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Posts posted by LNER4479
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OK - so that was the Bristol show. Not a simple show for us as the logistics were probably the most complex of any show we've done to date. But I think we gave a reasonable account of ourselves in the circumstances.
If you happened to be leaning on the barriers this morning at around 11am, you'd have seen us at our best as we achieved a sub two hours cycle round the full schedule ... and then lunchtime cover arrangements kicked in!
Somewhat spontaneously, within the last hour of winding down, we ran the following train which, if I'm allowed to say, did look rather splendid:
There'll be more to follow over the next few days, I have no doubt ... but, so far as tonight goes - that's all folks 🙂
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So today we were graced by a visitor all the way from the land of Oz. That's a heck of a way to come to operate a model railway.
Mr Andrew Emmett, better known on here as 'Woodcock29, gamely agreed to take the controls at South box to help us out. He might even been getting the hang of it by the end(!)
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Pictures from an exhibition:
Jonathan happy in his work (possibly)
Stock starts to amass. Steve being reminded why he doesn't use 3-links on his own layout.
I don't usually put the buildings out. Wonder where this one goes?
A few more hours this morning to figure it all out until the great British public are admitted.
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On 01/05/2024 at 23:12, Chuffer Davies said:
I'm amazed it all fits in one Transit Van. You must have an incredible stacking strategy to get it all in.
Have a great weekend!
Frank
At slight risk of pedantry ...
... it's actually a Luton van with tail lift. This is the contents at York show, with just a few of the domestic sundries unloaded - the full layout is in there at this point.
We did originally use a LWB transit, but the stacking and packing was indeed becoming like a Krypton Factor challenge; the Luton (and the tail lift in particular!) does make life a little easier these days.
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Not had a Fairburn (Noo Year challenge) update for a while. Quietly plugging away in the background ...
Tank top details. Lifting lugs and inspection covers waiting to be fitted.
The tank straps are quite distinctive. As the boiler and tank units separate, needs to be a close interface.
With the two assembled together in the frames, straps are soldered to boiler, to align with fixing points pre-soldered to tank tops.
Filler caps. None of the right size in stock so simply fashioned them by lopping the tops off these long term residents of the 'spares' box. No idea what loco type they were originally intended for?
Moving on to the front of the loco, here's the all important 'face' coming together. No LMS style smokebox doors to hand (WHAT?!), so I took a similar size one and turned it back to plain so I could ...
... add the detail.
Not too shabby?
Tried in position. Front footplates now need detailing
Adding steam pipes, lubricators and front sand box fillers.
Are we - perhaps, just maybe - starting to look like we're on the home straight? Hopefully!
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SO ...
We're on our way to Brissle. Long way back home if I've forgotten anything!
6 day adventure this one, in total.
Today: 4pm pick van up, load up and get some miles under the belt
Tomorrow: to show venue and commence set up.
Friday: complete set up and be ready for the adoring public from 1230
Saturday: full show day
Sunday: last show day, pack up and get some miles under the belt
Monday: complete journey home and unload
Tuesday: take van back at 8am
There must be easier ways of making a living 🤔
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4 hours ago, Richard_A said:
I have even read Tony's V2 article, very amusing.
A classic, if ever there was one 😆
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My understanding is that the two train service does not run low season, only the morning train currently. So, a plausible explanation behind the announcement is that the second service was due to start on 6th May but not yet enough suitable stock available yet to put together a second rake similar to the one currently running?
Just my interpretation; happy to be proven wrong.
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7 hours ago, uax6 said:
Are retention tanks actually mandated now?
Is the CDL actually under the control of the Guard or is it being controlled locally in each carriage? (not knowing how CDL is controlled along the train makes this difficult to know).
I can confirm, quite categorically, that the CDL was being worked and operated as designed, ie all the CDL-fitted doors were locked and unlocked from one of the door panels - the guy was right by where we were at the Glenfinnan stop.
The toilet retention tanks thing is completely separate to the CDL debate and is not being driven by legislation per se. That's a Net Rail driven initiative, partly due to union pressure (track workers being exposed to unpleasantness, shall we say).
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Being forced to photograph the train crossing the viaduct on the way out ...
... and being forced to photograph the train on the way back.
Dreadful behaviour indeed!
