Anthony Ashley

Dear All,

I have been experimenting with inserting a video into the thread, cann't work out how to. If the limit is 1 MB then that is too small for the video files. Do people use You tube and then link back to RM web? 

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

I have been busy wiring under the layout but there is little to really show picture wise for my efforts. I can now run a loco from the left Conwy end over the tubular bridge and onto the first series of points where the passing loops and Llandudno goods area are. This is quite long and is slowly getting there.  I shall finish the wiring within the next couple of days and then start on the main Bangor base board, which has been cut out as previously shown but not yet put together. I think a video would be in order  once I have got all of the existing track running. The hidden track round the outside is all wired up and operational.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley  

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

I have finished securing the rail in the new area by the droppers through the base boards. Have not connected to the bus line yet but that is the next step. Photos showing the sweep of the track in the area north of Bangor. 

Llandudno storage area prior to getting to Conwy. Hidden track on the left sweeping around to connect with the scenic track in a tunnel

View looking through the yet to be completed tunnel towards Conwy from the Bangor end. A guards van can just be seen in the dictance and beyond this the River Conwy.

Conwy castle can just be seen in the distance.

Two passing loops on the outside  and two main lines in the middle.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

Some rather unexciting developments with the primer and top enamel coat finished I am now wiring the track into position. I have also included a photo of the next 8 foot by 8 foot base board cut ready for construction. This will be the north half of Bangor station. Photos below. 

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

I have done a little on the layout with all the cork cut and secured for the current area being worked on. I have also primed the cork ready for the top coat. This is a job for tomorrow to let the primer properly dry. After that I can wire up the new area.

Photos below.

The sweep around the Llandudno goods area down to Bangor on the layout but on the Prototype to Llandudno.

A view from the other end of the layout to the north of Bangor

Complicated point work at the Llandudno goods area before that area I have created2 passing loops for the up and down lines as shown near the tunnel mouth.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENT

Dear All,

My mother in law has come over to complete further work on the scenic divider. Photos of before and after her new work. In addition all of the decoders are now programmed for installation of the remaining points ready to go. Photos below.

Prior divider

New work using brush for the hills and plains

I shall continue to stick down the cork and begin to wire up the new track area.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

Dear LNWR,

I beleive the construction of such a layout for a remote locatoin is only possible now because of the internet. Access to 100s of photos and even more importantly the ability to get in touch with people in the local area has been the means for generating most of the material I have been able to acquire. Merv who lives in Penmaenmawr and has a large hand in the local historical society, and Geoff, who runs the Llandudno 6G web site ( highly recommended), have gone out of their way to be of assistance and this has meant a fairly close representation of the prototype. Geoff has even made a trip to Conwy to photograph various aspects of Conwy castle on which I was not clear on. Stu and others have also assisted with soem great photos. The advent of digital cameras has also meant that photos can be sent over the email system at no cost. Use of Google mapping and Google earth has facilitated a very accurate map of the street plan. Google street view even allows the fronts of all buildings to be examined and modelled in very accurate detail, as lomg as they have not changed in the intervening years.I expect little in terms of street layout has changed in Conwy, Penmaenmawr or Bangor since the 1960s, although I know a very large and grand hotel in Penmaenmawr sitting on the top of a hill has been replaced by 5 or 6 houses. I shall get to model the hotel! This is cearly the age to create a prototype for any where in the world, as long as those in the area have some internet access and there are sufficient photos on the web.

I look forward to nay other observations or conversatoins on this topic. Are others recreating a place which they do not live and how did you gain enough material to model your location? Internet research ahs been a very interesting part of building the layout. Each discovery is like finding a nother piece of the puzzle.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear Ian,

I am sorry to hear about your circumstances. I wish you all the best over the next few months. I look forward to catching up when we can.

I have posted photos below of the wall in front of the Conwy goods area and the castle.

I am having trouble reprogramming the Switch Pilot Servos to match the track layout. Having done the first 4 successfully with wiring and frog polarity I shall move onto securing the cork on the Bangor section and then wiring. I have assistance coming on Saturday to sort out the programming issue. I bought a large amount of B Queen, used to do the round stone wall features, and Pro Cast used for the flatter surfaces. It was reduced by 25% so a big saving.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DARGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Ian if you attend thye next meeting it is at my place. Hopefully see you then.

