RMweb Premium skipepsi Posted February 20, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2015 I hope your legs are OK after all this work, you are doing a great job. When you finish the turntable I would be interested in a run through of the work done. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted February 20, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 20, 2015 Derek the layout is looking really good. Nice to see pre-grouping trains (although Nicktoix gets his LNWR stock out on occasion) Long time since you and Olga were at Leeds show.. Happy Days! Keep up the good work! baz Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted February 20, 2015 Author Share Posted February 20, 2015 The boards are much more manageable now Skipepsi, and I can work on them sitting down with the board being worked on balanced on a small work bench I made for my youngest son, many, many years ago. I never throw anything away, a source of complaint from my wife. The only boards I need help with are the two main station boards. They are 4'9" long by 2' wide and heavy with it. The main part of the layout sits on two 'stringers' of 2" by 1" running the length of the wall, and these are fixed to gallows brackets screwed to the wall, so it is just a matter of lifting the boards up to the stringers and sliding into place. Thanks Barry, yes it was a long time ago that Olga and I exhibited in the Leeds show. My eldest son was at Manchester University at the time and came over to help operate the layout. You might say "the good old days". Couple of pics of the layout we brought to you. Derek 15 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Mrkirtley800 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 2, 2015 Still working away on getting the base boards in place and the track laid. Been a bit cold of late in my railway room AKA the garage. Unlike Jeff (Physicsman) I did not make provision for comfort when I first took over the garage back in 1975. I did insulate the walls and the ceiling partially, and lined the door with insulation board. I suppose it all has some effect, but is not very efficient. I have a convector heater in there and it does make the place cosy, but turn it off and it soon gets cold. However one or two more pics of the progress. Piccie 1 shows board 8 being worked on, balanced on my bench. In Canal Road days this board and board 9 accommodated a crossover on the curve, since board 9 formed part of the fiddle yard. Board 8 together with board 7 used to carry double track EM plus double track 00. You can just see where I have hacked them in half. Pic 2 is of the board 9 looking the other way into the old fiddle yard, and pic3 is of part of that fiddle yard before the track was lifted. Pic 4 is a shot looking back round the curve. This curve varies, I have tried to introduce transition curves and gauge widening but I am a bit dubious about the sharpest section, which is about 3' radius. Pic 5 of track laying started after board 9 (the old fiddle yard) had been stripped. Lots of loose ballast here. All these shots show what a complete mess it all is. My wife doesn't want to know, even when I remind her that you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs. Finally in '6' we have the main lines continuing to the end of the 'scenic' section I have drawn, roughly, how the track will look when all is finished. I now have to build a double junction where I have shown just a single track coming off. The bridge at the far end, looking very sorry for itself used to be at the south end of Canal Road. I have had to cut it down and change it drastically, and here is a shot of it when it was in it's original situation. The train is on the EM lines, with the 00 lines to the right. This the progress up to date. Everything that has gone before has taken me nearly 10 months of pretty hectic work. Was it worth it??? Derek 20 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted March 2, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 2, 2015 Derek, keep going its coming along nicely Barry Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted March 2, 2015 Author Share Posted March 2, 2015 Thanks Barry. Sometimes I think it is going on for ever. Derek Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
steaming_chris Posted March 3, 2015 Share Posted March 3, 2015 Hi Derek, As far as I'm concerned you are making tremendous progress Regards, Chris Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 My cranky knees have been crankier than ever of late, so progress has been a bit slow. When they are as painful as they are at the present, I have to work sitting down. Fortunately the final scenic board -- board 10, is not heavy so I was able to take it down and balance it on my son's little bench. I made this for him when he was ten years old (30 years ago) and something else I kept despite Olga wanting it out. So, the board, balanced on the bench, me sitting down, cup of filter coffee at hand, so let battle commence. The idea is that board 10 will have a junction - Hanlith Junction. The main lines will run on to Skipton, via Airton, Winterburn and Rylstone South Junction. The diverging