Chuffnell Regis

[5BarVT]

2 hours ago, Gopher said:

What is the correct way to signal a three way point in a goods yard/loco yard ?  Would a double ground signal be appropriate, or a treble ground signal, or two individual ground signals

So, back to the problem in hand.

In your loco yard, the disc signals at the toes of the three way points and that at the toes of the two way point wouldn’t be there as that is all under the control of the person in charge of the shed.  You might have a “Stop and await instructions” notice at the toes of the first three way on the way in so that the driver and the yard master each had to make sure they knew what was needed.

Possibly the same for the diesel siding and loading docks but I can’t see the signals properly.  That’s also affected by the signals reading out as that implies some form of control by the box.

Over in the goods yard, I can talk myself into nothing, or quite a lot, but certainly no discs on the toes of the two way points.

 

IF you want to get into putting in something more prototypical, I would be pleased to help, but there might be a fair bit of work.  A number of your signals are the ‘wrong side’ of the point toes they control so ought to be moved and I’m not sure that I understand all the signals you have provided.  You said you were a generalist and were just providing a feel - your signalling achieves that.  It’s down to whether you want the hassle of moving things about or are content with it as it is.

 

Perhaps better to move discussion of specifics back to your thread.

 

Paul.

[5BarVT]

42 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

My understanding is that if the yard has fixed signals reading out onto the running lines, including ground signals, then there would be no fixed signals within the yard. All movements would be controlled by handsignals.

 

For the benefit of those not in the know; fixed signals can move!  They are fixed in that they are planted in the ground so stay in the same place.  They move (semaphore) to display the different aspects.

Fixed is compared to hand signals which are displayed from wherever the guard/shunter (or possibly signalman) happens to be standing at the time.

Paul.

Edited September 4, 2022 by 5BarVT
trypring

[Gopher]

3 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

So, back to the problem in hand.

In your loco yard, the disc signals at the toes of the three way points and that at the toes of the two way point wouldn’t be there as that is all under the control of the person in charge of the shed.  You might have a “Stop and await instructions” notice at the toes of the first three way on the way in so that the driver and the yard master each had to make sure they knew what was needed.

Possibly the same for the diesel siding and loading docks but I can’t see the signals properly.  That’s also affected by the signals reading out as that implies some form of control by the box.

Over in the goods yard, I can talk myself into nothing, or quite a lot, but certainly no discs on the toes of the two way points.

 

IF you want to get into putting in something more prototypical, I would be pleased to help, but there might be a fair bit of work.  A number of your signals are the ‘wrong side’ of the point toes they control so ought to be moved and I’m not sure that I understand all the signals you have provided.  You said you were a generalist and were just providing a feel - your signalling achieves that.  It’s down to whether you want the hassle of moving things about or are content with it as it is.

 

Perhaps better to move discussion of specifics back to your thread.

 

Paul.

Thanks Paul, and agree would be better in my thread. Yes position of some of my working semaphores is dictated by available space above and below baseboard, so no doubt they are not sited correctly. I think I will leave alone and hope people (or at least those who understand this black art) do not look too closely. I did add a couple of ground lever frames which in theory control two of the three way points. Yes I try to create an impression/illusion with my layout, certainly not accurate proto-typical modelling. Thanks for your response. Clive

[Graham T]

6 minutes ago, Gopher said:

Thanks Paul, and agree would be better in my thread. Yes position of some of my working semaphores is dictated by available space above and below baseboard, so no doubt they are not sited correctly. I think I will leave alone and hope people (or at least those who understand this black art) do not look too closely. I did add a couple of ground lever frames which in theory control two of the three way points. Yes I try to create an impression/illusion with my layout, certainly not accurate proto-typical modelling. Thanks for your response. Clive

 

I think there's an awful lot to be said for impressionism (both here in the model railway world and also out there in the big bad world of art).  I think you have a similar approach to me Clive, to try and make a scene that looks plausible, without trying to placate the rivet counters.  And if you are a river counter, that's fine by me, whatever pulls your chain, just please accept that we all take different approaches to our hobby.

