Coxheath Sidings goes DCC

[NeilHB]

Battery loco looks very nice Dave!

Was hoping to get to Ruddington on Sunday, but sadly circumstances conspired against me.

Where is its next outing in November?

[andyram]

I believe that will be at our Weston on Trent Show on Saturday 12th November.

[Dava]

Thanks, Coxheath Sidings is firmly booked for the Weston show, 12 Nov. For now its neatly stacked in the workshop while I do some dabbling in 0-14 and get on with other things.

 

There was some talk of an appearance at the Sherwood/Woodthorpe show  on 29 Oct but nothing was confirmed as they are hard to contact. I prefer 1-day events.

 

Dava

[NeilHB]

Excellent, I'll pop that date in the diary now.

Will look forward to seeing progress on the 0-14 in due course - there's an invite for you for Burton for when it's ready

[Dava]

This thread has been quiet this month. I've been active with the GCR & busy doing nothing....except continued dabbling with 0-14. Lack of RTR chassis & now mashima motors is a problem. I've converted a Lifelike n gauge 0-6-0 to an 0-14 chassis 0-4-0 which now runs and will form the basis of a small Ruston.

 

Meanwhile I've been on the bike, surveying the local gypsum mines which go back a long way and used narrow gauge equipment. So i have a location and prototype as a basis. More to follow with photos. True to the thread title, the baseboards will be easy [they already exist] & low cost!

 

It does mean I will have to build 0-14 points, i have the parts but its back to the last century when I built points so progress may be slow even if i can see what I'm doing, the nearsight is not what it was.

 

Meanwhile Coxheath Sidings is boxed up in the workshop but there will be a future Gauge 0 project.

 

Dava

[south_tyne]

This thread has been quiet this month. I've been active with the GCR & busy doing nothing....except continued dabbling with 0-14. Lack of RTR chassis & now mashima motors is a problem. I've converted a Lifelike n gauge 0-6-0 to an 0-14 chassis 0-4-0 which now runs and will form the basis of a small Ruston.

 

Meanwhile I've been on the bike, surveying the local gypsum mines which go back a long way and used narrow gauge equipment. So i have a location and prototype as a basis. More to follow with photos. True to the thread title, the baseboards will be easy [they already exist] & low cost!

 

It does mean I will have to build 0-14 points, i have the parts but its back to the last century when I built points so progress may be slow even if i can see what I'm doing, the nearsight is not what it was.

 

Meanwhile Coxheath Sidings is boxed up in the workshop but there will be a future Gauge 0 project.

 

Dava

 

Hi Dava,

 

I've enjoyed following the progress of Coxheath so looking forward to the next project! It has been inspirational and encouraging to me, showng what can be achieved in a small space and following this thread was one of the reasons for convincing me to abandon 4mm scale and 'go O gauge'!

 

Also hoping to hear more of your 0-14 project... I built a dozen or KB Scale wagon kits based on rugga chassis a few years ago, as a diversion from my main interest of 009 at that time, and found them lovely to put together. They still await painting mind (maybe 6 or 7 years on!) and I never did make any progress at all with a loco or trackwork, I think I was too scared by the thought of not having a RTR chassis available!

 

Cheers,

David

[Dava]

I'm having a relaxing break in Kent this week, away from work & modeling [not that I'd been doing much recently].

 

Enjoyed the Hop pickers weekend on the KESR, Sunday, with a run up the hill behind 32670 in fine form. Today heading for coast, see if RH&DR is running after weekend derailment. Thinking about modeling projects for when I get back, will it be the 0-14 Mining layout or a standard gauge 0 line? Who knows.

 

Dava

[Dava]

A chance visit to a local model shop [disappearing breed!] revealed a Bachmann Brassworks class 03 diesel shunter, green + wasp striped ends, at a fair price. Dilemma! Of course I'd like one, but cannot justify yet another shunter or loco of any kind. I also have an 04 kit to build which is long overdue. Frankly I should spend the money on baseboards & basics. Still tempting though...!

 

Dava

[south_tyne]

. Thinking about modeling projects for when I get back, will it be the 0-14 Mining layout or a standard gauge 0 line? Who knows.