lines will come together into single track to Crook Rise Junction then onto Grassington, the whole capoodle forming a triangle where locomotives too big for the turntable can be turned, locomotives such as my Johnson Compound and 700 class 4-4-0, both sporting the Johnson bogie water cart tenders. That meant I had to build a double junction on a large reverse curve. I began to wish I had never started. The double junction was to be made using copper clad sleepers rather than my normal EM Gauge Society (plywood) sleeper strip. O.K. call me a coward. Pic 1 is in the early stages with the first turnout partially done. The idea was to build in situ, hence the drawing pins holding the thing in place. (2) is another shot of the first turnout, with the lay of the track roughed out. (3) is the second turnout under weigh. (4) gives some indication of the shape the junction has to conform to (5) the crossing is under construction (6)after a lot of head scratching and soldering/unsoldering the completed unit is shown here -- on top of the freezer. (7)finally being tested with two six wheeled carriages - it works!! On looking at he curves through the crossing, I am not too sure about it. I had to squeeze it in ad it meant curvature quite a bit less than my normal four or five feet (nominal) radius. I need to think about it! Derek 8 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted March 10, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 10, 2015 Brave Man! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock67B Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Derek, Good afternoon, Just re-discovered your thread and so apologies for the rash of ratings to you and others! What superb workmanship - it truly is an inspiration and if the end result is even remotely like 'Canal Road', it will be very special! Sorry to hear that your knees are giving you such trouble, it is probably the most awkward joint to have problems with as it even affects your sleep - I still keep a 2lb bag of peas in the freezer to apply during 'flare-ups'! I have obviously now worked out how to use the 'content I follow' system, so look forward to the next update! Kind regards, Jock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Colin_McLeod Posted March 12, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 12, 2015 Superb modelling and well described with some wonderful photographs. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew P Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Great workmanship Derek, really inspirational, Thanks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted March 12, 2015 Author Share Posted March 12, 2015 Many thank to everyone for the nice comments, it does give me a lot of encouragement, although my wife tells our friends not to encourage me, can't think what she means! I have kept looking at the double junction over the last few days and decided it needs modifying to give a larger radius through the crossing. My six wheeled stock will run through OK but it could look better. I am raring to get going, but I had a patient group meeting this morning. I am chairman of the Patient Participation Group attached to our local GP surgery, and really have to attend, and tonight I am calling at the local folk dance group, so, today has been a modelling-less day. Tomorrow I will get busy and will post some more pics when I can. I am hoping to have everything working by mid May, being just a year since Canal Road closed to all traffic. Derek Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 A lovely layout - rather reminiscent of the late great Jenks. I love a bit of pre-grouping. One day when I can solder without reducing a kit to a lump of ballast weight I shall have a lovely pre-group Highland Railway BLT. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Mrkirtley800 Posted March 12, 2015 Author Popular Post Share Posted March 12, 2015 Hello Dr Gerbil-Fritters. You mean something like this Derek 24 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr Gerbil-Fritters Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 never mind the Like icon, there should be a Love icon.... gorgeous! Got any little Bens? 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
class"66" Posted March 12, 2015 Share Posted March 12, 2015 Some very nice pictures.. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Those modellers not interested in building track and pointwork can look away now. Todays edition deals only with the re-building of my double iunction. As I was saying, I was not happy with the double junction. The six wheeled carriages went through OK, but the six wheeled motor car van was not too suited and derailed. The problem arose due to the curve tightening up through the crossing, starting off as a nominal 4' radius, it reduced quite visibly. How I managed that - well I have no idea. I took it to the club on Wednesday evening and Paul (Worsdell forever) spotted it straight away. So, today - or rather this afternoon - I got busy and dismantled the crossing part of the junction trackwork and after three hours of concentrated effort, we now have a double junction with the branch line at