Penhayle Bay

[Gwiwer]

We can probably arrange for three of us to get together here at some convenient time and experiment with techniques.  I'm about midway between Newton Broadway and Llanbourne after all.

I had thought about a significant rebuild to reduce the gradient but that would have had the branch making a flat crossing with the yard lines in tunnels.  Not only that but all three tracks would be curved requiring hand-built crossings and it would reduce to two or at best three cars the length of train I could store out of sight up the branch.  Currently four cars can be kept just out of sight in the tunnel representing a typical summer holiday DMU formation or a loco-plus-three coaches set.

 

Given the age of the layout now and the need to cut out and replace a section of yard baseboard the rebuilding of the branch is off the agenda and it will have to cope with being too steep.

[St Enodoc]

We can probably arrange for three of us to get together here at some convenient time and experiment with techniques.  I'm about midway between Newton Broadway and Llanbourne after all.

 

I had thought about a significant rebuild to reduce the gradient but that would have had the branch making a flat crossing with the yard lines in tunnels.  Not only that but all three tracks would be curved requiring hand-built crossings and it would reduce to two or at best three cars the length of train I could store out of sight up the branch.  Currently four cars can be kept just out of sight in the tunnel representing a typical summer holiday DMU formation or a loco-plus-three coaches set.

 

Given the age of the layout now and the need to cut out and replace a section of yard baseboard the rebuilding of the branch is off the agenda and it will have to cope with being too steep.

DCC Concepts Powerbase (usual disclaimer)?

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

Let me know when you are free, happy to bring up the 101 and give it a test run up the branch.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

Looking at the weekend of 25th / 26th June for a short-notice drop-in if that suits.  As I work two or three weekends out of four there are far fewer opportunities than there once were.  Also I have to wait and see how Sharon is when she arrives.  She's had three weeks in the USA between Miami, New York and Los Angeles and is likely to be a bit tired on Wednesday when she arrives home!!!

[P.C.M]

Looking at the weekend of 25th / 26th June for a short-notice drop-in if that suits.  As I work two or three weekends out of four there are far fewer opportunities than there once were.  Also I have to wait and see how Sharon is when she arrives.  She's had three weeks in the USA between Miami, New York and Los Angeles and is likely to be a bit tired on Wednesday when she arrives home!!!

Hi Rick,

Can't do that weekend as we are away in Kerang. I could do July 9th or 10th if thats any good.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Gwiwer]

I think we can safely say this section has rotted out.  

 

 

After another night of steady rain I took a look outside and found the damp area had grown larger.  This is caused by rainwater seeping through the waterproofing between fence and backscene and by the lack of an adequate membrane between the board bearer and the fence rail where one rests on the other.  The fiddle yard is currently closed to all traffic but the running lines are unaffected.  I placed a carriage on the back siding and that was enough to have the board give way.  I then lifted out the area which crumbled readily into my hand though a rather larger area will need replacing.

 

Another spot which always gets wet is in the top corner by Wheal Julia mine.  This really only affects the sky panels which can be repainted once dry and any lost filler made good.

 

 

For the first time this winter I have water dripping across the line from the fascia above the cliffs.  I suspect this relates to the cut-back of trees above the roof of the house and that I need to check the gutters up there.  They are all fitted with Gutter-guard to prevent blocking but something else might be the problem.  Another job which must await a dry day.  The steady dripping of rain has eroded a small piece of plaster from the cliffs.  I plan to make this good using a touch-up of paint and some greenery when it's dry.  

 

Edited June 20, 2016 by Gwiwer

[Gwiwer]

The postman has been busy this week.

 

So far I have received my orders for two near half-price Dapol "Western" class locos from DCC Supplies and the 33/1 "Crompton" I ordered from Hattons before Kernow MRC announced their offer on them.  The bargain price on the Westerns was brought to my attention through this site; DCC Supplies isn't a place I visit very often so I might have missed out.  The pair includes an additional blue one which will become D1051 "Western Ambassador" but is supplied with D1012 "Western Firebrand" name and number plates.  I already have a maroon D1012 and don't wish to duplicate.  This one will also feature its running number in the headcode boxes as was found on many Western and Hymek locos in their later days.  The other is the first green Western to join my fleet.  Not all ever ran in this colour and it's not one I remember them in on the main line so I haven't bothered until now.  But this offer seemed too good to miss and D1002 "Western Explorer" has arrived at Penhayle Bay.

 

The Crompton is D6511with pre-TOPS style number and high-level multiple unit jumpers in order to run with the up-coming 4TC units announced by Kernow MRC.  These locos became class 33/1 and TOPS-numbered 33112 is already a part of the fleet here.  I own several 65xx numbered Cromptons but none until now were the pipe-fitted version.

