Another Kirkby Stephen

[Reorte]

After chatting to a few people at Expo EM North yesterday I've been encouraged to start a thread about my layout. Hope it's OK here, there seems to be more than one place layout threads can go.

 

I've been a bit hesitant knowing that there's already a Kirkby Stephen West layout in existance (which I didn't know about when I started this), but hey ho.

 

I originally began in OO but after setting down all the track on this board and having got started on the scenery I decided that I wasn't too happy with that and tore it all up and started again in EM. It's my first ever layout so perhaps jumping in at the deep end with handbuilt track but since it's involved learning all sorts of things it's been worthwhile just for that. The track is C&L components, it's DCC, and point motors are Tortoises.

 

The intended period is ~1960, although I'm not being massively accurate on that front - I want (eventually) 9Fs on anyhydrite trains and also some local goods, and the track is all bullhead, which the main line wasn't by the time those anhydrite trains were running.

 

I think it was about three years ago that I started, so don't hold your breath on progress on this one!

 

The board I've been working on so far:

It's a rented house so there's not much I can do about the wallpaper. The "nicely used" look of the board comes from pulling up the first attempt and spilling stuff all over it... There should be a second siding on the left, at some point in the future I'll build an extension on that side to accommodate that. I'll possibly widen it at the back too so that the water tower will all fit instead of having to merge into a backscene.

 

Here's my attempt at the point driving problem:

The arm from the motor comes through the board and sits in a bit of bent brass, which is attached to the (still brass) tiebar via a valve gear rivet, thus allowing it to rotate as the arm rotates as it moves. Brass stretcher bars scream "short circuit" but they're held in place by glue, with a lot of jiggling around whilst it was setting until there was no direct connection between the bar and the connector (what's the correct term for that?) There's enough of a gap that they don't touch the bottom of the rails either. Time will tell if this is a good idea or a cause for future problems.

 

Not sure what's happened to the slide chairs, I'm sure they were on there once upon a time...

 

This is the only one done in this way to be honest, the others I'd soldered, not riveted, the socket, leaving enough slack to allow for the rotation of the bar. Those work but this seems better and should hopefully be more long-term reliable.

[Physicsman]

Hi Reorte - do you have a name we can refer to, as it appears you've joined the raving Lunesters "club"?

 

Nice to see another S&C layout. Don't worry in the slightest about the pace of things. The gang on here are extremely supportive, and only judgemental in the most positive of ways.

 

I love Kirkby Stephen, and pass through it often enough. My KL thread was a variant on KS, and KL2 will be a closer "take" on the place - though I'm mainly using the prototype as it's so lovely, and a useful guide.

 

Keep the posts coming. No doubt Bodge will be contributing shortly!!

 

Jeff

[Reorte]

A name for the layout? It's supposed to be Kirkby Stephen West but that's already been taken. I've never thought of it as anyting else though. I'll have to give that some thought.

 

As for the Lunesters, what have I let myself in for?

[Mrkirtley800]

A lot!

Some nice folks too.

Derek

[Physicsman]

A name for the layout? It's supposed to be Kirkby Stephen West but that's already been taken. I've never thought of it as anyting else though. I'll have to give that some thought.

 

As for the Lunesters, what have I let myself in for?

 

No, I meant a name for you. Apologies if your first name is Reorte and I've not recognised it as such!

 

As Derek has just stated - a lot! Your woes (!!!) have only just begun...!   

 

Jeff

[Reorte]

Oh, real name.

 

The username is plucked from my usual source of user names when I run out of imagination, it's a planet in an ancient computer game. Real name is Simon.

[Jason T]

Hi Simon, nice meeting you yesterday and I hope you enjoyed Expo EM.

 

As we discussed yesterday, stick with Kirkby Stephen West as the prototype and name as there being one (and shortly two when Jeff pulls his finger out) models of the location already should not dissuade you. It is a lovely station with operational interest on a fascinating line, and it will be interesting to see how the three layouts differ and what is similar (the time period for starters - all around 1960).

 

What is worrying me is that Jeff and Mike seem to think that I will be building them twenty Anhydrite wagons each and now, that number may go up to sixty of the bloody things

 

One could argue that if one of the RTR boys were to produce them, they would sell a lot of them to a handful of people;)

[jamie92208]

Looking forward to seeing some progress Simon.  One of my good friends has the O gauge KS and will be with us with Green Ayre at Warley on Sunday if you want a chat with hime.  I grew up opposite Settle and could see 2 miles of the S & C from our kitchen window from 1959 onwards.  I'll be happy to help with memories and thoroughly approve of the 9F's on Anhydrite as I got my only main line cab ride (on steam) on 92208 on a Southbound one, hence my user name.

