Andrew Young

Sorry to hear about your health issues, one of my colleagues has had similar issues with long Covid. Have enjoyed your layouts to date, especially Sheep Dip so hope that you are able to return to modelling soon. Notice you say that you work on a laptop for many hours a day. Apologies if you think I’m prying, but just wondering whether that could be adversely affecting your wrists. My wife worked from home one day a week pre-Covid and full time at home for the last year. When she started working from home after our daughter was born, her employer provided her with a proper docking station, keyboard and chair so that she could work at the computer without it affecting her health. Hope that you are able to do likewise. Andrew

Thanks Phil. Shall have to get one and see what I can make out of it, the Branchlines railbus motorising kit sounds like a good place to start. Will just liaise with Neil so we don’t bid against each other on the same ones.

Seconded about the bus and the lucam. Wonder whether you could convert one to O-16.5?

Like the magnetic shunters pole. Any reason for using two magnets rather than one? Does it increase the magnetic pull? Thanks Andrew

Two other items of rolling stock have also been built. A pair of cattle vans, with sheep loads as a change to the usual cattle loads. The upper reaches of the Melyn Valley being used for sheep grazing. Suspect that these will appear on Market Day as a special working. First up is a Cambrian version. One of my Talyllyn friends models the Cambrian and had converted the Slaters LMS cattle van into a Cambrian version using the converted sides and ends to produce some patterns for home resin casting. Last summer he gave me a set of sides and ends, some 3D printed Cambrian axle boxes and some surplus transfers which was most kind. Added to a Slaters LMS van kit and I’m rather pleased with the result. It’s certainly nice and different to what you usually see on layouts. To run with it, I’ve built a standard Slaters GWR cattle van. The number is of a van that was photographed at Barmouth in 1924 (photo in Green’s Cambrian Album) and the line wash weathering based on that photo. Andrew

Thanks Don, will get my copy of the Cameo Layouts book out for another look. For the Lincs couplers I’m wondering whether they’ll work satisfactorily too on sharp radius curves (3ft 4in-ish radius) too. There’s only one way to find out I suppose. For three links, I must’ve read your comments about filing the hooks before because it’s something that I’d started doing to the hooks fitted to my stock. Should I go round the houses and go back to three link couplings, then I suspect that steel links and a magnetic shunters pole would be preferable. Andrew

Thanks Don, not as much modelling time as I’d like, but we are well and you can’t grumble at that in the current climate. I don’t intend for stock to get turned on my layout so the single ended nature of dinghams shouldn’t be a problem and I was attracted to them by the fact that they fit in place of the draw hooks without any other modifications. I’ve never heard of Lincups couplings and a quick web search has drawn a blank. Shall see what I can find out about them, if you’ve got any info on them then I’d be grateful to see it. Andrew

Thanks Graham, that’s a nifty looking height gauge. I’ve used height gauges before in 7mm narrow gauge modelling. Should I adopt Dingham’s then I can see a height gauge appearing. Andrew

Thank you. Would expect there to be a need for consistency of height for auto couplers of any sort to work. Thought that the curves might be an issue, hence the desire to test a couple of wagons and a loco and see how I get on. Thanks, Andrew

Time for another update... whilst we’re still in lockdown, there’s been some slow steady progress with modelling around my work and family commitments. The standard gauge track is fully wired and thoroughly tested and have enjoyed playing trains. And I’ve made a start on the track base for the narrow gauge. The testing/ playing has made me come to the conclusion that for operating, three link couplings are rather fiddly and are likely to bring me increasing frustration in operating sessions. And I see operating a layout as something that should be pleasure rather than pain. As a result, I’ve ordered some Dingham couplers to try out. In case I don’t decide to go ahead with them, I’ve opted to work on a couple of wagons and a loco to the finished painted stage to test the couplings out rather than changing stock which has been finished of with three link couplings (the freezing temperatures of January also persuading me to model in a warm study rather than a chilly attic). Two cattle vans have been built, complete with sheep loads and await final weathering. To go with these, I’ve painted my Ixion Manning Wardle tank, ‘Malin’ in the MVR fleet. A standard Ixion model, I’ve added the drain cock linkage to the side of the tank and a lens to the headlamp using pva glue. Finished using my now standard dry brushed weathering technique. A couple of quick shots on the bench this evening: Andrew