 

And now, Clive and Paul, please stop cluttering up my silly and wildly inaccurate thread with all your sensible talk about fixed signals and semaphores and such like; you'll be going on about Morse code next.  Off to Dewchurch with you, begone!!!  🥸

[Graham T]

A swift update on the wriggly tin situation.  The three huts have had a first bit of weathering, various washes to start with.

 

This one won't get any dirtier, as it's on the platform, but I might lighten the roof a bit more.  The pagoda hut will get replaced with a slightly fancier pagoda hut!  I've got two Wills kits which I'm planning to kit-bash into one, perhaps a combination shelter opening onto the platform, and then some sort of office/lock-up on the other side of the building, serving the end loading dock?

 

 

This is the one that will be housing the pump etc. for the water tower.  It will probably get a little grubbier, and again have the roof lightened a shade or two.

 

 

And this one's going to get a fair bit more filth and rust, due to its location.  I'm looking forward to getting this area landscaped, as I think this might become one of my favourite views of the layout.  Alas that's not likely to happen for a while though, as this spot doubles as a workbench!

 

[Graham T]

And a train to bookend the day.  3205 runs around her train before trundling off again to pastures new.  Can't be any more specific yet I'm afraid, but Chuffnell R will get a proper back story one day.  Suffice to say that it's somewhere in the Hereford/Gloucester/Monmouth tri-border area, and not Somerset as it really should be...

 

And I see that I need to add some buffer beam numbers.

 

 

 

Funny how those bl@@dy tangents creep in, isn't it?  One of the Scots pines appears to be growing out of a telephone pole...

Edited September 4, 2022 by Graham T

[BWsTrains]

3 hours ago, Graham T said:

And now, Clive and Paul, please stop cluttering up my silly and wildly inaccurate thread with all your sensible talk about fixed signals and semaphores and such like; you'll be going on about Morse code next.  Off to Dewchurch with you, begone!!!  🥸

 

I'll second from personal experience.

 

I got an amazing breadth of help on here regarding signalling in yards, access to from the main etc by posting a more targeted layout design topic. This is likely to catch the attention of a wider audience than might read the comments here in an ongoing topic. In fact my design topic already holds many of the answers to questions being asked 😎

 

For a modest consideration sent to the usual account I'll even let you in on where to find it! 😂

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited September 4, 2022 by BWsTrains

[Graham T]

Should just clarify I don't mean to offend anyone, the more knowledge that gets shared the better in my opinion.

[Gopher]

11 hours ago, Graham T said:

 

I think there's an awful lot to be said for impressionism (both here in the model railway world and also out there in the big bad world of art).  I think you have a similar approach to me Clive, to try and make a scene that looks plausible, without trying to placate the rivet counters.  And if you are a river counter, that's fine by me, whatever pulls your chain, just please accept that we all take different approaches to our hobby.

 

And now, Clive and Paul, please stop cluttering up my silly and wildly inaccurate thread with all your sensible talk about fixed signals and semaphores and such like; you'll be going on about Morse code next.  Off to Dewchurch with you, begone!!!  🥸

You are a step ahead of me Graham - at least you've installed point rodding 🥳

[Graham T]

Well, of sorts!

[Gopher]

12 hours ago, Graham T said:

Should just clarify I don't mean to offend anyone, the more knowledge that gets shared the better in my opinion.

Absolutely - and I just want to say thankyou to those who replied to my post on ground signals in yards.  I'll remove them, and rely on good old hand signals from shunters etc.    

[5BarVT]

12 hours ago, Graham T said:

Should just clarify I don't mean to offend anyone, the more knowledge that gets shared the better in my opinion.

None taken.

Paul.

[Graham T]

A few little details added to the PW hut, and some more weathering of the wriggly tin.  The huts are probably done now, I might just put another dark wash on the roof of the most battered looking one to tie it all together.

 

 

[Graham T]

More packing cases than a chap could shake the proverbial stick at.  These will get dotted about Chuffnell R, some in the goods yard and shed, one or two on the platform, and some as wagon loads.  Might some of them have had chalk marks and/or paper labels?

