Wingman Mothergoose

More issues with the Hornby L1! This time it’s the rear bogie at fault. There’s no spring on the pivot pin to push the bogie onto the track, and as a result it likes to derail when it is running bunker first. Has anybody else had this issue? Chris

Last night I had a go at planning out the diode matrix for my fiddle yard. I had drawn the diagram out before I remembered that points 1 and 2 are the double slip!, but they will work pretty much the same as a double slip is basically just 2 points joined together... I have a DCC Concepts diode matrix kit ready to build, I'm just waiting for wire, push button switches and a control panel, and then I'll need to make the mimic diagram too.... Chris

Hi Henk! Your layout looks great! Didn't realise it was in N until I read your text, that's really good, and captures the look of the site really well. The curve of the platform was something I had to omit as I didn't have space for it, I wish I had now though. What did you use for research? I used the Ratio LNER lattice post signal kit to build my signals, but they're not right as the signals were nearly all NER slotted posts. I think I know the bracket you mean, it was down pat the end of the goods yard. The SRS drawing shows it, but I posted a photo of the signalling diagram at the start of this thread and there's no sign on it. I'm not going to make it, but instead have a plain post signal and a couple of ground signals underneath it. I've been outing my garage this evening, added the goods shed board finally, and have fitted my turntable too. I was going to buy a kit for a 50 foot turntable, but ended up buying snd motorising a Peco turntable, even though its far too large for Richmond, which only had a 50 footer. Thank you so much for sharing your photos! Chris G

Was it really? Must admit that the first time I was there I didn't pay it any attention, but I did notice that they've built houses on the site now Chris

That's good to know thank you! Will see about adding it to the back scene if I can Chris

Jim, Any idea what the large building was behind the station? I've ringed it in this photo There isn't space on the layout to include in, but I wouldn't mind adding a representation of it on the back scene or in low relief. Chris

I’m looking at possibly buying at least one kit built loco(or at some point attempting to build one), and was wondering how easy/difficult it is to convert a kit built loco to DCC. Are the motors capable of handling having a decoder hardwired to them? And is there any insulation of the chassis required? And which decoder would be best to use? I know that before attempting to hardwire I should first make sure the loco runs ok on DC Chris G

No slip working on the ER. Or anywhere else for that matter in BR days apart from one working on the WR Chris

Agreed! It doesn’t look like too difficult a job to replace the motor, and they’re readily available. So I think I’ll order one and see if it helps. Chris

I tried that, didn’t change anything. I did run the motor while it was loose in the clamp, and the motor is quite growly at low power, so I suspect that is the source of my noise and probably the poor running I’m having with it. I tried to lubricate the motor bearing with no effect, so I’ll have to chuck £20 at a new motor for it and see if that helps. I don’t want to sell it as the previous owner has done a half decent job of renumbering it to a North Eastern region loco and it looks superb. Chris

Wow excellent work! I’ve had the time during lockdown to convert my garage too, from a damp and cold junk room to a nice, cosy and draught free railway room. Also had the chance to extend my layout and ease my curves. That’s as it was a few weeks ago. Chris

I had the opposite experience with the MJT trussing, I found it was too narrow to fit between the solebars on the Kirk Gresley suburban kits I’ve built recently, so abandoned fitting the bracing. Nobody is going to see it anyway so it doesn’t matter too much. I’ve not attempted a turnbuckle underframe yet, mainly due to them being out of stock at Dart Castings and not having enough money to buy much recently! Chris

Morning .Tony, Yes, the effect I was after was a heavily weathered carriage. The light in my dining room wasn’t the best for photos last night, so I’ve taken another this morning I’m fairly happy with it for a first attempt, but it’s probably a bit too heavy when carriages were cleaned on a regular basis. I used my last serviceable brush to do it, so I do need to invest in some half decent paint brushes in the near future! Limited by funds on what I can spend though unfortunately. I did a couple of panels on the other side of the coach with a Humbrol brown wash, just to see how it turned out.... First time for using a wash or dry brushing, as apart from spraying my kit built coaches with rattle cans, my experience of painting models is limited to a teenage me covering Airfix fighter jet kits with what I thought was a really awesome looking camouflage paint job.... Chris

I had a quick go at dry brushing a scrap coach this evening, using Phoenix track colour. I’m pleased with the results, what do you guys think? Not the best light to take photos in! Chris

Tony, Can you recommend some good but cheap paint brushes? I’ve only got a couple of brushes and they’ve seen better days, and I’d like to experiment with adding washes, dry brushing and painting LNER teak livery. My brushes are definitely NOT up to the task! Chris

A bridge was what I was thinking, or I cover the hole in the backscene with some trees close to the track Chris

As first attempts go that's not bad at all Jesse. Practice makes perfect, and I look forward to attempt number 2 Chris G

I watched Mike's videos on YouTube on painting the teak, I'm looking forward to giving it a try, even though I model the BR period Chris

So I was thinking about the scenic break, how does this look for placement of the break? I did consider moving it a but more to the left, to give me a bit more scenic area, and hiding the DMU siding under a hillside. I would have loved to have a representation of the Easby Abbey ruins in the corner closest to the camera, but it was a fair bit further down the line and on the opposite side of the River Swale. I could use a bit of modeller's licence and include it to add a bit of interest in this area, but would it be too much?

Surely that would put an acute angle in the backscene? My original idea was to have the scenic break closer to the fiddle yard, and conceal the DMU kick back siding behind the scenery. I did think that the line I'd chosen here created an obtuse angle with the back scene, as the scenic area is to the right of the line and not to the left

Looks like I’ll have to use some modellers licence here, was hoping there was an overbridge near the station so I could use it to hide the scenic break, but I’m going to have to use one anyway or hide it with trees or something. There was a steep cutting on the south side of the line where the road to Catterick turns away from the formation, which I could use to hide the scenic break. I also wanted to include a representation of Easby Abbey, but it was on the other side of the River Swale and a bit far from the railway. I can however include the ruins of St Martins Priory as it was almost next to the boundary fence.

Not the best photo I know, but this kind of shows where the points in the goods yard will be located. Top point leads to the turntable, middle point to the loco shed(and coal drops if I can fit them in), and bottom point to the goods yard sidings, which included another set of coal drops Chris

That’s fantastic Tony! This is where I’m planning to put my scenic break So a bridge just in front of it will disguise the curve to some extent, and I’ve tried to make the curve as gentle as I can in the space I have. Chris

Any suggestions as to hide the hole in the scenic break would be gratefully received! Going to look at the local stone and see what sort of bridge would look most at home Chris G

Received a Slaters NER brake van in the post this morning, built for me by Peter Grant, fellow LNER Modellers Facebook group member, very happy with it indeed! Pictured here coupled to A Parkside LNER fish van, built by me(my first OO wagon kit for 25 years) Chris G