theplasticbrummy

I did mention you specifically Dave. Cheers, Andy.

Good morning all. With other competitors now turning to rolling stock, I'm considerably further behind than I wanted to be at this point, but, bearing in mind others are yet to start, it's not all that bad. I have at least managed to put some time aside to get some modelling done and I have also made a good start on the control panel (with a great deal of help from Arty - Once again, Thanks!) A second week of night shifts with very few trains allowed me the time to make a start on the main feature of the layout - Staythorpe Signal Box. I'm currently in the process of modelling the frame which I intend to have a full complement of 35 levers with the appropriate ones pulled for normal Up and Down main line running. The Box is still lacking steps, balcony and roof, but they will follow when I'm happy with the interior (which no one will ever see). Here are some cruel close ups of the Box so far - I think I need a one-hair paintbrush for down the edges of the green beams. If people recognise it (mainly because of the 5' extension), I'll be very happy indeed. The Signal Box is completely scratch built. The main body is card salvaged from the recycling bin at work. Originally a Nescafe box, I have scribed the boards into the varnished side using the back of a scalpel. The framework is made up of Evergreen strip of various sizes. The windows are again Evergreen strip, "evo-stuck" onto clear acrylic sheet. A cocktail stick was used to "twizzle" away any surplus glue. Acrylic paints were then used for the finish on top of five light coats of primer. A light weathering will follow after the model is completed. On to the Control panel now. With the sheet of alloy cut to size using Artys' press, the tool was changed from a cutter to a punch, and after centre punching what felt like a million holes, Arty got to work punching the holes in the alloy whilst I punched out the holes in the print (I'm not quite sure who got the roughest deal here). Unbelievably, because the print was temporarily attached to the alloy for the centre punching process, all of the holes actually lined up with each other! With all of the holes made and suitably reamed out for the relevant components (apart from one which I had failed to draw on the diagram in the first place), the switches, push-buttons and LEDs were fitted. I don't usually blow my own trumpet, but I am well-chuffed with the result, although, I am only able to claim some of the credit here. It just goes to show that when you've got the right tool (I'm not calling you a tool here, ARTY!) for the job, the result can be top Johnny. FLASHY LIGHTS! There are still a few holes missing their components as I had a colour change during design. As a result, I now have leftover red LEDs, but am lacking yellow ones! I also decided to make provision for working signals so I am also short of a few switches, all of which I will order after I've posted this update. I won't talk about this photo - It's just a little demoralising (these wires are just for the LEDs) NB: Apologies for the poor photos, my phones' camera is knackered! Cheers all. Ta ta. Andy.

It was me who was/is falling behind, Paul - Carl's about done! - He's even got time to build rolling stock! Cheers, Andy.

Evening Steve, Do you wire in section switches or do you just rely on the points to isolate each siding? I like the idea of not having to do loads of wiring for a fiddle yard that might not be used again (on mine that is). Also, what are the radius of your curves on the main - I'm concerned about some of the stock I have - What will you be running RtR-wise? Looks almost complete now - really smart as usual. Cheers, Andy.

Is that how they make Demerara sugar?

It really is a cracking little layout, Steve. Unlike me, you've got a lot in the space without it looking cramped and you've really captured the essence of Fenchurch S...., sorry, The Fens. I think that the "Shunting 'oss", as danstercivicman quite rightly puts it, will be a point of many questions from your followers at exhibitions. I see you've given up on the 288sq" for the fiddle - A wise choice given that you are going to exhibit it after LR. I might also ditch it on SX to allow for more running possibilities in its LR format, risking the bonfire clause. I'm looking forward to bringing the bomb wagon along again for a run across the Norfolk countryside, just please make sure the bridge is reinforced - I don't want it taking this one out like it did the one on Cross Heath! Keep it up! Cheers, Andy.

