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barrowroad

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  1. barrowroad
    By way of a change I have spent some time assembling the two kits of laser cut parts for the boiler house and the stores at the rear of the shed these being the last of the buildings provided by York Modelmaking back in 2010. Both buildings are made from 2mm laser cut mdf with hard plastic [Rowmark] for the window frames and brick details which I glue to the mdf. Each building was given a coat of grey primer and coloured using Faber polychromos crayons. The tiles are also from York and are self adhesive strips. Both buildings have extra detailing added.
     
    First the boiler house at the rear of the workshop.
     

     

     

     

     

     
    The stores at the rear of the roundhouse.
     

     

     

  2. barrowroad
    The layout is not operational at present as all the power supply units, NCE equipment and circuit breakers are elsewhere for fitting into two power boxes than are being made for me - thanks again Chris!
     
    In the meantime I decided to make a start on the B7R and B7L turnouts for the storage sidings. I am using 4mm wide x 1.6mm thick copper clad strip for the sleeper timbers and Nickel silver bullhead rail.
     
    These series of photos show the latter stages of construction. The timbers have been laid out on templot templates the 1 in 7 crossing V constructed and soldered into position followed by the straight and curved stock rails. We pick up construction with the first of the wing rails. In the photos left to right are - DD Wheelrights Jig for crossing alignment - two three point track gauges and a Roger Sander 'Mint gauge'.
    To the front is a jig for filing up the 1 in 7 crossing V. It also will do 1 in 6; 1 in 8 and 1 in 9.
     

     
    The DD block gauge in use to set the wing rails.
     

     
    The Mint gauge is used to check tightness in the track gauge. If tight the soldering iron will assist adjustment.
     

     
    Three track gauges in use to hold the closure rail/switch blade in position.
     

     

     

     
    Wing rails added.
     

     

     
    Soldering the blades.
     

     
    The completed B7L
     

     
    Five made so far
     

     
    26 to go!!
  3. barrowroad
    Diesels are alright but I thought it about time we had steam so this afternoon my modified Hornby Black 5 44965 stretched her legs around the layout for the first time.
     
    The engine is converted to P4 using Alan Gibson wheels. The Hornby chassis has cosmetic frames - a Gibson milled version - which I attached using strips of plasticard, as spacers, to widen the distance between the frames. The coupling rods and valve gear are the original Hornby ones - I removed the threaded nuts from the Hornby wheels and fixed them into the Gibson wheels which enabled use of the original fixinfgscrews.
    The front bogie has been replaced using a Masokits unit and Comet side frames. Extra detailing comes from a Brassmasters detailing kit for the Black 5.
     

  4. barrowroad
    I have a rake of Comet coaches which I converted from 00 using Bill Bedford sprung bogies and Gibson P4 wheels. These coaches are a fixed rake and have now had Alex Jackson couplings added to each end to enable a test run of the complete set. As they are heavy I decided to use one of my converted Bachmann Peaks, D13, to pull the test train.
     

     
    For those interested the rake is made up as follows;-
     
    Corridor Brake Composite D1720A
    Restaurant Composite D1811
    Open First - Porthole D2160
    Corridor Composite D1925/69
    Corridor Third D1899
    Corridor Third D1899
    Corridor Third D1899
    Open Brake Third D1913
  5. barrowroad
    In 2013 I wrote an article for LMS Review on the then new Bachmann 4F. One of the two I purchased was 43875 which visited the Bristol shed.
     

     

     

     

    My intention was to convert it to P4 for the layout and a couple of years ago I purchased an Easi-Chassis kit from Brassmasters and started the conversion. This ground to a halt early in 2017 pending a decision on which method of pick-ups to use. Over the past week I have completed the project - not the easiest conversion to attempt - and this afternoon the 4F was tested on a freight on the layout.
     
    Here is a video of the test freight train. Especially for you John:-) Thanks to Morgan for the loan of the stock.
     

