Gresby - N Gauge Great Central (MS&LR 90s-2000s)

[The_Cuckoo]

Thanks for the reply Simon,

 

I have read that a Razor saw like yours is better than a cutting disc at this particular job, as you say the gap is smaller this way.

 

I will have to add one of these saws to my shopping list.

 

Your layout is looking fantastic, its a real inspiration. Keep up the good work

[MrSimon]

Hello Everybody!

Just a quick note to say... I've finished track-laying


A tiny bit of wiring to do and I'm good to go

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited July 16, 2017 by MrSimon

[1977joey]

Wow Simon, thats some fiddle yard.

 

Amazing work mr, its going to be a masterpiece once you've finished

 

All the best,

Mark

[Lee m22]

Excellent news!

 

That's an impressive fiddle yard too:D What's next then?

 

Lee

[MrSimon]

Thanks Mark and Joey!

 

Most of today has been spent making it work... and earlier this afternoon I managed to run the first train round the outside:

 

[The videos i shot today seem to flash a bit, so if flashing affects you its perhaps best not to watch todays videos of Gresby but there'll be more in the future I'm sure]

 

My TPM model of Swinden Dalesman was given the honour of the first train round, and it will be its last in this livery (I made this probably 10 years ago and really struggled with the livery, so since Bachmann copied my choise of Swinden Dalesman rather than any of the other surviving class 60s in Loadhaul, I'm stripping this and painting it a different colour - hopefully before the AGM)

 

The slave points working well - and the wagons behaving too (really must finish repainting these)

 

The first passenger train to run on the outer track

 

The first Loco-Hauled passenger train - I hadn't stuck the roofs on the other coaches in this train

 

I've almost wired the outer fiddle yard, all i need to do is build my panel and that shouldn't be too hard... Lots to do!

 

Simon

[bmthtrains - David]

Great to see the videos - really gives a sense of the whole layout, really is quite long when you see it in that panning shot. 37 in RR looks good too - reminds me of an inspirational visit to Crewe when I was about 13, saw them doing the Chester run, and really cemented that livery (and that era for that matter) in my mind.

 

David

[MrSimon]

Thanks David - the scenic bit of the layout is 9'6 long, but looks longer because it is only 12" wide.

 

I just missed the 31s and 37s in the North West (I was at uni in Preston when FNW used a pair of 31s and four MK2s on two blackpool trains) but have liked the livery since getting a Farish 'Wigan Pier' when it was first released. Being an East Midlander loco hauled was exotic for me growing up, so I like to have it on Gresby, even though it shouldn't really be there! There used to be a brilliant fotopic site of someone who had been photographing trains all through the 80s and 90s in the North West and East Midlands - its influenced quite a lot of the stock choices I've made in the last 6 years

 

I had a play with my FL dummy 86 today while the layout was up... does yours have greeny yellow ends? and does it stay coupled? I've gt a few years to go before i need it to run well but I can see its going to need some work

 

So the tracks laid and the the electris are getting there; guess i don't have an excuse to put off the buildings anymore. Ho hum!

 

Simon.

[shanks522]

Really coming together nicely Simon, Video's looking good. wish i'd done the slave point on my layout, very clever indeed.

 

Graham.

[Lee m22]

Great to see the videos!

 

Really can't wait to see this in the flesh at the AGM

 

Lee

[Gloucester Road]

Great progress. Nice videos.

[Kris]

I use a saw like this:

 

I've seen them in the model shops that sell tools but I've thrown the pack away and can't remember who makes them :-(

 

Looks like the Expo version. http://www.anticsonline.co.uk/534_1_22522.html

[kandc_au]

I bought one like that while in the UK last year.

It was by Excel (US) Paid GBP3.20.

Pretty sure I picked it up at one of the numerous shows I attended...How I wish we were still there!

