Skaleby West

[Andrew P]

Skaleby West remains stored away at present after a relatively busy year of two exhibition outings. There are no bookings for 2018 as yet and attention is currently taken up with my Gairloch layout. However, I would like to rake this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you and your Family Andy.

[andyram]

Thanks Andy and a Merry Christmas to you too.

[andyram]

I would like to wish everybody a very Happy New Year. I hope you all have a happy and healthy 2018.

 

Skaleby West is not currently booked for any exhibitions in 2018 and, with the Weston show unlikely to happen, it could remain in slumber for quite some time. Hopefully there will be more positive news soon.

 

Best wishes

 

Andy

[andyram]

Some unexpected news tonight:

 

I had expected, with the lack of a Weston on Trent show, that 2018 would be a barren year for Skaleby West. However, tonight I have received an invitation to the Sheffield Model Railway show on October 6th. The layout visited last year and will return to the event for a second time. It will be nice to get out again.

[andyram]

 Skaleby West is having an additional outing at the moment - having gone on display in my new shop - A2B Model Railways. Here it rests under the spotlights awaiting final connecting ready for its first public operation since November last year. Check out the A2B Model Railways thread for more details.

 

 

[andyram]

Skaleby West has gone back and forwards in time for its stay in the A2B Model Railways shop. Having been worked as a BR era layout during all of its show outings, it has regressed to the LMS era but has also changed from analogue to digital control. This is so it can showcase Bachmann's newly released DCC Sound fitted Jinty. It is certainly attracting plenty of attention. Here number 7365 prepares to depart with a local freight service:

 

Meanwhile, whilst running around a passenger train, 7365 can be seen passing Midland 3F number 3522. The 3F is displayed in the goods yard and is on sale in the shop.

 

[andyram]

 A quiet day in the shop saw me find some time to undertake some maintenance on Skaleby West. A couple of the trees had shed most of their leaves. Instead of removing them all, I took the opportunity to create a new cameo scene by adding a woodcutter dealing with the dead tree.

 

Meanwhile the layout continues to see daily use for the benefit of the shop customers. Bachmann sound fitted Jinty remains the engine of choice. Here it is seen resting in the goods yard.

[andyram]

 The positive side of having Skaleby West in the A2B Model Railways shop is I get to use it far more than I have done previously. It has certainly been useful for entertaining visitors young and old. It has attracted a lot of admiring glances and kind comments. Hopefully it might also serve to inspire some visitors into railway modelling, or even to dust off those Hornby train sets. Certainly a few people have commented on its small size, and how they could do something similar at home. That was very much my aim when I built it - to show what could be achieved in a limited space and with off the shelf products. 

 

 As previously, the Bachmann Sound Fitted Jinty has been working today and is seen here, resting in the loop in a mobile phone picture taken from the top of the tunnel.

 

 At present the layout is displayed in its original form with the 4ft x 1ft station board and a single fiddle yard. I have space to add the 2ft x 1ft river bridge extension and hope to bring that to the shop in the near future.

[andyram]

ast Saturday, Skaleby West attended its first and only exhibition of 2018 visiting the Sheffield Exhibition at the Davy Sports Centre. I first attended the event last year and found it to be a very enjoyable and friendly show and felt delighted and flattered to be invited back for another year.

 

 Last year Skaleby West attended in its reduced format, with single scenic board and one fiddle yard. This year the plan was to have the scenic extension included in the display. That was what was agreed when I finalised arrangements with the organiser a few days before the weekend.

 

 Skaleby West has been spending the last few months on display in my A2B Model Railways shop and this meant a frantic load up in Matlock Bath on Saturday morning when the main road was quiet. Things seemed to be going well, with a trouble free run to Sheffield. Sadly, things went wrong after that.

 

 The show is situated in two upstairs rooms at the sports centre. Unfortunately the lift was out of action which led to having to carry the layout up the winding stair case. This was not a problem for me, but I did hear that one layout owner turned round and left without unloading. This was a shame because it was not the fault of the organisers, and there were plenty of people there to offer help with fetching and carrying. 

 

 Upon arriving at my allocated place it was clear that plans for the extended display were rather ambitious. There was barely an 8ft space for the single scenic board and the fiddle yard let alone the 10ft space needed for longer display. Whilst trying to shoe-horn the layout into the small space, the scenic board fell off the trestles resulting in serious damage. Most of the buildings came off, with the station canopy sheared in half. Whilst trying to glue it back together some of the front valance snapped off. The telephone box, station seats and lamp posts all needed gluing back on. 

