Grimleygrid

Hi Cheesy, It really depends on your budget and also which model you prefer. I have only seen the new model in a box and not next to the original to have a good comparison. Have heard mixed reviews of them. I have a couple of rakes of the older version (I am not in the same league as Mr. Dagworth!) which were bought many years ago and after weathering I am more than happy with them. Yes they are old and I am sure the newer model is far superior but behind a Grid and trundling past would you really notice? I don’t know. Here are a couple of photos of the HAAs that I weathered last year: I am happy with mine and could not afford the time or money to replace the 70 odd old ones that I have. The main thing is that you are happy, whether that be with the older or newer models. Hope that helps.

I am surprised at you Leon going over to the dark side……..leaving behind 37s, 56s and 60s, very disappointed! Love them or hate them the Bachmann shed is a very good model, I have to confess to owning a couple myself but please keep that quiet! Looks good on your layout, do you have any covered steel wagons? Whenever I see photos of your metals Grid and Petroleum 60 it makes me want to get some sector locos!

There is no arguing with the reliability and availability figures that Sheds have given freight companies which is very impressive. Yes they worked straight out of the unlike the 60s but you have to put this into perspective. The 60 was a completely new design, the 66 was built using proven and off the shelf technology which was readily available so EMD could offer a cheap and affordable loco. Both locos do what they are designed to do, a shed is a jack of all trades and a 60 a heavy freight loco. The US Rail Industry is in a completely different league and can offer cheaper locos than we can in the UK. The future does not look bright for them but until DB get a replacement a handful will remain in traffic to cover the diagrams which need the extra power. If you look at this time last year and then the tail end of 2009 DB were trying desperately to get rid of them. This even meant double-heading some services; Tunstead to Oakleigh hoppers, Robeston to Westerleigh, Lindsey to Westerleigh and a couple of times on the Lindsey to Jarrow. As the fuel bill started to soar questions were asked why this was happening and low and behold a 60 returned to Peak Forest and a few more to IM. Now we see 59/2s venturing from Merehead to Warrington and now Margam it just proves that DB need a few heavy freight locos. Six 59/2s will be stretched if they are to cover all these diagrams and things pick up at Merehead…….. Like them or hate them the 60s are still going strong and under the original design by now they should have been overhauled at least twice. It just goes to show how good engines they are to keep going after the treatment they have received. I am sure most engineers would agree that treating machinery in such away i.e. store for months, back into traffic then store again etc., etc. does little to help it mechanically. Still I am sure a shed would be in much better condition with the same treatment……..

Hi Pete, I am planning to cover the roof in plasticard with the skylights made using a brass etch, depending on cost. Going to see if PH Designs can help! I agree CromptonNut, totally bonkers! I am very pleased with how it is progressing and glad that you like it. Thanks Big Bob, my plan is to have one of the roof sections removable to allow you to see the detailing inside the shed, probably above the four through roads (1 to 4). This should also allow you to see a few of the dead-end roads too. I may also see if it is possible to have the roof above roads 13 to 15 removable so that you can see a loco up on jacks. Come on Bachmann where are those lifting jacks?!! It is funny as I am planning to use clear plasticard and spray it but hadn’t thought about leaving it so that you could see through! Like I say that is the plan but will have to wait and see when the roof is being added.

Saturday I managed to do a bit more woodwork and dry fitted the majority of the roof pieces. A few are missing but will be added during the week. I am nearly at the stage to glue all the pieces on which hopefully if the weather is ok will be done next weekend. A few photos of progress:

Agree with the previous post absolutely stunning, love the block of flats top modelling. The road effect looks really good, Jim has come up with a great method there and you have mastered it perfectly. It certainly does look good.

Well despite quite a few hours work there is still very little to show for it! Over the past few days a lot of time has been spent working on the roof which has taken a lot longer than I had expected. But perhaps that is just because I would like it all finished now! Small channels/grooves have had to be cut out of all the cross pieces in order to allow the long sections that will run from front to rear to sit in place. This whole structure will support the roof. I have to say that I can see light at the end of the tunnel especially after dry fitting some of the long pieces in place yesterday afternoon. It is starting to look like the roof of a building! Here are a few photos of progress showing the long pieces placed on top to see how it will look when finished. Please excuse the mess! Some slight adjustments will need to be made when the cross pieces are placed in their final positions to make sure that the long pieces are running parallel. Hopefully next weekend will see more progress.

Hi Mark, not sure how I missed it but just seen the photo of 60029 on the BP TEAs, superb! The Bachmann bogie tanks are lovely models and do look good in a rake behind a 60, I bet that looked good passing over your viaduct!

