Chris Chewter

After lots of fine tuning, changing LEDs, tidying wiring plus the occasional gnashing of teeth, the signal diagram is finally working in its entirety! I can now turn my attention to the barn without knowing there was another job to finish elsewhere on the layout.

I found the programme very interesting, but also slightly worrying at the same time. The one thing I noted was that there was a large proportion of retirees represented in the programme. For example, the guy making that Hellcat had time to spare to built such a beauty. My worry is when I look at my own kids, they love the models I make but only when they are finished and on their shelves, but aren’t interested in the painstaking time it takes to get there, nor understand the satisfaction of looking back on a model representing the effort invested in making it. I recognise the power of the ‘grey pound’ as one newspaper put it, but won’t a lack of investment in the younger generation be a mistake? I know it’s a well trodden worry, but to me the programme suggests that this is increasingly seen as a retirement hobby. Shouldn’t it be represented as a hobby for all generations?

Taking a quick photo from a similar angle shows that the hill is too high. Thankfully I think it’s a fairly easy fix in an easily accessible part of the layout. As you can see, I always knew there was a corrugated structure up there, it’s just that photo was the first time it was clearly a large barn. The aerial view is also interesting, although how to join the back of the old quarry the prefab sits in against the lower hillside could be tricky, which may be one of the reasons for this error. In fact, studying Phil’s OS extract, I think the quarry is further down the layout with the prefab sitting in a lower hollow. Looking at the photo above, I’m not sure there’s enough space for both the barn and cottage. Looks like I’ll need to get busy with the card and make some mockups! This has always been the most difficult part of the layout due to lack of access, it’s currently the most developed area in reality, and a lack of historic photos. However I feel when modeling a real location, it’s got to be worthwhile to try to get it right.

Just found a 1950s plan which I think shows the barn, and its a fairly huge structure! In case your wondering, I presume its the large nearly rectangular structure to the bottom right of the image. The hatched building with the Ordnance Benchmark symbol on it is, I think, Turnpike Cottage. Given its size, it appears to be in its original shape before it grew what appears to be a 1960s stone extension to its side! I understand that Turnpike Cottage is now a B+B. I really didn't want to compress things too much, but if i put that barn in its original position, then I think some of it may be laying off the layout with the roof chopped at an awkward angle. I also need to get some basic dimensions for the cottage to see if that'll fit. In case you're wondering how I missed it, the area is blank on the 1920s plan I used to set out the layout, because it showed a greater level of detail concerning the setting out of the running lines.

One of the frustrating things of modeling a real location, is that sometimes new information comes up that could result in redoing a part of the layout. The grassed area by the pre fab, known as the rope walk, rarely got in any photos. However I recently happened across this image showing a barn on the area in question. There is also the glimpse of a cottage in the distance that’ll need investigating.

Well its wired into the layout and it’s looking good in my opinion. Just got to iron out oddities such as back to front operation and why point 8 isn’t working. A job for another evening I think. It certainly looks better than my effort, with grateful thanks to Harlequin Phil. Here’s my original attempt for comparison:

Well another step closer with the points diagram. LEDs fitted and wiring loom sorted. I just need to reconnect it to the layout to get it working.

The only problems was with the plotter clipping the border, but not with the actual PDF. The PDF was spot on. I did wonder whether there would be the odd black border around some of the LEDs, but that dosnt appear to have occurred. The LEDs to point 8 and 9 were a bit tight and I cautiously drilled those praying it wouldn’t split, but seemed to have been successful. I didn’t use the drilling template and worked from the top with the Perspex protective tape in place. I did think about sticking the drilling template to the back so that you can identify the point from the rear when replacing LEDs. I’ll probably print this on a series of A4 sheets and fit the LEDs this afternoon, as I don’t have access to the plotter until Wednesday. Ill let you know how I get on.

Lets not start splitting airs

Since the last post, I’ve been working with Phil to replace the signal diagram. He’s redesigned the diagram and I’ve run this off on the plotter. I’ve replaced the Perspex as the LEDs will be in different positions and anyway, one was cracked. So, after some careful drilling taking the holes up by 0.5mm each time, here we are this morning.

In this unseasonably warm weather, I wasn't too surprised to happen across this Tortoise shell sunning itself in the car park of the school I was surveying near Northampton.

