Shedmaster

Hi guys, You know I'm only too happy to help where I can, but just one tip if I may...? I did a few test cuts to learn how to use the tool and was initially gutted at it's innacuraccy, until I realised that I was reading the bi-directional scale UPSIDE DOWN and so cutting the wrong angle altogether ! This thing is very flexible as I mentioned earlier in that you can use it either side depending if you are left or right handed but the increments are also marked in both directions on each scale, so you do need to be reading the right one. You'll see that I've removed one of the sliding scales on the right hand side of mine..... Oh, did I mention....MIND YOUR FINGERS !!!! I know you'll be most impressed with this, just as I am Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi Pete 75C, This tool is a PROOPS multi angle craft guillotine and I bought it from here http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371231448909 For £10.20 including postage, I'm raving about this as it is perfect for the job and inexpensive too, especially considering the 'free' postage. You can obtain spare blades for it very easily and it arrives properly packaged in a proper sturdy, post safe box. Hope this is helpful ? Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi, After drying my eyes since adding the pictures to my previous post...I wanted to share my latest acquisition : There is nothing like having the right tools for the job, and, for this job a set of modelling knives from the pound shop just isn't going to, erm, cut it ! So, I managed to find this little gadget for cutting the required uniform angles in my I-beams, which give me the correct roof pitch. Only thing is, it clearly says in the instructions to mind your fingers and you definitely have to. The best bit is that you can cut either side of the tool depending on left or right handed users and it is entirely 'true' when working with smaller gauge materials. Recommended indeed ! Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi Will, I'm very pleased that this re-start has been considered interesting and helpful to others, even though I know I go on sometimes ! You are right in that yes, I did have the 'Electric Loco. Shed' and the 'Carriage and Wagon' shed built up for me by a professional model makers, who did as you say a superb job.... However, these items were 'stored unused' because I changed the design to actually work from the original architects floorplan drawing and make a more accurate model which included the floor and pits, as opposed to just working from photo's and assumptions, however good the finished model appeared. Looking back at these pics from my library......I can say that I've questioned my thinking over this on several occasions ! Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi SXHALL, Thanks for the idea of 3D printing for this. Although a brilliant way of getting things done, I'm going to stick to the more traditional methods for now and save this idea for some of the more intricate building features, such as some of the machines and heavy tools. I can confirm that the project for the working doors WILL still be re-activated at a later date as I still have all of the parts carefully stored, such as the motors, the door leaves and the door framing and runners. The main building will be plastic styrene construction but the working doors will have their own completely metal sub-assembly.........one day ! Kindest Regards, Shed. EDITED to add picture of Copal motor from library...

Hi mudmagnet, I think I've seen every kind of rib and corrugation available in 4mm scale now, it's making my eye's sting ! The thing with the Wills stuff is that I want to try to match the lines / joins as closely as possible to my project and the pre-printed pattern would have to be cut about so much to match, it could seem unsightly.......I think ? Maybe I worry too much but I want to experiment a little and score my own joins and add my own rivet / bolt heads and just behave totally like the obsessive bloke in 'Close Encounters' ! We'll see how many times I come back and have to declare a re-start eh ? Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi russ p, I think it did go for scrap.....here are some of my pictures of it : May I ask, what you know of this particular wagon, as I know nothing at all ? I'm sure your pictures will be better than mine, which were taken just before it went away. I'm sorry to say I don't know where this one escaped to, however, judging by it's condition I would suggest it was cut up ? Any pictures you would like to contribute would of course be gratefully received.....and why is it a 'BCA' ? My one is a cut and shut Bachmann bogie bolster thingy with a BDA under frame cut and shut into position, BDA bogies added and the buffers removed at one end. I won't be recreating the busted wooden floor with holes in though.........far too much else to be getting on with. Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi Rob, Pullman Car 'IONE' is the one pictured. I wasn't going to post it until April the 1st and then tell everybody that the VSOE was being re-liveried in Carmine & Cream.......think I may have got a kicking though ! Kindest Regards, Shed.

