Penhayle Bay

[SRman]

I am now awaiting planning permission for a third new piece of infill which will allow a small extension of land on the opposite corner where the seldom-photographed (because it's too close to the edge) stone circle sits.

 

Wot? This bit??

 

 

[Gwiwer]

Yes that bit!

 

As Jeff's re-post of my photo shows the baseboard at this corner rests on the window ledge and the frame visible is that of Sharon's work-room window.  She overlooks this whole area when working and has always had artistic control over what she can see in return for consent to build the line into this area.

 

What isn't apparent from that view is the angle between the fixed board upon which the stone circle sits and the curved end panel which used to be a lift-out and which is now having some awkward angles ameliorated.  The intention is to add a sliver of land leaving the corner of the board at a slight angle to meet the curved end section about mid-way along.  That is almost the mirror of the section just completed.  It won't give very much more space.  It can't project any further because it would get wet in the rain; the layout as it is was built to the maximum extent available in the "dry" area.

 

But it would give just a little more land behind the stone circle which could also rise slightly from left to right (in the posted image) thereby adding a little more visual interest.

 

I am hoping to hear from the Planning Committee within the next few days  .

[Gwiwer]

Two new Bachmann "tube" wagons have arrived recently.  Both have been weathered before entering traffic although one was already factory weathered first.

 

They run well but the low-level vac. pipes supplied in the "bits bag" foul the couplers and can only be fitted at a rather strange angle.  I suspect they will not survive even there in the longer term.

 

The two new arrivals are coupled behind the Western in No.1 up siding as a filthy Warship arrives n charge of a down parcels working

 

 

This wagon is factory weathered but has had the plank gaps inked in, powders added to the outside and the inside painted with Humbrol "Rust Wash" then powdered.  

 

 

The other is a pristine product as supplied and again has had the plank gaps inked in.  This wagon has also had powder weathering applied inside and out.

 

 

Detail work included rusting the springs with the Humbrol wash.  This is the first time I have used that product; not being at all impressed by their weathering powders I was wary of how it might work but it seems to be OK.

 

[class"66"]

More top work Rick...

[Gwiwer]

Despite being the depths of winter there's often some movement on the layout.  A rare shaft of sunlight picks out the milk train emerging from the tunnel.

 

 

Another sort of "movement" altogether was found to have occurred to one of the buses parked on the layout.  It has been visited by a passing bird!  Taking advantage of adversity I have glued a pair of gulls onto the roof rather than clean it up!

 

 

Finally for now the three new Bachmann class 43 "Warship" class locos are in the mail and due here any day.  These will have Fox etched nameplates fitted and receive weathering before entering service on a "Western Hydraulic" day to be announced soon.  If the Fox plates look OK on these then I'll fit them to the 42s as well as time permits.

[Andrew P]

Morning Rick, Cracking pics and the Milk Tanks in the Sun look amazing, and as for the 12inch to the ft Bird Poo, well it still looks in scale on the pics, hahha.

[St Enodoc]

Despite being the depths of winter there's often some movement on the layout.  A rare shaft of sunlight picks out the milk train emerging from the tunnel.

 

 

Another sort of "movement" altogether was found to have occurred to one of the buses parked on the layout.  It has been visited by a passing bird!  Taking advantage of adversity I have glued a pair of gulls onto the roof rather than clean it up!

 

 

Finally for now the three new Bachmann class 43 "Warship" class locos are in the mail and due here any day.  These will have Fox etched nameplates fitted and receive weathering before entering service on a "Western Hydraulic" day to be announced soon.  If the Fox plates look OK on these then I'll fit them to the 42s as well as time permits.

Rick, my D816 Eclipse has Fox plates as do many of my steam locos. They cost a bit more than some other brands but for me if the name/number I need is in their range they are my first choice (usual disclaimer).

[Gwiwer]

Planning permissions been granted by the Powers That Be for the next little addition to the land meaning I can get that under way in the coming days and finish the works at the farm end.  That will then be set for another running season and looking better than it has done in a while.

 

The trio of class 43 Warships arrived from Camborne yesterday.  They look magnificent though there's the challenge of fitting a lot of tiny parts to tackle.  One has to be exchanged as it was wrongly packed by Bachmann; the box label says it's a BR blue "Royal Oak" but the loco inside is a green "Pegasus".  Not needing two of those it's already on its way back with the correct blue one expected very soon.

[pwr]

Ooh can't wait to see the pix!

 

Paul R

[Gwiwer]

Penhayle Bay was delighted to host a visit from P.C.M of this parish this morning.  A long-overdue catch up was thoroughly enjoyed.  Peter therefore became the first person to witness the class 43s in action and the last to see the layout before the final infill of new land was started.

 

The 43s will feature soon.  They look the same as any others right now and you can find pictures of them pristine and out of their boxes elsewhere.

 

Planning permission having been requested and received the third and final little addition to the land was begun this afternoon.

 

The old lineside vegetation was stripped out (and mostly retained for re-use) and the old border unscrewed and removed.  A new border has been cut and fitted as shown and the old, together with an offset of new MDF, has been recycled to become the floor of the new piece.  Over ten years of Penhayle Bay very little which could possibly be re-used has ever been binned; the old greenery will go back beneath a top layer of new material.  In the image below the old and new edges of the layout are clearly defined.

