The Mill

[DanielB]

I've spent the last couple of days going through this thread, and I have to say, it's making me eye up the box of British 7mm wagon kits in the corner of my so far exclusively USA-prototype-based layout room!

 

You two and your outstanding layout are clearly a bad influence on me - I'm now thinking of what industrial layout I could fit on a pair of boards I've got built up in storage.

 

     

[Jason T]

As I've been concentrating on rolling stock recently and as that stock will use AJ couplings, a method of storing and transporting it without any damage being caused has become more urgent. For a while now, I've used the Really Useful storage boxes and for the Bacup stock, all is stored with foamboard separators and the stock wrapped in bubble wrap and suchlike.

 

A while ago now, I made up a tray for the Mill's stock with separators to protect the AJ's and bubble wrap permanently affixed. With more stock being constructed, another was needed so over the past few days, I built a second tray. It was only after I filled it that I realised that I need two more.

 

Anyway, some pics:

 

The two trays, the box and the lid:

 

Tray one, showing the separators to protect the AJ's:

 

Tray two:

 

I'm going to need a couple more, which for a layout which lows a maximum train length of three wagons is possibly overkill

[wagonbasher]

Too many wagons....? A concept I admit I'm struggling with.

 

Andy

[2ManySpams]

Old Gringo has taught you well Jason.

[Mark Forrest]

Old Gringo has taught you well Jason.

I use a colour coding system which means my locos and my P4 stock and in different coloured boxes to my EM BCB wagons. Do I score extra Gringo-points for this?

[2ManySpams]

I use a colour coding system which means my locos and my P4 stock and in different coloured boxes to my EM BCB wagons. Do I score extra Gringo-points for this?

Only if you've also colour-coded the wagons to match.

[davefrk]

Nice idea Jason, better than the club stock boxes for Alloa where some of my stuff got flattened last time out....

One thing to watch though with the bubble wrap, just make sure the paint on any new wagons is thoroughly cured before putting in the bubble wrap. How do I know this? Well not me but a friend put an 'O' gauge coach in it's box a few days after painting and a sometime later on opening the box the bubble wrap was stuck to the coachside, the bubble wrap left a lovely pattern of circles all over the glossy finish although it should be less of a risk with our semigloss and matt finishes. I've since been very careful of bubblewrap and use kitchen roll as a barrier at least for the first few months.

 

All the best,

 

Dave Franks

[Jason T]

Too many wagons....? A concept I admit I'm struggling with.

 

Andy

I would never say that Andy. In fact, you can never have too many wagons; a bit like Class 37's (apparently).

[coachmann]

Foam and varnish dont like each other either. I have had to deal with too many Japanese brass locos. 

[Barry O]

Jason

so it looks like the extension for the Mill is required to let you use more wagons

 

You can never have enough wagons.

 

Baz

[Jock67B]

Jason,

The storage method is so simple, wonder why I didn't think of it. Hope it doesn't offend, but I'm going to adopt your idea - hope it isn't copyright! Are you and Sofia all geared up for the little one's Christmas?

Kind regards,

Jock.

[Marcus 37]

I would never say that Andy. In fact, you can never have too many wagons; a bit like Class 37's (apparently).

Quite right. In fact you can never have too many of either. Wagons or 37s that is.

 

I must admit I do like your stock boxes. Now I know what I can use all these A1 sheets of foam board for that I've got left over.

 

Marcus

[Jason T]

I had a Class 37 once; a banger blue pre-TOPS Triang one (because TOPS didn't exist when it left the factory). I must also admit to a large logo 47 and HST when I was 13, swapped for a Black Five when I saw the light.

 

And I cannot tell a lie (as Andy has seen my loco drawers), I still own a blue Class 25 (Bachmann one with the cabs chopped off in preparation for Hornby ones being grafted on), a blue 08 and until recently, a blue 03. No more 37's though......

 

I started chucking away wagon boxes and using packing crates a while ago now as keeping the boxes seemed pointless when I have hacked the couplings (and coupling pockets) off every RTR item I own, chopped stuff around and weathered everything - a collector's nightmare. For The Mill, the only RTR wagon likely to be used is a Bachmann Covhop with every other wagon (over 30 now) being kit built and therefore box less anyway. The combination of Really Useful boxes and Foamboard are ideal for storing stock, especially for transporting it to exhibitions and also being able to build in AJ'S coupling-friendly measures, as they are very sensitive to being knocked and twisted (but oh so lovely and discreet).

[Marcus 37]

I'm kinda with you on the boxes Jason. Although I've still got them all I don't think that there's many that's seen a wagon since the day it was removed for the first time.