a constant 4' radius right through the formation. Must say it looks much better, although it is not too obvious in the piccies. Over the weekend I will fit the hinged switches (point blades) paint it and when dry lay it in place on the layout. The pics show (1) & (2) the original double junction, which I have already posted on this thread. (3) & (4) are of the rebuilt formation. I hope you can tell the difference. finally (5) is from the other end. I should add, the bits of scrap nickel silver soldered across the rails are to keep it together and not allow it to flap around. Derek 7 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted March 13, 2015 Author Share Posted March 13, 2015 Sorry Dr G-F don't have any other Highland locos. I went through a phase when I got my 'kicks' building locos. My wife wanted an engine of her very own, and since we had spent many family holidays camping in the north of Scotland, around Dornoch, she was very interested in the Highland Railway. We were regular visitors to the Newcastle show and on one occasion many years ago, we saw this Jones Goods on the club second hand stall partially built, for, I think, £20. I built it up, fitted it with scratch built main frames and wheels to EM gauge. I did intend to finish it in either plain black or plain green, but oh no!! She insisted it be yellow (or should that be improved engine green). According to an article by J.A.N. Maskelyne in the old Model Railway News, these locos sported this livery for the first 6 - 12 months of their lives back in the 1890's, then were repainted in, I think, unlined green. Derek 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Worsdell forever Posted March 13, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 13, 2015 Those modellers not interested in building track and pointwork can look away now. Todays edition deals only with the re-building of my double iunction. As I was saying, I was not happy with the double junction. The six wheeled carriages went through OK, but the six wheeled motor car van was not too suited and derailed. The problem arose due to the curve tightening up through the crossing, starting off as a nominal 4' radius, it reduced quite visibly. How I managed that - well I have no idea. I took it to the club on Wednesday evening and Paul (Worsdell forever) spotted it straight away. So, today - or rather this afternoon - I got busy and dismantled the crossing part of the junction trackwork and after three hours of concentrated effort, we now have a double junction with the branch line at a constant 4' radius right through the formation. Must say it looks much better, although it is not too obvious in the piccies. Over the weekend I will fit the hinged switches (point blades) paint it and when dry lay it in place on the layout. The pics show (1) & (2) the original double junction, which I have already posted on this thread. (3) & (4) are of the rebuilt formation. I hope you can tell the difference. finally (5) is from the other end. I should add, the bits of scrap nickel silver soldered across the rails are to keep it together and not allow it to flap around. Derek That looks a lot better, you can really tell the difference between the two photos. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Barry O Posted March 14, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 14, 2015 Switched diamond? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jock67B Posted March 14, 2015 Share Posted March 14, 2015 Derek, I couldn't see much wrong with version one, that is until I saw the second one - that curve is a definite improvement.i truly wish I had the skill. Looking forward to the next set of images for real inspiration! Thank you and kind regards, Jock. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Barry, the crossing on the double junction is conventional, but I once made (and never used ---yet) a double slip with switched crossing. Gives continuous support to the wheels. Here is a shot of it, although not very clear, you can see the four tie bars. Each pair of tie bars is operated by one point motor via a pivoted lever. It works very well and I may yet use it on Kirkby Malham. Derek Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted March 15, 2015 Author Share Posted March 15, 2015 Sorry Barry, I pressed the wrong button, here is the piccie I had intended to include. Derek 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrkirtley800 Posted March 17, 2015 Author Share Posted March 17, 2015 Today was the big day, I laid the double junction in place. It is the largest piece of point-work I have ever fixed at one time and I was a bit dubious. But it lined up with the main lines OK and is now a permanent fixture. Pic 1 shows it in place after I took the weights off, but with the pins still there. Pic 2 is of the formation, cleaned up and ready to fit point rodding. The two lines of the branch come together and I have roughed out how it will all look. Pic 3 is from the other direction, and will be the drivers view (a bit elevated) coming from Grassington This will form the end of the scenic section. Derek 7 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now