  6. barrowroad
    The lift out board - number 19 - has now been fully wired. Power to board 19 is fed via four brass strips on the board which, when the board is in position, make contact with 4 brass sprung plungers obtained from old light bulb connectors.
    To enable power to still feed Board 20 when 19 is lifted out power cables have been run down the support legs, across the floor and up the support leg of board 20.
    To avoid the potential disaster of engines and stock being accidentally driven into the abyss a dead section of track exists on each side of the gap, on up and down lines, so that power is removed when the lift out board is removed. These four sections of track are controlled by micro-switches. The four on the vertical faces - board 18 and 20 - switch on power when board 19 is in position. The four on the horizontal surface switch on power when the wooden barrier pieces are in position enabling full use of the track when board 19 is out.
     

     
    Lift out board 19 - pre track fitting photo
     

     
    Inter board cables
     


     
    Board 18 connections
     

     
    Board 18 with barrier in place.
     


     
    Board 20 without and with barrier.
  7. barrowroad
    On Monday this week with the help of my friend Chris - builder of baseboards and designer of electrics - the lift out section Board 19 was fitted to complete the full circuit of the layout and some test trains were run to prove the electrics. On tuesday the local Scalefour Society area group had their monthly meeting and the layout was subjected to an evening of, in the main, successful running a variety of locos and rolling stock. Due to the numbers attending it was not possible to take any suitable videos so today I took the attached video of a passenger train - Bachmann 3F 43762 with four Mk1s and a 8F 48305 on a freight passing the shed.
     
    The Bachmann 3F is modified with a set of drop in Ultrascale wheels and has no compensation.
    The 8F is based on an upgraded Comet chassis and Hornby body - please correct me if I'm wrong Morgan.
     
    43762 and 48305 passing Bristol Barrow Road Shed
     

  8. barrowroad
    Just in time for Christmas here is D41 plus four Bachmann Mk1s on the first test of the Up Main from Lawrence Hill Junction through the storage sidings.
    The Bachmann Peak runs on a Rumney Models chassis courtesy of Justin and the Mk1s run on Bill Bedford bogies courtesy of Morgan - thanks to you both.
     

     
    Happy Christmas and New Year to you all.
     
    Robin
  9. barrowroad
    I've had a train - Bachmann Peak D41 on Rumney Chassis plus four Bachmann MK1s performing a test run through the storage sidings. The test traversed Board 9 to Board 18 and involved a number of successful forward and reverse moves - I really must register on Youtube and take some videos.
     
    Wiring has progressed further since my last entry with the production of 16 wiring looms for the analogue Cobalt point motors. These are positioned along the double track main line and will be operated from two signal boxes at either end of the scenic section of the layout - Engine Shed Sidings - 6 Cobalts and Lawrence Hill Junction -12 Cobalts. The former have been wired in whilst I have been working on the latter today. All 12 are on Board 8 - the busy board.
     

     
    Each loom consists of 9 long [20mm] pins that are at 2.54mm pitch. I have soldered single core 1/0.6 wire to each pin - colour coded - and soldered the other ends to a tag strip.
    The next photo also shows the Brian Morgan operating linkage for the pair of double slips on this board marked LT43a and LT38; and LT19a and LT20.
     

     

     
    The final photo for today shows a close up of the inter-board connectors I am using. They are Trident brand and are 12 pin male and female units. The 'L' mount for the female ones was made be a local company.
     

  11. barrowroad
    Further progress on the wiring with Boards 14 and 15 now partially complete. The immediate object is to wire the complete circuit of the double track main line. Boards 14 and 15 are storage yard boards on which the bus bars are now fixed as are the inter board 'jumper' cables. The UTP cab bus units are also now wired.
     
    Board 14

     
    Board 14

     
    Board 14

     
    Board 15

     
    I've just started on Board 16, with just 17 to 20 to go.
  12. barrowroad
    Since July, modelling time has been allocated to wiring the layout. The scenic section of the layout consists of boards numbered 1 to 9 and these are the ones I am focused on at present.
    This part of the layout is divided into a number of power zones - 1 and 2 the UP and DOWN main lines. Zone 5 the sidings alongside the shed; Zone 6 & 7 divide the main yard and Zone 8 the roundhouse.
    I have added two power buses for the cobalt point motors in the yard which are Zones 3 & 4.
    Just to give a flavour of the task here are photos of board 8 and board 4.
     

