Mid-Cornwall Lines - 1950s Western Region in 00

[St Enodoc]

Just now, Barry O said:

@The Stationmaster.. not ballasting.. but .weathering it! They were never very clean around the engined

 

Baz

You'll have to build the buqqer first.

[FarrMan]

3 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

Thanks Mike and thanks for all the reactions too.

 

I have to say that the last couple of days have gone very well, as you can see here.

 

I bought some more grot grey paint this morning, which turned out to be a good move as I managed to use up the whole 250ml this afternoon. This was one of the other 49 shades, called Timeless Grey for some reason, and is a paler colour that will show up the track centre lines rather better than the previous Slate Grey Base.

 

The trick is to slop the paint on, as the cork absorbs it quite quickly. I removed and replaced each pin in turn as I painted that area of the board. After the paint goes on it forms a tiny dint where the pin hole is, so there's no need to guess where the pin belongs.

 

Before I started, I put some extra pins on the Platform 1 curve so that I can reproduce it easily.

 

I think I will indeed start tracklaying next, beginning with Platform 3, which of course only has one point to worry about.

 

 

When marking oneself, it is normal to find that your marks are lower that a tutor's would be. After all, these things are usually quite subjective, anyway, but that is the experience of college lecturers. What surprised me more was the consistency in lecturers' subjective assessments when blind marking (i.e. the second marker not knowing the first marker's conclusions). Therefore remember that you are always too hard on yourself.

 

Lloyd

[The Stationmaster]

2 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

You'll have to build the buqqer first.

By the time the Shackleton is built Spaceport Cornwall might even be an operational reality so he'll have to also apply Rule 1 and build a Virgin (on the ridiculous?)  Boeing 747 and its associated satellite launching rockets.

[LNER4479]

On 31/12/2022 at 11:55, queensquare said:

 

May 2023 see all us take great strides with our respective projects.

 

What's so special about May 2023? Hopefully we'll all be taking great strides in April and June as well .... Oh I see! (mis-read it the first time round 😆)

 

Progress looks pretty un-glacial to me, StE🤗

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, LNER4479 said:

What's so special about May 2023?

A Mid-Cornwall Lines running session of course!

[St Enodoc]

12 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

By the time the Shackleton is built Spaceport Cornwall might even be an operational reality so he'll have to also apply Rule 1 and build a Virgin (on the ridiculous?)  Boeing 747 and its associated satellite launching rockets.

That's given me a thought...

 

A 1:3000 scale (approx) BOAC Comet 4, stuck to the ceiling, as it climbs out over the Atlantic en route for Gander and Idlewild.

[Barry O]

Just ypu be careful.  Thinking is not always a good idea!!

 

Baz

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, Barry O said:

Just ypu be careful.  Thinking is not always a good idea!!

 

Baz

Don't worry - the whole thing would only be about 10mm long! It could get mistaken for a fly...

[Barry O]

Remember....

 

We iz ingeneers!!

 

😇

 

Baz

[St Enodoc]

1 hour ago, Barry O said:

Remember....

 

We iz ingeneers!!

 

😇

 

Baz

Oh yes. Silly me.

[St Enodoc]

More good progress today.

 

First, as it was warm with only a very light breeze, I sprayed the seven points that are already built for Pentowan - the four curved points for the approach, the double slip and a couple of B6s. I also sprayed another B6 but I'm not sure whether there will be a place for that one.

 

I then got on with marking out the Pentowan track centre lines on the painted cork.

 

I marked the tracks all the way to the end of the baseboard. I'll cut them back once they're laid and tested.

 

I'll make up a styrene sheet track spacer to set Platforms 1, 2 and 3 evenly from the Loop, which at 4' radius can be laid with Tracksettas.

 

I actually tweaked the Platform 1 and Loco Spur curves to get a more even flow (I think). When I was happy, I painted over the spurious lines with the dregs of the Timeless Grey paint.

 

There'll be no action tomorrow, as a dozen or so of us are off to the first day of the Sydney Test, as is our wont. The forecast isn't too good - thunderstorms - but we'll have a grand day out regardless.

[16Brunel]

Looking very good, John!  So, with Pentowan being sea-side, which way to the beach?  Is it behind the sidings, the buffers, or on the platform side?  Or is it a true peninsula, with water all around?

 

- Scott

[St Enodoc]

1 minute ago, 16Brunel said:

Looking very good, John!  So, with Pentowan being sea-side, which way to the beach?  Is it behind the sidings, the buffers, or on the platform side?  Or is it a true peninsula, with water all around?

