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

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

Lots done over the last few weeks, but not many photos and no posts - I've got two weekends left until the Christmas blockade so I'm trying to finish off everything I need to take up for fitting.

 

Firstly, after much prevaricating I built the concrete walls of the car park:

 

 

It's just mounting board with the edges filed smooth.  The dark red brick has since gone, it wasn't a successful experiment.

 

The sides were then painted concrete coloured and the carpark was glued together.  I keep finding bits I've missed.  I've been building the street side of the centre over the last few weeks, I didn't take any pictures while I built it (I built it much the same way as the telephone exchange) but it's becoming a bit more photogenic now so it will start to appear more over the next few weeks.

 

I've also been working on finishing the goods shed.

 

Everything structural is finished expect maybe for some security cameras/lights.

 

The graffiti and where it's been painted over are mainly to hide the shaky blue brick lines, but the sprayers in Gresby are certainly upping their game!  It needs toning back slightly and there'll be a bush or two in front of it, but I'm happy with how it's turned out.  

 

"Go high or go home" is/was painted high up on one of the buildings near where the Metropolitan crosses the WCML/Bakerloo, I could never work out how it got so high up.

 

More pics tomorrow!

Simon

Edited December 2, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

Today I got the powders out and attacked a few things on the desk:

 

One of my only Warley purchases now looks like it's been driven around.  The will go next to the Network Rail van.

 

Yesterday I gave the garage roof a long awaited (5 years) second coat of paint, and today it got caught up in the weathering frenzy.  I think this building is now ready to fit.

 

I also knocked back the graffiti and the lurid orange brickwork.  I must remember to go over the station building with some brown powders before I fit it (I must remember to read this before I finish the station building)

 

Finally today here's a picture of the front of the shopping centre:

 

These are the floors above the main store front, I need to do the roof and the the ground floor then it can be stuck on to the rest of the shopping centre and finished off enough to fit onto the layout.

 

I aught to cover up that bit of wonky brickwork too...

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited December 3, 2017 by MrSimon

[jonas]

Awesome as ever mate. It’s always a treat to see this thread updated!

[MrSimon]

Thanks Jonas!

 

I've been having a bit of trouble getting decent pictures in the rubbish light winter light, so updates have been a bit sparse compared to the amount of modelling I've been doing

 

If the sun comes out at all next weekend I'll try for more

 

Cheers

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

I'm still finishing bits off in time for Christmas works, the shopping centre is pretty much finished (and just waiting for some light so I can show you what I've been up to.

 

This morning some etched buffer stops came, I need one for the fuel unloading siding and one for the stub of siding infront of the fridge mountain.

 

I decided to start with the GC/LNER one, it soldered up really easily - but I think I need something better to solder on!

 

There were some spare parts, but as I was going to wrestle it onto a bit of old set track I thought I'd be ok to leave them out...

 

Here it is in place, just needs painting, weathering, and hiding in a bush

 

Still plenty to do, and I've started picking out stock for to take up with me, any requests?

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

I tried for close-ups of the shopping centre today and was thwarted by the light again.  Stupid rain.

 

Here's a show of the whole centre, I haven't stuck the front section on yet, but I will as soon as I finish the shop front.  The white section on the top is the template for the small block of flats that's going on top (which'll stay down here to build next year).  As soon as I've stuck the front on I'll give the whole thing a wash of weathering to knock back the bright orange - then I need to wrap it up for the trip north next week.

 

I soldered together the second buffer stop, this one's a LMS/BR standard buffer stop for the end of the fuel road.  I've already painted it but I won't glue it together until I fit it to the layout.

 

I also finished the other buffer stop:

 

I think it needs some more weeds/clutter, but not too much (I don't want to hide too much of the fridge mountain!

 

So far the stock selected is mostly engineers traffic; but there'll be a tray of DMUs coming too - all the ones I've never run on the layout!

 

Cheers

Simon

[grahame]

Nice progress.

 

Whose are the rail buffer stop kits? They look very good.

 

G

[danstercivicman]

Really good skills especially in n!

[PaulCheffus]

Nice progress.

 

Whose are the rail buffer stop kits? They look very good.

 

G

Hi

 

They look like the 2mm SA buffer stops to me. They can be added by either soldering to the Peco code 55 rail or gluing. I replaced all my Peco ones when these became available

 

http://2mm.org.uk/products/shops.php?shop_num=1

 

Items 1-070 - 1-089 show the range so far

 

Cheers

 

Paul

Edited December 18, 2017 by PaulCheffus

[MrSimon]

Thanks guys!