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3 hours ago, ruggedpeak said:
how as it in the coaches?
Mk1's are not locked out of use as people can pass through them, and the toilets are available for use by passengers.Fine in the MkIIs today; not sure what it would be like in height of summer with no air-con running ...
I was just referring to the fact that the doors themselves were locked out of use; otherwise free to walk through them (and in fact had to at both Glenfinnan and Mallaig, as the MkII at the rear was off the platform.
3 hours ago, 40052 said:The class 37 isn't ETH fitted, that's the multiple working jumper you have photographed
Oh yeah - doh! Sorry - not very good on diesels!
3 hours ago, Jeremy Cumberland said:Are they actually locked? @LNER4479, did you check?
No. I wasn't doing any sort of audit(!) I was actually there leading a tour group and they were my priority. I grabbed the above photos as and when I could.
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9 hours ago, uax6 said:
See if you can work out how the CDL works with the non-fitted Mk1's in the formation please.... Photos of the carriage ends might be helpful...
Andy G
Coaches connected by ETH and RCH cables
But loco ETH power supply NOT connected.
I'm struggling to remember what the CDL control system uses but it's all running off battery voltage (28v DC?)
HTH
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Steam at the business end.
Diseasel at the rear.
Sunshine in Mallaig 😎
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So ... FWIW, today's Jacobite report :
MkI doors locked out of use; MkIIs CDL fitted.
No seating allowed in the MkIs, but you can walk through. They really are towing empty coaches about.
Everybody in MkIIs; obviously fully booked.
Florence and her stewards patrolling, dissuading folks standing in vestibules taking photos through D/L windows.
Those toilets in use on MkIs are retention tank fitted (they were last year - paid for by Net Rail). Didn't check whole train, but MkII toilets I saw were either locked out of use or 'do not use in station'(!?)
More to follow...
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2 hours ago, Reorte said:
I'm guessing the few remaining Mk3s still going around in regular service have had the doors converted to power?
Like this you mean?
All sliding doors
Sorry that pic is too head on to show clearly but you get the idea.
Due to travel on the Jacobite 2moro; will report back.
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Thanks Jonathan for the updates
Yes, it has been possible to put up bits of the layout in turn, to attend to a few ailments. Here's the north end, surrounded by the general chaos in the chapel with TWO large exhibition layouts effectively being stored in here between shows. Once Bristol has been and gone, it'll return to some semblance of normality.
Here's an example. One or two of the boards have developed 'ski jump' ends, which have periodically been attended to. This piece of track was noted as being particularly bad at York so up it comes for due attention. Above it is the errant Signal 20. Most folks might not have even noticed but we've had multiple signal motor failures which spoils the authenticity of the operation. So ...
Now you see 'em ...
... now you don't! Is this a light on the road to Damascus moment? Well, initially not as me and Andrew between us manage to upset 3 out of the 4 replacement servos. However, they eventually settled down and Signal 20 has been signed off as working satisfactorily. With the useful byproduct that the one good recovered Veissmann motor has been used to replace a further 'dud' on South box Signal 3.
It now has to pass the 'does not twitch' test when locos of all makes and origins pass by it. And very much a test bed for future projects rather than the start of a campaign change out on Grantham per se. We'll see ...
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On 09/04/2024 at 09:56, dj_crisp said:
I clearly remember riding a train such as this to Barnstaple and back in March(-ish) 1987 with a fellow BR colleague. We were doing a mad 24 hour rail travel competition and caught the WR sleeper from Reading at midnight (Fri night) and decanted at Exeter at something like 4am (Sat morning). There was then this 4.30am service to Barnstaple, 33 + MkIs. I'm pretty certain it conveyed newspapers in the luggage compartments (off the sleeper? Or maybe a separate newspapers train from London?). It was then something like 6am back off Barnstaple as more of a bona fide passenger service back into Exeter.
I'll have a record of the loco somewhere but not the MkI formation (sorry!).
My decade of interest is the 1950s and the 'classic' 3-coach ordinary passenger formation (branchline or otherwise) was BSK-CK-BSK, as others have stated. In fact, pre-1956, more accurately stated as BTK-CK-BTK. Typical 4-coach would be BSK-SK-CK-BSK.