 

 The frantic repair work left me struggling to be ready for the start of the show. Fortunately, I managed to be ready in time and the layout ran well throughout. Despite the earlier damage it attracted some positive comments although I cannot pretend that it looked its best. I did enjoy the event and thank the organisers for their invite.

 

 Here are some pictures from the day.

MIDLAND 3F 43474 ARRIVES WITH THE FIRST TRAIN OF THE DAY, NOTE THE DAMAGE TO THE CANOPY.

 

THE 3F PREPARES TO DEPART WITH A PASSENGER TRAIN

 

STANDARD 4 80120 ARRIVES WITH A PASSENGER TRAIN. IN THE FRANTIC PRE-SHOW REPAIRS THE TELEPHONE BOX WAS GLUED BACK ON THE WRONG WAY AROUND.

 

LAYOUT STALWART, JINTY 47279 PREPARES TO DEPART WITH A PASSENGER TRAIN, WITH HORSE BOX ATTACHED.

 

THE MIDLAND 3F RUNS AROUND ITS TRAIN.

 

 

IVATT 2 TANK 41250 IN THE LOOP WITH A FREIGHT SERVICE.

 

THE JINTY PAUSES BY THE SIGNAL BOX

 

The layout is now back in the shop, with the extension piece attached. There is a long list of repair work to do but no further exhibition bookings at present.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Andrew P]

Sorry to hear about your mihaps Andy, I'm sure you can get it all repaired properly and looking good again soon.

 

All the best,

[andyram]

Sorry to hear about your mihaps Andy, I'm sure you can get it all repaired properly and looking good again soon.

 

All the best,

 

 

Thanks Andy, I think it will need a new station building as the current one is beyond repair. However, with no current bookings on the horizon, there is no rush. I can tackle it during a quiet day in the shop.

[andyram]

Following the layout's "eventful" outing at the Sheffield show last weekend, it is now safely back on display in the shop and has had the scenic extension added. A special running day, using some of the show stock was held last Sunday. Here are some photographs from the day.

STANDARD 3 82001 CROSSES THE BRIDGE OVER THE STREAM AS IT APPROACHES THE STATION.

 

THE STANDARD ARRIVES AT THE STATION WITH A MIXED TRAIN.

 

SHUNTING THE GOODS YARD.

 

 

[Andrew P]

Glad you got it all sorted Andy, it's looking well.

[andyram]

Glad you got it all sorted Andy, it's looking well.

 

 

Still need to sort out the damaged station building Andy.

[andyram]

Thirteen months since its last exhibition outing, Skaleby West is set to make an unexpected return to the exhibition circuit on Sunday. Today I have accepted a late invitation to fill a vacancy at the Burton Rail-Ex at the National Brewery Centre. 

 

 Since its outing at Sheffield last October, Skaleby West has been on display in my shop and A2B Model Railways will have a small stand next to the layout on Sunday. The Burton show is always a nice and friendly event and I am very much looking forward to operating the layout at a show again.

 

 In preparation for the weekend the layout was dismantled and brought home from the shop. Some damage will need repairing part of which was caused by a mishap when bringing the layout into the house this evening whilst trying to negotiate one of our pet cats and some trick or treaters! Some buildings have become detached and some of the trees have shed their leaves.  The whole scene needs a refresh. I plan to spend part of tomorrow repairing and updating  the layout ready for the show.  Sadly, the one building that will not be improved is the station building. The old damage to the canopy remains and it broke in the same place this evening. A quick repair is the best I can do here. A replacement building will need to be sourced at some point.

 

 Whilst disappointed that the issues from tonight have added to the show preparation, I am viewing the work as another way the layout will evolve and develop. I may even alter and add some further cameos ready for Sunday. 

 

 Since its last outing the layout has mainly operated with DCC Sound during its time in the shop. Whilst it is tempting to maintain this for the show, the fact that I only have the one sound fitted loco limits things somewhat. One loco arriving with a two coach train, running round the coaches and departing, may suit the demands of the shop but it won't be appropriate for an exhibition. As a result it is likely that it will be back to analogue control with the LMS Jinty replaced by a roster of Standard 3 and 4 tanks, Ivatt tanks and possible a BR liveried Jinty.

