South Wales Freight.

[Cardiff Bluebird]

I know Ive said it before, but this layout especially the sidings area really 'looks' like South Wales, I dont know what it is but I can really 'feel' the down in the heelness of the place.

I think you need a line up of brand new EWS Class 66's fresh from Newport Docks

Excellent mate,

 

Bluebird.

[owentherail]

I mite have to get a modelzone guards van, looks good. (as does whole layout) cheers owen

[Leon]

Class 56 & 66 leaves the yard with HAA's and mixed freight.

[Poindexter]

Cracking pics Leon, have you got a new camera or changed the lighting?

 

Guy

[Leon]

hi Guy sorry about the long wait for a reply, nothing changed, the lighting always seems to change the spots I put in the roof are dimable so I vary them to show the layout lights, also sometimes I have a floodlight up there aswell.

 

Not done any work on the layout for sometime now due to other DIY jobs around the home and garden, spent an hour running some trains lastnight, they just about worked although I think a few need a good clean now.

 

Took some pics for you guys interested. In no order, A class 47 leaves the yard with some 100t tanks, a class 60 arrives with a single TTA from the wagon works, some pictures of the depot area and also a pair of coal 37's double heading towards the docks.

 

[D9JEF]

Leon,

 

Good set of pictures. I particularly like 47 190 - is that a Lima loco? It looks like a Lima loco but only when you look at the couplings.

Have you got a few more photos of it?

 

Many thanks

 

Jeff

[Grimleygrid]

Hi Leon,

 

Really like 032 on the MGRs, good work!

 

Love the shot of the depot filled with sector liveried locos, quality! Just how a TMD should look!

 

The last photo of the Metals 37 with the steel works in the background looks superb, really gives a lovely industrial back drop. Can just imagine it trundling slowly along…..

[Leon]

Thanks Grimley, thats just what it does " it trundling slowly along " lol, not sure if the batteries in the Dynasis are going but the Vi 37 is very very slow to respond, can see it being dragged by a 56 soon once a heavy load of BDA's arrive. How is your modelling coming along ?

[Leon]

Hi Jeff, Yes its a Lima, picked it up at the start of building the layout from Rails of on Ebay, was only ever intending to use it as a test for weathering and to be non powered, I have removed the motor and once I detail it more add name plates etc I will use it as a "failed" loco. I do like the 47's so maybe I will get a Rfd 47 to resuce it from time to time. Have noticed Hattons do the Vi triple Grey freightliner one for £36, may try to change that into an Rfd Tinsley loco.

 

Will get you some more pics, thanks and all the best.

 

 

[Temeraire]

I have removed the motor and once I detail it more add name plates etc I will use it as a "failed" loco. I do like the 47's .

 

Have noticed Hattons do the Vi triple Grey freightliner one for £36, may try to change that into an Rfd Tinsley loco.

 

Leon

 

Why not put a cheap Vitrains chassis/motor under it?

 

Layout pics looking as good as ever, its also about time I posted an update!

[Leon]

Hi all, hope you have all enjoyed the long weekends. Built one of the two fiddle yards this afternoon, the one at the Dock/Steelwork end. Only one siding at the mo, there will be three in total when complete.

 

Completing this has enabled me to "run" my first train to/from somewhere. Coal trains can now come and go from the Dock fiddle yard instead of having to terminate at the yard.

 

A few pics below of some 37's waiting to join the Dock branch. A little crude at present but does its job for now.

[Rammy]

Hi Leon,

Just catching up with your thread and your layout is looking awesome!

Your new fiddle yards should help with your operational interest too.

I'll try and keep updated more often now.

Dave

[Poindexter]

Good work on starting the fiddle yards. But that first pic is prob one of your best yet.

 

Guy

[pitbull1845]

Nice work Leon, I have to agree with Guy, the picture of the 37's is great.

Cheers

Scott

[Leon]

Thanks guys, it has been hard over the last few months to get an interest going again, a lack of natural light in the attic don't help.

 

As you say ive been limited operationally not having any fiddle yards, trains are just sat in the yard and all i can run is light engine movements within a small area. I am in the process of ordering more track for the other fiddle yard and hopefully once they are both complete and I can start to run some real freight trains my interest will come back and improvement work on the layout can carry on. I have a number of freight workings in my head that need rolling stock and once I have the fiddle yards I will hopefully be able to build these up.

 

In Hindsight I should have built the fiddle yards at the same time as the rest of the board work.

 

Anyway, thanks Scott, Guy & Dave for taking an interest

 

 

All the best

 

Leon

[Temeraire]

Thanks guys, it has been hard over the last few months to get an interest going again, a lack of natural light in the attic don't help.

