Deneside - BR North Eastern Region

[Zomboid]

A bus *under* a bridge?

It's as though you're mocking something...

[stevescan]

Excellent work Brian.

[Brian D]

A bus *under* a bridge?

It's as though you're mocking something...

Yep - it's definitely a mock up.

Seriously, I was just checking the headroom on the nearer viaduct.  I doubt a double decker would be allowed - low bridge signs needed in the fulness of time.

[Brian D]

Excellent work Brian.

Thanks for looking in stevescan.  I suspect however that even the dodgy camera phone pics flatter my work.

Regards,

Brian.

[Brian D]

Nothing much to report on the modelling front other than two large sheets of card have been acquired to clad the main line viaduct - more details in due course.

 

In the meantime, as I mentioned in Early Risers, a visit was made to the Bluebell Railway today by way of an early Birthday treat.  Here are a few pics.

 

Firstly, our train approaches Horstead Keynes station (we could not get parked at Sheffield Park, the primary car park was full and the overflow car park locked, we later learned possibly flooded).

 

 

I was very pleased to see the Standard 5, a great looking loco (and I've got a weathered Bachmann version), at the head of our train.  Here it is running round at East Grinstead.

 

 

We travelled back to Sheffield Park and, of course, had to wait for the passing train to arrive and clear the single line.  Here it is arriving at Horstead Keynes.

 

 

A showery day but we had a good time.

 

Regards,

Brian.

[Brian D]

Well, today I am another year older though probably no wiser.  Anyway, my Birthday pressie from Mrs D was duly unwrapped and tried and tested on the layout.  The Q6 is well up to Hornby's latest high standards and looks absolutely smashing IMHO.  It looked even better I thought when I hung a few hoppers on the back, a classic late 50s early 60s formation that I recall from my spotting days in County Durham. OMG. Is it that long ago?

 

Anyway, here is the Q6 "enactment" on the incomplete layout.  Apologies in advance for the dodgy phone pics lifted as best as I can manage using Photo Shop Elements.

 

Firstly, arriving from a nearby colliery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The station pilot having removed the hoppers, it is now being turned.

 

 

Now shown reattached to its train and departing.

 

 

 

 

 

I hope I haven't bored you but I just love a Q6.

 

Regards,

Brian.

 

 

[danstercivicman]

Brilliant stuff your layout is inspired! Love the Q6!

[jukebox]

Very nice - esp. the 5th shot. Lots of weathering in your future, I'm sure.

 

(and a happy birthday to you!)

[Les1952]

You must have some right old gradients with only six hoppers behind a Q6.  They were allowed more than that up to Consett...

 

Seriously, looks good.  I've a late crested one coming to look pretty in the shed on "No Place".

 

Many happy whatsits of the thingummy.

 

Les

[tom shaw]

Happy Q6 day Brian

 

Tom

[Brian D]

Brilliant stuff your layout is inspired! Love the Q6!

 

That is so very kind of you to say so.  The reallity is probably improved by the dodgy pics (low pixels demanded by RMWeb).

 

Very nice - esp. the 5th shot. Lots of weathering in your future, I'm sure.

 

(and a happy birthday to you!)

 

Weathering could be the bane of my life at some point.  Thanks for your good wishes.  Birthday celebrations somewhat diminished by the football result.

 

You must have some right old gradients with only six hoppers behind a Q6.  They were allowed more than that up to Consett...

 

Seriously, looks good.  I've a late crested one coming to look pretty in the shed on "No Place".

 

Many happy whatsits of the thingummy.

 

Les

 

Hi Les

1 in 40 gradients will connect the main line to the fiddle yard (up) and the branch (down) so very steep in prototype terms and more hoppers will be added but I can only accomodate perhaps 2 or 3 more in the train.

It's a lovely runner and needs a "run and a load" but will also look good in your shed.

Thanks for your good wishes,

Best regards,

Brian

[Brian D]

Happy Q6 day Brian

 

Tom

 

Thanks very much Tom.  Looking forward to seeing your modified Q6s on your layout.

Regards,

Brian.

Edited June 27, 2016 by Brian D

[Two_sugars]

I can't ever recall seeing a clean Q6  . . They were all absolutely HACKY! . . and so were the 21t hoppers . . usually about 35 -40.

 

 

John

[Les1952]

I think a Q6 without a banker was allowed 8 loaded 21-tonners up to Consett (1 in 42 at Beamish) so 2 more would be about right if full.

 

All the very best

Les

[emt_911]

Happy birthday Brian.

 

More excellent work and the photos are inspiring

[jukebox]

I think a Q6 without a banker was allowed 8 loaded 21-tonners up to Consett (1 in 42 at Beamish) so 2 more would be about right if full.

 

All the very best

Les

 

 

If you need to add some icing to your birthday cake, Brian, they are on sale now for from £9 Liverpool (£26 if you buy 3!).

 

http://www.ehattons.com/164259/Hornby_R6726_21_ton_hopper_E303821_in_BR_grey/StockDetail.aspx

 

I *might* know this because of the lure of a rake of them behind a K1 was too much for me to resist     (curse the RMWeb bargain hunter's thread!)

 

Scott

[Brian D]

If you need to add some icing to your birthday cake, Brian, they are on sale now for from £9 Liverpool (£26 if you buy 3!).