 

The buffers are indeed from the 2mm Scale Association - they solder together really easily (I got the GC/LNER one to go in the bushes and a BR/LMS one for the fuel road).

 

I've got done rail and sleepers from when I dabbled in 2mm before so I might see about getting something small and plank-ish running next year!

 

I've cleared out my memory card and got fresh batteries packed already so there'll be plenty of pictures of the Christmas blockade and stock testing (playing)

 

Cheers

Simon

[Les1952]

 

Gresby now back in Newark awaiting Mr Simon arriving to erect it and work on it, though firstly "Croft Spa" will need carrying out to the conservatory to make room. "A Pointless Little Roundy Roundy" has gone back to the Bingham Clubroom for Christmas, also to make space.

 

Les (dad)

[MrSimon]

Hello Everybody!

 

Last night I finished building the front of the shopping centre, then I fitted it and toned the brick colour down.  The whole shopping centre is safely wrapped and packed away:

 

 

Tonight I finished my last bit of painting for this years building of buildings:

 

The contents of this skip - old fridge doors and some salad drawers.  

 

All the small bits are all packed ready to go, I just need to wrap up the terrace, garage, goods shed and old yard, as well as the paints, tools and materials I'll need - can't steal EVERYTHING from the Dad's shed!

 

The stock is selected and ready to go, it includes things I don't think I've shown before - definitely two trains that have never run on Gresby, and engines that I don't think I've run either (although I can pretty much guarantee I'm not taking the right engine for all the trains, they all need to run in before they get detailed).

 

Can't wait!

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

I haven't just been playing trains...   

 

First thing I did yesterday was to test that the shopping centre and the terrace that goes behind it fits:

 

 

(I've been trying to get a picture of this for ages back home but so far this is the only one that's worked)

 

They're snug but ok.  Once they were in place (but not fitted fitted yet) I noticed that I hadn't fitted any of the coping stones... Quick dash down to the model shop and I had the right size of evergreen and got to it. 

 

 

These have now been painted (on boards two and three, when I put up board one once I'd finished panting I realised this board didn't have them on either, so guess what I'm doing later?!?)

 

I'll try and take a better picture of them painted later.

 

 

The red buffers are fitted in place and will stop wagons... 

 

I've also started sticking the bits of trackside/embankment in place, but didn't get a great picture... but I will!

 

Obviously it came time to have a slight play.

 

Slight disappointment that my 108 doesn't work.  I think I've got a spare 101 motor/bogie I can swap it for if they're interchangeable.

 

The next failure was the 47145.  After a long (7 year) repaint it's got a split gear.  It moved enough to get the train round into the siding, but that was it for now (I'll have a look at it later)

 

After doing a lot of laps to run in the class 47s duties will be taken over by the class 58 (I bought it two years ago and it's sat in a drawer since then)

 

I need to do some work on the 4-wheelers to get them to behave a bit more on the inner curve (I think longer    couplings on them.  Stupid set-track)

 

These got their first run, they're very light so a bit sensitive on the track, but will go round the inner curves which was a bonus - time to crack on with the rest of the train!

 

This 156 won't run round the inner track at all, but some do, it's strange.  

 

Plenty more to do today, I want to get the foundations for the goods yard built and maybe some of the sections of scenery fitted down properly so I can concentrate on playing...

 

Lots to do!

Simon 

[Freight Connection]

Nice variety on the buffer stops Simon, multi-storey looks really good in place too.

 

Just had a good browse through your workbench thread, don't know how i'd missed it before

 

Very nice work, thanks for posting.

 

Regards - Steve

[MrSimon]

Thanks Steve!  I need to finish putting the pictures back on my workbench thread - I was on role until the new iOS wasn't compatible with the bulk uploader so I've sort of ground to a halt...

 

I didn't want three identical buffers, the over grown one at the back is the oldest from the original GC goods shed; the next one is from when the fuel road was put in by BR in the 60s and the red one is a more modern  replacement - maybe the old one got hit by a lorry or something?

 

 

Out in the shed it's all got a bit messy.  I can't find any impact adhesive so I'm trying it with a bottle of PVA.  It's messy, but smells better.

