Llanbourne North Wales in the 80s.

[Ramblin Rich]

The roof radiator cowl was actually the grille fitted upside down I believe, Cant remember why now though. It was something done much later on in proceedings.

 

I did this one on my 31 using cereal box card attached to the roof and then painted in superglue to harden it before painting.

 

Thanks for the tip, definitely a 'cheap fix' to try!

The cowls were fitted in an attempt to prevent overheating; the cowls were meant to stop the air 'short circuiting' from the radiator grille back down to the air intakes. I know some 31/4s were given the treatment first (they had a tendency to be overworked due to the extra demands of providing ETH), but I don't know if there was a program to fix to the non ETH machines after or if the cowls just ended up on other locos piecemeal.

[Jintyman]

Thanks Jinty,

I noticed you had got yourself a 7mm class 31. You will have plenty of work to do on the body if you do the referbished one. 

 

Cheers Peter.

 

Yes I know, not sure how I'm going to address the raised waistline yet!!!!

Answers on a postcard.................

 

Jinty

[MRDBLUE17]

Hi Peter,

 

I didn't think you could improve your updates but then you supply a line up of superb 31's on the layout and protype pictures too! That flask working is excellent, I'm planning doing a wasp striped van thanks to Merfs photos.

 

The ballast working from Carnforth is so typical of the long lines of wagons you would see when getting out of Barrow by train.

 

I'll look out for 31444 appearing as I have done that in its later Dutch livery. The roof fan cowl and the vertical side grills from the Dutch base model have been swapped with those from my blue 31270 which has been in bits for at least 4 years whilst it becomes 31467.

 

You can't have too many 31's!

 

All the best

Mark

[Gwiwer]

I go to work for nine days and spend my spare time packing stuff up for the move and I miss a swag of pages!

 

I will admit to never having been a 31 fan but I recognise good workmanship when I see it and I see it in the posts above.

 

Sorry to hear you have been suffering chip and consisting problems Peter.  Really not sure I can be any help on matters DCC other than to offer friendly support.  I own a solitary Hornby 31 in standard blue which sees little use because they never ran in Cornwall and because it seems to be slower than necessary for a reason I have never discovered.  It might be a candidate for reallocation to Llanbourne if you're interested.

[MRDBLUE17]

I go to work for nine days and spend my spare time packing stuff up for the move and I miss a swag of pages!

 

I will admit to never having been a 31 fan but I recognise good workmanship when I see it and I see it in the posts above.

 

Sorry to hear you have been suffering chip and consisting problems Peter. Really not sure I can be any help on matters DCC other than to offer friendly support. I own a solitary Hornby 31 in standard blue which sees little use because they never ran in Cornwall and because it seems to be slower than necessary for a reason I have never discovered. It might be a candidate for reallocation to Llanbourne if you're interested.

Gwiwer,

 

It sounds like the fan mechanism, I had one that was running very slowly and after checking a few other bits found that taking the band out and removing the fan parts, just replacing the fan onto a bit of plasticard into the roof instead turned it into a perfectly smooth runner. Does mean cutting the band but not having a working fan isn't a big issue.

 

Mark

[Gwiwer]

Gwiwer,

 

It sounds like the fan mechanism, I had one that was running very slowly and after checking a few other bits found that taking the band out and removing the fan parts, just replacing the fan onto a bit of plasticard into the roof instead turned it into a perfectly smooth runner. Does mean cutting the band but not having a working fan isn't a big issue.

 

Mark

 

Thanks Mark.

 

I have cured whining 50s by cutting the fan belt and I'll try it on the 31 to see if she speeds up.  As you say having a rotating fan is a nice-to-have luxury which we can live without quite happily

[P.C.M]

Sure is!

 

TBH I've got to turn the volume down on it as it drowns everything else out on the layout!

 

I have a couple of other Peds (mainly the Hornby ones) which are in various stages of fettling.

 

Aaaand my Mrs has just let me know that the one I bought last week has arrived too. Thats going to be either 201, 203 or 233, Ive not decided yet!