 

Dava

I look forward to following your next project in due course Dava! I was interested to read elsewhere about further ideas for portable/lightweight baseboards. As discussed before, I'm still in he very initial stages of planning but my goal is to come up with a design for a 7mm scale standard gauge micro layout that could be transported to an exhibition on the train! Materials used and the size will be critical to achieving it! Farfetched maybe but everyone has to have a goal

[Dava]

Yes I've thought about that too. Check out the 'St Juliot' thread in S gauge on RmWeb which showed how it could be done - inspirational. A wheely carry-on case + 3 x foam board bases might work!

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/59642-st-juliot-a-delightful-s-scale-exhibition-micro-layout/

 

Dava

[shortliner]

Well - if I can put a complete layout into a shoebox in HO (less stock and controller) http://rmweb.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=29306&start=0&hilit=ingleferry+wharf , you should certainly be able to get one in O into a wheely carry-on case. It needs a bit of lateral thinking, I grant you

[Dava]

Holiday shopping today. Rye market had a guy selling items off the front of magazine series. Two of the 1/43 scale tractors for $5! I didn't have either. 00 scale Mk1 coaches for those who missed them, no 'Great Locomotives', Hachette A3, A4 etc.

 

On the way back, called into the Model Shop in Woodchurch, tested their Brassworks Class 03 shunter which apparently had been ordered for a customer who declined it and been in stock since. It's in mint condition and considerably cheaper than the Heljan ones are likely to be when they emerge. I'd rather have a brass one and felt it was a reasonable investment, so its mine!. This means the next Gauge 0 layout will need a bit of rethinking to provide a BR Green period option, plenty of time for that. I've been busy on the sketch pad.

 

Expecting the wonderful weather we've enjoyed to break overnight, last day tomorrow. Interesting look round Appledore station, the goods shed is an antiques store.

 

 

Dava

Edited September 15, 2016 by Dava

[south_tyne]

Yes I've thought about that too. Check out the 'St Juliot' thread in S gauge on RmWeb which showed how it could be done - inspirational. A wheely carry-on case + 3 x foam board bases might work!

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/59642-st-juliot-a-delightful-s-scale-exhibition-micro-layout/

 

Dava

Fascinating! Superb modelling too. Definitely gives some food for thought, it's an idea I've been toying with for a while. Maybe three 2'6" long foamboard baseboards? That'd give quite a good space to work with. The location of turnouts and baseboard joints would be the critical things mind, it'll need some clever thought. Edited September 17, 2016 by south_tyne

[south_tyne]

On the way back, called into the Model Shop in Woodchurch, tested their Brassworks Class 03 shunter which apparently had been ordered for a customer who declined it and been in stock since. It's in mint condition and considerably cheaper than the Heljan ones are likely to be when they emerge. I'd rather have a brass one and felt it was a reasonable investment, so its mine!. This means the next Gauge 0 layout will need a bit of rethinking to provide a BR Green period option, plenty of time for that. I've been busy on the sketch pad.

image.jpeg

 

Dava

Looks like a great find! I'm not surprised you were tempted and, as you say, a good investment being a brass loco.

 

David

[Dava]

Thank you Jim, that's very kind. I was just using what I had to hand [with just one hand] in a Canadian snowscape at the time!

 

Coxheath Sidings may be making its final appearance at Weston-on-Trent, you never know. 

 

Dava

[Dava]

I've not had much time for modelling in recent months and a nasty cold earlier this week delayed returning to the workshop until yesterday. But with the Weston-on-Trent show in 3 weeks time and 2 micro-layouts promised, it was time to start work on prepping them.

 

First, the workbench had to be cleared from the stalled 0-14 project which has got as far as a part-completed Ruston shunter, which does actually run.

 

Then Coxheath Sidings was unboxed and set up for the first time since the Ruddington show in August. Everything seemed to function as it should do. The scenery and details will get a bit of refreshment in the next few weeks. 

 

This was an opportunity to give two recently acquired diesels a trial run.  The 03 is too wide to run into the warehouse siding. The layout was built around small shunters and BR diesels don't quite fit, although the 02 has run. I had thought about re-presenting the layout as a 1960's green diesel era diorama, which is why the Minor van is there, but this is unlikely now.