 

I cut out the formers to support the goods yard using scraps and whatever I could find.  Once it was drying I went back into the house and opened two amazon boxes which would have been perfect... 

 

Here's the goods shed resting in place to check I still like it,

 

And the rest of it.  I didn't realise I cut the templates so close to the edge of the wooden trackbed, I could have done with another 5mm if I'm honest.

 

It then got too messy to use the camera

 

 

With the inner line closed I still ran the outer for a bit while things were setting, but that too has not closed because only the PVA bottle was heavy enough to weigh down between the two sections.  I found this class 37 in the wardrobe, I'm pretty sure it's mine but I don't remember it.  I'm having a cull of late-night ebay purchases in the new year, so keep your eyes out for a load of 101s!  The OBA/OCA/etcs have never run on Gresby; I was very surprised that they would go round the curves on the inner line (but won't go out of one or two of the sidings, which is OK).

 

That's all setting now, and I managed to get some actual pictures of the bit I got stuck down yesterday:

 

 

 

The landrover isn't stuck down yet, I'm still thinking where's best for it to go.

 

 

There's lots to do and not long left to do it!  Bonus news though: I fixed the class 47 (it's not an actual fix, I cut the split gear off the axle)

 

Simon

Edited December 24, 2017 by MrSimon

[Les1952]

It isn't just Mr Simon's modern trains that have been on Gresby today.  I'm working on an article and needed to pose a few things for it.  Those who read Mr Simon's workbench may recognise these-

 

 

I don't think Simon had really clocked the outside steampipes on the V2.  What looks like a driveshaft is a set of wires leading to the tender-mounted chip.  Must get round to painting the brass pickup strip on the K3.

 

Les

 

Apart from a couple of quick visits I've largely kept out of Mr Simon's way - though I did manage to accidently shut him in the shed by turning the turnbuckle on the outside of the door......

Edited December 24, 2017 by Les1952

[MrSimon]

 

Merry Christmas everybody

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello Everybody!

 

Hope you all had a great Christmas day - mine was great, plenty to drink

 

Santa bought me this, I've got it in the van train - it seemed to help the longer vans get round the inner line curve, which is a bonus!  Santa also bought be a KFA, but she couldn't remember which one...

 

Last night before bed I got the shopping centre stuck down, I had to quickly patch paint the floor where I hadn't painted the concrete colour far enough, this afternoon I had to tone down the colour I painted it before I could stick the loading dock down.  The 170 has been doing some laps, I realised I should have brought the CT one up instead as I don't think that's ever run except for some time on the wheel cleaner after I weathered it.

 

Also running in today was this 156, these were pretty regular when I used to get the train to Nottingham when I was at school.  It runs on the outer line but I've not tried it on the inner line yet.

 

This isn't running in, but who doesn't love a TPE 158?

 

Cheers

Simon

Edited December 25, 2017 by MrSimon

[Les1952]

The train you used to get to Nottingham is still a class 156 mostly, though it does run a lot more frequently than it used to...

 

Les

[millerhillboy]

Goods shed looks spot on to me, a nice little diorama.

[MrSimon]

Thanks Dad, I know that CT/EMT still uses class 156s.

 

 

Hello Everybody!

 

Last night I got the last of the old trackbed sections stuck down on the embankment:

 

I'd left a space for a signal (see bald spot).  I don't know why I'd have a signal here so I'm not sure what I've done that for - it's even deliberate because the trunking has gone down that far and stops deliberately (the main trunking goes down the other side...  maybe it's a shunt signal facing toward the station?  Does anyone know what I was thinking?!?

 

This evening I stuck the goods shed down:

 

 

I've bedded it in and I'll plant the small bushes I brought up tomorrow, but the bi behind the mainline is pretty much done.

 

 

I brought this train up because I wanted to bring something up that I knew ran well;  I don't think these have run since I took half finished Gresby out in 2012 so I thought it would be good to try it out on both lines.  I'm pretty sure I only used it on the inner track last time; I can't remember if that was because other trains wouldn't go round the inner track and I didn't have enough stock.  They need finishing off and weathering, and I need to weather the class 60 (once I've worked out which end should be the front.) 

 

In terms of things left to do this trip, I still need to do a bit of surgery on the viaduct before I stick down the terrace and the garage, and then fit the fences on the mainline side of the fuel road, fit the last buffer stop, fit a load of other small details, and sort out the fridge mountain and retaining wall.

