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danstercivicman

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Blog Entries posted by danstercivicman

  1. danstercivicman
    Hello all,
     
    I am afraid reading this month's BRM, running problems through Harton station (the damp has affected the gauging), problems with the remaining Hornby points (do they make them out of rubbish), the fact I am undergoing a massive career change and the fact I am getting fed up with having to climb over the layout to get into the basement means the line has been closed by Dr Beeching! Citing the damp problems (I am damp sealing the walls) and the lack of traffic (a blatant lie) the layout is being broken up and re-built.
     
    The re-building will take a few years, but I am going to start it properly. No more Hornby points, raised trackbed on cork matting, proper attention to the backscene and a basement that can be easily accessed. Thankfully my decision to use John Lewis washable PVA for the ballast was a good one and the track is peeling off nicely.
     
    I have been using AnyRail and please see the plans. I plan to build the station in the part of the basement that is least affected by the damp and I am building a junction station with that ex GWR branchline
     
    The de-humidifier has been doing a great job of keeping things dry, but what might not be obvious is that where my wife knocked over a glass of water in the living room (above) the water seeped through the floor and has caused major issues with the scalescenes printed medium station. Its also made the platform edging at Harton run and change colour. Time for a change.
     
    Progress will be slow as I move jobs and due to finances (our daughter is now going to nursery).
     
    Beeching's men have been swift- the line into Hopeguard has already been singled- thankfully this does not affect the operation of the line as due to the layout of the track it was pretty much a singled line into the station here anyway...which has given me other ideas
     
    Thankfully an earthquake has removed some of the offending and annoying bit that you have to climb over to get into the basement- it was 7 on the Jiigsaw scale!!!!
     
    The Stanier 5MT, 8F and the Ivatt 4MT seem un-affected in the shed thankfully!
     
    Best
     
    Dan
  2. danstercivicman
    I have been busy putting the ID back scene- into the town B, C and D together. I am quite happy with how it looks. Lots of progress still to be made, but its running ok and I am now running 6 coach WR and MR expresses in addition to freight and smaller passenger workings. Next steps include, fitting the turntable, building the hills and the dreaded ballasting tasks....
     
    Stay tuned it will be finished in 2016...
     
    In the meantime happy Christmas for 10 days time
     
    Best
     
    Dan
  3. danstercivicman
    Been very busy with work and looking after my daughter- have made some slow slow progress. Awaiting funds to finish it all off!!! I got a Peco Lk-55 turntable which is awesome- just need to build it!
     
    I have been working on the main station area.
     











     
    Enjoy!
     
    Dan
  4. danstercivicman
    I have been making yet more massive changes. The terminus station now leads into a tunnel, then a scenic section where the embankment will conceal a hidden (branch) storage yard. The scenic section then goes into a tunnel and into a large fake through station (actually a terminus) this gives the impression that trains are running onwards to the midlands and London but in fact allows me to turn locos around and acts as a giant scenic fiddle yard!
     
    Please view the pics and let me know what you think?
     
    Its taken another £200 to get here!!! I have sold some steam locos and now have a Bachmann, 25, 45 and a Heljan 47. I have moved the layout period to 1966.
     
    I need to do so much more to finish it and the 'through' station will be boxed in with Scalescene factories to provide an industrial city backdrop!
  5. danstercivicman

    Slow Progress

    By danstercivicman,

    Slow Progress.
     
    I have decided the main scenic section will be a four road loop section. This will allow me to store trains and operate the layout better. Still loads and loads and loads and loads and loads to do!!!
     
    Enjoy!
  8. danstercivicman
    More Pictures Hopefully self explanatory
     
    I have re-worked the terminus station- it now accommodates a 9 coach express. It has another two platforms that will take a 7 coach train and then the goods area. I have also decided to move the loco facilities there. I still need to purchase a PECO Turntable LK-55 and a Metcalfe single road shed... and a goods shed... and build the platforms... and finish the track... and do the scenic work... and ballast... etc etc etc...
     
    I have also massively re-worked the through station. This now has a goods loop and makes the most of the wonderful ID backscene (need the other half). The goods area is based loosely on Topley Dale from the Hornby Magazine and a layout called Midhey that I found on the web and the Far North Line blog on this site. I need to.... finish the back scene...scenery...platform...ballast...buildings...etc...etc...but it works and allows for trip freights to be shunted easily
     
    I have then made a massive fiddle yard bit which will accommodate 2x 9 coach expresses and some smaller workings.
     
    There is still space for a small branch terminus which will be the final part of the layout to be completed. This will be bypassed by the main lines and allow me to send freight and small passenger workings to the through and terminus stations. All in all its making progress. The curves are a minimum of 5th/6th radius or larger and this coupled with PECO SL-100 and PECO SL points has removed running and de-railment issues. All the Bachmann BR Mk 1's are now FINALLY happy and do not come off as they did before. Both my Bachmann re-built Scot and Jubilee locos can handle the 9 coach express and finally my layout makes some sense!!!
     
