4mm Llanfair ....

[jonte]

Morning, Larry.

If you take a close look at the first picture I sent you the other day - you’ll need to scrutinise as they are indeed very small - you’ll see the Peco BH fishplates fitted either side of the trap point and to the far side if the BH point, as alluded to by Rob and Adam.

I recall they were a tight fit and difficult to assemble, however, the task can be made slightly easier by sliding a Stanley blade into the gap and twisting, so that it opens it out a little more. You’ll find it makes fitting a lot easier.

Jonte

 

[LarryG]

Thanks for that Jonte. When you mentioned the SL-114's were fiddly, I think I now remember using some 4 years ago and discarding them because the track sections unclipped when I removed them in order to spread PVA. I may be wrong of course. Some are now on order so i'll find out tomorrow.

The whole scenic section of track was cut & joined yesterday using Streamline flat bottom Code 75, but looking at it this morning, I would never be satisfied. So I'll do it all again using Peco bullhead and take my time gluing down and ballasting in small chunks. It'll be my final layout so I may as well it right.

Bullhead on the left shows the difference in appearance...

 

[LarryG]

Job done, relaid with Peco bullhead using standard rail-joiners awaiting glueing down...


The wide sweeping 'dump' siding on the right is not joined up to the main system yet. The track will be broken down into manageable sections before gluing and ballasting begins in earnest...

 

[LarryG]

The final track layout design was straightened out as far as possible ready for spraying...

 

[Focalplane]

I have vague recollections of using Lake Vyrnwy roads as an alternative to driving from the Shrewsbury area to Portmadoc in the early 1960s, taking the B roads from Knockin all the way over one of the two roads at the head of Lake Vyrnwy. The lesser of the two was quite a challenge to early Morris Minors with sections of 1:4 but we made it with a bit of get-out-and-push. Liverpool, like Birmingham in the Elan Valley, did not like us using the lake shore for picnics back then. Now Welsh Water provide picnic tables! It might be a bit of a stretch, therefore, to suggest that Lake Vyrnwy would increase passenger levels back then! There was the hotel, of course, but us picnic-ers always brought our own lunches, in fact I did not even know there was a hotel there.

Looking good, Larry, It will be nice to see the odd Dukedog paddling into the station!

Paul

 

[LarryG]

It is good to read real-life experiences and this is why i put this up now to kick some ideas around.

 

[Focalplane]

The big tourist attraction back then was the waterfall, Pystyll Llanrhaeadr. More recently, when we returned from Texas, we started a hike into the Berwyns from the base of the waterfall. It was a cold, clear winter weekend and the view from the summits of the Berwyns was clear all the way to Snowdon. Anyone who ignores the Berwyns does so at their peril, though it is easy to get lost up there if the mist come down. Unfortunately Llanrhaeadr was served by the Tanat Valley Light Railway, so outside the Vyrnwy Road remit.

One memory I have is seeing a blue Bugatti sports car in one of the Tanat Valley villages, around 1962. Somewhat rare to be sure anywhere in Wales!

 

[LarryG]

Paul, when you mentioned a 1-in 4 road up to the lake, I think most car owners in the 1950's would shudder at the thought of their precious motor climbing such as gradient. The Morris Minor was a gallant little car (Austin A series engine I believe) and a sight better than the equivalent baby's from Austin and Standard.

Between 1965 and 1968 I had a Standard 8, Standard Vanguard, Rover 60 and an upright Ford Popular. The latter was basic. Pre-war sidevalve engine, vacuum wipers and two suspension springs. I think it had 3 forward gears. People travelled all over the country is those things!

 

[Allen M]

Back in the late 1950s my father had a Ford 10 Thames van converted to an estate car. This had the (aprox) 1200 cc SV engine and 3 speed GB. We went over Carding Mill Valley near Church Stretton on to Long Mind. Part way up the hill we had to stop for walkers. Re-start was impossible and we had to reverse back to the bottom and start again.

Regards
Allen Morgan

 

[Geoff]

Paul, when you mentioned a 1-in 4 road up to the lake, I think most car owners in the 1950's would shudder at the thought of their precious motor climbing such as gradient. The Morris Minor was a gallant little car (Austin A series engine I believe) and a sight better than the equivalent baby's from Austin and Standard.

Oh the dear old Moggy Minor, I learnt to drive in one of the old split screen jobs which really gives my age away, The clutch and brake pedals shared a common cross shaft which was prone to seizing up, press the clutch and the brakes would be applied and vice versa. You can imagine how marvellous that was for a learner!