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

Edited December 25, 2017 by MrSimon

[MrSimon]

Goods shed looks spot on to me, a nice little diorama.

 

Thanks MHB!  I'm pleased with how it's turned out - I was a little worried the graffiti would be overpowering, but it works well.

 

Merry Christmas 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Happy Boxing Day Everybody!

 

Up early and into the shed this morning, loads of work waiting for me on the coping stones.  Before being able to start that I had to do some work to properly stick down the side of the viaduct.  I couldn't get it dead flush so I had to do a bit of painting down the side.  I fitted the coping stones on the normal walls and then spent about an hour filing the larger stones into shape while a bit of running in happened:

 

 

The RMC hoppers have had a good few laps and the 60s that have been running with them have performed faultlessly whichever end is at the front - so I can detail whichever end I want, which is a nice change...

 

These had a good run too, I tried them on the outer track but it wasn't a success.  I need to do a bit more work on the fiddle yard but they ran faultlessly on the front of the layout.

 

Once the cement had set I painted them.  That's painted them with Humbrol 110 (so I don't forget later... but there will be a test)

 

 

It all looks much better now they're all an actual stone colour.

 

Over at the other end I got the last of the goods yard stuck down: the Fridge Mountain!  I'll take some better pictures later.  I haven't fully bedded it in yet - I had to paper over a hole in the baseboard right where I needed to ballast, and then build the last bit of trunking.

 

I also stuck on the retaining wall and then made another retaining wall, it just needs painting (the 'soil' is currently drying) and some grass growing on the verge and it'll be done on this side.

 

The last job I've been doing today is adding the security fencing down the side of the fuel line.  Note the slight join where I thought I'd used 8ft high fencing last year... The fencing all needs a coat of paint, it's a bit too shiny shiny for me.

 

I shot some bits of video earlier, they weren't great though (obviously I'll show you anyway...)

 

Lots to do!

 

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody,

Just a few more shots to finish off the day:



I got the terrace and the garage glued in place, they both fit perfectly (although I had a massive panic that this mornings work on the viaduct had changed the shape slightly because the terrace wouldn't go in, I was trying to push it in backwards...) Here they are roughly from where the multistory is.  

 

I think the next job might be the platform, it's a bit wavy and not very strong and its warped a bit at the ends which catches some trains as they go past.  I've got the platform building pretty much finished at home...


Here's the street from above showing that it's not wasted detail


And here's a slightly dodgy picture I took on my phone of the front of the garage.


I painted, weathered and planted the retaining wall, I just need to finish off the bits that go trackside and then I'll be able to replant the massive tree that's been getting in my way for months at home (another mobile phone picture)

Finally I got all (all but three panels) of the fence stuck down and painted:


It's one of those colours that's pretty much invisible, so I'm sure we'll all e slashing open our knuckles on it for years to come. Such fun!

Just some last bits of painting and detailing to go then that's it for another Christmas blockade.

Simon

Edited December 26, 2017 by MrSimon

[deltic9014]

Hello everybody,

 

Just a few more shots to finish off the day:

 

SAM_1391.JPG

 

I got the terrace and the garage glued in place, they both fit perfectly (although I had a massive panic that this mornings work on the viaduct had changed the shape slightly because the terrace wouldn't go in, I was trying to push it in backwards...) Here they are roughly from where the multistory is.  

 

I think the next job might be the platform, it's a bit wavy and not very strong and its warped a bit at the ends which catches some trains as they go past.  I've got the platform building pretty much finished at home...

 

SAM_1392.JPG

Here's the street from above showing that it's not wasted detail

 

A634BAEE-8758-4A96-8BF1-71BBC2F0CAAF.jpeg

And here's a slightly dodgy picture I took on my phone of the front of the garage.

 

5D1FF2CB-66A3-446A-AF2A-F6B162FEF857.jpeg

I painted, weathered and planted the retaining wall, I just need to finish off the bits that go trackside and then I'll be able to replant the massive tree that's been getting in my way for months at home (another mobile phone picture)

 

Finally I got all (all but three panels) of the fence stuck down and painted:

 

SAM_1393.JPG

It's one of those colours that's pretty much invisible, so I'm sure we'll all e slashing open our knuckles on it for years to come. Such fun!

 

Just some last bits of painting and detailing to go then that's it for another Christmas blockade.

 

Simon

Nice work Simon. I thought the shot of the garage was a real garage at first. Looking forward to more....