 

In a big week for rolling stock I have also placed advance orders for one of the 4TC units (in its early all-blue livery matching the D6511 loco number for timeframe) and one of the DJ Models class 71 electrics, E5010 in BR green with full yellow end.  That again looked too good to miss even if it doesn't fit anywhere within my themes.  Those will all be joined by a pair of class 74 electro-diesels also from DJ Models via Kernow MRC and which can also work with the 4TC among other duties.  All of these also match the sole class 73 currently in the fleet in early blue livery thus putting everything into the 1967 - 70 slot which I'm drifting towards as the single period I would choose to pursue modelling in the longer term.

 

I got a peek at the 4TC in its unpainted sample form and am impressed at the detail and quality though the price has raised a few eyebrows.  I'm afraid we live in a new world now where a 4-car commissioned unit at £269 (for pre-orders) is probably rather a good deal even though it is unmotored.

 

Green D1002 on a proving trip has had name, number and worksplates added from the supplied bag (the pipework is supplied ready-fitted), has a crew and headcode blinds inserted but as yet lacks the many detail bits which include brake rodding, lifting eyes, cab steps and of course a touch of my weathering.

 

 

[Gwiwer]

The green Western has received most of the required bits from the bag including brake rods and cab steps.  I have had to abandon hope of getting the roof lifting lugs i.  For those who don't know they are extremely small parts, about 2mm x 1mm and are supplied as an etched sheet.  They require removing, trimming and fitting to pre-moulded holes on the roof.  Try as I might (bent wire, straight wire, different sorts of wire, small pliers, various tweezers ..... even fingers) I couldn't get them to come away nicely nor could I manipulate them for gluing and fitting.  It's not the end of the world.

 

I have also applied a fairly light weathering which has kept most of the "recently-painted" appearance of the loco while adding some dirt to the skirt and bogie areas, roof and front ends.

 

The light is very poor here in mid-winter even with the sun up and the various layout lights on.  The best I could manage was a couple of grainy shots which have still had to be enhanced to improve the colour a bit.

 

 

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

Your weathering has certainly improved the Western. I was a dull day today the only sun we had coming back from Kerang was when we stopped at Bridgewater.

 

Cheers Peter.

[SRman]

My one and only Dapol Western was one of the Kernow Models weathered specials, and came with all of those roof lifting lugs already fitted. I'm glad this was so, because I don't think I would have fared any better than you on that score.

[Gwiwer]

I have to agree there Jeff.  The quartet of Kernow MRC weathered ones came with two nice additional surprises  The name / number / works plates were already fitted and so were the roof lugs!  I pity who ever in China had to do 28 of those per loco for the several hundred of each livery in the commission.

 

One of my non-commissioned ones has most of them in.  I lost a couple in the process and there are no spares.  This time around they just refused to come off the etch nicely and some got lost.  More got lost as I tried to apply glue and locate them to the roof on a piece of wire.  Only one actually stuck in the hole and that later fell out.  I gave it up as a bad job.

 

D1002 runs just as well as all the other Dapol Westerns here and I look forward to tackling the "bits bag" on the future D1051 and running her in as well just as soon as the Fox nameplates arrive.  I might even try the lugs just in case the blue etch is better than the green one

[brianusa]

Are the models today so detailed and so complicated that they have become even difficult for accomplished modellers?.  Returning many years ago to my OO days, there were time when I was frustrated with the much simpler models of the time, which was the impetus for my change to larger scales and to the extreme, tinplate trains where I don't have to worry about detail so much!

 

Brian.

[Gwiwer]

Those tiny pieces defeated me this time around. It's possibly just the etch as I managed them on another Western. There's the blue one still to try. And you can see the difference but you have to look. As to whether I'm an "accomplished modeller" that is for others to decide.

[SRman]

It's just old age catching up with us, Rick!!  

[St Enodoc]

It's just old age catching up with us, Rick!!  

Speak for yourself.

[Gwiwer]

Some views of the recently-arrived class 33/1 D6511 now with added driver and dirt.  The 4TC unit(s) for which this loco is fitted with high-level jumper cables are due by the end of the year.  The loco can of course work just as any other locomotive does hauling other trains.

 

The supplied headcodes are 90 and AA.  These are on self-adhesive film stuck inside the central window.  The body removes easily, the cab unit not quite so readily but once out it is simple to press the headcode glass out from inside.  The fitted numbers were then removed and replaced from stock by the required 91 and double reds.  90 means Waterloo - Weymouth Quay which was not normally a 4TC duty and AA is meaningless.  91 indicates a Waterloo - Weymouth fast train which was the preserve of the 4TC units and double reds is the end-of-train marker used when pushing the units back from Weymouth to Bournemouth.  It's not correct to display that on the "trailing" or inner end of a leading locomotive hauling a train as it could be misinterpreted - double whites should be used - but the limitations of modelling mean that headcodes cannot be changed easily in traffic therefore I fit the two displays I am most likely to need.

