CoombeTown

This weekend has seen a lot of time spent under the baseboards, putting in a lamp for the ground signal, and wiring for the lamp that will go in the Goods Shed.

I have a question for the more knowledgeable though: as my thoughts turn to the Goods Yard. Would a fence have existed between the running line/loop and the yard?

I've added two pictures of the yard to try and help those visualise the layout. I envisage a fence that would run from the bridge wing wall, behind the grounded van to pretty much in-line with the V where the two sidings split.

Thanks in advance,

Dom

Tail lamp added this evening, and coach body placed on until the passengers arrive.

i've managed to dim the lights fairly successfully, it doesn't seem too overbearing unlike the Heljan Railcar.

And a peak at where a few passengers will eventually sit.

Plan is for 4 passengers, then an inspector in the corridor on the opposite side.

7 hours ago, MrWolf said:

That's really neat and I like the idea of being able to dim the lights, (I've seen too many lit up coaches that look like ground zero at Hiroshima.) We've come a long way since the days of grain of wheat bulbs.

 

It's a shame that all my coaches are gas lit....

It really does make a difference being able to dim the lighting, there is even setting for gas flicker, but I guess they wouldn't work on an analogue layout unfortunately.

A tiny bit more progress this evening, but we have light! 

I did think I had warm white leds, but obviously not. Ah well. The strip is programmable so I will dim the lights, as well as adding a DCC concepts tail lamp to the coach.

Will have to make an emergency Modelu order as well to populate the carriage before I close it all up again...

A good day out supporting Yeovil Model Railway Group at Rail-ex today, a top quality show indeed.

I did indulge in a tiny bit of retail therapy, purchasing a Digikeijs digital lightbar. I've had an eye on these for some time so bit the bullet and bought one for my Hawksworth BSK.

I've spent the evening starting the install work, filing slots in the top of the carriage.

Adding the pickups to wheel sets, including attaching myself to the bogies with superglue!

And finally a test fit with the bar cut to length.

Cheers Rob!

Enjoyable evening playing testing the loop, all seems to be working well.

Couldn't resist posing 5541 with all the signal pulleys/ ground signal in place. Still to be painted, and a small lamp to be added to the ground signal (even if it points the wrong way)

And yes, I will fix the lean!

By jove, it works! Glue fully dry, all powered up, flick the switch and after reconnecting the control panel (whoops!) it's running fine!

so we zoom out slightly.

still got to test out the run round loop fully, but early signs are promising!

It would describe it as mildly terrifying, but so far the thing still moves so there's hope yet!

Well another busy few weeks have passed but I found time to ballast the first point today. 

Signal Wire pulleys and a Ground Signal are expected tomorrow, so hopefully will be installed next weekend.

I am also planning on getting the blocks for the catch point in so I can complete ballasting of the first board next weekend.

10 minutes ago, Graham T said:

That looks good.  I must add some passengers to my coaches - Chuffnell Regis looks a bit like the Marie Celeste at the moment!

 

Do you recall which page that post by @NHY 581 was on please?  I've had a search but can't find it...

Thanks Graham, I am surprised how much difference Passengers make. These are a Dart Castings passenger pack, which are rather good value for money.

The article was actually in July's BRM rather than anyway on RMWeb, very well written with clear steps. It's worth a hunt for a back issue or maybe Rob can provide you a copy?

Once again, life events overtook. But spurred on by a free weekend, I have sat down and followed @NHY 581's excellent carriage weathering article.

As a result, here is one Weathered autocoach.

2 hours ago, Wayne Kinney said:

What kits do you guys want to see next? 

Would be great to have the A5 in 00-SF, I've got a plan for a nice micro-layout around them...

41 minutes ago, Graham T said:

 

Thanks Neal - see above please for the photo.

 

As for the station building...

 

I had an email exchange with York Modelmaking about getting windows, doors, and quoins laser cut.  I sent then some photos and measurements and they came back with a price for 3 doors and 10 sash windows of £69.58, plus £39.00 for the quoins.  (I should probably have said thanks, but no thanks, at this point...)  This also included a couple of sheets of roof tiles, which would be off the shelf items.  On the assumption that they would have done this sort of bespoke work many times before, and having sent them photos of the building as well, I asked for their opinion on the measurements I had estimated.  They didn’t reply to that question.

 

Having no patience, as usual, and a weak brain, I went ahead and transferred them £122.30, including the postage to Austria.

 

I then received a drawing from them.  Printing this full size it became obvious that the doors and windows were going to be slightly too big (my mistake), and that York had drawn the quoins much too small (their mistake).

 

I sent them the revised measurements, and was told they would charge another £47 for the added drawing work.  I told them I wasn't happy with this.  Without being rude, they basically told me "it is what is".  I told them I didn't want to proceed.

 

York have refunded “the cost of laser-cutting the drawn parts (£29.98) and the delivery charge (£11.50)”.  Nothing more.  So I am out of pocket by £80.82 with nothing to show for it.

