woodenhead

 

I'm in a bit of a dilemma: I've strictly enforced my personal tank locomotive-only policy. Hmm. Large Prairie, perchance? So far, so good.....

 

 

Just think of it as a Large Prairie that has a mineral come water cart immediately behind it.

Indeed, I do like this thread.

Dover Priory.

That was my immediate thought with the siding the loco being on raised above the platform height.

Class 86 and 37?

 

Are you sure you should be drinking at your age?  

Both were at home on sleepy passenger services in East Anglia?

That’s easy all steam trains looked the same

Weekend over and I present to you all Port Isaac.

Single platform up the middle, SR services from London, Oakhampton and Wadebridge (Gate stock reversing at Delabole), GW services from London and Tavistock Junction.

Wadebridge is used to turn the SR locos and Launceston the GW locomotives.

I wonder if a 31 is low hanging fruit now.

Or of course there are the Peaks: three classes with subtle differences and a massive hole that is the sealed beam front version which sells way above its true value on EBay.

What with being a bear of small brain the shop trading as TMC was still 'Trafford Model Centre' in my mind until some information chanced upon earlier this year revealed that it is now located on the North York Moors barely a twenty minute drive from relatives we visit regularly. What a pleasure that was.

I remember when it first opened in the market hall of the Trafford Centre, having a model shop in walking distance of home was brilliant, though at that time I had no railway.

With a bucket list you list things and places to visit before you die, in the case of model shops it appears to be reversed, places to visit before they close.

Not sure why Hattons would be on anyone's list, it is a warehouse with a typically warehousy customer service desk. Even Rails until recently was a similar let down experience, the new shop area though sounds like a return to a more welcoming destination.

Now, Arcadia, there is a shop to visit,guaranteed a cup of tea and if you like shelves full of models it has them everywhere.

I think it will be something that will look comfortable with HUOs and Cemflo.

Progress...

Without the passenger bay this feels more North Cornwall now. The kickback remains, it might just protect the main from runaways or I might one day add a turntable though at the moment in my head SR locos requiring turning will make a trip to Wadebridge and GW locos would return to Launceston.

Lay the sidings then connect to board two, wire to controller and then rebuild the fiddleyard.

Not only am I laying track this afternoon but I am also learning the cues for a Body Balance track, Mrs W has joined me in the kitchen fresh back from passing her Les Mills instructor course.

Something GM powered hopefully.

Astra or Cavalier?

Thank you all. Regarding the Sulzers I'm not sure they'll be seen on my other York. I'd need to push the wheels back in to start with as they're still set up as EM gauge locos. Though Morfa is no longer I still have Shell Island, crated up and sitting under the new layout. Now I know that Cambrian 24's worked the York - Aberystwyth mails, but did they work the train throughout?

If that is the one that used to change traction at Stockport around 11:30pm, if it is then it used to turn up exotic traction like a 50 or a Deltic as a running turn from Doncaster works. I saw a Deltic once middle road at Stockport as I was passing on an overnight train from Piccadilly.

The Peco motors didn't like wire in tube so back to standard fitment, tracklaying had begun though till blood stopped play.

Will have to wait an hour or so....

Edit: in the end there was no more play all day, every attempt to use the thumb saw another outpouring.

Day 2 of the bank holiday build.

Realised the bay was too much so it has gone, this now gives a little more space for the goods yard to breathe.

Today’s first task, the point motors for the run round, all my other points are accessible but these aren’t. Last time round I added the motors after the build and it left them visible, this time they can go under the platform. Doing this first takes away stress and once I’ve got this bit working the rest is just laying track.

I am glad the passenger bay has gone as well and feel happier with the revised design, there is a kickback line that I might drop too.

With track and some stock plonked to test lengths

Note to self: tidy kitchen before Mrs W returns!

Clean slate / blank canvas

First job was to move the switches off the (to be) scenic side and put the basic wiring underneath.

With that done I can begin the look at the track, I know what I want to do so this won't be a long build.

I'm glad this one is still in development, I thought it had been dropped in favour of your UK Oop North model.

The buildings on this model are exquisite

Crewe were doing major overhauls on some of the engines selected for the 'Strategic Reserve' quite late on but when the scheme was cancelled overhauls to that level were discontinued.

 

(Yes, the 'Strategic Reserve' really did exist - with whatever name it was actually given - on paper.  But when the idea was looked at more closely and its economics, and particularly what it could actually achieve, began to be more closely questioned it was quietly dropped although overhauls for long term retention had been carried out on some engines.)

Was this a case of they were getting the right overhaul at the right time or some additional restorations for long term storage. It seems odd to prepare a locomotive for something then send it back out into service again or were they retained at works until the scheme died and they were released then?

If we want to look at this 'Preservation' versus 'Operation' using another example then look no further than the dear old NRM.

Green Arrow - static

Mallard - static

Flying Scotsman - razor blades - but something bearing it's name that has evolved over nearly 100 years is running regularly on the main line and attracting a lot of attention.

The problem is that if Pendon doesn't do something different then over time it's models will first become unreliable and then become static exhibits.

A plan should begin now to evolve, using modern techniques to build replacements that would be equivalents in terms of modelling masterpieces but reflect current methods - so I am not saying lets see a Hornby Star or a Bachmann City but modern scratchbuilt equivalents.

What no-one could see in the picture on facebook was the bag of spanners they had been tossing around for the sound recording,

They are doing the Fell.

That poses a thought for those who prefer to bodge.

Has anyone got hold of a cheap Bachmann class 108 to sacrifice the Derby ends to replace Lima class 116 / 117 cab ends, and the Bachmann power bits to drive it ? Pretty sure 108s can be had reasonably cheaply, but I appreciate the drive unit is obtrusive.

Do Replica supply a correct length motor unit, their motors are unobtrusive.

Right, I was thinking of the green ones when I made the post. Are Blue/grey more pricey?

 

John.

I bought a blue grey for £120 in 2017 and sold it for the same in 2018, the only units I saw under £100 were the EPBs but they too were generally £120.

Hattons have a lot of green 2 EPB and 4 CEP in their second hand, all well over £130.

I could never make up my mind whether Siouxsie Siouxx or Clare Grogan should have been the first Dr Mrs Gerbil-Fritters.

Watching these two videos I had similar recollections, Mrs W doesn't understand, she's five years younger than me and she's all Wham

How does one get a 14xx running smoothly?  The answer quite simply is perseverance old chap.

Just watching a video of someone train watching at York last week, do non passenger diagrams now generally use the station now as it seems that way.

I've not been to York for a long time but it seems the lines in / out of the station operate at a higher speed than in the past and the freight trains traverse the station quite quickly.