treggyman

Hi Thanks for the step by step guide on the shed.... It was very informative & gave me ideas on a shed I'm planning for a future layout.... The end result is excellent.....Hopefully the roof tiles end up as required..... Keep up the goodwork.... Cheers Bill

Hi Two very nice sets of pictures..... Really capture the era.... Cheers Bill

Hi That looks really good....Great work... Cheers Bill

Hi All Another update with how far things have got so far....... A few general pics of the buildings so far........ Only the slurry loader is nearly complete.....Just got to figure out what to put in the 'shed'.....Some sort of control gear I think..... It's loosely based on the one at Burngullow.......Found some pictures on Flickr to guide me but it isn't an exact model...... The Linhay is 44in long....Quite a beast...... I had modelled one before Both on Penhallick Junction & Hendra but used Rhysb's Porthleven model as inspiration/details for this one......I also used the method of fixing the cladding that he describes in his thread.....I am quite pleased with the effect...... I did consider making the Linhay roof pitch steeper to give the impression of more height as these buildings are BIG but opted for the correct pitch....With hindsight think I should have made it look taller with a steeper pitch..... Just a few general pictures of the buildings roughly placed in position..... Most are just in grey primer but a couple have had the weathering started..... I like to keep up with the times & bought 3 JGA's to bolster my fleet as replacements for the CDA's....... They were resprayed from the grey version (as they were cheaper than the correct liveried ones )with the blue added to the end covers.......Then they were found to be no use !!!!! Typical.... Anyway they look nice to me & they can be shunted in & out of the spare stock siding.... The signal box came from Largish ,an uncompleted photo plank. That's it for now...... Cheers Bill

Hi Rhys Thanks for that...... It will be a slow burner once I've caught up with what I've already built....... Your Porthleven layout is superb ....Just sad I couldn't get to Taunton to see it..... I cribbed details from your Linhay into mine......More anon..... Cheers Bill

Hi again, Having reread my spiel I realise I didn't put any dimensions on the plan.... The layout is 13ft long with a 2ft wide 5ft long central board .The two end boards start as 2ft wide but end up at 4ft wide at the end of their 4ft length with an 18inch wide transition to the join to the return to the fiddle yard. This enables me to have the scenic area go round the corners..... As far as operation goes passenger trains can arrive from the East & be held whilst a train from the West arrives....The wiring allows for the train from the East start on it's way whilst the Western train is still moving..... Keeps the brain entertained making sure all the switches are right & which controller is which..... Or they can just run straight through one at a time in either direction. Goods trains arrive from the East & drive to the end of headshunt A where the loco uncouples with the aid of an undertrack magnet. A shunter is waiting in the headhunt G & draws the train back to place the empty wagons into one of the reception sidings B.The shunter then returns to the headhunt G while the train loco draws forward & then reverses on to it's waiting loaded train in the other siding B. Once the loaded train has left the shunter then shunts the empty wagons either to the clay works or to the aggregate loading area & places loaded wagons ready for collection in one of the B sidings. As you can see lots of opportunity for shunting or just watching the trains go by..... As complex or simple as I might feel.... Cheers Bill

Hi Melangoose Thanks for the comment.....Really appreciated.... I really enjoyed your Clay layout Melangoose & just wish I was able to see it live.... Wyvern Road is also a great layout & I have learnt loads whilst following your progress...... Keep up the good work... Cheers Bill