 

 

However the second Fowler is much more at home. This was acquired at a discount for its superb running chassis, but is unlikely to retain this body shape and livery. 

 

 

More  to follow in coming weeks.

 

Dava

 

 

[andyram]

Looking forward to seeing this layout again at Weston on Trent on Saturday 12th November.

[Dava]

A wintry weekend provided an excuse to prep the micro-layouts in the workshop for the  Weston-on-Trent show  next Saturday.

 

I built another open wagon for Coxheath Sidings, this is a Parkside kit for a NBR coal wagon. Finished in weathered condition, it is carrying general goods.

 

 

 

The other micro-layout we are taking (Mrs Dava as helper, now her wrist is out of  plaster) is the Christmas Cracker Box. This has also had some restoration on the scenic work, as the snow was deteriorating a bit. These  photos were taken before the white paint and talcum powder treatment.

 

 

 

I made a visit to the 009 collection in the loft to find some additional  locos to run, then gave them a wheel-cleaning session. They are sitting on the box top whilst the paint dries. The old Egger locos still run pretty well, actually the tram loco and steam railcar have never run better and may be in action on Saturday. I do seem to have quite a lot of 009, TT and even 00 trains up there, and feel an orderly disposal or at least thinning out of these may be a good idea.

 

 

The current plan is that this will be the final outing for both layouts, but you never know...come and see this excellent show (20+ layouts this year) and say Hi if you're near Derby.

 

Dava

 

 

[Dava]

A wintry weekend provided an excuse to prep the micro-layouts in the workshop for the  Weston-on-Trent show  next Saturday.

 

I built another open wagon for Coxheath Sidings, this is a Parkside kit for a NBR coal wagon. Finished in weathered condition, it is carrying general goods.

 

 

 

The other micro-layout we are taking (Mrs Dava as helper, now her wrist is out of  plaster) is the Christmas Cracker Box. This has also had some restoration on the scenic work, as the snow was deteriorating a bit. These  photos were taken before the white paint and talcum powder treatment.

 

 

 

I made a visit to the 009 collection in the loft to find some additional  locos to run, then gave them a wheel-cleaning session. They are sitting on the box top whilst the paint dries. The old Egger locos still run pretty well, actually the tram loco and steam railcar have never run better and may be in action on Saturday. I do seem to have quite a lot of 009, TT and even 00 trains up there, and feel an orderly disposal or at least thinning out of these may be a good idea.

 

 

The current plan is that this will be the final outing for both layouts, but you never know...come and see this excellent show (20+ layouts this year) and say Hi if you're near Derby.

 

Dava

 

 

[andyram]

Looking good Dava. I am looking forward to seeing you at Weston again. If you fancy another 009 loco to run I have one that is awaiting a layout - bought as an impulse purchase it carries the Skarloey Railway livery and resembles "Duncan".

[Dava]

Looking good Dava. I am looking forward to seeing you at Weston again. If you fancy another 009 loco to run I have one that is awaiting a layout - bought as an impulse purchase it carries the Skarloey Railway livery and resembles "Duncan".

 

Thank you Andy, very generous and I'm sure that will be popular with the smaller children!

 

Dava

[andyram]

Thank you Andy, very generous and I'm sure that will be popular with the smaller children!

 

Dava

 

Great stuff. I will try to remember to bring it down. It will be good for it to get a run. It usually spends it time on display. Next year I may get the chance to build the 009 layout that it will run on.

[Dava]

After a talcum powder snowstorm, the line is now clear again! Real snow is actually forecast here, fortunately not in Canadian quantities.

 

There's a full list of layouts for the Weston show at

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/109086-weston-on-trent-model-railway-show-saturday-12th-november/

 

Dava

[Dava]

Coxheath Sidings & Santa's Christmas Cracker Box micro-layouts are now boxed up & ready to go to Weston on Saturday with their fleets of locos & stock! Looking forward to it.

 

Dava

[andyram]

Looking forward to seeing you there. Busy day beckons tomorrow, with the afternoon set to be spent preparing the school for the show.