I would agree that use of MkIs on such services in the 1950s would be highly unusual; however, add MkI BCK through coach to add interest, ie BCK / BSK-CK-BSK. You need a lot of brake coaches when modelling the 1950s!
Finally (for now - and as it's a modelling forum) my 'Festival of Britain' MkI 'Royal Scot' set that we run on Shap. It's slightly reduced formation (11 vs 13) but otherwise correct, including the full kitchen and the RTO vehicle (Comet sides on Lima donors). Rest are bog standard Bachmann.
Love MkIs!
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14 hours ago, Dominion said:
I notice you mentioned earlier you planned to have the ability to run DC for Mark’s unchipped locos.
I mention this as in normal DC or DCC wiring you would not have to insulate outer rails of fans, and I missed it when first laying my storage loops. It may be too late as it looks like you have laid several of those turnouts already but may still be easier to do sooner rather than later.
7 hours ago, gr.king said:Is the actual objection on account of the fact that any areas wired with consideration for DCC operation only will (or may) have "everything live, all the time", and therefore no places in which a (DCC fitted, or other) loco operable on DC will be able to stand "dead" when a DC power supply is being used?
All very much in the forefront of our minds at the present time!
Firstly, I've been putting double insulators in everywhere with the idea that only the train you want to drive will be live. An overriding factor is that the loops being laid will eventually be hidden from view (either partially or totally) so there needs to be a certain amount of automation in terms of stopping and starting trains.
Whilst we'll have DCC to drive the trains, we won't be using it to change points, etc. That'll be conventional electrics, push buttons, relays, etc - we're as one with that. Just a preference, but one I'm comfortable with in terms of being within my competence.
Each (of the four) circuits will be a 'district' and switchable between DCC and DC. There are many locos(!) and it will be a long process to chip them all. In fact, there's probably some kit built ones that will never get chipped!
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13 hours ago, AndyB said:
Where you've got baseboards supported by kitchen units I'd recommend seeking ways to reinforce these.
11 hours ago, gr.king said:I would be concerned on that score too. Not a fan of chipboard for anything structural. I also don't trust softwood rails for baseboard framing - it is not inherently stable, if it wants to warp, it will, and you don't normally get the opportunity to choose thoroughly seasoned, knot-free, straight grained wood from the optimum part of the tree.
Thanks for comments / concerns.
FWIW
The room is an inside room, ie no wall is an outside wall. So it's inherently dry and pretty constant temperature in there.
Layout is only partly supported by the units; rest is conventional legs (3 x 1) as you can see. These areas are designed so as to be able to store the plastic boxes beneath, as you describe
Lengthways, longitudinal beams are also 3 x 1. Bought in a pack of 4 from a well-known DIY store, of orange hue (other DIY stores are available). Yesterday, I opened a new pack (itself chosen from others in the rack as being the best I could see) and selected the two straightest and truest to be the longitudinal beams. They were dead straight and true to my eye. They'd also been in the room for a month and thus had time to adjust to the climate.
I do use 9mm ply for similar beams on my exhibition layouts, where weight is a consideration. These (Doncaster) boards are designed to be removable if required which is also influencing the method of construction.
I'll keep my eye on things but no concerns so far (although I do understand that some of the effects you describe are of a more longer term nature).
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https://westcoastrailways.co.uk/news/the-jacobite-back-in-service
West Coast's own statement would appear to imply that they've found / fettled some additional CDL-fitted stock ...
EDIT - apologies as most of that is repeated in the earlier RailAdvent post. For completeness sake, therefore.
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33 minutes ago, philip-griffiths said:
If you are operating points by hand, do I assume correctly that you are not powering the crossing separately, and are relying therefore upon the switch blades providing the power supply to the crossing? Or is there a separate relay which you are firing at the same time as moving the point blades?
Regards
Yes, it's relying on switchblade contact.
I know there's the Taliban out there for whom that is anathema; but it's not a red line for me for a simple set of dead end sidings.
I do have 'red lines' on other things, mind ...
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Sometimes you sleep on things and ... not so much 'two steps forward ...' as maybe trying to avoid ploughing on regardless. Nothing drastic, but ...
You might not have picked up on this but the partially laid fan of points for Upperby goods sidings was bothering me so ...
up they came! To be replaced by this rather more simpler arrangement.
Now installed, with sidings adjusted and relaid to match.
