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Dad-1

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  1. Dad-1
    I've been plodding along for years with this Castell Mawr layout, originally started with a group of
    3 from Milton Keynes MRS. Various commitments including in one instance University meant that
    I was doing most myself. Then because we moved from South Northamptonshire to Dorset at the
    beginning of December 2013 I really was on my own.
     
    Reasonably early on a fault was noted where two corner boards joined, we had a twist that gave
    a 6 mm slump at the interface. Last summer I raised track beds and then put in the shed until the
    beginning of March this year when I just HAD to get moving.
     
    Here in the cut and raised condition.
     

     
    Then brought indoors early March I plastered in the embankment holes
     

     
    Exactly 1 month later it's beginning to look like a busy A road
     

     
    Surprising what one months work has done to the scene
    How many more years ?
     
    Dad-1
  2. Dad-1

    Photos that go wrong !

    By Dad-1,

    We all like a funny photo .....
    Tonight I was laying some grass on embankment sides and decided as I was finishing
    to take a few photos.
    This one kind of caught me out !! Have you ever seen such pretty smoke coming from a chimney ?
     

     
    Brought a smile to my face.
     
    Dad-1
  3. Dad-1
    Bliss , or is it ? Working in the garden today laying a plaster/sawdust skin over styrene.
    Now summat went a little wrong as todays effort has developed cracks, yet that I did a
    few days back before the weather changed is fine. I presume that either the mix was
    too dry, or too wet, perhaps it dried too quickly out in the sun. Still no problem as the
    surface will be painted (and worked into any cracks) and then soaked in watered down
    PVA to attach all the greenery.
     
    Just for play time I put my Arriva Wales 150 on the track ....... you know just to dream of
    when it's a working layout.
     

     
    A second view from the fence (that will be there) at the cutting top, can't see the sheep
    either. The far side is now fully built up and may get plastered tomorrow.
     

     
    Geoff T.
  4. Dad-1

    Plodding Along

    By Dad-1,

    Ahh we do like to have a little moan ....... Too wet, Too cold, Too hot ........
    I can hardly believe that it's taken over 2 years to get from this :-
     

     
    To This :-
     

     
    At this rate, when finished, I'll be too old to to get it from the garage & assemble !!
     
    They say the journey is more important than the destination - perhaps that was said
    by a railway modeller ?
     
    Dad-1
  5. Dad-1
    I like making up scenes, but first there's all the boards & trackwork, which at times seems to go on forever.
    My coal siding board, which is also the north station throat has at last seen some greenery.
     

     
    I get so pleased at reaching this stage that my camera comes out while things are still wet with glue
    Sorry !!
     

     
    Ahh well, only 11 more boards to work through - Even this needs the cattle dock making and buildings
    finished, but at last it starts looking like a railway & not a pile of junk at a demolition yard.
     
    Dad-1.
  6. Dad-1
    The last time my large layout saw light of day was the end of July last year at my clubs Summer Exhibition.
    I originally was contemplating it being the last outing. Too big for me to manage by myself and needing to hire
    a van and driver to get it anywhere, once you're over 75 no van hire insurers will cover you .....
     
    My trouble was it was voted best in show (Stick chest out in pride) and our exhibition manager insisted it came back
    in 2019 to defend it's position ! Double Groan !!
     
    We started having problems last time out with our Peco PL13 frog polarity switches being very intermittent. Plus 3 of
    the station platform lights going out ? No idea why ?
     
    Enter June 2019. One of the 12 boards was taken out of it's storage pod, 2 dead lights and the most iffy PL13. Cleaning track
    and checking points was fine except that iffy frog switch. My extensive testing showed that it was dead, simply not switching
    to either side. Luckily I knew where a new spare was and recovered it from the loft. I don't know if anybody else uses cyno
    (Superglue) to hold switches onto their point motors, but mine often fall off. Not this one, it took great care with a Stanley knife
    to remove. New switch soldered in fine, all works as it should !!
    Now to my station lights. LED's just don't burn out, not on 4.5V anyway. What could have gone wrong ? Can you damage resistors
    overheating them during soldering ? I de-soldered, removed the resistor and put 3V through, the light worked fine !! Put a new 1K
    resistor in dead ???? I worked on the second failed light and on this one replaced the 1K resistor with a 220R and behold light !! A
    little too bright compared to others, but again proving the LED's were fine. I went back to the first and changed to a 220R and that
    one works now. What Was Wrong ??? Now I hate to criticize my workmanship, but wonder if I had dry soldered joints ? I'm still
    puzzling, but at least it's now ready for exhibition, just another 11 boards to go !!
     

