samdeacs07

Thank you @Flood, your knowledge is excellent and I believe the thread I mentioned earlier in this topic was answered by yourself to which I thank you again. So for me to run locos, some with and some without TOPS is 'ok' especially if I use rule 1 plus running with incorrect or 0000 headcode is acceptable. My rule one also comes into play as one of my favourite locos is the class 22 so running these with class 50 wouldn't have happened but as I said, rule one!

Thank you too all who have responded to this post. My next question is, as I don't trust Wikipedia, what year did TOPS come in and what year did route identifying numbers get replaced with 0000. Thank you in advance

This is fantastic information, exactly what I was after, thank you

Thank you

I've just found a conversation on RM web from 2013 with exactly what I was after and they discuss the dropping of the catering coaching stock at Plymouth, my fictional layout location is within the Plymouth/Exeter area so will.be using said coaches which I have a few of different types. Thanks

Thank you, this helps, I'm modelling early 70's, so assuming MK1 and Mk2a's would have been used, local services but could run a mainline with longer rake and get some mk2d/e's. It's more the formation of the coaching stock, as mentioned above I have researched and joined groups but just can't seem to find what I'm after, also, I can't tell by looking at photos, the difference between coaching stock. Also, what does (VB/SH) (DB/SH) and (DB/EH) mean, sorry, I was born in 1988 so my memory of trains was swallow liveried HST's

This is my problem also, I've searched Google and Flickr and it's great but as mentioned above, it's usually just details on the loco and the train service, I cannot see the difference between coaching stock, only if it's 1st 2nd or buffet etc, no chance in telling the difference between MK1 and Mk2a's Thanks

Thanks for your reply, and I will check out the link youve given. unfortunately for me, I only have access to a mobile phone so reading through hundreds of threads and the thousands of replies on such a device is very very frustrating, especially if I press the back button by mistake and have to start again, also, there are many threads on coaching but not that I can find specific to the area I asked about and that isn't just numbers of coaches, running numbers aren't the top priority for me at the moment but just getting a basic knowledge/understanding of what order coaches would have been in i.e TSO, BSO etc.

Hi all, probably been asked and answered but there's too many to posts to scroll through. I need some help in organising my MK1 and MK2 coaching stock, I model 1970's western region, specifically Penzance-Bristol/Exeter-southcoast trains. I've got mainly mk1's in open and corridor and a couple of Mk2a's And I just would like to arrange them in prototypical rakes. Thanks

Hello, Well,....Been another while, I might get better at regular updates one day. So, another change of track plans but this time their set, still two main running lines however rather than a single branch station I've managed to squeeze in a small terminus, I've switched the side of the junction so rather than on the left side flowing to the right it now runs rights to left with the terminus situated at the left front edge. The terminus comprises of 3 platforms, all three long enough to fit 5-6 coaches with a run around in the centre of platforms 1 and 2 with 3 being used for DMU's or parcels using a head shut for loco release, it's no Kings cross or Newcastle central but more a modest Penzance which is where i drew inspiration from, built in the hay day but now used just by local commuter trains and parcels making occasional stops with the majority of traffic passing by on the main line. Also having the terminus situated at the end of the baseboard does allow for extension in the future by extending the platforms and also space for a 4th. I have maintained the two double slips which keeps my wish of a complex junction, signalling for which is going to be a challenge. Using insulfrog double slips is easier to install however when joining them to elctrofrog and other points its creates dead spots between the live rails so ensuring each positive and negative line has its own power supply is essential, one tip is once (finally) happy with the track plan, wire it up using droppers wrapped around the bus wires and run a 0-6-0 loco over the point work, this type of loco will soon show any areas which require additional power supply, preferably a Railroad or Lima loco too as these normally have a less pick ups and if you have any issues which you can resolve running your Bachmann class 66 or Hornby class 50 will have no trouble. Which brings me onto new fleet members, so due to my job i travel around the country a lot and when i travel somewhere new (to me) i like to see if there is a local model shop in the area, i recently visited portishead and googled the area and a lovely little railway shop called the Model Railways Direct, all brand new stock and stocked to bursting point full of locos, rolling stock and scenery and not just OO gauge, N and O gauge and i think i saw OO9, the staff were really helpful, i believe it was the owners, more that happy to help and advise and even check stock as i couldn't see an item i was after (Hornby HST in BR blue and grey, which is no where), i digress, so in this lovely shop i picked up a shiny new Hornby elite, i know a lot of people dislike the Hornby controllers but after being a Hornby select user for ever the switch to the elite was very easy as it's a very simply unit to use. I also picked up a Heljan class 33 in br blue which is an awesome model but the only issue is that the detailing on the front and rear of the loco fouls the coupling but after a few minor adjustments this can be rectified. Another purchase is a Dapol class 121/122 in br blue, again another awesome loco, runs like a hot knife through butter which i got from a loco store to me which is Westons Model rail shop, which is in Swindon. Lastly I picked a lovely little Bachmann class 08 in br blue, had to give it a service as it was a second hand model so hadn't been used in a while but now is also running like a dream. Right, onto the projects.... I had to work away for a couple of days so managed to get on with some of the repaint work, all paint work was removed from the class 31 but in addition i managed to strip the paint off my old GB built Hornby HST power and dummy changing them from intercity livery to BR Blue, all have been undercoated white and then taped up and yellow ends applied, wasn't the best finish i was hoping for, i thought id stuck the tamia masking tape down well but i guess the airbrush is a lot finer and can find all the little nooks that might not be noticable to the eye. photos will follow however i haven't backed up my google photo account so the most current pics aren't ready yet.