    And a brief video:
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jGnoL1Aq5EE
     
    Enjoy!
  9. danstercivicman
    Today I have been working on:
     
    1) Connecting the wiring to the engine shed points (it operates by an old Hornby Controller).
    2) Laying ballast and testing the tracks
    3) Tidying up various bits and bobs
    4) Adding the start of the scenic backdrop to the engine shed (ran out of PVA)
    5) Gluing the ballast down using Ballast Bond (ran out already!)
     
    So...
     
    I now need to build the Peco LK-55 Turntable and get some more ballast bond and newspaper!!!
     
    I need to finish the platforms in the station!!!
     
    I need to build an overbridge and a million other things!
     
    Enjoy!
  10. danstercivicman
    As my annual leave continues some more progress has been made. I have received another parcel of the track to finish off the loops. I have also been looking at the Borchester Market layout and wondering if I can slide an elevate colliery line in somewhere? I am also considering adding a Diesel MPD in the urban setting in the future! What do you think?
     
    PS... I have been planning some changes and have attached some thoughts- one keeps the four road scenic section- one has just two roads.
     
    Please enjoy the photos!
     
    Dan
  12. danstercivicman
    Hello,
     
    Some more progress. I have heavily weathered the Hornby 4F as I was not really feeling the weathering it came with- see what you think?
     
    Also I have made big progress ballasting and have decided to move the provender shed to the main yard. Here it will become a hazardous chemical/explosive store shed. It didn't have enough clearance in the main goods yard, and I probably just going to put a crane in the goods yard at Hopeguard or construct a custom made goods shed.
     
    I have found a problem with the scalescene's method of construction- water makes the ink run nasty! So I am going to have to varnish all these buildings and the platforms! I have been adding grass cover to areas around the layout and its starting to get there!
     
    I've also done a fiddle yard view showing where the locos and trains are stored 'off scene'.
     
    Some more goodies are coming from Hattons this week!
     
    Enjoy!
     
    Dan
  13. danstercivicman
    Well.... I have sold all my WR stock (except the Paviland Grange) I have been very busy over the holidays (amongst work etc and family time). I am concentrating on the LMR around 1963. No branch lines. The layout starts with a double track terminus, this goes into a tunnel then there is a small station where the MPD is located. This flows into another tunnel into a curved junction where the third terminus departs and the mainline curves round into a hidden set of sidings.
     
    All in all this should give great operating flexibility and allow me to exploit 7 coach mainline trains!!
     
    I have also sold most of my set track and am now using Peco SL 100 and flex track (much better) the curves are all (with the exception of the tight station junction) at least radius 6/7 and the de-railements at junctions have ceased!!! Long live PECO SL 100!
     
    Also I have changed the Bachmann brass wheels on the Dapol Period 3 coaches for Hornby metal wheels and they glide along!!!
     
    I am glad that I did not start ballasting as it has allowed me to test and develop the plans. I am getting some more wood and flex track this week so maybe in a few weeks another update. It is truly a blessing having so much space!!!
     
    Enjoy the pics
  14. danstercivicman
    Finally I have been able to get on RM web and I would like to introduce you to my layout called Harton and Hopeguard. The Layout is located in my basement and has two fictional stations. One- Hopeguard is 'set' as a medium sized port terminus between Chester and Holyhead. Harton on the other hand is meant to represent the entry to the LMR, either near Chester, or towards Birmingham. There is then a fiddle yard, which represents all other destinations. I think its probably easier to view the youtube so here is a link- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zmqJcHZtP8 (copy and paste URL)
     
     







     
     
    Comments/feedback welcome
     
    Very best
     
    Dan
  15. danstercivicman
    Well.... I have decided that the centre section needed to go. I am planning a new centre section branch line... or I could keep the centre section off an just concentrate on a terminus to fiddle yard. The idea I have had is to make the layout like an E shape. The terminus is the left hand E and the fiddle yard the right hand part of the E. The centre part of the E is the new branch line. The E is accessed easily from the open parts of the E which unlike the current plan means all areas are accessible. I can then condense on points and hopefully have a better layout!!!
     
    Or I could use the boards and points and work on a portable layout that can be picked up and moved should we ever move house. Or I could sell lots of the un-used track and points and pay off my credit card which will impress the overlord!!
     
