Newton Broadway

Discussion in 'Members Personal Layouts' started by SRman, Apr 17, 2016.

  1. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    Hi Jeff.
    I'm awaiting my Kernow 10203 in BR Green presently, but not expecting that before early summer, Hattons "P" class in BR black supposedly around February, and oddly I'm currently looking at a Heljan Co-Bo myself! I succumbed to temptation and bought a "Golden Arrow" 'version 3' Merchant Navy, together with "Leader" kits, which I received just prior to Xmas, so I'll likely post on those shortly. Last night I had my offer on a Vi-Trains Class 37 accepted as I want the chassis for a Silver Fox GWR 18000 gas turbine model. I'll have to wait for that though, as they are waiting for a batch of the bodies to come into stock, but no rush as it'll join a lengthening line of projects jostling for bench space at present!
    I think I can justify a GWR model on my layout as there was some degree of crossover between regions, but if not, Rule 1 applies anyway, and Gormo and some of his followers might be interested in this project when I get around to it.
    Keith.
     
  2. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    Toto wrote:
    The DMU already has lighting, with directional marker and tail lights, plus interior lights and the headcode and destinations as well. I just forgot to pose it with the lights on.
     
  3. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    Keith M wrote:
    I saw your new topic thread on the Leader and Merchant Navy. I still haven't finished off my MN from the same source. Mine also was one of the last batch, but I used a complete Hornby MN chassis with its 6000 gallon tender as well. I thought it was a bit odd specifying the BoB/WC chassis.

    I'll be very interested in your Leader build. Have you decided what livery to do it in? It only ever wore works/photographic grey, but I have seen a couple of them done in BR lined black, which looked very nice indeed.

    You seem to be a bit like me in pursuing some of the oddball and one-off diesel/electric/gas turbine types. I have a small collection including Lion, Facon, Kestrel, Deltic, DP2, 10001, 10201 (now!), 10203, and Kestrel. If anyone produces the Fell diesel or 10800, I'll be in line for those too.

    The Co-Bos were such oddities I just couldn't resist. Several times I added one the previous issues that were selling at a reduced price to my Hatton's shopping cart, but deleted it each time when the bill total went too high. Then they sold out.

    I also have a Kernow D6XX early Warship on order, and a Silver Fox Baby Deltic body and a spare Bachmann class 20 to make a class 23 eventually, so resisted the temptation to buy the Heljan offering for same.
     
  4. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    I should add, the Co-Bo gave me quite a fight when I went to fit a decoder. The body should just unclip and lift off. On many Heljan locos, the body can be a very tight fit when new, but this one was extra tight. When I finally succeeded in my struggle, with quite a lot of brute force involved, I got the body off but it came with the motor, PCB and two rubber (silicon?) cradles attached to the insides at the top - the rubber had actually glued itself to the inside of the roof. I also managed to dislodge a couple of the pipe details from underneath, but have no idea where they should actually go.

    Fortunately, Heljan locos are relatively simple to assemble and disassemble, so the motor was persuaded back in, threading the drive (cardan) shafts back into their locations and wedging it all with the rubber cradles. The PCB force-fits into the slots at the top of the cradles.

    As I described above, it all works properly and runs well, but it did give me a bit of a surprise at the time!
     
  5. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    I bet that was a surprise to see the motor come off with the shell ! :eek: I would have sh..., cursed myself... :(

    Having fit sound to my Heljan Class 33 (following Keith's tutorial), I was thinking why Heljan assembled the locos the way they did. makes it difficult (or I should say fiddly) to install the speaker...

    I did get there in the end... ;)

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  6. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    I've done several class 33s with sound, and use the fuel tanks for the speakers, plus on a couple, another speaker inside the body shell, pointing down through the bogie tower. I have seen it written quite a few times where people have drilled holes in the chassis to run the wires to the speaker in the tanks, but I simply run the wires through the centre at the back of chassis bogie gap, making sure I secure the wires clear of the bogie swing, using some black-tack mastic.

    The same principles apply to several other Heljan locos, such as the Hymek and class 47.

    Having said that, there was a recent Model Rail magazine (or was it Hornby MAgazine?) where the wires were actually run through holes drilled in the plastic solebars just beside the chassis block, but still hidden once the body was clipped back on. I thought that was quite clever.
     
  7. Keith M

    Keith M Staff Member Moderator

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    With the exception of either of the "LMS Twins", I have the same 'prototypes' collection as you, Jeff. Like yourself, I'm always up for 'something different', nothing wrong with the more 'run-of-the-mill' stuff, but I'm sure that many locospotters will have had surprising encounters with loco's that should never have been seen where they showed up, and why not? I've just completed a rather pricey order to 'Markits' in the UK for bits for 'Leader' and the 'MN', Leader wheelsets were almost £64 and a price rise is imminent, so when the parts arrive, I'll be embarking on a build posting. 10000/10001,Mmmmm:scratchchin:

    Keith.
     