 

 

A nice touch by Heljan is the fitting of a drop-head buckeye coupler at both ends.  This is non-functional (it doesn't couple to the train) and fouls the coupler pocket shank.  It also seems not possible to fit a standard coupler with the buckeye in either raised or lowered positions so it might end up being removed.  For now it's shown in an approximation of the lowered position - as low as it will go resting on the concealed pocket shank behind.  If it can be retained it will have to be glued in the upright position.  That would be correct for coupling with 4TC units but not for other trains.  Depending on the 4TC units themselves it might even be possible to achieve close coupling using a No.19 Kadee on the unit.  

 

 

In traffic with Mk1 loose-coupled stock.

 

 

 

And arguably a better shot of the green Western this time not enhanced in any way ......

 

[class"66"]

More "top" pictures here

[St Enodoc]

The fitted numbers were then removed and replaced from stock by the required 91 and double reds.

 

Rick, what make of transfers did you use?

[Gwiwer]

Rick, what make of transfers did you use?

 

 

Those are spares from the numerous Dapol "Western" class sheets.  They are sticky-back rather than sticky-front so require a shim of card behind to support them internally on the 52s.  It's a slightly fussy job with the 52s as they are intended to stick outside in front of the glazing. On the 33 they are mounted on a slip of paper which has been inked in black with a laundry marker or "sharpie".

[P.C.M]

Hi Rick,

Nice work on the Pusher, 

The AA headcode was used although not officially when a class 33 was used on the breakedown train or rescuing a failed loco/train. I have a pic somewhere I will did it out, also if a Pusher was being used on normal Hauled stock the Buckeye would be used.

 

Cheers Peter.

[St Enodoc]

Hi Rick,

Nice work on the Pusher, 

The AA headcode was used although not officially when a class 33 was used on the breakedown train or rescuing a failed loco/train. I have a pic somewhere I will did it out, also if a Pusher was being used on normal Hauled stock the Buckeye would be used.

 

Cheers Peter.

That's interesting. On the Central Division in the mid-1980s the unofficial headcode for a breakdown train was, funnily enough, BD.

[Gwiwer]

Round-post signals have been released in the Dapol working semaphore range.  Whilst I'm sure the posts will of necessity be massively over-scale they won't be any more so than many of the existing signals.  Therefore despite my experience with the earlier batch I have ordered a trio of round-post semaphores to undertake stage two of the conversion to working signals.  I don't envisage ever reaching the position where all signals are fully operational due to the complexity of some which would require custom builds.  But having a little more interest around the layout won't go amiss and I can also fill in the empty spaces on the Peco lever frame which is used to control these signals.

 

The wet areas of baseboard are very slowly drying after some emergency remedial works.  I hope to be able to effect full repairs over the next several weeks as time and weather conditions permit.  One of the consequences is likely to be a reduction in length of the Up Back Loop which is the fiddle yard road closest to the garden fence and the water ingress damage.  I can live with that.  It would still hold a loco and seven or eight coaches where it currently holds ten.  

[ess1uk]

 

Sunday 29th November - Buses Replacing Trains

 

Buses will replace trains all day on the Penhayle Bay Railway while our engineers carry out planned maintenance works.  You are advised to allow an extra 30 minutes for your journey.  We apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

 

**************************************************************************

 

At first light a ballast train was spotted emerging from Nansglaw Tunnel

 

 

First stop was atop Darras Viaduct where selective ballast maintenance was carried out.

 

 

The main work site was at Treheligan station where reballasting of the "six-foot" is in progress.  Note the engineer's trolley and track tamper also present.

 

 

The ballast train was powered "top-and-tail" fashion with a loco at each end.  This allows safe movement in both directions within the area under engineer's possession rather than having to reverse a train with the driver at the far end.  Heavy trains such as this also require two locos to provide adequate power.

 

 

A sea of orange vests - not all actively engaged in working! - as the final layer of ballast is spread from the wagons.

 

 

Another angle on the work - or lack of it is some cases.

 

 

i like the figures

are they repainted Bachmann?

[Gwiwer]

i like the figures

are they repainted Bachmann?

 

 

Thanks.  They are Bachmann but not repainted.  A little dirt added from the weathering bench here and there but otherwise this is how they are supplied in the packs.

[Removed a/c]

Thanks.  They are Bachmann but not repainted.  A little dirt added from the weathering bench here and there but otherwise this is how they are supplied in the packs.

I just received a couple of packs of figures and was surprised at how nicely painted they are.