Brass0four

Stu, (I nearly did the name thing. Its like an online geriatric ward. I'll let you into a secret so long as you don't tell a soul. The points are insulfrog and I have no trouble at all with modern locomotives. I'm badly arthritic and can't stand mucking about below the baseboard. The bus-wires are 13amp cable, fitted at the start, with four rings on the mainlines and separate feeds for the shed and marshalling yard. The only downside is that you can turn a loco off by switching a point *against it. There are exceptional areas such as the coaling stage, where sound-chipped's steam locos can be in a queue, going through there default standing procedures. Its interesting, they are all different: some coal-up at intervals; some start injectors at set times, and others - particularly the Hornby A4, emits sighs and belly rumblings. Altogether they are quite fun when used all at once; and the coaling and ash lines have their own constant feeds. There are very few points at all on the mainlines. Oh yes, one advantage of the insulfrogs is they seem to short less with metal wheeled stock. But that might be my untutored bias. At the beginning I chose insulfrog as I could foresee the predictable development of Joan's condition, and was desperate to get things up and running while I could. This was five years ago, and - sadly - I was proved right. I just wish I'd started earlier, but I was mucking about with military and fantasy-style dioramas which I'm not too bad at. ;-) *Yes, it is bad practice to use points as current switches, but its not an exhibition layout and it is trouble free running as far as I'm concerned. ie: only one loco shunts the yard and one the coaler. It had crossed my mind to change them one at a time, but now I frankly doubt I will. The KISS formula suits me. Tony One final observation: the lines from yard and shed throats are quite long. Its not a layout where locos are crossing points frequently. The smooth running up to and over the throat points where they do occur is satisfactory

Thanks, Allan, Its like a dream to me that I'd seen someone using them comparatively recently, but I can't recall where. (No surprise there!) I've one in my bits box that I've played with using an omega loop and its very positive. I think I'll do it for the freight yard and shed. Tony.

Are they GEM levers, Allan? I rather fancy them for my martialling yard. Shunting with a *sound-25, I like to play hands-on, sometimes! Tony. *25s came along in 1961 which is my up date cut-off period.

Awesome! Positively pregnant with bat-like creatures of the night. Tony.

I know what you mean and you are right of course. But Allan and Iain are very generous and like to see the work of others. If anyone took liberties loading their stuff on day in day out it would be different. But the link is good and you can see them in the context of the blog as a whole Tony.

Sorry, I meant the abbey. Go on, show a couple more with the light behind from different angles, to show the shape of it. Tony.

Thanks Shaun - Iain. Shaun you just about summed up the layouts reason d'etre. Its designed as a *watch the trains go by, ECML style*, with the shed giving an excuse to change locos, not unlike Leeds Copley Hill. I have some sound locos and you really need a continuous run for them to show their working properties IMHO. As the room is empty above the baseboards (a nightmare below!) there is a very full sound with no absorption, so a chime-whistle is really spooky with a late night echo to it. Your Goathland is by far the best I've seen. You really utilise the ready-builts with proper weathering, etc. And the Priory is awesome. You should post your blog pics of it on here! People don't always have the time to dig into everyone's blogs and layouts, and the scratch-built Priory would certainly be enjoyed on this forum Regards, Tony..

Me too. Actually, I was trying to recall freebs' name - Lee, is it? - as the senior moments come in thick and fast. Tony. ( I don't think therefore I'm not.)

Thank you! The one sensible decision I did make from the off, was to have large radius curves, so that ten coach expresses could look natural at moderate speed. Its four track mainline (fast up, fast down in the centre two tracks; down slow and up slow on the outside 'cos I like to see expresses overhauling slow commuters, etc. Otherwise, the lighting gantry is half built as is everything else - eg, the foreground bridge will be straight flat girders, not multiple Peco, etc, etc. I've two buildings on the stocks: a terraced corner shop and a back-street garage. If I could just get those done! Tony.

Em - My name is Tony. But thanks for the kind support, anyway. LOL ;-)

You're very kind, Iain, but I'm far from heroic; ill-tempered and irritable is more the default mode. Just.. its getting embarrassing beyond words to continually post on stuff without a single tiny item to show. I've put up a couple of pics to show that a layout actually exists. There are acres of space, particularly on the stock-free pic where there is about 2' X 12' requiring a city-scape beyond the far tracks. And its been like this for years, literally. OK, you shouldn't bite off more than you can chew, but when I started things weren't anything like as demanding, so I'm stuck. The Bilteezi house backs, to the left of the girder-bridge - a temporary expedient!!! - are falling over they're so tired of standing alone. When I win the lottery I'll be in touch! Regards, Tony.

