81A Oldoak Posted January 17, 2017 Author Share Posted January 17, 2017 Really nice neat wiring Chris! Almost a shame its hidden away underneath! Can I ask, what have you used to secure the 'looms' to the baseboard? Rich Rich, I used Peco self-adhesive Cable Clips product number PL37. They are supplied in packs of 20 and the adhesive is strong. I am pleased with them. Here is a link to the Peco website. I also use standard cable ties in bewtween the clips. http://www.peco-uk.com/product.asp?strParents=3309&CAT_ID=3337&P_ID=17648 Regards, Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold MarshLane Posted January 18, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 18, 2017 Rich, I used Peco self-adhesive Cable Clips product number PL37. They are supplied in packs of 20 and the adhesive is strong. I am pleased with them. Here is a link to the Peco website. I also use standard cable ties in bewtween the clips. http://www.peco-uk.com/product.asp?strParents=3309&CAT_ID=3337&P_ID=17648 Regards, Chris Thanks Chris, Going to have to acquire some - far better outcome than the spiders nest I usually end up with! Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
railwayrod Posted January 20, 2017 Share Posted January 20, 2017 I agree. My wiring is somewhat haphazard which I did not intend but seemed to just materialize. This came to light when I was fitting the signals to Ramchester so I did spend some time trying to tidy things up a little. The problem is that with all the track wiring DC plus the point motors etc the tangle was so established that it was almost impossible to tidy up. Much better to keep things tidy from the start. Next time..... Rod Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted January 20, 2017 Author Share Posted January 20, 2017 I agree. My wiring is somewhat haphazard which I did not intend but seemed to just materialize. This came to light when I was fitting the signals to Ramchester so I did spend some time trying to tidy things up a little. The problem is that with all the track wiring DC plus the point motors etc the tangle was so established that it was almost impossible to tidy up. Much better to keep things tidy from the start. Next time..... Rod It's a good discipline Rod along with colour coding of the wires. I hope to finish wiring TC shortly so I can get on with the scenic dressing of the layout. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Neil Posted January 21, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 21, 2017 I found this great photo by Trefor Thompson of a Class 25 on the Cambrian Coast pick-up goods in the 1970s. The train is crossing the Dysinni Bridge just south of Tonfanau and it is just possible to see the surviving hangars at the by then closed Tonfanau Camp on the horizon to the left of the brake van. The train includes a gunpowder van from Cooke's factory further down the line at Penrhyndeudraeth. This is a perfect depiction of the alternative BR Blue scene that I have in mind. That's an intriguing photo; I have a lot of books with many photos of the coast line but it's the only image I've seen with coal hoppers in the train. All the others show 16T or 21T mineral wagons in use for coal traffic and as far as I know there were no facilities along the coast line where hoppers could be discharged. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted January 23, 2017 Author Share Posted January 23, 2017 A well-informed relative gave me a PECO 7mm scale signal box kit for Christmas. I usually scratchbuild all of my buildings, but this little kit looked suitable with a few modifications for Tonfanau Camp. The finished model will be a mirror image interpretation of Caersws on the Cambrian main line. I started work today and the basic carcass is completed. I replaced the brick base with a home-brewed version to give more height and like Caersws it will be embedded in the platform ramp at the up end of Tonfanau Camp station. I have added a simple porch from plasticard and the other modification was to shorten and narrow the roof as I felt the overhangs all round were excessive. Stay tuned to this frequency. CK 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted January 23, 2017 Share Posted January 23, 2017 I read your first Line Chris and got excited as I have a Peco one to Build for BS, but your's now looks so different and much more professional, vey good indeed. Will you fit interior details, and if so, who's do you recommend? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted January 23, 2017 Author Share Posted January 23, 2017 I read your first Line Chris and got excited as I have a Peco one to Build for BS, but your's now looks so different and much more professional, vey good indeed. Will you fit interior details, and if so, who's do you recommend? Andy, I will install interior detail. I used the Springside cast whitemetal parts in Cwm Bach's signal box, but the set now costs over £33.50, which is outrageous. A firm called LCut Creative does a laser cut set with some resin castings for £18.99, which is still expensive. I may end up casting my own levers in resin. I have made the roof of the box a clip fit so I can deal with the interior at my leisure. Chris 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter220950 Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Chris, It's worth having a look at the Skytrex levers, the set is only around £7.50, and you probably catch up with them at most exhibitions you attend? Peter Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Chris, It's worth having a look at the Skytrex levers, the set is only around £7.50, and you probably catch up with them at most exhibitions you attend? Peter Peter, Thanks for the tip. The price is much more realistic. Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Young Posted January 24, 2017 Share Posted January 24, 2017 Very nice, one of these Cambrian Dutton boxes would've been an option... https://railmodel.co.uk/products/llansantffraid-crossing-signal-box Cheers, Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted January 24, 2017 Author Share Posted January 24, 2017 Very nice, one of these Cambrian Dutton boxes would've been an option... https://railmodel.co.uk/products/llansantffraid-crossing-signal-box Cheers, Andrew Andrew, It looks a nice kit, but I would never pay that sort of money for something that I can just as easily scratchbuild. Regards, Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted January 25, 2017 Author Share Posted January 25, 2017 Yesterday was a day off from railways as we went up to London celebrrate my youngest daughter's 21st birthday. We had an excellent lunch at Joe Allen's on Exeter St behind the Lyceum Theatre. It seems to a favoured watering hole of the Luvvies and the actress Juliet Mills, daughter of the late Sir John Mills, was sat on the adjacent table. The name-dropping was interesting with Robert de Niro and Michael Grade mentioned in disptaches. Today it was back to the construction of Tonfanau Camp signal box. The shell has been primed and is ready for painting. The main roof is loose and the porch will be roofed with wriggly tin. The windows and door will be fixed after painting. CK 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted January 30, 2017 Author Share Posted January 30, 2017 Construction and painting of Tonfanau Camp signal box is complete. The name plate was etched by Narrow Planet. The next stage will be weathering. The interior will will be detailed and populated in due course. The recent warming in the weather means that I can move back to the workshop and plumb in the last two Tortoise point motors on Tonfanau Camp. 11 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 That looks absolutely stunning Chris, the Brickwork in particular is just so good, well done, it's a real inspiration. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steveNCB7754 Posted January 30, 2017 Share Posted January 30, 2017 Construction and painting of Tonfanaau Camp signal box is complete. The name plate was etched by Narrow Planet. The next stage will be weathering. The interior will will be detailed and populated in due course. The recent warming in the weather means that I can move back to the workshop and plumb in the last two Tortoise point motors on Tonfanau Camp. That 'box' is looking fantastic, though I am a little concerned about that last step ('... its a doozie!'). Was also good to finally meet you in person, at the Southampton Show on Saturday - the weight of the Kerr Stuart was impressive (although conversley, of great concern to my wallet). Steve 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted February 1, 2017 Author Share Posted February 1, 2017 After some gentle weathering this morning I declared the exterior of Tonfanau Camp signal box finished. It is shown here at rest temporarily on Cwm Bach's station platform and next to its scrathbuilt larger cousin, Cwm Bach signal box. As mentioned previously, Tonfanau Camp signal box will be embedded in the up end of the station platform hence the flying staircase. I plan to acquire some interior detailing parts at Kettering next month. 16 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Kirkham Posted February 4, 2017 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 4, 2017 I've just come across this snippet from Traffic Report in the December 1972 Modern Railways: The West Midlands has seen a variety of excursion trains during the month including ..... special trains carrying Ugandan Asians from receiving airports to reception camps, particularly at Tonfanau on the Cambrian Coast between Towyn and Barmouth. On October 9 Class 47 1674 powered a special train from Newbury to Tonfanau, while on following days October 10, 12 and 13 three specials ran from Bury St. Edmunds to Tonfanau worked as far as Shrewsbury by Brush Class 31s Nos 5623/47/28 respectively; this is the first time these units have worked passenger trains in the West Midlands. In all cases, pairs of Class 24s took over from Shrewsbury to Tonfanau and all trains were heavily loaded - in one instance a formation of 15 coaches. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 4, 2017 Share Posted February 4, 2017 I can imagine how "at home" you'd feel, rescued from a maniac in Central Africa, and dumped in an old army camp in Central Wales... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted February 4, 2017 Author Share Posted February 4, 2017 I recently found this fascinating retrospective documentary about the Uganda-Asian exiles at Tonfanau Camp. It is an interesting story and I remember it well from the news at the time. The film also provides plenty of footage of the camp that will be very useful when the time comes to build the structures for the army camp section of the layout. The opening shot of the real Tonfanau station building compares rather well with my model. 10 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted February 5, 2017 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 5, 2017 I can imagine how "at home" you'd feel, rescued from a maniac in Central Africa, and dumped in an old army camp in Central Wales... I worked with a Ugandan Asian refugee. He had owned a large factory and was lucky to get out alive. He was very grateful that the UK had given him and his family refuge. I take your point though I suspect December on the Cambrian coast would be a bit of a shock after Uganda. I have walked out to that Bridge in the photo then along the Dysynni not much shelter from a wind. Nice work on the track and the Signal box Chris. Lightweight FB rail will emphasise the change from WR to Army. Don 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Isambarduk Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 "I recently found this fascinating retrospective documentary about the Uganda-Asian exiles at Tonfanau Camp." What a great find, Chris. I intended to watch only the opening sequences of the station but, recalling the event in 1972 so well, I was 'compelled' to watch the whole documentary. What an interesting a very moving story. Thanks for sharing it with us. David Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simond Posted February 5, 2017 Share Posted February 5, 2017 Thanks Chris I enjoyed that little blast from the past. I remain horrified by the nastiness that still exists in some people, and comforted by the generosity in others. Isn't it a shame that the xenophobes seem to have the louder voices? Best Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
81A Oldoak Posted February 5, 2017 Author Share Posted February 5, 2017 Thanks Chris I enjoyed that little blast from the past. I remain horrified by the nastiness that still exists in some people, and comforted by the generosity in others. Isn't it a shame that the xenophobes seem to have the louder voices? Best Simon I agree Simon. At least in our make-believe model worlds we can banish such mean-spirited nastiness. All our welcome, even those who believe rivets exist to be counted rather than to join pieces of metal together. ;-) Chris 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pwr Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Chris Where did you get the doorknob for that signal box or did you make it. I need a couple for my boxes and so far my efforts have failed! Paul R Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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