Henley-on-Thames - GWR in the 1930's

[Tim Dubya]

10 hours ago, MrWolf said:

Theakston's

 

I love a pint (or so) of Old Ridiculous, it's one of the few beers I like, being a cidor drinker that is.

[The Stationmaster]

On 28/08/2024 at 18:01, Neal Ball said:

Sorting out those photos reminded me that I forgot to order the roof-top finials for the signal box. Oh well another year and we are without 🤣

 

But I did order a rather nice brass etching for the Pooley weigh bridge plate...

 

Here's the real thing still extant outside Twyford station. It says it's plate number 624.

 

 

It would be good if I can replace the current Metcalf building and weigh bridge plate. The building will be scratch built, but probably using the Metcalf round top window. (Unlike the UPVC window at Twyford.)

 

Obviously the rail protection at the front will be easy to replicate - we wont have the bollards though!

 

I am surprised the chimney breast is at this end of the building, they are usually at the back. Perhaps that is a later addition.

The guard rail is 'original' to the extent that it goes back to the time when the weighbridge was in use.  The building has of course been (over) rendered in fairly recent years and that has changed the size and shape of the window

[Neal Ball]

Interesting Facebook post yesterday from the GWS:

 

 

[John Isherwood]

3 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Interesting Facebook post yesterday from the GWS:

 

 

 

Clearly the tender springs were getting tired - that enormous coal load has produced a distinct dip at the cab end.

 

John Isherwood.

[Neal Ball]

This afternoon the Metropolitan and City carriages were out again stretching their legs, this time hauled by the diminutive Metro tank 2-4-0T no 615.

 

 

[checkrail]

15 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

This afternoon the Metropolitan and City carriages were out again stretching their legs, this time hauled by the diminutive Metro tank 2-4-0T no 615.

Lovely thirties scene Neal.

[Nick Gough]

18 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

This afternoon the Metropolitan and City carriages were out again stretching their legs, this time hauled by the diminutive Metro tank 2-4-0T no 615.

 

 

A perfect match!

[Neal Ball]

A night-time scene with the Metro tank no 615

 

 

[Coach bogie]

On 01/09/2024 at 15:31, Neal Ball said:

Interesting Facebook post yesterday from the GWS:

 

 

One of the Dick Riley books tells the tail of a visit to Canton at the end of 2906 career specifically to photograph her. On requesting that 2906 be brought out of the shed for photographs the foreman refused..........until 2906 had been cleaned for them.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Neal Ball]

Good afternoon everyone, trust your weekend is going well.

 

Did you know IPA doesn't last? - I'm talking isopropyl alcohol, rather than India Pale Ale 😎

 

My stock of IPA is clearly exhausted - apparently the shelf life is only about 2 or 3 years - I have another bottle on order and that will finish off the stripping the carriage.

 

I have been working on the Dart Castings kit for my old Airfix Autocoach for the past week or so.... and will be compiling everything into a separate blog.

 

 

So far all the underframe "gubbins" has been installed at the driving end; plus all the underframe details under the carriage (apart from the brake rodding, which I will do next week). 

 

I read the instructions, but even so, managed to snap the truss rods, so these have been replaced with brass strip - I left the plastic queens posts and assembled round them.

 

However, when trying to set up the "gubbins" I started to get confused 🤣....

 

The instructions are about as clear as mud - which wasn't helped when the accompanying diagrams say "parts omitted for clarity" when in fact by leaving some parts off, it adds to confusion, for ages I thought I had bits missing....

 

The next best thing of course is the resource on here - RMWeb - with thanks to @MAP66 thread at Tyteford Halt and @MrWolf at Aston, I have used their images as the next best thing to Dart instructions. Indeed I have a photo of the steps being built, with the iPad open in the background - Mark 😎 your photos were so much better - Thank you.

 

Anyway, here we are at Henley-on-Thames with the latest arrival which is due to arrive into Platform 3 shortly. Its an odd livery - not to be repeated 🤣

 

 

After these photos were taken, I have removed all the moulded handrails and test fitted a couple of the etch replacements.

 

I have also trial fitted the Train Tronics lighting kit and I think this will work very well. https://www.gaugemasterretail.com/train-tech-cn2-automatic-coach-lighting-warm-white-and-standard.html

 

Next stage will be to get the rest of the paint off and then start fitting all the grab rails. I will also add (Comet) door handles and the guards grab rail.

