5050

Super photos - again! As said before, what a wide selection of liveries available for Cl 37's at that time. I had 'forgotten' (or more likely, never realised at the time!) how many there were. Why was there a 'chocolate and cream' Mk1 coach regularly rostered with some Mk3's?

We've had the layout fully erected in the Wakefield clubrooms for 3 days this week to allow us a chance to paint the board edges etc. and - most importantly - to try an initial run-through of the sequence. This was, shall we say, a very interesting experience - and well worth doing! Basically it was a sound plan and should create some interesting moves but it threw up several 'blips' relating to positioning of stock which (I think) we have now sorted. We'll have to wait until next weekend at Halifax to find out! This time next week we'll be well into it! See you there?

If it does - then you need to go to Specsavers. (Other opticians are available) (As are other track gauges)

Today we have had the layout fully erected in the garage and managed to try the light fittings (all OK), general running (generally OK) and had a start on the planned schedule (needs a bit of work!). We also trial fitted some figures and road vehicles to get an impression of how it will eventually appear. All in all, everything was acceptable given that it is the first time we've been able to do this. We will need another session to iron out the very minor bugs and hopefully all will be good for our first show at Halifax at the end of the month. Details of the Halifax show here - http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/89840-halifax-model-railway-exhibition-2014-2728-september/ Come along and see us and make yourselves known if you've followed the thread so far. Here are some photos taken today. Firstly, under erection showing the sub-frame and folding leg assembly. A general view down the layout looking 'west' to White River Junction and/or St. Johnsbury. The main depot and REA building. The general dealers store which has rail access at the rear. Looking 'east' to either Berlin (via the branch) or Boston. The main sorting yard and loco depot are also in this direction which provides plenty of freight working and light engine movements. Another 'west' view with a freight for White River. There is plenty of scope for interesting train movements - so far we are barely scratching the surface of the potential!

Good news that it has been saved for the Nation. Is it staying in God's Own or is it going to foreign parts?

There was a guy at a recent Hampsthwaite meeting selling a good selection of Sylvan kits. I bought a Hudson Terraplane car which made up reasonably well. If you don't want the Chevy truck it will fit very well onto Woodsville. I'll swap you for a magazine Oh, and why not call the diner - 'Ted's'? They may serve a decent cuppa there.................................

Could it be one of these? It looks very similar. From January 1951 Model Railway News.

It could also have been a layout built by Wakefield RMS member Tony Morris based on Hutton-le-Hole in the North Yorkshire Moors. The trains were secondary to the scenic modelling but he did have it operating at at least one Wakefield Show at Queen Elizabeth Grammar School.

You silly sausage!

Very scratchbuilt! The building still exists in Woodsville as shops and offices and can easily be seen on Google Earth. However, it's a bit far away to pop out and measure it so a fair bit of 'guesstimation' has been involved! You can see it in earlier phases in previous posts. The main body is 40thou plasticard and planked Evergreen with Ratio 2mm slates to represent the small shingles that the prototype walls are clad with. Still a bit overscale but the best I could find in the UK. Windows are North Eastern as I couldn't find Grantline at the time. It's made in 4 sections - ground floor, canopy, 2nd and 3rd floors and roof. This make it a bit easier to paint and fit the windows. Here's another shot which shows the ground floor detailing a bit better. The bottom panelled half is painted dark green along with the roof supports and the window frames. The shingles and plain walls are light grey.

A couple of shots taken just before I went on holiday. Nothing major, just gradual development of the basic scenery plus the Oil Depot (basically an 'adapted' Knightwing) and the beginnings of painting the main Depot building. This is now virtually completed, just need to attach the windows and weather it.

Yes, I know you enjoyed the switch.

The point is, this should now spur you on to finish the layout which should turnout rather well.

Snap!

Yes, those are the ones. Thanks for this and for your comments. Trees are 'on order' from our local 'arboriculturalist', Charles. Nothing to big though. We've looked at photos from the locality and most of the general trees seem quite low in height. The 'plan' at the moment is to try and get at least the basic scenery in place for Halifax and then develop it over the following weeks.

I can't remember! I didn't buy them - but I'm sure GTi will remember. Won't he?

