Shez

Finally, finally at long last the Fulstone Hall Lane Locomotive, Carriage and Wagon Works is ready! Heater and extractor fan were the last bit of the jigsaw, so I can hopefully make a start on modelling again. (Heavy snow kept me well and truly indoors for the last few days) Its been a long wait, but its so much better, and also safer than the cramped corner of a bedroom I had previously. Just got to decide now which of the various unfinished projects that have been boxed up since spring to tackle first. It will be a gradual return as there is still a lot to do on the house, but I am so much looking forward to getting going again.

With reference to Sam picture of the weighted throw a photograph in Jermys book on page 74 of the station in NBR days taken from the other side of the river clearly shows the outline of one of these on the extreme left of the picture. the fact that its painted white makes it stand out. I don't think I have seen this photo in any other book or article.

A good session last night. Sam sorted out a problem with a point. Colm sprayed the track and I carried on with undercoating the woodwork. We have also had a number of conversations regarding control of the pointwork in the branches early days and I wanted to perhaps get some reaction to this mornings research... There was never a signal box at Eyemouth. The points were unlocked by key and some early photos appear to show NBR pattern point levers for the siding points. Train control was by hand signals the branch being strictly one engine in steam. The big question is the run round loop that we have modelled. Sam has suggested that it may have been changed from an interlocking ground frame in near the first point where the line splits. Some photos appear to show a small hut. However there seems to be no sign of rodding linking it to the crossover points at the east end. Further more on page 63 of Roger Jermys book "The Eyemouth Branch" it cites a proposal to errect a goods shed adjacent to the sidings in 1896. This would have necessitated "moving the groundframe which allowed the locomotive to run around. " This suggests the points were operated from the eastern rather than western end of the station. I can't see photographic evidence for this - problem is that that end of the station is often obscured by merchandise or stock. Same problem with buffer stops. In a wider context although the board of trade had recommending the use of interlocking on passenger lines since the 1870s the legislation to enforce it was not enacted by parliament until the year after the Eyemouth line was opened following the Armagh disaster. The line was built by a small local company and reports in Jermys book suggest that the inspector Major Marindin was dissatisfied with much of the work. It may well be possible that the loop was installed without interlocking. The NBR, unlike its neighbour and rival the Caledonian had opposed regulation and been slow to adopt interlocking. It was therefore faced with a massive programme of upgrading its signaling systems which for a railway famous for its tight fistedness would be somewhat frustrating. While new constructions had interlocking backdating minor lines took some time. After the NBR took over in 1901 an extensive plan was put forward for remodeling the station the plans including a new lever frame. (Jermy p age 67) Apart from the new station building to replace the one destroyed by fire in 1900, this plan came to nothing as did a second more ambitious plan in 1907. With the plans not coming to fruition could this have persuaded the NBR to remove the now illegal crossover and operate with the gravity shunting for which the branch became known, rather than upgrade the instillation now it was clear the improvements were not to take place? (Or perhaps removed it in anticipation of the changes taking place. Evidence is contradictory - its not on 1906 OS but its on the 1907 plan. Did the NBR intend to re instate it with a new frame and interlocking as part of the extensive re modelling? That would explain the apparent contradiction) One of the lessons of my researches this morning is that if we choose to model railways in this era we must be careful about assuming the "rule books" of later years applied to earlier days. I would welcome thoughts from those who may be more informed on such matters.

The house move continues to be stalled and the workbench remains in storage - frustration reigns! However there has been one interesting development. My North British D class tank loco no 828, has been wired up for DCC control with sound by one of our Wakefield Club members, Colm, (posts under 25A on here) and we have been running it on the Eyemouth layout the club is building led by Sir Douglas of this parish. Colm has posted a video of her pulling some of my NBR coaches and stock on a test train on Eyemouth. You can check it out on the thread. "Eyemouth O gauge" on the RM web layouts forum. From my previous posts you will know that I have been somewhat sceptical about the advantages of DCC, but recent experiences have converted me! The sound is good, but it was the controllable slow running, braking and acceleration that has really impressed. I think I may be looking at incorporating it into my future builds. I also know I go on about locos without crews - before someone pulls me up about that on the video lets say it is a test run and the crew are awaiting painting like so much else! Hopefully the workbench will return soon. Its either that or my sanity - living out of boxes since July!

Really delighted with the job Colm has done in putting the DCC workings into no 828. The decoder is a zimo and I got it from Digitrains at Lincoln. The sound file is actually a J15 as no recording of a D class exists. Convincing enough for me though with the westinghouse there as well. Lots of credit to Sam as well for his imaginative approach to wiring which enables the layout to run on either DCC or analogue. Just need to put the crew in now - I don't like "ghost trains!" Unfortunately stock construction is still temporarily shelved pending our ongoing house move which continues to drag. I must admit to having been a DCC sceptic. Pretty convinced it was not for me. That changed a few weeks ago when Colm brought down some of his stock and we had it going on the layout. The sound was great, adds another dimension. However what really impressed me was the level of control, and the slow running, the realistic acceleration slowing and braking. I think I have reached a point where I am prepared to commit - a sort of railway modelling road to Damascus!