    Decisions and only 3 days of holiday left!!
  17. danstercivicman
    Finally... The main terminus is beginning to look a little bit more complete. I still need to build and run the turntable and also to finish the station, but at least its getting there. I have also laid the branch terminus track!! Still abit of a mess but gradually progress is being made!
  19. danstercivicman
    Hello,
     
    I have decided that my layout will featured a named express called the - 'Thames-Guard Express'. The attached video shows how this train is made and some other passenger workings on the layout:
     
    I have decided that the 'Down Thames-Guard Express' leaves at 08.30am, it goes via Harton to Birmingham where extra coaches are added before running fast to London. The Royal Scots and Jubilees work from Birmingham to Hopeguard and the service is under Pacific power under the wires. The service is set to be reviewed under Beeching and the stock is suitably grubby! The Hopeguard stretch comprises- BSK, CK, SO, BSK onto which an RMB or FK or RMB and FK are added depending on demand. There is normally an XP van and often a fish van coupled up. Brush Class 47's are being lined up for this work.
     
    Other passenger workings include:
     
    45xx and B set- Local
    2MT Pull Push- Local Branch Lines
    4MT and inter region suburban- Brake, Second, Composite and Brake (sometimes haulded by a Crab or 5MT)
    Semi-Fast- ex LMS Period 3 stock hauled by a mixture of locos and diesels.
     
    The 14xx/Autocoach is used for workers trains and local Branch serivces
     
    My overall idea is that the 4 coach sets can be extended or shortened depending on the requirements.
    Enjoy!
     
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybWB4oVFdhA
  20. danstercivicman
    Hello,
     
    Some more progress- various detailing has taken place and I have also just got three Stanier Dapol coaches. Apart from the battery box on the Brake being moulded the wrong way round I am very pleased with these There does not appear to be many pictures of these running on layouts- so I have taken a few, first behind the Crab at Harton and then at Hopeguard to give an idea of how they look in action. Metal wheels are on there way along with another composite. I am going to make some of the composites into seconds otherwise my trains will have way too much first class seating.
     
    Ballasting is almost 100% complete and I am adding the small details now.
     
    I've also got my first bus, which with the destination of Walsall is designed to anchor Harton firmly in the West Midlands
     
    Youtube videos of the layout can be found here:
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVydhlKWGKw
     
    Enjoy the photos-
  21. danstercivicman
    Some pics from last nights running. The final one shows the locos stored in the fiddle yard, where they await their next turn
     
    We also take a look at the locos being serviced at Hopguard shed- a standard 5MT, Stanier 5MT and an 8F await their next workings.
     
    The 57xx is the station pilot and the Crab has brought in a suburban working. The 4F has brought a short freight, whilst the Class 24 has come from further afield with a lengthy mixed goods. The 4F will then take this as a pickup goods/trip freight to the local stations.
     
    Enjoy! Videos can be found in previous blog entries
     
    Harton Station gents toilet is now built!
     
    Best
    Dan
  22. danstercivicman
    Hello,
     
    I have been working hard on the scenic areas of the layout and have been working on the approach to Harton Station. I just need to add soem more cars, a bus stop and a bus shelter and then tidy up the detailing, but I think it looks alot better! See my Youtube for more layout running and updates !!
     
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVydhlKWGKw
     
     
    So the pics- theres the updated station front, using a Scale scenes medium station (still need to build the gents), then some shots of Hopeguard shed and the railings at Hopeguard.
     
    Best
    Dan
  24. danstercivicman
    Hello,
     
    Last night I worked on some areas of the back scene and had a good running session with freight and passenger workings. I have started to ballast more of the layout and identify areas where I need to put in more work
     
    Enjoy the pics!
     
    We have a 4F on freight passing an 8F stopped at a signal to gain entry to the yard. We have a 45xx running round its B-set and heading back towards Harton, We have the 57xx on station pilot. The Pull Push service from Harton comes into Hopeguard with its Ivatt 2MT and then there is a Jubilee powering into Harton with an express. Not to mention the some other loco's!
     
    Best
     
    Dan
  25. danstercivicman
    Hello,
     
    Brief update!
     
    I have finally been able to secure a 14xx (The Hornby one for a decent price) so I have added that to my Autocoach (which I have detailed) it really adds a nice flavour to the layout and I am sure once it has been weathered that it will fit right in! The idea behind the 14xx and Autocoach is that it allows local workings into...what would be North Wales, maybe a forgotten branch line or a workers service?
     
    Also you can see some of my weathering on the 5MT. The 4F has had crew added and will be HEAVILY weathered soon! The 45xx is also a new arrival and pulls a Dapol B-Set (to be weathered and re-numbered) the B-Set is runningr eally well on Bachmann metal wheels.
     
    Now... I have a problem. The PECO hydraulic buffers are too large to allow locos to reverse through the points. What can I do? I am going to try creating some smaller buffer stops- any feedback welcome?
     
    Best
     
    Dan
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