HI All Tregrea is a fictional Cornish China Clay layout. The baseboards are made & the track laid.... I hope finally as it has been adjusted a few times..... Partly due to me not being happy with it & partly due to running problems..... I've had a good play & all seems to work as I require though I'm sure when my son & grandson have a go they will find some issues.... I've started ballasting & the main buildings have been made & a start made on painting them...... Anyway...... I first thought of doing Burngullow prior to the redoubling with the branch to Parkindillack..... But I also like Goonbarrow with the works & storage sidings behind the signal box....... So a sort of compromise followed..... Sorry the track plan is hand drawn but I don't do these computer drawings..... Hopefully it gives an Idea of what I'm trying to do.... So there is a double track mainline that becomes single at the western end of the layout. There is a medium sized Clay Works (the linhay is over a metre long ) on one end & there will be aggregate loading facilities at the other end. As there is no freight west of here apart from the fuel train to Long Rock I haven't bothered with access to the yard from the West.... The returning empty tanks can be reversed into the yard to collect any additional traffic. The clay works will receive empty wagons for loading for despatch.....Clay Slurry tanks , CDA's ,JIA's or Tiger Hoppers & Ferrywagons for bagged Clay. The Aggregate will be bucket loaded & a rake of wagons will arrive to be loaded while the train loco removes the already loaded wagons. Plenty of shunting.....Spare shunters have their own fuelling point & stabling siding . Also I can sit & watch the trains go by either at the same time or instead of shunting as it is a round/roundy. The trains are restricted to the fiddle yard length which is the traverser from my previous layouts & sidings/headshunt /storage sidings reflect this. This layout will not leave home so is not designed to be transported though I have built it in sections so that I can take it apart for maintenance or general access. As far as construction goes it is a 6mm ply top on ex25x100mm softwood frame. I wanted lots of storage so I built several kitchen unit carcasses & put parallel supports for the baseboard of50x100 softwood timber fixed to the tops so the whole lot for a level stable base for the baseboards to sit on...... Its sturdy enough for me to be able to walk on as I tested the other day when I had to get to the TV coaxial cable...... A things stand exhibiting is going to be awkward so I thought I'd build a layout that would keep me busy/entertained & interested... It will be worked on when I feel like it ,the idea being that it's purely for FUN & relaxation........ Updates will occur as & when..... Hope you've not been too bored reading this diatribe ... 'til next timw Cheers Bill

Sharps Sea Fury is an excellent ale...... Doom Bar used to be when it was brewed in Cornwall before Coors took it over. Now it's brewed in Burton on Trent in my opinion it tastes more like a cross between Bass & Worthington E...Neither of which in my opinion are very palatable. As far as I'm aware Sea Fury is still brewed in Cornwall....Hence the better taste..... Cheers Bill

Hi Halvarras Thanks for the continuing sad updates on the fate of the CDA fleet. As regards the 5 JGA's if you go on the wagons pictures home page there are pictures of the five wagons at Totnes on their way to Cornwall on 19/8/23. If you type in wagons-library.weebly in Google the site listing appears. Click on that & you'll go to their homepage. On the LHS will appear an alphabetic list of the first letter of the wagon code. Put cursor on J.......ThenJGA.....THen click on JGA NACO 191xx & the pictures of them will appear in number order (including pics of a couple of wagons not included in the train. For the record the numbers are :JGA NACO 19177 , 19188 , 19192 , 19194 , 19196. I'm sure it is possible to link the pictures direct but that is beyond my limited computing skills.....Anyone out there feel free to do it though.... Hope this was of help..... Cheers Bill

Hi Wish I could've got to Taunton to see the layout. The excellent pictures & video really show what a superb layout this is...... What I really like is the feeling of space with 'busyness' at both ends with the works ,& harbour which when finished will really add to the scene....... Also lots of operational interest (play value). It looks a lot longer than I had imagined it to be....I'll have to reread your thread to find out the dimensions. As the gorse is in flower I assume the layout is set in late winter /early spring as 'bush' /common gorse flowers normally in Dec to March round here near Redruth though it has already started to flower here which is early.I notice looking at the Wildlife trust site that the flowering period of gorse runs 'til June but it's always over long before then here. Once again.....Inspirational modelling......Keep up the good work. Cheers Bill

Hi Just mix them up in the rake....... Weathering isn't always the same/uniform within a rake of wagons.... Cheers Bill

Hi Great pictures ...... Especially the last one..... Most atmospheric with the last train appearing through the Cornish mist....Not even liquid sunshine but mist..... Thanks for sharing Cheers Bill

Hi Yes,I had thought about creating the ghost logo but haven't figured out how to...... I never saw the wagons painted ECC blue as the next timeframe for photography in the area was 2004 onwards & the only ones I photo'd were the conical ended ones & they were to all intents & purposes varying shades of black & grime...... Perhaps these could be produced as well ??????? Cheers Bill

Hi Great wagons......Got 2 ECC ones & two Rebranded ones & they look great..... My one thought is of the colour of the rebranded ones..... I attach a picture taken in1991 of two taken in St Blazey yard...... The body colour looks to me as being a 'metalllic' blue rather than a blue grey colour....Though this could just be the suns reflection off a shiny surface.....Also the sole bars look to be a slightly redder shade.......Oddly enough the wagon that at the moment is sitting in the light of my table lamp looks the right colour without the sheen........ Hopefully my scanned pictures show this...... The wagons in question are (top two pics) TRL70703 &TRL70716...... Just to emphasise....I'm really pleased with the wagons so this is NOT a criticism but an observation Cheers Bill