Thanks Peter, I'm currently looking at my options here, I may use the Wills stuff for the sides though. Thanks, Shed.

Hi All, Good Morning, So, 2015 seems to be getting off to a good start here at 'The Lane'. One month into the new year and I've managed to get the floor into place and the track wired up and working ! Now, I'm into the planning and design stage for the actual building... You'd think it was simple as I can just go out and buy a load of corrugated asbestos, cut to shape and stick it on the outside of my I-beams, right ? WRONG ! Take a closer look, as I have, and I've learnt that every asbestos panel on the face of the building is a different size and shape entirely : I think they've been replaced over the years due to breakages etc. At least the stuff on the sides is a little more symmetrical and should be easier to finish : I'm thinking that Slaters Corrugated Plasticard is my friend here, although I've also enjoyed reading threads here on RMWeb where people have worked wonders recreating corrugated asbestos sheeting in all sorts of different ways. That's all for now, Kindest Regards, Shed.

Good Morning, Just a quick update to say that finally, the floor here at Stewarts Lane that has been holding things up ever so slightly, is now finally finished and signed off as such ! The three tracks exit the shed building and have been 'sleepered' in their final position up to the end of the baseboard, where levelling, wiring and testing have been carried out, using 47 768 and some 'precision' driving : The Loco. crept slowly along each road in 'shunt', proving electrical continuity along all of the rails. Finally, a couple of bits I forgot to mention..... The Stewarts Lane 'Acid Wagon' : This is modelled using a 'Red Panda' kit and is a faithful reproduction of the vehicle used for delivering 'chemical refills' to the Carriage Washing Machine : ....and, the Stewarts Lane 'Sturgeon' with it's intended load, refurbished bogie frames : That's all for now, Kindest Regards, Shed. EDITED : To include pics of the real 'Acid Wagon for reference'.....

Hi Alex, Yes, I did enjoy my visit thanks.......I had time to spare whilst 'in the course of my duties' and so I was able to join the staff for some tea and a guided tour of the work being undertaken on one particular Pullman. So, that's another seventy odd photo's for the library ! The quality of the workmanship here really is of the highest standard but never seen by outsiders whilst taking place. They were indeed Pullman windows on the bench.......a nice little cameo for me to do later when I set up a 'refurb' scene somewhere in the shed with a 'carmine and cream' Pullman ! Unfortunately.....seeing all this stuff just encourages me to focus on the coaching stock, whilst keeping a nice sharp axe hovering over my Loco. fleet ! If I can get Stew. Lane to be half as good as your efforts on Boxenby, I'll be more than happy.....that'll be overhead exhausters, pit lighting and now ceiling lighting that I need to seek your help on later when I get round to it. Excellent and impressive work again mate, very much enjoying your updates. Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi, Thanks for your support, there is a long list of things to be doing on this project but sound chips for the 67's are definitely deemed 'necessary' ! It has occurred to me that just in the same way as too much EWS livery can be overpowering, so too can too much Pullman Umber and Cream ! I think a few speciality liveries may be in order......? That's all for now, Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi Mr G, Good Morning, It's great to see you being at the sharp end of new technology for your project and I know you're gonna do wonders with this. Although I'm really a long way off of this myself yet, it is the small details that will make all the difference in depot layouts of the future and you have got me thinking very much about how 3D printing would be a good way to go, especially with direct access to measurements etc ! I managed a full site visit yesterday and looking around, it is certainly the small details that I need for my project to 'get the look' So, thanks again for the inspiration........ Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi, Many Thanks again for your recent kind and supportive comments. Taking into account that I've started this project as somebody who doesn't consider themselves a modeller of any experience and who is having to learn as I go, I'm really over the moon to have my work here considered to be top quality. In line with this 'gotta be accurate' crusade of mine.....I've been out again this morning and double checking the all important 'look'... So far I think it's really coming together, taking this : ...and making it into this for example : What I'm checking here is that the I-Beam on the left is in the same position as in the photo, in relation to the edge of the wheel lathe patch and the front of the coach. In the excitement of playing trains yesterday, finally, I kind of forgot that this project is supposed to be more about the vehicles on site as well as the building, so here are a few pictures of the 'residents'... Pullman Car 'VERA', modernised with working buckeye couplings, electrical warning flashes, ETH and air brake equipment and current bogies : BR 'Sturgeon' wagon 994900. Currently in use as a bogie transit around the site : BR Bogie Bolster 960000. This has now left the site, but I've made a start copying the details such as missing buffers at one end : BR 'Lowmac' 083620. This one is still floating about somewhere at 'The Lane', our one is a Hornby donor and will be suitably detailed at some point : Pullman Car 'PHYLLIS' is currently on site at 'The Lane', although not in the same ex-works condition as our 'Golden Age Models' version ! At the kitchen end, there is even a fully detailed set of cupboards, cooker and a sink unit ! Finally, our CCT, 94181. This vehicle has now left for pastures new, but our Bachmann donor will still be seen shuttling about here from time to time : That's all for now........ Many Thanks again, Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi Bruce, Nice to hear from you and I hope you are well...... With 47 768 revving up and generally creating a racket, I then ran the new 67's just afterwards and they seemed really lifeless without a sound chip ! I reckon I'll put photography lessons and Class 67 sound chips on my Christmas list.......... Funnily enough.....our 37 109 worked the last booked turn out of 'Manor Lane TMD' before I sold the layout, seen here with the EWS Inspection Saloon : ...and it was the very same 37 109 that was the first Loco. to start testing here on the new layout to test the DCC system several years later ! It has been a very long wait....... Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi, Thanks for your interest..... Yes, the two Barrier coaches are bespoke conversions, heavily rebuilt from Bachmann GUV vehicles and were fully repainted and had livery elements applied. These two ventured to Birmingham recently and were photographed for ModelRail magazine but nothing has come of this rare outing for them. The EWS Generator coach was a conversion from a Bachmann Mk1 vehicle, with a fuel tank and bodyside vents added amongst other details, this too was fully repainted. Kindest Regards, Shed.