 

Im hankering after more Dutch and Coal sector stuff

 

Thanks

 

Trev

Hi Trev,

The triple grey ones did look good. I think some of the coal sector ones had ploughs too. Mine has a Biff sound chip which I think is pretty good even though it has the Hornby speaker set up. I had to turn the sound down on mine too.

 

Cheers Peter

[P.C.M]

I've only just come across this thread, how I managed to miss it for so long I have no idea!  Excellent layout, the realism in the photos is inspirational.  I hope you don't mind me going back a few pages to ask how you lowered the 142?  Do you still have any pics of the work?  

 

Also, is there a track plan or overall view anywhere on the thread?  Thanks 

Thanks JDW,

I do have a trackplan somewhere I will dig it out. 

The 142 was lowered by using smaller wheels. 12mm and not the Hornby 13mm. The wheels were used with axle boxes from a spare Hornby OBA VDA wagon. Hopefully the pic will explain it better.

 

Hope that helps Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

Thanks for the tip, definitely a 'cheap fix' to try!

The cowls were fitted in an attempt to prevent overheating; the cowls were meant to stop the air 'short circuiting' from the radiator grille back down to the air intakes. I know some 31/4s were given the treatment first (they had a tendency to be overworked due to the extra demands of providing ETH), but I don't know if there was a program to fix to the non ETH machines after or if the cowls just ended up on other locos piecemeal.

Thanks for the extra info on the cowls Rich. I found a pic in my Rail Portfolio Classs 31 book of a 31/4 on a Royal train in 1982 with raised roof cowl.

 

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

Yes I know, not sure how I'm going to address the raised waistline yet!!!!

Answers on a postcard.................

 

Jinty

When I remove raised detail I use a new blade and use it like a scraper. 

 

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

Hi Peter,

 

I didn't think you could improve your updates but then you supply a line up of superb 31's on the layout and protype pictures too! That flask working is excellent, I'm planning doing a wasp striped van thanks to Merfs photos.

 

The ballast working from Carnforth is so typical of the long lines of wagons you would see when getting out of Barrow by train.

 

I'll look out for 31444 appearing as I have done that in its later Dutch livery. The roof fan cowl and the vertical side grills from the Dutch base model have been swapped with those from my blue 31270 which has been in bits for at least 4 years whilst it becomes 31467.

 

You can't have too many 31's!

 

All the best

Mark

Thanks Mark,

The van is a standard  Bachmann model from a few years back.

My 31444 will be a while off as I need to sort some more Peaks plus I have two class 37s and a class 26 in bits at the moment.

 

The good thing about the seperate parts fitted to the Hornby class 31s is that you can change things around. Look forward to seeing your 31444.

 

Cheers Peter.

Edited February 2, 2017 by P.C.M

[P.C.M]

I go to work for nine days and spend my spare time packing stuff up for the move and I miss a swag of pages!

 

I will admit to never having been a 31 fan but I recognise good workmanship when I see it and I see it in the posts above.

 

Sorry to hear you have been suffering chip and consisting problems Peter.  Really not sure I can be any help on matters DCC other than to offer friendly support.  I own a solitary Hornby 31 in standard blue which sees little use because they never ran in Cornwall and because it seems to be slower than necessary for a reason I have never discovered.  It might be a candidate for reallocation to Llanbourne if you're interested.

Thanks Rick,

It looks like I have been busy but I haven't. lol

 

So apart from testing 31149 I haven't run anything since the DCC drama's. Even 149 didn't want to run straight away though that was due to not turning a wheel for a few years. It needed a service and is now running a lot better thought I think needs more running to get it as good as the others. I did remove the fan belt on this one too. 

 

I will have a look at the class 31 Saturday though I don't really need anymore. I think Jim was looking at getting another one.

 

See you Saturday, looks like it going to be a warm one. Do you want me to bring anything?

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

 

 

 Do you want me to bring anything?

Only the usual nibbles if you want.  Plenty of rolling stock here already!  I spent an hour putting stuff out tonight and as usual there's one siding too few for what I'd like to run.  I could swap out one of the more recent sets as there seems to be an imbalance biassed towards sector and post-sector era.

