Newton Broadway

A few rather diverse arrivals have been seen at Newton Broadway.

For the 1950s to '70s, I bought some Dapol 6-wheel Unigate Creameries milk tankers. While these are probably not as good as the Hornby models, they are at least obtainable, and also a bit cheaper. A couple of them are seen here with a Bachmann N class 2-6-0, 31860, which I have heavily weathered.





For the more current scene (1990s, possibly 2000s), Bachmann's EWS inspection saloon lobbed in today. I have posed it with EWS 33 030. This locomotive came from Heljan's earlier class 33/0 mouldings with the somewhat flattened roof profile and slight "shoulders" to the edges of the cab roofs. I have filed the cab roof profile down a bit towards the sides, then repainted them.

 

I do want to weather it a bit, Gary, and the 33 could also do with some weathering, particularly on the roof. I don't think I'll take the saloon quite as far as the pic, though!



http://www.click

 

At the moment, I like legomanbiffo's sounds best of all in the 33, but I also have Paul Chetter's sound in a Zimo decoder and two with Howes' sounds on older LokSound v. 3.5 decoders. Coincidentally, I chose one of the Howes ones to do the following recording, although the main aim of this was to demonstrate my successful tests on the running of the Dapol tankers.

I test ran the seven milk tanks on their own at slow then high (full) speed, with only one derailment right at the start - I hadn't put one of the tank wagons on the track properly!

Following the success of those runs, I built up the train slightly with some vans; Bachmann Southern PMV and BR mk 1 BG, and a Hornby Van C.

I set up the camera and did some run pasts at high speed (i.e. flat chat for the Heljan 33/2 - not a 33/1 as my title screen says; that's a typo on my part), and at a more sedate pace so the wagons could be observed properly. As you can see, there were no problems with the wagons' running qualities and stability.



To hear the legomanbiffo sound, I have this video, also on YouTube (this also was by way of a test run, this time for the camera and bolster wagon it was mounted on):

 

Hi Marty. I'll take it to school tomorrow and use the big photocopiers!
p.s. Do you want that in colour?

 

They're just YouTube vids, Tom, so maybe something to do with your graphics drivers or possibly a missing codec.

 

Tom, they are in MP4 format as uploaded. If you download the vids through something like keepvid.com, choose the MP4 format and they should play in Windows Media Player (on Windows). If you have a Mac, try something like the free VLC player, which will play just about any format you choose to use (that applies for Windows too).

 

I received my four Hornby BR crimson ex-LSWR coaches yesterday and ran them earlier today. I have formed the 2-car set 43 and, after a few initial photos, decided that they could be closer coupled. I used a couple of Kadee couplings with their dropper arms cut off, as the set will remain semi-permanently coupled and should have no need for any auto-uncoupling. First runs were with M7 0-4-4T 30051 and a van C.





Kadees now fitted:


... and in formation after closer coupling, this time with the addition of a Maunsell open 3rd, with 700 class 0-6-0 30693 hauling the rake.





And a couple of short video clips of the trains in action, firstly with 30051, then with 30693. 2 HAL units 2694 (still without its numbers applied) and 2639 can be seen passing in the opposite direction in the latter clip.


https://youtu.be/WH8YU639MhY


https://youtu.be/DMc6W0hSClE

The remaining two coaches were 'loose' coaches in Southern parlance, and could be added to any train where more passenger accommodation was required.

All photos and videos were taken on my new phone, an HTC X9. I'm still trying to get the best out of the camera but need to read the manual to see if I can override some of the settings. As you can see, the current results are a mixed bag for quality and clarity.

Edit: I don't know why the YouTube links aren't working (at least on my Google Chrome browser). I'll put alternative links to the vids.

 

I have been laying a little more track in the fiddle yard of the upper level. It doesn't look like much, but this represents an afternoon's work!





The two 4 CEP units were on the line to gauge the length I need for the two units plus an MLV.

 

Thanks, Gary.

I have been spending rather a lot (too much??) lately, but sometimes one has to jump in or lose the stock altogether. Many shops have already sold out of the crimson ex-LSWR coaches, and are low on the SR liveried versions, so I'm glad I ordered when I did. Luckily, my wife understands and supports me in this.

 

Just a little more done this morning, straight after getting up.​

The tracks are only lightly pinned at the moment, to allow for adjustments when I test the clearances properly.



Still more to go, but doing a bit at a time eventually gets the job done.

 

And a few more from today's track laying sessions.







And one, just for fun, showing my Bachmann SECR C class 0-6-0 with a pre-grouping goods train on the viaducts along the front edge of the layout.



I think that's my lot for today. I have a bit more work to do tidying up both the layout and the train room (not to mention the house), in preparation for the BRMA meeting I am hosting this Saturday.

 

This one is new sound-fitting from a sound supplier I hadn't tried before. This is a quick video done on my HTC phone to give a taster for YouChoos's SR S15 sounds, which I have just fitted into a Hornby S15 4-6-0. The Zimo MX645 decoder plugs straight into the 8-pin socket in the tender, although there is not a lot of room in there with the large-ish decoder and a speaker plus the wiring harness and weight block. To be fair, the weight is shaped to allow a 28mm round speaker to fit in over a moulded grille in the base of the tender.

The 23mm QSI high-bass speaker I have used is adequate but no more than that. I will be trying out a 28mm high-bass one soon, and sealing it in better too. Once I'm happy with the sound quality, I'll post a better video with more of the sound functions featured. I do like the YouChoos sounds though; it's just the speaker installation that is not doing it justice at present.

Once I can try out the larger speaker (it hasn't arrived, yet, from DCC Supplies), I'll see if I can also fit the supplied "keep alive" capacitor in.

I chose YouChoos after hearing DougN's LNER Q6. I have to say that John, of YouChoos, was extremely helpful and friendly, with lots of useful advice regarding the installation.

https://youtu.be/kd1HRxKyf2g (direct link)