Suspect it had traincrew relief at Bristol TM and possibly but not necessarily at Landor Street. Derby drivers signed (and still do) the route to Bristol (I’m driving there next Thursday). Bristol XC drivers through to Derby until Arriva took over the XC franchise and pruned route knowledge. Andrew

Some of my older XC colleagues (most now retired) spoke of crew changes taking place in the centre road at Temple Meads on services that wouldn’t otherwise stop there. Andrew

Cracking video and stunning modelling. Have been holidaying on the Mid Wales coast for nearly 40 years, your street and back scene captures the Aberllefeni / Dinas Mawddwy / Bala area superbly.

Wiring on the standard gauge completed. Time for some test running then onto the narrow gauge.

Testing Timelapse

Progress has been slower than the usual glacial rate recently, thanks to having our little one at home for 10 days isolating having been in contact with another child who had tested positive for COVID. Thankfully, no symptoms for any of us and life can return to normal-ish from tomorrow. But having her at home full time whilst we both tried to work as well was quite exhausting! Annabel also turned two yesterday so there have been presents to wrap and cakes to bake. Amidst all this, I’ve managed to get two of the three main boards wired up. The first has the DCC controller on it, the second has the most wiring on it with three of the six points and also the frog juicers on. However, completing these two meant that there could be some testing / playing. The resultant smooth running proving the wisdom in starting again with laser cut boards and rtr points for me at this stage. On to the third board in nap time this afternoon all being well.... Andrew

Only found this thread when you offered the rotary rippled for sale on an egroup. Fascinating stuff, a fully believable back story with the most original baseboard design I’ve ever seen! Really hope you can summon the motivation to finish the layout. Andrew

Not had as much modelling time as I’d have liked lately, however there has been some progress and the points all have their operating mechanisms fitted. Whilst the layout will be digital DCC, being keen to keep electrickery to a minimum, the points will be controlled by the digits of my fingers. When laying the track, a slot was drilled in the baseboards to line up with one of the holes in each of the point tie bars. Directly underneath each point is a Peco point switch mount with a piece of 1.5mm diameter rod connecting the two. From the point switch mount slide, a piece of 2mm diameter rod goes to the front of the baseboard held in place by a piece of suitably sized brass tube glued in the front of the baseboard and on the end, a rubber end to grip hold of and smarten things up. The boards will receive a thin ply fascia later in the process with some finger sized holes cut in for operation. This should protect the ends of the rods from sticking out to far to be caught and snapped off. Next up, best fire up the soldering iron for some electrickery...

Heljan RRP £549 (Says easy to fit DCC so presumably DC only) Dapol RRP £350 for DC model. I’d say the price points were very different...

Thanks Phil. As I use the same points as you, will make a mental note to source some stay alive if I get one. Thanks, Andrew

Just wondering Phil, if the Sentinel is hesitant over the crossing vees, your layout uses the Peco set track points with their unifrogs, just checking that the vees have been wired rather than left as dead frogs? Of course, just might’ve been a bit of dirt! Cheers, Andrew

Thanks Phil, reckon you might be well advised to speak to Paul about fitting some stay alive capacity.

Thanks Phil, sounds most promising.

Still undecided about one of these and hoping that now the sound fitted ones are arriving that a video or two will appear to help me decide. Can you tell which make of DCC decoder have been installed? Cheers, Andrew

Ended up with a bonus afternoon modelling today thanks to daughter taking a lengthy nap followed by a soft play date that didn’t require my attendance. Combined with the speed that one can lay Peco track, plenty of progress was made. Seemed rude not to lash up the Powercab before cutting the rails at the board joints... First time I’ve been able to give the MW a decent test. The run is about 12 ft long on boards 14 1/2 feet long. It will become ‘Abermelyn’, top terminus of the Melyn Valley Railway. Consisting of a loop and four sidings, plus a narrow gauge feeder. Just two sidings left to lay, but will need to progress some buildings before they can be laid.