Elsbridge Tramway Company: Elsbridge Town - NeilHB's layout

[NeilHB]

‘Brendam’ is all finished now: 

 

 

[NeilHB]

A little work in progress photo of WSR ‘Suddery’ - Slaters Manning Wardle F class, with a home-brew cab:

 

 

There are several stretches of the line between Wellsworth and Knapford that are not much above sea level, so the railway built a more enclosed cab for greater protection for her crew from the elements along that stretch of line. 

 

I still need to lower the roof profile a bit, so that it looks more Victorian in appearance. 

[Ruston]

Hi Neill,

 

Have you had this loco running at all? I built one of these but the chassis was awful. The compensation was next to useless and the cylinders had to be spaced out from the frames to clear the rods and so it never ran properly and I removed the motor and gearbox for use in another loco. I'm wondering how you've got on with yours.

[NeilHB]

Hi Dave,

 

Not has it running in its current format. When purchased part built it was dire as you say, though this wasn’t helped by being off square. It’s since been through a thorough rebuild, with new Markits crankpins to ensure that there is sufficient clearance for the crossheads etc. I’ll tag @tim@dy who’ll hopefully be along to explain what he did, as he’s done all the rebuild work for me. 

 

It will need to be a good runner, as it’ll be one of the main members of the fleet! 

[hartleymartin]

5 hours ago, NeilHB said:

A little work in progress photo of WSR ‘Suddery’ - Slaters Manning Wardle F class, with a home-brew cab:

 

 

There are several stretches of the line between Wellsworth and Knapford that are not much above sea level, so the railway built a more enclosed cab for greater protection for her crew from the elements along that stretch of line. 

 

I still need to lower the roof profile a bit, so that it looks more Victorian in appearance. 

 

For a Victorian locomotive, it has a veritable ballroom for a cab! I would have been surprised if they bothered with much more than a spectacle plate and a curved roof held up with four tubular posts!

[NeilHB]

4 hours ago, hartleymartin said:

 

For a Victorian locomotive, it has a veritable ballroom for a cab! I would have been surprised if they bothered with much more than a spectacle plate and a curved roof held up with four tubular posts!

 

Its not actually that big a cab to be honest. I didn’t want just a weatherboard and four posts - as GM it’s bad enough listening to the drivers complaints about working the coastal section of the line on the locos with cabs fitted! 

[NeilHB]

This evening has involved lowering the roof profile on the cab, adding handrails and fitting the rear stanchions, lots of little bits really, but all starting to come together nicely:

 

Need to sort out the rear cab profile now, so that I can then work on the roof.

[tim@dy]

On 26/02/2019 at 09:23, Ruston said:

Hi Neill,

 

Have you had this loco running at all? I built one of these but the chassis was awful. The compensation was next to useless and the cylinders had to be spaced out from the frames to clear the rods and so it never ran properly and I removed the motor and gearbox for use in another loco. I'm wondering how you've got on with yours.

Hi Dave

It's been a long time since I sorted this chassis out.The only modifications I made was to the compensation rocking cradle which I made removable from the chassis and to fit Alan Gibson 4mm scale plunger pick ups.

As for the lack of clearance between the crosshead and the leading wheel crankpin,I used Markits 4mm scale threaded crankpins and threaded bushes instead of the standard Slaters crankpins and bushes.I think I also may have modified the motor/gearbox mounting aswell.

I hope this helps.

Tim

[hartleymartin]

Don't forget that you'll need a hole/slot in the cab where the reversing rod goes through.

[NeilHB]

A quick update on Elsbridge (Wharf). No progress on actually starting the layout, as OH and I are in the process of buying a new (to us) house, which comes complete with a nice large garage! Therefore Elsbridge is likely to take on a much expanded form when we do eventually get round to moving in (local council currently being glacial...!).

 

However that’s not stopped me working on the stock for the layout. 

 

 

Another Terrier! I now have four of them thanks to DCC Supplies and their returned models. My current pair have been reallocated to the Broughton & Dunnerdale (Duddon Bridge). 

