GWR Branch - Castle Down. Mostly GWR with an odd SR working

[sjrixon]

I'd never thought about swapping the loco around. Certainly with the tank engines I figured that they would never see a turn table?

 

Once I've got this lot of trucks numbered up, I need to do a full stock take of wagons. My card system has all gone a little wobbly as I increase the stock and didn't keep up.

[RJS1977]

Castle Down is normally restricted to 6 wagons, that's about all you want to shunt in the small yard, 7 is a little much.

 

 

 

According to CJF, on market day at Ashburton, all passenger trains terminated at Buckfastleigh so that Ashburton station could be used entirely for cattle traffic.

 

On at least one occasion they managed to wind up with cattle trains in both sides of the run-round loop with the locos at the wrong end!

[sjrixon]

If they used it all for cattle traffic, would the cows get off on the platform?

 

I've started mapping out the area around the bridge before completing the yard area. That meant it was time to get rid of that old Hornby distant signal and build a new home signal. I've also got the fence up to the bridge and working on a small hut for the line side.

 

 

Then I can think about being artistic in the yard area. I figure the main area should be significantly lighter than it is now? More ash than black?

 

 

 

[RJS1977]

If they used it all for cattle traffic, would the cows get off on the platform?

 

 

 

I suspect they probably used the cattle dock in the usual way, then shunted the empties elsewhere, though I may be wrong.

[sjrixon]

Has anyone built the Ratio signals with the remote operating kit? It states to connect the spring, but I've no idea how and where?!?!?

 

 

 

It needs to somehow wrap around the bottom part, so the signal stays one way and the lever will pull it the other. But I can't work out how that works...

Edited May 29, 2018 by sjrixon

[sjrixon]

There was a hole in the bottom part, the spring tucks in there and then catches on the top part..

 

 

So I now have a spring in place, that holds the signal up. Next job is to run the lever in. I'm thinking I'll tuck it actually on the baseboard, by the goods shed. Then hide behind a tree and some fence. 

[sjrixon]

There is a cracking TV show on at the moment. Britain's Got Talent. The wife wants to watch it and I get to spend a full evening in the cabin.

 

So, with time to do some bigger jobs I wanted to get the signal setup.

 

I drilled the hole to tuck the level into the goods yard out of the way. I was originally going build a separate section for this off the board, but that would most likely have got damaged and this way it's tucked out of the way

 

 

Then the board had to come out. I've not put much stock on since putting the layout back together as I knew I needed to get underneath to do this bit.

 

 

The string was an easy run through too loop eyes and a quick hole in one of the cross braces. They give you a little piece of plastic to tighten up the cord which actually works really well.

 

 

I then dropped in a small fence

 

 

Ready to stop the first train...

 

 

Then it all went wrong.. I wasn't happy that the signal didn't quite return to level, so I tried to tweak the operating arm. In the process I ripped off the upright and damaged the actual signal!! GGrrr... So I've drilled out the upright and placed a metal rod inside to connect to the base. I've then glued it all back together.

 

I can see why people say these are so fragile, the plastic in kits is much too soft, I've worked with much better plastic. I may well change my mind and replace it at some point, but if I can get it back together and working fairly well I'll leave it alone for. 

 

 

 

 

[sjrixon]

I had a little chance over lunch to play about with the signal again.. It stuck, so that's all good. But I still couldn't get it to reset to the right place. 

 

Then I had a brain wave! I have now set the signal to reset well past the centre mark,then I can use the string adjustment to pull it back down to the correct place. This also means I have some adjustment should anything move, now why didn't I think of that last night! So the signal is sticking back onto the layout again, take 4?

 

I also got the camera out to take a few real shots.

 

This picture I particularly liked of the Pannier shuffling about in the yard.. 

 

 

Then a view through the tunnel.. 

 

 

And a better shot of the prairie sat waiting for the signal.

 

 

I don't think I mentioned that fencing that's gone up and the grass that's started growing over it!

Edited May 31, 2018 by sjrixon

[andyram]

It certainly looks good.

[sjrixon]

It's been an eventful little weekend!! My plan for the signal worked, I was able to tighten up the operating string and pull the main part down to the right place!! 

 

I've got 3 new trucks to add to the goods operation...

 

 

Then it was time for a small operating session!! Something I've done for a long while..

 

 

Then tonight the signalman gained a nice new bike to get to work..

 

 

And then I started to play with how the area around the bridge might look. The bush by the bridge was inspired by Kevin's nice article in BRM, a simple lump of sea moss, brown paint and a little flock.

 

Edited June 3, 2018 by sjrixon

[andyram]

More great pictures and progress.

