Saturday, 31 October 2015
Moving forwards
The two oil tankers are finished; the extra 47 done, and after the sixth rebuild, the double motored Western is now up and running. Thanks to Peter Stratford for the non-wobbly Maygib wheels which sorted out all but one of the problems. The final problem which was causing the loco to Kangaroo down the track was an axle which turned out to be far from straight - nearer V shaped, how that occurred heaven knows but all sorted out now. Had a great time at Expong at Swanley and relieved Andy Shillito of 20 Rudd wagons so I have some unbuilt kits once again. Looking forward to welcoming Peter Bennett for a modelling day soon where no doubt some of these Rudds will be built. Cant paint them though because Phoenix Pecision did not have the right shade of paint when I saw them :-(. Also looking to welcome a former member of the Broad Green operating team Pete (Tich) Colton who has indicated that he can help me with semi-auto signalling and an entry exit switching system for the fiddle yard. Photos when next the sun shines!! :-)
Thursday, 25 June 2015
A period of ill health and heavy business commitments has prevented me from continuing work on the layout but in the intervening period, I have been busy trying to make progress on all the unfinished rolling stock dating from years to decades!
So far I have outshopped 8 Mk III HST carriages, a dogfish wagon, a class 20, class 40, class 47, two class 37's, a three car met camm unit and an 08 outside framed shunter, a CCT parcels van, a BG and a GUV - also parcels vans.
Photos of this lot will follow.
Currently awaiting completion are two bogie oil tanks, another 47, many diesel chassis kits for 37's and Westerns, and two HST power cars.
Once I have a clear modelling bench, attention will turn to wiring Alexandra Junction!
LOCOS
PASSENGER CARRYING STOCK
So far I have outshopped 8 Mk III HST carriages, a dogfish wagon, a class 20, class 40, class 47, two class 37's, a three car met camm unit and an 08 outside framed shunter, a CCT parcels van, a BG and a GUV - also parcels vans.
Photos of this lot will follow.
Currently awaiting completion are two bogie oil tanks, another 47, many diesel chassis kits for 37's and Westerns, and two HST power cars.
Once I have a clear modelling bench, attention will turn to wiring Alexandra Junction!
LOCOS
PASSENGER CARRYING STOCK
NON-PASSENGER CARRYING STOCK
Friday, 5 October 2012
Escape from England
My regular autumn trip to Howard Love's house in France with supplies of English goodies included the scenic part of the layout to allow track laying to be completed.
Although there is a bit of tweaking needed where I haven't got things quite straight, the next task is fitting point motors and wiring.
The two main running lines each have a passing loop where freight trains will recess for crew changes, or for passenger trains to pass. The inner freight loop also leads to three and run round loops and a freight branch line which passes behind warehouses to end adjacent to the fiddle yard. A similar headshunt for the sidings leads to the headshunt on the opposite end.
Although there is a bit of tweaking needed where I haven't got things quite straight, the next task is fitting point motors and wiring.
The two main running lines each have a passing loop where freight trains will recess for crew changes, or for passenger trains to pass. The inner freight loop also leads to three and run round loops and a freight branch line which passes behind warehouses to end adjacent to the fiddle yard. A similar headshunt for the sidings leads to the headshunt on the opposite end.
Friday, 3 August 2012
ESCAPE FROM THE OLYMPICS
With so much TV airtime devoted to the Olympics, the only way of getting away from it is in the garage listening to Magic 105.4!!
The goods loops on the public viewing side of the layout are taking shape and sidings and warehousing will be added to the right. The slightly odd arrangement is because I do not want any vehicles less than 4" away from the edge of the layout so they are mainly out of the reach of tiny fingers. Scenery will slope up slightly towards the edge of the board.
With so much TV airtime devoted to the Olympics, the only way of getting away from it is in the garage listening to Magic 105.4!!
The goods loops on the public viewing side of the layout are taking shape and sidings and warehousing will be added to the right. The slightly odd arrangement is because I do not want any vehicles less than 4" away from the edge of the layout so they are mainly out of the reach of tiny fingers. Scenery will slope up slightly towards the edge of the board.
Looking the other way, we see 58017 with its complete rake of MGR hoppers to test the length of the passing loops. The wagons are kits from Andy Shillito. The tracks between the baseboard joins have yet to be tacked down so are not as straight as they should be!
As you can see, four into two are not going to go! When I buy the points needed to complete this end of the goods loops, I suspect that there will be a slight curve to the right.
Sunday, 22 July 2012
TRACK PLAN
Thanks to Phil Smith, here is the track plan for Alexandra Junction. As construction progresses, there will no doubt be small changes, but the top seven boards are fiddle yard, and the bottom five are mainly scenic. It is likely that the two stubs at the front will continue behind the backscene to terminate at buffer stops next to the fiddle yard. There will be tunnel mouths at each end of the scenic section.