Good evening all. Are you ready for another, exciting instalment of the Staythorpe Crossing saga? No? Good job! Nothing exciting here, however, there is some sort of progress to report. After a week working on the computer during quiet spells, today, I managed to get my control panel printed. I've tried to keep it as true to the Box diagram as possible but have had to make compromises for operability over likeness - It's upside-down for a start! I used MS Paint (the most up-to-date package available to me ) then had it printed at the local printers in Loughborough. For £18, I'm quite happy with the result. Up at the club rooms, later in the day, and with a bit of help from fellow RMWEB'er and Ivanhoe MRS member, ARTY (albeit not a Founder Member ), I've even managed to get it covered in Blue Peter-Special, sticky back plastic, with NO bubbles! WOW, I here you exclaim! Here's a sneak-peek of the diagram pre switches, LEDs, buttons, frame, etc, etc. It is indeed, almost as big as the layout. As you can see, there's a pile of components behind the diagram waiting to be installed - I'm just waiting for some kind soul to donate a sheet of alloy ***HINT*** The layout has been designed to be operated in six zones, each able to be controlled by each of the three controllers (It's DC I'm afraid Ladies and Gents). Each zone has a rotary switch to select the required controller - This is mainly to get round the fact that you have to cross the main lines from each of the power station sidings in one direction or the other (I'm looking forward to seeing long MGR trains snaking over the track work). I've then colour-coded the sections for ease of use (Mr. Lambourne would most certainly approve!) and made provision for LEDs which will confirm which piece of track is being controlled by which controller. That's it for now folks. Cheers, Andy.

Who knows what the Lieutenant gets up to in his spare time..... The trees certainly are a marked improvement on the garish green of the originals. - Good use of "Scale colour" (TM Adrian Lambourne) here, Carl. I am falling behind again after leaving my control panel design at work. Cheers, Andy.

Another Standard Gauge Challenge layout coming on a storm. Who'd have thought a stupid suggestion last July would cause all of this modelling? Station throat point work looks great, Ernie, especially the trap point. Looking forward to seeing the layout progress and hopefully seeing you at LR2017 - Your ar*e warmer was missed last year. "Watching with interest". Cheers, Andy.

Well Steve, its certainly nothing special. I'm using Peco point motors with extended pins (PL-10E) for the throw and Peco accessory switches (PL-13) to change the polarity of the crossing noses. With the switches glued to the top of the motor (They are supposed to sit on the motor but I don't think they'd stay on for very long without the glue), they are then attached to Peco Mounting plates (PL-9) by inserting the motor legs through the slots provided and then bending the legs (As you would do if fitting the motors directly to the points) to fix them together. I prefer this as you don't then have the motors' legs sticking up in the ballast but, BUT! its then not a straightforward fit - much like fitting SEEP motors. It works out at about £9 per point, that's for the motor, switch and mounting plate. I'll post a couple of photos of the wiring later on in the week. Cheers, Andy.

Anyway, away from all of this off-topic bulls*it - AN UPDATE! After finding a few aerial photos from the NCAP website http://ncap.org.uk/ ,of which I am NOT permitted to share with you , I have had to tweak the position of the original "A" Reception Road and Run-Round. It wasn't much, I've just had to swap the two left handed points to right handed ones. The two "A" lines now run close and parallel to the Up and Down Main as opposed to the "B" lines which slew further away. On the first photo below, "A" sidings are on the right with "B" sidings on the left. It has made a difference as the two pairs of lines are now not symmetrical and of course, match the aerial photos. This second photo shows the "layout" in its entirety, looking towards Nottingham. In the top left, you can see the ends of the two Ash Plant sidings which eventually join with the Up Main, on the next board (Yes I am planning the next board (and another one or two in the other direction) which will fit onto the same fiddle yard as Adrian Lambourne's Loch Tat and my Dad's Tatlock - The latter being almost ready to hit the exhibition circuit). To ensure my measurements were correct, I sketched out and then built up a basic line drawing of Staythorpe Crossing (SX) Signal Box. I wanted to make sure the proportions were right before I started construction proper. This draft model also had the added benefit of helping to gauge the position of track work, the level crossing and the location of the Crossing Keeper's cottage when comparing the model to the photos in previous posts. Credit R.Baker c/o www.picturethepast.org.uk Credit H.B.Priestly c/o www.picturethepast.org.uk I am now about to embark on the wiring. I managed to get a head start on this as I was on night shifts for a week. During the quiet periods, I got all of the motors attached to the brackets, the slide switches which change the crossing nose polarity glued to the motor and then dropper wires soldered on to all of the tags. All of the motors are now fitted to the board with the next task being to solder all of the track feeds in place. Hopefully, by the end of the week, I might have a control panel with a functioning layout, albeit with no fiddle yard as of yet - That'll be next! Thanks for reading. Cheers, Andy.

Yes Dave, but the tortoise did actually start the race...

Wa-hey! Disgusting joins in and my thread becomes a smut-fest! Keep it in the hotel room please gents. Soon, soon.

Where did you buy it from? Do they do P4 water?

