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Worsley Dale Garden Railway


mick
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On 24/06/2018 at 15:24, ThomasI said:

This with the Gaugemaster frog juicer is very interesting.
Do you think the frog juicers killed the cold or the damp in winter?
I've also installed one outside, he is protected against moisture as far as possible and "insulated" to the sides and the top with 5cm Styrofoam, but ...

Almost certainly the wet/damp during winter Thomas. My Frog Juicers were/are housed within a small plastic box with a hole to allow the wires through, and padded with foam on all sides. The plastic boxes are then hidden away inside the masonry point housings  which have been sealed against moisture ingress. They worked fine during the warmer months but I really should have brought them inside once the weather had turned. It was one of those "I'll do it later" scenarios of which I experience many to my cost.

So another day outside apart from 90 minutes of football entertainment and today it was mainly about running trains and discovering new things. Out of their boxes and on track today were diesels loco's 24081, D5098, 26024, 37025, 37408 and steam loco's 44875, 45010 and 49361. I find it hard to believe that I've had some of these loco's for more than 8 years now and yet I'm still here with an unfinished layout.

I must have spoken about the Sutton Locomotive Works class 24s before and I have three of them, all sound fitted. They are certainly the best presented model out there at the present time and I'll add photos of the packaging tomorrow if I haven't already done so. They are almost museum quality so it was with some trepidation that I let a couple of them loose outdoors today but what's the point keeping them in boxes all the time? The running qualities are almost perfect and the sound is simply amazing. Shut off the power and they coast freely, allowing you to bring them to a stand by applying the brakes (F2). A proper driving experience but then that's what you pay for.

Here are D5098 and 24081 on shed at Sheiling Bridge

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To compliment the West Highland coaching stock I brought out two Black 5 loco's. It doesn't matter to me whether either loco would ever have been seen so far north but Black 5's are seen working the West Highland Railway and so that's all the excuse I need to run mine. I'm not looking for true authenticity but a general feel of the stock within the landscape.

Having just departed Sheiling Bridge station, 45010 crosses Low Shott viaduct with a rake of 6 coaches. 45010 is a Hornby factory weathered and sound-fitted model. This loco urgently requires some additional ballast adding as it struggles to pull away with the 6 coaches. 

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Crossing the river Buttle along Stack Gill viaduct is 44875, another Hornby sound-fitted model. This one has added weight and is now more than capable of handling lengthy trains.

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On its return journey, 44875 is seen running tender first over Low Shott viaduct.

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While the Black 5s had hold of the West Highland Line coaches it was left to the diesels to work the Kyle Line coaches, and 37025 'Inverness TMD' is seen here departing Sheiling Bridge station in the late afternoon sun.

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Its days work at an end 37025 sits on shed at Sheiling Bridge. Large logo blue is a great livery for the 37s don't you think?

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Hi Mick very nice lot of pics, I am jealous will have to save up and buy a 37 class very nice colour scheme sure stands out, will be the first 00 scale Diesel, should of kept the 55 class I had.

How is your station complex going did you finely finish it, love to see more pics please, the pic with the 37 class looks good,  two other diesels I like is the 60 and 66 class.

Tony from cold and cloudy down under, rain coming in good time to work on nailing down the track on the terminus station track.

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22 hours ago, aussietmrail said:

...How is your station complex going did you finely finish it, love to see more pics please...

Finish it? I haven't done anything more to it for close on 2 years Tony! It's still exactly how it was the last time I featured it.

Thankfully we don't get such extreme temperatures in the UK that other members experience in their part of the world but today, thirty degrees was way too hot for me to have another running session so I decided to get on with some tasks that I had planned.

I have begun ballasting the track over Stack Gill viaduct. I'm not sure why I enjoy brushing tiny pieces of ballast around sleepers so much but I have to admit to being quite taken with the task. I wasn't sure whether to just leave things a bit longer and hope that the bird droppings would accumulate some more and prove an effective alternative but in the end I decided that proper ballast might just look better.

I had some success with ballasting Low Shott viaduct using clear exterior varnish and so that's the way I have gone again. Firstly the brushing, getting it between the sleepers and right up to the viaduct walls leaving just the drainage holes clear. I then gave it all a coat of Klear floor polish to hold it all in place. Finally the exterior varnish, thinned with white spirit to a nice runny consistency was flooded across the track bed using a plastic pipette.