Our enigmatic Mr C does actually have an RM web presence as 25A. It was good to get back to the layout again and it was great to see it all worked. Thanks for the nice comments about the J21 Sam, but I feel she still needs a little bit of tweaking to get her running well. I think the tender drawbar may be the key as its pushing the tender up a bit and we are not getting the full benefit of the tender pick ups. I think that the drawbar is also causing the tender first track issues over the turnouts. The stalled house move still hindering progress at this end and an unexpected week on grandad duty means I have not been able to bet back down to the clubroom. Goods office and the groundframe hut are looking good. I have started work on the water tank. I am making the actual tank from scrap etch left over from loco kits - but as the soldering iron and bench are packed away I cant get on for now. If anyone else in the West Yorks area wants to join in on the project come and join us!

Looks like really good progress Jamie. Keep it going! You need a customer for those urinals! In fact I think a few little people around the layout may really bring it to life. Does the 2-4-0 still have its headless driver?

Good news that the Wakefield club rooms are accessible again, so Sam and I may be able to get things on the move again in the not too distant future.

An unscheduled update! Maybe if I was moving to mainland Europe as Jamie did it would be quicker than our two miles down the road. I had initially hoped we would be on the way by now but the current state of the chain means we may well be looking at September. Given that, I decided that for my own sanity I needed to get on with something in the meantime, so there has been a limited unpacking of a few basics, and the current hot weather meant a chance to do bit of painting. The two NBR coaches have got their base coat. I have used a crimson from Auto Paints of Huddersfield and very good quality it seems too. A nice shiny smooth cover which should be a good base for the lining. I have also done the chassis for the GCR Director. So the "shed of dreams" still remains just over the horizon at the moment....

This is so impressive Rob.

Is this your own layout Ken? Do you have a thread on it? How big is it? Trackplan? I am still becalmed in modelling terms waiting for the house move with everything packed up. Looking unlikely till mid July at earliest. However the good news is that not only do I get a workshop shed at the new place, but the powers that be have granted me an L shaped space approx. 14 x12 in one of the spare bedrooms for a layout, so exciting times!

Its really good to see the layout back on the move again Jamie, and the buildings taking shape. Also envious of your Black Redstarts! A pair were reported at Ingbirchworth Reservoir in the spring but we missed them! Still have not got them ticked on our list.

Great to see that you have built an NBR loco! What's the livery going to be. Given the plated coal rails I would expect LNER Or BR? Nothing happening for me as everything is now packed away pending the upcoming house move.

At least I won't need a lorry bound for Portugal to move stuff! Its just New Mill rather than "Moulin Nouveau". Really enjoyed the talk last night by the way - memories of that great weekend at Lancaster - and just how difficult it is to put plastic wrapping on pallets.

Good to see you are keeping it alive Sam - I noticed some recent evidence of it being viewed. I am continuing to build stock and have started work on the water tower, though an inpending house move is going to slow me down for a bit. Here is the class D now in her full Holmes livery. An article on this class in the latest NBR study group journal by NBR loco guru Euan Cameron confirms this loco did in fact work the branch so we have the right one! I was feeling pretty smug that I had all the details right but then the article pointed out that the small lubricators were not put on the side of the smokebox till a few years later. (no doubt someone will point this out at the first exhibition...) She is running well too but may need a bit more weight in the tanks - just looking forward to getting the club open again and giving her a proper test. Crew also needed and a replacement lamp iron on the smokebox which I knocked off in painting.

This will probably be my last post on this thread for some time. We have been considering a house move for some time but it appears to have come to fruition much more quickly than expected. Our lovely early 19th century weavers cottage has been home for nearly 30 years, but for a number of reasons we can see it becoming impractical in the future. We are therefore looking to move to a new house a couple of miles away in New Mill near Holmfirth. I therefore need to dismantle my rather cramped workspace in the small spare room as potential purchases may not be looking for a soldering iron or vice as a key feature! However the good news is that the new property has far more scope for playing trains and building locos! Even a substantial shed with power and lighting! Sue is already suggesting that I seem to think we have bought a shed with a house in the garden) The workbench will return - in the meantime I will keep having a nose around what the rest of you are doing.

