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New Martin Street PLA/GER goods depot


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Over the weekend I bought 2 chassis kits and this GNR J23/LNER J50, its a plastic body with a brass EM gauge compensated chassis with what is thought to be a set of Ultra scale wheels. No motor or pickups, missing a few hand rails, brass replacement steps and added weight in the tanks

 

Whilst not GER there was a GNR warehouse and sidings(exchange ?) very close by, something had to do exchange running and the branch was very small. So it might have happened !!

 

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Its not the worst loco you will ever find and a repaint will sort out the looks

 

 

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It may be a scratch built chassis simply as it shows no signs of etching and Gibson frames have holes for brake gear, as received it rolled smoothly but was a bit stiff 

 

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I gave the axles a clean then a light oil along with the hornblocks and once the heavy body is fitted it rolls very freely.

 

It cost me £44 inc postage, providing I can fit a motor and gearbox then successfully refit and quarter the driver it will be a nice addition, at a reasonable price. At worst I will have to fit a new set of wheels, not quite such a good buy, still not the end of the world. I now have to work out which gearbox as it is driven from the rear drivers. Looks like  standard High Level Road Runner +  will be fine and certainly up to a 14mm wide motor will fit.

Edited by hayfield
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I decided to make a start on the Southeastern Finecast J69 Backjumper chassis. The footplate is raised both above the front and centre wheels, which may cause issues later fitting the chassis. But more importantly under the cab which has a floor unlike The SEF model and the chassis is designed to clip on the the metal footplate at the rear. This has to be removed

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The job is quite simple, simple scribe a line where the cut is required, then score the line several times with a Stanley knife, once the cut is deep enough the strip can be bent offf and the cut filed flat

 

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Both sides have been done and as I said I may have to file flat part of the raised section over the front wheel, I also had to shorten both ends of each frame by 1mm to fit the 3D footplate

 

 

 

I then soldered together the coupling rods and eased out the holes for the axle bushed with a reamer. I decided to keep this chassis rigid, but the next one will be compensated

 

Next job will be to get the Hobby Holidays chassis jig out

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A quick update on the chassis, I will not go into much detail but post more later on the Hobby Holidays jig thread

 

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The jig is set using the coupling rods

 

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The axle bearings are put on the jig, followed by the chassis, then they are soldered in place, the same is done with the other side

 

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Off the jig the frame spacers are soldered to one side, both sides are put on to the jig and soldered up

 

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I added the 15mm wheels but the guard irons are too long (I will swap the wheels for 16mm ones) I think I will need a High Level drive stretcher added to Roadrunner + gearbox to clear the cab

 

 

 

The chassis needs packing up to the body as its riding a bit low at the back, but this is a trial fit, it wont work anyway until I cut back the crankpins to clear the steps, but a much nicer fit that the Terrier chassis

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I swapped the wheels back to 16mm, which I feel is not the right option. I also took the opportunity to trial fit the standard High Level Road Runner + gearbox. As you see it will not fit owing to an extending part of the front cab bulkhead. I guess I could cut it away, but I think I will try out a High Level D1drive stretcher   https://www.highlevelkits.co.uk/_files/ugd/27e471_d8f701771ad24589ad596b94a0274b6e.pdf

 

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The ride height is now my main concern, do I stick with the Romford 16mm wheels with perhaps a slightly high ride height, would a set of Gibson 16mm wheels be better ? do I drop to either Romford or Gibson 15mm wheels. Which ever route I take I will need to fit the brake shoes and paint the chassis. I might even make the second chassis and fit it to the Southeastern Finecast J69 footplate just to get a idea about ride heights.

 

I think I will go back to the buildings for a bit of a rest from locos whilst I order the drive stretcher and perhaps a High Level Road Runner Compact  gearbox

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I really must make a decision on building the baseboard about what material to use for the back and sides. Then what mechanism to activate the switch blades would be best. Once these areas are firmed up I can then make better progress  with the rest of the buildings.

 

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I have started to cover the front righthand side warehouse, which I believe should be lower than the one the other side of the tracks. Therefore the lower windows will be hidden by the single story loading bay. 

 

At some point I will need to gen up on what traffic would have been handles on this line, I guess in the main it would be vans, did this branch use PLA vans ? were there PLA vans, I assume GER were prominent, but then I also assume vans from most regions would be around perhaps with a smattering of wagons

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22 hours ago, Kevin Johnson said:

John I think once you get your baseboard built it will look better so you have an idea of his the buildings will look. 