One factor is that these points are right under the operator's nose so are not motored. Prototypically, they would have been set out thus so that the shunting staff are on the outside of the sidings and not stepping over rails to change points. The alternative of having three curved points on the furthest siding wasn't really working geometrically.
It does however alter which siding becomes the longest ...
Sidings now being extended in the Carlisle direction. Your eye will no doubt be drawn to the suspicious card circle, however!
Yes, second 'thunks' has resulted in the decision to include the outside, 60ft turntable (as per prototype). It fits, just ... but only by curtailing one of the goods sidings! So, Upperby yard is now 4-and-a-half sidings rather than 5.
Thinking here is that, without this turntable, everything that needs turning has to use the roundhouse turntable ... perhaps not the wisest of ideas?
With this decision, the track plan for the depot is finalised. Let's take a tour:
'Country' end. Locos will (normally) enter the depot via the Y-point behind the 3-way point. They then take the left hand route over the following Y point to take them on to the ash disposal road, followed by the coaler. This will be the normal sequence of moves round the shed - but it can be bypassed by taking the RIGHT hand route through the Y point.
To the right, just plonked for now, is the pointwork that leads to the depot EXIT (in normal circumstances. Between that and the wall are a series of stabling roads and two roads of the carriage shed.
Work is proceeding in laying the roundhouse roads. 16 down; 8 to go. As well as the furthest away roads not being full length, note how three roads in the 5 o'clock corner (as viewed) are also slightly shorter, so as to allow the outside roads a little more room to breath. Won't be readily apparent at normal viewing angles. In total, and not including the entrance / exit roads, 7 of the stabling roads are still full length and will thus take a Pacific.
And the remainder of the yard looks like this. Having had ashes disposed and been coaled, all locos (apart from Pacifics) can turn and then run back (to the right) using the crossover onto the through line. Otherwise, locos continue on towards the siding and headshunt area that was curiously known as the 'Burma Road'.
Above the 60ft turntable is the area where many pictures of my beloved Duchess Pacifics were taken, with the roundhouse in the background. Very keen to replicate that!
Compromise, as ever, is the watchword; however, I do believe that this finalised layout does capture the main features of the old 12A and provides capacity for up to 40 locos. The most notable omission (perhaps?) is the old coal hole - felt it would have just have been too cramped to fit it in.
Onwards and upwards 🤓
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Latest report is a combination of two visits - the first was curtailed due to a ... er ... industrial injury 🤕
Anyhow, here's work on the last ladder of points in the fiddle yard, the Up entrance points, seen here temporarily laid out top left.
And now laid out for keeps, with the down exit line being installed beneath.
Meanwhile, down at the other end of the room, further baseboard construction.
And thus we have the final board in place for Doncaster station itself 🙂 It's quite a long way down to the other end.
With this progress, we're within an ace of starting to lay track in the scenic area. So this stretch of cork has been painted, in preparation. This is the south end junctions board.
Next visit, hopefully 🤓
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Yes, another jolly day in BarryO's model railway room.
Shock! Horror! Diseasels!!
We did nonetheless identify this corner, alongside the approach tracks of the main station, as a potential site for diesel stabling sidings, maybe even a small depot? The sort of thing the ER was rather better at doing than the LMR (the latter all too often trying to adapt existing steam facilities rather than purpose building something new)
Anyhow, here is the result of a day reaching over, drilling square holes etc. Room for up to ten of the things, more if shunting locos are let loose. I'm sure it'll be bulging at the seams before long🤨
Whilst I had the camera out, went for a roam round the rest of the layout. Goods sidings full of trains. The NCB exchange sidings and colliery branch (RHS) is the next (last?) task.
Loco depot full of proper engines. Some of them even moved when threatened with a controller.
And the main station, now looking rather good with platforms.
And looking the other way, towards the goods depot.
A very pleasant day; thanks to my host for supplies of tea, bacon sandwiches and evening meal prior to my departure 🤗
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Wright writes.....
in Modelling musings & miscellany
Posted
(Very late!) Evening Tony,
Would have posted it anyway but the following piece of video filmed earlier today at the Bristol show fits nicely with recent posts and is certainly a kit-built tour de force. Just the loco of the second train(!) that is RTR.
You might just recognise the leading loco of the principal train ...