sigtech

Hello Everyone, - this is the first blog entry of the year, and as you can see there has been very little to write about in Sproston!.- After a nasty attack of 'lack of modelling mojo' I have completed a long outstanding task painting, installing and detailing two coach loads of passengers. (don't laugh!) This consisted of 35 'little people' from my store, obtained from China (via Ebay!). Unfortunately they have all had to have their feet amputated to enable them to sit correctly in the Bachmann Stanier 'Porthole' stock, - this however I believe is a common problem (and they won't be needing them anyway whilst stuck inside those coaches...).- just wish I had found out before carefully painting 35 pairs of shoes and boots !! Along with painting the people, the coaches have also had an internal makeover as recommended by Dave 'Coachman' of RMWEB in his review of them, i.e the inside ends painted brown, matt 119 (Humbrol) enamel, seats matt Carmine Red, (Revell 36) Acrylic and rooves matt white 34 (Humbrol) enamel.The photos should make everything clear. Reassembly followed after all was dry. Finally, the train consisting of a BR (M) Fowler class.2p 4-4-0. 57' BSK.57'SK.+ PMV ( cycles ) was assembled in the hidden sidings,- and the Sundays only 08.00. CTC GB special, ( Cycle Touring Club - Great Britain ), departing from Rugby ( with engine change at Stafford ) to Sproston arrived as per timetable in platform 1 at 11.20 .... This delightful BTF film from 1957, explains the use of the ex SR PMV with 'cycle' logo as a 'cycle van' attached to a Sunday special from Rugby. ( now produced by Bachmann, cat no.39-526z ). Well there we go another missive completed, Comment good or bad are always welcome, Until next time! Regards, SIGTECH (Steve.)

I managed to get a ride on cl 121 no: 121034 in March last year, travelling from Princes Risborough to Aylesbury, and return (twice). - The photos can be found on my Gallery on here. Regards, (SIGTECH) Steve.

Also it looks like the prairies driver and fireman are strolling down the platform towards the station - refreshments? is that the relieving crew coming to meet them?

Seems to be a Royal Mail van parked on the platform with back doors open loading/unloading from the rear coach.

Hello Huggy, thats very nice! quite atmospheric, Shame about your DEMU, I'm sure you will get it sorted. The only item that I have similar is a cl121 'Bubblebar' in green with whiskers bought s/h (Hornby), painted and passengers/driver added and fitted with a "Black Cat" lighting kit - gives me head and tail lamps plus internal saloon lighting. Keep up the good work. Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Lovely bit of machining Phil , Very nice workshop/shed, - I assume your proposed layout will fit around all these power tools? regards, (sigtech) Steve.

Hello Gents, it looks like youve got the window problem sorted now. I did much the same thing as Johnster- but instead used 'niceday' typewriter correction fluid to fill the redundant window recesses!! Article about it here in my blog:http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1563/entry-19768-sproston-getting-the-b-set-back-into-service/ Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Good progress Scott, You had me worried for a minute there, - I've just had to nip up in the loft to check my Hawksworth autotrailer and make sure I put the driver on the correct side of the coach....All ok phew! Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Hello Anthony - welcome to RMWEB, I see you have lost no time in getting a baseboard built and some track laid, and sketching out a basic layout design.This is a good thing because it keeps the enthusiasm for the project fresh and the mind receptive to any new ideas. Must say I like the design produced by Phil (Harlequin of this Parish..) -He has a certain flair for this type of work!! Your plan is also well thought out, - though I think you will struggle to get two coaches inside the runround loop - which will in turn limit your passenger working to using just single coach trains, or push - pull/autotrailer stock. Maybe something to think about.? My layout 'Sproston' is only 6 7" x 5 1" (sorry I'm just old fashioned - tend to work in feet and inches ),the baseboard being made from two flush wooden doors fixed together. Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Hello Phil, I can see you've been busy! Having a good selection of powered tools and other construction aids must help - I'm envious, as the only powered tools I have is an old 2 speed mains electric drill, and a rechargeable screwdriver...! Very nice work though, if you approach all the aspects of your modelmaking with this amount of thoroughness and attention to detail then this will be a stunning layout... Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Hello all, Yesterday I was asked by my wife to put some clothes away in the bedroom cupboards. - I should mention at this point that I have been retired for nearly two years from 'Notwork fail', Sick & Tired dept. N.R. (S&T), as a 'Team Leader / T.O. Faulting and Maintenance' and as I was sorting methodically through the pile I came to my only pair of what can be called 'leisure/sport trousers',( these have no corresponding matched top, although they should have ). It was at this point my mind must have gone 'bye bye', because I called out to my long suffering Spouse with a question, and during the conversation referred to them as my 'Track - Circuit bottoms...! Has anyone else experienced this sort of 'brain fade.? Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Yes sorry you are indeed correct, was typing in a hurry and missed the bit about the black arrow from the description so thanks for that - as I suspected though its outside my modelling period by several years. thanks for the clarification. Regards, (SIGTECH) Steve.