I've completed about one-third so far - it's all nice and firm now so here's hoping it all stays in place.

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Not everything goes to plan however and featuring your mishaps is as beneficial to others as posting stories of success. I decided in my wisdom to firstly go over Low Shott viaduct with another coat of clear exterior varnish having filled in some areas where my previous attempt at ballasting had been disturbed. As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, it's been extremely warm today and as soon as I put down the varnish it just puddled and began drying. I had to add a lot more white spirit than normal in order to get it flowing but it's left me with a few brown puddled areas that hopefully will go clear eventually. If it doesn't then no worries, railways are not always pretty places - so long as the ballast holds firm that will be okay with me.

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Just remembered something I meant to include so I'll edit the post.

Tried my two outside points on the short loop section today which haven't been used for ages. They both worked straight away! I think that's amazing so thought I'd share it with everyone.

Edited by mick
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Barely any running over the past two days but I've completed ballasting the two viaducts so they're now left to the mercy of the birds and the elements. I expect a constant battle to maintain it but I'm prepared for that if necessary. From the little action there has been I'll add the following photos for interest - the first two having been taken yesterday.

The shed door is a great spot for capturing photos of loco's on shed and of trains entering Sheiling Bridge station, especially in the late afternoon when the sun creates some dramatic lighting effects. Here 37025, 37408 and 26024 take rest between duties.

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Just beyond the loco shed Black 5 44875 passes the signalbox as it enters Sheiling Bridge station running tender first with the West Highland coaches. Some work on the scenics would improve both these images.

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Taken today are the following photos of one of my two Scotrail class 158 DMU's. Unfortunately these are static exhibits at the moment being DC and without a DCC socket so there's work to be done in order to get them into traffic. I'm trying to decide the best way forward with these. Having them fitted with sound chips would be my preferred option but I've yet to make up my mind.

First Scotrail class 158741 crossing Low Shott viaduct

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And here's the same DMU running onto Stack Gill viaduct

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And a close up view on the girder bridges over the river Buttle

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This final photo is from a selection taken 4 days ago which I didn't upload but looking at it again tonight I think I'll add it as it shows the top surface of Stack Gill viaduct shortly before it was ballasted and the parapet walls show up well here too.

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I have some decisions to make regarding couplings if I am to enjoy operating the layout as much as I would hope to. Currently I have a mixture of types in use but frustratingly there are a mixture of standards among the manufacturers products. I'm happy to leave coaches as complete rakes so there'll be no real need to do any shunting but the ends of each rake and the ends of all the loco's must have matching couplings. My Heljan class 26024 has Kadee couplings which I like but barely any other locos are straight swaps as the NEM sockets are at different heights. My Black 5's don't have NEM sockets at all so I have to figure out what needs doing with them. The simplest option would be to retain the tension lock couplings but I had hoped to move away from them. It's something I need to sort out quickly.

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Hi Mick, wow very nice pics indeed, I love your viaduct , of the last four pics especially the last 2 pure awesome, going to have one of them as a deck top pic on my lap top .

I am very interested what you come up with the NEM couplers  and socket boxes, I would love to replace the draw bars in Bachmanns Virgin 5 car DMU sets, have a lot of trouble pushing them in the round socket, I have got the Cross Country set, after the Doctor Who set , 

I am now working on the smaller straight and curved sections to my layout, be some time this year , two boxes of Peco  flexi arrived on Tuesday, three boxes all up, enough to complete he layout, can't wait to drive in my  Indian Pacific and split the train in half shunting the carriages into two platforms 28 of them, be doing a video of the big event.

It is cloudy and cold mornings to a warm day 25 degrees, it starts dropping down pretty quick later afternoon, I have to stop work on the layout early. 

Keep the pics flowing.

Tony from  cloudy down under, keeping on moving ahead.

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On 28/06/2018 at 23:54, aussietmrail said:

Hi Mick, could you take a pic with the whole bridge with the same DMU set , the second last pic looks awesome as a desk top pic on my lap top will look better with the whole bridge.

Many thanks Tony from down under

This one shows a little bit more of the girder bridges Tony - it's all I can do until I get out there again.