 

 

In cutting the new MDF to shape a small piece fortuitously proved to be the perfect shape and size to drop in as floor beside the stone circle!  New land and a low-height back scene here should improve the photographic options at this corner.  

 

 

And seen from the inside, or normal viewing area, of the layout the new area is ready to be "filled" which will include some polystyrene chips, plaster cloth and then greenery.  There's some paint needed here and there as well.

 

[Andrew P]

That should look excellent Rick, I love that Vegetable patch, I've not seen that bit before, very nice indeed, plus its always good to get fellow Modellers around for a Brew and catch up.

[Gwiwer]

Thanks Andy.  This end of the layout, which is the only point of entry, is open to the weather apart from having a bird net across it to discourage wandering / flying livestock so it gets a bit untidy at times.  Quite apart from being worked just now on the entire farm scene needs a decent vacuuming and dusting.  Which it will get over the coming days as I finish the work around this corner.

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

It was good to catch up and watch some trains running the new class 43s did run very well straight out of the box, the Dapol Western was a fine runner too.

 

Looks like you spent your afternoon outside, you will have that bit finished by next week.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

Thanks Peter 

 

Good to catch up with yourself too, as always.  That little piece should be finished by this time tomorrow if the weather holds.  Then I can point the camera towards the stone circle without getting too much of the "over scale" vegetable garden in the background!

[Gwiwer]

The last infill of land has been completed and the greenery around the stone circle refreshed allowing better views of trains and scenery on this corner than before without going off the edge.

 

 

 

The fist two of the new Bachmann class 43s are also ready for service.  Work has included fitting drivers and second-men (as Bachmann no longer supply them ready-fitted), fitting the roof vents and lifting rings, fitting the coupler at the inner end and valence plus pipework at the outer end, and fitting Fox etched nameplates and builder's plates.  These locos have had some weathering applied but I'm not entirely happy with it.  When I have time I'm sure it can be improved upon.  A third loco is due any day.  All three arrived together but the "blue" one had to be sent back because the loco in the box was a green one.  The replacement is due here any day; I intend that this will be detailed but presented almost ex-works with very minimal weathering.

 

D865 "Zealous" in maroon:

 

 

 

And D835 "Pegasus" in green:

 

 

 

D842 "Royal Oak" will complete the trio.  The Fox plates are a precise fit over the tampo-printed names and will in due course be fitted to all the earlier class 42 Warships in my collection.

 

Most of the detailing work was relatively easy.  Parts fitted readily into their moulded holes unlike the struggle I have sometimes found with Heljan loco pipework.  The roof ports can be set to open in either direction or closed and sufficient parts are provided for either or for a combination.  The lifting rings are extremely small and fiddly.  24 are supplied and 20 are needed.  The are very easily lost to the floor and almost impossible to relocate once there.  They are also tricky to fit without over-gluing but again are a quite easy fit to their holes.  Each loco required over an hour to detail and not inconsiderable patience and dexterity.  

[brushman47544]

The last infill of land has been completed and the greenery around the stone circle refreshed allowing better views of trains and scenery on this corner than before without going off the edge.

 

 

 

 

D842 "Royal Oak" will complete the trio.  The Fox plates are a precise fit over the tampo-printed names and will in due course be fitted to all the earlier class 42 Warships in my collection.

 

Your 43s are certainly looking good Rick. How do they get on directly coupled to that Lima GUV and its gigantic coupling. Have you made any alterations to it, to avoid derailments?

 

Your comment about the Fox plates for 842 Royal Oak is interesting. I bought Extreme Etchings plates in anticipation but I gather their slightly smaller than the printed nameplate. I wonder which is correct? I've held off buying one for now - the reported difference in size of the 43 compared with the older Bachmann 42 has put me off at the full price. Have you run them together yet and if so is it noticeable?

[Gwiwer]

Thanks for your comments Andrew.

 

The Lima GUV seems to run happily with almost anything which is the reason I still have it.  Most of my Lima stock has gone now with the exception of this, a few other vans which seem happy no matter what they are coupled to, and a very few other items which no-one else has produced.

 

In fairness I don't have any "train set" curves, though there are a few small radius points around the sidings, so coupler swing and lock has seldom been an issue for me.  Notwithstanding that I am about to embark upon some Kadee experimentation and have some packs of Instanter and three-link couplers to fit if I live long enough!!!

 

I read in the class 43 thread about a size difference against the 42s.  I had both types side by side on the layout for the photos above but not coupled.  They seemed OK (bearing in mind they weren't side by side) but I can always take a closer look tomorrow.

[Andrew P]

The last infill of land has been completed and the greenery around the stone circle refreshed allowing better views of trains and scenery on this corner than before without going off the edge.