My Dad used to get some nice sturdy cardboard boxes from the factory he used to work in.They were ideal as they were just long enough to hold a Cargowaggon. Had room for 5 side by side and two deep. Unfortunately they finished the contract that supplied the boxes so the supply dried up.I was going to have a look at the Warley stock boxes from Modellers Mecca but think I will give yours a try instead.

Cheers

Marcus 

[Anotheran]

Very much like the storage box idea Jason so I'm going to steal it as I've got into the kit wagon thing and liking it so much I can see a lot of wagons with no boxes... and they'll be easier for the RTR ones I have as well.

 

Really Useful box geek question though... Is that the 9 litre clear box? I can't quite make it out on the label, but it seems to be the perfect size for the way you've arranged the stock sections.

 

Kind regards, Neil

[Jason T]

I'll have a look when I get home; I have loads of different sized ones

[Jock67B]

Evening gentlemen,

To Chris and family, and Jason, Sophia and Sara, we would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from Joanna and myself.

Thank you for this inspirational thread, I've enjoyed it on so many levels, and learned a lot!

Kind regards,

Jock.

[emt_911]

Jason, Sophia, Sara, Chris and family, wishing you all a happy, healthy and prosperous 2016

[Mrkirtley800]

Thank you Jason, and the same to you and yours. Right now Kirkby Malham is hibernating, while Olga is plying me with Bailey's Cream, loosening my inhibitions, so that she can have her evil way with me. Before we all go off at a tangent, her evil way is to get me to eat some sprouts she is cooking for lunch. I hate them.

Derek

[Jason T]

Too many wagons....? A concept I admit I'm struggling with.

Andy

When Andy wrote the above, I was in full agreement. I may be considered a bit of an oddball for saying this (well, I AM an oddball but that's beside the point) but passenger stock and services do nothing for me whereas a ramshackle collection of wagons and I am a happy camper. Bacup was very nearly a fan of exchange sidings in an urban setting but as I had always been fascinated with the place and managed to make a half decent job of the station and canopy (the litmus test) then I went ahead, albeit with the emphasis in my mind being around freight rather than passenger services (which in the main are served by DMU's or a short rake of suburban coaches).

 

The thing is, that hankering for a more intense freight based layout is still there and part of me wants to know what is at the other end of the line from the Mill (and other off-scene industries). Now as you know, Bacup is OO and The Mill is EM so when the shed finally gets built, they would still be two separate layouts and understandably, my interests are now definitely in the EM camp which raises questions over the future of Bacup.

 

However, the essence of Bacup to me is not the track but the buildings and they were all made to be removeable and reusable on future layouts (albeit with the window frames painted to avoid future correspondence on the subject). I think you can probably guess what the future holds for Bacup, especially as a roundy roundy will be possible and probable.

 

So to get back to Andy's comment, how many wagons is too many. For the Mill, around 20 would be the ideal number given the size of the sector plate (which accommodates 3 and an 0-4-0), storage and keeping interest up out front for any punter foolish enough to watch for over 30 minutes but if The Mill was a modular part of a larger layout with exchange sidings, then quite a few more would be needed. Many more.

 

Yep, you guessed it, I have started to convert Bacup's wagons to EM Gauge. Kit builds have had the brakes moved or replaced (and more detail added to the under-gubbins) and the majority of he RTR stock has been fettled to accept EM gauge wheels. The current position is that about 60% of Bacup's stock is done, albeit awaiting a mass order of EM wheels from Mr Gibson; the rest should be ready very soon. They currently still have their OO wheels in (and they will all be kept so they can be run on mates layouts by swapping over). Current total of EM compatible wagons is now around 150.

 

So there you have it, my current thinking; The Mill as an exhibitable layout that plugs into a larger system. When it's at Chris's house so he can play with it, then I guess we'll have to build another one to the same dimensions (but different industry?) to take it's place.

[2ManySpams]

Sounds a great idea Jason, good luck with the Bacup conversion. Mind you 150 wagons is quite a few!

[Barry O]

Sounds like a plan there Jason.

 

It also sounds that Gary will be very busy making EM wagon wheelsets as I have ordered a bucketful for use on a layout other than my own.

 

Baz

[Enterprisingwestern]

When Andy wrote the above, I was in full agreement. I may be considered a bit of an oddball for saying this (well, I AM an oddball but that's beside the point) but passenger stock and services do nothing for me whereas a ramshackle collection of wagons and I am a happy camper. Bacup was very nearly a fan of exchange sidings in an urban setting but as I had always been fascinated with the place and managed to make a half decent job of the station and canopy (the litmus test) then I went ahead, albeit with the emphasis in my mind being around freight rather than passenger services (which in the main are served by DMU's or a short rake of suburban coaches).

