Waverley West

6 minutes ago, dmu 156 said:

Just had a look at the service sheet and the seating units are separate parts. They appear to have a shoulder/tab on the sides which suggests you might need to spread the body sides apart to remove them.

Yes, thanks tried that but to no avail. I can get it to loosen a little but not actually remove it.

This question has been asked a couple of times on this thread, but I can't see that it's been answered, so here goes...

How on earth do you get the cab insert out in order to fit a driver? As far as I can see it's screwed to the PCB in the cab roof, but I can't see how or whether that is secured to the cab roof itself in turn, or whether it's just secured to the cab insert which is a very snug fit in the cab.

All manner of jiggling, wriggling, twisting and pulling has so far proved fruitless. Very frustrating. I really don't want a 110mph loco running round my layout without a driver.

The only other alternative I can see at the moment is to put some glue on the base of the driver and attempt to squeeze it in somehow, but that risks getting glue on the cab windows.

Anyone have any ideas?

Thanks!

Dave

So sorry to read this, David. You have done such a fantastic job so far and made so much progress over the years. Obviously, I don't model the same period as you, but I certainly recognise the depot and all its buildings from my various books on Haymarket MPD.

I too hope it finds a new owner where it can continue to be developed and enjoyed

Regards

Dave

11 hours ago, SHMD said:

Where's the Landy gone?

 

Only joking. Great tohave you back posting again.

 

 

Kev.

 

Still there, Kev. In fact, there's a Series II version on my workbench which will eventually replace it when I get round to it. There's a livestock trailer on the project list too. 

Re. derailing Accurascale Deltics, here is my explanation (cut-and-pasted from the AC Deltic thread) of the causes and modifications I found solved my issues with my 55018:

My Ballymoss kept derailing at two particular points on the layout, both on curves where there was a slight "hump" in the track at two baseboard joints.

I eventually realised that, at these points, the trailing bogie was pitching (moving in the plane of the loco) and then pivoting and then "unpitching" and straightening again.

As the bogie pivoted around the curve with the front of the trailing bogie pitching upwards and the rear pitching down (i.e. the loco was going over a slight hump in the track), this caused the top of the rear of the bogie to move directly below the coupling block on the chassis. If the bogie remained in this position as the loco came out of the curve and off the hump in the track, it ended up lodged beneath the coupling block. As the loco moved out of the curve, the bogie then became jammed against the coupling block and unable to straighten, causing the derailment.

The eventual fix proved to be filing a bevel of a couple of mm's on the top edge of the coupling block and the V in the end of the bogie. This stops the interlocking between the bogie and coupling block and prevents the bogie from becoming lodged on top of the coupling block as the loco comes out of the curve.

Not sure how well I've explained that, but I hope it helps someone! There may well be other reasons for these locos derailing, but this has completely eradicated the problems with my Ballymoss and I don't have any derailment issues with it now.

I have 4 Accurascale Deltics and test runs have indicated that two of the others are fine and one suffers from the same derailment issue, so that one will also have to undergo minor surgery.

As regards the infamous rattle, it really is just a question of opening the loco up and checking for possible sources. The main source of the rattle in my Ballymoss was one of the two circuit boards under the loco's roof. This couldn't be tightened using the screws, so I eventually ended up unscrewing it and attaching it to the loco using Bluetac. I also unscrewed the speaker and did the same with that. These two steps seemed to eliminate the rattle completely.

Result: a fantastic loco but quite a lot of working out what was wrong and then solving the problem to get there!

Fortunately, the other three locos do not seem to suffer from the same rattle.

I have now sold all my Bachmann Deltics and am enjoying my Accurascale ones. I came to realise just how far out the nose of the Bachmann Deltic is when I opened the box containing my first Accurascale one. I hadn't really worked out what was wrong with the Bachmann Deltic until that moment. The Accurascale one looks spot on for shape.

Hope that helps!

2 hours ago, MikeParkin65 said:

Really helpful post - thanks for taking the time to write it.

 

Amazingly, despite my very uneven base boards (Sundeala being progressively replaced along with an ongoing rewire) none of my 3 Deltics suffer from derailment issues.

 

I do have one with the occasional speaker rattle so will try adding 'padding' to replace the screws. Might be the temperature variations in my attic but I find Blue Tack 'goes off' over time, gets a hard 'crust' whilst beneath the crust goes super sticky. On that basis I'll use Black Tack instead which also has the advantage that it can be spread really thinly yet still be effective. 