 

Of the two new Terriers, only will see service on Elsbridge as an actual Terrier:

 

 

Stripped down and repainted already! Just the lining to go next. Nameplates are on order from Narrow Planet, so “Edric” will soon be ready for service hopefully.

 

 

I’ve also been busy abusing my Minerva Manning Wardle. It’s had the cab shortened, new top-hinged smokebox door, and new stovepipe chimney. Oh and in the process of fitting new metal brake shoes to it as well. Then a full repaint into Wellsworth & Suddery Railway livery...nameplates also on order from NO, and then “Thorkell” will be ready for service. 

 

 

 

Rolling stock wise I’ve been working on some W&SR goods wagons. Two opens, both originally Slaters Midland 5-planks, have had their axleboxes modified and various small changes to make them less Midland in looks. One of them has had even more drastic changes, and has been cut down to a four plank open. 

 

Just need to finish painting the underframes on these and then source some suitable lettering.  

[NeilHB]

Whilst hunting through the stock boxes last week, I came across one of my first kits in 7mm scale, a Slaters Midland Railway single veranda brakevan.

 

Being of Midland origin, it’s of no use for Elsbridge, so a cunning plan was hatched and a swift phonecall made to the lovely people at Slaters...

 

A day or so later, and I was in possession of the necessary items to rebuild the van into a much more useful item of stock.

 

 

Wellsworth & Suddery Railway Brakevan No.1. As well as rebuilding the non-veranda end, I’ve also replaced the original plastic footboard brackets with some brass spares from Slaters, as the originals were prone to breaking easily. 

 

 

I’m rather pleased with how it looks, and it’ll now be a useful addition to the stock list, enabling me to run a complete train of W&SR stock on Elsbridge in the future.

[NeilHB]

Messing around doing a spot of shunting this afternoon...first up Manning Wardle ‘Thorkell’:

 

 

And then A1 ‘Edric’:

 

 

 

All with the assistance of my trusty helper (aka Tigger):

 

 

Edited June 2, 2019 by NeilHB

[NeilHB]

I think there must be an undiscovered time portal at the end of one of the sidings on Elsbridge (Wharf). North Western Railway No.7 was earlier seen shunting in the yard a good 40yrs or so before it actually arrived on the Island...

 

 

 

Looks much better now I’ve painted the skirts a lighter shade of blue. Just a few bits here and there to touch up now.

 

[Corbs]

 Ah yes, one of those famous rents in the space-time continuum. Pesky things!

[NeilHB]

I think I’ve finally recovered from organising the 7mmNGA 40th Anniversary Exhibition last weekend! 

 

Been doing modelling over the last day or so, getting some stock finished, or near to finished for use on Elsbridge.

 

First up is definitely out of period, but North Western No.7 will need a coach to haul...

 

 

 

Getting there very slowly with this one. She’s been on and off the workbench for at least 3 years now, but I’m determined to get it closer to the finish line! Just got to summon the courage to tackle the balcony railings next...

 

 

I’ve been painting the metalwork on the Knapford and Elsbridge opens this evening, must paint the chassis on No.5 soon. 

 

 

Also started painting the next Ulfstead Mining Company open:

 

 

It needs another coat, then I can paint the strapping and add the lettering. 

 

And getting there with the Wellsworth & Suddery stock too:

 

 

I’ve ordered some transfers from POWSides (LSWR), so can at least get some of the W&S stock finished hopefully. 

[Ruston]

What's the prototype of your wagons No.5 and No.8, Neil?

[NeilHB]

9 minutes ago, Ruston said:

What's the prototype of your wagons No.5 and No.8, Neil?

 

Hi Dave,

 

On No.5, the axleboxes are lettered MR so possibly Midland. The kit is from Duncan Models.

 

No.8 is a GER Ballast open of 1879 from Ragstone Models.

[NeilHB]

A rather productive afternoon/evening at the tea tray in the lounge workbench. 

 

Having visited @tim@dy this morning, I came home with a new addition to the stock for Elsbridge. 

 

Never one to leave a new acquisition alone in its box for long, I’ve cracked on and got rather a lot done! 

 

At half 5 it looked like this:

 

 

By half 9 it looked substantially complete:

 

 

Next up is sorting out door handles, grab handrails, and stepboards. The interior is all sorted, with two third and one first class compartments. 

