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hayfield

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Blog Entries posted by hayfield

  1. hayfield
    December since I last posted about Bodminish, the run up to Christmas was busy and with retirement looming due to the hours my shifts were I was getting too tired to do much else, plus I had a few jobs outstanding prior to the carpenter coming to fit new doors downstairs. I had a weeks holiday the week before last and supposedly another 6 weeks until retirement. That was the plan before Boris stepped in, now on furlow till the 1st of May when I retire
     
    Well the past 2 weeks I have been converting a Wills E1 and E2 to EM gauge plus finishing off a second E2, one E2 is primed the second is waiting for the steps to be fitted so it can be primed, The E1 is waiting for a couple of gears from High Level and has one of their new coreless motors powering it. Now I need a better test bed for both what better than start laying track for Bodmin
     

     
    The track is in place, now needs fishplates, wiring and I have fitted temporary tiebars, the E2 in the photo supports a Comet Jinty chassis (the Wills E2 is designed to take the Triang Hornby Jinty chassis) and is powered by a High Level Kits coreless motor, the Kirk coaches are waiting for either EM wheels or whitemetal EM bogies (still undecided). The E2 was part built but off Ebay. The second photo was another part built (to EM gauge) buy from Ebay, primed today.
     
  2. hayfield
    A few more doors and windows fitted, the chimney stacks are in the process of being fitted and the canopy at the front has been made by cutting and splicing two kits parts together
     

     
    Stink pipes fitted but gutters and down pipes will have to wait for the roof to be finished. Also other thing like posters and various boxes still need fitting
     
    I am still putting off the canopy roofs which need quite a lot of kit bashing, they are not the easiest things to build anyway, let alone making them into a U shape
  3. hayfield
    The platforms have been extended windows and doors being fitted, a small amount of extra work has been done on the roof.
     
    The canopy hs been in my thoughts, I have 3 from the station kits and one free standing one. It will be a U shape and will extend past the buildings, keeping them in the air is the next issue. Each station kit comes with one very substantial casting and the free standing kit has 6 much slender single posts, I may try buying spares from Ratio
     
    The other thing is a wall on the rear of the new platform, the goods shed rear wall will be part of it, certainly 6' above the platform surface, again the canopy height may dictate the height
  4. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)10

    By hayfield,

    Now I am happy that the turnout off the main road and slip are what I require I have printed off  their plans and stick them on to a building board, next up will be cutting and fitting the timbers, hopefully Christmas will provide the time to build it
  5. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)9

    By hayfield,

    Progress has slowed up owing to another project taking priority. I now have laid the closed cell foam track bed for the two main roads and engine shed entranceI have moved the turnout which gives access to the goods yard on to the next board, but I think it still needs to co further back a couple of centimeters. I also think the goods yard needs moving a couple of centimeters further away  from the station platform as the track is too close to the platform and the rear wall of the goods shed needs to fit in
     
    With this in mind I must start thinking about a goods shed, must look in earnest on eBay for the odd kit at a reasonable price, and of course start the build of the turnout and slip for the engine shed
  6. hayfield
    I have done some more on the roof, the sections are in place and before I get the filler out it needs to dry out first, think I have enough chimney stacks, but I guess they are in the wrong position
     
    I have carried on with the painting adding colour to the stones. Again the paint needs to harden then I will start to apply some weathering.
     

     
    The station forecourt roof was the last to be cut and fitted, again waiting for the solvent to harden before the filler comes out. I will fit the Ratio canopy which entails splicing two together. They are 28mm deep and I am thinking that's a bit too deep, I may trim then down a bit. I am also planning to have the doors open, so the floor will need modelling.
  7. hayfield
    Made a start on the roof, thought I would first try using the parts in the kit, if this fails I will move on to tile or slate plasticard sheets
     
     
     
    The station forcourt elevation roof will be quite tricky to form with all the gables and roof lengths
     
    Also made a start on the painting, base coat of mid stone on the walls, sand around the doors, windows and corners, tomorrow will start picking out stones in differing shades 
     
  8. hayfield
    The station walls have been primed ready for painting, these two photos show the forecourt and rear of the building
     

     
    This is the platform area and the primer hides the joins and the small amount of filling. Next up will be my laughable efforts in painting the walls.
     

     
    Half of a standard canopy kit has been built, I was worried that being 1/2" narrower than I expected would make the platform too shallow, as it happens its not too bad. I have 4 kits to play with so I may extend the canopy down the platform a bit.
     