Please see attachment for current track plan!

Thank you all, very quick that one!! Thanks for the link Phil, also I’ve watch probably all of your YouTube videos on abbotswood now which has helped a great deal with train configurations. Thanks again I have also been working on my layout Walcot West which I’ve been writing about in a blog surprisingly called Walcot West so please check it out and any feedback/comments/thoughts would be hugely appreciated

Again, many thanks to all the replies, however I am in need of further assistance, I’m struggling to find a suitable brake van for any freight pulled in the period topic, I’ve got a Hornby g.w toad brake in grey but think this is to early, I’ve seen a Hornby BR 20 brake in red but this seems to modern, again I’ve seen many in different liveries all stating BR brake but these have just left me confused so some rm web community input would be much appreciated. Kind regards Sam

Just a quick update on progress, I have now finished the base boards for track laying purposes, i am still to add the second set of hinges and tidy the garage to allow it to drop down out of the way. I have also extended either side of the fiddle yard by roughly 100mm this allows for smoother running from the curves into the scenic side, also I've added a turnout onto the bottom of the sidings, this is to allow for the branch line! There was a few key things I wanted on a layout, one was an up and down main line to run express trains, the second was a complex junction, it may not be prototypical but adds some interest, and probably a few headaches! And thirdly, a branch line, hopefully with a run around loop and a small halt/station, maybe with a local goods yard/shed. I’ve been adding dropper wire fish plates to all the point work to ensure good conductivity is kept across the junction, it’s been a bit of a minefield trying to make sure I don’t put cross connect anything, I’m using peco electro frog medium radius turnouts and insul frog double slips, only as the frog connections on the electro frog double slips scare me. Well hopefully you can see from the pictures the progress being made, hopefully I’ll have all the track down by next week, once I’m happy with the track plan I’ll wire up a few of the droppers, test different locos around and then lay some cork as an underlay! Thanks for reading, Please feel free to comment

Hi, just a brief update on upcoming plans. So I’m still to finish the baseboards but the bulk of the fiddle yard is down! I’ve extended each end by about 15cm (6”) so that the curves entering the scenic area are further apart maximising space. I’m undicided on wether to increase the scenic side from 2’ to 2 1/2’ or even 3’, this would increase operational interest but I think simple might be best, less is more type of thinking!! So onto the projects..... First up, I recently acquired a Hornby railroad class 31 which is DCC ready, or so I thought! When the loco arrived it was actually a Lima chasis with a railroad 31 body, obviously not DCC ready, I thought of complaining and getting a refund but thought that I bargain price a paid and the quality of the running of the primitive Lima model even at slow speed it would make the hopeful outcome a lot better. The plan is to remove the curent Dutch livery and respray into a br blue, replace the grills with brass mesh and install a decent but basic sound decoder, install lighting and some detailing, also replacing the couplings with either NEM tension lock or kaydee couplings. Next up is a similar situation with a Hornby class 52 western! Already in a blue this will just be adding additional detailing, replacing the naff plastic head code box with a newer lit version and again hopefully a sound decoder and like above new couplings Just couple of pics attached to show the model as it is! Stay tuned for more pics as progress continues