 

Khris

[Joseph_Pestell]

Hi Jason,

 

I use a saw like this:

 

I've seen them in the model shops that sell tools but I've thrown the pack away and can't remember who makes them :-( I did a test with a grinder/cutting disc and found the gap too big. This saw is really thin so it makes a thin gap, but cut slowly or you might break the track (which I've done loads of times)

 

Hope that helps

 

Simon

When using a razor saw, you really want to be holding down the track with a wood block slotted to grip the rails. Certainly used to be possible to buy such blocks but not difficult to make your own.

[MrSimon]

Thanks for your comments guys - its good to get the layout up every so often, especially if theres progress! I think the next biggie will be getting sections in and being able to operate both lines at once...

 

Really coming together nicely Simon, Video's looking good. wish i'd done the slave point on my layout, very clever indeed.

 

Graham.

 

Thanks Graham - after looking at your photo-tour of Smithdown road I can see how they'd be useful, but at the same time on such a complicated layout I think I'd be more sure I wasn't headed for a collision if I had to set all the points!

 

The ones I laid this time need a bit of adjustment as I've been loosing a few wagons down the gaps (mostly clams and VGAs) so maybe I need to somehow graft on a bit point blade on

 

Looks like the Expo version. http://www.anticsonl...34_1_22522.html

 

Yep thats the one, I couldn't remember the brand name; only that it probably had yellow writing on the packet which might have been the least helpfull thing I've put online to date

 

When using a razor saw, you really want to be holding down the track with a wood block slotted to grip the rails. Certainly used to be possible to buy such blocks but not difficult to make your own.

 

Hi Joseph,

 

Thats a really good idea - I broke some board joins when I first laid it and never stopped to think there would be a tool to help so I relaid it all and then cut really slowly and used my fingers to brace it... I'll know for next time though!

 

Wiring night tonight

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

Progress

The first baseboard wired* :


*and will be completely wired when the second plug comes and I can add the rest of the wires to the point motors and signals I've not fitted/started yet... but its a start - and I know where all the wires go and where they all need to plug in to when I make the control panel.

40 wires down, 200 to go

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited July 16, 2017 by MrSimon

[Lee m22]

Nice progress Simon!

 

All looking very neat and well planned

 

Lee

[Southernboy]

Lovely to see some videos Mr Simon, it all looks so good - especially with your nice, slow, realistic running.

My favourite of course is the final shot (directly facing the viaduct)

 

Great stuff!

[MrSimon]

Hehe thanks Mark, it photo's better directly on or slightly diagonal - must be because the edges don't show!

Today I've been a busy bee doing the wiring - board 3a (the sidings board) is fully wired and so is the board I started the other night:


I need a few more terminal blocks and I can get the other end board done tomorrow.

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited July 16, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

Another evening stabbing and burning my fingers has resulted in another board being fully wired:


This is the hill board. I've now only got two boards left to wire (and a the panel to make) but I'm bored of wiring now so I'll have a few days off it

Instead I'll crack on with the scenery this weekend and do some more work on the stock. Speaking of which, two more arrivals today:


Bit of weathering and a load and they'll be grand.

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited July 16, 2017 by MrSimon

[Kris]

Your wiring looks to be coming on very well Simon.

[MrSimon]

Thanks Kris! I'm not ever-so good at wiring so I thought if I made it tidy it was bound to work...

Today I decided to leave the wiring and do some scenery instead. Unfortunately the fun bits (i.e. making more hill and grass and ballasty stuff) need to wait for some largish jobs to be done. These are the tunnel lining and the other bridges at the station.

So this morning I went out to the shed with the materials to make the tunnel lining... and started work on the bridges

I made the basic shape and then filed some cross beams:


Then I added the smaller details:


All I need to do now is paint it and make some of those 'feet things' that will go between the bottom of the bridge and the brick piers. Tomorrow I'll make the other bridge, which will match the pair at the other end of the station.

I felt a little bad about chickenning out of the tunnel lining today, so I did the next best thing and painted the hill brown:


The eagle eyed amounst you will notice that I've missed a bit... I left the bit that will get filler on it when I finish the hill - which I can do if I ever line the tunnel out.

One last bit of progress today; the car lot stores:


Just a bit of weathering and I'll be ready to finish off the car lot

Lots to do!