 

Kevin thanks

 

I agree once the boundaries are fixed things can be tailored exactly to fit the space

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I have settled on a height and the lower windows will not be seen

 

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I am starting to clad the loading bay extension with plasticard

 

 

 

Building in place, I cannot join both together yet as I need to finish and paint the inside of the loading bays, then leave access from the roof to fit the windows, but that's a long way off

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So much for getting on with other things, once I could see how much access room I had from the roof I decided to join both buildings together, then I just carried on building up the brick relief, painted the loading bays and temperately attached the windows with masking tape

 

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The height difference will not be noticeable between the two buildings until I raise the rear building slightly and the backscenes are attached. The two story building in the foreground will be an inch deeper, so I think this will be next to be in the alteration queue

 

 129.jpeg.9c762a9ba78b3669b7ee8a3e9d4dc6d5.jpeg I think this is the look I am after, a decent cobbled yard will add to the looks

 

 130.jpeg.bdeee965d31406ab4c68d2b7d04f0e73.jpeg I wanted a short alley between the buildings and a bit of a peep hole between the buildings

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Just came across your layout. The photo on the cover of the book is so inspirational, you're definitely doing it justice! Everything is looking great, I'll be following with very much interest. 

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44 minutes ago, TechnicArrow said:

Excellent composition as always, and that loading dock scene looks fantastic. Your brickwork also looks quite neat so far. Definitely one to learn from, this!

 

Thank you, but don't look too close, these kits are very well designed and do put up with quite a lot of butchery, the 3 story building is the left overs from 2 kit bashes and a very cut down single story kit. The plasticard sheets do come into their own

 

4 minutes ago, sb67 said:

Just came across your layout. The photo on the cover of the book is so inspirational, you're definitely doing it justice! Everything is looking great, I'll be following with very much interest. 

 

Steve

 

Thanks for the comments. I am trying to capture a bit of docklands. Lots of modellers licence as far as the buildings but using a real life track plan

 

I first came across the photo I think from a thread on here or Templot club, this led me to buy the book I have had for quite some time a kit built Wills J69 Backjumper im GER lined livery and I wanted a home for it. The turnout configuration really caught my eye as it has a sort of Barry slip in the design, so had challenges in designing it in Templot. I thought it might throw up a few issues in building it, but actually was quite straight forward. Then the scene itself offered opportunities for a cameo layout, sadly the area is no more so no one can say its wrong. I have taken liberties by missing out the Peabody flats and a school. The warehouses were single story with a wagon life etc, I have no idea if any businesses were under the viaducts

 

Sadly I have no room for the tracks on ground level, I had plans of making a self propelled wagon, I might still do one 

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I really admire the way people look at a photo and can build a layout based on it, it's something I've tried with my latest layout but haven't really managed it. 

That area is so inspirational, I would have loved to have seen it in it's heyday, have you any diesels to run? I have seen a few photo's with  BTH and EE Type 1's around the same location. 

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I and by the looks of it love this photo, and with the idea of cameo layouts its much easier, someone either did or proposed part of a main line terminus looking  through the arches on an adjoining platform.

 

06.jpeg.85fef5e150fd45f2c4f05d88c8121a1a.jpeg  What is there not too like, track disappearing round the background, various types of materials inset between the rails

 

Then the tracks are enclosed by the walls, large buildings in the background, I wonder if I could make a representation of the building in the background (it would make a very good scenic break)? and of course a steam loco. But the mixture of cobbles and sleepers between the rails plus the turnouts are the stars.

 

As for stock its up in the air and may be limited to a time span, certainly there has been no sign of the viaduct now and the area has been completely redeveloped since the war, according to Wicki St Katherines dock lost 3/4 of its warehouses during the blitz, so I guess the warehouses may have suffered. The Peabody housing is still there, but these may have been repaired/replaced

 

As for stock the initial idea was for GER stock, perhaps even going into LNER era. But to answer your question, in my "to build" pile are the following :-

 

Alexandra models class14, Judith Edge Hunslet 403 hp 0-6-0 and a NB 2700 , Nommeinstre Sentinel 0-4-0. Plus plenty of small steam tank locos, both main companies and industrial.

I guess as well as the GER, I could also turn it into a SR, LNWR or GWR rub branch, even run a fleet of industrial locos.