[andyram]

Today saw Skaleby West make its first exhibition appearance in thirteen months with an outing at the Burton Rail-Ex after accepting a late invitation to cover for a late withdrawal. The Burton show is one my favourites and is always an enjoyable and friendly event and I was very much looking forward to it. Exhibiting the layout alongside my A2B Model Railways trade stand was a new experience but the day proved to be very enjoyable.

 

 Things did not get off to the best of starts with the allocated space being much smaller than agreed. A quick relocation at least gave space for the trade stand to be placed alongside the layout, although it still had to be displayed in shortened format with the river bridge section omitted and left in the car. This had not been planned for and I had left the side screen for the station board in the shop which meant there was no divide between the scenic board and the fiddle yard. 

 

 As I moved the trade stand slightly, in order to get everything in, my neighbouring trader was very quick to jump in and say that I couldn't move the table because I would be blocking his access. When I pointed out I was simply trying to get the actual amount of space I had been allocated, his response was  that he was "paying for his stand". Interestingly, he then chose to leave a load of unpacked stock boxes at the rear of the "gap" between our stands thus making access difficult for both of us. He had plenty of room behind and under his stand for storage! Considering I was not going to completely block the access I found his attitude very rude.

 

 After the set up, the layout took a while to get to run smoothly due to having to replace a wire leading from the controller - a job made more difficult because I had left the wire cutters at home. Once connected things ran ok - there were some issues with points not making good connections, but these settled down after a second thorough clean.

 

 Initially the Jinty was deployed on passenger trains with my weathered Ivatt 2 tank handling the freights. The card shunting system was used for the first couple of freights but this was abandoned by my relief operator, Phillip, a regular customer who had kindly agreed to help run the layout whilst I ran the trade stand. As someone who has a liking for all things Southern region, it was no surprise that he located the errant Terrier in a stock box and pressed it into service. He seemed to enjoy himself and ran the layout for much of the day. His help was much appreciated and he had a great manner when chatting with visitors young and old.

 

 When Phillip went for lunch I enjoyed another shunting session and added one of my favourite models, Standard 3 82001, to the roster. This was joined by the ever reliable Midland 3F later in the day. Overall things ran well and the layout attracted more favourable comments despite not looking its best due to the missing river piece and / or side screen to hide the fiddle yard.  Here are some pictures from the day:

A busy moment in the station and yard is captured through the tunnel mouth.

 

The 3F shunts the yard

In fading light the Ivatt 2 prepares to leave with the last train of the day.

 

Overall the day was thoroughly enjoyable and it was nice to have the layout out at an exhibition again. Thanks must go to the organisers for the invite and for all of their help on the day. They did a great job.

 

So what now?

 

Skaleby West is temporarily back in the spare room but will be taken back to the shop later this week to continue its role as the shop display model and test track. There are some items that will need attention. The goods shed will need to be permanently refitted and some small scenic items will need to be reattached after coming off in transit. After 10 exhibition outings over its 7 year life, some of the trees have started to look very bare. One was damaged beyond repair and was removed before the trip to Burton. A replacement will need to be added. These jobs will help to fill a quiet winter afternoon in the shop.

 

At present there are no further exhibition bookings so its immediate future looks to simply be a return to life in semi retirement as the shop display model. In the long term I would like to add further scenic boards to fit in with its current location in the shop, allowing for a longer run. Watch this space!

 

[andyram]

After a couple of years in store, Skaleby West is finally back on display in my A2B Model Railways shop. The layout was removed for safe keeping on the night Boris announced the very first Covid lockdown and has been left in the back of my garage ever since. Finally, I have found the time to remove it and bring it back up to the shop to act as a display piece and a test track.

 

 All its quiet under the spotlights at the moment. In the distance George is checking the bee hive in the cottage garden accompanied by the sound of the woodcutter attending to a dead tree. The stationmaster checks his watch wondering where the next arrival is. Little does he know that it has been delayed. The layout may be connected up, but the track will need a good clean. There also remains another slight problem. When I took the layout away, I also stored the DCC controller in a safe place. So safe that I cannot find it!

 

[andyram]

 

“And about time too” the stationmaster may have been heard to utter after a train is finally seen in Skaleby West platform. The Jinty may be familiar to some after its starring role on the Titfield Thunderbolts’ Great Model Railway Challenge layout. 
 The gentle run over the stream and into this quiet country station may be somewhat different to its journey around the active volcano enroute to the dockside whilst carrying the intrepid explorers to safety. The loco is still carrying the scars from its time in the jungle as can be seen from the marks on the tank side.