I have been busy on the week end although ther eis not much to see. It has taken me 2 days to set up the first two hiden points for auto operatoin and frog polarity switching. The next 2 points I finishe din the one evening. I am getting quickedr and can at least now program the servo decoders as required. Eac aspect of the layout has to be learnt and so a first time activity is always slow. 4 aotomatic points down and about another 100 to go, although only 3 more are ready for aotomation as yet! 

Once these 3 additional points have been automated I shall secure the cork on the right side of the layout, secure the track and start wiring up that section. Given I have already wired up Conwy it shoudl be quicker thatn the first effort. I have also painted a large sectoin of se wall in front of the Conwy goods area. Photos to follow.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley  

Dear 3078 and Anthony,

Thanks for the encouraging replies. Next is the cork to be laid in the new area and then wiring, including the switches in the Conwy area. No shortage of tasks to keep me occupied. I also can build the next 3 base boards continuing the Bangor side of the layout, taking me to the bottom of it. This will allow me to complete the dog bone loops on the left side of the layout and 1 of the 2 fiddle yards. I have expanded the fiddle yards to 32 tracks each to ensure the time table will work properly.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley   

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

I have finished the main parts of the tubular bridges at Conwy, including painting. Photos are below.

Now I can permanently fix the track over the river and get laying down the existing base boards.

All replies are gratefully accepted. I have had no more work by my mother in law but she will com back to the painting eventually.

Regards,

Anthony

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

Thanks for the comments on the painting techniques. I think the brush looks better. I shall look at the combination of the back scene and divider as suggested. 

I have at last purchased all of the coaches for the "Irish mail", including the new SLF and SLSTP. 

I have photographed this rake. At 17 coaches it is my longest rake.

Any comment are appreciated.

I am about to install the decoders and servos on the main lines. This will allow me to put in the polarity switches and electrify the whole main line laid to date. I have also nearly finished the second tune of the Conwy tubular bridge. Just the wires to be added.

Regards,

Anthony

Dave and Stu,

The answer as to why I choose Wales was the following combination of factors.

As a child of about 8 years in Australia I had a fairly eccentric great uncle. He owned many Hornby items from the mid 60s and earlier in O gauge. He had a room in which these treasures were stored on shelves at least 2.5 metres wide and extending to the ceiling. At the age when I was talking and visiting him he was in his 70s and no longer able to climb on a ladder to access his marvellous collection of models. I was given a privilege of climbing around the room, pull-out a model, show my uncle only to be told that he had not seen that model for at least 30 years.
This provided many afternoons of entertainment for both myself and my uncle.  We were both equally delighted with the models. One of his models was the Flying Scotsman, which I thought was a great model. My interest in British Rail stems from these days with my uncle and a strong love of English history. My forebears were all British. Some were Cornwall miners.

I originally intended to model Peterborough, including both the LNER and LMS part of the station and lines. When I attempted to do the track plan for it there were real problems in modelling the approaches to the station, the track layout was absolutely huge and the surrounding county was relatively flat and boring. I spent an afternoon with a friend of mine in Brisbane looking for a Mainline that included a couple of smaller stations, ran an expansive number of passenger and freight operations and included a large station capable of being modelled, while providing a challenging freight environment for shunting operations and fantastic scenery.

The Holyhead -Chester main line has a reasonable amount of traffic, and I can replicate exactly a days passenger, freight and parcels traffic. The passenger traffic allows rakes of up to 17 coaches and has very extensive variety from small local rakes to the Irish Mail. The freight carried on the line was very varied given Holyhead was the major port to Ireland. The line seemed to be quite suitable given this diversity. The next issue was to determine which stations I would model. My choice of N gauge allowed for 3.