The thing is, that hankering for a more intense freight based layout is still there and part of me wants to know what is at the other end of the line from the Mill (and other off-scene industries). Now as you know, Bacup is OO and The Mill is EM so when the shed finally gets built, they would still be two separate layouts and understandably, my interests are now definitely in the EM camp which raises questions over the future of Bacup.

However, the essence of Bacup to me is not the track but the buildings and they were all made to be removeable and reusable on future layouts (albeit with the window frames painted to avoid future correspondence on the subject). I think you can probably guess what the future holds for Bacup, especially as a roundy roundy will be possible and probable.

So to get back to Andy's comment, how many wagons is too many. For the Mill, around 20 would be the ideal number given the size of the sector plate (which accommodates 3 and an 0-4-0), storage and keeping interest up out front for any punter foolish enough to watch for over 30 minutes but if The Mill was a modular part of a larger layout with exchange sidings, then quite a few more would be needed. Many more.

Yep, you guessed it, I have started to convert Bacup's wagons to EM Gauge. Kit builds have had the brakes moved or replaced (and more detail added to the under-gubbins) and the majority of he RTR stock has been fettled to accept EM gauge wheels. The current position is that about 60% of Bacup's stock is done, albeit awaiting a mass order of EM wheels from Mr Gibson; the rest should be ready very soon. They currently still have their OO wheels in (and they will all be kept so they can be run on mates layouts by swapping over). Current total of EM compatible wagons is now around 150.

So there you have it, my current thinking; The Mill as an exhibitable layout that plugs into a larger system. When it's at Chris's house so he can play with it, then I guess we'll have to build another one to the same dimensions (but different industry?) to take it's place.

Save yourself a fortune Jason and pull the existing wheels out where applicable.

 

Mike.

When Andy wrote the above, I was in full agreement. I may be considered a bit of an oddball for saying this (well, I AM an oddball but that's beside the point) but passenger stock and services do nothing for me whereas a ramshackle collection of wagons and I am a happy camper. Bacup was very nearly a fan of exchange sidings in an urban setting but as I had always been fascinated with the place and managed to make a half decent job of the station and canopy (the litmus test) then I went ahead, albeit with the emphasis in my mind being around freight rather than passenger services (which in the main are served by DMU's or a short rake of suburban coaches).

The thing is, that hankering for a more intense freight based layout is still there and part of me wants to know what is at the other end of the line from the Mill (and other off-scene industries). Now as you know, Bacup is OO and The Mill is EM so when the shed finally gets built, they would still be two separate layouts and understandably, my interests are now definitely in the EM camp which raises questions over the future of Bacup.

However, the essence of Bacup to me is not the track but the buildings and they were all made to be removeable and reusable on future layouts (albeit with the window frames painted to avoid future correspondence on the subject). I think you can probably guess what the future holds for Bacup, especially as a roundy roundy will be possible and probable.

So to get back to Andy's comment, how many wagons is too many. For the Mill, around 20 would be the ideal number given the size of the sector plate (which accommodates 3 and an 0-4-0), storage and keeping interest up out front for any punter foolish enough to watch for over 30 minutes but if The Mill was a modular part of a larger layout with exchange sidings, then quite a few more would be needed. Many more.

Yep, you guessed it, I have started to convert Bacup's wagons to EM Gauge. Kit builds have had the brakes moved or replaced (and more detail added to the under-gubbins) and the majority of he RTR stock has been fettled to accept EM gauge wheels. The current position is that about 60% of Bacup's stock is done, albeit awaiting a mass order of EM wheels from Mr Gibson; the rest should be ready very soon. They currently still have their OO wheels in (and they will all be kept so they can be run on mates layouts by swapping over). Current total of EM compatible wagons is now around 150.

So there you have it, my current thinking; The Mill as an exhibitable layout that plugs into a larger system. When it's at Chris's house so he can play with it, then I guess we'll have to build another one to the same dimensions (but different industry?) to take it's place.

Save yourself a fortune Jason and pull the existing wheels out where applicable.

 

Mike.

[Jason T]

I did think about that Mike but the Romford and Bachmann wheels are like bloody steamroller ones in comparison and the track on The Mill is much happier with Gibsons clattering through it.

 

As I don't buy much in the way of RTR any more, I can justify the cost as being spent on wheels rather than a shiny choo choo. Plus, it would be nice to have a bag of OO wheels to pop in when visiting mates OO layouts.

[Mark Forrest]

Agree about the wheels. While I know that OO wheels can be successfully used, I think the advantages of easily swapping them back and the finer profile is worth the outlay.

 

I've always liked the exchange sidings feeding an off scene industry layout concept, particularly where the industry requires use of various different types of wagon. Having the Mill connected then gives the option of shuffling individual wagons rather than the cuts of wagons you'd probably see at the exchange. Sounds good.