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Does anyone remember some time ago I started modelling a log train? Yes, I'd almost forgotten myself but it was almost exactly 2 years ago when the first logs were cut. In total I managed to 'load' 4 wagons, although 2 of them I was never happy with as I had loaded them with only 3 log stacks instead of the usual 4 and it just didn't look right. Well today work recommenced and I managed to load another 3 wagons but not only that, I also reworked the two I wasn't happy with cutting the original logs smaller so that the wagon could accommodate 4 stacks like the others. So here we go, class 37408 hauling 7 loaded OTA wagons across Low Shott viaduct and into Sheiling Bridge station.

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As I've mentioned elsewhere, I have somewhere in the region of 34 of these wagons so my intention is to model one loaded and one empty train although I have yet to work out how they are going to operate and what length train I can actually accommodate. There are a mixture of Hornby and Bachmann wagons but in the photo above 6 of them are the Hornby version with just the one Bachmann 2nd from the rear of the train. As with everything else on Worsley Dale, I have no idea if these different types of wagons ever ran together and I have never checked what period they were in use but to me it's a log train, it's what I wanted, and I'm happy with how it's turning out. With a 37 at the head of the train it certainly looks right.

The Bachmann wagons include a moulded log load, which isn't bad, but I am removing those to add 'proper cut logs' and they really do look much better. It's hard work but worth the effort I think.

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On 29/06/2018 at 20:35, roddy said:

Looks great Mick. Hope you haven't forgotten all of those lovely weathered mineral wagons too. I bet they will look fantastic crossing the girder bridge.

I haven't Roddy - they're parked up in the station at Sheilling Bridge but will need a dusting down to get rid of the cobwebs as they've remained there for a good while now.

Another two OTA wagons have been loaded with logs today and a further two weathered and waiting. I expected the length of my sidings determining how many I can use in a train but it may actually come down to the weight of the wagons! Moving a rake of 9 loaded wagons around manually feels like a hefty load but it also feels prototypically right. Certainly no toy wagons here but I think a class 37 will be able to cope easily enough without the need for double heading.

I've obtained a variety of parts in order to attempt to add Kadee couplings to all the loco's I plan to use. I've got NEM coupling pockets, NEM mounting points and some Kadee draft gear boxes in order to determine which method, if any, is my best option. I want to get this sorted before moving on to any other major work. 

Looking back I think my expectations for the garden railway were just too high.  I had far too much stock and wanted to do too many things with it. Now I feel content to just concentrate on the 'Scottish' aspect for now in order to get it operational. That means I know what loco's, coaches and wagons I will be using and I can focus all my attention on getting them correctly set up for as trouble free operation as possible. Once I get them sorted I can of course start ripping up the defective timber trackbed and replacing it with something else! Strangely enough I am quite looking forward to that.

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HI Mick, thanks for that pic on your viaduct bridge, I modified the pic to fit the lap top screen, pretty awesome indeed,.

The pic with those log wagons and loco , very impressive indeed, what are those hols for, drainage, some times I think I have done the same, wife wanted me to cut back but couldn't, only cut back on two blocks and made them single track instead, more fun that way with a train waiting on the passing loop for the  other to clear the single  line.

There is no set time to finish my layout, will get done when I can, winter slows work down, not getting outside till late morning.

Keep the pics flowing.

Tony from down under.

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10 hours ago, aussietmrail said:

....what are those holes for, drainage....

Yes, the holes in the viaduct sides are to allow rainwater to drain away. They're drilled through from the track base out at an angle.

I've spent a good deal of today cutting little logs to size, in fact so much time doing so that the ends of my fingers ache from holding them in the mitre block. But there's little gain without some pain, so they say, and for me the reward is now a rake of 12 loaded OTA wagons. They're looking good but there's the possibility of a couple more once my fingers have recovered. In the meantime I need to cut 80 (!!) load securing straps for the 10 wagons that don't yet have any. As before they will be cut from electrical insulation tape and fixed in place with a spot of superglue.

Here's some photos taken on Low Shott viaduct of 37408 Loch Rannoch hauling the 12 OTA wagons towards Shieling Bridge 

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The above photo also shows the ballast along the viaduct. The exterior varnish used to hold it in position gives it a satin finish. I should perhaps have purchased matt finish varnish!

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The class 37 doesn't have any problems hauling the 12 wagons despite the added weight of the timber.

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You would not believe the number of times I've thought about doing more work on my rake of log wagons during the past year or so and yet never once got round to making a start. I've had ample opportunities, even when I've not been at home, but this spell of dry and warm weather we're experiencing has given me the impetus to get cracking with them. Goodness knows what I'll do when it all comes to an end and we get back to the more usual rain.