Thanks for the comments Phil. You are definitely correct. There has always been more important things to sort out on the layout rather than chuff rates. There are certainly a few locos that behave oddly and need adjustment. However I thought I'd go ahead and post the videos to gauge whether people are interested in seeing more of the layout. As for the birdsong, its one of those calming videos on Youtube. (Personally I'd rather listen to some Transacord recordings, but each to their own!) The starting and stopping abruptly is the challenge of trying to operate the layout whilst handling a camera. Unfortunately it can make you feel like an octopus and the operation can suffer. I've been meaning to try a few more videos so might try some adjustments and give it a go. (Cleaning the track beforehand is also helpful!) The comments are great because it reminds me that the layout is still of interest, and gives me the impetus to sort out some of the things that need sorting. at the moment, I keep on putting off the cliff face, and I'm not happy with the goods yard. Normally I just look at it and decide to leave it for another day. Perhaps a job for the summer months!

Managed to test run my "Yeo" earlier today and took a video of it running on my rolling road. Thankfully nothing fell off, however i can't help but worry that the plastic pins for the joy valve gear are man enough for the job.

I’ve not used those kits in particular, however personally I think that Laser cut kits in general are excellent. Made from plywood, they create robust models, and because there runs are smaller, they breakaway from the mass produced plastic kits. The relief is as good as plastic in my opinion. I used Timbertrack ply kits for my layout. These are more expensive than the eBay kits. I presume the cost difference is design as they all use the same materials.

I know it never happened in reality, but it does look good!

I’ve just received an email to indicate that my pre-order of Yeo has been dispatched, so it looks like the next batch has just hit the shops.

No doubt many of you have already read the Bachmann 2019 announcements thread, but I thought for continuity, I'd re-post that there are some new Baldwins being released: OO9 Scale Locomotives 391-030 Baldwin 10-12-D Tank No. 4 Snailbeach District Railways Black - weathered 391-031DS Baldwin 10-12-D Tank 590 Welsh Highland Railway Lined Maroon – SOUND FITTED 391-032 Baldwin 10-12-D Tank E763 'Sid' SR Maunsell Green Anyone know anything about the SR version? I didn't think the Southern had a Baldwin?

Heljan have just posted on their Facebook page that several consignments of new locomotives are due in Denmark next week. This includes the following Manning Wardles: 9953 SOUTHERN (1927-9) E760 ‘EXE’ 9954 SOUTHERN 759 ‘YEO' 9955 L&B 1362 ‘EXE' 9956 L&B 1363 ‘TAW’ Not too sure what the turnaround times are usually between arrival at Heljan Denmark and arrival in our local model railway stores?

The Hobby Craft own brand spray mount works well. I’ve tried hairspray but it’s not as sticky!

Probably because the OP wants to plan how many kits they need to purchase for their project, and to check whether it’s suitable before buying. There’s nothing worse than buying one to find it’s not right, or you could have purchased six and saved on postage. Unfortunatly dimensions for this kit seem to be hard to find on the internet. Perhaps an email to Dapol might work?

The winter 2018 copy of Bachmann Times show the quarry hunslets are still at the drawing stage. Looks like its going to be a bit of a wait...

I have been tempted to put the UP Big Boy in the platform, but I don't think it would fit. That's the Revell Big Boy static kit, so Its just there as a bit of eye candy!

Not much to report on Tetbury at present. Most of my time has been spent getting one of my projects off the shelf and converting it from a box of bits into a running Avonside loco. Details about what I've been recently up to can be found here, including a few videos of the loco running on Tetbury: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/96593-avonside-trojan-cut-n-shut/?hl=%2Btrojan+%2Bcut+%2Bshut However I've become aware that I was running out of space for locos being stored. I had thought about buying a display cabinet to keep them safe in, but I looked at the timber remaining from the baseboard frames, and decided that I would have a go at making my own. Its a little rough around the edges, but I now feel that the locos are less at risk of being knocked around, plus I now have rolling stock to hand to change things around as the mood takes me, and no longer keep on tripping over some 2x1 offcuts! I also found a few tam valley frog juicers on an old fiddle yard which I disassembled, so they've been fitted to the Tetbury fiddle yard. Sadly boring and not particularly photogenic, but it means less stalling over the fiddle yard pointwork! I've also been looking at the layout, and making a list of jobs that still need doing. In particular: Cliff faces still need painting. I have some Coopercraft platform trolleys that need making up. Layout edge fascias are needed to tidy the layout up. Jobs for another day I think!