    Thoughts about the roof will also have to be firmed up, I was going to use tiles, but I might give the kit roof a try first
     
     
  9. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)6

    By hayfield,

    I have been doing a bit of what Gordon S loves doing with his Eastwood Town layout which is printing off track plans, my efforts are nowhere near to his standards, thought I would see how everything would pan out in full size,
     
    I have also been looking at how close I can get the platforms, plus looking at how I can kitbash a couple of Ratio stations into something similar to Bodmin
     

     
    This is the start or engine shed end of  the second board, I changed the turnout into a single slip which not only adds to the selections of trackwork but gives me an additional loco stabling area, bottom left is the workshop
     

     
    The platform area showing the second platform
     

     
    I could not resist printing out board 3. Top right is the engine shed road, nest down is the second siding which follows the branch to Wrenford. The next pair of lines are the branch to the mainline Bodmin station and the siding which follows it. Bottom right are the 2 roads for the workshop, these may end up being a bit longer. The crossover and following turnout will need moving a few inches left to avoin the baseboard join.
     
    Still now the plan looks fine and certainly the first two boards seem settled.
  10. hayfield
    The rear of the station wall is next up,  on the left the selection of wall pieces from the kits available/suitable. On the right the pieces have been trimmed so they all but up together
     

     
     
    The rear of the station wall after being stuck together. I have altered the left hand end gabel from a large window to a slit window, a bit of filler and paint should hide the join
     

     
    On the left the station forecourt elevation with the revised left hand gable end, I decided not to alter either the center section or right hand gable end. The doors line up with each other in the centre section, adding a second window would mean them being too close to each other ,the door and the wall end. As for the right hand gable, adding a second door would have caused issues with the door frames and as they will not be seenI will not bother
     

     
    The station roughly placed into position, its in approximately where it is on the plan, but the canopy will dictate the final positioning. I will follow the instructions regarding painting the walls, window frames and doors before fitting them
     
    I am now letting everything dry out completely before I get out both the filler and primer. Next up I need to start one of the platform canopies, this will allow me to see how they will fit into the scheme of things
  11. hayfield
    I noticed that I had made an error with the station forecourt elevation
     

     
    There should be a window one window on the right of the door, there also should be 2 windows  on the left of it as well, so if I alter the gable end window I might  cut up the left hand half of the centre section with several splices to alter the configuration and positions of all the windows and doors
     

     
    This is the platfor8 side of the same building, 8 splices in all, the centre two windows started out as 4 slit windows. Gives me hope to alter the front elevation
     

     
    This is an initial mockup of the rear elevation, it has no doors just all windows, as it will not bee seen I may just take a simple option or add in the odd door.
     

     
    The platform elevation in the wrong place on the first photo, both roughly in place in the second, simply tacked together
     
    The next issue will be the platform canopy's. I needed then 2.5" wide but they are 2" wideI was going to put end on behind the buffers (but its 5" wide) and also have a canopy over the second platform mirroring the other platform. (bought a Canopy kit for £2 + postage today so have the best part of 40" of canopy to play with
  12. hayfield
    I have made a start on my interpretation of the station building at Bodmin General, I am using the Ratio station kit for the kit bash

     
    The first job was to look at what parts (from 2 kits) could be used in making each elevation, top to bottom :- station front, station front platform side, platform building rear, platform building front.
    I knew I needed an additional canopy and I managed to buy on eBay a third station building kit for the price of a canopy kit. This have given me more options to be closer to the original 

    I started to build the platform building front from the left hand side, the double window and door part was made from splicing two of the double window and door ( top item) parts leavinga spare window and door section (middle). Carefull splicing of the 2 slit windows made a large window

     
    A window and door section was selected, the left hand end was trimmed. The second photo shows it joined and another of the same section was selected
     

     
    This third section was added and a fourth part selected and joined to the previous sections. This should complete the platform face, its 10 mm too long but final trimming will take place once all 4 elevations have been completed  
     

     
    The station front may be a bit harder to create, starting by joining a window section to a window and door section
     

     
    2 end sections will be added once the final size is established, I am missing a window in the centre section, but I can live with this. The left hand gable should horizontal slit window and the right hand one should have a larger door. I may try and splice in these parts if I am brave enough
    Its about 3 mm too long, but the platform side needs building first so I have a bit of a leeway
     
     
     
  13. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)8

    By hayfield,

    This afternoon I have continued to experiment with Peco platform faces, faced with slaters brick embossed plasticard and the platform surfaces being Wills sheets. progress looks to be promising
     