 

http://www.ehattons.com/164259/Hornby_R6726_21_ton_hopper_E303821_in_BR_grey/StockDetail.aspx

 

I *might* know this because of the lure of a rake of them behind a K1 was too much for me to resist     (curse the RMWeb bargain hunter's thread!)

 

Scott

 

Oh dear.  You have led me into temptation as they say in some book or other

There may well be an order on its way soon.

Thanks for the tip off.

Regards,

Brian.

PS So when are you getting your Q6 then (you already have the train to hook onto it it seems)

[jukebox]

It is a tempting sight, as are Hornby's O1 and Heljan's O2 - and that would be the order I'd be interested in acquiring them, at the right price.  I'm rather loco'd up right now - and really would like to see someone tackle the J27 - so I tend to hold back until I see them on sale.  For example, I love the K1, but not at >£100, so grabbed that off Kernow for under £80 a few months back (eHattons still has a similar deal, and I *almost* grabbed a second from them, but exercised rare restraint!).  I've got another 12 months (at least) before I will be running trains, so there's no rush.

 

All in all, those of us with an NE bent are in a very fruitful times. :-)

 

Scott

[Brian D]

Not much progress to report - family stuff keeps intervening.  However, I did make a small purchase as suggested by jukebox so I now have an extended rake of 9 hoppers to hang off the Q6 - see below.

 

 

Interestingly, from above the new hoppers stick out like a sore thumb - the old ones have black paint on the inside of the hoppers.  I read that neither version is an outstanding model but the newwer ones are nearer the mark that the older ones.  I'm sure that once weathered and filled with proper coal they will look fine.

 

Progress on the masonry viaduct is slow but I have at least now got the right number and height of arches into the TurboCAD drawing - see below where the stiched together drawing is leaning against the viaduct "skeleton".

 

 

This template will be stuck to mounting card, the arches cut out and then the fun will begin!

 

Regards,

Brian.

[Andrew P]

The Station's looking busy Brian, and the Viaduct is shaping up well.

[jukebox]

Good progress, Brian.  That's a nice respectable rake of wagons now.

 

***

 

Those new hoppers have a solid review here: https://windcutter.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/coals-to-newcastle/

 

...even with this postscript,  https://windcutter.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/postscript-21/     the issues are mainly cosmetic.

 

As PennineMC says, the cost of a marginally more accurate PD kit is £9.00 - add the glue, paint, and time... and getting one from Hornby RTR on sale for the same price, is a compromise most will accept. :-)

 

I *almost* bought ancient six Dapol ones on Aussie Ebay a few weeks before... for not much less than the sale price the new ones are going for.

[Brian D]

The Station's looking busy Brian, and the Viaduct is shaping up well.

 

Thanks Andy.  There has been no work done on the station recently and there's still a lot to do including but not limited to adding running in boards (once I've finally decided on the station name), platform end water cranes and starter signals, goods yard land and road textures, etc.  I'm concentrating on extending the running lines to the fiddle yard at the moment, hence the work to the viaduct.

 

Good progress, Brian.  That's a nice respectable rake of wagons now.

 

***

 

Those new hoppers have a solid review here: https://windcutter.wordpress.com/2015/02/01/coals-to-newcastle/

 

...even with this postscript,  https://windcutter.wordpress.com/2015/02/10/postscript-21/     the issues are mainly cosmetic.

 

As PennineMC says, the cost of a marginally more accurate PD kit is £9.00 - add the glue, paint, and time... and getting one from Hornby RTR on sale for the same price, is a compromise most will accept. :-)

 

I *almost* bought ancient six Dapol ones on Aussie Ebay a few weeks before... for not much less than the sale price the new ones are going for.

 

Thanks for those links, interesting stuff.  I certainly agree about the time issues around kit building - rtr has already got my vote in that respect.  I'm about 15 months into the layout build now.  I'm quite pleased with the amount of progress made so far but there's still a lot to do including some tricky curved up hill and down hill track laying.

 

Regards,

Brian.

[Brian D]

Just spent a happy hour or so posing some locos for the benefit of the dodgy photo camera.  Apologies for the quality.

 

I'm not sure whether I have shown you my Bachmann A2 "Happy Knight" which formed part of my retirement gift from colleagues at LU - I was indeed a happy knight that day over 4 years ago now - how on eath did I have the time to go to work?

 

Anyway, here it is arriving.

 

 

 

The local spotters have taken up their usual position.

 

 

Being turned...

 

 

...and departing.

 

 

Also, local passenger traffic was in evidence.  These Bachmann V1/V3 locos are some of my oldest, purchased in 2003.  They are still decent runners retaining their original split chassis's.

 

 

 

 

And finally, a crowded view showing a local service arriving whilst the A2 and Q6 await their departure times.

 

 

Regards,

Brian.

 

[Andrew P]

Excellent pics Brian, great shots of a very Happy Knight.

[Brian D]

Excellent pics Brian, great shots of a very Happy Knight.

 

Thanks, Andy. I've always got my phone in my pocket so I tend to use that rather than either of my cameras.  I'm happy enough with the composition but the pics are very grainy - the RMWeb 1 Mb limit doesnt help much either.

Regards,

Brian.