 

One idea is to start off with a pre-grouping scene, which I think could look quite colourful, and the odd industrial loco could easily make an appearance, plus the odd (foreign) loco making an exchange working

 

I like the look of weird small diesels, so yes there will be the odd one, but they would had to have rundown dirty BR stock, but things might change once I get into stock building.  So ideas how to progress the project will be most welcome 

 

If anyone has any links to useful photos etc please share

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  • 2 weeks later...

I have been a bit quiet as we have had the in-laws staying for a bit, but it has given time to think things through

 

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The left hand exit is the issue, its never going to be hidden but I think some form of frame  by the exit is needed, certainly the pub/shop fits the bill at the front, but having a road between the viaduct and the warehouse leaves a big expanse of nothing

 

 

 

I think having some form of chunky building may be the answer

 

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I could make this into a 3D building but then there is a gap behind it and the backscene

 

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Moving it back slightly is not working

 

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I think I may settle for something like this

 

I must finally decide what material to use and I think I will bite the bullet and use plastic soffit board 

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1 hour ago, Neil said:

 I like your final composition, the eye is led away from where the hole in the backscene will be and back into the layout.

 

 

Neil

 

Thanks, I think you are right. Unless someone can suggest something better there will be a twin track exit hole on the left and a triple one on the right. I was also wondering if there were any decent industrial backscenes available

 

Also in the photo there seems to be a signal in the foreground, I may either move it towards the exit or add a second to help distract the exit

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Looking good, as always! I agree that the later composition of two warehouses with some road/yard between them draws the eye in from the end of the track.

 

6 hours ago, hayfield said:

Also in the photo there seems to be a signal in the foreground, I may either move it towards the exit or add a second to help distract the exit

 

A signal sounds like it would help, maybe apply a little modellers' licence to fit a small gantry or at least a bracket type so it's hanging over the track as well as in front of it? Or if you really want to you could extend the embankment forwards a bit and put a small signal box in?

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24 minutes ago, TechnicArrow said:

Looking good, as always! I agree that the later composition of two warehouses with some road/yard between them draws the eye in from the end of the track.

 

 

A signal sounds like it would help, maybe apply a little modellers' licence to fit a small gantry or at least a bracket type so it's hanging over the track as well as in front of it? Or if you really want to you could extend the embankment forwards a bit and put a small signal box in?

 

 

Thank you, both options sound good, Modellers licence might include an over the track signal box?

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26 minutes ago, TechnicArrow said:

Looking good, as always! I agree that the later composition of two warehouses with some road/yard between them draws the eye in from the end of the track.

 

 

A signal sounds like it would help, maybe apply a little modellers' licence to fit a small gantry or at least a bracket type so it's hanging over the track as well as in front of it? Or if you really want to you could extend the embankment forwards a bit and put a small signal box in?

 

1 minute ago, hayfield said:

 

 

Thank you, both options sound good, Modellers licence might include an over the track signal box?

 

 

Here is an interesting option

 

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/disappearing-world-old-north-east-13883805  No idea how to show the photo

 

In fact a great idea, may not be prototypical, but I have taken so many liberties with the layout another one will not matter

 

This one is a bit big  https://www.wbsframe.mste.co.uk/public/Battersea_Park.html

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15 minutes ago, hayfield said:

 

 

 

Here is an interesting option

 

https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/history/disappearing-world-old-north-east-13883805  No idea how to show the photo

 

In fact a great idea, may not be prototypical, but I have taken so many liberties with the layout another one will not matter

 

This one is a bit big  https://www.wbsframe.mste.co.uk/public/Battersea_Park.html

 

My attempt at an NER overhead cabin (first photo), on a much simplified (replacement) base. Don't know how much other companies used this type.

 

 

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Thanks for the photo, the principal is much the same, but on the top of the viaduct not by the side. I have gone away from the photos at ground level but it makes a nice scenic break and of course if there is no room the box goes on top rather than by the side

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Had a 2 hour power cut whilst building this, so I could not get on with another job using a soldering iron

 

 

 

I think it will have to sit flush with the baseboard front rather than an angle with the viaduct which in fact will allow me to make the viaduct a bit wider to allow the abutments needed to support the overhead signal box.

 

These kits are very good and great value for money. As for the signal box I need to find something that fits the bill both in the box and some form of support

 

I have ordered another 3 story warehouse, but this time a slightly different design

 

 

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