 

[MrWolf]

Most likely, stuck on paper labels 6"x 4" or 8" X 6", chalk marks tended to be in wax pencil, either black or red oxide. We're a bit pre magic marker here! 

I'm just going by the old crates and boxes I come across pretty regularly in my line of work, most of which date between 1920-60.

[Graham T]

Thanks Rob, that's helpful.

[Andy Keane]

On 28/08/2022 at 22:51, Graham T said:

 

Thanks for the heads up, but I was aware of the horror stories 🙂

 

I tried some non-commital enquiries through the website, got nowhere, and walked away.  A shame because, as I think we all agree, Cooper Craft made some really good stuff.

Does anyone have views on the Coopercraft lorry kits - I am looking for some 1920-1930 vintage lorries in 4mm scale

Andy

[MrWolf]

IiRC Cooper Craft did an AEC Monarch cab over engine lorry which is of a prototype that was manufactured 1931-39 and a Bedford O Type normal control (long bonnet) which was manufactured 1938-52.

Lorries of that era often had a working lifespan of over twenty years.

They're not much more complicated to build than the contemporary Airfix military trucks and with the usual detailing make up into a nice model. The AEC and various trailers that compliment it turn up regularly on eBay for not a lot of money.

I've not seen an example of the Bedford for a long time though.

[Graham T]

Aberporth Grange has been treated to a bit of fettling this afternoon.  I'd already added real coal, and the Hornby model is really very nicely detailed anyway, I think.  It came with a cosmetic screw link coupling on the loco, which I've left in place, and I've added a screw link and steam pipe to the tender.  I also popped on the brake rigging as supplied by Hornby, added a couple of fire irons and a bucket, fitted the scaffold board between the toolboxes, and dabbed some brass paint on the water level indicator (at least I think that's what it is!)  The indicator isn't quite vertical as you can see, but in real life it doesn't look so bad, so I think I'll leave it alone rather than risk breaking it...

 

Still to add the crew with some black-tack, and to paint the board and steam pipe.  Etched number plates are slowly wending their way here from the UK, and I will give the loco some very light weathering at some point as well.

 

 

 

 

 

[gwrrob]

What's your source Graham for the rather nice looking steam pipe you've fitted . As I use Hunt couplings dangly items like that won't interfere.

[Graham T]

It's from Wizard Models Rob, item MT334.  Described as being for the 14xx, but I've hacked it about a bit to look more appropriate!  I've also heard of people using guitar strings, which would be a lot more cost effective... 

[MrWolf]

That extra bit of detail gives the model a lift and makes it a little more personal. After the 2251, which was a bit of an experiment, I know that I am going to have to do the same thing with almost all of my locos and the railcars.

So to avoid temptation, I might have to leave them in their boxes until the layout is a little more complete.

 

BTW, what length are those fire irons? If I know the length, I can make some!

[Harlequin]

Just a note: Steam heating pipes were removed in the summer months. Removal commenced in the middle of June and re-fitting was done during September starting with sleepers and boat trains, then early and late express trains and finally all other passenger trains.

 

Edited September 6, 2022 by Harlequin

[Graham T]

47 minutes ago, MrWolf said:

That extra bit of detail gives the model a lift and makes it a little more personal. After the 2251, which was a bit of an experiment, I know that I am going to have to do the same thing with almost all of my locos and the railcars.

So to avoid temptation, I might have to leave them in their boxes until the layout is a little more complete.

 

BTW, what length are those fire irons? If I know the length, I can make some!

 

They're about 30mm long Rob.  I think they are from Springside.

[Graham T]

15 minutes ago, Harlequin said:

Just a note: Steam heating pipes were removed in the summer months. Removal commenced in the middle of June between and re-fitting was done during September starting with sleepers and boat trains, then early and late express trains and finally all other passenger trains.

 

 

Ah, I didn't know that Phil.  Could have saved myself some time and expense there!  So they were removed from coaches as well?

 

Just curious, do you know why?