     
    Note that bright central light, 220R not 1K as the others that, thankfully are still working from original fitting.
     
    Preparing for an exhibition takes time if you want everything spot on - As you should.........
    Starting early makes sense.
     
    Dad-1
  7. Dad-1
    I have ceased wagon production at the moment due to the severe shortage of Bachmann short narrow tension-lock couplings.
    I have temporarily pinched from 4 wagons to complete builds in progress, but that is not sustainable.
     
    In the meantime a nice to look at, but deceptively inaccurate very old Ratio GWR Open 'C' is reaching the end, short of weathering.
    This was inherited from a friend who passed away.
    An incomplete Ratio Open 'C' in a plastic bag. The fact it was incomplete was not found until I opened the bag. No instructions,
    buffers missing, brake 'V' hangers missing. Not a brilliant start
    Perhaps some spacers were there to overcome the excessive width, but I didn't identify as such. I'm used to Ratio kits needing spacers
    between the axle boxes and current (more of less) standard axle lengths. I add plastic washers.
     

     

     
    Missing brake 'V' hangers were made up, relying on the lower strengthening being hidden behind the solebars.
     

     
    In my spares I had a set of yellow buffers from an old Airfix Presflo. I decided these looked rather like GWR self contained buffers.
    when painted they would pass O.K in a moving train !
     

     
    Rather over sized, but needed to add strength to my 'V' hangers some 1.0 mm rod was glued between them.
     

     
    I'd already decided that i was making a O19 version, because of the buffers. Now I looked at the brakes realising that they were
    wrong and had Morton type brake levers, regardless of the fact that the wagon body had DC III lever mountings !
    Again the spares box came up with the goods, a pair of DC III levers.
    The brake arrangement as supplied was cut up re-built to something near enough photographs I have. I then added my end
    DC III frame, shortened to accept my coupling arrangement.
     

     
    When looking at photographs the underneath looks quite empty, but a brake rod is visible, so I added a wire that only can be seen
    in low angel photographs. Note some fine wires in the photo are fence wires !!
    Then disaster struck. I'd never bothered to check the wheel base measurement. While adding decals the end sections seemed short
    against what I thought were reasonably accurate decals. The kit gives me a 13 ft 9 inch wheelbase, rather than the 15 feet it should be.
    Will I add the Tare weight ? If so it'll have to be on the corner ironwork.
     
    Regardless of all that, in a moving train it'll look rather like an Open 'C'
    Kit manufacturers, many of these wagons were produced in 5 different series, giving options of buffer and brakes. An ideal subject for
    a new accurate kit !!
     

     
    I did enjoy making it, rather a damper on finding it's so short, but then Bachmann have marketed a cattle wagon 4 mm too long.
    If ever there was a reason to loose the Ratio moulds, I think I've found it !!
     
    What with sitting too low
    Too short
    Inaccurate brake parts
    Wrong axle boxes
     
    Don't make the mistake of pointing out the end strapping - Some had straight as the kit and in the O19 version I've sort of made, others
    did have hockey stick strapping, just one of the variables.
     
    I quite enjoyed making it and will run with any pre 1939 freight i decide to run.
    O19 made between 1917 & 1927. Two number series 94747 - 94930, & 99825 - 100000
     
    Geoff T.
     
     
     
     
  8. Dad-1

    Progress & planning

    By Dad-1,

    We all know it should be planning and then progress, but I'm one who only reads the instructions when all else fails.
    Perhaps not quite that bad ?
     
    By joining the sides to a footplate beam I worked out I could hold together with a couple of elastic bands. It gives me an
    overall view from which to make my changes.
     