Thanks Vac_Basher, I agree it is insane! Peter, I wish my woodworking skills were as good as my Fathers! I have to confess that he has done the majority of the work to which I am very grateful. The shed is coming on albeit slowly and should start to look a bit better once the rest of the roof structure is in place. Then I need to start working on the metal work inside the shed, this is going to be interesting! I keep looking through photos of locos inside Toton and want to make more progress, problem is at present it is a tad chilly in the garage??¦??¦. Thanks J, it will look better once covered in plasticard and painted and weathered. Also once the track and inspection pits have been put down it will give an idea of how it should look once finished.

Excellent weathering on 31323 Peter, just right and how I remember them. Love it! Can just imagine it idling away!

Yesterday we managed to get the roof supports in place for the raised part of the building above roads 13 to 15. The cross pieces (trusses) for the main roof section which spans the four through roads (1 to 4) and the other dead-end roads (5 to 12) will hopefully be added next weekend. These pieces need notching out first before the connecting strands which run from the front to the rear can be added. This is adding strength to the whole building. A few photos of progress:

Quality, absolute quality!

Hi Dave, I look forward to seeing some 60s at Waverley West, especially 081! You could get a Mainline 077, remove the numbers, logos and name plate and add coal sector transfers and hey presto a coal 60 without the need to respray one! Would be nice if Hornby were to do 095 when it carried just unbranded triple grey, that would make it very easy to renumber and allow many triple grey examples to be modelled. They would sell bucket loads of them! It was June 1990, 60001 and 002 ventured up to Inverness on some Redland hoppers and a test coach. Might be something to have on your layout!

Excellent photos as usual. When are we going to see a class 60 on test? A couple ventured up to Scotland on test late 80s/early 90s so you too could have them passing through Waverley West!

Nice photo, think you need a few more HEAs though!

Thanks for sharing your ballasting method, I have just been reading through it and the results are superb. As I will have to attempt some ballasting in a few months time it is nice to see how others do it. Excellent job!

Looking good Pugs. You should have her finished in a couple of months! It is also very satisfying making your own transfers.

Thanks Leon, those Pikestuff roof vents look superb. Just been doing some research for Boxenby and they will be perfect. Normally I use enamel thinners used gently with cotton buds, it might be worth trying that in an area where the new plate will go first. This worked fine for removing the nameplate on 60077 but the later models such as 60066 didn??™t work too well. Good luck, I look forward to seeing her. One day I would like to model 56073 Tremorfa Steel Works in this condition: http://stevejackson....t/p3099623.html Nice!

Looking good. Where did you get the roof detailing parts from, they look superb?

Thanks to everyone for the comments. Hi Dave, sorry! No problem, we are using 5.5mm plywood and 8mm square wooden battens. To join the pieces of wood together we are using Evo-Stik Resin W wood glue and then small nails/ tacking pins to hold it. Oh and a few clamps help! I have to say some pieces are very delicate and we were wondering how strong the structure would be but now it is surprisingly solid. Once the roof trusses/cross pieces are in place that will also help to add further strength. Ian, yes it is, perhaps I should have stuck with Grimley TMD! My original plan was to have the roof completely removable but that may be asking too much, now I think it will just be one of the smaller sections over the four through roads. This will also add strength to the structure if the main part of the roof is permanent. Although not as I had planned, once removed this will still allow you to see inside of the shed and view certain areas. I think I may have the roof over the raised section (roads 13 to 15) as this is where the lifting jacks will be. The plan for the roof is to use 3mm plasticard sitting on the pieces of wood with the skylights added afterwards. I will have a better idea later in the week once the roof pieces have been added. Thanks Crisis Rail, yes it is good looking back at those years! Last night we managed to do a small amount of work but important never the less. The side piece of the raised roof section was added which has really strengthened the structure. The cross pieces to support the roof will hopefully be added later in the week or at the weekend.

Thanks very much for posting the photos, a truly superb depot. Really love the inside of the shed!

Yesterday we spent a few hours assembling the depot frame which has now been glued and pinned. The cross section supports for the roof will be added later in the week. Once the basic shed has been put together I can then start marking out where the inspection pits will go. Not much to see just yet but it is starting to come together:

Excellent layout. The weathering on the tunnel mouth is superb, absolute stunning modelling. Just been visiting your website and seen your excellent MPD, any chance you could post some more photos of it?

Thanks Pete, yes there is a large area to cover both inside and outside of the depot shed! Might need a few of your inspection platforms! Thanks BigT, I am sure that I can sort something out to accommodate the running of a Grid on HAAs passed the depot! Might be a quite some time before it happens though??¦??¦ Good old BR days, it does take you back??¦??¦??¦ Can??™t disagree with you Cromptonnut. Guilty! Last night we addressed the minor problems and the shed is now ready for gluing together permanently, which hopefully will be done at the weekend. Very pleased with how it has turned out. 60040 came out of its box for the first time yesterday and was used to see how a loco will look inside the shed. It gives a good idea of how it will turn out.