My old boss was into classic car restoration and made a fantastic job of of bringing a Minor 1000 convertible back to life. He told me how he was caught speeding on the old Mancunian Way and was pulled up by a couple of plods driving a Minor 1000 Panda. They took a keen interest in his motor and were very impressed with its restoration, then just as he thought he had sweet talked his way out of things and escaped a ticket, one of them said, " lovely job you have done there, but I never knew they could go so fast" and promptly booked him !

On a different note and getting back to modelling those two coaches that you have built for Llanfair Rd., are gorgeous Larry, top class models in every respect.

Geoff

 

[Focalplane]

Larry

The 1-in-4 inclines were at the far, upper end of the lake, branching up the western of two valleys. I think the road up to Lake Vyrnwy was much easier. My mother's Minor had the registration OOP 597 (Birmingham) and we nicknamed it "oops" after so many kangaroo starts!

 

[LarryG]

An image from the other end by the shed door. Quite a lot of the baseboard will be covered in differing ground levels as per the real Llanfyllin. There should be an ash lane behind the station building for cattle access to the pens beyond the signal box. The siding top-right served a loco shed until 1952. For me, it will do to store carraiges...

 

[LarryG]

Trialling things at the back end of the goods shed as per the real Llanfyllin. A small radius point is on order. I can see no use for it but it affects the shape of the buttress on the road into the goods yard, which is on a higher level so it's gotta be there. BR later disconnected the shed from rail access and converted the whole interior into a platform. Then a giant 'serving hatch' was made in the wall adjacent to the siding..... Not a lot of people know that .

A half-circle of Radius 4 (24") Settrack arrived today to form the loop at the bottom end.

This half leading out of the fiddle yard will be 24" radius...........I am hoping for a more moderate radius on the scenic half.....

 

[LarryG]

The small radius point arrived today and was installed. This end at least is ready for spraying preparory t laying...

 

[LarryG]

On the real Llanfyllin, the end of the loop was way beyond the station and so there was also an intermediete crossover to facilitate running round the branch trains. Foreshortening of my layout led to the intermediete loop affecting other tracks, so the crossover has been repositioned right at the end of the loop and there is now no intermediate crossover.

Once again, it shows just how much space is required even in 4mm scale to model a small branch terminus with modest length trains. Such termini exude open space and this is destroyed if a short train of wagons fills a siding to capacity. I want my wagons to look lost in the goods yard landscape.

And to think it started off as a 'plank' based on the Captains 'Bethesda Sidings'. Here's a photo now that the trackwork has been finalized ready for spraying...

 

[Allen M]

Once again, it shows just how much space is required even in 4mm scale to model a small branch terminus with modest length trains. Such termini exude open space and this is destroyed if a short train of wagons fills a siding to capacity.

Hi Larry
How true. I suppose it comes down to the cost of land, cheap out in the country but very expensive in a built up area.
If you want a tiny terminus then in town like the Freezer's Minorities from many years ago.

Regards
Allen

 

[LarryG]

All the track has now been sprayed wth 'Sleeper Grime'. It will be left to dry out today. The impression it makes on the baseboard will make it simple to reposition small sections of track when gluing, laying and ballasting takes place...



This afternoon's quickie was altering the configuration of the gents lav.
The entrance was up against the backscene....oops. Now it's a 2P ...

 

[LarryG]

I need plenty of undistracted time when laying track and I haven't had any this week so far. Seeing as Mr.Intensio had sent me a 4mm scale locomens hut, I made a start on that. The parts are very small...

The clear illustrated instruction sheets were downloaded and I was off. Assembly was so easy that I forgot to take photos as things went along. The four walls were smeared with UHU Wood glue and clipped and then pushed into the floor base to set square. When set, the base was removed and the hut detailed with inner roof and outer roof etc. The latter is a very clever etch...


Clearly defined bricks and courses. The chimney stack goes in the four holes...


These parts have been partially assembled for painting prior to being glued to the hut...

An etch too far I'm afraid. The brick pattern severely weakened these tiny parts so that most broke just by looking at them...


They were intended as brick collars for the chimney stack. I cut new bricks from spare 'card' in the kit...


A neat little hut on its base...

 

[LarryG]

The leading edge of the gutter was filed half round and generally tidied up this evening. Drainpipes will be added after painting...

 

[LarryG]

Progress has switched to track-laying. There is a slight hump in the baseboard, but this barely matters where trains are not belting through at full speed. But my attempts to get the track perfectly straight failed, as I knew they would with this ultra-flexible track. Thirdly, i am not happy with the ballast just now, so i am hoping things can be improved with a spraygun...