     
    Those handrail mountings all but block off the entrance, they have to go and handrails will run down the outside. I've also
    decided that the cab windows will be fixed 3/4 glazed. To have safe movement you need to see, but this simple machine
    has no window wipers, de-icing, or de-misting equipment. That open upper 1/4 provides that, you don't even need to clean
    the windows !!
    A decoder test, if a Hornby one will fit the Lenz mini should have oceans of space. Now to open out all the required wire routes.
     

     
    I tried drilling for my brass handrails, but unable to get a vertical angle the lower hole to the left is way out. I'll have to de-bond
    the two parts to get access, re-drill as needed. Even the exhaust system is now plugged on, my radiator will be represented
    by a square of beading with a mesh insert on the other rearward half alongside that exhaust.
     

     
    So far so good.
     
    Dad-1
  9. Dad-1

    Progress & Planning Pt.II

    By Dad-1,

    I've gone as far as I can before delivery of the required decoder, here is the current state of production.
     
    Being built as an internal combustion engined loco it needs a radiator. I finally decided that would be placed
    alongside the supplied white metal exhaust system on what can be thought of as the rear. To start I've added
    a beading from fine microstrip, I can see from the photo a little corner blending is still needed. Into this space
    I intend fixing a piece of net curtain to represent the protective grille. centrally along the top I need to add a
    radiator filler cap.
     

     
    DCC conversion of a Tenshodo spud is easy enough, but I don't think I would want to try without a mini drill fitted
    with a slitting disc. First is cutting & removing the lower part of the motor feed contacts from the spud sides. To achieve
    this without risk of damaging wheels I opened by releasing the single securing screw and unclipping. There was no
    factory lubrication so a miniscule spot of silicone grease was added to each gear set before reassembly. Here the
    removed sections can be seen above the screw.
     

     
    Short leads are soldered to the ground off track feeds and the top motor feed tags, then fed through the openings
    drilled & filed into the footplate.
     

     
    Finally an old but working decoder is soldered in to test that all is working as it should. To start with I had no response on
    default address 3, then I remembered last used this had address 1 ......... and that worked fine !!
     

     
    When my mini decoder comes this will be built into the model, no future access without pulling apart. It just has to be right
    first time.
     
    Dad-1
  10. Dad-1
    I see I claim to have started on these at the end of May. Outdoor weather has been less summer like than ever, and these are 100% outdoor work. I'm still day dreaming with little ideas, but have started the raised track bed. Also have made rough road under bridge formers out of 3 mm MDF, these will be used as a base for embossed plastic sheeting.
    The supporting uprights will have 9 mm beading attached across the top each side as per the base, onto which the track bed will be screwed and glued.
     

     
    Once I thought the track so high against the river surface it would distort scaling of the bridge. However with the road being 25 mm or so above the river it looks about right to my eye.
     

     
    There are times when work is interupted by our little wild friend "Scruffy" who likes a digestive biscuit both morning and tea time !
     

     
    Dad-1
  11. Dad-1

    Pt.II Or West Bay Layout

    By Dad-1,

    You can see why I'm not very good at online postings, but into Pt.II on my old and clogged up system.
     
    West Bay hasn't changed that much and needs a lot of grass and gravel surfacing, hence being essential to move
    somewhere where it can be left undisturbed for days if necessary.
     
    The yard end where it joins Marsh Barn Lane, once a gated road.
     

     
    Station building and signal box made by another club member. The garden is still there today, but
    we need to get planting !
     

     
    I have this 'signature' fencing on most of my models. Drilled matchsticks threaded with invisible sewing thread.
     

     
    Don't take any notice of the 'test' traction, it just happened to be Kadee fitted and easily to hand.
     

     
    Every one of those cattle pen fence rails had to be sanded to an exact fit !
     

     
    We are now into the saga of trying to get reasonable results from the Kadees. Also found that none of the clubs old
    locomotives will run through the Marcway points. As a result new stock is being created and looking for a first class
    condition 57XX as it seems all 'new' stocks have been sold !!
     
