Llanbourne North Wales in the 80s.

[P.C.M]

 

The first time I read that I thought it said good beer...

 

Hi Pete,

I had a few beers after everyone had gone.

 

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

Theres something about that shot of the Metro-Vic D5718 with a man leaning over the backscene and a smaller version leaning on a lampost...

 

I think both are wondering what the hell a Metro-vic is doing at Llanbourne.

 

Cheers Peter.

[beast66606]

 

Thanks for that Dave, though they aren't cheap are they, 15 quid.

 

Cheers Peter.

 

Hunt around, I got my sets for £1, google for them .. - but a little Coach and Merf would be worth the money !

[Gwiwer]

 

I think both are wondering what the hell a Metro-vic is doing at Llanbourne.

 

Cheers Peter.

 

Both looking as gobsmacked as each other at the appearance of a small kettle

[P.C.M]

Peter I think it might be a good idea to reinforce the backscene at some stage in the future. I was thinking driving home that a solution to your joint in the backscene problem might be solved with "builders bog"spread across and sanded back. might take a large number of layers but as the "bog" can be sanded to almost a mirror type surface it might work. (though it will take a fair bit of time and layer, sand, layer, sand etc)

 

BTW thanks again for a great day. SWMBO and the kids enjoyed it... though they were a bit wet from the trip to the beach in the rain!

 

 

Hi Doug,

The backscene is a bit of a work in progress, the join will have to stay as part of the backscene is going to be removable. The join will be hidden with a few trees. I do need to reinforce it though. It might improve when I add some more MDF in the form of low releif buildings.

It was a shame about the rain, you will have to come down again and go to the beach when the weather is better, it's a great beach for the kids to swim at, if you have goggles you see all the fish.

 

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

Hi Peter

Great meeting yesterday, even if it was raining.

Lots to see and plenty of good company.

The layouts coming along nicely

I got a photo of the nuke train.

The terrace houses are starting to get windows as well.

Thanks for the great hospitality

 

PS thanks for the tip about uploading photos.

 

No worries Manfred,

Thanks for posting the pic as I didn't get one, I do like the livery too one of my favourites of the modern era. Make sure you bring your class 37 to the next meeting that should look superb. I will have a better look at those detail bits too.

 

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

Hi Peter

 

The layout is looking superb and the new pics look great, thanks for the shots of the 20's as they left very well modelled, im thinking also of having a dummy and a power pair

 

Thanks Neil,

Having a dummy would save on decoders if you are DCC.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Merfyn Jones]

hi buv, looks like you had a great turn out for you meet , nice to see some different traction on your layout ...but whats that rancid MPV doing in north Wales ..should be T&T choppers or tractors!.the MPV does looks like a fine model ,does it run ok ?...cheers mate...

 

The MPVs were seen in North Wales a few years back on the weed killer, but they never did the water jet. Not sure if they still come as now retired, I don't get told when the weed killer is coming.

Merf.

(Will have to see if I have a shot of what my mate the coachman looked like in 1986)

[P.C.M]

hi buv, looks like you had a great turn out for you meet , nice to see some different traction on your layout ...but whats that rancid MPV doing in north Wales ..should be T&T choppers or tractors!.the MPV does looks like a fine model ,does it run ok ?...cheers mate...

 

 

Hi Keith,

It was a good turn out, we ran out of cups, The MPV is a good model you can remove sections to change it useage, it did seem to run quite well too.

As you say it should be T&T 37s larry has a few pics on his thread.

 

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

 

Hunt around, I got my sets for £1, google for them .. - but a little Coach and Merf would be worth the money !

 

Thanks Dave,

I will have a hunt around.

 

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

The MPVs were seen in North Wales a few years back on the weed killer, but they never did the water jet. Not sure if they still come as now retired, I don't get told when the weed killer is coming. Merf. (Will have to see if I have a shot of what my mate the coachman looked like in 1986)

 

Hi Merf,

Don't forget you good self as well.

 

Cheers Peter.

[HealeyMills]

Sorry no class 40s came to visit, 97407 ex 40012 was on the layout though, I will take a couple of pics for you.

Thank you I shall look forward to those

 

I am waiting for Bachmann's split box beast as I want to do 97406 ex 40135.

