Hatcham Servicing depot

[garethevans1986]

Looks good Mike, keep up the good work!

Gareth

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Gareth,

nice to have you aboard. Glad you like the layout. Are you still interested in the kit? if so, I can take it to Telford, if you are going.

cheers

Mike

 

[garethevans1986]

Probably not at the moment in time, not sure what will happen by September.

Gareth

 

[Ressaldar]

I have made reference to the Wirral OGG layout in the recent past and having been prompted by a certain gentleman from the West Midlands who is having an extension built - slowly and not in his favourite colour either! I remembered to take the camera to the Club last night, so................

It is 38' x 14'6" and the minimum radius is 5'9". When it was designed, we were housed in a primary school and it was decided that it would be a test track roundy-roundy constructed around Styrofoam boards to keep it lightweight and baseboard connections - both physical and electrical would be as simple as possible. That was April last year and generally speaking, those requirements have been met. Each of the outer 'Main' lines has a passing loop on both 'straights' so you can get three eight coach trains on each line. There are no connections between the two outer tracks but there are three sets of crossovers on the DCC 'Branch' as it is now called. The electrics are all done, points are 'hand driven' and the two outer tracks are DC controlled by Helmsman 5amp units fitted with volt and ammeters and hand held controllers. the two inner are DCC (we are awaiting the delivery of a Digitrax 8amp set-up).

Scenery was not on the original agenda, but my wife made a comment that perhaps a station could be 'clipped/hung' on the front straight to give more interest, so that is what is now being planned, to give two central through lines, two main line platforms, the inner one being an island to also serve the 'down' branch and finally, the 'up' branch. The NE Cheshire layout at Telford last weekend also had a similar idea.

 

[iploffy]

That's it blame me All I said was where are the pictures and you show us the fitness room complete with mirrors Kinky devil looks good though mate pity there is nothing on the tracks running though NUDGE, NUDGE :scratch: :scratch: :scratch:

Ian

 

[Ressaldar]

it was a private 'facility' the owner had built it and a pair of semis then knocked the semis into one house!! had his mates round to use the fitness suite and the 50' swimming pool downstairs then they drank themselves stupid in the bar area - behing where the phot was taken. The spirits had gone but the kegs were still conected with a use by date of 2005 (the owner fell off the perch in early 2005) - needless to say it went straight down the sink.

There will be a bigger attendance next week, so I'll take some more photos then - nearly all steam lovers though -

 

[Ressaldar]

progress at last on the layout - the ply backboards have been removed and the materials used to form a 100mm wide 'extension' to the depth of the layout. 18 thick MDF was then cut into 150 wide strips and plugged and screwed to the brickwall at 450 centres, the MDF was then covered with double sided carpet tape and 2mm thick art board 375mm wide applied along the length of the layout and left for a day to 'set'. I then painted slightly diluted PVA adhesive to the art board and then fixed the ID Backscenes 'photo strip' to it, this again was left for a day to dry and then the ID Backscenes self adhesive warehouses were applied. Today I have screwed 75 x 50 softwood through the 'backscene' to allow the retaining/boundary wall to be fixed to the front of it to give some depth to the scene. (discussions to take place with Cynric shortly on the walling).



The pannier is standing in what will be the 'main' platform and the 33 in the background on the last shot is where the goods shed will be located and in the earlier one, it is in the goods yard. The writing on the baseboards should be ignored as that applied to an earlier idea. I'm still considering options for the end boards/scenic break.

The Stanier BG has had two coats of thin 'dirt' applied to the talc and will be receiving further coats this week. The Colletts are Tower Brass/Bachmann bought at Kettering - more to follow on these in due course.

cheers

Mike

 

[Rob Pulham]

Looking good Mike, nice to see that you haven't forsaken steam altogether

 

[Phill Dyson]

Looks promising Mike .......quite like the look of it as a yard without the proposed platform too.

How is the MTH BG looking now Mike .............can't quite see it in the pics

Phill

 

[Ressaldar]

Looking good Mike, nice to see that you haven't forsaken steam altogether

as if I would..................and with Lionheart bringing out a small Prairie later this year as well!

quite like the look of it as a yard without the proposed platform too -

I agree, and it would save quite a bit of work, and money, by not building the station, I'll ponder over that one.

How is the MTH BG looking now Mike .............can't quite see it in the pics Phill

coming along quite nicely, now fitted the battery box and had the third 'wash' coat applied



so I'll start thinking about the next coatings



possibly the water thinnable oils that Fred Lewis mentioned recently, our local art shop has a good selection and at the same price as Hobbycraft. The wheels certainly look a lot better for having the dirt applied. A friend has a dynamo for me so that will be fitted at the weekend.

cheers

Mike

 

[marsa69]

Looks good mate

 

[Ressaldar]

Looks good mate

Hi Mark,

getting there slowly - and enjoying it as well.

cheers

Mike

 

[Ressaldar]

Looks promising Mike .......quite like the look of it as a yard without the proposed platform too.Phill

Phill,

here is the track plan



cheers

Mike

 

[Phill Dyson]

I like the plan Mike .....if you did go with the yard idea I would put some kind of building where the platform would be & maybe extend the bay road.

Having said that though I do like the plan with the station included as well

Watching with interest

Phill

 

[40126]

Any updates Mike ?.

Steve

 

[Ressaldar]

Any updates Mike ?.

Steve

Hi Steve,

thanks for asking - no progress at present, in fact it has become a 'shelf queen' supporting all of the other shelf queens - I'll try and post a photo later.

The modelling front has taken a severe battering since last autumn, hence the lack of any 'progress reports' on my build threads. I have been totally taken over with sorting my ageing Aunt and Uncle's lives since they were both admitted to the same hospital within a week of each other, when they were eventually discharged, it was straight into a care home, fortunately, a very nice one with double room accommodation and I have been sorting out their effects that have accumulated over the 40 odd years they have been at the bungalow.

Things are now settling down and I am hopeful of starting modelling again over Easter.

I hope that all is well with you and yours.

kind regards

Mike

 

[40126]

Thankyou Mike.

Me & the family are very well. Family comes first in my book & modelling sometimes has to take a backseat.

Look forward to seeing more of your modelling in the near future

Steve

 

[Ressaldar]

Hi Steve,

thanks for asking - no progress at present, in fact it has become a 'shelf queen' supporting all of the other shelf queens - I'll try and post a photo later.


Mike

photos as threatened







Heljan Class B tank wagons with Precision Labels numbers - both to be weathered soon

cheers

Mike

 

[clarky]

I love the Heljan B Type tanks

Bought a few myself.

Excellent value I think.