     
    The Wills sheets need the joins hiding, I have had a go with a couple using Milliput, seems to be OK. I was going to have the second platform a bit shorter, but decided to have both the same length. at a rough calculation I need another 3 packs of paving
     

     
    As I said I will kitbash a couple of Ratio station buildings, a quick look at the parts I have from 2 kits top will be the front of the station building facing the forecourt, next the same building facing the buffer stops, second from bottom will be the rear of the platform building. botton the front of the platform building. all of these will need a lot of butchery. With the 2 kits I have 2 station canopies, I have worked out I will need at least 3, last night I bought another station building kit for the price of a canopy kit
     
    Initially I was not going to model the rear of the platform building, but as you see I am not far off having enough parts to build all 4 facings. Last night I bought another station building kit for the price of a canopy kit, this not only gives me another canopy but additional sections to play with, not only to fill the missing facing but it may also give me some more options on the other wall. Still looks like it will need a lot of surgery and filler.
  14. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)7

    By hayfield,

    As I was working yesterday I had a late start today, first I looked at as many photos of Bodmin General station as I could just to get the general arrangement of the building with doors and window placement just to see how I can kitbash a couple of Ratio stations into a similar size and style, certainly not an exact replica
     

     
    I have started to lay the trackbed with 3mm closed cell foam from C&L next up is to build the platform. I will be using Peco platform edging. Rather than use the brick paper in the packs, I will use brick embossed plasticard. For the platform surface I am thinking of using Wills sheets
    Next up will be to work out the platform height 
     

    Also I will need to work out the final position of the crossover, temporarily I am using 00 track and stock either side of the crossover to check lengths 
  15. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)5

    By hayfield,

    For once a major step forward, Thursday I visited the timber yard and got a sheet of 9 mm ply stripped down. Only one error in getting too many of the 3" strips cut in half, thankfully a had an offcut at home which I could cut 2 strips from. Thursday was a preparation day and made one board yesterday and the second today
     

     
    A full length view station area top left, entrance to the engine shed bottom left and goods yard bottom right. The Templot plan is a bit of a mess, its an old one which is a bit angular and was designed for 00SF gauge, I converted it to EM, but as I am going to alter it slightly I did not bother realigning the turnouts and plain track, as they will be altered
     

     
    Last night I roughly scaled up the North London Groups Bodmin plan which is on the internet, I am not going to build a scale model of Bodmin station, but kitbash a couple of Wills Station buildings, just wanted an idea of the station area building sizes and platform length and width, my trailing crossover is roughly in place. As said before I will be using a bit of modellers licence, it will have a second platform, a goods shed will remain, possibly a third siding at the station end. A single road engine shed. As for the loco works I will do something not quite certain yet
     
    Two more boards to be built, the next 4' board will have the engine shed and works, A 4 th board will be L shaped 2' x 3' will have both curved exit routes (the bridges will form a natural break) and a short 5th board will hold a fiddle yard Cassettes?
     
    Still a good step forward and will allow me to more focused
  16. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)4

    By hayfield,

    A Stephen Poole 54xx loco kit has now joined the queue of locos to be built for Bodmin,
     
    I  went to my clubs local show and there on the members sales stand was a Stephen Poole 54xx box, being priced at £15 I wondered why no one else had bought it
     

     
    I had a quick look and saw it had hardly been started and at £15 was worth buying without a another thought
     

     
    All the body parts are there, looks to have been superglued, so will be easy to disassemble, the main parts are well cast, some of the smaller ones are not so good and may need replacing
     

     
    It has a Stephen Poole brass bar chassis , missing the coupling rods and crank pin bosses, Has a Mashima 1224 motor with a flywheel, Branchlines motor mount and gears and Romford wheels. The pickups work, but as there is no coupling rods and the centre wheels are slightly raised, the centre wheels just spin
     
    I could do a simple conversion using Markit EM chassis spacers and axles, but still would need coupling rods, I could  buy Alan Gibson Mainframes and coupling rods. But I see High Level Kits do a 64xx chassis, I have a  Pug and 57xx High Level chassis made by someone else and they are stunning, Only negative is they look a bit daunting to build.  Plenty of time to think about this one, I would have bought a High Level gearbox anyway, plus needs coupling rods so the extra spend is not too much
     
    Also bagged a box of Peco 009 track (18" lengths)for a tenner for anther project
     
     
  17. hayfield
    Those who read my track building thread will know earlier this year we moved to Essex, a nice house in a nice village and space for a railway shed. Well that was the plan, but the more we looked into it for many reasons building a wrap around extension seemed a much better idea.
     
