Ian_B_68

Right, so I started compiling all my 55 parts, bodies etc to see where to start. I have a brand new No18 Ballymoss with sound, Complete No002 KOYLI, spare chassis and 2 more spare bodies so enough to be getting on with. I purchased the etch sprung suspension kit from Ian at Penbits and whilst on the internet at the weekend I noticed that Hattons had No12 Crepello going cheap with a broken chassis so that is where it all begins. Crepello arrived today so I have taken it apart to see what I've got. Straight out the box. Body open and a view inside, both ends of the chassis are damaged but that is it. End result. I already have a chassis that I converted the other week to house the speaker for the sound, this has had the ends cut down ready to take the etch buffer beam assembly. Once that is done it can be painted black. Its now on with the assembly of the bogies and the etch sprung suspension kit.

Its been a while since putting anything up on my Finsbury Park thread but the layout itself has been put on hold. However, due to a temporary house move until our house has got to have some extensive work done our temporary house has a spare room ideal for my modelling. So its time to get on with the first of my Deltics for the park. I have acquired some spare bodies, chassis etc over the past few months and along with complete locos the start of my first Deltic will be No 3 Meld. I will post photos from start to finish, plans are to use etch detailing, add sound and possibly the addition of Penbits sprung bogie suspension all in P4.

Update on this project is slow at the moment as I've been busy with work, volunteering on the NNR, decorating the new arrivals room who is due in 7 weeks and doing the kitchen!!! I have hopefully a good update regarding the inside of the depot as Pete Harvey at PH Designs is in the process of designing something for me, so watch this space in the next month or 2.

Thanks for your comments, I love to hear from people who worked at the depot, I've had a couple of drivers recently tell me about visits they had and one in particular who drove out of the cross whilst doing my second man stints on the NNR recently. Love that, your are one lucky person to have that. I need to find myself a scale plan of the area that diagram covers.

Hi Alistair, I used clear sheet which was shaped to the front of the depot building, then applied 1mm strips all cut to length and glued on to it. It was made easier having a copy of the plan underneath. I have made a little more progress but am awaiting some parts then will update the post accordingly once that's done. Would be good to see photos of your depot. Ian.

Many thanks Ian thats superb, Its less than I worked out as I seemed to get to around 40 or more each time I tried it working it out from pictures.

Thanks Ian, Ive made a start on some trackwork and hopefully will get some pictures up over the easter weekend after I get a bit more done, I also need to get some P4 wheel sets so I can try out a loco before ballasting the track as ive got some wiring in as well. Bit of a long shot, But does anyone off the top of their head know how many pillars there were supporting a road inside the depot at all? I know it may be impossible to answer but you never know, ive tried counting them from pictures in the book and have a rough idea but it would be nice to get a more accurate number. Im still after pictures as well if anyone has any. Many thanks.

Thanks, its a bit flimsy at the moment as its just the glazing with the bars but as I add some of the framework behind it, it should strengthen up. Forgot to add to last post that Im going P4 route with trackwork as the plans are virtually coming up at the gauge spacing for P4, I was originally going to do OO-SF but then thought about EM before going P4 and as I will be totally reworking all my engines then I might as well change the wheelsets as I complete each one anyway so more work to take on.

Its been a while since I last posted as Ive been busy decorating every weekend and also had a few turns on the NNR as second man on the 31 and 25 we have, so finally today I have had a go at starting the depot building. Its a bit hit and miss but the first attempt to do the front has resulted in this effort so far.

Absolutely awesome Jon, an absolute credit to you.

Hi Clive, It sure is a big building, I will not have the problem of transporting it anywhere so it will probably be constructed with a removeable roof to gain access to track, lighting etc for maintenance. I will construct the office buildings so thay can detach, all being well should start construction in the new year. Will put pics up in due course.

Just to show how big plan is out on the dining room table.

Bit of a tight squeeze but a 31 and 47 fit well and the 45 is almost same length as my deltics to give an idea of how it will all fit.

Im going to have a go at scanning the copy in small parts to make templates up to work from whilst constructing it, when I can fathom how to upload pics that are not massive Mb files to this site then I will take a photo of the plans that I have to give you an idea.

Its been well worth the wait, but today (with great thanks to my brother) I now have the plan of the main depot buildings I obtained from the Network Rail Archives scaled to 4mm. I now have something to work from to help me construct it and its only now that Im realising how much work is going to be involved in constructing this one building alone, secondly, is how big it is when its rolled out in front of you, didn't seem that big when I penciled the footprint of it on to the board initially but now I have an idea of height etc I cant wait to get started.

