9C85

I was planning on getting a toy bingo machine to generate consist lists for my NPCCS trains, to give me an excuse to chop and change formations. But of course there's an app for that...

But I think I will go for something more like this... Again copyright Paul Bartlett

I have just visited Paul Bartlett's excellent website to get inspiration for weathering the brake van when, lo and behold.... The very same van, in the same condition. My work is done :-) Copyright Paul Bartlett

Latest addition. Straight out of the box. I am really pleased with it. Bargain too. I have run out of Kadees to fit to it so I took some off the care-worn looking Mk1 and put that at the end of the cripple siding ( I had to reintroduce the two CCTs back into traffic to make space). I have push-tested the van over the magnets and turnouts and it seems to be OK, if a little bit low clearance. I will try and do a bit of shunting with it on my next session. Bob, the fictional shunter, is already looking forward to stretching the 08s legs on station pilot duties. Obviously it needs weathering. IIRC I need to Dulcote it before applying the weathering powders? I might fire up the airbrush if I am feeling brave enough. I was only in the garage 10 minutes or so testing it out and I am already pleased with the splash of 'mundane variety ' the van will give.

When a shed was a shed.

The shunter has his work cut out preparing for Monday morning... The yard is about as full as it can get...

Thanks a lot, I will check them out.

This brings back memories

I have just found and ordered a bargain brake van off ebay. It's the air braked version with yellow patches. Obviously it will need a heavy dose of weathering. Can anyone tell me where I can get some 4mm scale shunting staff, suitable for early 80s period? I would like a guard to stand on the van's veranda (easier to type than to say) and a shunter to ride on the steps of either the van or the 08 (don't tell H&S).

You're a better man than I. I always make a mess of kits. I am dabbling with the idea of getting more stock for Burchill Edge Sidings but if I do, I am going to try and make sure that the most I have to do to it is swap the NEM couplings for Kadees. I cannot get motivated enough to hack away at Lima GUVs any more. The only 'freight' I could justify is a loco fuel trip working, plus the brake van to accompany the 08 on trips up the main line to the station. Got my eyes on a 56 for the fuel trip and another 25. I think having at least two of the same class of loco helps to put a stamp on a layout's location, although 25s probably weren't that commonplace in the fictional location of wherever my layout is set ...that doesn't even make sense :-) Your layout is looking good. I can recommend a nice weathering method for grimy retaining walls :-)

I was under the impression it was more to do with the length of the ensemble rather than the weight of it? I read somewhere ages ago that the brake van was tagged on to stop the 08s getting 'lost amongst the track circuits around Bristol TM'. Whatever the reason, it adds interest to the playability.

Courtesy of the excellent Paul Bartlett's website

Thank you all for the reminders of the other parcels stock threads. I am sure that @Rivercider also covered the same subject and had photos of two 08s at Bristol, each with a brake van but at opposite ends of the loco, presumably for working (nominally) opposite ends of the station. I am hovering over some 'Buy it now' buttons as I type this.

I love the Internet... https://www.theironroad.net/DieselShuntingLocomotives/Class-08/Class-08-All-Images/i-Kfh6jhH/A

Thanks. I do like the yellow-patched air brake variant

I think you may be right. I tagged the BG on to the other end of the 'papers train last night for just that reason :-) It's the potential light engine moves between the station and yard that I am trying to cover.

A few questions about brake vans... I want to get a brake van to tag onto my Class 08 in order to legitimately allow it out onto the main line up to Burchill Station on stock moves. I need to get one with NEM pockets so I can fit Kadees to it. I have seen a nice weathered example on ebay but underneath the grime, it's in grey livery. IIRC grey denotes 'unfitted' stock? ...although I never quite got my head around how an unfitted brake van worked? ..unless it simply added resistance at the rear of the train to stop wagons bunching up? In any case, I suspect an unfitted brake van would not be correct to use with coaching or parcels stock? So I assume I need a bauxite example? ..although when did the Railfreight grey and red stripe livery appear on brake vans? ..my layout era is nominally 1980s. Thanks for any advice.

I did my GUVs with my airbrush. I just fancied a dabble with the weathering powders. I might fire up the compressor again.

The more I look at it, the less happy I am with it. Nothing major, but I will probably revisit it.

A bit more 'work' done this evening. My repainted BG was jarring on me as it stood out in its ex-works condition. It's amazing what a bit of a break does as I'd had enough of the coach by the time I got it serviceable. Tonight I saw the coach in its train, grabbed the Tamiya weathering powders, and went at it with brushes and buds. I am not sure if I have overdone it, but it can be removed if I don't like it. A before and after shot for reference.

A slightly better angle showing the shunt signal off the fuel point

Yes. Just the one at the moment. It allows locos to come off the fuelling point and onto the shorter siding nearest the front of the layout. I like it as it's partially hidden by the girder bridges, so I have to get down near track level to view it. The people from Traintech were really good as I made a mess of the kit. They sent me an assembled one as a replacement. I reckon I need another three ground signals to allow realistic operation, plus I need to install point control on the visible side of the layout, so plenty of little jobs to dip in and out of.

Managed another shunting session tonight...

After a five-month lay off, there's activity again at Burchill Edge Sidings....

It's nice to be back and see some familiar usernames again. Each time I go in the garage, I look at the layout and it does make me feel happy that I have done the best I can with it. There's loads of stuff I could do to improve it, and I probably will some day, but for now it's nice to just reflect and appreciate the work that I put into it a year or so ago.