    For some time I have wanted to build a small demonstration piece which will have the full scenic treatment, the turnouts into the engine shed at Bodmin General looked a good candidate, and the track could be extended at first to incorporate the shed later. If this went well I could when space permitted include the station and goods area. Still if only a cameo it will be something I could use to run a loco or two
     
    I have plenty of unused C&L and Exactoscale GWR chairs and plenty of pre-cut sleepers and timber strip
     


     
    After seeing Mikkel's latest project and as the first phase is for 2 turnouts I decided to hand build the turnouts and track on ply sleepers and timbers. First thoughts were to 00SF standards, but if I was going to build the plain track (I want it not only fully chaired but have keys in the chairs) why not do it to EM gauge
     
    Looking at the first photo the turnout into the shed has 2 trap points built in
     



     
    I could quite easily build this turnout, but for demonstration purposes a slip would be better and would give a little added interest as a layout. As I said Bodmin(ish). I fancy altering the shed, either going back to a single shed or one that looks a bit tidier. Plus have ash pits outside and inspection pit inside.
     
    The first step is to start the Blog, and perhaps get some input into the project
  18. hayfield

    Bodmin General(ish)3

    By hayfield,

    I have finally started the trackwork, at Scaleforum I bought a bag of part used Exactoscale turnout timbers, which equated to the best part of 3 complete frets, I have in my cupboard a box of PSM code 75 NS rail and a few bags of C&L 2 bolt chairs. I also bought a pack of C&L baseboard alignment dowels and time has come to start building the layout. In addition I have a 2 meter pack of Exactoscale EM fast track bases
     
    First up will be the platform trailing crossover. Temporarily I will fit it on a length of 9 mm ply to give me a test track for some locos I am both building and converting to EM gauge, I will also use it to test platform heights and distances
     
    I made a plan in Templot with 10' track centres as there will be a row of water stand pipes between the platform road and the run around track. Still a few chairs to be added. Tiebars initially will be copperclad timbers for testing, also bonding wires will need fitting
     
     
     
     

     
    A very untidy work bench and a close up of the crossing
     
    I have used 2 bolt chairs on the crossover though the Exactoscale fast track bases have 3 bolt chairs. I will see how noticeable they are on the test plank
     
    I will go and get the birch ply tops and ends cut to size in a week or so.
     
  19. hayfield
    Far too little to report as I have not achieved mu goal. As the loft is a little cooler I managed to retrieve the plain sleepers and some rail, I also bought down some loco kits and went through my chassis box, the latter failing to realise what I need for a G6. On the plus side I have a Southeastern Finecast M7 kit which can be rebuilt to EM standards. I really need to get my kits out of the boxes and find some GWR locos
     

     
    Packets of plain sleepers, mostly 8'6" but I also have some 9'. I have seen many remark how painful it is to stain individual sleepers, I will get a sheet of cardboard put some double sided tape on it and just put a line either side of the tape and it will take seconds to do, none of this messy soaking the timbers etc.
     
    I have a box of PSM code 75 bullhead nickle-silver which I got off eBay ages ago as were the sleepers, following BGJohn in using up items I had for some time.
     
    Went to B&Q last week and looked at their ply, all I could see was thin stuff which was warping and was called exterior !!. At the moment I have no room to buy an 8 x 4 sheet and cut it into 4 x 2 sheets, will look at Wicks and see what they have, I need a couple of 4 x 1 sheets for storage purposes and put a simple frame work under it
     
    This Thursdays goal is a couple of common crossings (fitted)
  20. hayfield

    2018

    By hayfield,

    Nearly 2 years have past since I started the plan to build a layout at our new home, initially I was to be banished to a large shed in the garden, however this evolved into part of an extension we decided to build. After a good start this time last year the builder became a bit erratic ending up with us parting, we then had to arrange for contractors to do the work beyond my capabilities. Most of the work was done by Christmas with a few bits to be completed at leasure, still I had my work shop/ railway room to fit out, then it was found out I had a medical issue which meant I could do nothing for 3 months, thankfully this has passed and all is OK now
     
    This year I have joined a local model railway club, seemed to have been co opted on to the 0 gauge section and being a bit sidetracked with the senior gauge
     
