TravisM

Having worked for SouthEast Trains in the past, I would say that the top diagram is probably more prototypical as railways wouldn’t like to have one route blocking other on high density routes, unless it was absolutely necessary. They would want, where possible, a seamless flow. I hope that makes sense?

I have considered turning the whole plan 180 degree's and instead of a hatch, having a lift out section with a bridge crossing a river as part of the scenic section. Or I could move the point work for the turnback sidings up, to where they are opposite the ends of the other sidings. Revised plan

I thought I would share my ideas for my Cumbrian Coast layout and looking for any positive criticism. it's been done using AnyRail and it's not perfect, but I like the idea of using the turnback sidings to create some kind of timetable, and they will be long enough to hold either three Mk2's, top and tailed by Class 37's, or four Mk2's with a DBSO at one end and a Class 37 at the other. The through line could be long enough to hold a single Class 156, or my inspection saloon 'Caroline' and Class 37. The other turnback sidings could hold a Network Rail test or DRS nuclear trains.

Recently purchased a non DCC/Sound 37609 and went to order a sound decoder for it, but a little confused as I maybe missing something here. When the 37/6's were originally refurbished to be used by EPS, do they need the 'refurbished' sound decoder, or 'original' decoder as I thought the 'refurbished' sound chip referred to just the 37/4's. Any pointing me in the right direction would be most grateful.

Hi Colin, I’ll have another try later on today, it’s probably me 🤪

Hi Colin, Tried looking at your video’s but the site wanted payment, which is okay, but as I’m on a limited budget, for now I’d prefer to spend the money on my model railway for now. Thanks for pointing me in right direction though

I've started to follow Mark's Flickr pages, there are some awesome pictures on there, not only railway. It will really help me in my research, thank you for pointing me in his direction.

Rainbow Railways did the RAF liveried 156 using a Realtrack model, but there sold out now, so I might ask them if they can put me on the waiting list if they decide to do another run of them, but I could just get a normal one instead. I like the idea of a nuclear flask and low level waste trains, nice and short.

Thanks for that and as I have two LHCS sets, that suits my needs as I want to keep the stock requirement low, but seriously tempted by a Realtrack Northern Class 156 in the white livery. I will be also running a Network Rail test train, top and tailed by Colas Class 37's, as well as the inspection saloon 'Caroline' with a DRS Class 37, and finally a nuclear train with a couple of flasks, headed by a Class 68/88 combo.

Hi Phil, Yes, it's OO scale and I did consider using your 'Kings Tawton' plan and basing it on St Bees, as it would fit nicely with the space I have. I just fancy a scenic single track section either between St Bees and Nethertown, or the embankment between the sea and River Ehen, between Braystones and Sellafield. which is quite appealing.

After a lot of soul searching and dis-satisfied with trying to model Sleaford East Junction, I've decided to go back to my original idea of the Cumbrian Coast line during 2017 and 2018, when it was the stomping ground for DRS Class 37's on passenger services, but I need some help with infrastructure etc. I'm hoping to model the single line as goes along the coast as it's a space saver (I only have 8.5x7.5ft room), as well as quite picturesque, but at the time, was largely jointed track, but I believe large parts are now CWL so I can't check, but was it Bullhead or flat bottomed, or a combination? I have two sets of DRS Mk2 stock, one with a DBSO and another which will be top and tailed, but were the passenger services solely in the hands of Class 37/Mk2 combo's or did DMU's in the form of Class 156's appear as well, as I fancy one of Realtrack's Northern Class 156's. There will be more I need to ask but I think this is a good starting point.

Having a discussion with a friend last night, about what other DRS liveried Class 37's we'd like to see and as I've now settled on modelling the Cumbrian Coast line between 2016 and 18, those that I have fit in just nicely (402, 409, 423 & 609), though there are gaps I'd like to see. The obvious ones are 37401, 403, both in large logo, 37405, 409, 419 & 425 in blue compass livery, as well as 37716. I would have added 37424/37558 as well, but as Bachmann did it, it's doubtful Accurascale will. If they announced 37401 in DRS large logo, I'd be one of the first to order it.

Thank you for that, and some great pictures BTW

As I'm moving my modelling location to the Cumbrian Coast in 2017/18 so I can model the DRS 37's and Mk2F's, I've decided that I could probably do with a couple of these FNA wagons, but were they in service during that date? Would they also be mixed with the older Bachmann FNA's as well?

I will say that I’m quite impressed with the latest announcement and it got a couple of ‘ooh’s’, but not enough to endanger the credit card. Had there been a WCRC 47/8 and 40145 in BR blue, as it was a few years ago, it think it would have been a different story and it grabbing me warmly by the throat

If they do, make sure they do it without gangway's as these weren't fitted until refurbishment in the mid 70's and painted blue/grey.

Love to see a WCRC Class 47/8 (47802 would be good)

including 1035 Western Yeoman but it was found to be in poor condition, so they bought 1010 Western Campaigner instead.

BR couldn’t sell it to anyone because when Brush sold it to BR, it was written into the contract that when BR had finished with it, it had to go for scrap. The group went into negotiations with Brush, BR and Cashmore’s but nobody would budge, and the rest they say is history.

If you look on YouTube, one's been up to Georgemas light engine, last year I think?

From when I used to work for FGW, the original plan was the 2+7 were 'high capacity' sets and had revised seating (pack em in tighter) and buffet removed, used mainly on the Oxfords, Newbury's out of Paddington. The 2+8 were 'go anywhere' and I'm at a loss about a 2+9 as there might have been issues with platform length at certain stations (Westbury for one). I think once all the sets were reformed and in service, it was what was available as I regularly saw high capacity sets at Bristol and Cardiff

Here's some pictures of 60009 'Union of South Africa' at Peterborough on the 6th December 2018, and I see what you mean about soot along the top of the boiler and tender, as well as on top of the running gear, though as the loco had just come from Kings Cross, I'm pretty certain it had been there awhile. I think in my little world, I'll run Bahamas 'as is', along with it's support coach, saying it's been cosmetically 'weathered' for a filming contract and heading to or from a preserved railway.

I’ve recently bought a Bachmann Jubilee class loco, 45596 ‘Bahamas’ which was an Ian Allen commission with factory weathering. I did consider attempting to remove the weathering but decided to keep it as it is, therefore keeping it’s value, but as I want to model it in it’s preserved form, it left me with a dilemma. I did consider looking for a earlier release of the loco and just swop the bodies over, but I’ve been told that the chassis on the two models are slightly different, and won’t fit properly. As it’s all nice and shiny in it’s current preserved form, not the weary 1960’s condition as modelled, it got me thinking, would a locomotive owner deliberately ‘dirty up’ a loco for a filming contract or something similar? Any thoughts would be most helpful.

How about EWS/DB Cargo FKA/FOA ‘Megafret’ and FQA intermodal wagons?

Not sure if this has been asked before but I was wondering when bracket signals would be used? As I know very little about semaphore signals, but I assumed that they would be used where clearance’s tight and signal sighting might be an issue. Any information would be most helpful.