Merlin242

A couple of additions to the stock reallocated from Colne. The compound was dcc fitted and ran well straight away. The fowler tank needed its wheels cleaning and a chip fitting but is now running well. The details crew, coal, lamps weathering etc will come next. The fowler tank was allocated to Barrow for some time and the compound on loan to Lancaster Green Ayre so both appropriate for North Lancs & Westmorland

More experimenting with video. The peckett runs very nicely now and was controlled by a programme in the railmaster software. The software has a lot of potential but is not user friendly to set up and really needs loco detection. I plan to add a Barclay or two to help shunt the Paper mill sidings and hope they run as well as the peckett.

I think Hornby will be quietly celebrating.

The goods yard is coming on and I have been running quite a few trains. I am quite pleased with the reliability so far. I do try to sort out any problems as they happen. I also find the photos very helpful in identifying the things which need doing which you don't see so well when looking at it. The bright wagon wheel on the wagon behind the lorry is a good example. Plus a lot of the locos need the vacuum pipes and front couplings adding

Moving forward I think. I have done a lot of ballasting which does look much better. Plus sorted out a separate bus for the points and accessories. I have had no trouble with capacity so far but it seems wise t try to keep ahead. I am constructing signals which I do find very tedious especially given the number I need. I have also got a few kits on the go.

Great choices and the Dapol range is now starting to look very impressive

A first attempt to film the layout. Getting the timing of it all right is a problem of not enough hands or brain power. The 4F was controlled by a simple railmaster programme and I was pleased with this. Just set it off and forget and it does the sounds as well

Overall its 23.5 feet by 12.5 feet but about 5 feet of the length is used for other storage. We built it house Santa presents when we ran the railway at Rudyard Lake and its really well built by Oakenclough buildings. I spent quite a while insulating last winter it before starting on the railway and its been well worth it.

An ebay bargain ( band new and under £60) I could not resist. It runs very well , nice quiet and smooth although not a strong engine. It have added the dcc chip and a crew as it looks totally wrong running without one. Some real coal and toning down the brightwork and its now a really super engine. Pity it does not fit the North West area but who cares.

I am happy with the goods yard operation with the points all working and so I am slowly adding the scenary. Its lagely ballasted now but still rails to paint and lots of deatil to add. The Loco yard layout is also more or less settled. I have also been tweaking some of the locos> I fitted a shorter drawbar to the Ivatt 2 but its still far too long. I have a balck one to do as well so I will make two next time and take another 4mm off the length.

A bit more progress. Coal plant moving towards being ready to position, a Scot passes and the latest aquisition 46256.

I would also like one to match the quality of Sir William Stanier who arrived today. Given the lack of response its just too tempting to say that the answer must be to wait for the City of Birmingham TTS version

Thanks. That's helpful. My reason for asking is that my new layout Hincaster Junction( dcc, code 75, steam sound) is in a substantial shed and is an oval with a scenic storage yard one side and station the other with a double track branch which will lead to a model of Windermere. I have realised that by cutting a couple of holes and either going for it or adding in two junction the trains can disappear outside for some time and I could also add Burneside station at least to the branch. There is plenty of room outside I am not sure if a roof over the outside area would be a good idea or to just go for felt covered baseboards. I assume all the outside track lengths are connected to a bus wire? Also do you have doors on the openings to exclude any critters from visiting?

Would you care to share your experiences of running outside in 00? I am particularly interested in if you run in wind or light rain. I helped build and operate the late George Hinchcliffes Fort Fhay and Invercliffe Railway ( the one with the full scale model of Glenfinnsn viaduct). We used to run this in all weathers . But the mass of models and margins are much greater.

Ran a few trains today and laid more track in the goods yard and tested all the connections. Of course I had missed one essential wire to allow access to the engine shed headshunt. So that was added and we are all good to go. So I ran in the first proper goods train with a Super D which was very satisfying. I think I need to start doing the point motors before pushing on with the engine shed or it will become overfacing.

Yes it is. It’s based on the one at Carnforth. I spent a great deal of time there in the past and would have liked to model all the shed as the ash plant and water tower are also available. I have compromised by following the general layout of the South end of the shed . Yes it is. It’s based on the one at Carnforth. I spent a great deal of time there in the past and would have liked to model all the shed as the ash plant and water tower are also available. I have compromised by following the general layout of the South end of the shed .

I have pressed on with laying the track in the yard with the carriage sidings laid and all the goods yard points now in position. I am not looking forward to installing the point motors> I gave up counting once I had got over 25.

Did some running today with a couple of 'new' locos. The Scot and Clan both have sound fitted and are both ones I spotted in the 1960's.

70045 Lord Rowallan is one of the Britannia's which I saw in the 1960's so I was pleased to add it to the roster and put it straight to work after its transfer from Wyremouth. More updates are also on here https://www.facebook.com/Hincaster.Junction.a.00.gauge.Model.Railway/

I am about to start laying track again with the main station yard and engine shed. This will be in bullhead track but with standard code 75 points But first I need to lay the Windermere branch tracks at the rear. I am contemplating venturing outside which would allow me to add one or two intermediate stations. I would especially like to include Burneside because I preserved the Ruston shunter from there back in 1973. It also had a substantial freight traffic. However I will keep the inside route for winter running.

After a break for holidays progress has resumed. The paper works sidings have been installed at Hincaster Junction and are now up and running. Coal deliveries have commenced. The paper mill has ordered a Barclay Works no. 2134 to help with the shunting.

The engine never carried that livery in its working life. It was a sponsorship deal in the early days of Steamtown Carnforth from Petrofina who supplied oil to us at that time. It worked for British Gypsum before preservation and was painted in the faded standard Barclays works green.

A bit of LNER influence has crept in. The B1 has sound and I have added the crew and coal. it runs quite nicely if a little on the slow and quiet side. The pom pom was a bargain I could not resist. Having done a few 0 gauge Great Central locos I have great affection for them. mike

I have almost finished playing with the shed area and I am pleased with how its come out. The electrofrog 3 way point is working ok now with the gaugemaster switching relays in place. I just want to add an amenity block and some detritus as well as blending down the floor colours. I have been running trains to thoroughly check out the track and wiring. It was very hot when I laid some of it and I now have some quite wide fishplate gaps but at least it does not buckle. The next step is to start on laying the yard and shed at the other station which will take about 26 points.

More detailing to 44694. I have fitted a loksound 4 sound decoder, detail pack, crew , coal etc. The main job still to do is to renumber it to a Carnforth engine, some mild weathering and loco lamps> it runs nicely but is a bit light on its feet.