​Well, where to start, its been a long while since I've posted anything for which i can only apologise, reasons for the absence was due to family life and changing of setting for my layout, From the title you can guess that i have decided to start over, and not just in the loft (attic, roof space, which ever you prefer), after a short period of thinking, and i mean short, i made the decision to clamber down from my sweltering, cramped, uneven loft to a more accessible setting, where i can crash, bash and thrash around and know one really cares (except the neighbours, maybe), reasons being, in my haste to get trains running i threw down the frames and baseboards as fast as possible which inevitably resulted in uneven and quiet frankly a shocking excuse of carpentry, i had derailing locos and poor conductivity around the back loop which was proving more difficult to access due to 'life stock' filling the space and also realising that running the bus wire was more difficult due to the low height of the baseboards from the loft floor let alone trying to install point motors(solenoids)!! So once i had disassembled the the ply and frame work after removing and saving as much track as possible i started tidying the garage, my first thoughts where like niagra, a vast space wanting to be filled with a huge fiddle yard, i station that would make newcastle look like a siding, a depot, TMD, goods yard, the lot, but then i thought naaa ill keep it simple. Deciding to PLAN this time i built several 4ft x 2ft frames with 9mm exterior ply boards, initial thoughts were to build a 8ft x 4ft area on two levels, the lower for storage and small scenic at the front for the loop (main line) then rising, off scene, to the upper level which would be a TMD or similar for good operational interest, but using a 4ft width meant i could only just fit a 3rd radius oval with not much room for storage in the middle, also there wouldn't be much space for operating anything more than maybe a large shed for locos to be coming and going. Back to the drawing board, so to speak, i then decided to put together a 10ft x 6ft area with an operating well in the middle, the rear side is 18'' deep which has allowed space for an up and down main line fanning out to 6 lines and one dead end, much more than the original plan, off which the longest can accommodate a full 7 car HST. So thats where I'm up to so far, progress has been good but the current weather has been too good to let slip by pottering on my hobby in the garage, the pictures below show the progress made, i am planning to mount hinges and bolts to allow the frame to be lowered to allow access through the garage which is really full at the minute as were trying to clear a lot of unwanted and unneeded 'stuff' from our house. My aim is to take the layout on the road but this is in the far future. Thanks for reading Sam As you can see, theres still a lot to do, especially the surrounding areas. Thanks again.

Thank you, sorry, I will look into both places. Thanks to all who replied, no doubt I’ll need help in the near future!

Looks like I’m going to have to get some mk1’s, watching Phils Abbotwood has giving me a better idea of what to run. Did the trains change much through the 70’s or can I keep the same trains running just maybe the odd tops number entering service on the loco’s? Sorry, is Meldon quarry a you tube or RM web channel?

Thanks Brian, and Phil, I think I’ve watched abbotswood on you tube but will have another look! Thanks again!

Thanks for the replies, Well I will run trains of about 6-7 mk2’s but it’s the slight variation I’m looking for so mixing the rakes up a bit wether it be an odd mk1 in the rake. I’ve seen photos of milk trains being hauled and shunted by 08’s and westerns in cornwall (st erth), I’m in the West Country so will be in and around that area, I may decide to install either a third rail line or an overhead line but not sure, I’ve got a few DMU’s it’s mainly the freight rakes I need help with, as mentioned previously, I’ve got a milk train being put together but would like a ballast train or coal train, for some reason I can’t find much on what wagons would have been in a rake, I don’t particularly want to run a rake of 15+ HEA’s as I’ve seen a lot of these, I’m looking for a mixed bag of beat up wagons! Kind regards Sam

Building a small layout in my garage for me and my son (5) have built up a collection of BR Blue loco’s and have some mk2 coaches but am struggling to find any photos or info on freight trains in the period, I know there would have been coal/ballast and milk etc and have got a small number of milk wagons but can’t find anything on what wagons were used in conjunction with others to make a modest but prototypical train. Please help!!! Kind regards Sam