We looked through a number of books on stations pre Nationalisation. I found Conwy, Penmaenmawr and Bangor in the book Chester to Holyhead Railway by V.R. Anderson and G.K. Fox. The stations are attractive as Conwy has the fantastic castle and medieval town wall to model, is on a river, has 3 fantastic bridges, a small freight shunting area and a few hills.

Penmaenmawr is on the sea, is a picturesque holiday town, has a fantastic mountain right next to it which includes a marvellous rail and road viaduct between the ocean and mountain. I shall model this at the bottom of the layout. I am also going to slightly distort reality and operate the light rail facility which moved the granite for the mountain to the main line rail service. I understand that this closed some years earlier but will take some licence, as it will give me the opportunity to model a Welsh quarry light railway.

Bangor is a great station to model given its position in a valley with tunnels at either end. It is quite large And from my reading was a hub for rail freight traffic in the area in the early 60s, allowing a great variety in the types of goods subject to movement to and through the station. Given it was a primary station on the route to Ireland, this would also provide varied freight requirements.

I think the main line and the combination of stations provide variety in traffic, fantastic scenery, good shunting options, and the geography of each town allows me to run a hidden loop around 3 sides of the layout. The 4 side has the hidden track at the very top of the layout hidden behind a board. Even Conwy's geography allows the merging on the hidden and scenic track in a hilly part of the line. I think it is a good fit.

I am still after comments on the post at 383 if anyone else would care to comment as to the respective merits of brush versus the knife technique. Thankyou for reading. I hope I have not bored people.

Bagaloo, David, Jon and Simon,

Thanks for the opinions. Simon even a hippopotamus can have an opinion and all are valued. If any one else would care to add a comment on post 383 nit would be appreciated. I am now weathering the new track.

regards,

Anthony

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

I am after some opinions on the painting provided by my mother in law. She has changed her technique form paint brush to knife in doing some sections of the scenic dividers. I have a preference for one and wondered what the general opinion was overall. Photos are below for the two techniques. Please reply with your preference as it will only requires a brief entry.

For photo below the green planes are done with a brush and the blue and white with a knife.

Close up of the knife work.

For below the lighter green is done with a brush. the dark green  and sky with a knife.

I think all this area was done with a knife.

Done with a brush

Done with a brush

All I am after is an opinion on brush or knife work.

Thanks for the assistance.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL  - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

I have virtually finished the church. I need to reprint a page too add the last two buttresses which go on the front of the church. I think it is much neater then the terrace houses but practice improves the technique. The Church is a close approximation of St Mary's church in Conwy. Photos are below. 

Simon I got the threaded rod idea from the helixes I have seen but expanded the concept to use dog bones instead. Much neater underneath the layout with more room. I stabilise the hidden track with timber secured to the legs and then screwed into the bottom piece of hidden track. This will restrict all movement on the rod as it is secured at the top with two screws top and bottom of the supporting base boards while being attached to the legs at the bottom. 

Torch underneath is highlighting the lead lights

I shall go back to doing track work now. More cork to lay, secure and paint.  The track must also be weathered for scenic areas. 

All replies are most welcome.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

Dear Simon,

Your comment is appreciated. I think for a distance the more obvious errors with the terrace houses will not be seen. Viewing distance will be at least 3 or 4 feet if not a little further. 

I have been unable to progress much this week due to a very bad head cold. I have managed to get some of the cork under lay done. The first photo gives a slightly better view of the hidden track with a few extra supports having been added.

Llandudno goods area and mainline heading from Conwy to Chester

Close up heading away from Conwy

Close up of the Llandudno goods area and mainline

All replies are welcome.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

I have completed ,my first scale scenes building. It looks reasonable form a distance but close up show a few errors. From a distance it looks better. The next building will be a church and should be more accurate with my first one out of the way. Photos are below. It is a row of terrace houses. The strips of brown and grey bricks at the bottom of the buildings reflect the terrace houses in Bangor.

I have laid about half of the cork for the new track in the southern Conwy and northern Bangor boards. I need to finish the cork secure it to the board and weather the track prior to laying and wiring it up.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

37038,

Thanks for the comment . The rod and support method should be the easiest part of the layout as the heights are merely adjusted by the screws and washers on the rod. Very fine adjustments u and down are possible. I shall stabilise the rods by running a piece of timber along the insides of the leg as at the height of the bottom track support. These 2 pieces of timber can then be screwed and therefore stabilised. The trouble in getting very long runs at exactly the right height to the ml has been difficult but the screws are a breeze! 