    Dad-1
  12. Dad-1
    I do most of my modelling outdoors - any mess is easily swept away
    However it was raining when I got up this morning. I decided to look at my 'New' Metclafe
    GWR signal box.
    Now there is a growing group of railway modellers who look down their noses at Metcalfe card
    buildings. Yes over used and the answer is that they are affordable,reasonably easy to make
    with first class instructions and most retailers stock them ....... just proves they must be
    doing something right.
     
    The new box is easy enough, but the laser cut stairway, timber framing certainly need care. The
    result is I believe one of their best kits. I've not finished as I think it deserves an interior.
    While I await an interior the roof remains loose.
    But here it is so far
     

     

     
    I need 2 or 3 signal boxes for my C M layout and will probably go with these until I either have
    time to make something myself, or find a cost effective alternative.
     
    Geoff T.
  14. Dad-1
    A Blog I was once told is a sort of diary, what you're doing and perhaps why.
    Well yesterday was a 'save some models' day. I have a large collection of aircraft models made
    over the last 30 years. Many have not seen light of day for several years and are destined for the
    bin, others I spent a great deal of time making and want to keep. These are too delicate to be trusted
    with a removal company and as our moving date gets near I wanted to get some safely down to the holiday
    caravan. This needed a 333 mile round trip from Northamptonshire to dorset & back, which I did yesterday.
    I know it's a railway website, but modelling is well, Errrr ..... modelling.
    Here are two of my H.P Victors taken while the B.1 version was being worked on, in the background stands
    the B.2 version. Both heavily modified from the basic Matchbox/Revell K.2 kit.
     
    For me not every day is a railway day !!
     

     
     
    Dad-1
  15. Dad-1
    I'm running out of jobs to do on recent layouts, have virtually run out of space to anything new.
    Even difficult to find storage for my last little demonstration and test piece.
     

     
    Not quite desperation, but sitting in my garage after some 10 years is a small roundy-roundy that I call St Oval.
    The name is simply what the original plan was a Set-track Oval. This has been in constant use since I first had
    it fully live, simply because being a roundy-roundy I can run-in locomotives, for hours if necessary. It also is a
    good testing ground for kit-built wagons and harmonizing wagon couplings to allow reversing trains of around
    15 wagons length.
     
    Well work begins again !!
     
    Perhaps a very old picture first to show an essential for most of my layouts, the placing of the track-bed on risers.
    This allows scenery to go both above and below. In the case of St Oval into a space of just 6' x 3'. With such a compact
    foot-print it was essential to include some 1st radius set-track curves. My favourite locomotives tend to be small, but
    you'd be surprised what will go around without de-railing !!
     

     
    Holes in the chip board base are part of a weight reducing programme as once this was to be used at the occasional exhibition.
     
    A half decent bridge - I wanted a viaduct, but there are limits with 6'x3'. A passing loop behind the back scene to allow short trains to pass.
    A village to be behind the viewing line and falling from an over bridge at one side to a creek on the other.
     

     
    The village started taking shape, with half & half scratch built buildings and kits
     

     
    So as not to prolong your agony ...... Now a jump forward until being installed in the garage in Dorset after moving home in 2013
     

     
    Progressed so now some views that are in my own opinion quite good.
     

     
    A high level station
     

     
    Look even a C*** 0-6-0 locomotive can't spoil the view !!
     

     
    Well I MUST have something to work on, and my thinking is this offers me another few years !!! Started early 2010 to finish ........... ?????
     
    Dad-1.
  16. Dad-1

    Running In

    By Dad-1,

    Last posting introduced the Roxey Mouldings 'Howard' 0-4-0 shunting/yard loco.
    The Tenshodo SPUD had to be DCC converted, very easy with a slitting disc, a problem without !!
     
    I needed to thoroughly test & run-in using my only spare decoder a Hornby R8249 that had been taken out
    of something else, exactly why I can't recall. Here it is a speed faster than the original could go, but ideal for
    my purpose. It will go down to a very slow speed and will probably be better for adjusting back EMF settings
    on the Lenz sliver mini decoder on order for this job.
     
