kevpeo

It’s only made the one appearance Kev, so far! Kev.

I did find some very basic drawings online Muddy, but it was as much checking with photo's to see what looked right, or not! 100% correct it is not, but I got fed up waiting for a kit or RTR. Kev.

A sneak preview - One side done. Its when the transfers go on you start to notice all the little mistakes! Next weekend,after the matt varnish has set, the other sides. Kev.

With the track all laid, wired and tested I indulged in a little ''retail therapy'' on Boxing Day! ( As an aside, this was the first X-mas that I got time to operate LD on the day. It’s great when your kids grow up!) The train at the back is the new one, some nice Bachmann grain hoppers and a plywood brake van. The open could end up in any of the freights. All need some, or more weathering. The tamper has made appearances before and balances the number of trains. I also purchased a Jamie Goodman class 25 decoder to fit to the Bachmann 24/1 when it arrives, yes it will become a 25/0. Kev.

Right hand end done, bar re-fitting point motors & droppers! The track to the left is half the space gained. A few wiggles added but it should be ok. I estimated four lengths of track for the remodel. It looks like I only need two! The other end is not looking so finished - Kev.

It never works out as planned does it! The relaying went ok, but with two problems. (1) The hoped for reduction in the tight, sub 18 inch radius curve improved to, wait for it - 18 inch! You can just see the improvement with the dirty outline of the old track. (2) The tie bar for the new curved point is right over the cross member. Of course it is! This means I will have to carve a TT300 sized hole in it! As you can see I haven't touched the outer two tracks yet, so I can still run half the trains for now. I will get the other end to this stage too before cutting into those roads. The gain for all this work, six foot in road one and two foot in road two. That is at least two more trains when in the seventies era! Kev.

And three more arrive -

A sad sight this morning at Roose station. Wigan to Barrow storage run no 1, some more coming later from Blackburn. I'm going to miss them! -

Not a lot to report lately, as modelling has concentrated on other layouts and their stock! But a left over job came to mind lately. The point on the right is the one that failed at Perth Green show. This was bodged and lasted the show, and since, but sooner or later it is going to go for good! So, if I’ve got to buy a new point anyway, why not buy two and have a remodel! So the plan is this - The straight point on the right will go and a new curved point fitted to the upper left increasing the length of both the right hand roads. This works, but doesn't improve the sharp curve (18inch). So a better plan, but more work, is to swap the two left side points from opposite ends and reverse them, which will push the track outwards and improve the curve to 24 inch. The track is bought, but when am I going to find the time to start! Kev.

I passed last night on route back from Liverpool. One 2 car 195 and two 3 car 331's were parked up. Kev.

The 323 makes its first call at Coppell! All went well, so now it can be finished off.

Coppell is all packed in the van ready, just the stock to add tomorrow. Looking forward to the show, and for the first time we will have 4 x 25k/v EMU's available for service. Plus two more which may make brief appearances! Kev.

I always find the pub is a good place to chat. Your round!

If you want a 365(ish) Kev you will have to supply another couple of coaches to chop up for the pan car! Kev.

Still on the wrong layout, and no wires, but - A lot more detail on now though! Main jobs now are the window bars, which are defo the last (!) and interiors. All ready for it's test run now. If anybody wants a look at Workington it will be around somewhere. Kev.

Yes Mark, they are two of your speakers in the 323! Thanks again for them. Only 1w ones, so two will not be too big a draw on the decoder I hope. I'm not sure what Kev was going to add to his quote, but I bet it had something to do with Brady's! Thanks, Kev.

Thanks Colin, I managed to get photo's of both sides of the underframes at Liverpool Lime St a few weeks ago. Its the shadows that are harder to fathom! But I think I got most of the visible bits. I also forgot to mention, for those a little further south, PH has also been invited to Canterbury in Jan 2021. Kev.

Now that our show is out of the way I can crack on with the 323. The underframe details are as close as I can fathom from the photo's, a mix of scratch and re-used 158 bits! Ignore the 158 gearboxes as they are not visible when the right way up! It's not perfect, but mostly somewhere near, that probably sums up the build! The bogie sideframes may also get swapped for something more accurate if I can get some, but will do for now. I also picked up the sound decoder from Bif at Wigan show so the interior of the power car is also done and sounds lovely! - Much black paint required I think! The 'leaning over' speaker is under the pantograph well, so will not fit vertically. Attention has now turned back to detailing the body shells. In other news I was chatting to Mark D (MRDblue) about busses, and how I would like a GMPTE coloured Leyland National on PH, and guess what, he has one! I few beers may have to be heading his way! This may arrive with me in time for, or at, PH's next booked appearance at Railex NE, 18/19 July 2020. Kev.

you can fall out with people you know!

Its been a while, but I've not been idle - The first time all three cars have been assembled and coupled together, on Loch Dour in this case. The front car seems to have a little ''list''! Once I collect the 323 v5 decoder from Bif at Wigan show and can get that wired in, the unit is then ready for a test run on Coppell at Workington show in November. I'm now at the end of the ''distruction and reconstruction'' faze. She will get another coat of primer this afternoon (the third) then she should hopefully be ready for adding the detail and window bars to the body and all the underframe gear. I photo'd both sides of a unit at Liverpool last Saturday ready for this. Kev.

After a break since showcase doing Coppell stuff and stock boxes, the nice weather got me out on the patio with knife, chisels and files - Two more 323 sides filed out, two to go. Of course the patio is now covered in bits of plasticard and dust, but no doubt the wind and rain will be along shortly to clean up after me! Kev.

Yep. Disconnect the servo and the pan springs up like a normal one. Kev.

OP now updated. Kev.

Fine by me Kev. Nice shots. Kev. (too many Kev's!)

I may try putting all the stock in the sector Kev, and then leaving it up to the operator(s) not to mix up the era's. What could possibly go wrong! Kev.