Regards,

Anthony

WELSH DRAGION RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

I have placed and cut the track for the new base boards. Photos below.

View from the Conwy end of the layout. Main  lines are the second and 3rd tracks from the front. The Llandudno good area are the next 3 tracks next to he river. You can just see the hidden track on the left behind the divider.

A fairly complicated point area. I have added a cross over and two passing loops to facilitate slow trains on the main line going into the siding. The outside 2 lines going through the first support are the passing loops.

View back towards Conwy

Next is to mark the position of the track and lay cork. 3 ml for main line and 1 ml for goods areas. Once cork has been cut and laid I them put the track back on and wire it.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

Steel threaded rods are in for the boards constructed to date. I have some photos below to show the effect of the supports and the track base. The pictures in the foreground show the straight section with the dogbone loop in the back ground. There all be 3 levels of support for the 3 track levels. Much cutting of ply to put it all together. I deed to complete the next 3 base boards to enable the dog bone loop to be completed.

Some track laying next and then wiring. 

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

Dear Sithlord,

My 200 hours of work in 2 weeks has finished so I am available again for modelling activities. You may come any time. I have just borrowed a angle grinder to cut the steel rods for the droppers.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL - LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear All,

I have included a few more pictures of Conwy and some photos of my techniques for preparing the droppers to support the underneath hidden track.

Photos below.

Close up of Conwy with the Royal Scot peeking out of the portcullis and a parcel train going the other way.

More distant shot of Conwy castle.

The tools used to drill the dropper holes. A spade bit used first to recess the 6ml nut and washer. A long 6 ml bit for the rod. Sarah was an essential assistant to line up the drill as the hole need to be square ie forward a bit back a bit , no no forward again!

A series of holes drilled around the frame where one end of the of bone loops back to the straight track. There will be 7 hidden tracks running along the length of the operating area in 3 levels including the up and down tracks for either side of the dog bone, 2 goods storage tracks running 17 feet on each of the levels, and a return loop.

One of the recessed holes drilled and ready for the rod with nut and washer to stop it falling through the hole. I need to cut many, many 630ml rods.

Hole with nut and washer ready for the rod.

Down the operating side of the layout, showing the holes drilled in this section.

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

WELSH DRAGON RAIL LAYOUT DEVELOPMENTS

Dear Simon and Jon,

Thanks for the comments. The deed is now done as my mother in law has nearly finished painting the lower divider as of today. I have not seen it but my wife has. Perhaps they will drop it off tomorrow. I did receive advice from an experienced modeller to use the higher back scene but everyone on RM Web has confirmed my decision to go with the lower to enable the whole of the layout to be viewed at the same time rather than 3 individual layouts connected by rail.

I have nearly finished the castle on the rail side. There is a little more work to add scenic clay to complete the battlements and the areas below the castle stone still need completing but the effect is pleasing so far. Photos below.

Royal Scot with the Welshman passing Conwy castle, with a Black 5 parcel train on the other line

Regards,

Anthony Ashley

Dear Simond and I an ,

Thanks for the comments. To explain the board is being painted off site, as I have sketched the relevant scenery bits which will lie in front of either sides and told my mother in law to paint on and above those lines.

I have attached 2 photos to give the impression of the options. Option 1 is the high board. Option 2 the low.

With this divider you can only see the very top of the wall on the Conwy section when standing at any spot behind it. I think it diminishes the impact of the layout as a whole and reduces the spectacle of the back scenes.

Option 2 the low one. You can just see a loco at the top right end of the divider. That is about 5 feet onto the Conwy bard and is hidden by another foot as it leaves the Bangor section. This seems to compromise the best in screening the moving rake for a considerable distance while retaining a panoramic view of Conwy.

Any comments one way or the other on the options would be greatly appreciated.

Regards,

Anthony