    Board 8 trackwork
     

    Board 8 wiring
     

    Board 4 trackwork
     

    Board 4 wiring
     
    Work is well on the way on the other scenic boards.
  13. barrowroad
    This update covers work carried out since my last entry. The lift out board has been tweaked to ensure it slots into the layout by the shed door. I have replaced the over catches with a more robust set to ensure the board locks firmly into position.
     

     

    Black card strips have been laid in preparation for the final lengths of track to complete the UP and DOWN main lines.
     

     
    The second pair of ' King turnouts' for access to the Up and Down Storage sidings and the Second Crossover are now in position.
     

     

     
    Slots in ten boards have been routed out to position and fix NCE connectors.
     

     
    I have obtained a secondhand 60ft turntable which is shown in the corner of the UP yard. This will be used to turn locos returning from 'Up North' anywhere on the Bristol - Newcastle line.
     

     
    My second Bachmann Peak D41 has been converted to run on a Rumney Models chassis - excellent job Justin many thanks.
     

  14. barrowroad
    The first two B7 'King' Turnouts have been installed this afternoon together with the first two metre lengths of K&L flexitrack [ have I had it in stock that long!!].
    The track board joints are my usual 12BA brass cheese-head screws through ply sleepers. With the holes are drilled 1.2mm and screwed down they have the benefit of vertical adjustment to the underside of the rail prior to soldering. Each rail is then cut in situ using a fine razor saw. Strips of 0.3mm black card are used as a base for gluing the track and prepared lengths are visible in the following photos.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
     
     
    The brass plates under the switch blades are the Brian Morgan turnout units which I have used on the scenic side of the layout and have incorporated here as I am using up remaining stock.
    I am contemplating a different mechanism for the remainder of the storage sidings turnouts,
  15. barrowroad
    Both C12 crossovers are now built, one for each end. Starting at the Lawrence Hill Junction end of the layout I have now extended the hand built track onto the first storage yard board to join up with the C12 crossover at that end. The first B7L turnout from the Up Main to the storage sidings is also built and is test positioned in the following photos. I have built the end curves using ply and rivet construction to make sure the gauge widening is correct. All the straight track in the storage sidings will be C&L flexitrack.
     

     

     

     

     

    A few close up pics of the C12 crossover at the request of Dave,
     

     

     

     

     

  16. barrowroad
    Since my last entry I have had a rethink on the curved scissors crossover. It is critical to the running of the layout and being on a curve I have decided to simplify the entrance/exit of the Up and Down storage sidings by using a single crossover at each end. These will be C12 1600mm radius one will permit trains to access the down main from the UP sidings whilst the other from the DOWN sidings to the UP main.
     
    My decision followed additional work on the working timetable and following the movement of trains in and out of the storage sidings. I realised there was no need for the second crossover at each end which enabled simplification of the trackwork.
     

     
    First page of 2 of the working timetable
     

     
    Proposed plan of Storage Sidings
     

     
    C12 1600mm curved crossover - Templot
     

     

     
    Here is the progress made on the first of the crossovers with the 1 in 12 crossing V's in place.
     

     

  17. barrowroad
    After a great deal of thought I've finally decided on a track plan for the fiddle yard - well the main bits anyway. There will be five storage sidings to the side of each of the up and down main running lines which will run through the middle of the sidings. The sixth track will be a run around loop for locos etc. This also has a pair of turnouts for additional storage into the four corners in order to maximize use of the space available. I am considering putting one or more loco turntables in the corners next to the wall.
    Having finally "mastered" Templot - well sufficient to produce the plans in the attached photos - the entrance/exit at each end is via a pair of C12 scissor crossovers. These are on a 1600mm curve and are at 50mm centres. I went for the C12 as the minimum radius on the inner crossover is 44.4". The use of the scissors will give maximum flexibility.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    Gluing the printed A4 sheets together was an interesting exercise!
  18. barrowroad
    Over the past couple of weeks I have added a 2mm layer of adhesive foam to the remaining boards including the seven in the fiddle yard. My choice of a roll of 10m x 1mm 'Envoy Multi Adhesive Underlay' via Ebay has proved relatively easy to lay and economic at just shy of £18 for the roll. The adhesive layer on one side needs careful handling when peeling back the clear plastic covering sheet but once in place it grabs well and sticks. You will not remove it easily. Made of recycled rubber tyres it will take adhesives - I have used PVA for fixing the track work - but is also waterproof and has the added advantage of being black.
     
