rhyd-y-clafdy

I haven't done much recently. However, just to show that progress is starting again, here are a couple of recent developments. I now have some Cambrian platform benches thanks to Modelu who provided the excellent seat posts. They are very fine and I did manage to break a couple. The Hand Cart was made from bits of plasticard and Langley wheels (they had a tray full of bits at Stafford exhibition). The measurements were taken from a newly restored cart at Glyndyfrdwy on The Llangollen railway. One is shown in many photos of Ellesmere so I had to have one. I don't know how I'm going to put lettering 1mm high on it! It should say Ellesmere and have a large letter W on the side. The steps for the Autocoach were already on the layout, again bits of plasticard with brass wire, measurements are guesswork. The platform lamps were already on the layout. I didn't realise this one is so not vertical. A little pressure with the fingers to straighten it is necessary. The lamp is made from cocktail stick, a bit of brass wire and modified parts from Ratio swan neck lamps. The totems are from Alan at Sankey Scenics. I have also replaced the Up home signal with a more accurate effort in that the signal was only about 12' (again guesswork) but it was very short. This is actually retrieved from Rhyd-y-Clafdy and cut down. It used MSE parts. I intended to use wire in tube for operation but have decided to have a go with servos and Megapoints controller. I've ordered 4 servos (there are 4 signals on the layout) but still need to order a transformer (apparently minimum 2 amps output) and the controller. I have also ordered a starter pack of Spratt and Winkle couplings from MSE to try those. I had to have a go with the Alex Jacksons but like people said they are best for EM and certainly were not reliable enough. A major issue was caused by lack of planning early on. Tube in wire to control points worked well on Rhyd-y-Clafdy all through it's 14 years on the exhibition circuit. So I decided to go down that route for 9 of the points on Ellesmere (the other 3 were too far away from the operator so they were endowed with Tortoise motors which have been fine). So after the track was laid I merrily installed slider switches close to the edge of the baseboard and connected them to wire (guitar string - as a guitarist I have lots!!!) and through the brass tube to the points. Wired up the sliders to change polarity. Note - being a crude kind of botcher the tubes were secured by bent track pins!! However, I failed to wind in the fact that a loading dock with crane and cattle dock would be located directly above the sliders and there was no room to get fingers under the dock to work the switches!!! I tried extensions made of bike tyre levers (Strong plastic) but they proved wholly unsatisfactory. At Rainfall exhibition Ian Chapman bought a length of really strong steel wire and said try this. So I have!! Seems to work! The chocolate block bits are just to secure the rod in place. Notice the crude use of screws to hold them in place. I could have used brass tube but I hadn't got any at that point in time. If the Servo thing with the signals works I might use servos for the points and the Megapoints controller will work up to 12 servos (unlike Peco's 4!). Then its down to Ellesmere with the camera to have another go at photos for the back scene now that summer is upon us. Anyone know where there's an old fashioned cattle market not too far away!

Off to Scotland for a week in a remote cottage (in the rain) on the Ardnamurchan peninsula with family members. Not my idea! Might take a pencil and some paper to plan a new layout!

Hi 9793 Thanks for the comment - much appreciated. At the moment future exhibitions for 'Ellesmere' are Wigan and Peterborough in October, Stafford in February and Preston in March. If you are able to make it to any of those please make a point of introducing yourself. Cheers Phil

Well with Rainhill exhibition out of the way it is time to put things right. Overall the layout performed quite well and it was good to meet old and new friends. Thanks to all for the support and positive comments. There were several issues: the entrance to the traverser sagged (on inspection at home it appears some of the screws supporting it had completely come out - no idea how) this caused several unexpected uncouplings. The AJ couplings were not reliable as expected with'00' gauge so maybe rethink that - maybe Spratt and Winkles, B and B, DG or back to Kadees. One or two electro-magnetic uncouplers didn't work - I think faulty switches. Any advice on coupling systems would be welcome but I am not sure my fine motor skills and eyesight are capable of some of the options!! My point control extensions (adapted bicycle tyre levers) were a pain maybe to be replaced with Servos! But not too many problems with derailments apart from some early (Mainline etc) freight stock, back to backs OK but fat wheels! The new Hornby Collett coaches looked a treat. Finally heartfelt thanks to Ian Downing and Ian Chapman for their help over the weekend and it was great to see John Williams again.