[Mikkel]

Lovely scenes. It's interesting how fencing can add a lot to the 3D look of a layout when done well. I like those cobbles too.

[sjrixon]

Thanks everyone.. I'm fairly pleased with the cobbles, in hindsight the line is a little perfect, they are very square. The plan was to bed them into the ash that's piled around then, but I've kept the lines a little too square. I've started playing with some matt varnish and some weathering powder, which I think will tone down and blend in. When I start adding yard rubbish, that should help too!

 

I agree about the fence, it really somehow draws the eye in and pops the scene out a little more. It's given me some ideas that I should enclose a few more areas with some fencing.

 

I also attacked the back mount last night the encloses the yard. This has been given a liberal covering of flock and a couple of different colours of good old clump foliage. 

 

[KNP]

Looking good and beginning to get that finished feel about.

Perfect!

[andyram]

That is wonderful work.

[sjrixon]

 

Looking good and beginning to get that finished feel about.

Perfect!

 

High praise indeed!! Thanks. (Just don't look at the rest of the layout

 

I've never really had a personal layout that I've taken this far, so I'm a little lacking in inspiration on how to really detail up some areas. But there are so many cracking layout to get inspiration from on here, so no real excuse.

[checkrail]

Nice work - developing well.  (Would've given an extra 'like' for the beer.)

[Andrew P]

Excellent work Scott.

[sjrixon]

Spent a few moments putting a small video together of the coach build..

 

https://vimeo.com/273461962

[sjrixon]

Where did the last month go? 

 

I haven't actually been doing nothing on the layout, just nothing worth reporting. I've been working on some crates, sacks and other little bits to start to decorate the yard. Also an old coal office is off from some TLC.

 

 

Then John gained a cart and quite a few sacks to load up.

 

 

I've also gained a new distraction. 

 

 

I'm now planning a small line in the garden, nothing too huge but a loop and a couple of sidings should fit nicely. You can never have too many layout

[RJS1977]

ISTR someone running a Mamod on the raised track at the club some years ago, I think by bridging across the 5" and 3 1/2" rails!

[sjrixon]

I've been continuing the tidy up of my workbench and working through boxes of bits that I've been collecting over the years to dress a layout.

 

A nice brown Python to add to my collection of stock. This was actually started about 20 years ago, I found it languishing in a box with a bit of a sorry paint job, stripped it, fixed it and put it back together. Gives my station crew another wagon to attach to the morning train.

 

 

Thanks to the nice feedback on the progress of the goods yard, I thought I turn my attention to an area that's been bothering me. The brewery building and surrounding area went up quite quickly, but I never really revisited it. I'm starting to plan the area a little more now, there is still work to do, but with a tidy up it's looking better.

 

The truck was again an old one in a box that needed some TLC. So I pulled it apart and remodelled it with the tail down as if they are about to unload it. The tarp is chocolate wrapper draped over the top.

 

 

Finally finished the line of trees to hide the back scene. This was long overdue!

 

 

And just for completeness, June can now stop and check the time of the next post collection.

 

[Mulgabill]

I've been continuing the tidy up of my workbench and working through boxes of bits that I've been collecting over the years to dress a layout.

 

A nice brown Python to add to my collection of stock. This was actually started about 20 years ago, I found it languishing in a box with a bit of a sorry paint job, stripped it, fixed it and put it back together. Gives my station crew another wagon to attach to the morning train.

 

20180719_085215.jpg

 

Thanks to the nice feedback on the progress of the goods yard, I thought I turn my attention to an area that's been bothering me. The brewery building and surrounding area went up quite quickly, but I never really revisited it. I'm starting to plan the area a little more now, there is still work to do, but with a tidy up it's looking better.

 

The truck was again an old one in a box that needed some TLC. So I pulled it apart and remodelled it with the tail down as if they are about to unload it. The tarp is chocolate wrapper draped over the top.

 

20180719_085230.jpg

 

Finally finished the line of trees to hide the back scene. This was long overdue!

 

20180719_085239.jpg

 

And just for completeness, June can now stop and check the time of the next post collection.

 

20180719_085249.jpg

Looking good Scott.

 

But one small observation. The car in the last pic appears to be parked with wheels on the pavement. If so

it's a bit of a continuity error. Back then people really didn't park on kerbs, they were too concerned about

causing damage to the steering. Suspension wasn't good back then. Outside London, I don't think kerb

hopping became prevalent until the 90s

 

All the best

[sjrixon]

Thanks Tony, I never knew that! Consider the car removed from the curb..

[KNP]

Least you have a load on your lorry!

Can I borrow it to save me making one for mine?

Edited July 19, 2018 by KNP