Hi Firstly a big thanks to the Hayle club for the invite & feeding & watering us so well..... A friendly bunch of punters who seemed to enjoy the layout & asked most of the usual questions.....There were quite a few Newbies to the hobby as well asking a range of questions which I was pleasedd to have time to answer as I was ably assisted by my Grandson on Saturday & my Son today. Well Hendra is back on it's shelf in the railway room having performed well with one main issue...... Annoyingly there was an intermittent fault on the point that leads to the Linhay...... Bogie loco's were fine but my class 08 kept stopping on the frog on the line past the Linhay siding....ran fine on the other road.......I checked the wiring & resolderd some of the wires but I can only guess that it is possibly a dry joint between the rail & the sleeper as all else was resoldered......On one occasion it was working fine & I tapped the track & the fault reappeared.....HMMMM.....Anyway no problem as shunting was fine with 37's & 47's...... On Sunday morning one lady asked who made the 0 4 0 Sentinel shunter.... It transpired that she used to work for Western Excavation in the office with 4 other ladies.....& the shunting loco's were were named after them....She was Susan & recognised the loco (mine's named Cassie ) S he also knew where it worked & had lot's of info about it.... Anyway a few more pics at the show....... All set up... An interloper in the shape of a class 33 brings the inspection saloon to visit.... This was the first outing for this loco....I bought it ages ago off Ebay & never ran it except on a ciccle of track to check it worked......It does work but on ordinary DC it does nothing 'til it gets up to 40% power & then pulls away quicker than I would like....It's reasonably responsive but it's not a slow runner....On the Feedback controller it's either flat out or stop.None of my other Heljan 33's are like this so some investigation is necessary. Well that's all for tonight.... My Grandson said he'd post some of his pics so we'll see..... Cheers Bill

Hi All Well Hendra is out & about at the Helston show this weekend. All set up this evening..... My grandson is helping tomorrow & my son is helping on Sunday.... Hopefully get a pic or two & then see if I can get them on here withnthis new laptop which has replaced my steam driven PC... If you're around over the weekend do say hello...... Cheers Bill

Hi I know what you mean about Hornby wheels & hand built track. I always test my handbuilt pointwork with their CDA's as they seem to be the worst offenders...... If they run I'm fairly confident that other wagons will also be fine. I've never had a problem with their 08's ( I've got 3 ) but I find their class '60's find most faults. Really enjoying following your progress & most importantly ...Get well soon.... Cheers Bill

Hi Really good to catch up with you today & enjoyed our chats & watching the layout perform ........ You have really done a great job with the layout adding improvements to the yard (the flood lights on the Linhay & the point levers to name but two ) & the station is a great addition both visually & adding to the operational interest. I'm really glad you're enjoying having it as I enjoyed building & exhibiting it & would have hated to have broken it up as I have had to with other layouts. I look forward to seeing it in operation again.... Cheers Bill Douglas

Hi That last picture is very realistic..... Just a heat shimmer above the exhaust would add to the realism..... Cheers Bill

Hi Yes .that's the picture I was referring to..... Thanks for posting.... Cheers Bill

Unless I'm badly mistaken that's Parkindillack on the old Newquay line that now terminates here. The original line ran on the left to St Dennis Junction where it met with the current Newquay line. If you search Parkindillack you will come up with a selection of Ernies railway archive dated 19 2 1982 which show the same move occurring but with a lot more stock....Both rolling stock & china clay.... Unfortunately I am not clever enough to link the picture to this post. Cheers Bill

Hi I especially like that last picture,,,,Captures the supposed scene just right in my opinion..... Keep up the good work.... Cheers Bill

Hi Sort of.... The Taunton to Yeovil Pen Mill branch ran in on a through line with platforms on both sides of the single track whereas the branch from Yeovil Town to Yeovil Junction was twin tracked with platforms on both tracks one of which was in effect an island platform with the Pen Mill/Taunton line.... Hope that makes sense.... There is a picture of it in Derek Phillips Yeovil to Taunton book p26.... Cheers Bill

Yes it was a good day...... Even SWMBO enjoyed her tea & cake & found a model horse for her collection...... Hendra will be out again in May at the Hayle show....... I probably won't do much to the layout for a while as I want to get started on a permanent home layout....More of which anon when I get started.....Well the baseboards are built but the railway room needs a lot of sorting first before I can get them in..... Cheers Bill