Thanks for posting those Big Jim. At least it is still there! I notice they have levelled/surfaced the area in front of the building but I am still anxious about it's future

A young gentleman called Richard Harnetty took some video at Rainhill exhibition at the weekend. It has quite a bit of Ellesmere. It is on Youtube - 'Rainhill Model Railway Show Sunday 6th March 2016'

Thanks Mike. Really appreciate the comment. Phil

Thanks for that one Ian. And thanks for all the help over the weekend! Gismorail. It was really nice to meet you and I was so relieved that your journey was not a waste of your time. Thanks for all the lovely photos although my wife said it was not the most flattering picture of me. Don't show too much interest we are always after operators!!! Phil

Hi. Thanks for the comment! Will look forward to meeting you. A friend and I had a day out and took a DMU from Northgate to Wrexham Central in March 1967. We then travelled from Wrexham General to Shrewsbury behind a Black 5 on a Birkenhead - Paddington but didn't take any photos at Northgate. Ah well! Hindsight!!

Thanks Terry. Really appreciate your comments. Maybe another exhibition in the future. At the moment we have Wigan and Peterborough in October, Stafford next Feb and Warley 2018 Cheers Phil

Finally! All sorted for Rainhill Exhibition this weekend. Even managed to sort out the 2 uncouplers that didn't work. Have to wait and see if the Alex Jackson couplings are a good idea - might be back to Kadees! Just off to collect a couple of the new Hornby Collett coaches. Decided that some blood and custard stock will be suitable bearing in mind we are pre 1962 when the Wrexham branch closed and we have a couple of Dukedogs and small Prairies - very 1950s. Looking forward to a weekend with the Ians and other friends.

Yes thats the one. I was thinking of getting the Comet autcoach kit and putting the brake composite sides on (with the extra drivers window cut out) although I think the drivers windows on the coach end were a different size. But I'm not that much of a purist to worry!!!

Wow! Thanks for that link Larry!!! Thought I'd seen all the video bits of Ellesmere! Must sort out one of those BR built/converted auto coaches. I know that Comet do a Brake second but the Oswestry ones all look to be Brake composites so probably have to cobble Comet bits together. Thats for after the layout is all sorted - back scene being the big priority!!! Phil

Thanks for putting those on Ian and the plug for Rainhill exhibition

Sounds good. Will look forward to seeing that.

I just drew this out for you if its any help. I have rounded the figures a little because there were random 6" here and there from my original measurements which were a combination of on-site measurements, brick counting and estimation. I don't guarantee them as 100% accurate especially as at some point in construction I suspected that the windows were 8' high not 7' as I modelled it. How on earth I cocked that up I don't know but I was nor prepared to start again - I had a whole layout to build! So I think my building should be about 8mm taller!!! Station bldg footprint.pdf

And here are some photos

Hi Alan Glad you like them. The headboard was from Fox Transfers. I'll have a look at photos of Pwllheli . In the first instance I would use Ratio. Off the top of my head I think their various kits would suit your needs. Looking forward to meeting up with you at Stafford on the Sunday. Not sur if Ian is coming Phil

station bldg 1.pdf station bldg 2.pdf station bldg 3.pdf Good afternoon Coachmann I managed to dig out these working drawings that I used although they were very much "work in progress". At some time I would like to produce decent drawings of all the buildings that I made for the layout. When I get time maybe later this year. No promises. I will also upload some pics of my station building when they fall out of the "cloud". Thanks for the interest and encouraging comments.