I'm delighted to have been proved wrong. Alan Gray says, quote "I have a precious piece of old Faller brick paper which I photocopied for most of the buildings." And I had the same thought. I think I might have asked about it somewhere, years ago, and was told it was discontinued. Whether this was true or not at the time, I don't know. I have ten sheets. It really is lovely stuff. Gray embosses his sometimes, and it would be easy to do. One of my many armchair builds is an On30 (is this right for O gauge narrow gauge using OO track? - my mind plays tricks with me, these days) micro layout, using this card. 'Don't suppose it'll get any further than my head. Her Ladyship's demands, bless her, grow by the day. MS is a particularly vile disease. Her major organs are fine so she could suffer indefinitely; sufferers often outlive their Carers, statistically. LOL! enough of the self-pity! ;-) But it is frustrating to get no modelling work done. Tony.

Nice one Shaun! Trust you to go the distance! Shaun's layouts are worth a look, guys, particularly for British layouts built in the US. Tony. ('Mines a pint.) PS: hope you wore a mask!

Hi Allan, Assuming its Faller HO 607, I've had several sheets of it for years. If it was the right size it would make excellent old red brick, but - no surprise - its far too big. Alan Gray "ST George's Pit" - Railway Modeller May 2013 - uses it for 7mm brick which is what I'm saving it for. Its tempting to copy it and reduce it (OK-ish for personal use, perhaps) but the real stuff has a nice degree of print-texture. I don't think its available now but I'd be happy to be proved wrong. I've not seen the stone, but it does look good. I'm a huge Scalescenes fan but I don't like the rough stone at all; its photographically accurate - 'cos that's how he does it - but rough stone needs texture, end of Tony. ( - Talk about weak willed! - confusing it with a social life, obviously - sad git!) Was it really listed as tunnel-liner!? .

CL outage: Iain its a wonderful piece of modelling, harder to do successfully than many structures IMHO. (Since when have I been humble!!!) Regarding the track. I've come to a lot of compromise-decisions lately, in the light of getting something done, so you might dwell on the following: ~Crazy Track is nuts but if you were to swallow your pride and use it as a temporary expedient you could bury it in gravel, weeds and grass, then you could get a few nice wagons on it and we would all love it. I've been looking into narrow-gauge myself recently, and - like everything else - there are purists who lay down the - correct - law. I wonder how many used Crazy Track in their early days?... Regards, Tony. (Now UCL - Ultra-Committed Lurk)

Forced out of Committed Lurk for the best of reasons, to welcome Rasendyll to the forum. Paul joined today! Welcome to the House of Fun - its Madness. Regards, Tony. (Back to CL)

I can't recall exactly where but I'm sure that I've read that the modernising BR Board was very hostile to steam - one reason for the ultimately rapid disappearance of steam. One way to carry the public on-board would be to allow to these old-fashioned monstrosities become filthy. Clean and looked-after locos would have undermined their intention. Regarding National Service, both my older brothers did so. Yet another reason for the lack of labour. And then, of course, we have The Sixties... when sex, drugs and rock 'n roll tore me away from the lineside. Well... drugs and rock 'n roll... Em... well... rock 'n roll. All in all, with particular thanks to Brian in the previous posts, I think the situation has been very satisfactorily aired. Regarding the apologies, Gilbert, it shows - at least - how everyone respects you and your project and that's no bad thing. Tony.

Thanks Brian, That, I'm happy to say, is the most likely of reasons. I was talking to guy in Rolling Stock - my local model shop - just the other day, and he is forever bemoaning the filthy Gateshead locos. The next time I see him - and anybody else - I'll tell them of this. I think one of the reasons for our discomfort was a proprietorial sense that the engines that actually belonged to Gateshead Shed, should have been cleaned as a matter of pride, but - belonging or not - the quick turn around would have negated this possibility. I for one am content with this, Tony.