    Each board joint has a 10mm wide piece of 2mm thick strip wood glued across the ends - from Cornwall Model boats. This is there to fix the track ends. I use 12BA cheese-head brass screws as fixing points to solder the rail onto at the board joints. When laying the foam I initially found it difficult to remove the 10mm strip of foam at each end of a board - as mentioned it sticks well!! After battling with one board I used a 10mm length of masking tape along each end prior to fixing the foam mat and hey presto the cut 10mm strip just peeled away. The stripwood was then glued in position.
     

     

     

     

     

     
    Having finished laying the foam I moved onto something different pending arrival of the templot plan for the fiddleyard.
    I obtained a rake of Comet coaches from Geoff Brewin's estate and being 00 I have converted them to P4 using Bill Bedford LMS coach bogie etches. The etched frames fold and solder well but the brake shoes are something else. Thanks to Mike G for his assistance in the build. He left off the brakes and I now know why. After adding the brakes and wished I hadn't as they are very difficult to position correctly. I decided to remove the inner shoes and adjust the outer sets to stop them rubbing of the wheels once the weight of the coach body was added to the sprung bogies. They run really well now.
     

     

     

     

     

  19. barrowroad
    I hope you have all had a good Christmas.
     
    I thought I'd share a few photos of the trackwork added during a quiet hour on Christmas Eve.
     
    Well nearly complete. All the track on Board 21 is now in position with just the sleeper staining - Jacobean Dark Oak - and the droppers - Palatine Models - left to do.
    The track has now crossed onto Board 20 the track ends being soldered to 12BA brass screws which are screwed through the ply rivets. I use a pair of ply sleepers on each side of the track across the joint and adjust the height of the screws accordingly. At this joint it was necessary to double the sleeper thickness by using 2 sleepers, one on top of the other, to achieve the correct height.
     


     

     
    The use of a mirror is a good aid when laying track. It enables identification of any track alignment issues.
     

     

     

  20. barrowroad
    Board 21 now has the majority of the track laid - just a couple of 60ft lengths to go. All the track is C&L ply sleepers with functional Exactoscale 4 bolt BR/LMS chairs. I've just received an order for a pack of 500 to complete this board. You will see in the photos lengths of black card which I use under the ply sleepers.The card is 0.2mm thick and 6mm wide and has become my standard practice for track laying following a recommendation by Graham Turner - if you need to adjust any length of track it is a simple job to slide a spatula underneath the card to release the glue and the track.
     
    The photos show the siding alongside the Up Main which was used by the banker for the Fishponds Bank. 4F 43924 [ a Barrow Road loco ] is shown in the siding. This Bachmann loco is currently awaiting conversion to P4 using a Brassmasters Easi-chas kit.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  21. barrowroad
    Bristol Barrow Road now has a full set of baseboards - 21 in total - to enable the layout to operate as a continuous circuit with Up and Down main lines and a 20ft plus fiddle yard.
    All the baseboard construction is the work of my friend Chris Yates who has made all the additional boards over the past 12 months. The curved boards at both ends of the layout have proved to be an interesting exercise the sides formed from three layers of 3mm ply glued and clamped around former jigs. Board 19 lifts out to enable access without the need to perform a limbo dance under the layout.
     
    Here are some photos:-
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    Edit:-
    I've been looking for underlay for the new boards and discovered some black self adhesive wood floor underlay, 2mm thick, in B&Q. Bit expensive @ £50 for 10m x 1m but I found the equivalent on ebay for £17.
    This afternoon I fixed some to Board 21 - first cut to shape using a Stanley knife and then fix by pealing off the backing - voila job done.
     

     
    The trackwork is the turnout for the siding that held the banker engine - usually a 4F - used to assist trains up the 1 in 60 gradient ( max ) to the summit at Fishponds Station.
     

  22. barrowroad
    I have just finished fitting the 22 smoke hoods and chimneys to the roundhouse roof trusses. In order to enable future maintainence I decided I needed a method that allowed easy removal and chose to use two lengths of 0.8mm nickel silver wire to fix and support the piece brass tube used for the chimney section of each unit. These can been seen in the attached photos.
     
