long island jack

Here's a few more photo's(can't stop looking through my collection now) from my days out. 082 bound for fiddlers ferry passing through Man Vic 075 passing Gateshead depot 109 at Doncaster 108 at Warrington They were also happy on stone traffic 039 at Earling broadway heading back to Westbury 056 doing a bit of shunting at Westbury Enjoy(Must resist looking in those boxes in the loft) Ray

This thread has brought back some happy memories from my younger days when weekends were free. Me and a couple of mate would pick a location,get in the car and hope for the best (we where never disapointed). here's a few of 56's on different sheds (no permits needed,we were that regular) 112 at Gateshead fueling point 125 inside Gateshead shed 126 standing outside Sunderland dock shed 108 standing outside Shirebrook shed 089 at Tinsley shed 034-068 at Westbury Happy memories Ray

37116 arriving with the morning Carlisle- Workington trip. Ray

During the miners strikes in the 80's,there where spare 56 laying around in the Northeast,they used pairs of them on Lackenby-Workington billet trains. 56129-123 returning with emptys Ray

Here's a few from my neck of the woods,all early 80's,but where at???(last photo will give it away) 37071-078 37138-032 37075-078 37241-256 Ray

The bridge in the photo was the reason for the clearence issues on the section between Carlisle and Workington,thats why they put bars on the windows of DMU's(so they say,it's really to stop west Cumbrian escaping and climbing on the roof) Don't know anything about re-engined class 17's,i'm far to young!!! Ray

Ozzyo Well spotted,one to many over the 8!! Tony I think,not for sure,the class 17 where a out and back job from Carlisle to Corkicle,they would sometimes turn up on the trip working from Carlisle to Workington,haven't seen any photo's of them stabled at Workington,thats not to say they didn't(prepairing to be shot down) they had all gone before i took a interest in photographing railways(1975),when there was still quite a variety of trains and loco's,i like to pick up any old local photo's when i can. Pair of 17's on a Workington-Carlisle train at Bullgill. Think i got that one right Ozzyo!!! Ray

You could all so model the West coast of Cumberland, 28's where use on different workings to Carlisle along with class 17's. Pair of 17's running light at Whitehaven,going to Corkicle to pick up some tank cars from Marchon works,heading back to Carlisle. 28 just after leaving Maryport with the Carlisle to Workington trip. 28's used to be stabled at Workington over night,one set the roof a fire which was destroy,it use to come to the end of the large wall in the picture. D5716 on a Barrow train at Grange over sands D5717-5718 at Barrow 28's where also used as banker on Askam bank,D5715 about to couple up to a south bound loaded chemical train(covhops). Hope these help,and give you some ideas,West Cumberland use to be a busy place,with all the mines and iron ore workings for the steelworks at Workington,Millom and Barrow. Ray

Your probably right Nick,lessons learned for the next one,but i enjoyed doing it at the time. i'm just hoping it all fits in the car,haven't tried it yet!!!!! Ray

Right Nick First thing after the ballast(which didn't go to the top of the sleepers) had set,was to float 50/50 PVA in between the tracks(where i needed grass),then i wiped down the middle with a cloth,next i sprinkled different coloured WS fine turf and left this to dry,while this was drying i added PVA to the areas on the outside of the tracks and applied strips of basket liner,let all this set for a couple of days. Next job was, when set to pull the top of the basket liner off,this left long stringy lengths of grass which i trimed to length,then in between the track i added neat PVA,but only between the sleepers(except for the small siding, see photo) and added different coloured WS coarse turf, also the same WS turf randomly among the basket liner,let dry. last was to spray hairspray(non-purfumed) all over and build up with WS fine turf to add depth,when this had set,i added some small bushes and some longer grass between selective sleepers using Heki grass mat cut to the sleeper gap width and fixed with PVA. Left this for a few days,then cleaned the track,and hoovered all the track,stuck down/touched up where needed,then added trash etc. Not saying this is the best way,but it worked for me,bit of trial and error. Hope this helps,there's no copywright,so bash on Ray

Miracle grow!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just a "heads up" 59th and Rust will be having it's first outing next weekend, Sunday 7th July at the North American one day meet at Hampsthwaite village hall(near Ripon) if your in the area call in and say hello. Ray

Snap,i've got one of his brothers!!! Ray

Jack in a advanced state, you've only 363 days to finish it,but there again ,where you live maybe less, once "Jack frost"(i know ,i know it's another Jack) sets in, you'll loss a few mouths in the garage. Ray

And there's a pub to!!!! Make sure you get Roger to go in first,he's the master at missing his round!!!!!!

