009 Hoo Ness Railway

[Locksley]

Having finished my latest layout I thought I'd dig Hoo Ness back out again. Since the last update I've clad the baseboard edges with balsa to neaten it all up a bit, and I've also wired in a DCC plug. Although the layout runs fine on DC I figured if I can fit a chip & stay alive in the BEL then it'll run even better, and more importantly, slower. I finally got the rolling stock I bought last year painted up, complete with sand/spoil loads. These generally run well however I've found that the little Roco tippler has a tendency to pull the other wagons off the rails as it doesn't roll particularly well - I think I need to check the back to backs and probably put a spot of oil on the axles. Pretty happy with how it's turned out other than that though. I think the next step will be sourcing a better chassis to redesign the Hibberd around, I've seen a few 'ARU' ones on Plaza Japan which look considerably better than the one I have now. It'll be nice to have a decent alternative to running the BEL all the time.

 

 

 

 

[BernardTPM]

Rather than oil for the axles, I'd suggest graphite powder which won't have any detrimental effect on the plastic which oils sometimes have.

Edited March 7, 2022 by BernardTPM

[Locksley]

Good to be back! Pity about the loss of photos but I'm sure it could have been much worse. Massive thanks to @AY Mod for his gargantuan effort. 

 

The Sheffield Model Railway Enthusiasts exhibition is this weekend (April 2nd-3rd) at Birkdale School, Oakholme Road, Sheffield, S10 3DH. After a couple of dropouts, Hoo Ness will be unexpectedly making its debut public appearance! I'm also taking along Garnswllt, so if you've ever had the unexplainable urge to see either of these in the flesh, do come along and say hi.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Locksley

[eastwestdivide]

Oh no! Having grown up in Medway and now living in S Yorks, I won’t be able to make it.
Good luck and hope no-one gets stuck in the mud. 

[Locksley]

The show went really well, despite being a tad quiet, I had some great comments and even an invite to an exhibition in 2023. Hoo Ness ran excellently, with the BEL racking up some serious mileage over the 2 days having run almost non stop for 13 and a half hours! No issues arose except for a single minor derailment. I resisted the temptation to buy a new Minitrains loco for the layout, even though 2 separate traders had a nice selection (and even the promise of a discount) but I think one will be nearing the top of my list soon.

 

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by Locksley