Edinburgh Junction

Hi Rich!

Sounds good! I'd go for a container terminal, with your container crane, then have a station nearby. Good stuff Rich!

A new series going upto utube later, about the extension... will upload it later, after creating it now.

Yum! Is it me, or have Bachmann improved the 66? Cab lights (I think they are now 21pin decoders now arent they?), and its not just the left hand head light, the side lights are now on, like the real thing. Can't wait to see WVY at Crewe in January next year!

47739 'Robin of Templecoumbe' in Colas Rail livery, from ViTrains, has now been pre-ordered, and should be on the layou in time for Christmas, the best time of the year!

Cheers! Getting it measured up and everthing tonight!

An update for today! I was bored this afternoon, and had nothing to do.... so I got out my work board, used for the cutting etc, and all of my necessaries, and the metcalfe platform kit. Took down my template for the new terminus platforms, and viola! In about 1 hour, I came up with a platform, long enough to take 2.5 carriages (yea, not enough space to fit the other door on if I did a 156/153 combo, so its enough space for a unit, and shunter if needed. Also, enough clearance for the point, and all I need to do, is place a little hole, between 3-5mm diameter, which will be where I put my wires thru for my scratch, built signal gantry, to be made out of plasticard for the main structure, and thin brass strips for the hand rails, which are flat bars, harder for us modellers (the idea of the gantry, comes from Wirral Fine Scale's magnificent 'Widnes Vine Yard').

Video going up now.

This is just amazing! Really good Danny! Can't wait to see it all done! So jelous!

Your kidding me!?!?!?!?! AGH!!!!!!! Such a fantastic layout is let to go! Well, we have to do things like that these days.

Cheers! Thanks for the suggestions, but I think Im going for 3 aspect, coz Im not going to have any signals on the mainline, with the 4 aspects in the station. Video is going up now.

Video going up soon, picture available very soon.

Hi Mark!

Yea, its good to see it working again at its best! Yea, was thinking for some timber logs.... I shall keep an eye out for those OTA wagons. Thanks mate! Currently under the pieces of paper with the extension plan on it.

Talking about the extension, I've noted that the straight for platform 3 starts, where the straight will for the extension platforms, which is good, making it easy for me to mark out where the track ends.... yea, careful planning ay! The end of the platform track will finish right upto the edge of the control panel! Thats what I call good planning! Got it all marked out, and here is a picture of it at the moment (note the 156 is on platform 3 to mark out where it will sit). Also, does anyone know what would be suitable signals to use on the platforms? Im thinking a bit of 3 aspect, with a shunting signal for the stabling area.

Surprise surprise! Pete's off with another layout! Very good indeed my friend! Love the realistic rail joiners. May I ask you how you get your plasticard for your inlaid track to be perfect for your curves? A very good layout, and with the work you do to your layouts, this will a very good layout indeed! Good luck!

Been busy thinking today - doesnt do me any good! lol

Christmas present from my parents is going to be pre-ordered today, with the postal strike and that, best order early. Last year, it was ScotRail 156465 Hornby DCC, which was bought from the MMRS exhibition in October. This year however, its going to be one of the new engines joining the ViTrains' production line. It is Colas Rail liveried 47739 officially named 'Robin of Templecoumbe', which is dcc ready, and will be ordered from eHattons. I was tempted to go for one of the others, which are ltd editions from RailExpress, numbers 47727 'Rebecca' and 47749 'Demelza' which are ltd double packs, which some model shops are selling the locos induvidually. Anyway, I like 47739's name. It is going to look good working charters and freight trains, and it will take part in the extension, which can be noted about above in part 1 of the update. The project is going to be done by Colas, just for fun really! New loco to the fleet + new project = put the new loco on the new project duties! lol Really cannot wait to see this beast on the layout, so please do keep an eye out for it with-in the next few months!!!!!!