    Video available here :-
     
    Now I know how well it works it's time to take the decoder out again to start painting. Then while that drys I can
    build up the cab where I've already painted the interiors prior to assembly.
     
    So far I really like it, easy to make, runs well, and just what I wanted !!
     
    Geoff T.
  17. Dad-1
    6 weeks since I posted and in truth not a lot done.
    Family members are having the caravan this weekend so I had to do something
    with Shillingstones Lane. Pt.I shown in the last posting was all but finished
    however Pt.II was sitting unloved so I brought home and added some grass, fixed
    (although not painted) fencing around the cottage then planted a real height
    tree roughly a 44 footer.
     

     
    I enjoy the making up of a scene, much more relaxing for me than trying to copy
    some existing location. I think it's been good use of a space 16 inches x 26 inches.
    Now I have to work out the best way to join Pt.I & Pt.II !
     
    Dad-1
  18. Dad-1
    In truth I'd forgotten what user name I'd used and had so many failed attempts I though I'd never get back in again. Then one moments inspiration - that's a fib, got in at the 4th attempt !!
    Now having a holiday caravan in Dorset we spend half our time away from home. Not good for the big layout, but gave a chance to play with a diorama based on Dorset landscape.
    So Shillingstones Lane came about, started in May I think, where three scenic sections just sit on a framework that has a short length of railway running in a shallow cutting. The three sections has now expanded to 4 with 100% interchangeability to move from an Iron or bronze age Barrow to pre-historic standing stones.
    The truth is I prefer the scene modelling to just having a railway - what do you think ?
     

     

     
    Hell I may even show some changes on Castell Mawr ...... Been on the go since October 2011 and still miles to go !!!
     
    Geoff T.
  19. Dad-1
    I've never been the most prolific poster on here so I doubt I'll be missed for a week or two. The layout will shortly be on unspecified 'hold' as next week I go in for a spinal operation. NHS didn't want to bother because I was still fit & flexible, but they have no idea of the pain I have. So after a private consultation and parting with around £7K it will be done at a BMI hospital.
     
    So just as I reach the point of working my river end boards I'll have a break.
    Here styrene risers show the line of my planned main road & lane junction
     

     
    Here is the under construction main road under bridge which is close to the river.
     

     
    Geoff T.
  20. Dad-1
    I'm never quite certain what to do with a Blog ? What exactly is it ?
     
    Well I use this as a sort of diary of things done and to be done. I have always tended to look forward, but explaining rough ideas for the future would be a waste of time. As a result all I can do is show a few things that have been completed enough to have something to look at.
     
    Back in October a few of us (4) decided to make a lightweight layout where we could have longish trains thundering around. This with a view to taking to the odd exhibition, so probably the primary design feature had to be small and light enough modules to carry in 2, or at the most 3 cars.
    Longish is amounting to 21 feet long, and even with a board width of just 20" the overall will be over 7 feet wide but having a decent sized central operating well.
     
    It's taken until this last week to have the fiddle yard/exchange sidings section up and running. Just track, points, & point decoders, although the picture shows some scenic bits they are just parked on this temporarily. Currently brush painting track ....... and this has a lot of track !!
     

     

     

     
    This amounts to about 1/4 of the boards - MMmm have I bitten off too much ??
  21. Dad-1
    I have such long 'absent' spells that every time I come back it takes me ages to work out how to drive this darned computer !!
    Not posted anything new since January, ouch, time to show what has been going on.
    Firstly spending money, this layout has loads of points, each requiring motors, switches for frog polarity changing. Then as usual
    buying a few building kits and vehicles just to try and keep the enthusiasm going as well as working out what will go where ?
     
    Work has been done on the 'Station' side track, although not all laid yet. Now I don't know if it's me, but I can't start building the scenery
    until all track is down and working well.
     

     
    This shows the lines running throught the station. Main lines on the right serving platform 1, with the island platform having main line platform 2 with platform 3 and a goods line behind that.
     
    Almost out of sight is one of the station throats, but here is the board parked against my garage wall.
     

