7mm Bleddfa Road

[Geoff]

Your work, as always Grahame, is exceptional.

Rob

Isn't it just, what a superb model in the making!

I have always had a soft spot for the Dean Goods, anyone remember the kit produced for the 3mm gauge society by Tony Birch and Bernard Holland? Crumbs I waited years for that to arrive. only to switch to 4mm scale and build, or more accurately attempt to build a K's kit of the same loco. Finally I built 2538 using Comet chassis for loco and tender, and an old Mainline body.



Will a 7mm version follow? Well put it this way the engine release at Bleddfa Rd. is long enough.

Geoff

 

[GrahameH]

Your work, as always Grahame, is exceptional.

Rob

Isn't it just, what a superb model in the making!

Will a 7mm version follow? Well put it this way the engine release at Bleddfa Rd. is long enough.

Geoff

Thank you both, the Armstrong Goods is still a bit raw around the edges and some fettling to do but reasonably pleased so far.

You see Rob, once you made a wagon it is, as most say, a slippery and very pleasing slope and I for one am very happy to have slid down it !

The 7mm Dean Goods was built from a Warren Shepard kit and was also a pleasure to build plus being excellent value due to having a tender included in the cost.

G

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

I've also got a Zimo non sound chip, no DCC controller though. I think I might be hooked.

If you want to experiment without forking out a vast sum on a DCC system look for something like this.

Roco Digital-Startset 10810 Multi Mouse #441 | eBay

These are usually items from broken up digital start sets where the rolling stock is in demand as they are different locomotive numbers as to what is available in the main catalogue.

I had to seal and tightly pack up all the above securely in a box to make sure I finish my Dublingham layout.

In emergency break glass!

 

[76043]

Thanks for that info Dave, I'll take a look. I had thought about going down the MERG route, but maybe I should investigate this first.

I even considered the Hornby select as it's dirt cheap, seems it might be enough just for one loco, but this seems to be frowned upon as a device.

I will probably get a sound chip eventually which is the reason, along with the loco lights to have DCC on the 08.

Cheers
Tony

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

Thanks for that info Dave, I'll take a look. I had thought about going down the MERG route, but maybe I should investigate this first.

It's well worth taking time over DCC systems as you can talk to ten users and each one will tell you their system is the best. The last thing you want to do is buy a system on a well-intentioned recommendation only to regret it afterwards.

DCC suppliers generally have stands at exhibitions which should give you the opportunity 'play' with various systems to find out which one you are comfortable with and does what you want it to do.

Apologies for the slight diversion Geoff.

 

[Geoff]

Apologies for the slight diversion Geoff.

No problem Dave, the more the merrier and I've learned something about DCC into the bargain

Geoff

 

[Focalplane]

Hi Geoff

Your layout, plans and concepts all seem to be working very well. I started out in 7mm with a grandiose scheme to model Penmaenpool using the "less is more"approach but when I started to think about prototype operations and downloaded the Saturday Only summer timetables I realized I would not get much satisfaction from it.

Oswestry was a contender for a while but it didn't fit in to my space, which admittedly is quite large (but never large enough!) so I ended up with Moor Street and have just completed a revisit to the track design. The platforms are much shorter than they were but all the passenger features and some of the goods station are represented. My hope is that a stranger walking in to the railway room will recognize the layout to have the ambiance of Moor Street if not the precise detail (which is what I was aiming for at Penmaenpool).

Life is almost always a compromise and Rule 1 is a great opt out when you like a locomotive that "never" visited. For many of us, even though retired, the biggest problem is time. RTR comes to the rescue but I always prefer the stock I built myself.

Best wishes, Paul

 

[LarryG]

Cyril Freezer played a part in modelling the GWR, but it has to be said that the GWR was simply the easiest of the Big four companies to model anyway due to its liveries. To this day, the painting of models is still the stumbling block for many modellers.

O gauge has come on a bit, but it is noticeable that many of the converts from OO have built their layouts around ready-to-run. The consequence of this is the same mix of coaching stock whether is is appropriate or not.

O gauge goods-only lines and industrial layouts (steam or diesel) look to be perfectly feasible if one wants to limit the amount of building they do. O gauge works for me now, but jumping in with both feet took three years after first putting a toe in the water!

 

[Geoff]

Hi Paul,

Yes things are more or less working out as planned thanks. Shame your Penmaenpool idea didn't work out but the less is more approach doesn't work for everyone. I don't know why, but the older I've become I've lost interest in intense operation, good job really for there is no way I could even dream of modelling something like Moor St. I like what you are doing there and look forward to seeing the layout develop.

Geoff

........................................................................................................

Dear old CJF certainly has a lot to answer for Larry, makes you wonder how things might have panned had he not been a fan of the Western?

I suppose the availability of cheap RTR loco's played a part in tempting me to model in 7mm scale. Though I have built many a cast and etched loco kit in the smaller scales over the years, I doubt that I could match the quality of current RTR. I agree with what you say about coaching stock and to buck the trend I bought a Westdale kit for a Diag. E147 from Andy B of this parish....



I'm told that they are not the easiest of builds, but surely they can't be any worse than an MTK DMU can they ?? Plenty to do on the layout and plenty of wagon kits to build before I make a start, but I'm really looking forward to building it.

I'm pleased to read that 7mm scale works for you now, I had followed your exploits over on the other place whilst I was sat on the fence. Thought I would play it crafty and learn from other folk before I jumped in

Geoff

 

[Yorkshire Dave]

O gauge has come on a bit, but it is noticeable that many of the converts from OO have built their layouts around ready-to-run. The consequence of this is the same mix of coaching stock whether is is appropriate or not.