It was interesting that not all my Deltics suffered from the same derailment problems, suggesting that it's a marginal issue with fine tolerances as to whether or not there's a problem.

Good suggestion about Black Tack. I've recently bought some to use for sound-fitting projects, so I might try using that instead of Blue Tack.

My Ballymoss kept derailing at two particular points on the layout, both on curves where there was a slight "hump" in the track at two baseboard joints.

I eventually realised that, at these points, the trailing bogie was pitching (moving in the plane of the loco) and then pivoting and then "unpitching" and straightening again.

As the bogie pivoted around the curve with the front of the trailing bogie pitching upwards and the rear pitching down (i.e. the loco was going over a slight hump in the track), this caused the top of the rear of the bogie to move directly below the coupling block on the chassis. If the bogie remained in this position as the loco came out of the curve and off the hump in the track, it ended up lodged beneath the coupling block. As the loco moved out of the curve, the bogie then became jammed against the coupling block and unable to straighten, causing the derailment.

The eventual fix proved to be filing a bevel of a couple of mm's on the top edge of the coupling block and the V in the end of the bogie. This stops the interlocking between the bogie and coupling block and prevents the bogie from becoming lodged on top of the coupling block as the loco comes out of the curve.

Not sure how well I've explained that, but I hope it helps someone! There may well be other reasons for these locos derailing, but this has completely eradicated the problems with my Ballymoss and I don't have any derailment issues with it now.

I have 4 Accurascale Deltics and test runs have indicated that two of the others are fine and one suffers from the same derailment issue, so that one will also have to undergo minor surgery.

As regards the infamous rattle, it really is just a question of opening the loco up and checking for possible sources. The main source of the rattle in my Ballymoss was one of the two circuit boards under the loco's roof. This couldn't be tightened using the screws, so I eventually ended up unscrewing it and attaching it to the loco using Bluetac. I also unscrewed the speaker and did the same with that. These two steps seemed to eliminate the rattle completely.

Result: a fantastic loco but quite a lot of working out what was wrong and then solving the problem to get there!

Fortunately, the other three locos do not seem to suffer from the same rattle.

I have now sold all my Bachmann Deltics and am enjoying my Accurascale ones. I came to realise just how far out the nose of the Bachmann Deltic is when I opened the box containing my first Accurascale one. I hadn't really worked out what was wrong with the Bachmann Deltic until that moment. The Accurascale one looks spot on for shape.

Hope that helps!

On 02/04/2023 at 17:14, meanach said:

It’s always great to see photos of your layout. I was through Edinburgh Waverley last week on my way to spend a few days behind 37403. It’s certainly not the place it was .
 

I don’t recall seeing the mainline spoon before , what’s that re worked from? Also I like the weathering on the bashers mk2 roof, how was that done? Ian 

Cheers Ian. You're right about Waverley, I'm afraid. It seems to be packed full of units of various lengths and shapes these days. Hardly a loco in sight.

The spoon was reworked from Bachmann 47832 Tamar. It was a fairly straightforward process, apart from the need to replace the battery boxes/fuel tanks with the correct type. The yellow around the cab windscreens had to be painted over, but that was it really, apart from the actual renumbering/naming.

The Mk 2 roofs were done by painting the areas a paler colour where the roof was to be peeling. These areas were then painted with Maskol. The roof was then completely resprayed and the Maskol removed to reveal the peeled areas. The entire roof was then covered with weathering powder in a suitable shade of grey.

Hope that helps!

Hope to be back soon with an update about my (ultimately successful) trials and tribulations with the new Accurascale Deltic.

Happy Modelling,

Dave 

On 02/04/2023 at 00:12, St Enodoc said:

Do tell!

Will do!

On 01/04/2023 at 22:31, ColinK said:

As always such a superb layout.  Any plans to exhibit it?

Thanks Colin, I'm afraid not. The layout was never built to be exhibited and it wouldn't stand up to the rigours of the exhibition circuit, I'm afraid. It is portable though, so it could be moved if necessary (house moves in other words).

Cheers

Dave

On 20/03/2023 at 14:05, Southwich said:

 

 

Busy morning at work this morning…

 

Latest tractor fitted with Brian’s latest LaserGlaze. Sharpie’d edges and Glue & Glaze made light work of the task. Well worth the effort and shows just how good the new tooling is. 2 more painted ones to go…

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

Very nice, Will. That really looks the part. Have yet to take the plunge with a new Bachmann 37, mainly being put off by the price and the apparent difficulty of fitting snowploughs to them. That certainly looks worth the effort you've put into it though.