 

 I then went to LCut Creative.  They will produce the windows, doors, and quoins, and send by tracked delivery to Austria for £51.80.  No payment up front.  Quite a difference isn’t it?  About one-third of the cost…

Thanks for this Graham, I've been looking at the YMM service for a while for the signal box windows at Coombe Town, but I think I will avoid them.

Are LCut producing the laser cutting artwork for you as well in that price?

On 02/09/2022 at 14:51, 5BarVT said:

Hi Dom,

I’ve been thinking further about the problem . . . and discovered more information.

I started by looking at examples of the situation you have and can only find one with a double disc (Bute Rd) and it’s in a more complex layout.  I’ve also found an older type of frame (Stud frame for anyone later who wants to know) which can accept conditional locking so could use a single disc.
I’ve also been thinking about the locking required and I think that for a layout as simple as yours I could do it with a single disc on any age of frame.

As you’ve seen photos of double discs used, are you able to say where?

Paul.

 

Hi Paul,

Thanks for having a think. Annoyingly  I can't find the photos but I'm fairly certain that as you say, they were more complex layouts than mine.

To be honest, a single disk would be my preference as they exist as 3D printed products which look much nicer than the cast versions.

I appreciate your effort in confirming that it can be done in the real world!

Dom

8 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

I take it you mean to signal out of the head shunt.  Either is the right answer!  I don’t think there is an operational reason and the technical reason depends on the type of frame in the box.  Assume an old design and you need a double disc, assume a ‘modern’ design and a single disc would suffice.

The signal at the toes of the point in the photo (station home signal) would be main arms not a disc.
Paul.

Hi Paul,

That's very informative, thank you.

I doubt Coombe Town box would've ever been upgraded, so Double it is.

Dom

Well after a few days off, and then a manic return to work, which shows no sign of abating. I finally found time to paint the highlights on the postman...

And now glued in place on the photoplank, in discussion with Mrs Smith.

From the yard across the street

And through the bridge

Thoughts now turn back to the main layout, and prepping for more ballast.

I need a ground signal at the toe of the loop, locomotives can back onto a train in either the platform or the loop, but I don't know if this would be a single or double head in the 50s. Prototype pictures seem to show both used in various scenarios, leaving me utterly clueless. Would anyone be able to provide some guidance?

4 minutes ago, Graham T said:

This evening I have been Beeching...  Sorry!

 

 

I think that side of the road is just about done now; maybe, perhaps!  Although I do need to clean up all the errant scraps of static grass.  No doubt I will be doing that for weeks!

That looks fantastic Graham! It really is a wonderful scene.

49 minutes ago, Graham T said:

Interesting that Dom.  I've been priming my figures with white - think I'll switch to black now!

Sounds good Graham! I find that the lighter highlights (main colour mixed with white) are on the raised creases, so easier to achieve with dry brushing to get a full contrast.

1 hour ago, Andy Keane said:

So it must be the tiny detail in the modelu figure that gives the face slight shadows in the photo? My attempts look like scarecrows compared to yours - ho hum.

Hi Andy,

It's probably a combination of the high powered lamp and black primer?

Black primer is something I picked up out of a few magazine articles, it adds an element of preshading and you don't load the brush too much.

If you want a stronger a colour, like I went for on the lady's dress, then more coats are applied.

2 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

Your painting of these figures is fantastic - I am sure people would pay for it. One question - when you paint the faces do you do anything beyond adding skin tone such as lips or eyebrows?

Thanks Andy, high praise indeed!

To be honest, I think in 4mm that you don't need to include lips and eye brows, the tie is the smallest brush I have which would be too big for either of those, and at a distance you don't notice the detail.

Cheers,

Dom

1 hour ago, Graham T said:

Are they all Modelu figures?  They look very good.

Yup, all Modelu. They're very high quality and I find Alan very receptive to new ideas in conversation as well so I'm sure there are more products coming soon.

This postman is one of the latest, just need the light blue dry brushing and then he's ready to join the plank.

4 minutes ago, Graham T said:

£45?  Ouch!

 Yup, that's at least what they're quoting on the bespoke transfers page...

https://www.fox-transfers.co.uk/commissions/

First figure complete and in place on the plank, the other five are at various stages of completion...

7 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

 

Suggest Railtec might be a good source of bespoke transfers. Failing that Fox et al.

Thanks Neal, i might get in contact with Railtec to see if it's reasonable.

Failing that I may order some transfer paper and print them myself, £45 from Fox is a little more than I'm willing to pay.

Having been away for 5 days, work has resumed with some annual leave.

First few colours added to the figures.

And sub-assemblies created for the coal merchants cart

Which will eventually look more like the below, and be parked up in the Goods Yard.

Does anyone know where I could get appropriate transfers for the kit? It was a slight impulse buy having seen an assembled one at Railwells and Dart Castings being present...