Sorry Carl, doing too much modelling to do an update That would be disgusting, great. Sorry, great, Disgusting. Any info is greatly appreciated. Cheers, Andy.

It's looking good Steve, but won't the water fall out the front?

Coming on a treat Carl - I'm catching you up though Did you have a stash of Seahorses or have you found a secret supplier of Chivers kits? Keep up the good work. Cheers, Andy.

Hello All. I have now received the relevant permissions to post the images to which I referred to in an earlier post. Please note that all images remain the property of www.picturethepast.org.uk Images must not be reproduced without the explicit permission of the owner. Photographs are credited accordingly. Now that's out of the way..... This first image shows the two power stations side-by-side in 1962. Staythorpe A is on the left with the three chimneys and B, currently under construction, is on the right. - D. Arundel. The next photograph, taken in the 1960s, shows the signal box and the crossing, looking towards Newark. - H. B. Priestly. The following six images are also from the 1960s and show a few views of one of Staythorpe A's shunters, "Staythorpe Generating Station No.5A" with some 21t mineral wagons. Also in this collection is a shot of a mains transformer on a low loader, destined for Rugby. - RWE NPower. These next photographs focus on the Signal Box in 1978 with some cracking shots of the interior. The Signalman is a Mr. Philip Spratley. - R. Baker. The crossing keeper's cottage was designed by T.C. Hine, a 19th century architect. 1978. - R. Baker. A Class 47 on the Down passes the ash plant in 1978, heading an Immingham-bound tank train. - R. Baker. A Class 25 leaves the sidings in charge of an empty coal train headed for a midland colliery - It appears that the materials for renewing the level crossing have arrived on site - It looks as though Staythorpe Crossing lost its gates and gained barriers in 1978. - R. Baker. I am very grateful to the photographers for catching these moments in time and also to www.picturethepast.org.uk for allowing me to share them here. I hope you have found them as interesting as I have. Tune in soon for further updates! Cheers, Andy.

Hope you enjoy yourself Paul. I'll stay at home. Uninvited. #F-Team operator

Funny you should say that Carl. After speaking with a fellow signalman who used to work Netherfield Junction SB, he mentioned having photos of a 58 on MGRs stood at Staythorpe and it kind of twisted my arm. I'm going to go for late 70s/80s and model both sets of sidings (as I predicted) This will allow me to mix it up a bit with a few first generation DMUs as well as running 56s and 58s. I've ordered a 104 and two 120 kits from BHE today at Syston MRCs exhibition in Sileby for this very reason. If I don't manage to complete the kits before July, then I'll probably just run it bang up to date with EMT, DBS and Colas stock. Beats the drabness of BR Blue... ***Collects hat and coat on the way out*** As a general update, the board has been made along with a removable backscene and lighting rig (removable so the layout can be "enbiggened" in the future) and I have progressed to having the track placed to allow for the card base to be laid. Track plan: Progress so far: If you are wondering, the signalbox is from screwfix with the blue being completely un-prototypical for any period! Cheers, Andy.

Loving the blutac 1ton bags Carl. Layout is looking the part and the stock is cracking too. Looking forward to seeing more and eventually in the flesh at Lid Rail Cheers, Andy. #Lyddrailstandardgaugechallenge #ngaugewhitewash