A couple of photos taken today showing some progress on the scenic side. First, an overhead view of the woodchip plant and what will be an agricultural merchants. The Berlin branch is the line nearer the outside of the board and is climbing slightly to give some differentiation with the main line. Next, the other 'White River Junction' end with the houses and dairy. Switchstands, crossing bucks etc. installed and some more 'wilder' shrubbery grown. My next job is painting the main depot building. GTi is finishing off an oil/fuel unloading point which will be placed between the agricultural merchants and the main building. I foresee some interesting switching moves!

And what would that be Steve? Oh - I like the buildings. Coming on nicely.

Not at all Marty. In fact, quite the opposite. Any constructive comments and helpful information will always be well received.

Right, I see what you mean. Even in photos of the 'old' building (pre '21) they are still single sided.

Thank you everyone for your kind comments. The only other signal we have spotted on photos was on the southern approach about half a mile or so from the depot. Not seen any other order boards at all although I have wondered how orders were passed to trains from the south that were continuing farther north. Perhaps they just HAD to stop at Woodsville before proceeding to Wells River or St Johnsbury. There may also have been signals for the junction of the Berlin Branch which in reality was a mile or two south of the station. However, as we have the branch diverging directly from the station area then this isn't really of concern to us. Thanks for the commment and for the offer Andy - but I think I've seen enough TO signals for the time being! The switchstands are based on photos in the Morning Sun B&M book that covers the Woodsville area. Geoff made a guesstimation of the heights etc. relative to people standing nearby etc. We're not sure if these are a dedicated B&M design but they are different to the ones at Wells River which are CV (I think ?).

My 'homework' the past week has been involved with the Train Order Signal that hangs from the station depot canopy. It is slightly unusual in that, although a 2 arm version, both the arms face the same direction. The left one was for the Berlin Branch and the right one for the continuation of the main line. We don't think they were used very often, especially in later years and, so far, no photos have appeared with them raised. Thanks to some good close-up photos I've found on the net I've been able to determine the shape of the spectacles and related balance weight and made the overall representation from 20 thou brass and 3 x 12BA and 1 x 14BA washers. An interesting excercise for my rusty soldering techniques! The overall rough shapes were cut from sheet brass with a piercing saw and soldered together. The centres for the spectacles, balance weight, operating wire and pivot point were marked and drilled. The 3 spectacle holes were then reamed out to be a close fit on some panel pins (themselves a close-ish fit in the 12 BA washers) which were tapped into a piece of wood through the holes and the heads snipped off. The 2 arms were separated and cleaned up and individually placed over the headless pin 'jig' and the washers sweated on. These holes were then reamed out to a suitable size for the 'glass'. The balance weight and pivot point holes were left at 0.5mm to clear Peco Pins. For the balance weight the pins (proper brass ones!) were superglued in and the excess removed from the rear. The head was then filed flush with the face of its surrounding washer 'frame'. The pivot point used the 14BA washer and the head of the pivot pin was reduced in diameter by filing. The posts are Evergreen 80 thou square with various small pieces of 10thou for reinforcing plates etc. The strengthening rods are Slater's plastic rodding. Along with added small plastic rod cubes to represent the threaded outer ends of the rods, these give a slightly more interesting 'feel' to the otherwise plain posts. When fully finished there will be a continuation of the lower angled rod that goes 'through' the canopy to brace against the main support post below. Lamps attached (I think correctly) to the tops of the posts are suitable diameter sprue with caps from 'mushroomed' Slater's rod and microstrip lenses. I have also made a couple of angle cranks to represent the operating system which will be fitted with fine wire - but not with the intention of having them working please note! First, a real B&M Train Order Signal arm. Now my parts. And in position - but not finished!

It's approx. 16' x 8' with a central operating well. We generally have a couple of 'hands on' sessions with the layout during the week but each of us tends to be working on something related to the layout on the other modelling days. Today Bob brought a list of the stock required to operate a typical list of daily prototype trains. He is currently servicing all his locos etc. to ensure they are all working correctly. The scenic side is moving on and there will soon be some more photos showing developments.

One of my latest scratchbuilt creations (seen already elsewhere on the forum - but I thought I'd show it here as well.) French metre gauge 'Tramways de Correze' station based on the one at Le Mortier. Built to HO scale from a Dennis Allenden plan. As pointed out elsewhere, the postbox should not be red. It will be repainted blue in due course!

Shouldn't the bike be kept in the bedroom??