Seven Mills Sidings, from TOPS to the POD, Page 169 and Bench Road, Stabling and Fuelling Point from Page 245

[georgeT]

Really enjoyed our chat this morning buddy, the news about reforming the band should really upset petticoat parliament,  hahaha nice one...

[Andrew P]

3 hours ago, Mulgabill said:

Hey Andy

 

All good news now on the house front then, But as you might expect, after a period of reflection,

I've surfaced as devils advocate.

 

So a few musings for you to consider.

 

1) Past experience says the integral garage, will be naturally warmer, than an external TOPS.

So thats good, even if its a bit narrow.

 

2) Blocking off the big door, especially with a bay, sounds a good idea. However it won't conform

to building regs. Which may not bother you, but remember the safety implications. With TOPS

should you have a Fire (Don't Panic) you will either be aware that you've started it, or still have the

means to escape, should it start in the house. However if your in the new den, and a fire starts in the house,

where is your alternative exit?

 

3) Thats a very neat idea for the layout development, the kick back sector yard. But I think its a form

of prevarication. The limitations of the Fiddle bit's capacity, will still be there. But it will now be limiting

ops on effectively 2 (similar) layouts. Thus you might feel that more of a rebuild / replace would be better.

 

That could leave your way clear to

4) Have room on the other side for shorter term (4mm?) project that you obviously enjoy.

 

Anyway you've now got plenty of thinking time before you can really decide, the main thing is that its all

moving forward. This time next year, you might not be millionaire, but you'll be a lot more

settled than you have been this last 6 months. (You never know you you might even have revived those S&D plans).

 

All the best

 

TONY

 

58 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

I don't think Andy was considering doing it himself with a  pallet of bricks and a wheelbarrow full of mortar without any reference to professional advice.

 

Surely any bay would have windows fitted, which would give Andy an escape route?  It is no different to my study which has a window and a single doorway into the hall.  Our kitchen has two doors, both internal; one to the hall and the other into the dining room.  Since the house was built like this, I presume that it conforms with building regulations.

 

I've seen a lot of these integral garage conversions done in the Telford area, so they are obviously popular and are a cheap way of extending the house:  Probably because the garage is not really wide enough to take a modern car!

 

A quick trawl of the internet brought this up which is useful:

 

https://www.homebuilding.co.uk/garage-conversion/

 

However, Looking at their costs, it's almost as expensive as a new TOPS!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

52 minutes ago, Barnaby said:

Go for it. 

The windows will supply an escape route in case of fire.  Vertical strip blinds will supply a natural view blocker.

Permissions are not normally required as long as you keep behind the build line but check the deeds for any limiting clauses as some can forbid any garage conversions.

 

Best

Thanks Guys, My Stepson and Grandson are both competent Builders,

My Stepson having done many conversions, ranging from a derelict Pub in Lincolnshire to 3 Barn conversions in France, and conforming to all Building and Planning Rules.

Whilst my Grandson does much work for the Local Council and Estate Agents near Portsmouth, plus his own Loft conversion, so any work will be both project managed and done by them, along with helping me with the insulation and fitting out etc.

With Planning permission already granted for the En Suit and Bedroom, I suspect that a window would already be approved, but I will leave it all to the experts, but I will make the tea and supply the biscuits.

 

Thanks for all your input and very useful thoughts.

[Andrew P]

51 minutes ago, georgeT said:

Really enjoyed our chat this morning buddy, the news about reforming the band should really upset petticoat parliament,  hahaha nice one...

Cheers mate, Getting the Band back on the Road will be good, more comebacks than Ozzy Osborne, haha.

Dee has offered to buy me a nice New Bass for my 70th Birthday in April. Mick the Drummer is 73, Ken on Lead Guitar is 72, and John on Rhythm is about 60, so it should be good fun again. 

[Ray H]

Does that mean you'll only have time to build one layout each week Andy?   

 

Here's hoping the move goes well for you.

Edited February 28, 2020 by Ray H

[Andrew P]

08173 shunting some wagons in to the New Yard.

 

[georgeT]

12 hours ago, Andrew P said:

Cheers mate, Getting the Band back on the Road will be good, more comebacks than Ozzy Osborne, haha.

Dee has offered to buy me a nice New Bass for my 70th Birthday in April. Mick the Drummer is 73, Ken on Lead Guitar is 72, and John on Rhythm is about 60, so it should be good fun again. 

 

lf Mick Jagger and the moaning bones can do it so can you ? don't know who is going to lift all the heavy amps and cabinets etc etc, Hahahaha...