 

Jamie

[jamie92208]

Hi Simon, nice meeting you yesterday and I hope you enjoyed Expo EM.

 

As we discussed yesterday, stick with Kirkby Stephen West as the prototype and name as there being one (and shortly two when Jeff pulls his finger out) models of the location already should not dissuade you. It is a lovely station with operational interest on a fascinating line, and it will be interesting to see how the three layouts differ and what is similar (the time period for starters - all around 1960).

 

What is worrying me is that Jeff and Mike seem to think that I will be building them twenty Anhydrite wagons each and now, that number may go up to sixty of the bloody things

 

One could argue that if one of the RTR boys were to produce them, they would sell a lot of them to a handful of people;)

I agree, I have a part built 7mm 9F in the cupboard so a 7mm rtr one would be bought if it came out.

 

Jamie

[Reorte]

Hi Simon, nice meeting you yesterday and I hope you enjoyed Expo EM.

 

As we discussed yesterday, stick with Kirkby Stephen West as the prototype and name as there being one (and shortly two when Jeff pulls his finger out) models of the location already should not dissuade you. It is a lovely station with operational interest on a fascinating line, and it will be interesting to see how the three layouts differ and what is similar (the time period for starters - all around 1960).

 

What is worrying me is that Jeff and Mike seem to think that I will be building them twenty Anhydrite wagons each and now, that number may go up to sixty of the bloody things

 

One could argue that if one of the RTR boys were to produce them, they would sell a lot of them to a handful of people;)

Had a very good time at Expo EM thanks.

 

Think of it as acquiring expertise in anhydrite wagons

 

Funny that it's around 1960 again. I suppose that later than that the amount of operational interest drops off there but why not eariler? It's not as if I was alive in the 1960s to see any of it anyway. I can only suppose that it's because most steam-ere photos I've seen were from that period so there's still familiarity, even at second hand.

 

 

Looking forward to seeing some progress Simon.

Uh-oh... Three years to get this far, and it might still go backwards. The curve seems to have vanished somewhere so there's a bit of temptation to start again, again. I'm trying to resist it though.

[Andrew P]

Hi Simon, sorry BUT I had to look in, its going to be great to get yet another take on a great theme and in EM as well, that's mighty impressive for a first proper layout so will have yet another thread to add to my Follow List.

 

All the best and enjoy the Lunesters.

 

Bodge

[Reorte]

Hi Simon, sorry BUT I had to look in, its going to be great to get yet another take on a great theme and in EM as well, that's mighty impressive for a first proper layout so will have yet another thread to add to my Follow List.

 

All the best and enjoy the Lunesters.

Thanks, and thanks to everyone else too. Hopefully having a thread going will encourage me to make regular progress. It'll certainly have its quiet patches though, the last thing I want to happen is to start viewing it as a chore. The other idea I originally had was for Armathwaite but that looked like it would need even more space.

[Allegheny1600]

Hi Simon,

Great to see another S&C layout emerging, shall enjoy seeing this develop!

ATB,

John.

[Physicsman]

So, welcome Simon. I knew all the usual suspects would appear once your thread started.

 

And starting your thread, from an inspirational point of view, is the best thing you could have done.

 

Best of luck with the project. I think KL/KL2 are much more "freelance" than your own effort - and I've had to do a degree of compression to fit my plans into the available space. 

 

Jeff

[Reorte]

Thanks.

 

I've ignored the available space and just started anyway. The lounge is long and narrow so when there is more to it it there may be room to put it together there temporarily.

[67A]

Hi Simon,

 

I'm coming in at the back as usual! Great to see another S&C layout in the making and jumping in at the deep end on EM, you must be masochist. Seriously all credit is due.

 

Its also refreshing to read that you're too young to remember steam but willing to model it, however the S&C is a strange place, there can be no other line that has by and large retained most of its infrastructure since its opening and although some rationalisation and modernisation has indeed taken place over the past few decades you can easily run several time-lines without too much alteration.

 

I have found all the lunesters willing to help wherever possible so don't be worried about asking, just worry about about the deluge of replies  All the best for your project Simon.

 

p.s. keep badgering Jason, re; Anhydrites; he's got to weaken eventually! 

