tom shaw

Hi Brian, Following the bridge making with interest, I have two to make myself. Your posts are always very informative and easy to follow, keep up the good work. Tom

The viaduct is looking great Brian. I really like the scalescenes stone. Tom

Hi Ian, Went to school at Simonside juniors. Looking forward to more. Tom

Ian, I'm still quite new to this site so hadn't found Marine Park until now, WOW what a brilliant layout. I think we're in line for something special with Tynebank. In the Marine Park thread you mentioned a layout you were going to build called Simonside, did you manage to build it ? Tom

I was born in South Shields and did my apprenticeship at Wearmouth Colliery so I'll be following this with great interest. Can we have a clearer diagram as I can't read the one you posted. I assume the 5'refers to the visible bit only and fiddle yards are additional. More detail please and good luck with the venture. Tom.

This looks interesting so I'll be following. That's a big turntable for such a station, I presume it's the Peco one. A 45' one would look much better, I think someone does one but there are expensive. You could turn engines "off scene" and use the siding for the engine shed. Looking at the platform and loops trains will be short so small engines would look better. Catch points are used to prevent runaway wagons fouling the main line, you have two headshunts which would perform the same function for three out of four loops so only the line running into the platform would need one. Good luck with the project, Tom

Many thanks for the kind words Andrew. Although I've based the layout on an actual place I've changed the history to make North Dock much busier than it was, so in effect it's freelance as well. I'm afraid I'm not the best photographer, just relying on my phone for pictures but I will try to take more as I progress. I bought a couple of BR standard rail built buffers from Lanarkshire Models at the York show and the photo below is of one of these built up and in place. I was so impressed that I sent for some NER examples of various styles, they arrived very quickly and certainly look the part. Looking forward to building them. Below are some photos of the incomplete engine shed, based on one of the West Hartlepool sheds. This uses mounting card, Scalescenes brickpaper and windows with Scene-setters glazing bars. The parts haven't been stuck together yet so hopefully the gaps will be hidden. Tom

I've been beavering away on the second board and have now laid all but one of the points for the whole layout. The wiring is yet to be started on this board but it is shown below attached to the first board. A couple of wagons are binding on one of the points but I haven't investigated whether it's the wheel back to back that are out or a problem with the point. That will be the next thing to do. There's a good comparison with one of my earlier photos when I had laid out the point templates Tom

Hi Brian, it's surprisingly easy to post to youtube. You need to open an account first, click sign in at top right then create account. I found I was logged in automatically through my google account. Then click on upload and follow the instructions. It took some time to upload as my broadband speed out in the sticks isn't exactlly blistering. Although you're close to London if the fibre doesn't come up your street then you're condemned to "snailmail" like me. Looking forward to your first video post. Tom

This is looking great, I like the new goods shed position and the extension so you'll have some space in front of it for a cameo of trucks etc. You're obviously on a roll so keep it up. Tom

EE type 3 link didn't copy so here it is https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fo_EvveP-kc Tom

Connected up some wires for a play and videoed with my phone in one hand and the powercab in the other, hence the videos are a bit shaky. The EE type 3 has no sound but the 204 and the 350 both have sound. First time on YouTube so hope it works. Tom https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=-bG0hQ23QCk https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zYG47yNEnhYhttps://m.youtube.com/watch?v=fo_EvveP-kc

Some progress since last post a couple of weeks ago. The track is laid on the first board and wiring is well under way. The track seems to be working well and I'm pleased with the narrowing of gauge at the common crossings to 16.2mm (OO-SF / SF-4) which seems to accommodate the wheels on my ready to run stock and kits with no problems so far. The rails at the edges of the boards have been soldered to brass pins to give good alignment and dropper wires soldered to the bottom of the rails and taken through holes to the underside of the baseboard. Three sets of bus-wires (stripped from 1.0mm2 twin and earth cable) have been run under the board for the shed area and the up and down mainlines, these will be connected to NCE circuit breakers to give separately protected supplies to these areas. All but one of the tortoise point motors have been installed on this board and the wiring from the bus and frogs connected to the in-built switches to change frog polarity. One tortoise is not fitted because I moved the point at the last minute and the motor now clashes with the side support, so much for careful planning. I have yet to make the control panel, which will just be a row of switches for the point motors, uncoupling magnets and signals which will be arranged like a set of signal box levers and fixed to the back of the board. The next thing I will do is to temporarily connect an NCE powercab and try the track under power, should be interesting. A couple of pictures of the top and underneath the first board. I'm enjoying this.... Tom