I didn't realise that a split box 40 was on the Bachmann list... 40135 is good choice of loco... and she's still running very well these days too. Just a couple of minor hiccups with the boiler

 

Underframe weathering is a mix of Humbrol matt black 33, Khaki 26 and a little leather 62.

Thanks for the top tip - I shall give that mix a go.

 

Cheers

Lee

[Merfyn Jones]

Peter

Have been meaning to let you have these for some time. 40012/97407/or212 in the area during your era. How many other locos have carried 3 different numbers at the same time ?

 

Passing Talacre with stone from Pen. on 21 Oct. 1985

 

 

Droping stone at Penyffordd on 5 Feb. 1986 during snow. When the cement works connection was being renewed, we put in a new ground frame.

 

 

6 weeks later and carrying the celebrity style livery on 21 March 1986, passing Llandudno Jct. box with emptys for Pen.

 

 

Cheers Merf.

[P.C.M]

Hi Lee,

I should have said I normally brush this mix on and vary the colours a bit as I go, if I think it looks too dark or light. Let me know how you go. Oh and I don't use as much 62 as the other two colours.

 

I had a bit of a running session tonight and took a pic of my 40s. 97407 was already on the stabling point and D200 arrived on a service from Stoke. I willl upload them tomorrow.

 

Cheers Peter.

[TheFonz1]

Peter

Have been meaning to let you have these for some time. 40012/97407/or212 in the area during your era. How many other locos have carried 3 different numbers at the same time ?

 

Passing Talacre with stone from Pen. on 21 Oct. 1985

 

 

Droping stone at Penyffordd on 5 Feb. 1986 during snow. When the cement works connection was being renewed, we put in a new ground frame.

 

 

6 weeks later and carrying the celebrity style livery on 21 March 1986, passing Llandudno Jct. box with emptys for Pen.

 

 

Cheers Merf.

 

Sent you a pm Merf but for anyone who is interested.

 

The photo from Pennyfford (Llanbourne thread) brought back some happy memories Merfyn. My dad Jack Tyson was a br shunter there around about that time I think he moved when they stopped the cement trains. Ended his career as a signalman in Rockcliffe Box.

I remember going to see him in work one day at Pennyfford and having a ride back up to his little hut on 40192 (I think) the power was awesome the driver seemed to ease it up the gradient towards Wrexham. Thanks for posting the photo!

[60091]

Hi Peter

Although I've read through this topic I may have missed certain things (there's a lot of it) so sorry if I start asking about things you've already answered. Occasionally you mention running trains and I was wondering if you operate Llanbourne to a timetable or just select a few services you'd like to see running. With a "home based "layout which is an ongoing project I was just curious as to what the balance, in terms of time, was between modelling and running trains?

 

The area isn't one I know well, having visited only once! After helping out at the Warley NEC show a few years ago I made my way to Holyhead. The majority of the journey, in darkness, was behind a 37/4 and the sound of the loco being thrashed through the tunnel at Bangor was unforgetable. Spent the whole day in the area visiting Llandudno and Blaenau, while also trying to ride behind, and photograph, as many 37/4s as possible.

 

You've definitely picked good years to model. Most of my records, at that time, are of trains (mostly Peak hauled) at the other end of their journey. Newcastle-Bangor, Llandudno-Newcastle etc, and 1987 also seemed to be a good summer for non ETH Peak workings to/from North Wales. I also like the idea of Llanbourne being a through terminus as a way of increasing operational potential. I remember first seeing this idea discussed in the RM back in the early 80s (I think). If I remember correctly that example used North Berwick as the through terminus with no direct ECML between Edinburgh and Newcastle!

[P.C.M]

As mentioned before I had a bit of a running session Monday night and took a few pics of my 40s for Lee. I hope to get out there later tonight too, might as well play trains while the tracks still clean.

 

08695 prepares to take out the stock from the 1D32 ex Stoke.

 

97407 sits with 47535 on the stabling point.

 

D200 has joined 97407 after being released from the stock of the ex Stoke service.

 

Crewe based 47561 sits in the middle road.

 

08695 is waiting in the carriage sidings while 08472 shunts a few wagons about.

