YK 50A

23 hours ago, Silver Sidelines said:

My wife is still bothered about all the driverless engines and keeps referring to your work with model figures.

This is something I've thought about too.  Locomotives in sidings manned by train crew with their ears pinned back vs driverless locomotives in the steam age.  I've avoided train crew and passengers up until now, but I've just acquired a coach with a couple of figures glued in.  In my scale, figures are available from the comedic to the lifelike.  I'm minded to see if I can remove the passengers.  I have enough of people in my daytime job.

An absolutely remarkable railway and I've enjoyed watching it's development over the 10 years or so I've been following it.  I can only dream of having the space and for that matter skill, expertise and patience.  While I was aware of the Great Western Railway's Great Way Round, how your GWR fits with the track plan now makes a lot more sense.  Keep it coming, I never get bored.

18 minutes ago, Silver Sidelines said:

Thanks Alun, if this damp weather continues I might have to write about the Great Way Round.

 

Regards Ray

I'm looking forward to it already!

I'm still marvelling at this simple but ingenious solution.  Hats off!

1 hour ago, Silver Sidelines said:

...I am not the avid fan of RMweb that I used to be! 

Funny you write that, I found this particular blog post via a Google search!

1 hour ago, Silver Sidelines said:

 

In essence you are 7mm to the foot, so yes real stone (slate even better).  It does sound like punishement - harder than my poppy seeds.  We have red sandstone and red coloured concrete ridges to our slate roofs (prototype).  The portland cement pointing between the ridges and the slate drops out because the cement does not adhere properly to the slate (maybe a coefficient of expansion issue).  Sharp sand and waterproof PVA may well turn out to be a better bet.

Although UK Standard Gauge O Scale (7mm to the foot or 1:43.5) trains will run on my track, I am actually Narrow Gauge SM32, which is 16mm to the foot or 1:19.05.

I had problems with my expansion joints, so I redid them before the winter set in, but I now have work to do to reinstate a complete loop.  A target for 2021 is to make at least one of the stations not look like an apocalyptic wasteland.

Great advice and I have read about DIYers struggling to get slate to adhere to concrete.  If I get the time, sunshine and slate, you'll see some Flickr progress in a month or 2 (or maybe 3 or 5).

Likewise, keep cosy and stay safe!

Alun

Hi Ray,

I've just come across this researching the size of platform paving stones and copings, after finding a supplier who will cut reclaimed slate to order.

Narrow gauge stations could be earth or gravel, or if posh, a few flags to step onto from the carriages, but my railway welcomes tourists.  It looks like even contemporary UK narrow gauge rarely use larger stones, so I will probably go 3' x 2' (or 48mm x 32mm in 16mm to the foot scale).  Maybe my railway reclaimed some paving stones from a nearby disused standard gauge station.  The height of the platform doesn't want to come much over the railhead.  My plan is to use slate for the copings and then fill the void with either concrete with a dust of sand, or small stones or sharp sand set with waterproof PVA.

It's going to be a slow year for my railway because of work, but small steps...

Alun

I've been following this on Flickr and am minded that: "details make perfection, and perfection is not a detail".  Remarkable persistence and an end result more than worth the effort.

Alun. I tried a few of your ideas and they work well. Another idea on this site was to heat up the Bachmann pipe connectorswith hot water  to adjust their length  in order to connect different makes of coaches with  nem sockets. With these you can also adjust for differing heights of NEM sockets, too.

Hi Dave, good to hear from you.  I did move to the Hornby/Roco couplings (either pairs of Hornby's or alternating Hornby and Roco) and Silver Sidelines off this parish went a step further adding a chamfer to clear the solebar and/or account for pocket heights.  Heating the pipe connectors is a simple genius and I'll give it a go, although it's my son's train set which is getting the attention right now (he doesn't care about such things).

Regards,

Alun

Interesting, bearing in mind the target market.  How many parents buying a train set are going to have a back to back gauge or even a concept of needing to check?  Hornby are not doing themselves any favours in this area and haven't been for a long time.  Imagine spending a small fortune and trying to get that running round in circles on Christmas Day.  Reminds me of a Hornby Princess Victoria 40 odd years ago...

Is it me or do the frames in front of the saddle look entirely different on the Dapol version?

Anyway, fascinating as ever, thank you.

I trust that you are keeping up with this thread.

I did up to a point, I stopped before your post and have just read it - funnily enough we had a similar experience after switching energy suppliers.  Both eBay and PayPal favour the buyer to the point of he or she only having to prove a parcel has been delivered to qualify for a refund.  Thankfully, most people seem to be fairly reasonable, remarkable what picking up the phone can do if someone perceives a problem and the Royal Mail haven't "lost" a single parcel since I went to recorded deliveries.

Bringing it back on topic, I was chatting to a customer today who used to drive Class 40s (along with Class 31s, Peaks and Class 47s) on the Trans-Pennine route.

Thanks Alun (where have you been)...

