Church Norton

[3 LINK]

Well I have now finished the baseboard on which the station and platforms will sit on, so I thought I would have a break from the woodwork and have a go at some P/way instead.

This turnout will form part of the station loop/run round, and is built using C&L parts and not copper paxolin like in the storage yards.












Cheers,

Martyn.

 

[Dog Star]

Martyn,

Your photos confirm that you are as mad as the rest of us - two tone brown slide chairs to boot. Which products have you combined to form the slide chairs as shown and why was this work necessary?

 

[3 LINK]

Well spotted Sir, yes I can confirm I am as barking as the rest of you lot.

I am trying to depict a GWR 2 bolt slide chair, well on the side of these chairs there is an adjustment bolt which stands out quite noticeably. Well the C&L GWR version does not show this detail but it does on there LNER ( I think ) slide chairs ( 7CH 301A ). So basically I have done a "cut 'n' shut" with their GWR slide chair ( 7CH 103B) as the slide part of the chair still shows just the one bolt .

Was it worth it ? Well I suppose it's like internal valve gear, as in "I know it's there ".

Oh and I had missed out two "C" chairs that Martin Wynne so kindly pointed out to me , they have now been fitted .

Martyn.

 

[7mmMick]

Very nice indeed, I will keep a close eye as all I am thinking about at the minute is curves and angles with my future p-way,

Mick

 

[Dog Star]

Was it worth it ? Well I suppose it's like internal valve gear, as in "I know it's there ".

Was it worth it?

Yes, someone else "knows it is there" .

 

[3 LINK]

The latest track panels have now been laid towards Church Norton, and the engineering train is returning the empty macaws back to the p/way yard.









The local passenger coasts towards the station approach,





No more playing, I must get back to the soldering iron........

Martyn.

 

[Dikitriki]

Hi Martyn,

Good to see trains at last - should provide loads of encouragement

This has all the makings of a first class layout.

Richard

 

[Compton castle]

I completely agree, looking great mate.

 

[3 LINK]

Hi Guys,



Well it's been quite some time since my last update, so here's a brief of what has been happening.



I have made a start on the track work that will be laid in the station area and which will consist of a crossover incorporating a single slip to link up the goods yard from the down.







As you can see I have already airbrushed the sleepers, I have done these separately on some old newspaper " never again " believe me it is easier to leave the sleepers until they are actually in place and just before the ballasting, lesson learned. And after much trial and error I chose Railmatch acrylic black ( 2205 ) as a base colour for the sleepers on the main running lines, there will be something completely different colour wise for the sidings and yard areas, when I get that far .



Anyhow I have started to lay the track in my usual manner, using 31.5mm gauges see below.







I have never really been happy with the different types of tie bars / stretcher bars on the market or scratch built methods, so I thought I would have a go at trying a method that was featured in MRJ 227 by David Nicolson. You have to basically drill though the web of the running rails and switch blades to keep everything in place, see below.







Then using some brass tube with an inside dia of 0.8mm and some Ever green plastic rod of 0.75mm, Bob's your uncle. Well it's a bit more involved than that, so if you are interested then you will need to get that issue of MRJ.







They are certainly not that quick to build and are quite fiddly to construct but they do look good, time will tell as to their reliability so fingers crossed.



ATB,



Martyn.

 

[john lewsey]

Love the big tank

 

[3 LINK]

Well after much deliberation I have decided to opt for another form of tie bar for various reasons,

1/ I am modelling the Western region in the 50's and by this time most tie bars had been changed from the rod linkage to a rectangular bar design.

2/ Reliability is one of the most important wants on my list.


3/ So I am left with the Ambis style of tie bar from C&L or the JLTRT offering.

So after trying both I have decided on the JLTRT one's, in my opinion they are more sturdy and also easier to build and a darn sight cheaper, see below.




I thought I would take a break from the p/way with a little platform construction, and as both platforms are on a curve it was not just a simple matter of plonking some wood down. On the outside curve I held a marker pen onto the edge of the buffers on my longest coach and pushed it through the proposed station area so it would leave a clearance line on the baseboard to build to. And then again the same on the inside curve with the marker pen held against the middle of the coach, this method has seemed to of worked OK so far as I want to keep the gap as close as possible.