Chris looking good so far,like the name of cement company,if you fancy a change of name,how about "VIAGRA CEMENT,SETS ROCK HARD" i was going to use that on a failed layout. Ray

Pete Chris has made it that big so as to get away from shows quicker,put it under your arm and away you go Ray

With sound becoming so popular,(it's on most layouts in some sort of form) everyone's fighting for the same air space,from my experience 0 gauge seems the worst,they can get bigger and better speakers in,which they think gives them a licence to turn them way up. I prefer the sound at the right level's,i'm going to have mine set so you can hear it at 2 feet from the layout(operating space between layout and barriers) if i can't hear it at that distance for some over loud layout, i have 3 option to run silent,or ask them to turn there sound down,(which will probable fall on deaf ears) or ask for quiet corner. Since the layout hasn't be out yet i won't know till it happens,and i may find it's better to do with out sound all together(that will save me some money) at the end of the day i hope the punters are coming to look at the layout,(which i'm sure there will be enough to interest them) not just to hear the sounds!!!! Time will tell Ray

Dear Prof All the sound clips are free downloads from various websites,the mixing was done in another free down load "Audacity",I what you mean about scale sound which is what i would prefer,but this all depends on the layout either side of me at the exhibition. If its like the weekend just gone,where one layout at the other side of the isle from us had a siren going,which could be heard all over the building, far to loud,this spoiled other peoples layouts with the correct level of volume,this seems to becoming a problem at exhibition,with everyone fighting to be heard, so they all start turning there volumes up,then it just becomes a din. Like i said about my sounds still a bit of fine tuning to do,but thanks for your imput. Ray

Hi everyone I,ve been adding background sounds to the layout,got the speakers located in the layout roof, towards the front,pointing down, all run of a old sony disc player(for now). Been playing around with the sound files,trying to get the right sound for a busy city,needed street hum,horns, emegancy vehicles etc for 59th st(which runs along the back of the layout) Also sounds to fit in with the certain areas of the layout ie;dogs barking,hammering (fixing the fence) boxes being move(3 crowns),electric winch(team track) women laughing(ladies of the night). Then there are other sounds,bird noise,train in the distance(subway),boat horns(on the nearby river) and other general sounds. There's still a bit of fine tuning to do,and volume levels to sort out,its ok at home,but when you get in a exhibition environment i may have to turn the volume up,won't know that till we start in the morning,don't want to have it to loud,just loud enough,time will tell on this one. I've recorded 16 minutes which will loop,here's a clip (4min,hope it plays) 59th clip.mp3 like i said, still a bit of fine tuning,but looking promising so far,and it adds to the ambience of the layout. Ray

Cheers Pete, do you want to be my publicity officer!! It's out 3 times this year,2 or 3 definints for next and a few inquires for 2014/15 you find once a layout has been seen at a exhibition word gets around fast and the invites start coming in(thats what usually happens!!) JWB, think its a problem all over the world,must be a hard choice to make for some, weather to buy a bar of soap or not!!!!!!!. the trouble is, with operating the layout from the front you can't get away from them,i usually make some excuse,so i can get round to the back of the layout (or better still tell my mate it's his turn to operate!!!!) Ray

Thanks for all the kind remarks All i need now is to work out how to get the smell and warm steam rising from the back yard,hold on i've had a thought maybe all the "great un-washed" that go to exhibitions could stand at that end of the layout!!! narr, there would be to many and all those rucksacks. Ray

been rather busy at work, so not done much modeling time.I've decided to change one of the buildings on the front of the layout,it was making the end where the road crossing is look a bit cramped,the new one is smaller and called ICU MIRROR CO.. Here's a few photo's local passing by the back yard area old sign guard dog barking at it's self!!! watch where you walk!!!! all the detailing is finnished on the layout,still got a lot of freight cars to weather,and another coat of black paint on the outside of the layout,then it's done!! just need some more exhibition invites now!!! Ray

Finally got round to tidying my wiring up,and adding some frog juicers(replacing peco point motor switches),i've still the other board to do. Added another road name to the layout,with the purchace of a NH RS1 at Nottingham exhibition.seen here switching stone empties. With work and exhibitions (planning new layouts),there's not a lot of time left in a week to do all the small jobs that need finishing.but i'll get there,layouts first exhibition is at the one day North Counties American Modellers meet at Hamptwhaite 7th July(south of Ripon),an all American show with layouts(15+) and trade support. Ray

Yep,there "ladies of the night" thought i'd add a bit of glamour to the layout!!!!!!!!!!!!! Ray