With the track delivered on Tuesday, I popped up the club rooms after work on Wednesday, eager to see if the track plans from the different periods would look ok in the 4’ 8 ½” x 12” space. I’m happy to report that even the most complex track layout from the 1962 to 1983 period (When both power stations were in operation) does not look out of place, so all plans currently remain viable. I like the idea of having the two sets of sidings as it will add operational interest along with allowing for a variety of coal wagons although, the look of a disused, neglected area with just passing trains is seldom modelled – Probably with good reason! As a couple of other challangees are planning, I will also design and build this layout with the intention of developing it further after the Lydd Rail event and subsequent N Gauge whitewash (or should that be sh*tewash?) has taken place. For now, I’ll just stick to the one board as I have three other layouts on the go! Steve – Yes, taking the RMWEB plunge should prove interesting and hopefully will add to the layout building experience. In terms of traffic, I’m still researching the 70s and 80s period, but I do know that Staythorpe B was served by HAAs as I have seen photos with class 47 motive power. I believe, but stand to be corrected, that the other side was served by 16t mineral wagons however, I have seen no photographic evidence of this. There was also a rail served ash plant on the Nottingham side of the crossing. The ash was brought up from the power station by tipper lorries and then dumped at the plant where it could be transferred to either rail or road. I have seen photos of 16t mineral wagons in the ash plant sidings but I wouldn’t have thought that they would be used for ash - Does anybody know? Passenger services appear to have been 104 and 120 units. Present day is different of course as I have seen it first hand. Although the coal traffic was severely diminished towards the end of the Box’s life, trains of HTAs and HHAs hauled by 66s could be seen on the various Immingham coal flows and also a flow for export from Onlwyn in Wales. Greenbrier TEAs and TDAs featured heavily, running to Heathrow, Kingsbury, Aberthaw and a few others, usually headed by 60s and 66s. The occasional scrap train from Lincoln to Llanwern would make an appearance, that being made up of around 18 MBAs with some engineering trains thrown in for good measure. Passenger trains were/are made up of East Midlands Trains 153/156/158 units on the Leicester to Lincoln and Matlock to Newark services and a 222 on a Lincoln to St. Pancras in the morning, returning late in the evening. During Lincoln Christmas market, an HST would also run as a special. Simon – I hope you enjoy the thread. I’ll post more photos when I’ve found them/got permission from the owners. Going from what I’ve found, its looking more and more likely that I’ll model both sets of sidings (More track Gromit!) and then just use my modellers license for the later periods. As the box was absolute block with full semaphores right up until October 2016, there’s not really a great deal else to date it. Watch this space! Cheers, Andy.

As so many of the other Lydd Rail frequenters have posted about their various Challenge layout projects, I thought that I would join the likes of Carlw, SF315 and Clive, and bore you all to death with my efforts! Here goes: If you have been following Carlw's thread on Hither Green PAD with interest, then you will already know the rules, however, if not, here they are again in their most basic format: The scenic section of the layout must be 4' 8 1/2" long (at its widest point) and no more than 12" deep. The fiddle yard must not exceed 288sq" in area. There must be at least one operational point. There was something mentioned about a bonfire for if any rules were broken, but we'll come to that if the matter arises. So, it was always my intention to begin the build after the Stafford Show and after a weekend of operating Mr. Wade's Stunning TWY (as part of his crack 'F' Team), the weekend after (11th and 12th), construction began. To make the most out of the 288sq" for the fiddle yard, some of my GSCE maths actually came in useful for once! After figuring out that Pi represented 3.1415 (or there abouts) and had absolutely nothing to do with chicken and mushroom or beef and onion, some crafty calculations have made it possible to model a two track, roundy-roundy affair - The running possibilities will be endless. Endlessssssssssssss..................! Here are the beginnings of the ends: A bit of spare ply run over the router table to form the arcs then screwed to some 2"x1". I hope to possibly hinge these to the main board to minimise setup time. There will be some sort of strip fixed around the arcs when the track is down and any painting and wiring is complete. For those of you who haven't heard of it, Staythorpe Crossing is a real location which had, up until October 2016, a functioning Signal Box (albeit only a block post at this time) on the Nottingham to Newark line, of which I had the pleasure of working. Originally, the box was put in to facilitate coal operations for a power station built in 1950 - Staythorpe A. In 1962, Staythorpe B was built alongside Staythorpe A. The sidings for each power station were laid on the southern side (Up Line) and on the northern side (Down Line) respectively. The signal box was extended at this point to allow for the extra levers for the sidings to be installed. Unfortunately, by the time I began to work the box, both Staythorpe A and B power stations had been demolished to make way for the new, gas fired Staythorpe C. With traffic no longer destined for Staythorpe, only the main to main crossover and a cut-off facing point into the former B sidings remained, these being subsequently removed during engineering works in either 2014 or 2015. Staythorpe Signal Box, May 2016: Note the spelling! The former crossing keepers cottage on the right is now a private residence. With the above in mind, I am as yet undecided as to when to date the layout; 1970s/80s with A and B sidings, 1990s with only B sidings, 2010s with remnants of, or, with the usage of some modellers license, whatever I feel like! The main aim is to make it look like the place so I'll see what the track plan looks like when I've cut the 4' 8 1/2". I'll dig out some more photos of the prototype if people are interested and will update you as work progresses. Thanks for reading, Andy.

Ah, the challenge layout... Here's a picture of mine: Good eh? (I reckon Disgusting is probably further ahead than I am)

Well, what a stunning layout. Another quality n gauge layout from Steve F. Wow! Keep up the super work Steve, pal. Following with interest.