Thanks Richard! Right, its time to update the plan

The first R609 from the platform 3, as it enters the platform, will be replaced by a set of left hand curved points R8074. This will then have an R610 piece of track, then another set of R8074s (yea, expensive, but it works a treat). Then another R610, then a short curve R628, where another R610. This leads to a set of right hand points R8073. Platform 3 straight on, and go back to the loco storage which will be R601 (Medium straight). The platforms will carry 2 carriage trains using R603 (Long straight).

Here is what it looks like (screenie from Hornby Virtual Railway 2)

Thank you to my mate, he has given me a very good idea. Inbetween the control panel, and the left hand side of the layout, is just nothing. But he has had an idea. He knew I wanted terminus platforms, but he said how about extending the board in this gap, with a few platforms that terminate. Well, I thought that would be a fantastic idea! Right, the mock-up story is "With Edinburgh Junction's high rate of passengers every day, the station needs to improve the platforms, to allow the trains to work at their best. We are going to be introducing two new platforms to the station, both to be terminus platforms for all 2 carriage trains to the west. This will allow the mainline platforms to be available, for all services with longer trains, or passing through trains. We will be starting the construction at the beginning of January 2010, and hope to get it to an operational stage by early/mid February"

Hows about that then? Christmas money and presents, new year project. Please note that on the diagram, where it looks like the new track splits off from the platform 3 line, it is just a left hand point, so the curve off to the left is part of the curve to platform 3. Also, the stabling point for the locos may not be there.

If anyone has any questions, please ask. I cannot wait to get this all under way.

A very good layout. Well done! The details is stunning, and a well worth it layout.

Thanks Rich! I was going to primer it, but I diceded not to.

Another set of good news from today. Got my 3 eastbound point motors fitted, and started to wire them up. Will continue tomorrow, and will get the final point motor fitted at the weekend (need to do some work on the area underneath first). Also, the DRS 20 paint is going well. Finall main coat going on at 8pm, and then the transfers (not the compass one though, just the 'DIRECT RAIL SERVICES' bit) are going on in the morning. Then I shall continue painting the yellow bits, and wait for my bl**dy paint to arrive. Oh well!

Good news from today:

The 20 conversion continues, a new coat of DRS blue has gone up! And is currently drying. Also, 2 more point motors fitted and wired up (the crossover west side of layout), but the holes need to be bigger, due to the clearance for the pin being to bad

Bad news from today:

I have had some news about my 2 paints I ordered from Railmatch website.... they are not there. The payment has been taken out, but they aren't listening. No telephone number, do address, only an email. I've rung up Model depot, which is where they distribute, and no answer, but a message left. Going to put a thingy into paypal to get my money back. Im going to order the paints from Gaugemaster instead. Also, one of the point motors has seized up, and it is now dead, so going to get a new one tomorrow whilst at Chester. Also (and yes, more bad news) I got a new resistor for the dead signal, and it doesn't work full stop. New signal going to be ordered later on in the week.

Evening Richard! I use the Hornby Point Motors, which come with an extension arm and attachment. Its really easy to put on! Comes with all Hornby point motors

Update: You may not have known, but whenever my GC HST was pushing (power car at the end, dummy at the front), the carriage behind the dummy car would derail. Now, its been bugging me why it has happened, but now, I have found out. Under the doorway on the HST, is a dummy knuckle coupling. The hook from the carriage is catching on that, and it is pushing the bogie from the carriage off. The knuckle coupling has been taken off (it just pops out!) and it works perfectly now! Now all thats left is to tidy up the bloomin points! Derailments due to track not in the right place.... dear me! lol

With the 7 point motors all cut down to size, and ready for installing, I started on it today. It took me over 1 hour to get the point motor in place! Then another half hour getting it wired up! Then, it works! It finally works! YAY!!!! This point motor is situated on the other side of platform 3.... thank god it works! lol

Another update!

Drilling for the point motors done earlier, point motors and control panel going to be done next week. You can also see some of the new walling sitting in place. Picture time!

Ordering a few things tonight... they are:

Lancaster City Models - DRS 20 '00 gauge' Compass livery transfers

Railmatch - 305 Bufferbeam red

Railmatch - 419 Matt Black