Fryers Lane - Speedlink in the '80s (P4)

[Mark Forrest]

Hi Mark,

 

As much as I like baby Sulzers, I was hoping to see Fryers in sectorisation mode at Showcase?

 

Cheers

Wayne

Yes - don't worry, at Showcase the layout will be operating (mainly) in its normal 1988-90 window.

 

I've noted that at previous shows it would have been good to have a spare loco, to cover for any failures and to keep myself entertained. The 25 was (supposed to be) an easy option to get a spare loco that didn't look too out of place alongside the Railfreight liveried stock. Ideally it will take on the identity of one of the 25s that survived into 1987, so almost crosses over with the normal time period.

[Enterprisingwestern]

Thinking more about your frontal treatment!

How about some form of low relief ends of buildings as semi view blockers to give a hemmed in urban feel, a smaller scale version of Farkham, or will that get in the way of operation?

 

Mike.

[Mark Forrest]

Thinking more about your frontal treatment!

How about some form of low relief ends of buildings as semi view blockers to give a hemmed in urban feel, a smaller scale version of Farkham, or will that get in the way of operation?

 

Mike.

Hi Mike, thanks for thinking about my frontage.

 

I'm a big fan of using view blockers to break up a scene, it can work really well and Farkham is a good example of this. I'm not sure it'll work on Fryers though, because the layout is so short. Probably something it'll be worth mocking up (after Showcase) though to see if it can work. It shouldn't get in the way of operator access as the stock is coupled with AJs, although I can't entirely rule out the occasional derailment.

[Worsdell forever]

I think it needs the railway boundary fence along the front, some original, some modern replacement, a bit of junk dumped and the occasional elder growing through it.

[Stubby47]

I think it needs the railway boundary fence along the front, some original, some modern replacement, a bit of junk dumped and the occasional elder growing through it.

 

 

...or...

 

[Mark Forrest]

I think it needs the railway boundary fence along the front, some original, some modern replacement, a bit of junk dumped and the occasional elder growing through it.

Yes, I'd been thinking about that in the car earlier; the fence would help disguise the join between the existing layout and the extended bit.  There was a photo on Flickr that came up when we were doing BCB research that showed some old LNWR fencing which would look good.

 

...or...

 

fryers_van.png

Perfect, problem solved! (does that caravan have P4 wheels though?)

[Enterprisingwestern]

 the occasional elder growing through it.

 

No need to get personal Paul.

 

Mike.

[Mark Forrest]

This was the photo I mentioned earlier showing some LNWR fence:
Ajax at Adderley Park by geoff7918, on Flickr

[Mark Forrest]

Current state of things:

 

 

Sufficiently happy with progress to give myself the day off tomorrow to visit Railex I think.

[Siberian Snooper]

It almost looks like a picture.

[Mark Forrest]

It almost looks like a picture.

Thanks! Objective almost achieved then

[Enterprisingwestern]

It almost looks like a picture.

 

 

Thanks! Objective almost achieved then

 

As it's P4 it will be objective achieved fairly early on, nothing moves in a picture!

 

Mike.

Supportive as ever.

[P.C.M]

Reduce, reuse, recycle.

IMG_20180521_210628.jpg

Hi Mark. 

25057, 25059 and 25244 lasted until quite late. 25035 and 25057 were still about  but had a painted names.

 

Great layout by the way.

 

Cheers Peter. 

[Mark Forrest]

As it's P4 it will be objective achieved fairly early on, nothing moves in a picture!

 

Mike.

Supportive as ever.

Thanks for the support and encouragement Mike, knew I could count on you

[Mark Forrest]

Hi Mark.

25057, 25059 and 25244 lasted until quite late. 25035 and 25057 were still about but had a painted names.

 

Great layout by the way.

 

Cheers Peter.

Thanks Peter.

I've been looking at this to try to decide which one to do, but had overlooked 25244 as a possibility.

https://www.derbysulzers.com/25withdrawals7.html

 

I'll probably focus on my original plan to do one the 25/9s (likely to be 903 or 904) after next weekend's show.

[Mark Forrest]

After a nice day out looking at other people's trainsets at Railex yesterday, it's back to work on Fryers today. The new fascia has had its first coat of slate grey and the fill in panels that attach to the ends of the fascia are now finished in B&Q "light rain" satin finish as used on the rest of the sky.

 

Picked up a few detail bits to add to the layout yesterday; some of which I'll try to get done before Showcase others I'll leave until after. Landscaping the front extension is something I've decided it is better to leave until after the show rather than rush it, so the bottom of the frame will have a flat panel to fill the gap.

[P.C.M]

Thanks Peter.

I've been looking at this to try to decide which one to do, but had overlooked 25244 as a possibility.

https://www.derbysulzers.com/25withdrawals7.html

 

I'll probably focus on my original plan to do one the 25/9s (likely to be 903 or 904) after next weekend's show.

No worries Mark, 

That is a superb website, plenty of pictures of the rats in their last days. Something of note with 25904 is that the smaller side grille is not blanked of like most of the others, I only know this because I have done that one myself.

 

Cheers Peter.

[Mark Forrest]

Something of note with 25904 is that the smaller side grille is not blanked of like most of the others, I only know this because I have done that one myself.

 

Thanks again Peter, your 904 looks great. Funnily enough it was the unplated boiler compartment grille that made me choose that loco as one of the spare body shells I have stashed away is in blue with unplated grilles, so thought it might be a quick win!

 

My old 25187 from the BCB fleet is a reasonably good match to 903, so maybe I'll do both

[P.C.M]

Thanks again Peter, your 904 looks great. Funnily enough it was the unplated boiler compartment grille that made me choose that loco as one of the spare body shells I have stashed away is in blue with unplated grilles, so thought it might be a quick win!

 

My old 25187 from the BCB fleet is a reasonably good match to 903, so maybe I'll do both

Thanks  Mark, 

You probably have the same body as I used. It was one of the earlier released models, a blue pre tops numbered model. 

 

Why not do two they were often used in pairs even on trip workings. 

 

Cheers Peter.

[Mark Forrest]

You probably have the same body as I used. It was one of the earlier released models, a blue pre tops numbered model.

 

D7667 if I'm not mistaken. Yes, a pair of them would be good; although would be in danger of approaching fiddle yard extension time so probably not a project to start this close to a show

[Mark Forrest]

With the realisation that today is in fact Monday not Sunday, that work is going to keep me away from the layout for the next couple of days and that I might want to load the layout into the car on Thursday night to set up at Burton after work on Friday I find myself with tonight and Wednesday night to get things finished off.

 

With such a tight deadline looming, there's only one sensible thing to do. Play trains.

 

Valuable time spent checking the stock still runs and that the couplings are still where they are supposed to be.

 

Normally I'd crop the photos to lose the front edge of the layout, but I thought it worth leaving these as they are to show the extra depth the layout will gain when the bare MDF at the front is given some scenic treatment.

[Nick G]

Very nice, looking forward to seeing it on Saturday.

[2ManySpams]

Coat of grey paint on the timber insert??

[Chris-GNR]

Good to see you at RailEx yesterday Mark. Always nice to have a little catch up.

 

Hope you have a good un at DEMU at the weekend.

 

Chris 

[2ManySpams]

Good to see you at RailEx yesterday Mark. Always nice to have a little catch up.

 

Hope you have a good un at DEMU at the weekend.

 

Chris

 

I'm 'helping' out with operating at the weekend. Should add a few grey hairs to Mark's head...