 

Then it will go into the spray booth and thats another carriage done 😎

 

Edited September 7 by Neal Ball
Mark lol - not Keith

[MAP66]

3 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

The next best thing of course is the resource on here - RMWeb - with thanks to @MAP66 thread at Tyteford Halt and @MrWolf at Aston, I have used their images as the next best thing to Dart instructions. Indeed I have a photo of the steps being built, with the iPad open in the background - Keith your photos were so much better - Thank you.

Coming along nicely Neal, glad the images were a help. You only started on this 5 minutes ago and blimey, its nearly finished 😄 Given the same time, I would still be filing the flash off the first detailing bit. 

 

Oops, thought I oughta mention that I go by the name Mark, not Keith 😁

[Neal Ball]

46 minutes ago, MAP66 said:

Coming along nicely Neal, glad the images were a help. You only started on this 5 minutes ago and blimey, its nearly finished 😄 Given the same time, I would still be filing the flash off the first detailing bit. 

 

Oops, thought I oughta mention that I go by the name Mark, not Keith 😁

Sorry 😞 Mark

 

Yes progress has been quite good / but at times frustrating- your photos made it easier.

 

Thanks, Neal.

[The Fatadder]

Enjoying the auto coach build, 

 

mine has been sat awaiting glazing for far too long now.  Really should get on and get the laser glaze ordered so I can finish it off.   Of course the lousy running from

my Hattons 14xx doesn’t exactly encourage me to finish it 

[Coach bogie]

I couldn't tempt you to the guard end windows then?

 

As for for the poor running 48XX - I have a 517 permanently coupled to an auto coach with the motor additionally wired through to pick ups on the bogies. In my case the issue was solved.

 

Mike Wiltshire

[Neal Ball]

7 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

Enjoying the auto coach build, 

 

mine has been sat awaiting glazing for far too long now.  Really should get on and get the laser glaze ordered so I can finish it off.   Of course the lousy running from

my Hattons 14xx doesn’t exactly encourage me to finish it 

Thanks Rich, the Hattons 48xx is something of a curates egg isn’t it. Mine ran happily yesterday… with no track cleaning. Maybe I’m just lucky.

 

39 minutes ago, Coach bogie said:

I couldn't tempt you to the guard end windows then?

 

As for for the poor running 48XX - I have a 517 permanently coupled to an auto coach with the motor additionally wired through to pick ups on the bogies. In my case the issue was solved.

 

Mike Wiltshire

Thanks Mike, I decided to crack on and leave it as it was, thanks for the offer.

 

In the past, I too thought about adding pick-ups into the carriage, if I was adding sound I certainly would.

 

Tganks again,

Neal.

[Andy Keane]

I have been thinking about autocoach coupling too. But what happens if you want to put the loco on shed for example. Or say you have a small siphon attached and want to go back the way you have come and need to shunt it end for end. Do you go on shed with the autocoach attached, or shunt with it attached. Or maybe you just avoid such manoeuvres?

Andy

Edited September 8 by Andy Keane

[Neal Ball]

2 minutes ago, Andy Keane said:

I have been thinking about autocoach coupling too. But what happens if you want to put the loco on shed for example. Or say you have a small siphon attached and want to go back the way you have come and need to shunt it end for end. Do you go on shed with the autocoach attached, or shunt with it attached. Or maybe you just avoid such manoeuvres?

Landry

The Autotrain will only use platform 3 and will take water when it gets to Maidenhead. There are only a couple of diagrams a day at Henley, so I should be fine.

 

Plus! At the outer ends, the loco and carriage don’t have any couplings 😎 so tail loads won’t be happening.

 

The SRM is different as possibly there was a tail load of an all 3rd clerestory. If I replicate that, then it will need to run round. 

 

[MAP66]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

Thanks Rich, the Hattons 48xx is something of a curates egg isn’t it. Mine ran happily yesterday… with no track cleaning. Maybe I’m just lucky.

 

Thanks Mike, I decided to crack on and leave it as it was, thanks for the offer.

 

In the past, I too thought about adding pick-ups into the carriage, if I was adding sound I certainly would.