 

- Scott

Thanks Scott. The beach will be on the platform side, following the curve round to Treloggan Junction and Indian Queens Halt. In effect, the Pentowan signalman, who will sit facing where the Pentowan sign is now, will be sitting in the middle of the sea. I hope to fit in quite a lot of scenic features, including the beach itself, a lifeboat station, a miniature railway and some pleasure gardens. That's all a long way off though!

[The Stationmaster]

A working miniature railway?😇

[drduncan]

54 minutes ago, The Stationmaster said:

A working miniature railway?😇

Maybe a T scale HST?

😱

Duncan

[St Enodoc]

2 hours ago, The Stationmaster said:

A working miniature railway?😇

 

1 hour ago, drduncan said:

Maybe a T scale HST?

😱

Duncan

Yes. I have a T gauge starter set but I'm toying with the idea of linear motor technology, which would take up less room. Watch this space.

[Woodcock29]

On 31/12/2022 at 21:31, St Enodoc said:

Thanks Phil. As others know, greenery is not my strong suit, which is why it tends to take a back seat. I think that buildings will be more likely and, perhaps, a backscene to frame the eventual vegetation. I might even do something about the secret scenic feature, which may or may not be green...

As one in the same boat - if I can move in that direction so can you eventually!

[St Enodoc]

12 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

 

Yes. I have a T gauge starter set but I'm toying with the idea of linear motor technology, which would take up less room. Watch this space.

This is the work of my friend @martink:

 

which uses similar technology to this:

 

https://www.teenytrains.com/product-page/PS-100B

[5BarVT]

Looks very clever, shame that the photos are missing, but the videos give a feel.

I’m not sure I’m ready for steam outline ‘singing’ like an AC drive unit!

Paul.

[St Enodoc]

8 hours ago, 5BarVT said:

Looks very clever, shame that the photos are missing, but the videos give a feel.

I’m not sure I’m ready for steam outline ‘singing’ like an AC drive unit!

Paul.

We can imagine that it's singing like a kettle...

[St Enodoc]

11 hours ago, St Enodoc said:

This is the work of my friend @martink:

 

which uses similar technology to this:

 

https://www.teenytrains.com/product-page/PS-100B

Right on cue, @martink's latest project:

 

 

[St Enodoc]

We had a good time yesterday but with rain and/or bad light restricting play to barely half the minimum scheduled overs it was frustrating too, although it wasn't cold by any means. Great seats as always, right behind the bowler's arm at the Randwick End.

 

Anyway, back to listening on ABC Sport today, while I started tracklaying at Pentowan.

 

I started at the Up (Treloggan Junction) end with the short length of plain track then managed to lay the first three points in the approach.

 

I'm pleased that the curve continues to flow smoothly from the triangle.

 

The fourth curved point, the double slip and the B6RH that continues the 48" radius curve into the carriage sidings are just resting in place. Once I've laid these I can start on some plain track pending building the last dozen points - all A5s from now on.

[5BarVT]

Is it ‘all or nothing’ at Pentowan, or are you tempted to lay e.g. platforms and then start a partial service?

Paul.

[St Enodoc]

38 minutes ago, 5BarVT said:

Is it ‘all or nothing’ at Pentowan, or are you tempted to lay e.g. platforms and then start a partial service?

Paul.

Paul, it will be all or nothing as far as the full sequence is concerned, because the thought of working out yet another interim sequence, track occupations, etc. etc. is too much! We will probably introduce some ad-hoc working, by using Pentowan as a glorified fiddle yard in the first instance. The Polperran line services are obvious examples, plus the branch freight and possibly some self-contained branch passenger services. I don't think we'll run any through services to and from Paddington until the Big Bang itself though.

[St Enodoc]

Persistent and occasionally heavy rain all day today, so after taking down the Christmas decorations and with no cricket on the radio, what is a man to do?

 

Easy - lay more points and track.

 

First I laid the remaining curved point, the double slip and the B6RH. You can see a little discontinuity between the curved point and the double slip. It was difficult to get a smooth curve on the short piece of plain track between the two. I might remove the plastic sleepers and replace them with copperclad, which should improve things.

 

This is a nice view that, unfortunately, won't really be visible once the backscene goes up. It does highlight, though, the compound curve between the first point and the straight section of Platform 1.

 

Here's Platform 1 looking the other way, up the straight. I laid the temporary track on the Loop using a 48" Tracksetta and then laid the Platform 1 curve using a home-made styrene sheet spacer to get the 260mm centres. The curve has turned out nice and smooth I think. I can now use the Proses track spacers to set the 60mm centres between Platform 1 and Platform 2 and also between Platform 3 and the Loop.

 

Next, I can lay parts of Platforms 2 and 3 and the Loco Spur before I need to build more points, which will make a nice temporary fiddle yard.