The Fatadder

This evenings work saw the fitting of the first point Vee (C9) along with the rest of the approach track, I was presently supprised how well this went together given that it was something like ten years since I last made my own Vee. Given all the curves I have been trying to keep rail lengths as long as possible, with the Vee forming part of the outer rail of the single slip (before being cut once built to isolate.). Tomorrow I aim to file the second switch blade and hopefully test it. The slip has been giving me a lot of trouble, as I am starting to think I've made it far too short. The problem is that I cannot see how I am going to to add the switch blades (which are very short), at most it seems to only give one or two sleepers to attach them to. Advice is very welcome

It's been a while since there was any progress worth showing, holidays and the warm weather getting in the way of getting out in the garage. However today I finally found some time to get started, with the mainline laid between the first two points in the up and down directions. Gluing down with evostick 1 minute as per my usual method (although I forgot that with a much bigger layout it uses a lot more glue. Will need to stock up before the next track laying session. The next job will be the Exeter point in the up direction and the single slip in the down direction. Or alternatively the crossover between up and down main at the Plymouth end. This will require fixing the baseboard under the yard double slip which has bowed up slightly. I have also been completing more research into formations, armed with a 1946 to June 47 carriage working file, passenger timetable and finally the working timetable. Coupled with another carriage file for Plymouth in the mid 50s to assist in filling in the gaps. From this I have completed a master timetable with something like 100 workings, and appropriate formations so just need a 50 road fiddleyard in each direction! It did leave one question, with a workmans train scheduled to stop in Brent early in the morning but no return working in the evening. The freight is a lot trickier, but that can wait...

Fingers crossed someone takes the range on!

What a fantastic layout, I cannot wait to see it at an exhibition!

Interesting to see a photo of that operation, I need a bigger fiddleyard!

My first thought was would it be better to have a direct connection from the down main to the Penzance loops rather than crossing the up main? Either way I would certainly go for the revised plan in some form or another, if the original is going to limit train limitation is likely to cause more annoyance over time (and may well lead to redoing the whole lot after a couple of years.)

Very nice, look forward to seeing more photos

In that case I assume the photo I have seen must have been the first of that batch, and delivered at the end of '47. Would be interesting to know what Swindon's production rate was on these coaches... So in reality would certainly not exist in my late June period. However for the mean time a slight bit of modellers licence will be needed, as with the other Hawksworth coaches using on the Ltd sounds most plausible.

i have seen a lot of second hand mention of GWR Hawksworth coaches in service prior to nationalisation, including a formation on the Cornish Riviera Ltd containing BTKs and TKs, and a second Ltd formation in the Kingstorre article in MRJ containing the same. I have also seen mention (including one photo of a coach only) that Hawksworth BCKs also saw service in 1947. I was hoping that someone might have came across more photographic evidence of this, including what the rest of the formation was comprised of. I couldn't resist adding another BCK to my fleet last night, and now need to find a use for it....

Interesting to read before I start building again, particularly as in the past I always bought in the Vee / wing rails ready made and can't justify it on Brent given the large number of points to build. I do have one question, what should be used for check rail chairs in OO?

Just wish I had bought some when they were released, the breaks and break composites seem easy to find. (Although I've only seen one photo of the latter and I have not seen a mention in a formation.) The thirds on the other hand seem more like gold dust, I need to get another two (and possibly another break third) but no luck yet. Not exactly expecting another batch from Hornby! I keep hoping that someone will do a decent range of sunshine stock (at least a BTK, TK, CK and Restaurant) leaving kit building time to make up more interesting Dreadnaughts, Concertinas and Topligts, (not to mention other variants of the sunshine stock)

Very nice!

Thanks, I had a nagging feeling I had seen it before, and couldn't place where given I definitely don't have the two articles mentioned.

I think the article has about 5 or 6 different fast / secondary services broken down by coach type (not to mention a good number of colour photos of an amazing layout.) Left me wanting to find a copy of the earlier MRJ and BRM articles on the layout!)

Rob, there's an article on 1947 coach formations in the current MRJ which may be of interest.

A very frustrating evenings work, redoing the same section umpteen times. The plan hasn't been stuck down completely true at one side, mostly caused by the missing 10mm of printing. I should have tried harder to resolve the printing issue rather than just pressing on... In the process I have identified one point which needs moving about 40mm to the left (with w 40mm straight added in to the other side to maintain position of the goods shed point.) this reduced the gap between bay line and loop, while increasing the distance between the loop and shed. This is compounded by the change of curve needed to resolve the alignment issue. I haven't corrected the route cause (the Plymouth end slip is at a slight angle) as I prefer the new alignment, so instead have tweeked the radius of the loop etc. Checking the goods shed and the lower siding, the latter needs a slight adjustment to increace the angle and push it away from the shed. I also think I need to look again at my shed drawing and remove 1 window from the length. Having test fitted the smaller shed I made for Kites Croft (just happens to be about a window shorter) I think the clearances look a lot better than a scale building. So that's pretty much it for the moment, I have given thought to making a start on adding the earth works, but keep thinking getting some track in place and working first would be best (I dont want to get a lot of scenics glued down before finding out s fundamental flaw with the track. Just need to buy some hi nickel silver rail and a set of track gauges and get started. I'm getting very worried about the size of the flange way gaps in the slip and the very large radius points (not being used to OO.). So hopefully they all work ok (otherwise there are big problems!

There were plenty based at Laira and Newton Abbot....Although my particular choice (currently awaiting renumbering) was Bristol based. Based on the research I've done so far it looks like at least some of the Swindon rebuilds occurred right at the end of the GW as well...

After a trip to the village hardware store to buy some waterproof PVA, instead I've come home with a can of aerosol carpet glue instead. So this evening I have cracked on with gluing down the templates. There is some minor misalignment due to my rubbish 10 year old printer, but it's done the job. I have however changed the plan, and will now only lay plane track as the points are fitted rather than the initial plan of getting a running oval first. There is too much risk of these small missalignments combining into the two ends not matching up. So I guess it's about time I made a start on building some vees and switch rails to see how I get on, it's been a very long time since I made some rather than buying them in. But this time the cost saving of home building is just too much to resist. This photo showing the Plymouth end with templates glued down, shows one of the major changes to the prototype I have had to incorporate. The end of the loop is too far in the station direction, while the point to enter the yard is too far in the Plymouth direction. It makes a big impact on the bridge location (and the Avon bridge) but should still look like Brent...

Convert it into the 74xx that was sheded at NA and use on a freight?

Some laser cut glazing would be really handy for them....