I'm forced out of the most committed of Lurks, to advise you, gently, man to man... You really need to talk to someone about your obsession with cottage modelling. ;-) (- Brilliant model! Hells Teeth! - I can smell it!!!) Tony. (puke)

Thanks, Brian. If I'm honest I rather lost interest with the end of steam, although my own layout - Glasgow Fair Fortnight*, 1961 - includes some Green diesels, largley because I have neither the skill or the life left to scratch the EMUs I am fond of. *Why, 'cos as a kid in Whitley Bay it was brilliant! My Mam had a boarding house; I was adopted by holidaying families to pair with their kids! - and was spoilt rotten! - AND there were some very unusual train workings. I have a picture of a V2 at Whitley Bay; if anyone has anything else relating to that period please pm me. (sorry Gilbert ;-) ) Tony.

You're welcome, M'Lard. I forgot the source of the great divide: until the conurbation of 1975, everything south of the Tyne was in Durham County, everything north, in Northumberland County. I was born in Whitley Bay - Northumberland - which is now in "North Tyneside", while Gateshead is now in South Tyneside. Although it was the spread of Newcastle and Gateshead Fire Brigade (Newcastle FB took over Gateshead Town FB after the War) which became Tyne and Wear Metropolitan Fire Brigade - with Newcastle as its headquarters - that lead me to become a fireman (of the wrong sort!) I. like many other Northumbrians hate the new title to this day. Shear tribalism. Youngsters aren't bothered of course, other than the obvious tribes of Sunderland and Newcastle football fans. I'm very vague concerning the Heaton area. but it isn't prime building land, whereas the post-industrial riverside offers the most sought after housing. I would have thought that the 8 track through shed that was Heaton, along with the acres of sidings surrounding it, would have been very suitable for conversion into modern MPD, whole trains being contained easily in Heaton Yard. Perhaps it was politics in the end - giving something to Gateshead which has very little its name. Tony.

Like everyone I'm a huge fan of this layout, but the video doesn't work for me - it was a while before I noticed the Newcastle train at the back. I'd rather have two more ordinary wide-angles - one at the throat, one at the buffers. I know, more expense and another monitor(sp?) And when the roof is glazed, assuming it will be, and weathered, the problem will be worse... Respectfully, Tony.

That's an interesting question Venerable Duck. I can't answer with any sort of accuracy, only my vague notions. Newcastle was the Big City - an important place on the ECML. Gateshead Town, by comparison, sometimes thought of itself as an appendage that was comparatively ignored, the Works being much less crucial than in days gone by - the relationship with Newcastle was almost tribal. Assuming that the slow-to-employ round-houses were being used for major maintenance and repair, and not involved in the fast turn around of the Pacific Shed, with its cramped, insufficient space - wholly unfit for purpose - where engines were parked tight outside in the open. Whereas Heaton was a modern 8-road shed, spacious and much better to work in (I have a modelling acquaintance who was a fitter there) and Heaton was on the Newcastle side of the river, linked to Central in some notional way, where workers were proud of their shed, or so I'm told. These are just my passing thoughts, however. I was very young and too busy checking out locos as somehow sufficient in themselves, with little technological interest. And I'm not much better now. My wanderings seem a little lame; hardly worth the *post* click. I'd be happy to be put in order by someone who knows what they are talking about. Tony. (This from me, and I'm supposed to have sworn-off RMweb till I achieve some actual progress with my own modelling, a room-size layout that's beyond photography till I construct a lighting-gantry - which should have been done when the baseboards were built... sheesh!)

You could well be right. In those days there was much fuller employment, with plenty of unskilled jobs available in the major industries. North Shields Fish Quay; Smiths Dock, Swan Hunters, etc., etc., and that's just north of the Tyne. The building industry, collieries and so on, all offering labouring jobs at - I would imagine - better rates of pay. I'd like to think there was a good excuse. But all of us Central Station spotters were genuinely ashamed, annoyed, and - embarrassed! I have to add my thanks yet again for such a stimulating and educational build/thread. I've long thought that the protypical layouts currently in build, such as yours, Little Bytham, Retford and Liverpool Lime Street (to depart from the ECML) - just to mention those layouts that I personally follow - should be somehow registered with the NRM so that their running could be extensively videoed and kept on file in order to educate and entertain future generations. Film sources, good as some are, are limited to the photographer's location and viewpoint. The right models can portray those wonderful days in great, repeatable detail. Maybe a daft notion! ;-) Tony.

Every time I see a Gateshead engine I shudder with shame. :-( Tony.