    What has happened, basically just a lot of thinking and acquiring items
     
    Track
     
    Well I was always going to build my own track, which was going to be to 00SF gauge, as most of the stock will be kitbuilt I decided to change to EM gauge, it does look better and the main cost will be Markit EM gauge axles
     
    Secondly ditched the idea of using ply timbers, why? Well as the plain track will be flexi track with plastic bases it just seemed natural
     
    Baseboards
     
    Well I have a 12' run of kitchen base units plus an extra 2.5 foot available, at the moment this space is required for the skirting board painting for the other down stairs room, plus will temporarily be used for an 0 gauge test track. Once I get round to painting and fitting the skirting boards I can then start on the base boards
     
    Buildings
     
    I have started buying Ratio and Wills kits which will form the basis of the buildings as will be kit bashed as required
     
    Stock
     
    I have been having a major slim down of stock, but also been stocking up on locos and loco parts (mainly in the chassis department) as locos will be on etched chassis with can motors and High Level gearboxes. A nicely built K's Adams Radial tank is being converted (temporarily using the K's chassis) to EM and just got a slimline gearbox to fit it. Also just bought an unmade Southeastern Finecast Collet goods kit for £60 as I wanted the etched chassis, Gibson wheels and gears and Mashima motor, these parts alone would cost more than the £60 I paid
     
    Also just bought an unmade K's 42/72xx kit (spot on for Bodmin) wondering if a 28xx chassis will fit it? otherwise a set of Gibson frames will be needed (at least I have a full st of Gibson wheels for it. Again £50 a good price
     
    Hoping to start Bodmin in earnest in the autumn just because there is still lots to do with the house
  21. hayfield
    As it happens I do have a few scrap bits of wood in the shed and found a suitable scrap piece of ply (old draw side which happens to be of high quality wood),a nice wide strip of pine beading was stuck to it, then a slot with a razor saw was cut at right angles
     

     
    A start was made on cutting the timbers, as it happened I had to stain a few timbers as several lengths of thicker ply had got mixed up with some thinner ones. Anyway a few mins work and all will be cut
     
    A new etched chassis for the Southeastern Finecast 02 arrived today along with a few parts which were missing on the loco. Looks like the kit is of the Isle of Wight version with the larger bunker, still modellers licence may occur. Another thing is that it needs 19 mm drivers, I have 18 & 20 mm Romford wheels, so the former will be used.
     
    For those modelling the GWR, the Nucast Partnership has the 16xx kit (is this the old Stephen Poole kit?) available with a new etched chassis, if so I will get a chassis for my kit. The prices are £97.50 for the full kit, £65 body only, £34.50 for the etched chassis. They are offering on limited availability (till stocks last) a body with the old style Autocom brass chassis at £80
  22. hayfield
    Should be going to B&Q but decided to take another look at the track plan, I think I have something which looks about right. It's never going to be an exact replica as the real turnout has a smattering of non GWR chairs. I have decided to build the engine shed to a slightly different style, more like the original but 2 roads and the signal box will be from a suitable kit.
     
    Anyway it will keep me on track so to speak to at least cut some timbers tomorrow
  23. hayfield
    Alternative plan with a turnout as per Bodmin now instead of a slip, but with old style goods yard layout
     

     
    Platforms, buildings etc
     

     
    Close up of the initial area to be built
     

     
    A quick lash up of the trap point, will be done as per prototype though
  24. hayfield
    Just had a play with Templot using a Bing map as a rough guide
     

     
    Nothing in stone, may need compressing. Do I keep the 2 road shed or go for a single road shed. I have used B8's except for the curved turnout, though I may just vary the sizes just to be echonimical with the common crossing packs
     
    As I plan in in a preservation era, as I can use locos from both GWR and SR, also varied liveries and use locos which perhaps would never had been used.
     
    As for the slip (which is a diamond just for speed of design) do I have a single, double or perhaps a Barry slip ? or just build the turnout as is with 2 catch points in built. Still the idea will be to build the trackwork between the signal box and engine shed
     
    The plan is about 10' in length, this I may need to compress though
  25. hayfield

    Engine shed

    By hayfield,

    A bit more progress on the roof.
     

     
    The first 2 bay roof is installed and this part of the shed is becomeing quite ridgid. I have started fitting both roof and wall cappings. It look like I am going to see if Wills will sell me some extra roof sprues as I will need some more roof capping and if I use them the smoke jacks. I will also need 2 more packs of slate roofing. Still quite pleased with progress so far.
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