The same consequences would have existed with Hornby Dublo and Tri-ang in the 50's and 60's with their OO products. However, if individuals are buying RTR O scale irrespective of the consequences it can only be good thing. Who knows - if the growth continues it may entice manufacturers to broaden their ranges to include lesser known prototypes . It would be nice if it mirrored the OO market of the 80's and 90's when Airfix, Palitoy and Bachmann joined the fray to compete with Hornby and Lima.

My conversion was from HO to O about ten years ago... started with an SR brake van kit and never looked back .

I'm told that they are not the easiest of builds, but surely they can't be any worse than an MTK DMU can they ??

I remember building a 4mm scale MTK 'Tin Hal' in my early days of modelling SR electrics. If you've built an MTK kit you must be able to build anything!

 

[Geoff]

I remember building a 4mm scale MTK 'Tin Hal' in my early days of modelling SR electrics. If you've built an MTK kit you must be able to build anything!

That is what I tell myself when I start or have ideas about a new project

Talking of new projects here's a then and now photo of the crossing keepers cottage. I constructed the walls from 3mm thick 'Palight' foamboard, the roof and chimney stack are 60 thou styrene. The main part of the building was cut out and assembled on Friday afternoon, the porch which is also 60 thou styrene was made this morning, the chimney stack on the real building is one of those ornate affairs that gets wider toward the top. Detail like that will be tackled at a later date, as will the scribed DAS stonework, at the moment I just want to construct all the building shells to see if they collectively fit into the picture that I have in my minds eye.



Having checked the building against photos in 'BR Steam in Dean' by Ben Ashworth and Ian Pope, I think the building can be recognized for what it is. The track however should pass the building to the left, but this modelling lark is all about compromise.



Meanwhile plates for 7416 have arrived from Narrow Planet, along with the artwork for those for 1455.



Geoff

 

[Brian T]

The crossing keepers cottage is coming along nicely,and would definitly be recognizable to those who know.
But one burning question is;will you be buying a Hillman Husky to add to the scene as well!.

Brian.

 

[MartinWales]

Ah Brian! Would that be a Minx or Imp based one?

 

[Brian T]

Ah Brian! Would that be a Minx or Imp based one?

Definitly not the Imp based one,so the Minx one it is....(both before my time though!)


Brian.

 

[paulc]

Thanks for that info Dave, I'll take a look. I had thought about going down the MERG route, but maybe I should investigate this first.

I even considered the Hornby select as it's dirt cheap, seems it might be enough just for one loco, but this seems to be frowned upon as a device.

I will probably get a sound chip eventually which is the reason, along with the loco lights to have DCC on the 08.

Cheers
Tony

Go the MERG route Tony , it taught me heaps not being an electronics type person . Plus its always satisfying when something you have built with your own pinkies actually works .
Cheers Paul

 

[Geoff]

The crossing keepers cottage is coming along nicely,and would definitly be recognizable to those who know.
But one burning question is;will you be buying a Hillman Husky to add to the scene as well!.

Brian.

Thanks Brian I'm pleased that you can see the resemblance between my model to date, and the photo that I have been working from. I have no plans to buy a 'Husky', in fact I don't think they are available in model form. I certainly remember the real things, not that they were to my taste, really given my age away now!



Soudley No.2 Crossing, the photo is by Ben Ashworth and appears in 'BR Steam in Dean' which is packed full of Ben's photography and edited by Ian Pope. My version of the scene has the line running along the other side of the cottage so that it acts as view blocker. Not sure how the crossing gates and fencing will turn out yet, plenty to ponder on that score.

Geoff

 

[Brian T]

Soudley No.2 Crossing, the photo is by Ben Ashworth and appears in 'BR Steam in Dean' which is packed full of Ben's photography and edited by Ian Pope. My version of the scene has the line running along the other side of the cottage so that it acts as view blocker. Not sure how the crossing gates and fencing will turn out yet, plenty to ponder on that score.

Geoff[/QUOTE]

In the past when i`ve found a nice subject/location i`ve wanted to model,and i`m unable to model it the 'right' way round .I`ve found that reversing the picture help`s me to visualise better.


Of course your modeling the cottage the 'right' way round,but it should still give you a good idea of how it could look.

Brian.

 

[Geoff]

" In the past when i`ve found a nice subject/location i`ve wanted to model,and i`m unable to model it the 'right' way round .I`ve found that reversing the picture help`s me to visualise better".

I used that dodge a couple of months back Brian and it did help to some extent. Whichever way you look at the scene, the road on the layout crosses the track on a different angle to make the best use of the space available, and the siding extends across the road rather than stopping short of it. The original plan called for an ungated crossing as per the arrangement at Llansilin Road on the Tanat Valley, but that would make the crossing keepers cottage pointless. So I have this idea that with the downgrading of the line the gates were removed, leaving just the posts and fencing. As for the crossing keeper, well she/he is now employed as a porter but still lives in the house. But I will probably mock some crossing gates and fencing up from card and see what works the best, in the meantime the last of the track will hopefully be laid today. Once wired I will play trains, sorry test everything and start to plot the point rodding runs, once that is done the track can be ballasted, painted and all the little details added.

Geoff

 

[3 LINK]

Hi Geoff,

You maybe already aware, but Alan at ModelU has created some lovely detailed point rodding stools in 3D, and you can either have the stools that used the older round rodding or the later square channeled type.

Martyn.

 

[Geoff]

Hi Geoff,

You maybe already aware, but Alan at ModelU has created some lovely detailed point rodding stools in 3D, and you can either have the stools that used the older round rodding or the later square channeled type.

Martyn.

Thanks Martyn, I'm aware of Alan's rodding stools having used his 4mm version on my previous layouts. I'm just working out what I need at the moment and then an order will be on its way.

Geoff