Thanks Mr G ! Erm....playtime was a little interesting. I've been crawling over this floor all morning to absolutely confirm that it is perfectly flat before moving on to playing with the 67's. I think you get the idea, I too have OCD and want this floor to be like a sheet of glass.....which it now is. I know cos I've checked a hundred times at least ! But....when you 'stand' at one end of a 60' here, and look along the lower edge of the bodyside, you wouldn't believe how pished they are ! It's like they've had a rough shunt back in their Manor Lane days and never been repaired ! Now........I hadn't planned to do pit lighting but there you go again Mr G.........giving me ideas ! THANKS ! Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi Alex, The styrene has been building up for a while courtesy of Santa........decided against brass I-beam in the end after reviewing my actual soldering capabilities versus my vivid imagination ! Very pleased you like the floor, however, it is showing up some problems. Whereby the floor is known and proved to be perfectly flat, it is showing up the slightest wonkiness in vehicle chassis - such as 37 109. I initially thought I'd ruined the floor yet again and then realised that some of the stock here is not entirely straight and true ! Now, just for you, I called in the Class 60's......well, the remaining four of them ! I think they look just fine but in truth they need a good wheel clean and running in, not to mention looking at the bulb contacts to make the lights work properly. Please bear in mind that these are only quick pics.......I know there's plenty wrong with them. Finally, three bespoke EWS coaches together : I read up on the Dynamis problem thread and have to say I'm disappointed with this - I consider them to be Bachmann 'branded' ESU units and so wouldn't expect quite as many issues as people are reporting ? That's all for now, off outside for some playtime before I have to surrender myself to household chores yet again..... Kindest Regards, Shed.