Thanks for putting those Pics on Ian. Here are a couple more of Rhyd-y-Clafdy especially for Cambriancoaster. As you can see on the last day - presumably in Jan 1965 a special was run to mark the occasion. It must be just arriving because the hordes have not disembarked! A few year earlier - 1959? 5570 arrives for a brief stop with the down CCE - just a few minutes away from its arrival at the terminus at Port Dinllaen!! There is also a pic of my recent attempt at the up bracket signal at Ellesmere. The parts are mainly MSE but the bracket is out of a Ratio kit. Not too happy with the handrails but had enough of that for now! Never look too closely at my workmanship!!

Bob! Errr whats a PM?

Hi Bob! Thanks for that kind offer. I may well take you up on that if I haven't sorted anything by then. The scenic section is 16' so would need to check it out at some point as to the best way of fitting it. I bought a cheap 4 spotlight track from B n Q to play with in the first instance. A great pity I can't use the Rhyd-y-Clafdy lighting but its too bulky and heavy. Best wishes for the new year - Phil

I didn't realise the 'sleepers' were from WW2 - interesting. In fact I recently noticed the goods shed siding had them as well - oh well! too late now! Must check out the Cambrian seat castings. Ive made do with standard GWR ones for now but did do some drawings with a possibility of getting some made. The WTT I'm using is winter 59-60 although looking at other examples there was little change during the post war years up to closure. I will endeavour to operate the weekday timetable missing out an up WO cattle train and WSX coal empties. It would be nice to do the Summer saturday Manchester train but my fiddle yards ( a 9 road traverser at the Oswestry end and fan of 3 sidings at the Whitchurch end only allow for a maximum of loco and 4 coaches or 12 wagons. I had a nice big roundy roundy fiddle yard on Rhyd-y-Clafdy but that would put us back into the need for van hire for exhibitions. Thanks for all the responses - much appreciated!

To answer members queries there are 4 scenic boards 3 of which measure 4' x 3' whilst one at the East (Whitchurch) end (Grange Road bridge) widens to 4' to accommodate the siding by the cattle market. i compressed the plan of Ellesmere into 16' by reducing the length of the goods yard - I don't think the difference is noticeable - they were pretty long sidings and I think I've only reduced the overall length by about 18". I drew my own plans of the station building which I measured on site but also used brick counting and estimation for the bits I couldn't reach. At some point I will scan the drawings and post them but not yet! There is concern in Ellesmere as to the future of the station building as the site has apparently been given planning permission for housing. The building is for sale again but there are anxieties as to its future survival in spite of it being grade 2 listed. I don't know what the sleepering in the sidings is called but it was used at quite a few locations on the Cambrian. It appears that the chairs were fixed to concrete posts with steel stretcher bars at intervals. I just chopped the sleepers on the SMP track I was using and put thin plastic strip inbetween as stretcher bars and painted the remains of the sleepers concrete colour - a tedious task they were long sidings! Hi Bob - good to hear from you. Yes we are bringing it to Rainhill in March although I doubt that the back scene will be anything like and I probably won't have lighting by then. The layout fills 2 cars (no more van hire!!) so any lighting rig will have to be modest and lightweight. As for the couplings I will continue to pursue Alex Jacksons for the time being but am hanging on to all the Kadees I bought - Im not convinced that my skills will produce adequately working couplings and theres a lot of shunting to do!! Look forward to seeing you again. Phil

Thankyou Coachmann and PGH for the comments and the photos of Ellesmere. Yes it is 'OO' and analogue. The track is SMP with points using copper clad - 3 of the points at the East end are operated by Tortoise the others wire in tube although the double throw slider switches I have used don't make very good contact and cause problems at the moment. I like the pic of the 3208 and the pannier in the platform. I assume the pannier has arrived at 5.25pm from Wrexham while the 22xx worked the 12.53 ex Whitchurch which terminated at Ellesmere the working to Oswestry being 5.55 departure of the Wrexham freight so presumably that was how the 22xx returned to Oswestry. However i think it may on occasions have worked a milk train to Crewe when required after shunting , doing the Elson pilot shunt and attaching milk tanks to the Aberystwyth - Crewe. I am hoping to be able to include these moves in the operating sequence.