Guy thanks for that link, I have seen some of the pics on the EM web site but there are a more there I have not seen before, my search has never thrown up that page for some reason. Clive, love that film, thanks for that sketch of the levels I presume thats info from the book I need to purchase? I was looking at using brass rod and did think about screws but was unsure of the amount of thread that may be showing. Im using a MDF base and am going to rout out the pits in it then was going to drill holes and put the brass rod in to that.

Many thanks guys, I have seen the Hornsey Broadway layout and think that is fantastic and has given me some ideas for mine. Clive, your depot is great and I love the inside shot, how did you make the pillars for the track to sit on? Many thanks for the book reference I will see if I can obtain a copy.

That would be good, thanks. There is a plan in the Finsbury Park book but not a complete one from what I can workout. All extra info is much appreciated.

Many thanks for your comments Jon. I have followed many of your threads and they have in part given me the inspiration to tackle my locos and this project, as you say it is daunting and I still require much info on the depot and a couple of people have helped out so far and my thanks go out to them. My project has halted due to a house move 3 weeks ago but I now have a garage that will be converted in to a modelling workshop and I have enough room in the garden to put a building up big enough to house it but not sure if I will get it in to a 20 X 10 space. It is indeed No 19 in the avatar when she visited the North Norfolk Railway diesel Gala earlier in the year, Im lucky enough to be over the road from it so volunteer on there on the diesel locos. Ian.

Almost a month on and some progress. I have just assembled the first board that will accomodate the main depot workshop and am currently buying in various bits of track and other parts to start making the pillars for it to stand on inside the workshop and will use a router to cut out the outline of the depot in the board and then drop it down to give the pit area. Ive tried Templot using the track plan from the book but am having trouble getting the scale right but will persist with this. Ive found the book from the DPS very good for information and since posting last had no luck with depot drawings that is until until up to now. I originally got in touch with the British Railways Board (Residuary) who gave me some leads and after weeks of trying have come up with some luck with my requests finally arriving at Network Rail Archives who have been great. They managed to find some plans and drawings of the depot and kindly uploaded them to their virtual archive store so if anyone wants to look at them they can find them on there along with other depots / stations etc. http://nr.mediastorehouse.com/ I cannot recommend them highly enough after what they did for me and if anyone else is looking for those illusive plans for their project then they may be worth going to first. Unfortunately they cannot produce copies of the plans at this present time but do offer their usual photographic prints option so I have gone for this at the moment just to get to see what the depot drawings are like and get me started on the workshops. Again, if anyone has pictures or any other info that they wish to share with me would be greatly appreciated.

Well I took a chance the other day and sent some money off to the DPS on the chance that they still had the book in stock and this morning the postie dropped me off a nice parcel containing the book. Its a fantastic and will undoubtedly be hours of much reading, I am still however after any photos or details of the buildings etc that were at the park so if anyone has anything please do get in touch.

Thanks, Im going to the Gala day so will keep an eye out, I dont have an excuse not to go really as I live in Kelling and the railway is about 1/2 mile as the crow flies from me, we often go there on a sunny weekend day to Weybourne station, having a cup of coffee watching the trains go by.

Thanks Dave, I will keep an eye out at the exhibitions then, Ive tried contacting the sales team at the DPS but never get any reply back. Did think I might just send the money off to them and give it a go anyway.

I have decided after much deliberation to model Finsbury Park TMD in 4mm scale, with the time frame being around 1980 to its closure in order to utilise my much favourite 55's which I loved as a kid and my close second favourite locos, 31's and 47's so it seemed an ideal location to model for me. I know there are other layouts on this and others loosely modelled but I wanted to go for the full monty and try and model it to as close as it was in real life when I used to go round it. i know it will be a big project but this is a long term one for me. Unfortunately when I was young I never had a camera so did not get any photos at the time and as its now gone cannot get up to date pics of it so I am in need of as much information from others that could help even with anything that would seem minor. I have found some pics and references online and have the usual books with the odd pic of a 55 sat in the yard and I know the DPS had the book out in 2010 but unfortunately I have not had any success in obtaining a copy and I just know that that would be the ideal reference for me. I plan to make my own track and have already obtained my first batch of parts form C&L finescale and plan to get to grips with Templot and if possible get the track layout exactly as it was in real life. I also plan to scratch build all the buildings so that is definately an area that I need references to buildings. Therefore I would be eternally grateful if anyone can help in my colation of references or even have any suggestions on how to model something to do with Finsbury Park. Many thanks guys, Ian.