I have used hardboard as formers and this will probably be covered in embossed plasticard with additional lasercut edgings to the platform edges. With Telford a couple of weeks away I think I will see what the traders have got to offer.

Martyn.

 

[40126]

Well after much deliberation I have decided to opt for another form of tie bar for various reasons,

1/ I am modelling the Western region in the 50's and by this time most tie bars had been changed from the rod linkage to a rectangular bar design.

2/ Reliability is one of the most important wants on my list.


3/ So I am left with the Ambis style of tie bar from C&L or the JLTRT offering.

So after trying both I have decided on the JLTRT one's, in my opinion they are more sturdy and also easier to build and a darn sight cheaper, see below.




I thought I would take a break from the p/way with a little platform construction, and as both platforms are on a curve it was not just a simple matter of plonking some wood down. On the outside curve I held a marker pen onto the edge of the buffers on my longest coach and pushed it through the proposed station area so it would leave a clearance line on the baseboard to build to. And then again the same on the inside curve with the marker pen held against the middle of the coach, this method has seemed to of worked OK so far as I want to keep the gap as close as possible.



I have used hardboard as formers and this will probably be covered in embossed plasticard with additional lasercut edgings to the platform edges. With Telford a couple of weeks away I think I will see what the traders have got to offer.

Martyn.

Hi Martyn

Have a word with @BrushType4 (Phil)

Steve

 

[Compton castle]

Details and pictures already passed on to Phil & I shall be measuring up some real stones shortly, my dad has a few steps in his garden made out of them.

 

[3 LINK]

Hi Martyn

Have a word with @BrushType4 (Phil)

Steve

Hi Steve,

I have now been in contact with Phil and the wheels are in motion ( pardon the pun ).

Details and pictures already passed on to Phil & I shall be measuring up some real stones shortly, my dad has a few steps in his garden made out of them.

Cheers Steve,

Trust the GWR to be different,

Martyn.

 

[Compton castle]

Or just better !!!!!

 

[3 LINK]

Awww, now you have started something , although I whole heartedly agree .

Martyn.

 

[3 LINK]

Hi Guys,


Well it's been a while but today I have achieved a part of the build that I was dreading, I have never installed lighting before but this building was crying out for it because of the wealth of internal detail that comes with the kit.

I went over to the Engine Shed, as Squires is shut on a Sunday and brought some Leds and resistors, I was a bit concerned as no one in the shop knew the values of the resistors, and being as they were the only ones in the shop I had no choice.

I don't know what I was worrying about, I got them working first time. The photos were taken in the kitchen which has a lot of natural daylight, but once the sun goes down I think they will give me the look I was after.

Talking of lighting, the Engine Shed have brought out their own versions of gas or electric street/platform lamp posts and very nice they are too, the detail is fantastic, shame they are sold for 4mm. But when I gave them a closer look I thought they looked about right for 7mm, so out came the tape measure and bingo! they are roughly 13' high, so I checked a 7mm Peco version and it was exactly the same size. So for £29.95 you get 5 lamp posts and 2 wall mounted lamps as well, plus they come with the wiring and bulbs, I personally think that's pretty good valve for money. They are in at least 4 regional styles and colours, the SR type even have the barley twist design up the lamp post, well worth a look.





ATB,

Martyn.

 

[Big Train James]

The cat is right about where I would expect to find it. Shake my head.

 

[3 LINK]

Hi,

Yes we rescued her a few months ago as a kitten, and she has decided I need the company and the help of a quality control inspector.

Also she doesn't mind listening to Radio 2, whereas the wife is still in denial and there is often a terrible racket coming from the kitchen which use to be Radio 1.

Martyn.

 

[DougT]

...whereas the wife is still in denial and there is often a terrible racket coming from the kitchen which use to be Radio 1.

Martyn.

I'm feeling your pain Martyn. I fear this battle is also now lost as my wife has brought in reinforcements by way of my daughter approaching teenage years... still, my 9 year old will reach for a Happy Mondays or Foo Fighters CD when in my car so all might not be lost! Only time will tell.