The front of the layout comprises the main line and two freight loops. A line leads off the main line heading to a run round loop. Freights arriving in this loop can run round and disappear into the Docks complex off scene, or shunt into the hidden sidings in a complex of warehouses. How many sidings and whether hidden or not will be determined as track laying progresses.
Thanks to Phil Smith, here is the track plan for Alexandra Junction. As construction progresses, there will no doubt be small changes, but the top seven boards are fiddle yard, and the bottom five are mainly scenic. It is likely that the two stubs at the front will continue behind the backscene to terminate at buffer stops next to the fiddle yard. There will be tunnel mouths at each end of the scenic section.
The front of the layout comprises the main line and two freight loops. A line leads off the main line heading to a run round loop. Freights arriving in this loop can run round and disappear into the Docks complex off scene, or shunt into the hidden sidings in a complex of warehouses. How many sidings and whether hidden or not will be determined as track laying progresses.
Tuesday, 17 July 2012
SUN SHINES FOR 10 MINUTES!
Just long enough to get a photo of the latest addition to the heavy haul fleet. 58017 is a Worsley Works etched brass kit with castings from Bruce Hoyle. The chassis is a 3mm Society brass kit with a centrally mounted DS10 motor driving the outer wheels of each bogie via Branchlines plastic universal joints.
It has been under construction, and awaiting final painting for some years. It is the first loco to use blutac to secure the body to the chassis and so far seems to work quite well deadening out any wobbles and not separating without warning. Transfers are the Woodhead transfers which I commissioned for the Society a number of years ago.
It will hopefully pull 20 (maybe more!) HAA wagons on the new layout and starts a cascade displacing a pair of class 20's which will now power the steel bolsters (a la steel trains which used to run to Boston Docks using class 20s) allowing the second pair of class 20s to replace a class 47 on the Presflos (a la flyash workings to and from West Burton and Fletton brickworks - another well known class 20 turn). The extra capacity offered by Alexandra Junction to show off a further 7 trains over and above Broad Green will allow some of the long rakes of tarted up Tri-ang 4 wheelers to be used with class 37's, 40's and 47's lined up for haulage.
Just long enough to get a photo of the latest addition to the heavy haul fleet. 58017 is a Worsley Works etched brass kit with castings from Bruce Hoyle. The chassis is a 3mm Society brass kit with a centrally mounted DS10 motor driving the outer wheels of each bogie via Branchlines plastic universal joints.
It has been under construction, and awaiting final painting for some years. It is the first loco to use blutac to secure the body to the chassis and so far seems to work quite well deadening out any wobbles and not separating without warning. Transfers are the Woodhead transfers which I commissioned for the Society a number of years ago.
It will hopefully pull 20 (maybe more!) HAA wagons on the new layout and starts a cascade displacing a pair of class 20's which will now power the steel bolsters (a la steel trains which used to run to Boston Docks using class 20s) allowing the second pair of class 20s to replace a class 47 on the Presflos (a la flyash workings to and from West Burton and Fletton brickworks - another well known class 20 turn). The extra capacity offered by Alexandra Junction to show off a further 7 trains over and above Broad Green will allow some of the long rakes of tarted up Tri-ang 4 wheelers to be used with class 37's, 40's and 47's lined up for haulage.
The next locos to appear will be a Class 47, Class 37, and a Class 40 followed by a Western for David Garner which he has waited far too long for but in my defence had trouble with paint turning matt when it should be satin! after that comes the HST which again has suffered from moody paint problems.
Monday, 4 June 2012
Diamond Jubilee weekend
Tracklaying on the fiddle yards is now complete following delivery of five hand built right hand points from 3mmSMR.
There now follows a break while I continue redecorating the house. When I return (probably when temperatures fall in the autumn - or when I get bored again with the redecorating!) tracklaying will recommence on the three scenic boards.
I was at an exhibition at the weekend at Woolwich Firepower and the stand next to me was selling a home made version of the Noch flocking system which allows you to create realistic upright grass. He was doing a demonstration with his version which is a combination of an electric fly swatter and a metal tea strainer. Noch - £130. Bexley Models - £17.50.
Needless to say, the grass when applied to Alexandra Junction will be pointing upwards! As this wont probably occur for a year or two, you will just have to wait to see the results as the layout is scheduled for completion in time for the 3mm Society 50th anniversary year which is in 2015.
There now follows a break while I continue redecorating the house. When I return (probably when temperatures fall in the autumn - or when I get bored again with the redecorating!) tracklaying will recommence on the three scenic boards.
I was at an exhibition at the weekend at Woolwich Firepower and the stand next to me was selling a home made version of the Noch flocking system which allows you to create realistic upright grass. He was doing a demonstration with his version which is a combination of an electric fly swatter and a metal tea strainer. Noch - £130. Bexley Models - £17.50.
Needless to say, the grass when applied to Alexandra Junction will be pointing upwards! As this wont probably occur for a year or two, you will just have to wait to see the results as the layout is scheduled for completion in time for the 3mm Society 50th anniversary year which is in 2015.
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