[Reorte]

Well I started it in OO but wasn't happy after seeing some EM and P4 layouts. P4 seemed beyond me (and judging by what I've managed it probably was - thinking about trying a P4 shunting plank sometime though) but EM sounded achievable and even though my work isn't perfect I'm pleased I decided to change. It still looks much better and it's very satisfying, having things running through trackwork I've made myself.

 

I think the unchanged nature of the line is a big part of its appeal (if it ever gets electrified I pray it's long after I'm dead and buried). Despite being (relatively) young I'm also very old-fashioned in a lot of things. Of course it helps when doing research, although some of the more subtle changes caught me out (I'm sure the down siding was moved slightly when things were renewed not that long ago). Most of the other changes aren't massive though, so I'm happy enough to not be too bothered about having bullhead rail and running trains that only ran when it was replaced with flat bottomed and things like that.

 

That's probably why steam appeals to me too, it's got character. That said I've a bit of childhood nostalgia for BR blue too. More recent than that and I'll just start annoying people with my opinions (which I've done once or twice on RMWeb already I'm afraid to say). That said I still enjoy seeing good modern image layouts.

[Clive Mortimore]

Hi Simon

 

I look forward to seeing your layout progress.

 

Becareful with these chaps form the Lunester Lounge, they are nothing but naughty boys. :nono:

[Andrew P]

Not me Clive, I'm the best behaved of the lot, hahhah

 

Bodge

 

P.S.

Simon, any more pics please?

 

Bodge2

Edited September 16, 2014 by Andrew P

[Reorte]

More pics already? You've already seen everything!

 

I'm thinking of working from the back with some scenery now. This weekend I'll look for some wood and material to extend backwards slightly, there's an embankment with a wall on top and ending at the wall would be a good place to stop. In the mean time I think some point rodding will go in so I can finish the ballasting around it, particularly around where a bit of platform will need to go. I've got both 0.4mm and 0.5mm square wire, the 0.4mm is closer to the correct (top) size as far as I can work out but visually I think it looks rather thin compared to the prototype. On the other hand it's already straight.

 

If I can't make my mind up on that it'll be a bit more trackwork instead, there's the cattle dock siding to be done as well as a few missing check rails (I'm hoping that's the only reason I get derailments on the slip occasionally) and chairs.

[Reorte]

OK, here's another picture.

 

The signal box and signal are temporarily placed (the box is in the wrong place anyway here). The box was about the first thing I did. It's a cut down and filled in in places Ratio kit. The roof hasn't been fixed down yet, which is why there's a gap. The nameboard is a temporary one, I've some etched letters to make into a nice nameboard. At some point I may try to find some etched windows to replace the plastic ones.

 

The signal was my first brass kit attempt (well, the second because I made such a mess of the first one I threw it away and started again), it's from MSE.

 

The Black 5 was my second EM conversion. The first, a Jubilee, had an unfortunate encounter with the end of the line (fool to not put some temporary stop blocks there!) and is currently awaiting repair. Obviously still a few bits to do on it such as the balance weights. Renumbering awaits when I work up the courage to attempt it (I've seen a couple of photos of forward feed Black 5s on the S&C so I've something appropriate to renumber to).

 

The tender is my first rolling stock kit, from Comet (thanks for getting me started Geoff, alas that you won't be helping me through any more). Lining it is a scary prospect. I may try to strip it first since I've acquired an airbrush since hand painting it. The unpainted and not quite finished Mk 1 is my second brass rolling stock kit, also from Comet.

 

 

Must get a backscene instead of that wallpaper.

Edited September 16, 2014 by Reorte

[Reorte]

While I'm here I'll add this photo I took on a visit

 

It's a view I'm sure you've seen plenty of times before but it captures what I love about the place.

[Andrew P]

Hi Simon, thanks for some more nice shots, the work on the Black 5 looks good, as does the Tender, nice shot of the building as well, thanks.

 

Bodge.

[Jock67B]

Afternoon Simon,

Apologies for the rash of likes, but I've only just looked back in. As a happy 'lunester' fan, I've yet to start a model due to various circumstances. I hope to kick off in the spring now and following your thread, along with several like those of AndyP, Jeff, Mike, Jason and others keeps my interest alive. I love the fun and banter but also, have learned a heck of a lot, almost daily! Love the Black5 by the way. Look forward to the next instalment,

Kind regards,

Jock.

[Rowsley17D]

Hi Simon, I thought Jeff had at last stopped building garden walls and started some modelling but happy to see another S&C layout. Just keep posting plenty of pics and we'll all be happy.

Edited September 19, 2014 by Rowsley17D