Good Afternoon, I'm finally able to offer a progress update from down here at 'The Lane'...... The baseboard on which the main building will sit has been modified and fitted with 2x2 cross bracing beams, on which a 15mm sheet of melamine has been fixed. The floor of the Electric Loco. Shed has in turn been fixed to this and proved to be perfectly level, altogether it's REAL heavy and solid ! The rails and sleepers were secured in place up to the baseboard edge and hard wired in underneath. Then they started to arrive... Firstly, 47 790 with two EWS 'Barrier Coaches', used to check and confirm the floor level and electrical continuity : Then, it was the turn of our newest arrivals, 67 005 & 006, to make their first appearance : However, I had to fit DCC chips to these and had to re-learn how to use the Bachmann Dynamis system ! The opportunity was taken here to start a new numbering format and so I had loads of fun running-up the sound fitted 37 109 and 47 768 : I really think the 67's need some sound too as they were quite......dull......in comparison. So, finally for this quick update......detailed planning has now started for the construction of the scale model of 'The Electric Loco. Shed' building. The track for the outside of the shed building will be laid and wired in before any plastic is committed for the building, however, I want to get the detail as right as possible and so am poring over the drawings and stocking up a little on supplies : Please accept my sincerest apologies for any worldwide shortage of 'Evergreen' plasticard products that may have occurred recently! Kindest Regards, Shed. EDITED : to tidy the post up...

Hi Alex, I'm very much liking your pit lights and think the brightness is just 'right'. Well done mate, an inspiration as usual.... Kindest Regards, Shed.

Mr Fatadder, I make you exactly right now you mention it, the full length of the train is probably a bit much for many layouts - but in reality, it doesn't have to be that way. I speak of course from personal experience...... For example, when I did my 'ED' training, we used to do a regular transit move from Stew. Lane to Ilford and back with just one Class 73 and one Pullman - to have its tyres turned, and then a different Pullman back out again after tyre turning and back home to 'The Lane'. The odd thing was always the wooden battens pinned around the end corridor holding bright blue sheets of plastic to keep the weather out during transit. Another ad-hoc move would sometimes be to come out of 'The Lane' with an 'ED' and two or three Pullmans and turn them - by running down via Lewisham and then back up towards London via Sidcup ! With regards to research........good luck with that! I have found that the VSOE fleet are very much a continual process thing, things are changing all the time. For example my generator car 6313........the second the EWS paint had dried, VSOE painted their one into Pullman house colours almost right away. Then there was the Mk1 baggage car, 99538. The second our model was released from works, VSOE replaced the real one with 99545 which although a Mk1, had a different window layout altogether ! Anyways, as for my project, 2015 is off to an excellent start...........as I just need to sort some woodwork out to mount my floor to and then it will be track laying time ! Happy New Year indeed ! Kindest Regards, Shed.

BLIMEY !!! That's gotta be the 'Mother Of All Shunts' hasn't it ? I worked these trains as a guard in the 90's but NEVER had a puzzle as complicated as that ! Much respect to the crews sorting that lot out......what a brilliant pic but why all the extra vans etc ? Kindest Regards, Shed.

Hi Pete 75C, Many Thanks for your help with this. I had looked at these previously and since forgotten them. I'll be revisiting this idea as a suitable compromise, with some mods. I think after cutting away the bracings, buffers and roundel, then painting, they will be okay...probably ! Your 'ability to solder fine detail is a bit lacking' comment, was exactly how I meant to put it.....I just haven't honed my detail skills yet - I've been too busy faffing about with the floor for as long as I can remember. Anyways, Thank You again, Kindest Regards, Shed.

Good Morning, Would anyone be able to advise me on my best options for obtaining models of the following buffer stops please in 'OO' scale ? They are of a Southern Region design and currently in use at Stewarts Lane Depot in London. The design is very 'short' in length and fairly basic, but with plates and bolts to keep the things together, for light depot use. I wouldn't be wanting to shunt an aggregates train of any weight up against these too hard! I need three of these and do have a similar PHD kit, however, my detail soldering and kit making skills aren't quite there yet and I would like to know if there is an easier way to get hold of these, and with the plates and bolt detail already provided. If I could find a kit, I would then be looking for somebody to ask nicely to build them up too. Any help would be very much appreciated...... Thank You, Kindest Regards, Shed.