 

Hi again Leon

 

I think we all go through periods where we seem to lose interest when other things take up too much time, I've been there since Christmas almost, but its a good feeling when something gives you the kickstart you needed.

 

The latest pictures look great and I'm sure you will enjoy just 'playing' for a while now the trains have somewhere to go.

Keep going fella and keep the pictures coming, your audience awaits!

[Grimleygrid]

Hi Leon,

 

Nice tractors!

 

I bet now that you have the siding down and can run trains, you will be playing rather than working on the layout! !

[Leon]

Thanks Grimley,

 

Just fitted the second fiddle yard, which I part built in work last week. It is the what I call the start of the layout - the fiddle yard from where the trains arrive onto the layout destined either for the depot, docks, steelworks or yard.

 

Laid the rails and wired up the 3 sidings, may add another as there is room, the trains started earning there keep for half hour or so tonight, felt good to see Petroleum class 60 at the head of a heavy rake of TEA's looked good waiting in the fiddle yard headlights blazing. In the middle road sat 4 locos light engine waiting to be called to the yard or steelworks to collect there trains.

 

Now with all the track work laid and once I finish a few more bits of wiring I can concentrate on playing with trains and making improvements.

 

All the best all

 

Leon

[mudmagnet]

Hi Leon,

 

I've been catching up your progress and two things noticed that I wanted to mention -

1) Great shot of the brake van with greenery and weeds growing around - very effective

2) Partly removed track, with sleepers in place and one length of rail left - nice touch.

 

Keep up the good work.

[Leon]

Hi all, both fiddle yards are now up and running, the fiddle yard into the layout has 4 storage siding and the steelwork/docks one has 3. I thought that with 6ft of track storage would not be a problem, I was wrong. A class 60 and just 5 TEA's fills a 6ft length and my Rfd 37 can only run 6 freightliner flats. Anyone want to swap them for some shorter wagons ? I think a rake of TTA will be better.

 

Pics not great quality sorry bit of a rush and still some work to do on the fiddle yards, bit crude at the mo but does the job.

 

Pics include the decouplers at the end of each road to release the loco, a class 60 on tanks from West Wales, a Railfreight 37 on a freightliner and a Metals 56 passing the waiting freightliner.

 

 

[pitbull1845]

Hi Leon, 2 fiddle yards, you must feel spoilt, so much more operating potential. The photos continue to look good, I understand your frustrations with your train lengths, maybe its time to change to "N"..

If I had a rake of TTA's then I would happily swap, I can only offer 6 weathered HEA's..!

 

Do you have many steel wagons? I haven't trawled back through the 20+ pages only had a quick look at this one. Just thinking you could have a rake of railfreight OCA's (ive spotted 2 in the pics) with some Ten Commandment loads, you would get a few in your sidings...

 

Keep up the good work mate, I always like to see your updates and pictures.

 

Regards

 

Scott

[Temeraire]

Hi Leon

 

Great photos again fella. With regards to train lengths, is there no way of connecting the two fiddle yard ends together to give you twice the storage siding length? This would also give you the benefit of just allowing the trains go round while shunting elsewhere.

[Leon]

That is possible which would give me a roundy roundy and also a super fiddle yard with a lenght of about 24 ft. I allways wanted an end to end not a roundy though, but on a practical side it has benifits.

 

But, you have got me thinking...its more wood work more track, more points, more electrics, more atic space taken up...hmmm however it will make running trains in alot easier by just letting them run round, i was running in the 56 & 37 last night remembering to hit the direcrtion button before the end of the track....lol

 

I dont think its possible the steelworks/dock fiddle yard is pretty much above the atic enterance and will need a very tight curve bringing it acroos the hatch, also the other fiddle yard curvers around the chiminy and runs off in the opposit wat into the corner of the atic and again it would require a really tight curve to meet up with the other one.

 

Thanks for the advice, definatly given me the idea and got me thinking..

 

All the best Leon.

 

ps lets see some more of your layout benn a while, but I guess youre busy with shows.

[Leon]

Hi Scott,

 

Steel wagons are on the list to get, I have two and want more along with some RF OBA's, also waiting on money to get some BDA and also SSA scrap wagons. I made the mistake of buying the freightliners as I liked them, however the layout features a steel works not a freightliner terminal. Hind sight eh..

 

Hope all is well with you Scott, Took Mrs B down to Sandbanks the other month for her Birthday, wow it was like the med...Great place..

 

Let me know what you have been up to/plans and if you are looking to off load some stock.

 

All the best and hope all is well

 

Leon.

[P.C.M]

Hi Leon,

Great pics as usual, great to see you have your fiddle yards up and woking. B)

 

Cheers Peter.