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

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

Bit of a leap forward this week, I nipped down the hardware store and got some bolts and screws so I could fasten the wires out the way (so I can get the point mechanisms built so I can get the street level bits of the baseboard fitted so I can get the wiring done…).  It’s a very circular build 🤷🏼‍♂️.

 

Under the board is currently ugly chaos…but I’ll get that sorted!

 

This weekend I worked on the first Gresby to Unitrack transition board, it took a while to widen the track to meet the spacing of the viaduct smoothly - I didn’t want sharp corners or bumps.  I’m glad I had 6” to play with though:

 

I’m going to ballast the bits of Peco track before I cut the board join to try to make sure it doesn’t misalign!  

 

Finally this evening I was able to run a train off the layout onto the viaduct.  It’s the same loco that I used for the first train on old Gresby back in 2022 (except I finally got it finished)…

 

So there we are - a train has run… now to finish off and run a load more!

 

Lots to do

Simon

Edited March 26, 2023 by MrSimon
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[PaulCheffus]

Hi

 

These might be useful for the board joints

https://www.modeltech.uk/
 

Cheers

 

Paul

[MrSimon]

Thanks Paul, I’ll keep them in mind for the next module 😀

Hello everybody!  As I’d laid and soldered the track already on this join I pressed on with the first pass at ballasting, which was mainly neat glue between/around the tracks with some ballast sprinkled on top… it’s kinda load bearing and worked well on original Gresby. Once it had cured for a week I cut it through with the razor saw:

 

The ballast will be tidied when I come to do the main ballasting.

 

I made a point operating mechanism - the rod in the yellow box locks the point in the main direction it will be in while I sort out the rest of the mechanism (which will attach using the hole on the right - whether rod in tube or servo/motor powered).   This is so I can use the layout to run through without the points changing under a train.

 

Here it is in place, I couldn’t fit the first bit of scenery without it installed.  It’s currently just glued but I’ll fit a pair of screws as back-up and then sort out the wiring to be out of the way.

 

Here’s a job I haven’t done since 2012 - painting road markings!  I know there’s transfers these days but I’m only doing a short stretch with nothing complicated…

 

The bridge and road in place, you can see the point and mechanism hard up against the edge of the bridge.  Next up is to trim the left of the road to shape and form the ditches and retaining walls, then find and attach the sky…

 

Lots to do!

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

I’ve had a burst of energy and over a rainy long weekend have got all but 2” of track laid!  It’s been a while but I’ve stared at the layout really hard over the last year…

 

Firstly, I cut another hole in the baseboard:

 

Icecream vans as switches turned out to be a non-starter, but a removable hatch turned out to be just the thing.  
 

After I fitted the three switches that go in this little cubby I removed the temporary track-testing wiring and properly wired it up:

 

Heres all the wiring on the left finished.  To do the right I had to make and fit the third point mechanism, find and fit the rest of the baseboard, and lay some the track over the board join.  It’s now complete and I can run trains from one end to the other.

 

Heres the current state, time for the scenery…

 

Lots to do

Simon

[MrSimon]

Hello everybody!

 

I skived the gym tonight and messed around on the bedroom floor instead… 

 

The first time I made a loop with the viaduct so I could test the layout with whatever I had to hand…

 

Obviously I recorded it for you…

 

What I found is I need to sort some small risers to bring viaduct about 1cm higher so the track can be as level as possible. I also need to widen the hole in the baseboard where the back track comes in on the left….

These eclectic passenger trains were all fine/fine-ish, I need to test more freight…

 

Lots to do! Everything is going to hurt in the morning!!

Simon

[DavidMcKenzie]

Hi Simon, 

 

I hope you are well, the interloper (Japanese?) caught me by surprise whilst watching that😂. I don't know if it was something that has ever seen on the great central line, but that's the joy of rule 1 👍.

 

The view with the road and bridge shows how you have already managed to incorporate a lot of interest into the space and I am sure that will only get better as the scenic work progresses. 

 

All the best,

Dave 

[MrSimon]

Thanks Dave!  The scenery is the bit I’m looking forward to - the plan is for two or three different cameos on the board, it’s the bit I’ve been looking forward to 😁

 

It’s widely known that BR tested the Hello Kitty Shinkansen on the surviving section of the Great Central before deciding on getting centre cars for the class 144s instead 😉😉

 

it’s quite a handy thing to test clearances with being quite wide with long cars and slightly coarser wheels.  Also it’s quite fun and was at the front of the cupboard!

 

Cheers

Simon