Tunnel and curved track at Conwy station. 

post-15340-0-93040100-1485590423_thumb.jpg

 

 

 

Transition track area to the hidden track and the start of the Penmaenmawr track from the Conwy end. The goods yard seen previously is way off in the distance.

post-15340-0-48526500-1485590471_thumb.jpg

 

 

post-15340-0-85458900-1485590482_thumb.jpg

 

point work at the eastern end of Penmaenmawr. 

post-15340-0-87210300-1485590493_thumb.jpg

 

post-15340-0-51060000-1485590505_thumb.jpg

 

Might get some more work done on the mountain tomorrow, but back to Sydney tomorrow afternoon for the last year. All comment particularly those encouraging Sarah are appreciated!!!

 

Regards,

 

Anthony 

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Dear All,

 

A little more work has been done on the mountain prior to my return to Sydney. Photos are enclosed.

 

Chicken wire has been stapled to part of the mountain with enough slack to create the 3 roads required. You can see a car (Herbie the beetle) on the front post. from sea levle going up the mountain will be the rail viaduct at 81 ml above sea level. The road viaduct at 160 mls above sea level and 2more roads at 240 AND 300 mls above sea level.

post-15340-0-46066000-1485849502_thumb.jpg

 

 

Herbie with wire in the background.

post-15340-0-65804400-1485849525_thumb.jpg

 

 

Close up of Herbie.

post-15340-0-44868700-1485849539_thumb.jpg

 

post-15340-0-20100000-1485849553_thumb.jpg

 

I am now back in Sydney so will need to work on the card buildings under construction in Sydney. One of these is the Bangoe goods shed which is nearly 700 mls long.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

 

 

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Dear All,

 

A little more work has been done on the mountain prior to my return to Sydney. Photos are enclosed.

 

Chicken wire has been stapled to part of the mountain with enough slack to create the 3 roads required. You can see a car (Herbie the beetle) on the front post. from sea levle going up the mountain will be the rail viaduct at 81 ml above sea level. The road viaduct at 160 mls above sea level and 2more roads at 240 AND 300 mls above sea level.

attachicon.gifIMG_0188V2.jpg

 

 

Herbie with wire in the background.

attachicon.gifIMG_0192V2.jpg

 

 

Close up of Herbie.

attachicon.gifIMG_0194V2.jpg

 

attachicon.gifIMG_0197V2.jpg

 

I am now back in Sydney so will need to work on the card buildings under construction in Sydney. One of these is the Bangoe goods shed which is nearly 700 mls long.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

You going to the BRMA meeting on Saturday?

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37038,

 

Thanks for the reply. I think the mountain and rail and motor viaducts are going to be spectacular if I can model them well. It is such a pity that my paid employment is seriously interfering with my train modelling. Easter will be my next substantial period back in Brisbane.

 

I am now working on the Bangor goods shed  with both of the side walls nearly completed in card and brick paper. 

 

Regards,

 

Anthony

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  • 3 weeks later...

Simon,

 

Thanks for the reply. 44 weeks to go but not counting. Work has however been horrible working 21 days in a row about 11 hours a day!!! I got a day off today and went to friends house in Sydney. He has bought a reclining exercise bike for his wife's birthday - mind you he is the avid cyclist. The bike connects to an I Pad. On the I Pad you can link into google maps and then ride around any where in the world with a scrolling view in front of you on the I Pad.

 

I started with a 10 km cycle in Paris, then 14 km in London and then cycled around Conwy, Penmaenmawr and Bangor while reclining in Sydney!!!!. Got some really good views which will help with modelling. It was quite exciting to be "cycling" through the towns I shall be modelling when work permits.

 

Hope all are well.

 

Regards,

 

Anthony 

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Love the idea of the iPad on the exercise bike - though I'm not sure about the exercise!

 

If you don't mind me asking, what work do you do that demands such hard rosters? 11hours on 21 straight days sounds a bit grim!

 

Best

Simon

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Love the idea of the iPad on the exercise bike - though I'm not sure about the exercise!

 

If you don't mind me asking, what work do you do that demands such hard rosters? 11hours on 21 straight days sounds a bit grim!

 

Best

Simon

If he told you that he'd have to shoot you...

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