GraemeWatson

The 2022 Royal Mail postal strike at Beasley Street. Downstream of Beasley Street station is the Royal Mail depot.

Here it is, dressed for the modern era with workers on strike.

Much today like the winter of discontent that the layout was built to remember.

4 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Given that Bachmann placed a bulk POWDER wagon below what they describe as a GRAIN loading terminal, they clearly wern't too concerned about prototype fidelity!

 

I'd be surprised if you find anything on which this scenario is based.

 

CJI.

Excellent. You are absolutely right.

Thanks to you and to everyone here for casting some light on a state of confusion caused by product packaging!

I'm very grateful for everyone's time and responses here.

To further expand about the prototypical nature of the Bachmann Scenecraft 44-185 Grain Loading Hoppers, the box art on the back of the product shows two such hoppers in use for loading COVHOP wagons, evidently not the Whisky type.

With this is mind, does anyone know of a prototype that this is therefore based upon by Bachmann?

1 hour ago, Izzy said:

 

Here's my take on things on my latest 2mm layout.

 

A grain store/maltings with an upper storey auger for hopper loading.

 

 

This is based on the now derelict maltings at Thorpe-le-soken. They exist at the rear of the station and have a preservation order on them. You'd hardly know having fallen into this terrible state of disrepair over the years.

 

 

 

Bob

 

Many thanks for sharing this Bob.

This looks to replicate the prototype correctly. The mistake I was at risk of making was trusting the Bachmann box art on the Whisky set, because I could not find any real life example which bore resemblance to it .

Much appreciated.

1 hour ago, cctransuk said:

 

As far as size goes, the silo is of the type often seen at intensive chicken rearing farms for feed storage.

 

Another use nowadays is bulk cement storage at building sites.

 

John Isherwood.

Thanks John, an excellent point RE: being more suited to agricultural application.

Potentially then, the box art on the Bachmann Whisky set is misleading it seems.

Many thanks.

7 minutes ago, Cwmtwrch said:

The interesting question about the Bachmann silo is - how is it filled??

Also this. You are absolutely right.

These are sold as "grain silos" and do appear to "pretend function" by dropping grain out of the bottom, but I've not found a photo of anything like this in use. 

26 minutes ago, cctransuk said:

 

Look at the relative sizes - that mini-silo would struggle to fill one wagon.

 

The grain stores were huge buildings - they had to be to regularly fill several wagons.

 

A low relief industrial building is what is required.

 

CJI.

Agree with the sizing.

You are absolutely right. 

I owned the Whisky set, and happened to have the Bachmann silo used in their box art, but was struggling to make sense of it all. Many thanks 

9 minutes ago, BR traction instructor said:

…not normally…the silos would be adjacent to the siding with arms/chutes fed in the same way as in the picture above.

 

BeRTIe

Many thanks; I don't think your photo had popped in for me when I first replied.

Very grateful for this helpful information.

7 minutes ago, BR traction instructor said:

…by gravity, through chutes/arms above the loading hatches slid open on the roof.

 

Googling any of the East Anglian grain loading points will produce images of the equipment used.

 

BeRTIe

Many thanks; so the Bachmann product above, placed on the track over the hopper would be a satisfactory arrangement?

Dear esteemed members of RMWeb, I have searched for information on COVHOP grain/whisky hopper loading to no avail.

Introduction:

My basic understanding of Whisky grain transportation is that grain warehouses in East Anglia led to short freights, which could then be added to block formations before heading to Scotland.

Question:

But, how were these Grain Hoppers filled?

I happened across a Bachmann Whiskies Galore set and noted from the box art the silver Bachmann Scenecraft 44-185 Grain Loading Hoppers in the background. Do they go over the track to fill the COVHOP, or are they located trackside?

I've added a quick photo of the model in question to show what I mean, but my specific question is about the prototype of how this would function.

Any examples of grain loading along these lines would be well received.

Any other suggestions of prototypical locations or hardware that may be needed to complete this scene would also be welcome.

Many thanks,

Graeme

Beasley Street: The Early Evening Newspaper Train

On 16/10/2022 at 17:15, GraemeWatson said:

Extra Extra, read all about it!

 

I've fitted a Hornby Maglight (R7338) to the interior of the Bachmann CCT. I've made a new floor interior out of thin EVA foam and tipped all the papers I've made for the station trollies into it as a test. 

The prototype would feature papers almost waist-high as far as I can discern, so I'll have to get making more!