It's the wrong colour though of course. It should be Large Logo. 😜

Hope all is well.

Cheers

Dave

Now there's a fine sight I'd thought I'd never see again. What a fantastic job. Well done to everyone involved!

Just need a CO tucked in behind the DBSO and the FOs dressed up as SOs (some people are never happy).

3 minutes ago, GordonC said:

 

I hadn't actually realised it was as unique as that! I bought a second one when they were in the bargain bin then struggled to find an obvious renumbering candidate so was intending respraying BR Blue to another headlight fitted example. I'd suspect it was probably chosen with the prototype still running around the main line network in essentially the same livery with just the electrification flashes needing changed.

 

Yes, I must admit I have so far chickened out on the idea of surgery and opted to do 20132 as my second Railfreight 20 (as per your photo, but with BR era electrification flashes), even though it didn't run in that form/livery in BR days. I did look high and low for an alternative number but drew a complete blank. I'd already bought it by then and couldn't believe it was unique. I think only around 20 Class 20s were painted in Railfreight livery, many of which were disc-fitted as well, narrowing the possibilities down further. I would have much preferred a non-headlight version. 

Maybe one day I'll get round to removing the headlight or sell the loco on. In the meantime, I have it running as the train loco in a pair, to hide the issue a little...

15 hours ago, GordonC said:

I liked the 20227 model, but it doesn't offer too many options for numbering. 

Ditto, but as far as I know 20227 was the only headcode-fitted Railfreight-liveried 20 to be fitted with a high-intensity headlight in BR days, making it unique and meaning that surgery is required to renumber it authentically. That makes it a very strange choice to me, given that so many other Railfreight-liveried alternatives without a headlight were available.

Unless anyone knows different?

I upgraded to the new version after selling off my old Bachmann 20s and don't regret it at all, as they are lovely models especially when fitted with Legomanbiffo sound, but I was hoping Bachmann would have produced a disc-fitted Railfreight version and a headcode-fitted BR Blue version by now.

3 hours ago, billywhizz said:

Stunning photos Dave. I had to look twice to make sure it was the layout and not a real location!! What do you use for taking the photos. 
always enjoy your updates, very inspirational!

Cheers. 
Bill. 

Thanks Bill! I use a Canon EOS 6D. I used to use a Canon EOS 500D, which I actually preferred. The field of depth seemed to be deeper for some reason. Unfortunately, it eventually gave up the ghost after too many beach holidays with the family, leading to sand getting into the shutter mechanism!

Dave

52 minutes ago, Southwich said:

Great work Dave - love the atmospheric photos! Are you heading to Model Rail Scotland in a few weeks? Would be good to catch up if so!

 

Kind regards,

 

Will

Thanks Will! I'm hoping to make it to MRS, yes. I've normally gone on a Saturday, but I think it will have to be the Friday this year, as I'm away at the weekend.

Looking forward to seeing you all and catching up again,

Dave

Lovely as always Peter.

I actually find the alternating liveries in a rake quite attractive and run a few rakes like that myself. It's amazing how often different liveried coaches seemed to be placed alternately.

I presume coach livery wasn't taken into account at all when forming up rakes and that this was just down to chance? 

33 minutes ago, lmsforever said:

Nice to see the loco depot  its a very good representation of a major centre  ,the offices are excellent a feature not often modelled and a night time period is different.a l  Good luck with the Deltics they will add a very special feel to the layout I must admit they were a class I liked to watch.  Towards the end of thier service I watched them go through Hitchin along with at least ten other chaps so I can dream.  wish I could run one on my layout but to small

Thanks lms. I wanted to include those offices as they often seem to be prominent in general views of the depot. They were quite tricky to make, as the glazing is very extensive, so keeping the structure square and rigid was a challenge. 

I was lucky enough to just catch the Deltics before their withdrawal. I never saw St Paddy or Nimbus, but I did manage to see the rest before they met their end. The problem I have is that, in terms of era, Waverley West has drifted towards the second half of the 80s over the years, so my Bachmann Deltics gradually saw less and less use. My plan to overcome this issue is to use the preserved KOYLI and Tulyar in particular on specials comprising Mk 1 stock, which will give me a legitimate reason to run them (besides the good old Rule 1 of course).