[Andrew P]

1 hour ago, georgeT said:

 

lf Mick Jagger and the moaning bones can do it so can you ? don't know who is going to lift all the heavy amps and cabinets etc etc, Hahahaha...

I'll have employ my 36 year old Grandson and his 4 Daughters, haha.

Edited February 29, 2020 by Andrew P

[Andrew P]

Another un edited shot for this morning guys and galls.

[81A Oldoak]

6 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

Another un edited shot for this morning guys and galls.

Andy,

Will you be changing the lighting when you move to Ampsher to simulate all the extra sunshine we get south of the M4?

 

Chris

 

[Andrew P]

4 X 4ft Daylight LED Strip lights should do I think Chris., haha

[Andrew P]

Were having a weekend off from clearing out cupboards for the Tip / Charity Shop runs, so I've started to do a little Filming in Seven Mills Yard this morning. so that or they, should be up sometime over the weekend I hope.

 

In the meantime, here's another view up New Road.

 

 

 

[Andrew P]

Here's a fresh pic from this mornings filming session.

[Andrew P]

Video 1 of 3 short Videos from this morning.

 

[KNP]

Very nice but the driver really does look like he is stuck between the door and the frame!!!!!

[Andrew P]

1 minute ago, KNP said:

Very nice but the driver really does look like he is stuck between the door and the frame!!!!!

Drivers the other side Kevin, but yes the Shunter IS STUCK, and hasn't moved all day, a bit like your crate really, haha.

Here's the Driver.

[KNP]

9 minutes ago, Andrew P said:

Drivers the other side Kevin, but yes the Shunter IS STUCK, and hasn't moved all day, a bit like your crate really, haha.

Here's the Driver.

 

Not Great Western then!!!

[Donw]

Andy 

I thought the family would be able to do the work for you. For the benefit of those without such support a window can provide a exit route however from a modellers viewpoint the snag is the window has to have sufficient opening including the sill being below a certain height IIRC about 3ft. I found this an issue with a loft conversion where I didn't want to cut into the purlins so the velox above the purlins could not be an escape route. So I had to put a suitable window in the gable end and with a flat roof below this was quite acceptable. However you should make any baseboard in front of the escape window easily removable to comply with the regs and possibly save your life. 

It is also advisable that any lifting section across a doorway should be able to be raised from outside by opening the door slightly. Should you ever God forbid have a stroke or heart attack and collapse in the train room your family can get in to help you. Sorry if that sounds a bit pessimistic but at 70 I need to be realistic.

 

Don

 

 

 

 

[Andrew P]

2 minutes ago, Donw said:

Andy 

I thought the family would be able to do the work for you. For the benefit of those without such support a window can provide a exit route however from a modellers viewpoint the snag is the window has to have sufficient opening including the sill being below a certain height IIRC about 3ft. I found this an issue with a loft conversion where I didn't want to cut into the purlins so the velox above the purlins could not be an escape route. So I had to put a suitable window in the gable end and with a flat roof below this was quite acceptable. However you should make any baseboard in front of the escape window easily removable to comply with the regs and possibly save your life. 

It is also advisable that any lifting section across a doorway should be able to be raised from outside by opening the door slightly. Should you ever God forbid have a stroke or heart attack and collapse in the train room your family can get in to help you. Sorry if that sounds a bit pessimistic but at 70 I need to be realistic.

 

Don

 

 

 

 

Cheers Don, lots of good tips, thanks.

[Hal Nail]

Given you've got to put one in, just make the door open into the house - makes things easier all round!

[Andrew P]

6 minutes ago, Hal Nail said:

Given you've got to put one in, just make the door open into the house - makes things easier all round!

Yes, way back in 81, (1981, NOT 1881, haha) I had a similar Bungalow on the same estate and the Garage was made into a room with a sliding door, although I wouldn't do that again, it would be a proper panel door opening out of the POD.

[Andrew P]

Video 2 of 3, again a short one.

 

[Andrew P]

And finally 3 of 3.

 

[Barnaby]

Wow Andy, three great videos of a very believable siding, keep on rolling >>>  

 

[Andrew P]

8 hours ago, Barnaby said:

Wow Andy, three great videos of a very believable siding, keep on rolling >>>  

 

Excellent Barnaby, and is that YOU playing the Bass?

George T and I used to do Proud Mary when we had the G-TAP Blues Band, and also the Band that were re forming The Sivertones do it so it was good to see it played properly, cheers for that.

[Andrew P]

Busy early morning with the chap collecting Argyle Street, this was followed by a Planning Meeting with the Hampshire County Council down at Seven Mills Yard, It was a very productive meeting, and many new ideas were thrown about by me, myself, and I. 

 

More details will be published in the draft minutes to come out very soon.