I've sat outside for most of the day working away at adding some load securing straps around the stacked logs. I haven't made an attempt to model them to scale size because that would be far too fiddly for me but I've done them to a manageable size and from normal viewing distance they look quite acceptable in my opinion.

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Here's how I begin. Strips of electrical insulation tape cut from a wide strip that I stuck onto a sheet of glass are wrapped around the log loads. A small drop of superglue is then added to the ratchet thing (whatever that's called) and an attempt made to stick the end of the tape as flush to that as possible. so as to give the impression that it is wrapped around. The two right hand strips in the above photo have been glued. A total of 80 strips were required today.

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Here's another wagon with the first 6 strips glued along one side. The two right hand strips have been glued flush on the opposite side and this shows how the other end of the tape strip is pulled taut and glued on before the surplus is cut away once the glue has dried.

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And here are two completed wagons, Hornby in the foreground and a Bachmann just behind. In the distance is a Hornby wagon awaiting straps. The blue strap in one of the above photos is just for some variety so they don't all look the same - perhaps a bit of weathering to tone it down a bit later.

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Here's how they look out on the track now all the loads are nicely secured.

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Despite the overall size of the layout, 12 wagons is quite a substantial length and I'm going to have to give some thought as to where they will be stabled. I don't want to have to keep taking them on and off the track so perhaps I'll look at squeezing in some more storage roads. Can you believe a layout that's perhaps forty feet square (not sure of exact measurements) is struggling to cope with 12 wagons?

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I decided it was time to make a start sorting out my coupling predicament so my attention turned to the rake of 6 West Highland Line MK1 coaches. I intend this rake to remain permanently coupled together so having previously dealt with some other MK1 coaches I went down a similar route of using Hornby R8220 NEM pocket close couplers between the inner coach connections. The R8220's are slightly too short for MK1 stock resulting in having to raise the ends of each vehicle before engaging the couplers, but they work fine once coupled together and with barely a gap between the corridor connections they enhance the overall appearance.

I dismantled each coach in order to add a little extra weight in the form of car tyre weights to the interior space as I feel it improves the overall running qualities.

Now the outer ends of the MK1's weren't quite so straightforward. The NEM pocket is too high so I followed an example I'd read about online, cutting the NEM coupler box and fitting the Kadee by inserting a trackpin through a drilled hole. I'll add photos later but it reduces the height of the Kadee just fine enabling a perfect match to my Kadee fitted class 26024 which ran round the layout non-stop for quite some time without any problem. I will point out that I'm using a Kadee height gauge to ensure the couplings are set at the correct height. I thought I'd cracked it, however, I then added Kadee couplers to 37408 and while they were exactly the same height as on the MK1's every time the loco moved forward the MK1 coupler slid upwards and uncoupled after less than a foot of travel. There is just so much sloppy play in the Bachmann MK1 coupling system and I can't accept something that will only work with certain stock. I don't understand why it does it only with the class 37 and yet is fine with the class 26.

I'm not finished yet. If I can't find a way to reduce the sloppiness in the Bachmann coupling bar then I might attempt to do away with the Bachmann coupling system altogether and fit the Kadee to the underside of the coach floor using a draft gear box or alternatively I have read that the Keen close-coupling system will remedy the Bachmann problem. 

I don't like couplings being attached to bogies so maybe a rethink is in order to place the couplings where they should be - on the coach body. Couplings can make or break a model railway so it's important to get them right.

By the way, a Kadee added to the end of my log train works perfectly with 37408 - so go figure.

Tomorrow I hope to be able to add Kadees to the Hornby Black 5's as these will be my main power for the West Highland coach set and as the plan is to run them into the terminus it's important that they allow me to place the loco on either end.

 

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It's only through intensive use that you discover areas of the layout that are in need of attention and it's only due to this extended dry spell that there's actually been time to do something about it.

I have one locomotive that continually stalled at a certain place on Stack Gill viaduct. I've dismantled the loco, cleaned the pickups, cleaned the wheels, cleaned the track, and yet it continued to come to a halt at the very same spot each time. It was clear that the problem lay with the track and not with the loco so I took a closer look. Using a flexible metre ruler bent slightly to correspond to the track curvature I was able to determine that there was a slight hump where two adjoining aerated blocks had been cemented together and this was likely the problem. I decided there and then to rectify it but if you recall it's just a few days since I ballasted the whole viaduct section so it wasn't going to be straightforward.