 

Cheers Peter.

[P.C.M]

Hi Peter

Although I've read through this topic I may have missed certain things (there's a lot of it) so sorry if I start asking about things you've already answered. Occasionally you mention running trains and I was wondering if you operate Llanbourne to a timetable or just select a few services you'd like to see running. With a "home based "layout which is an ongoing project I was just curious as to what the balance, in terms of time, was between modelling and running trains?

 

The area isn't one I know well, having visited only once! After helping out at the Warley NEC show a few years ago I made my way to Holyhead. The majority of the journey, in darkness, was behind a 37/4 and the sound of the loco being thrashed through the tunnel at Bangor was unforgetable. Spent the whole day in the area visiting Llandudno and Blaenau, while also trying to ride behind, and photograph, as many 37/4s as possible.

 

You've definitely picked good years to model. Most of my records, at that time, are of trains (mostly Peak hauled) at the other end of their journey. Newcastle-Bangor, Llandudno-Newcastle etc, and 1987 also seemed to be a good summer for non ETH Peak workings to/from North Wales. I also like the idea of Llanbourne being a through terminus as a way of increasing operational potential. I remember first seeing this idea discussed in the RM back in the early 80s (I think). If I remember correctly that example used North Berwick as the through terminus with no direct ECML between Edinburgh and Newcastle!

 

Hi 60091,

I do generally operate Llanbourne to a timetable, the meeting at the weekend was just a case of running whatever I felt like or was asked for. Monday night was just putting trains back in the right fiddleyard sidings, and running a few that didn't turn a wheel at the meeting.

The have been writing a timetable in a book for some time now, most info has come from books old rail mags and a 1986-7 loco hauled book.It still needs some work as some trip working need sorting, the passenger working are pretty much sorted though. I can't run everything but think I have a fair selection of the trains that ran and a few that didn't, my oil train has been borrowed from the Aberystwyth line. I also plan to run a 37/4 on passenger which I have borrowed from the 1988 timetable.

I was talking timetables last year sometime, and was thinking of having the moves on a computer screen, beast 66606 offered to help with a program but I think as it's generally only me operating this was slightly over the top, though would be great for an exhibition layout.

 

my time in the garage is spent mainly working on stock and the layout. I would say it's about 70/30.

 

Yes the time period of Llanbourne is set between late 1985 through to mid 1987. It was a time I was out and about taking pictures and riding behind Peaks and Cromptons. One of the reasons for choosing North Wales was the fact that I could run so many of my favourite diesels, There isn't many places you could have Cromptons sharing the rails with Peaks class 25s and the few remaining class 40s on a daily basis.

 

The RM article you mention is the one that started me thinking about having Llanbourne as a through terminus. A visit to Norwich in 1985 sealed the deal. I think I still have the RM somewhere, from memory it has a trackplan in the top corner.

 

Hope this answers some of your questions.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Merfyn Jones]

Hi Peter

I have just added 31s and 40s to my flickr site. As your coments above, I will do Peaks and 33s next .

Lots from 86.

Merf.

[1977joey]

Hi peter,

 

Great pictures as always

 

All the best,

Mark

[HealeyMills]

Hi Peter,

 

There's only one word to sum up those class 40's.... MAGNIFICENT

 

Thank you very much for those pics.

 

Cheers

Lee

[Wummyock]

Hi Peter

I have just added 31s and 40s to my flickr site. As your coments above, I will do Peaks and 33s next .

Lots from 86.

Merf.

 

Do you have a link to the site Merfyn?

Cheerz

[Merfyn Jones]

 

Sent you a pm Merf but for anyone who is interested.

 

 

 

 

Not had it !

Merf.

[Merfyn Jones]

 

Do you have a link to the site Merfyn?

Cheerz

 

Go to flickr, find me at, merf292002

[P.C.M]

Hi Peter

I have just added 31s and 40s to my flickr site. As your coments above, I will do Peaks and 33s next .

Lots from 86.

Merf.

 

Thanks Merf,

Great pics as per usual, some very interesting stuff there, seems class 31 were quite common in 1986, I thought they weren't than common until the class 25s had almost gone. Look forwars to your 33 and 45 pics.

 

Cheers Peter.