Jub45565

Hi Alex, thanks for the link. I have seen something similar at some stage in the past, but they havent crossed my mind since starting this project, so thanks! Currently the layout does use chrome toggle catches, but it isnt too late to have a rethink. One of the benefits of a small project is that I can do a bit of experimenting, & come up with a good solution that works for me goin forward - I think Ill get a set or 2 to play with. Thanks, Pete

As an aside, the turntable kit is designed so that the wheel carriers are isolated, & that these are used for pickups with suitable isolation gaps in the turntable running rail so the 2 ends are at different feeds as required. As I'm using DCC, & dont want to rule out sound etc, my plan is to use the outer pickup as 1 feed through both wheel carriers, & use a plunger pickup arrangement for the second feed somewhere near the centre of the well. These will work via a reverse loop module. I am generally wiring to allow for DC operation with 1 engine in steam (ie no section switches, but so i can test locos without decoders). The turntable isnt necessarily required for this, but I might allow for switching out the return loop module & having a manual switchover switch for DC mode. Before anyone asks, I havent yet decided on my method for repearably stopping the turntable in the right place. Nor even turning it at all for that matter...

I'm currently in the process of using one of these on my Ilkley layout topic. The kit goes together very well, but I'm currently trying to work out the best method to represent the circular brick pattern on the well floor. Has anyone else tackled this yet, or have any ideas?

My wheel carriers now mount ok to the superstructure - but until i get the deck on i wont fully know as there is a bit of flex in it. The deck is awaiting 1mm brass angle, after i did some comparative measurements on the photos. From the dimensions of the vacuum formed well, it definitely has enough extra diameter to have a inner skin of the required material - in this case brick. The question is, how do i go about the circular brickwork in the bottom of the well! I may have to wait until Scalefour North for a perusal and potential brain picking of the Halifax King Cross solution, but I'm sure there will be other options out there. I could do with some better photos of the well at Keighley I think..

Wow! Somehow I haven't visited this thread before yesterday, and the Britannia detailing is covered in more detail than on John's own site which is where I had gleamed my previous knowledge on that project. Thanks for going to the trouble, depth & detail John! It's also useful to see more of the context behind the 9F wheelset mods that Morgan is doing. Definitely not kitchen table, but a brilliant bit of engineering in both concept & experiment. Good to meet you in passing at Robin's at the beginning of the month John, though I don't think the opportunity arose to actually introduce myself properly! Cheers, Pete

So to the wheel carriers! The carriers themselves are very easy to add the overlays to, fold up squarely, and produce. Then its the wheels. I always dread bits like this - 8 discs to fit together, all having sprues to clean off, and 4 sets of them. The first set fell together though. Some of the instructions seem a tad vague, owing to the prototype variations, but this bit is really well covered about putting them on a lightly oiled screw, and while it needs cleaning up the first one is looking good! Now its time for a well (?) deserved (?) curry with the Bristol Scalefour soc guys :-)

Righty ho, so for those of you who like pictures rather than me saying I'm doing some stuff, here we go!: The turntable bridge is built up from a frame with panels placed in from the rear: Once two are built, and had the bottom angles fitted,the are attached to a central spine (this bit needs cleaning up, but looks square) and copper clad inserts are fitted to the ends for the wheel carriers, which are the next job: The kit is designed with several 'finishing' options in mind, as they were sold to lots of different railway companies. Mine will have a wooden deck, as per this photo I've phobably linked more than a couple of times so far... http://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk/historic/fws083.jpg I would link it here Ron, but this version is slightly smaller: https://www.myheritage.com/photo-11_33165501_33165501/dad-at-ilkley-turntable Now, the kit says to use 1mm angle if using a steel deck and 2mm angle if using a wooden deck - but to my eyes the angle bit does want to be quite shallow, and the wooden planks above extend the full width. Another question arising is as to what colour it would be. The metalwork on the one at Barrow Hill (which I saw at the Stanier day, and took 1 of 2 photos of) is bright red. I'm guessing that even if it was in the 50s, it would probably be fairly weathered? Though the white brickwork well surround was kept clean by the looks: http://www.davidheyscollection.com/userimages/00-0-a-fw-smith-40139.jpg

Haha!, thanks for the photos and general bits of interest! There has been a bit of progress as I have started assembling the turntable - I'll try & post photo evidence later...