First I had to cut out a section of track over the offending join and then extract it from the ballast.

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Here's the track being removed. The hump corresponds with a track join, (you can see the bonding wires above), so I had to remove the section seen on the right and a similar amount to the left. You might just be able to make out where I've cut the track with the Dremel cutter.

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With the track removed I then had to remove some of the felt and the recently laid ballast, and then lightly file the top until the area was level. Some of the parapet wall was also removed as parts of it were already loose and it made access to the track area easier so I decided it would be a good time to sort that out too.

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The area levelled and cleaned ready for track laying.

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And here's the short section of track (from my old Selby Garden Railway) to which I first soldered bonding wires. The chairs on the sleepers at the ends of the track were sliced off meaning I could add fishplates to each end of the new track section, place the track in position and then slide the fishplates across the join to meet with the existing track. It was then just a case of completing the soldering of the bonding wires and replacing the parapet walls. I have still to replace the ballast.

Thankfully that bloody loco now travels across without any problem so it was a job well done.

Relaying track wasn't the only thing I managed to sort out today. The solenoids motors inside the shed were becoming more and more unreliable. I'm not sure if it was the heat or what but I couldn't rely on them to throw so I cleaned out the points and sprayed the solenoids lightly with a WD40 type lubricant. I wasn't sure if that was a wise thing to do but it worked and I'm now confident of them throwing successfully once again.

Yesterday I added Kadees to my two Hornby Black 5 loco's. The tender coupling wasn't too bad, the tension lock being simply replaced with a Kadee, however, the front pony truck required quite a bit of filing to the metal frame and modification of a NEM coupler pocket before I could get the Kadee fitted and it is still slightly too high - but at least it works. I'm still not entirely happy because while in my opinion a diesel looks okay with a Kadee coupler fitted, I'm not so sure a steam loco does. But what other option is there other than the original tension lock?

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Other than ballasting the section of track on Stack Gill viaduct that I replaced yesterday, there's been no further progress today but I have managed to grab a couple of photos to keep interest going.

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Bachmann 37401 'Mary Queen of Scots' is seen crossing Low Shott viaduct with a pair of Scotrail branded blue/grey MK1 coaches. These are the latest release Bachmann coaches with factory weathering and added passenger figures that justifies a hike in price but no doubt still create problems with the couplings!

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Heading away from Sheiling Bridge we see a Hornby K1 2-6-0 locomotive No.62024 in BR Black hauling a short rake of four Bachmann West Highland coaches in green/cream livery comprising TSO's 4050, 4494, 4610 and BCK 9312. As far as I can make out, the livery on these four coaches is applicable for the period 1985 whereas that on my six-coach rake seen in previous photos is correct for 1987.

Both 37401 and 62024 are static exhibits for the time being as neither of them have yet been chipped for DCC operation.

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The Scottish railway scene could never be complete without the addition of some type of van to the rear of a short rake of passenger coaches and the discovery of the following photo led me to a similar design of Dapol plastic kit.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/curly42/6404221831/

It states in the instructions that the moulds for the kit are in excess of 50 years old but it's certainly sufficient for my needs and standards.

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I should probably have done some painting before completing so much of the kit but I was keen to see what it looked like once assembled. It shouldn't be too difficult to get paint on it as I've left the end steps off for now.

I guess it's basic but a bit of paint, application of the transfers and then some light weathering should see it fit in nicely. I've added some additional weight to the interior.

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During one of my many lapses in concentration I was using the craft knife to detach a small piece from the plastic sprue but as the cut was made the piece shot away off the table. I thought i'd captured its direction towards the carpet but a grey piece of plastic on a grey carpet was proving difficult to find. In the end the table and six chairs were moved completely out of the way while I examined every inch of the carpet pile but to no avail. After a good while and just as I was about to give up on it Pam said "It's here!"  There on the table, INSIDE a plastic miniature file case which had its opening flap wrapped beneath it, was the offending piece. It was like something straight out of a magicians performance.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well despite my recent efforts, 37025 has continued to stutter over the short section of newly relaid track on top of Stack Gill viaduct as reported on 5th July. The fact that it's just this particular loco makes it even more frustrating but I'm certainly not going to put the loco to one side. I've not looked into it but I'm wondering if it's something to do with the actual design of the models underframe or bogies as I have a multitude of Bachmann 37s none of which have yet exhibited any trouble negotiating that section of track. Perhaps 37025 is an earlier version which has since been modified?