First an update on the progress of the coaches. The next job to tackle has been the Commode handles. While the kit provides castings for most of the parts needed the grab handles are an exception. Checking the list of other suppliers shows that nobody produces a casting for these. On some six wheelers I did use LNER handles but they were obviously the wrong length. The instructions suggest how to make them using wire - I had already done this on the 4 wheel break - but this was mass production! 32 Needed for the two coaches.! First I bent the wire into a U shape the correct length for the holes. This was then clamped upright in a vice using a needle file as a spacer. This was then pulled out leaving the top of the handle protruding. The file was then put behind this and exerting gentle pressure the protruding piece was rolled over into a curve. The finished handrail was then inserted through the coach side this time using a piece of plasticard as a spacer. Pressure with a wooden peg - solder from the back and repeat 31 more times! I hope the photo gives an idea of the process. I just have to fit the end handrails and the gas control gear and the bodies will be ready for painting and lining. However as my next post will explain modelling has been somewhat overtaken by other events......

Now it s the luggage composite in the lead. Completed the paneling and got the door vents on and the end steps. As progress is quicker than expected I decided to do a bit on the underframe and check the two main parts bolted together and aligned. I had already folded up the floor and solebars and then added the half etched overlays with the rivet detail. These are very thin and I was lucky not to damage one of them. Don't envisage much progress this weekend as HTFC in desperate relegation struggle, along with the first chance to see our grandson since October!

You can't have enough J21s! Got to do at least one in original Worsdel green. Like the sound of Sir Sam Fay. My great uncle's take on the B2 s were they were much better engines than their reputation suggests. Then he was biased to anything GCR.

Its going to be a GCR "Immingham" 4-6-0 - (Gladiator kit) so Stephenson link motion. One of my GCR "Mexborough" engines in remembrance of my great uncle Bill Massey, driver at said shed. My father also worked there for a short time in the early 1950s in the shed offices. (Couple more locos to build first though!)

I feel so much better when I read that skilled builders such as yourself have these issues! I tend to think its just my models . Watching this with interest . I have not built a loco with outside valve gear yet - its next on my challenge list!

Caught up with the Third Class and taken it a stage further. Added the lower panels to the body along with the doors. When I did the six wheelers I did this before putting the body shell together so I was interested to see how this would work. In the end there was no problem. Hold the etch in place with a couple of mini pegs pressure with a piece of wood from the front and solder from behind. I used 145 so I could run the iron at a lower temperature and prevent any distortion or de soldering. II will do it this way round in future. The third was straightforward enough but the composite has lots of different size panels. Fortunately letter codes on the etch and coach enable you to locate the right one. Fit of parts was excellent with very little cleaning up needed.

There is now a Mansell wheel available in the correct diameter for the NBR four and six wheelers. You can get them from 62C. Not sure if they are a Slaters or a Heywood product. Wasn't thinking about anything specific with my question. Just wondered if you were looking to do any more CAD for yourself. The carriage truck sounds an interesting one. The Midland seems well served for coach kits however. Done some work on the All Third today and should have it up to the same stage as the Composite by tomorrow. Will eventually add a bogie brake third which had a attractive guards ducket on the end similar to the four wheelers. Photos of NBR passenger trains show that they often mixed the 4, 6 and bogie vehicles on the same train. If you look on Peters website (62C Models) he has also done a six wheeler for the "Scotsman" newspaper van with a complete set of transfers for the quite spectacular livery this vehicle carried.

I think you can be very proud of what you did Jamie. The basic design is very much yours - especially on the outside. Having built both your original scratch aids and now Peters kits I feel the most important development has been the provision of the internal partitions. This has very much facilitated the provision of interior detail as our original concept of the fold back along the internal sides made it difficult to get the seating in. The locating slots enable the body to be built very square and rigid. I don't think though it would have been an option for us given the size of brass sheet we were using. The other big change on the six and four wheelers is the provision of a correct underframe to take the larger diameter wheels the NBR used. I didn't think that would matter too much - but if i put the four wheel brake with the correct wheels next to the six wheelers its quite obvious. Need to get my thinking head on to see if the connoisseur units can be adapted for the bigger wheels. Will you have another go at producing some CAD for coaches or similar?

Having got both coach sides folded up I decided to go on with the composite. The first soldering job was the drop lights and the door hinges. These solder from inside and the kit is well thought out to facilitate this. I then added the internal partitions - working carefully along from one end and constantly checking everything was square. Location is helped by small slots cut in the overfold at the top of the coach body. I have heard horror stories about people ending up with a "brass banana" so I took my time - one had to be re soldered a couple of times. Once that was done I offered up the other side and tack soldered it in place. Checking on a piece of glass and on the underframe base all was square - so a big sigh of relief. I then added the coach ends which are located by folding at the bottom and then positioning in half etched recesses underneath the sides - again good design. I did make one deviation from the instructions at this point. There are two small nuts which have to be soldered to the turned up part of the end to secure the fixing bolts for the body to the underframe. When I built a four wheeler (picture earlier on this thread) I found this very difficult to get the iron in. I therefore soldered the nuts on before attaching the end. So now we have a nice strong square basic body shell. Side panels are next but before I do that I will build the third to the same stage.