Beresford Junction

Hi Melly Sorry for the delay in replying... The fertilizer bags are DUHA ones and I got mine from P and H models, although it looks like they're sold out / no longer available - http://pandhmodels.com/category.php?id_category=47 Phil

Morning all Back to posting pictures of new stock I'm afraid - my new Network Rail SPA wagons. Phil

Thanks Dave, I got mine from Neil (class "66") in the post above, who in was a bit over capacity. I believe they were actually made by PylonMan - Neil is this correct? Phil

Thanks Paul, Unfortunately no additional track - I've been spending too much time away with work in (warmer) exotic locations. I'm also starting to doubt my plans - I might try to simplify them a bit, or at least build in stages rather than all at once. Phil

At last you'll be glad to hear I've actually made some progress with the modelling, or rather adding a couple of yards lights to the layout. Phil

This evening has been measuring and planning. Longest requirement is going to be the GWR HST. I've got the 8 coaches, which measure 97" (sorry for the mix of imperial/metric coming along but I like to complicate things). The HST power cars are 235mm so about 9 and a bit inches, or 116" in total. There is nowhere I can accommodate that length of train (longest current siding is about 12" too short). Planning the roundy roundy bit, 'if' I use one of the pizza ovens in the other corner, the longest run I have is 130" from the curve [i must do some drawings/photos of what I'm taking about to help]. So 130" - 116" leaves 14", which should be enough for a 8.5" point, plus 4.5" clearance after the point - not sure that is enough? I think it's all coming together in my mind at least. I'll post some plans, photos of the areas to be developed when I get a chance. Phil

Afternoon - a quick trip down to Beresford Junction discovered some more damage from the January 2016 floods - at first I was a bit perplexed as absolutely nowhere near the Christmas tree was and also it all had a slightly red tinge to it. It was all over a couple of locos and the Arriva 150, plus the walls of one of the sheds. Then I remembered - there has been a bit of a 'red wine incident' over the festive season that must have resulted in a bit of a soaking for this area. Dangerous place to be..... Phil

Some photos of the 2016 Beresford Junction flooding (and before anyone complains I've been through the real experience a couple of times and believe one has to laugh rather than cry about it) And here placed to hide the really bad bits...in fact some of the small splashes/stains look quite good. Phil

Evening All Back home again after the Christmas traveling, and given the inclement weather today, I decided to pop down and check out what was going on at the Junction. I was hoping to crack on with the new roundy roundy bit, but found out that there had been some flooding, which came as somewhat of a puzzle as it was very localised - then it all became clear - Beresford Junction is in my basement / cellar and directly above the 'flooding' was where the Christmas tree has been located in the lounge. Then I remembered an incident of 'over watering' the tree and how the water just disappeared through the floor boards - now I know where it went.... No real damage, just to some of the Scalescenes containers built from cardboard / printed paper. Most is only on one side so I can just turn them round and use them in the background. I quite enjoyed making them so may make another batch to top up. I did manage to get some measuring some for the new 'extension' and worked out how much timber I need, so off to the DIY warehouse next week if I get time. The board round the outside of the room needs to be 12" deep and the extra bit is 10' one way by 8' the other. It'll be secured to the wall on one side with supporting legs on the other. I also have to make a lifting hatch to save me having to climb under it - should be fun. Phil

Good shots of the gang in action, although is that standard procedure to drive the transit onto the track I hope they're going to be all done by 'back to work' Monday - don't want any overrunning engineering works.... Phil

Thanks for the comments James. As for the laying of the cork, I believe (everyone else on here feel free to chip in/correct me), that is it two/three fold First it can deaden the sound / wheel nose when running trains. Some people use cork, others foam underlay 'stuff', but the principal is the same. I must admit I don't bother any more as once Beresford Junction changed from a roundy roundy high speed layout to a low speed shunting one where one never really gets out of second gear, it doesn't seem to be a problem. The other reason is to help to elevate the track and create a better 'shoulder' once ballasted - again this tends to be more useful on a mainline rather than a yard as Beresford Junction now is. The third and best reason is that everyone else seemed to do it so I just followed like a sheep...... Hope this helps... Phil

Happy Christmas to all - some shots of the newly arrived 70 005. As I'd run out of DCC chips, and following Scotts bravery last week, I had to take the plung and have a go wiring up the speakers to the sound chips. This is the first one I did which seems to work OK - it was very fiddly though. It has ended up in DRS 37405. The second chip was a lot easier, and this is the result. Phil

It's been a bit like an edition of TimeTeam down at Beresford Junction today, with the various layers of layout being peeled back on the baseboard. I've had to hack back some of the hard standing to allow the track to peel off to the left. The line with the class 70 is the outer loop down the helix, the inner one which locos always struggled to get up has been mothballed and hidden behind something - here I've tried out some containers.... And here is what will become the start of the roundy roundy. Don't expect too much progress too soon but at least I've got the main depot and sidings to play with in the mean time. Phil

Evening folks First some good news Ballasting and initial dirtying of the traffic for the next section completed. Now the bad news - I'm full of cold so have decided not to go and pass on to the other RMWebbers playing with real trains tonight. And the bad, bad news - I've started ripping up track and planning the return 'L' piece of the layout. The plan is to have a roundy-roundy loop (going off to the top left) in addition to the main line which goes down the helix.

A few more blue coaches have arrived - I think I need to get some longer sidings (I'll have to have a word with those two blokes lying down on the job) An ex-Virgin buffet car has been hired in to cover the fact FGW ones are a bit rare at the moment. Looks like a rainy weekend coming up so may get on with ballasting the next section. Phil

I'm just working on the new track plan that will accommodate eight coaches and two power cars.

Hang on, I was supposed to be running a freight depot - what's happened Phil

Good news, medium news and bad news. The good news is that I've dirtied up the track The medium news is that I'm still trying to make sense of all the Mk3 coach layouts, and the bad is that I've ripped up the track off scene to the left of the shots. I'm gradually working my way round the layout and was never really happy with how you had to go through the station, under the hill and round the corner to get to the depot, so have removed that and am working out the best way to lay the track in there. Back to the good news - had a good evening with the RMWeb boys at Eastleigh last night. Phil

Delays at Beresford Junction tonight due to a cat on the line....

DRS 57309 hauls the first GWR coaches from Bocott depot to join the rest of the stock in the Beresford Junction traincare depot.

Given that it took me a couple of years from purchasing the lights to installing them, you should get him planned in for 2017!

Beresford-Kirkhill - not sure what you mean.... FGW- I had thought of using the NR 57 to haul the Riverra Sleeper service, like the pic - just doing my research on carriages and all a bit confused TDF/TC, TRSB, 3 x TS sleepers, TSD, TS, TGS Then of course there is the HST set to plan.... Phil

Evening Folks A bit of fitting and wiring up of the depot lights this evening. And here they are fitted. And still trying to not buy all those FGW coaches.... Phil