Had a bit of a break from track-laying and did a sketch drawing of the coaler which is based on South Blyth using the photo's provided by Chris (North Eastern) earlier in the thread. Dimensions have been estimated and are to suit the site available. Tom

Roy, Steve, Thanks for the steer to the photo site, that's one I haven't seen before. Some really good pictures there, I especially like the one of Green Lane signal box which gives a good view of the extract fan on the top. I should be able to add something to my model of it now. Some great shots of trackwork and general yard paraphernalia which you don't often see. Tom

Superb modelling and superb photography, a real inspiration. What the last shot needs is someone walking determinedly towards you to chase you off ! Tom

Some more progress. I've been furiously building pointwork from C&L components. The points in the shed area were built using plastic sleepers but I subsequently discovered plywood and I'm making the yard points using these. They actually look too good to paint (like a well made brass loco) but I will give them a spray of track colour and sleeper grime and pick out the rails in rust once they're in place. Wiring to attach then I can start laying. Picture shows the up yard to down main crossover etc. The red squares indicate where the signal cabin will sit. And now a picture of my Gran and my Aunt standing in the back yard of their house in Hope Street, South Shields which backed on to Tyne Dock sidings, probably taken in the 1950's (before I was born). A splendid NER two doll distant. Tom

Great pictures Porcy, the east side is crying out to be modelled (but not by me, my bit is north of where the line comes under the road). Tom

Progress Old layout stripped down to bare baseboards, point templates laid out on front middle two boards to check they miss joints and supports. The shed area at the back has been raised slightly for interest. Cork sheet to be laid at the front prior to starting to laypoints and track. Here we go. Tom

Hi Brian yep, got that one. I had a period of commuting a few years ago and regularly bought railway books and magazines to read on the train so I think I've got most with anything North Eastern in them. Anything by Ken Hoole is worth a look. Now you've mentioned it I'll have another browse through it. Tom

Hi Alan, your only hope is that DJ models continue with their plan to produce a Q6 in N gauge. They have cancelled the OO version because of Hornby but have said they will still be doing the N version. Try to hang in there. Tom

Hi Alan, Hornby have just announced they are producing a Q6 in 2016 (which probably means late 2017). Put me down for two or three. Now come on Bachmann, do a J27. My Q6 and J27 are Dave Alexander kits and have no problem with 30" curves as I've always used this as a minimum radius but I don't think the Q6 will handle anything less. I have just finished the Q6 but it is still in primer awaiting painting and weathering, at least it has a sound decoder fitted and works well. It only took about 7 years to get this far, not because of the kit (which is excellent) but because of my chronic short attention span. The main thing I have to watch for with regard to the 30" minimum radius is the setting of the DG couplings, the buffing plate of which need to be proud enough of the buffers so the stock go around the curves but not so proud to make the gap between wagons unsightly. Everything is a compromise. Tom

Thanks everyone for the comments and the great pics, these will prove very useful. I have the book of photo's of Sunderland by Ian Carr (Railscenes around Sunderland) as well as the Railways of Sunderland published by the Tyne and Wear Museum Service (the orange one) which features a lot of his work, sad to hear he died last year, where would we be without the people who recorded these the images. Tom

Thanks Alan, I was was born in Brockley Whins and spent a lot of time spotting on Boldon Colliery station late 60's and early 70's. My alternative history for North Dock means it is a lot bigger and will be a lot busier than the real one. Hands up if you knew a certain I.K Brunel engineered the North Dock facility ! Tom

Thanks Alcanman, I'm looking forward to more pics of the area. Here's my low releif roundhouse off the previous layout. Tom