 

 

 

The fist two of the new Bachmann class 43s are also ready for service.  Work has included fitting drivers and second-men (as Bachmann no longer supply them ready-fitted), fitting the roof vents and lifting rings, fitting the coupler at the inner end and valence plus pipework at the outer end, and fitting Fox etched nameplates and builder's plates.  These locos have had some weathering applied but I'm not entirely happy with it.  When I have time I'm sure it can be improved upon.  A third loco is due any day.  All three arrived together but the "blue" one had to be sent back because the loco in the box was a green one.  The replacement is due here any day; I intend that this will be detailed but presented almost ex-works with very minimal weathering.

 

D865 "Zealous" in maroon:

 

 

 

And D835 "Pegasus" in green:

 

 

 

D842 "Royal Oak" will complete the trio.  The Fox plates are a precise fit over the tampo-printed names and will in due course be fitted to all the earlier class 42 Warships in my collection.

 

Most of the detailing work was relatively easy.  Parts fitted readily into their moulded holes unlike the struggle I have sometimes found with Heljan loco pipework.  The roof ports can be set to open in either direction or closed and sufficient parts are provided for either or for a combination.  The lifting rings are extremely small and fiddly.  24 are supplied and 20 are needed.  The are very easily lost to the floor and almost impossible to relocate once there.  They are also tricky to fit without over-gluing but again are a quite easy fit to their holes.  Each loco required over an hour to detail and not inconsiderable patience and dexterity.  

But well worth every moment of work, although I haven't done my lifting eyes yet, I need a GOOD DAY to sit and do that.

 

Yours looks terrific.

[Gwiwer]

All three class 43 Warships have now arrived, been fully detailed, received Fox etched nameplates and been weathered.

 

All three seen together as 842 and 865 lead the down Cornishman out of Treheligan and 835 waits in the loop with vans

 

 

"Royal Oak" and "Zealous" on the down Cornishman again despite the headcode!

 

 

Class 42 Warship 870 "Zulu" also gained Fox plates as a trial before applying them to the rest of the fleet and with satisfactory results

 

 

How many Warships do you need before you call your shed a dockyard?  842 and 870 keep company with early-style blue livery D827 "Kelly" on shed at Ponsangwyn.

 

Edited September 9, 2015 by Gwiwer

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

The weathering on the new Warships looks great. How did you go with fitting the nameplates? where the printed ones the same size as the etched ones.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

Thanks Peter

 

Two out of three 43s had tampo-printed names the same size as the etches but the third was larger.  A few moments with a cotton bud and warm soapy water had the originals off and the new ones fitted.  Not really hard at all and the PVA holds them nicely - so far anyway!

[Gwiwer]

At long last the sun is shining at Penhayle Bay after what seems like an eternal grey cold winter.  

 

Where else could this possibly be?

 

 

 

 

 

Those Lima CCT vans (first three in the train) aren't too bad though I am slowly acquiring some of the current Bachmann ones as well.

[Gwiwer]

As mentioned elsewhere I have recently added to stock three of Bachmann's class 43 Warship models.  These complement seven of the earlier class 42 type which range in age from the original Mainline tooling to the final version issued a few years ago.

 

All now carry Fox etched nameplates as well as varying levels of detail according to that supplied in the boxes.  Some have couplers at both ends in order to run paired up so cannot have the curved valence or pipework attached.

 

All have received varying degrees of weathering ranging from almost ex-works to absolutely filthy.  And as usual the camera takes no prisoners and there are some details which require improvement.

 

The fleet is presented below with a front three-quarters view and a side shot including the nameplate for each of the fleet.

 

I do not intend to acquire any further locos of this type though do have the five early D600-style Warships (sometimes referred to as class 41) on order and due from Kernow MRC some time next year.

 

Following the application of these nameplates the Heljan Westerns in the fleet are next to receive etches; the Dapol ones already have them.

 

D804 Avenger (an early Mainline-style loco fitted with more recent Bachmann power train and bogies)

 

 

 

D806 Cambrian:

 

 

 

D809 Champion 

 

 

 

812 The Royal Naval Reserve 1859-1959 (which was to have been named Despatch in the alphabetic sequence; the plates were cast but never fitted as it gained the commemorative "RNR" appellation instead)

 

 

 

D827 Kelly

 

 

 

D835 Pegasus

 

 

 

842 Royal Oak (yes I know the builder's plate has come unstuck)

 

 

 

D865 Zealous

 

 

 

D867 Zenith

 

 

 

870 Zulu

 

 

 

[Andrew P]

Looking very good Ric, I do like your weathering, very subtle, also the pics above that I'm guessing were taken now the new roof is on, and if so WOW what a difference, all your scenic will fade now, hahahh.

 

All the best and more pics of the Fleet in action please.

[Gwiwer]

Thanks Andy.  Those pics are indeed taken in the "new light" which may or may not fade the scenery faster than was the case before.  We shall see.  A few options have been suggested to me if things start to bleach very quickly.  And there will be more pictures.  The order for Fox plates for the Heljan Westerns is already in the mail and judging by past orders will be here for next weekend.  That gives me a chance to present all the hydraulics in the fleet together and all of those which bear names with cast plates (names and, where appropriate, numbers but I will admit to at least temporary defeat with the Warship works plates on the solebars which are defying my fingers).