Evening All, Apologies for the delay - I was aiming to do this on Thursday but a long weekend in Wales sprung up. I was also hoping to show the bits of the body that dimensionally arent right, but that will have to wait for another post... I think the photos should be fairly self explanatory - the only problem with this method, coupled with the 3 point bogie - is that it is a bit more rigid than I would hope, and the body does move a bit more with the bogie than I would like. If both bogie sideframes were free to pivot it would be better, but finidng a way to secondary spring it would be good. Overall I am please with it though. It is much freer to pivot without the pickup wires tethering it, and it is easier to remove and refit should maintenance, painting, or taking photos be required!

Hi Martin, Yes it would be good to see your progress and concept too. I will try and find time this week to put some photos of it, I thought I had but looking back I see otherwise... Cheers,

Hi Peter, Thanks for giving it (me!) a bit of a kick - to be fair I need the weather to improve a bit before I can paint it, but the build did enter limbo a bit. It runs very well, but there are a couple of dimensions out, which mean that the smokebox detailing doesnt all quite want to sit where it should. While looking at what was going on, I noticed a far more (to my eyes) glaring issue in that the cab opening should be far more equal each side of the doors than it is! Having but some thought into it, I am going to get it finished from here rather than trying to do anything too drastic, but in having it on one side a few other projects seem to have taken over. I'll try and rekindle it if I have any time over the weekend and get some progress made! Cheers,

That sounds like a good idea - but actually there will probably be a few people interested, so is it worth combining forces rather than a flurry of individual emails? The amount of interest shown may also give them (as its an SEF & Branchlines joint venture AFAIK) an idea of how far up the priority list it could be for a new chassis.

Mark, You're quite correct - but I've got a few other bits of metalwork to clear from my workbench before I'm releasing the turntable into it. There is a bit of leeway in the turntable road track, and the well could also be moved across slightly if necessary, but you are right. I should crack on with it sooner rather than later! Cheers,

Well a bit of progress... I have built a cassette, nothing new or clever, but it does so happen that using 6mm ply and 1.5mm angle, it works out level with my 1/8" cork, 1/16" sleepers and bullhead track - magic! That made the next bit easier than I expected. The prototype did have a gradient up to the mainline, and I thought this would need replicating, but it doesn't. So the cassette locating blocks, and mating half, have also been assembled. As has the cork been laid to accomodate the feed track. I think this section will use the flexitrack. Partially because I have it, and its quicker, but it will also allow a comparison between it and the ply track once its all in and weathered, to see whether it makes enough difference to hand build it all in the future. This is a test layout afterall. I have made some cutouts for pits, but will probably make my way through the final 1.5 points and complete the first outside road before building the pits. Cheers,

Hi Tom, My track centres are at 70mm, with sleeper end to sleeper end measuring 105mm, if that would fit? I'm not quite sure what I'll do about the shed in the short or long term - as noted earlier by Andrew (in post 49) the bricks used are very shallow, & I cant think of seeing any plasticard (or even paper) which depicts this bond. I am currently looking at pits, and the first thing to note is that of the 5 pits there are 3 different constructions! Firstly, the pit outside on the near shed road (when viewed from the mainline) used bullhead rail which looks to be sat on strengthened I beams, as can be seen bottom left in this photo: http://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk/historic/fws108.jpg Inside the shed, the rail is flat bottom and sat on bricks as depicted here. I assume these pits ran pretty much full length of the shed... http://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk/historic/fws084.jpg On the coaling road to the side of the shed, and outside on the second shed road, is a third type of pit of which I don't have an online photo to lin, but there is one in 'The Otley and Ilkley Joint Railway' by Smith & Bairstow (P53) showing bullhead rail on stone coping stones. There is a good article on pits in the LMS Journal preview edition, which suggests that the flat bottom rail was 4 7/8" high, with a 5 3/4" wide foot. This scales to 65 thou high with a 75 thou foot, which doesnt appear to be available anywhere. Most small section rail is aimed at heavier rail in smaller gauges (so has a much narrower foot and railhead), with the two I am aware of being Kalgarin code 83 (with an 80 thou foot) or the C&L code 55 with a 55 thou foot. I have some of the C&L rail, so think I'll use that. I'm not quite sure where the transition between bullhead and flat bottom rail occurred, I can't see it in the photos so I'm assuming just inside the entrance. I also don't know what they did at the transition. I've played with various types during my time platelaying on the Ffestiniog (where the last main line bullhead is being replaced this winter :-( ) but appreciate that things are sometimes a bit different on the big railway, and in the 50s. Would it have used a special fishplate, or be a welded transition section? I'll dig through photos of other sheds to see whether they can shed (sorry) any light on things.