    I also needed a suitable height jig to postion each unit at the correct height and orientation in order to mark the position for the support wires. By chance I found that the Ballast Spreader marketed by Greenscenes http://www.green-scene.co.uk/ proved to be ideal. Not only is it the correct height but when inverted I could use the grooves for the rail as a guide for aligning the chimney hoods to each road of the turntable.
     
    The 8 octagonal support columns have been temporarily fitted in order to assist supporting the weight of the roof trusses. These are from Alan Gibson and are cast white metal - originally produced by AG for Bath Green Park Station. They have been modified for Barrow Road with turned bases and a length of 3mm brass rod inserted into the top to slot into the roof girder. This work was kindly carried out for me by Morgan Gilbert - thanks Morgan.
     
    Here are some photos.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    You will note that some of the resin smokehoods are temporarily fixed using masking tape. This will be replaced by nickel silver wire.
    Each smokehood will also have handrail knobs - Markits WD variety - fitted to the 4 corners in order to attach 0.6mm wire for additional support.
  23. barrowroad
    Following completion of the track laying inside the roundhouse I have completed the four road workshop pits. During the period I am modelling only two loco turntables were in use on roads 2 and 4. Of these only road 2 was used for loco repair and then only infrequently. Road 4 - I need to cover the pit - was used to access to the large wheel lathe which was positioned at the end of road 4 in the corner of the workshop. Loco driving wheels, for turning on the lathe, were removed from locos on the wheel drop [ this is on the long road exiting the rear of the shed which ends with a small turntable]. Wheels went via this turntable into the workshop.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     
    And for Killybegs and Mike G a few of the Britannia 'Flying Dutchman'.
    The position of the Wheel Drop is visible in the first photo.
     

     

     
    and Morgan for the Mk1s in the coaching stock
     

     

     
    Finally for this roundup I have a new chassis on my Peak D13 courtesy of Rumney Models. Many thanks Justin.
     

  24. barrowroad
    I thought it about time I added some track to the turntable pits so for the past week I have spent some time making up lengths of nickel sliver bullhead track adding M1 Exactocscale chairs and Palatine rail droppers. One length of track is then carefully positioned and fixed using Butanone. The second rail is then added using gauges.
     

     

     

     

     

     
    UPDATE 13th July 2016
     
    After adding around 1100 M1 chairs the 24 shed roads now have rail added.
     
    Here are a few photos.
     

     

     

     

     

     

     

  25. barrowroad
    Having added the single slip and extended the sidings onto the Days Road board I decide to do some work on the bridge itself. First task was to modify the parapet by removing the 'indents' and straightening the brickwork.
     

     
    The bridge structure was fixed onto pieces of 6mm ply to form a base to set into the foam on the baseboard top.
     


     
    The structure was given a coat of Halfords red oxide primer before the brickwork was detailed and weathered prior to a final blend coat of Humbrol Matt tan no 62. Smoke stains and additional weathering were added.
     

     
    The road and pavement were cut to shape from card with the gutter formed from plasticard sheet. The gutter was laid into a channel cut into the card so that the surfaces were level. Curbstones are from 1mm x 1.5mm plastruct strip cut into 8mm lengths and glued to the gutter plastic.
     

     

     
    The extension to the road way curves at the end of the bridge itself and has a downhill gradient. The supports for this were made from a box of 6mm ply and glued to the base support.
     

     
    Pieces of 2m mdf have been shaped and attached to form the support for the stone walling along the edge of Days Road. I intend to add Faller random stone embossed card when my order arrives - assuming it is suitable.
     
    The land infill is cut from a sheet of 50mm Celotex insulation and cut to shape - photos were used as a guide.
     

     

     
    The surface of the Celotex was given a thin coat of PVA before a layer of coloured coving adhesive was laid over the surface. I used the powdered version adding water and liquid poster paint to give a grey colouring.
     

     

     
    The buffers at the end of the 4 sidings are made from old sleepers. I used ply sleeper strip to make these by laminating cut pieces to form the buffer stops. The siding nearest the main line had a replacement buffer positioned in front of the old sleeper stop which was at the base of the bridge abutment.
     

     

     
    And a coat of cauldron jacobean wood dye...
     

     

    Just for you Mike......
     

     

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