I was stupid enough to let the eBay sales turn into a business and now I don't have any time...  Keep meaning to drop you a line and I will.

Fascinating, I didn't know sound on DC could, errr, sound that good.  We briefly had a sound fitted Sulzer Type 2 and I would contentedly listen to it ticking over while I got on with the day (DCC obviously) - I think it reminded me of trainspotting at Manchester Victoria in the 70s.

Regarding the differences, I was quite happily rivet counting the roofs over the boiler compartments.

Alun

I have been wondering about close coupling coaches and this is really useful. 

 

Dave

Thanks Dave, I would be interested to see how you got on.  I moved to Hornby/Roco and Roco couplings for those vehicles with a mechanism and NEM pocket.

Regards,

Alun

Excellent, great pictures too.  I was immediately minded of the British Standard Gangway Pullman adaptor plate.  Not a million miles away from the real thing!

Alun

Hello Clive...

Oops!  Ray, not Clive, you have my apologies.  I was writing to Clive at the same time.  No connection or similarity otherwise!  :-)

Hello Clive,

I read this earlier, but wanted to get home and have a look to see if I have any of the Hachette mechanisms going spare.  I bought several of the models and ended up with a few more body shells for pence after someone else broke the glazing and lost patience.  They're not that bad at all really and I haven't minded ruining mine to get some practice.

Good work with the RB, I had no idea you had installed a close coupling mechanism too.  I think I would have been tempted to go down the Bachmann RU underframe route, so am particularly impressed that you've saved one from the scrap yard.

As interesting as ever and maybe there's life in my childhood Mainline RBr yet.

Alun

I ended up having quite a bit of correspondence with Mark, his helpfulness is at least equal to his modelling skills and modesty!  My Hachette coaches were good practice.

Alun

There is also an issue with regards to the corridor ends and the presence or not of steps.  Something for the next installment...

I hadn't considered the steps, most people like removing them, but you need to add them!  The gangways, 2 different types.  How far will you go?  That's today's cliffhanger!

Hello Ray,

I've always been a fan of the Mainline RB.  There weren't many RUs left by the late 70s, most having been refurbished and given buffet counters.  Spot on with the window surrounds, later builds left the works that way and the earlier ones would have had them retrofitted.  I think also replicated by Tri-ang but not by Bachmann with their respective RMBs.  That might give you an indication of what Bachmann will do if they '...produce a new RB'.

Great work as ever!

All the best,

Alun

Hi Ray,

If I could rate it 'remarkable', I would.  I've enjoyed (with a degree of envy for your craftsmanship and the space) watching the railway's more recent evolution.  When's the open day?  ;-)

Alun

It was called Camera Mart.  I imagine it's still there, they have a branch in York.  271-273 Linthorpe Road will be forever etched into my memory.

That Princess sounds familiar!

Fascinating, think I've seen the 8F before, and one or 2 other pictures.  The Van B looks ok and I almost commented on the bogies when I saw your photograph on Flickr.

Incidentally, my first (and only?) proper job was for a camera shop on Linthorpe Road.

Alun

Hi Tigger and Alun

 

The missing 'post' sent to my email account.

Thanks Ray.

I have a habit of being exhausted at around 7pm when my youngest goes to bed, then wide awake from midnight.  As a cure for insomnia, I recommend finding a photograph with something not quite right about it and getting the WTTs out.

Alun

It is interesting as the normal rake in 1962 was Second Brake, PSK, PFK, PSB, PFK, PFP,PSK, Second Brake. 8 Cars.

The train shown appears to be Gresley BG, PSK, PFP(?), 1st Kitchen, PSB, PFK, PFP,PSK, Second Brake. 10 Cars.

Hi Mike,

I have access to the WTTs for 12th September 1960 through 11th June 1961 and 17th June 1963 through 8th September 1963; "that photograph" being dated May 1962, if indeed the month and year are accurate, but it looks about right!

Both WTTs do indeed show 8 car rakes.  The down train being Second Brake / Second Kitchen (Friday) or First Parlour (rest of the week) / First Kitchen / Second Bar-Kitchen / First Kitchen / First Kitchen (1960/61) or First Parlour (1963) / Second Kitchen / Second Brake.  We are broadly in agreement other than you appear to have listed the formation for the Friday only service.

Therefore, the rake does look consistent to me (on a Monday to Thursday) with the BG and Second Kitchen being used instead of a Second Brake and the all steel First Kitchen being a like for like replacement.  I'm afraid my lack of skills doesn't allow me to identify the type of vehicle from the 5th coach onwards (other than those in clear sight are Metro-Camms), and the 5th looks like it might be a Kitchen or Bar Car, again consistent with the WTTs.  Although I think I can see a 9th vehicle under Holgate Bridge, I can't see a 10th.

Alun

***  EDIT - the post I replied to appears to have been deleted so apologies if it is out of context  ***

...worth a PhD with all the background information!

Next on the list after the house move!