Need help finding info/pictures on freight trains in the early 1970’s

Hi again, just another update to the layout, i have a bit of time looking and thinking about the layout and wasn't happy with how it was looking or the running of the locos so i have made further changes..... basically i pulled up all of the track and started over, i wasn't happy with the baseboards either so i gave them a bit of a touch up, firstly there was two parts were the track left the main area to run around the loft on the left and right, this caused a lot of running issues especially with coaches as the up and down movements made them de-rail or uncouple, so now there is a nice flat transition from ply base board to timber I have also decided to run a third line to run around the entire loft, i haven't managed to install the boards for this area yet but is definitely in the pipe line, my previous thoughts for a branch line to join to the main line off scene but this limited running of trains around the layout waiting for a dmu or 153 to make a full circuit. ive attached the current layout plan, please post comments and suggestions, would really help me, the branch line will be the top line of track coming from the 3-way point the line below that will be for a small TMD, with works shed, wash down and re fueling point. on the other side the bottom line that runs past the terminus station is the access for the fiddle yard, i was planning to put this the opposite side of the loft but having all the points were i cant see or access very easily due to life stock kept in the attic i thought it would be easier, please it makes a nice scene of trains leaving and then a different train re-entering. thanks for reading, any comments and suggestion appreciated.

hi, just a few pics to show the layout progress (not much) you may notice some minor track adjustments to those stated in the previous update please comment/ feedback thanks

hi again, firstly an apology for the delay in any update, have had a lot going on at home the past few months and progress on the layout pretty much ceased to exist. firstly the xmas break took a lot of my time which i would have liked to spend in the attic, then we had to get a shift on decorating the nursery as our 2nd is due mid March and we hadn't done anything to be honest so that has caused the delays. as i said i will hope to upload pics soon as there have been further changes to the layout, firstly i wasn't happy with the station part, i liked the two shorter dead end sidings which fit a 3 car DMU however the main line station just wasnt long enough, could only fit 4 MK2e coaches and when a full HST parks it blocked the double slip and DMU sidings access. secondly i have removed the turntable, i was planning this area as a heritage area which could run trains as well as a tourist hot spot with sheds and viewing platforms as a usable scenic area but the area was too crammed with track, also the turntable wasn't motored and my efforts of installation was driving me a tad crazy. i have also removed the branch line which ran past the turntable and then rejoined the main line, the idea was that the point were the branch line rejoined would be covered with a tunnel and would have looked as if the branch line traveled in a different direction however actual running of the branch line resulted in the inside main line being unusable. i have regrettably removed the two DMU sidings/ platforms, i think what i'm planning will make up for there loss lastly the by pass lane on the outside main line has been removed, again this wasn't long enough to house a full HST so was redundant, i also cannot decide if i should keep the storage siding at the top of the layout (above stations) i was planning to put a tunnel portal and make it appear as if a train is coming from/ heading off in a different location but am worried that there will be a lot of tunnel mouths (due to the main line having one to hide the sharp curve (2nd+3rd radius)) so feedback/ comments would be greatly appreciated. on to the new ideas.... for the area were the turntable was i was thinking of the heritage railway theme again, maybe just 2 or three sidings with a period shed with the usual scenic to create a period visual as a 'day out event' and a small head shunt for the 'just in case event of a steam train breakdown'. the main line station will now hopefully be long enough to fit a full HST or at least 6 MK3 coach lengths to show a small town station similar to St Erth, however were the DMU sidings once were, i hope to take a line from the double slip and make a small TMD, i mention HST a lot however i will mainly run goods/ engineers and DMU's with the possibility of a HST for the morning and evening commuters. the TMD will possible have a small yard area also, *ideas/ thoughts welcome*, i was thinking a small concrete plant or quarry type scenic but space is limited probably only 2'x2' but could be extended. i am also considering if i should run another line the hole way around to use as a branch/ heritage line, Swindon were i live has a 2 track main line with branch line towards Cheltenham which would be similar to my thoughts. hope this all makes sense please post any thoughts or suggestions as this would be much appreciated will post pics soon thanks for reading my ramble