What's even more remarkable is the fact that I have a section of track at ground level which really does need some attention - so much so that the track now stands proud of the base with a large gap beneath and yet 37025 has no problem with that at all.

Anyway, in another effort to resolve the problem I actually dug out all the freshly laid ballast, which wasn't too difficult as it was only secured with Klear floor polish and not varnish, and again tested the level along the rail tops. There was a very slight dip or undulation but not something I would normally have been unduly worried about. Manually running a short wagon across it was barely noticeable but I had another attempt at levelling it off, testing with 37025 until it managed to clear the section without problem.

I've now replaced the ballast and secured it with Klear until I'm confident it can be permanently secured with exterior varnish.

Leaving 37025 to one side for the evening I set Black 5 44875 in motion hauling a rake of 6 West Highland Mk1s. I'm not sure how many circuits of the layout it managed while we had a BBQ but it must have been considerable and I never had to touch it once. It was almost dark by the time it came in for the night.

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Next thing I'll be wanting lights in the coaches!

If only all loco's were as trouble free as some of the others.

 

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I enjoy the added sense of realism that DCC sound offers but there are times when I wonder whether it's actually worth it or not. If the additional cost doesn't initially deter you then you sometimes find the sound to be not as impressive as you'd hoped it would be. I have several loco's that I hope to fit with sound eventually but for some time now they've been nothing more than a part of my collection - stored in their boxes and stacked on a shelf. They've perhaps been out on occasion for photo's but without a DCC chip of some sort they've been nothing more than static exhibits - until today when I decided to do something about it.

Quite some time ago, and we are talking years rather than months, I purchased some basic 8 pin decoders which I intended fitting to some of my DMU's. I never got round to that and the decoders have been resident in a drawer ever since so I thought I might as well fit them to some of the steam loco's I intend using outdoors.

I particularly like the freight stream locos and have in my collection a trio of Hornby models of a K1, Q6 and O1. Despite some literature to the contrary, all three loco's accept 8 pin decoders and before not too long there were 3 new loco's awaiting their maiden voyage around Worsley Dale. In no particular order here are a few photo's captured during the session.

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Crossing Stack Gill viaduct, and having just passed over the newly relaid section from yesterday, here we see K1 2-6-0 No.62024 hauling a rake of 4 West Highland BR Mk1 coaches. 62024 is a Hornby model No. R3243.

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A short distance down the line and we see 62024 once again as it passes beneath Trundles Bridge. The points lead to the passing loop at Watch Houses but for today 62024 continues straight on. The aerated block to the right is the cover over the point motor housing. Trundles Bridge itself is also in need of repair.

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A short distance from Trundles Bridge is Watch House Tunnel and it is here where we catch up with 62024 again as it emerges from the darkness. This section of the layout is my favourite as it captures everything I wanted to include on the layout. There's overgrown vegetation, stained masonry, decaying wood and rusted metalwork - everything you would expect to see along the lineside and all with very little effort on my part. 62024 is on the main running line and Watch Houses Loop is to our right with the concrete sleepers and encroaching plants.

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Here's another view from the lineside just ahead of Watch House tunnel but this time we catch a glimpse of Raven Q6 0-8-0 No.63429 hauling some Kyle Line coaches. The Q6 is another Hornby model, product No. R3426.

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Making the best of a good situation, and while I'm already down on my knees, it's time to catch up with Hornby Black 5 No. 44875, the only sound-fitted loco on track today. A wonderful locomotive with sound that really does add to the scene, 44875 and sister loco 45010 will be regular features on the line.

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Crossing Low Shott viaduct with a rake of 4 BR Mk1's in West Highland green and cream livery is Thompson O1 2-8-0 No.63663 running tender first into Sheiling Bridge.

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Having just passed beneath Watch House tunnel, 63663 runs tender first along Low Shott Flatt. Again, overgrown vegetation and general decay abound to create a realistic scene.

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The above photo is the only one featured here that was taken using the camera on my phone. It depicts Black 5 No.44875 passing beneath Watch House tunnel but is devoid of any encroaching background distractions so I thought I would add it too.

Most of the above photos are taken along the ground level section that will need to be replaced in the not too distant future but hopefully without destroying too much of the lineside.

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