Simon - on page 19!

Edited July 16, 2017 by MrSimon

[Pete Mc]

Hi,just read the whole thread from start to finish over the last few nights and have to say that I'm properly impressed with what you've done up to press.

As I am also modelling in n gauge,I have to share your sentiments on wiring.I have just bought a Digitrax DCS51 Zephyr dcc set and am doing the wiring for that.I can onlyanage about an hour and a half a time tops because its such a dull job.Still,when its done I can have a good play as long as it all goes well and doesn't give me too many headaches.

Pete

[millerhillboy]

car lot stores portakabin looks superb...nice work, all these little things add up to a great whole.

[MrSimon]

Hi,just read the whole thread from start to finish over the last few nights and have to say that I'm properly impressed with what you've done up to press.

As I am also modelling in n gauge,I have to share your sentiments on wiring.I have just bought a Digitrax DCS51 Zephyr dcc set and am doing the wiring for that.I can onlyanage about an hour and a half a time tops because its such a dull job.Still,when its done I can have a good play as long as it all goes well and doesn't give me too many headaches.

Pete

Hi Pete,

 

There's commitment reading the whole thread! There's still plenty of layout left to build so I'm hoping it'll be going for a while yet - I have a love hate relationshp with the wiring; my main problem is everything is loose or drying on the main boards so I can put them on their side to wire them, and its hard to do from underneath - hence the procrastinating... its the running sessions at the end of it (and the exhbition) that are keeping me going when I could just be playing with grass!

 

 

 

 

car lot stores portakabin looks superb...nice work, all these little things add up to a great whole.

Thanks Millerhillboy, I love the small details - its almost a shame theres so much layout to fill; they'll all get lost!

 

Hello Everybody!

 

After a lot of fettling I got the second bridge to fit and be the right shape - what a pain! Next time its parrallel sided bridges all the way:

 

 

I'd forgotten how long it took me to do the other two bridges, and like a true proffessional I'd forgotten to write down what I'd used, so I had to sort of guess by offering bits of plasticard up to the ready painted and installed station briges - I'm sure it won't be too noticeable though

 

I really want to get them fitted by the end of the week, but they're taking so much painting - on the smaller bridge the paint seemed to come away with the second coat. I reckon I must have over thinned it and its acted like stripper - but I'll use it as a basis for rust.

 

Tonight I made a start on the tunnel lining and remembered exactly why I'd been putting it off. The first bit went on OK:

 

The problem came with the second section... the tunnel goes away in a curve so I decided to try making the first few inches of the tunnel curved, so it looked OK, and this is where it got difficult:

 

I think I might just make it a box passed the first bit and paint it all black... I've got a hill to make!

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited July 16, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello Everybody!

This evening I dashed out to the shed with the sole intention of finishing off the tunnel before I did anything else... luckily I'm a world champion procrastinator so I painted some bits of baseboard side just to check I definitely wanted it black after having made my mind up 18 months ago:

 

To give the layout the look of just being a foot wide slice of town I decided to paint the sides of buildings that have been cut through black too - I quite like the effect (which will look better when the rest is done.

The job partly out of the way I turned my attention to the tunnel... and built the top half of my control panel:


This part bridges the fiddle yard tracks, with the wires passing up from sockets underneath. The box bit hinges forwards for wiring etc.

If it hadn't started to rain I would have started painting stock at this point, so instead I set to work on the tunnel lining. With the aid of my longest coach I set about trimming the lining I made yesterday until the coach didn't catch it... it ended up shorter than the first section in post #454, so I built a new - one sided - second section, which I glue in place and cut to length. This was also pretty short so I added a third section and carried that out to the backscene:


There'll be a removable box over the rest of the tunnel, painted black so its dark. It doesn't look too bad from the front:


The white bits are for the cable run. I'll paint it tomorrow when the cement's dried. Hopefully it'll be dark enough in there to not see the end of the curved wall.

Lots to do!

Simon

Edited July 16, 2017 by MrSimon