coronach

First time back in the loft today - yay! 78047 ran for the first time. Likewise, the TMC G5 ran really well too. And not forgetting the V2.

Typical St Margaret’s livery

I’ve not yet been able to get into the loft since my operation in January so am limited to bits of weathering on new purchases - four locos since the Autumn. The latest arrival is another Bachmann V2 which is being renumbered as St Margaret’s loco 60819. As I get stronger, I look forward to revisiting the layout but there will be some tidying and maintenance to do before trains can run again. Looking at old photos of the layout gives me the incentive to get back into proper modelling.

These photos show what an interesting railway we enjoyed in the 1970s. The first picture of the 31 on the long parcels train reminds me of a train that would terminate at York platform 16 (old numbering) every Saturday morning. We would be entertained by the loose shunting of the vans into the sidings during the day. Such a variety of vehicles, including examples from all four prenationalisation companies

I remember a story my dad told me concerning the design of complex pointwork at Leeds Central. The office was very careful in designing a pway that would take account of the tight clearances, undertaking several detailed surveys. The layout actually installed was made to fit, largely ignoring the drawings - a case of installers knowing what’s best!

The Hornby 2MT is superb and can be enhanced with a bit of weathering, turning it into a unique specimen

Ah! A garden railway. I grew up with an extensive garden railway built by Dad - coarse scale gauge 0 built through rockeries and alongside lawns at ground level. Proper ballast, Bassett Lowke factory made track with timber sleepers, a liberal coating of creosote so it even smelled like a railway on a hot sunny day. After 50 years, the railway was dismantled and the track is being reused in a garden railway in Trowbridge.

Learned all my basic scenery construction skills from Mike Cook of York show fame.

Chicken wire, Blue roll towel and Polyfilla

And a preview of the fourth York exhibition 😊

I'm quite pleased with the outcome of this weathering exercise.

a bit of weathering to turn a nice shiny V2 into something more interesting

It’s going to look superb when fully installed. A realistic track layout with the correct provision of semaphore signals and a disciplined operation of trains is what turns a train set into a model railway - irrespective of scale, detail or whether the rolling stock has the correct number of rivets.

Very impressive Graham- lovely alignment. Not many layouts include realistic complex junctions such as this. I look forward to further progress. The signalling will be equally impressive- will it be semaphore?

Reliable, smooth running is dependent on good electrical connectivity at the rail-wheel interface. I generally clean the rails using a peco track rubber or felt block however some areas are difficult to reach. I have recently purchased a track cleaning vehicle -a BR 20t brake van with an abrasive pad suspended between the axles. I am considering whether to moisten the pad with isopropyl alcohol; I have a bottle of surgical spirit - does anyone have experience of using this? For example, might it leave an insulating deposit after it dries?

Just about completed the weathering on Hawick 2MT 78047. I just need to find and fit the font steps on this side. Having spent some time in this model loco, in my opinion, this is the best Hornby has ever produced. The level of detail, particularly the pipework, is exceptional.

A bit of ‘diddly dum’ from 2014 - how time flies! An A3 Pacific rolls down the gradient with an inter regional train bound for Edinburgh Waverley. There has bee discussion elsewhere about the merits of rail joints, either just a few or at 60ft intervals, as mine are. I enjoy the sound of a train when observed from a distance and the regular beats work really well for me.

Here is side one. The track of a B1 climbing to Whitrope illustrates the long slog faced by the footplate crew

Yes indeed and as is typical of Handford’s style, the first track on side two starts with birdsong to set the scene. In it a V2 hauled goods train restarted from a signal at Stobbs, banked by 78047 - the 2MT recently released by Hornby :) I’m sure side one will also be on YouTube

A good old black beetle motor grinding away propelling the DMU on jointed track. Completely analogue

I’ve found that 60ft notches are very effective. Maybe it is the size of my layout but I get the effect of a train approaching and going away. Also the complex sound of a train on points works too.

Any thoughts - analogue sound effects