 There were no derailments this time. The track around Skaleby West is much more carefully laid than on the tv layout. Then again I did not lay any of the track on the Titfield layout with my work focusing on the scenery.

 One thing today’s arrival did have in common was several interventions from the giant hand in the sky providing further memories of that fateful performance for the likes of Mr Flint.

 In reality, this was a test train from today. With the DCC controller still missing in action, I decided to rig up a temporary arrangement using a Hornby trainset controller. The idea was to see how much work is needed to get the layout back into action. The answer is quite a lot! The Jinty managed very little of the journey without assistance and it is clear some major track cleaning will be needed. Perhaps then a more regular service can resume..

 

[andyram]

This week has seen some work on the layout with track cleaning having taken place and I am pleased to say it has had the desired effect. The WD Jinty was able to complete several shuttles in and out of the station without requiring assistance from the giant hand in the sky. Sadly the camera did not capture any of these trips. 

 

Today saw something a little different arrive at the station. The BR blue liveried class 24 and 25 are not usual visitors to Skaleby West and do not represent a change of interest or era. Both locos are heading for a well known auction site and were posed on the layout for some suitable photographs.

[andyram]

Sid, the long serving stationmaster at Skaleby West, is a stickler for punctuality. He is also a staunch steam man and was less than impressed by the blue invasion at the weekend. I am sure he was having palpitations at the sight of today's visitor. The Harry Needle Railroad liveried Class 20 is a further step forward in era. It was deployed on a maintenance train and a filming contract prior to the planned return of summer preserved steam services.

 

[andyram]

I have a feeling that Sid is not going to be a happy man. Still no sign of steam as the newly painted Class 47 pauses in the platform after a light engine test run up the line. In reality this a promotional photo for the shop's social media channels to highlight some special offers. 

[andyram]

Whilst the rising temperatures has resulted in many preserved railways deciding to cancel trains or substitute diesel for steam, the Skaleby Branch preservation group have pressed ahead with the summer service trains (of course there is less of a heat issue in the shop).

 The weekend saw the first passenger trains for over two years with celebrity WD Jinty 7611 in charge of the first train. The stationmaster was pleased to see a "proper" engine after the recent procession of diesel traction (I did hear him mutter something about lawn mowers at one point!). 

 Unfortunately his pleasure did not last long and the Jinty failed upon arrival at Skaleby West on the first train. The steam enthusiasts will have been relieved that a second engine had been lit up in the morning for test running and this was dispatched up the line to rescue the train. Not the stationmaster though! Sid is a firm Midland man, and so the sight of the GWR Large Prairie was only just preferable to a Class 20. 

 

In reality, the layout was back in use with some passenger trains running in the shop on Sunday. The Jinty did run inconsistently so the GWR tank engine stepped in whilst being photographed for further social media promotion. Since it is one of the current sale items, it is nice to know that it runs faultlessly!

 

Edited July 18, 2022 by andyram

[andyram]

These pictures may not be ones for the purists, but the Skaleby West preservationists decided to repaint one of their preserved wagons into a suitable livery ahead of the upcoming Santa Specials. The vehicle was taken up the line to deliver provisions ahead of the weekend's first festive trains. Since no steam trains were running midweek, the Sentinel was used to haul the service.

 

In reality, I took advantage of a quiet afternoon in the shop to take some publicity photos for the shop's social media pages to promote some new arrivals.

 

[andyram]

"Not more diesels!" the stationmaster uttered as the large logo Class 47 rumbled into the platform this morning on a driver experience turn. Sid has not quite grasped the idea that these services are valuable to any preservation group during the quieter winter period. I am sure he will be much happier when the Santa trains return to the station tomorrow with a steam engine at the head of the service.

 

 

In reality, the loco had not turned a wheel. The Bachmann class 47 was simply placed on the layout for some social media photos to promote items in the shop. I have to admit that the weathering on this particular model is some of the finest I have seen. 

[andyram]

With Santa trains now finished it appears that engineering trains have returned to the Skaleby West branch with a pair of Network Rail liveried vehicles seen in the station today.  In reality this is a social media publicity photo on behalf of the shop.