 

It’ll be a useful addition to the stock for Elsbridge, and will end up in Wellsworth & Suddery green and cream livery. 

 

Thanks Tim! 

[hartleymartin]

Have you done anything with that San Juan carriage a la WC&PR? I'm converting a Bachmann On30 carriage to standard gauge over in my general O gauge thread. I've also dug out my San Juan carriage components and I've figured out what I am doing with them.

[NeilHB]

6 hours ago, hartleymartin said:

Have you done anything with that San Juan carriage a la WC&PR? I'm converting a Bachmann On30 carriage to standard gauge over in my general O gauge thread. I've also dug out my San Juan carriage components and I've figured out what I am doing with them.

 

Your question spurred me on to dig it out of long term storage. 

 

Up until today, I’d done nothing else to it since it was last featured on here. 

 

However it’s now had a coat of paint (Humbrol No.186), which will hopefully encourage me to crack on and finish it off. 

 

 

 

It’s mounted on GRAModels (I think) diamond frame bogies, with Alan Gibson 2’8” spoked lowmac wheels, which does mean it sits lower. 

 

I'm hoping that the smaller wheels will help to disguise the fact that it’s 1:48. Plus the rest of my coaching stock is all relatively small anyway - no BR Mark 1 coaches on here...

 

I don’t think it looks too bad next to ‘Edric’. 

[south_tyne]

7 hours ago, NeilHB said:

 

Your question spurred me on to dig it out of long term storage. 

 

Up until today, I’d done nothing else to it since it was last featured on here. 

 

However it’s now had a coat of paint (Humbrol No.186), which will hopefully encourage me to crack on and finish it off. 

 

 

 

It’s mounted on GRAModels (I think) diamond frame bogies, with Alan Gibson 2’8” spoked lowmac wheels, which does mean it sits lower. 

 

I'm hoping that the smaller wheels will help to disguise the fact that it’s 1:48. Plus the rest of my coaching stock is all relatively small anyway - no BR Mark 1 coaches on here...

 

I don’t think it looks too bad next to ‘Edric’. 

 

Neil, I think that looks in perfect proportion to the loco. I wouldn't worry at all about it being 1:48 scale, if it looks right then go for it!

[hartleymartin]

They are a bit on the small side. The body is a bit narrow - about 7ft in 7mm scale. You can raise the body a little by glueing some styrene strip to the bottom so that the bottom edge of the vertical panelling would sit at floor level. Being a Colonel-Stephens inspired prototype you can always say that they were a late-cancelled order for a 3ft gauge colonial railway. They were bought cheap and converted  simply by fitting standard-gauge bogies!

Edited June 17, 2019 by hartleymartin

[NeilHB]

8 hours ago, hartleymartin said:

They are a bit on the small side. The body is a bit narrow - about 7ft in 7mm scale. You can raise the body a little by glueing some styrene strip to the bottom so that the bottom edge of the vertical panelling would sit at floor level. Being a Colonel-Stephens inspired prototype you can always say that they were a late-cancelled order for a 3ft gauge colonial railway. They were bought cheap and converted  simply by fitting standard-gauge bogies!

 

Yes a bit on the small side, but too late to make changes now as it’s glued solid! Oh well.

 

I like that idea of it being a cancelled 3ft order that’s been modded to standard gauge - that’ll do nicely for a plausible back story! 

 

The resin brake coach has now had a couple of coats of paint:

 

 

 

Still got lots of white to paint on the second side!  

[DLT]

Lovely stuff Neil, what is the origin of those resin coach sides?

Cheers, Dave.

PS And thanks very much for Burton!

[NeilHB]

3 hours ago, DLT said:

Lovely stuff Neil, what is the origin of those resin coach sides?

Cheers, Dave.

PS And thanks very much for Burton!

 

Thanks Dave. The resin coach sides came from eBay - here’s a link to the chassis kit from the same seller. He doesn’t appear to have any of the brake coaches in stock at the moment, but they come round every so often:

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F133076234566

 

Thanks for bringing Charmouth to Burton - it was great to see it again!