  8. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    Bulleid 1Co-Co1 diesel-electric 10201 is seen paused in Newton Broadway station with a 3-set of Bulleid coaches and a 'loose' BR mark 1, plus a BY van, all in crimson and cream, or plain crimson for the van.

    O2 30182 is seen beside the train with gate stock pull-push set 363. On the other platform, a London Transport train of 1938 CO/CP stock can be seen.

    Please ignore the out of period stock visible on the upper level.

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  9. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    OK: This is progress! I set to this morning to cut some of the woodwork. There remains a little bit more to do, including adding some more supports and shifting a temporary one, and trimming that final, middle board. I have engineered it to include a shelf that I can use for extra storage plus simple work like wheel cleaning and minor maintenance.

    The whole layout is shifted away from the wall at present, so I can get in there and work on it at the back.

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    You can now see clearly where I am going with all this. Once I have the track in place with temporary pins, I can then work out how the turntable and storage lines will fit in in the middle.
     
  10. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    All trimmed, screwed down and properly supported now. The track has been placed very, very roughly to give an idea of how it will look when finished. The single track at the lower level is actually to be the testing and programming track. It will disappear into tunnel mouths at both ends, with a buffer stop at the far end, and a short extension onto the workbench area (not as long as is shown in the photos) with the Kadee coupling height gauge on the left. the middle part of the track will have to be as straight as possible to allow for the rolling road to be used when desired.

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  11. Ron

    Ron Full Member

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    Your cracking on with that, well done :thumbs:
     
  12. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Looks like an interesting project mate, I will be interested to see how it develops.
    Its nice to see more of the original layout, sometimes wide views are more interesting than the details.

    Cheer's, Pete.
     
  13. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    Thanks for the compliments, guys.

    Pete, I really should do more overall shots, although there isn't much room to step back far enough to get it all in. I tend to take most of the 'portrait' shots of new stock in the one location where there is a clear side view, whereas most of the Underground section is intended to give glimpses of the trains. Once I get the upper section operational, it will be easier to photograph the trains themselves.
     
  14. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    The programming track has been added as a matter of priority - I need my programming track! Wiring it back in was a simple matter of cutting off the crocodile clips on the existing wires and soldering the newly cut ends to the track. A quick test showed it was all working nicely.

    I will paint and ballast this track. The Kadee gauge is on the extreme left end, with insulated joiners on its short piece of track, although I will paint the top surfaces of that bit of track as well, just as a precaution.

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  15. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    Demonstrating that I have power!

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    And now with ballast being applied but not yet glued down. I do intend weathering it to a darker colour and adding some weeds when I add the rest of the scenery, while ensuring that nothing will interfere with the ability to use the track for testing. I have also applied a little filler to the gaps in the boards where they join.

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  16. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    Making this programming and testing track fully scenic opens up new photographic opportunities for models. I have been building and modifying two Metcalfe tunnel mouths and adding an expanded polystyrene embankment to this section. There is a lot more to do, but with a couple of bits of Peco stone walling temporarily posed by each tunnel mouth, it can be used already.

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  17. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    Tracklaying underway, although all of the points are only lightly pinned so I can lift them again to solder wires to them and connect them to frog polarity switches - because the upper level is to be DCC only, I am using automatic polarity sensor switches.

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    There will be a crossover in the foreground of the second pic, allowing trains to exit the far side of the fiddle yard 'wrong road' then cross to the 'proper' running line.

    There are a couple of minor kinks to iron out from the curved lines in the loops, and, in spite of appearances, no curve goes under my minimum 3rd radius, or approximately 20" radius.

    The loop lengths were dictated by my desire to allow two 4 CEP units + an MLV to be stored and run. That translates to a locomotive and eight coaches for non-multiple unit stock.

    On a slightly different tack, I used the programming track to pose my Bachmann SE&CR C class with the matching birdcage stock, with slightly better lighting angles than in my usual photographic location. The stone walls are all simply propped there to hide the bare white polystyrene.

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  18. Gary

    Gary Wants more time for modelling.... Staff Member Administrator

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    I go away for a few days and bam, you've made massive progress !! :eek:

    The extension looks great Jeff. Soon you'll be running the top loop. I like how you have incorporated the programming track into the scenery, nice touch. :thumbs:

    Looking forward to the next update.

    Cheers, Gary.
     
  19. SRman

    SRman Full Member

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    Further progress with the scenic side of the programming track valley (I must come up with a better name for that!). I have used some Slaters' dressed stone walling and some Flemish bond brick sheet, plus strips of grass matting. The glue is still a tad wet and showing white, I'll add some shrubs and vines at the top of the embankment wall eventually, while the area showing white polystyrene will have a narrow lane on it, travelling down to the baseboard front.

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  20. jakesdad13

    jakesdad13 Staff Member Moderator

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    Wow, you're cracking on. Its starting to take on realistic feel now :thumbs:. Well done!

    Cheer's, Pete.
     

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