 

Tganks again,

Neal.

You have probably realised by now that once the rodding has been installed, the wheels become a permanent fixture. If however, you do later decide to fit pick ups, then I found this product below to be vey useful. As I found them relatively easy to install without having to remove the wheels or disturb the rodding.

 

 

[MAP66]

24 minutes ago, Andy Keane said:

I have been thinking about autocoach coupling too. But what happens if you want to put the loco on shed for example. Or say you have a small siphon attached and want to go back the way you have come and need to shunt it end for end. Do you go on shed with the autocoach attached, or shunt with it attached. Or maybe you just avoid such manoeuvres?

Landry

In my case, and if I ever get it working correctly the autotrain is permanently coupled as it will only ever run end to end on a timed shuttle set up. Why not have two autotrains, only one on scene at a time. One permanently coupled and the other free to be uncoupled for a bit of shunting.

[The Fatadder]

2 hours ago, Neal Ball said:

Thanks Rich, the Hattons 48xx is something of a curates egg isn’t it. Mine ran happily yesterday… with no track cleaning. Maybe I’m just lucky.

Out of interest what decoder do you have in it?  I do wonder if my issues are down to the Dapol chip I’ve used 

[Andy Keane]

29 minutes ago, The Fatadder said:

what decoder do you have

I have a YouChoos coded Zimo MS480 in mine and it runs just fine - but it seems to be more by luck than good judgement.

Andy

[KNP]

My Airfix autocoach has the Dart kit fitted but with Spratt & Winkle couplings at the loco end so I change loco's.

Also fitted Shawplan flush glazing as well with painted interior and passengers.

As for the 48x both mine are fitted with MX634 chips and run well but not at very slow speed....

 

 

Edited September 8 by KNP

[Neal Ball]

4 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

Out of interest what decoder do you have in it?  I do wonder if my issues are down to the Dapol chip I’ve used 

 

There's a theme here Rich - my decoder is also a Zimo, the same as Andy and Kevin. Although mine is an MX65

 

3 hours ago, Andy Keane said:

I have a YouChoos coded Zimo MS480 in mine and it runs just fine - but it seems to be more by luck than good judgement.

Andy

 

Definitely a case of luck than judgement - initially I had two Hattons 48xx - I got rid of the second one as it didnt run well.

 

3 hours ago, KNP said:

My Airfix autocoach has the Dart kit fitted but with Spratt & Winkle couplings at the loco end so I change loco's.

Also fitted Shawplan flush glazing as well with painted interior and passengers.

As for the 48x both mine are fitted with MX634 chips and run well but not at very slow speed....

 

 

 

Lovely photos Kevin thank you. I would like to close the gap at the loco end, but fear in going for a smaller Kadee I might give myself derailing issues!

 

4 hours ago, MAP66 said:

You have probably realised by now that once the rodding has been installed, the wheels become a permanent fixture. If however, you do later decide to fit pick ups, then I found this product below to be vey useful. As I found them relatively easy to install without having to remove the wheels or disturb the rodding.

 

 

 

Thanks Mark, Initially I decided to end the Auto rod a bit short so I could get the bogie in and out - but in reality it's not something we ever need to do. So the autorod is likely to be extended so it can connect up with the end gear.

 

Lighting is something I might need to revisit once the carriage is painted - although clearly I hope the Train tronics bit of kit works out. I shall need more HO Modelu crew for the Autocoach though!

 

The conundrum I have though is that the Autogear at the luggage end will foul the Kadee coupling which is mounted on the bogie....

[MAP66]

1 hour ago, Neal Ball said:

The conundrum I have though is that the Autogear at the luggage end will foul the Kadee coupling which is mounted on the bogie....

Fortunately for me, I didn't have that problem as I used 3 link couplings as the autotrain is designed never to be uncoupled.

Can you show a side on image of the problem as the creative minds on this forum will probably come up with a solution or two.

[lezz01]

45 minutes ago, MAP66 said:

Fortunately for me, I didn't have that problem as I used 3 link couplings as the autotrain is designed never to be uncoupled.

Can you show a side on image of the problem as the creative minds on this forum will probably come up with a solution or two.

I would have thought that a screw coupling would have been more appropriate than a 3 link.

Regards Lez.