 

I had toyed with the idea of painting the interior white, but thought better of it due to the way the flush glazing is glued to the blue plastic wall. When taking this apart, pulling the glazing out seems par for the course, as the chassis tabs fit into slots on the glazing. So for that reason, I've left it be, and will otherwise be quite happy with it.

Beasley Street Newspaper Train, Evening Edition

So after folding another few hundred newspapers (!) I've kitted out my CCT.

Only the one out of the rake, but it will do. As mentioned above, it features a Hornby Maglight to illuminate it, with some Bachmann Scenecraft figures.

An excellent thread, I've worked my way through all 16 pages.

I've only relatively recently looked into modelling an OHLE module, which could convincingly accommodate late 1970s through to the early 90s, with an intention of giving my modest electric collection space to be used with OHLE.

It is indeed surprising what can be done in a small space, and your mainline photo op spot is a great touch.

Great stuff. Nice to see some electric OHLE modeling, something I've only recently got into myself.

29 minutes ago, Colin_McLeod said:

Who's the dame sitting on the bench? 😉

Many of my figures from Scale 3D.

No connection other than satisfied customer. I'm impressed that although by nature of 3D printing they can be brittle, there's enough fidelity in 1:76 for fine detail. There's a whole bunch of pictures of their figures on my Beasley Street layout thread.

Extra Extra, read all about it!

I've fitted a Hornby Maglight (R7338) to the interior of the Bachmann CCT. I've made a new floor interior out of thin EVA foam and tipped all the papers I've made for the station trollies into it as a test. 

The prototype would feature papers almost waist-high as far as I can discern, so I'll have to get making more!

I had toyed with the idea of painting the interior white, but thought better of it due to the way the flush glazing is glued to the blue plastic wall. When taking this apart, pulling the glazing out seems par for the course, as the chassis tabs fit into slots on the glazing. So for that reason, I've left it be, and will otherwise be quite happy with it.

Hornby Merchant Navy Elizabeth II

Well, I managed to get one of these, so here's a photo of it.

Not many pictures yet, so here's one.

What about the workers?

Key to any scene from the era of The Winter of Discontent are workers on strike, and these have joined the layout from ModelU. 

From here to modernity

Although intended to give broad atmospheric coverage for locomotives and stock within the 1979 to 80s era, Purnu's comment above about Leeds made me realise that in many ways, I could probably us this for some present day stuff (2020s, future readers!).

Here I've conveniently split an Azuma to create this mock up of a modern day commuter service.

Intercity Days

A few more photo updates now that the dual layer OHLE is in place.

I'm particularly happy that I've got a reasonable era appropriate station to show off the lighting features of the Bachmann MK2F, including the door marker lights.

A better photo of the double layer OHLE

It's a better approximation of the real thing. I will add a photo in a future edit of this post which shows the aluminium tension rods in action.

Edit: double layered aluminium rods to allow for tensioning of both the upper and lower catenary wire. This is very easy to maintain and puts no real tension on the flexible Dapol mast heads.

The Beasley Street Newspaper Train

I've always liked Non-Passenger coaching stock (NPCS) and a Newspaper train makes for an excellent subject.

The keen eyed viewer will note that I have added the second tension wire on my ghetto OHLE. It looks more convincing, though is still a simplification of the prototype.

This scene was completed with 3D printed Midland Railway trollies (Scale 3D; RR-0023-S-76x3) and Newspapers from a Scalescenes kit (R001B Station Structures). The Scalescenes kit includes a variety of station accessories, including a newspaper kiosk, and a full page sheet of foldable broadsheets and red tops. I thought of shortcuts for making stacks of newspapers, but in the end, I made 270. Three stacks of ten papers, across nine trollies. I printed the kit using a laser printer on recycled, non-bleached paper which looks more convincing.

A raucous scene at "The Bashers and Main Men Social Club"

3D printed figures now populate the social club, sourced from Scale 3D (no connection other than satisfied customer).

Two bald headed gentlemen are throwing fists and knocking back a bottle of non-specific ale. Agent 47 from "Hitman" is blending in at the front.

Meanwhile, a vibrant social scene is apparent in the beer garden at the rear. Daisy Duke makes a guest appearance.

Here's a quick photo the Kernow Models Exclusive 2022 release, Billingham Enterprise 47363 SFX.

The chromatic windows look really good.

A fine addition to my collection after several years of service of the Lima version.