Hello, can anyone tell me when, and for what period BR adopted the 'door to door' branding, with a single large white arrow on its bauxite painted containers such as the type AF, A or BD. Thanks in anticipation. Regards, (SIGTECH) Steve.

Probably once every weekday . l believe that there is some info on here via the 'Woodstowe' layout thread, post no. 40 that refers to operations at Cardigan, the O/p was using a copy of the timetable for the line in the mid 50's. As I remember it required all three locos simultaneously to be at the terminus at least once each day- lots of shunting for a small branch line. Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Hello Huggy, - I like the improvements to Tillingham, I don't know how far you intend to take the 'realistic modelling' approach on the layout,but you need a 'trap' point at the exit from the sidings,( a short single bladed point connected by rodding to the entry point into the yard),there to prevent wagons being blown, or rolling out of the sidings and ending up foul of the main line. It doesn't need to be funtional, can be fabricated by fixing an old rail alongside the track, on outside rail edge - in this case the rail nearest to the front of the layout, tapered in and touching just before the coal siding/goods shed point and curved away at other end, about 3" or 12 sleepers long. When these points (worked by Sid Short from his ground frame hut/signalbox),were set for train to pass on main line, it would be open and any runaway wagon would then be derailed clear. Hope this is useful info - I'm lucky that on my layout 'Sproston' the track does not need any! as all 'trapping' is done by the design of the track layout... Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Pete, Brilliant - this layout just gets better and better! and it simply oozes with atmosphere. I think I like it all the more because of the fact it's NOT a sleepy branchline,(my preferred layout type).The setting of it all seems most realistic, with nice flowing curves to track/platforms, and with an impressive size well planned loco depot it all looks authentic and businesslike. The lighting and signalling is just the 'icing on the cake' for me... Have been following since the beginning and I really do like the way its turning out!! Regards, (SIGTECH) Steve.

I believe that this forum is missing a "we told you so" button....

Hi Adrian, I reckon you should be the unquestionable outright winner of any 'Most Unusual and Original Scratchbuilt Structure' competition that is going. - That is one mammoth industrial undertaking that you're producing - looks like it's not far short of the length of my ENTIRE layout...! Brilliant, Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Hello James, I have been following both this topic, and the one directed to constructing an alternative 'N' gauge layout, with interest, it is turning into a long running saga - and for my part I suggest you spend some time looking carefully at the 'real' railway.... Many people on RMWEB have very generously offered advice, people who have 'been there, done it and got the teashirt to prove it'! But for nearly every sensible suggestion offered, you have produced a counter argument to disprove or dismiss it.... It seems to me that you have already decided on your proposed course of action, and that all this is merely obfuscation of some kind. There is really not that much difference between Your original proposed plan and the present iteration, both are excessively complicated, and will be difficult to construct and operate - especially for someone who informs us that he has had no real connection to Railway Modelling since the age of 13! There seems little point in asking for all this help/information, only for it to be rejected when it differs from your own held viewpoint...surely in this case you need to learn to walk, before you can run?? Regards (SIGTECH).

Cheers Huggy!- Much Fiddling has recently been renamed in the local government boundary reorganisations, and now will be called Much Dithering! Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Nice little layout Huggy - and it's starting to look like a real railway now. I'd no idea that the steps were made from expanding foam packing material, until I looked back through your previous blog entries... Reckon you need a concrete SR style platelayers hut to go alongside the track near the points, along with a SR groundframe/signalbox(and a SR loading gauge and crane for the yard maybe?). Regards (SIGTECH) Steve.

Thanks Phil, have just downloaded and saved it all (windows 7) .Printed of a copy using ADOBE ,looks nice...Next job will be to fix a copy of it to a separate panel, for attaching to my control panel for the layout - smiles all round!! Your a star! Regards Steve.

Looks substantial enough to me Phil - when I first looked at the photo I thought that was a mouse mat on the workbench, then I looked again and of course it's a cutting mat! Regards Steve

Phil- that is brilliant! Absolutely marvellous- I'm totally pleased with both the diagram and the lever leads - good work! I will just ask Mike to pop in and 'proof read' it before we say 'job done' but other than that thanks. Thank you once again for all you have done, Regards Steve.