[JDW]

Thanks JDW,

I do have a trackplan somewhere I will dig it out. 

The 142 was lowered by using smaller wheels. 12mm and not the Hornby 13mm. The wheels were used with axle boxes from a spare Hornby OBA VDA wagon. Hopefully the pic will explain it better.

 

Hope that helps Cheers Peter.

 

Aha, many thanks, I hadn't picked up on it being an unpowered unit the first time, although that makes sense if its running with a 150!  I might even have a spare couple of VDAs.

[P.C.M]

Aha, many thanks, I hadn't picked up on it being an unpowered unit the first time, although that makes sense if its running with a 150!  I might even have a spare couple of VDAs.

I do have another 142 that I have a re motor kit for so will have to work out how to lower that at some point but will use the same method for the non powered wheels.

 

Check out Peter's Spares you might e able to get the Axle boxes as a spare.

 

Cheers Peter.

[JDW]

I'd actually been thinking of de-motoring my two older ones a while back as they weren't the best of runners, and the height issue when coupled to something else was an issue I had in mind -  ironically I recently replaced the wheels on the inner two (pick up) axles with new ones and they run great now, right down to a crawl!  I might well look at creating a permanent set like yours though, possibly with a Realtrack 144.  

[P.C.M]

I'd actually been thinking of de-motoring my two older ones a while back as they weren't the best of runners, and the height issue when coupled to something else was an issue I had in mind -  ironically I recently replaced the wheels on the inner two (pick up) axles with new ones and they run great now, right down to a crawl!  I might well look at creating a permanent set like yours though, possibly with a Realtrack 144.  

It would be a shame not to use them they have their faults but I don't think they are a  bad model. If I get my other 142 running well I will use the non power model with with either the 150 or 142 if it has enough power.

 

Cheers Peter.

[richierich]

I go to work for nine days and spend my spare time packing stuff up for the move and I miss a swag of pages!

 

I will admit to never having been a 31 fan but I recognise good workmanship when I see it and I see it in the posts above.

 

Sorry to hear you have been suffering chip and consisting problems Peter.  Really not sure I can be any help on matters DCC other than to offer friendly support.  I own a solitary Hornby 31 in standard blue which sees little use because they never ran in Cornwall and because it seems to be slower than necessary for a reason I have never discovered.  It might be a candidate for reallocation to Llanbourne if you're interested.

 

 

Class 31s have occasionally run in Cornwall in the BR Blue period.

[Gwiwer]

Class 31s have occasionally run in Cornwall in the BR Blue period.

 

Yes they have.  About as rare as hen's teeth though and not as often as Hymeks which some folk still insist have never crossed the Tamar.

 

The blue 31 is still here and will probably end up on cross-London freight or e.c.s shunt duties in some future life.

[P.C.M]

I am doing a bit of trackwork in platform 1 and the run round loop. I am wondering while I have the track lifted do I put in a trap point on the middle siding.

 

I am thinking of putting the trap/catch point in front of the class 33 and 31 in the pic below.

 

Cheers Peter.

 

 

[St Enodoc]

I am doing a bit of trackwork in platform 1 and the run round loop. I am wondering while I have the track lifted do I put in a trap point on the middle siding.

 

I am thinking of putting the trap/catch point in front of the class 33 and 31 in the pic below.

 

Cheers Peter.

I would say yes Peter - but which way should it deflect?

[HillsideDepot]

I would say yes Peter - but which way should it deflect?

Probably "wide-to-gauge" as illustrated by Mike the Station Master here

[P.C.M]

I would say yes Peter - but which way should it deflect?

Thanks John,

I would say to the left because the loop joins to the right.

 

Cheers Peter.

[St Enodoc]

Probably "wide-to-gauge" as illustrated by Mike the Station Master here

I wondered about that but wasn't sure if they were found in mechanical signalling installations.

[P.C.M]

Probably "wide-to-gauge" as illustrated by Mike the Station Master here

Thanks Adrian,

Hadn't thought of that. 

 

Cheers Peter.