Thanks Tom, I'm currently at my sisters (my nephews first Christmas) so off the top of my head my track is at 70mm centres - but I can confirm nearer new year! Cheers, Pete

Sorry Ive been quiet/not replying. Everythings been a tad hectic in the run up to year end... I was planning on using the Metcalfe shed as a stand in, but the lack of a central pillar in the doorway makes me think it might be narrower overall and so not work with the same track geometries - I may well be wrong though! I did draw it in Templot - I find it very user friendly these days (if anyone tried it originally & got put off, please have another go!). Not that there is any complex trackwork on this design. I'm glad Craig & Steve could help re Apple IT - it isnt something I've tried to do. Merry Christmas to all - hopefully I'll have a couple of days around New Year in which to make some progress. Cheers, Pete

Thanks for the offer for the photocopy John, but your description and the photos tell me enough.

Interesting to see the folded up frame in post #3 - I understand this specimen will be built rigid, but at some point in the future I aim to do one in P4. I thought the allowance for compensation would include 6mm hornguide cutouts, but by the looks of it it is a larger circle cutout for the front 2 axles? Looks like good progress is being made! Mike - I was going to send a PM but it might be of wider interest so I'll ask here - your build was for a B16/2, while this build is a B16/1. As I understand it the /2s had outside Walschaerts valve gear, which seems to be what your fret covers (as per the photo in post #24 of your topic as already linked in this thread). Presumably the slide bars could be replaced from your fret, but the coupling and connecting rods used would be the original PDK ones? In other words it looks like an excellent add on etch for a /2, but I'm just curious as to how much is useable on a /1. Cheers,

Hi Ron, Thanks for the water tower info - interesting if that had a stone base with the brick shed! I have got both that book, and use the Embsay site - and thanks for the prod, I have located photos of the different yard lamps. There is the Hunt as you say: http://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk/historic/fws108.jpg Also of the early lamp, looking towards the shed, is this one. I include this as although it doesnt show the whole lamp, it is a more direct comparison with the last photo. http://www.davidheyscollection.com/userimages/00-0-a-fw-smith-rj-buckley-Ilkley.jpg This one was taken after closure but before demolishion, and shows that for whatever reason it was replaced!: http://www.embsayboltonabbeyrailway.org.uk/historic/fws073.jpg Cheers, Pete

South Eastern Finecast do a 4mm kit, which apparently goes together very nicely (or even 2 kits, as they do both variants). A4 streamlining is overrated, it has to be the original (for me...).

I'll be relocating my tank to the shed side of the turntable, but it would be good to have it of the correct type so will keep my eyes peeled & keep asking here! Thats an interesting point about yard lamps Andrew. I may be incorrect, but I thought I had deduced that there were originally 'station' lamps in place, which seemed to be replaced by 'yard' lamps in the late 40s/early 50s. I'll try & refind a pair of photos to back this up. Cheers, Pete

Don't move discussions on my account! Half the point of putting these things online is to gain more snippets about the prototype, alongside the task of how to model them and fit them in. Neville Hill did have standard 4 tanks, but I expect not until after the LNE locos worked into Ilkley on local traffic (1954). I was aware of the first loco shed, & as you say I can also understand why it was moved! There was a small turntable associated with it which resulted in a cutout in the rear of platform one. Cheers, Pete

The Stanier 3P 2-6-2 was from the Cotswold stable too ;-) so likewise has very good castings but would require a new chassis as time and priorities allow. I have been very interested to hear the range is back and wish it every success.

Hi Ron, Glad its brought back some memories! Thanks for the info too, it all helps piece it together in the gaps the photos are yet to show me! I may be able to help with loco allocations, is there a specific timeframe in mind? The Stanier 0-4-4 tanks went just after the war, with a few Caledonian 0-4-4 tanks briefly before the Stanier 3P 2-6-2Ts took over for a while, with an Ivatt 2-6-2T towards the end. LNER locos sub shedded there until 1954 tended to be G5s with the odd J39 substitute. Plenty of D49s were seen on shed, and Skipton has 4Fs and Ivatt 2 2-6-0s calling in having been on freight workings. I do have a few useful books with a reasonable description of traffic flows and locos in use which does include pre war info too if that is of interest. I havent made any progress on this recently, but am currently sat here creating a few plug in wiring looms. I'm visiting the Portsmouth show on Saturday (looks well worth a visit!) but am basically at home for a change this weekend so might make some progress on Sunday. No promises though!