     
    All I'm itching to do is start scenery !! Before the fiddleyard/sidings were stripped down I indulged myself. Here seen from the operators side.
     

     
    But that rough 'planning' aside it's just boards & track ..........
     
    Dad-1
  22. Dad-1
    As mentioned in my last posting we've sold our house subject to contract and have a 'chain'
    formed up so it looks like we could move well before Christmas !!
    It's also time to shut the holiday caravan down for winter, due to local authority regulations
    the site is closed from the end of October until mid March.
    On our last visit I took some of my Shillingstones Lane diorama back, I'd brought home to try
    and do some work, but didn't get much done. When there I lined all 6 small sections together
    to see what it may look like ....... Well blow me down, the wife liked it and suggested that I build
    another track base that I can link it all together !!
     
    So during next year my thatched cottage piece will be finished & a new base made.
    Meanwhile I still have too much to do on Castell Mawr.
     

     

     
    Sometimes I wonder why I have so many locos, coaches & wagons as I enjoy making up scenes
    more than running trains !!
     
    Dad-1
  23. Dad-1

    Something Achieved !

    By Dad-1,

    Posting twice in one week - something of a record .....
    As I can't find a way of extending a thread by additional postings we have a new one !!
     
    After a couple of days 'messing around' I've at last made all the track on station boards 1 - 3 go live !!
    Not a single wiring glitch although two crossovers are not yet attached to their decoders due to being
    on separated boards and I've not bought the connecting plugs & sockets.
     
    I so often hear of difficulties with double slips and being code 100 track my slips are the only insulated
    frog turnouts. So once this went live I had a little play testing by traversing the slip in all directions using a
    selection of locomotives. All went through even at slow speeds, a Dapol 14XX; Hornby Railroad 9F; Bachmann
    Robinson 04; Bachmann Midland 3F.
    To try and get a scale feel I had a 6 coach train of clerestory coaches along what will be platform 1 with a local
    'B' set being pulled by the 14XX at what will be platform 2.
     

     
    Slip testing time, part of the 14XX programme !!
     
    One more station throat to go !! by next weekend - no hope !!
     

     
     
     
    Dad-1
  24. Dad-1

    Something Missing ?

    By Dad-1,

    I opened my last 2 Parkside PC84 GWR Mink 'A' kits without paying too much attention.
    Today while getting on with them I couldn't find the small black sprues on which the laminated
    buffer heads are located, wagon hooks and a couple of drop door stops (Multi Purpose sprue).
    These two 'new' kits also had the small ModelMaster decal sheet included, on reading I note
    that all the markings are for BR period wagons and the sheet is clearly marked "Ex GWR 10T
    Mink, Mink 'A', V12,V14,V16" Does this mean that they will cease to include the louvre vent ends?
     
    I can imagine most sales are for GWR modellers and not BR periods. I could of course be wrong,
    but think a letter to Peco to find out is called for.
     
    It's such a small sprue and the lack of GWR period decals is not difficult, let's face it they never had
    decals included before, I hope they will keep including the early buffer heads, probably not a deal breaker,
    but retrograde ?
     

     
    The two on the right fitted with couplings, test run and fine, still working on the other two.  My 5th was for the club and not here at present.
     
    Dad-1
  25. Dad-1
    Dug out the Bachmann 3 car 108 DMU, it runs so smoothly I did a nice gentle pull
    out from North Quay terminus, platform 2.
    I have a key-fob video camera, but not enough light in the loft to get acceptable
    videos of cab rides into the tunnel. The result is more simple videos from the small
    digi camera.
     

     
    I don't know if I ever told the story behind the layout being Two Short Planks. I started
    when I knew nothing and in model railway terms was as thick as two short planks. It was also
    going to be somewhat shorter and built on 2 melamine covered shelving 'planks', however when
    I went into that well know DIY place they only had very short ones or 6 foot lengths, so I got
    2 x 6 footers. Never thought I'd one day use it at a few exhibitions where the lengths are
    not easy to carry.
    Still, built 2008-9, my first ever layout with a track plan from my head I enjoy running on it
    and even now within the available space I don't think I could improve on the track plan.
     
    Dad-1
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