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Worsley Dale Garden Railway


mick
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52 minutes ago, chris said:

The sleeper waiting for the freight to clear was a real highlight.

Thanks Chris. I was initially going to edit out part of the delay between the log train passing and the sleeper making its move because I don't like to keep people waiting when all they really want to see are trains moving, but it just felt right to leave it as it was and it certainly wouldn't have been the same if I had done so. It's why the double track section is there, to create a sense of realism, so I need to make use of it.

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11 hours ago, mick said:

Thanks Chris. I was initially going to edit out part of the delay between the log train passing and the sleeper making its move because I don't like to keep people waiting when all they really want to see are trains moving, but it just felt right to leave it as it was and it certainly wouldn't have been the same if I had done so. It's why the double track section is there, to create a sense of realism, so I need to make use of it.

Timing is everything. Yes there was a wait, but surely the viewer knows what is coming and that adds the excitement of anticipation.  

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13 hours ago, Andrew said:

Very nice video.  In the last clip, it's interesting to note the point blades shifting back and forth as each axle pushes them against the new spring - all working well.

They're working very well Andrew, I'm really pleased with them. Saves a lot of messing around having to alter points as well as removing the need for any motors or accessory decoders, so everything's much simpler and any potential problems are reduced. I would certainly recommend modifying any point where train operations allow spring points to be utilised in this manner. I'm not sure what other circumstances they could be useful for as I've not really thought about it but for double track to single track they're ideal.

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Mick, can l ask what sort metal the spring rod is and where you got them from?  Lack of exhibitions means l can't get the silly little things l would buy/find there. Awkward to search the internet when you don't know what somethings called !. At least at an exhibition you can point and say "one of those thingies please"

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1 hour ago, jimbob said:

Mick, can l ask what sort metal the spring rod is and where you got them from?....

I've used a short length of GEM Mercontrol 'steel' wire Jim, as used in their 'wire in tube' point control systems. It's obviously going to rust over time but I just wanted to make sure it actually worked before going any further. I see you can easily obtain stainless steel wire in short lengths much cheaper than the GEM offering.

I also have some piano wire/spring steel which is very similar to the GEM but slightly thicker that I purchased to replace the operating wires on some Tortoise point motors.

If I think on I'll measure the thickness of both so you have an idea of what to go for. 

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Further to my previous post and just as a reminder for @jimbob that if you choose to implement sprung points on your layout you may need to add additional weight to some of your lightest wagons. I found that coaches were fine but small 2-axle wagons really do need some additional weight otherwise they tend to ride up onto the point blades rather than pushing them across.

Just the tonic!

Today I rediscovered just what it is that I love about the garden railway - it's the high quality sound from a really top notch model locomotive. It's been a few years now since I purchased my first SLW (Suttons Locomotive Works) class 24 and I remember being enthralled with the sound quality and driveability that these little loco's offer. Since purchase they've more or less remained in their boxes apart from one or two brief running/photo sessions but today has been the first time that all four models have made an appearance on track at the same time and it's just been a really wonderful experience. They've performed faultlessly and sound superb.  

Most of the time I've simply run them round light engine but 24081 had a Kadee fitted previously and so I was able to couple it up to a rake of blue/grey Mk1s and send it on its way. It's great fun accelerating, coasting, and then manually 'braking' the train to a stand. Here's a few photos of 24081

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And here's another two SLW class 24 loco's on Shieling Bridge shed. D5098 in BR Green with small yellow warning panel can be seen in front of D5000

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I've been having fun with the 24s again today - just can't seem to put them down. I spent a good deal of time speed matching the 2 green liveried ones so that they can be used as double-headers and I think I've just about got there. I recently watched a video on YouTube showing two class 26 'celebrity' locos at Kyle of Lochalsh (26001 & 26007) in August 1993 so I thought I'd do something similar with my green 24s coupled to the Highlander coaches.

Here's the train coming off Stack Gill viaduct...

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...and the same train crossing Low Shott viaduct a short time later.

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BR Blue 24009 is the one that I don't think has been seen on the layout so far so here, in the mid-day sunshine, is 24009 exiting the shed and crossing Low Shott viaduct with a rake of BR Blue MK1 coaches.

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It was difficult trying to get any decent video today with such strong sunshine but I'll put a few clips together later tonight and upload to the usual place.

I'm not sure about the headcode discs - will have to read up and see how they should be.

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It's bucketing it down outdoors right now so that looks like the end of play for today.

I've just managed to add Kadee couplings to a couple of Bachmann MK2F coaches, stick on some paper corridor connectors and give them a quick run out along with a couple of MK3 sleepers behind the ETHEL.  Poor old ETHEL has been sitting at the side of the loco shed at Shieling Bridge for months without moving a wheel so it was good to finally get her moving. Here's the train formed behind 37114 'Dunrobin Castle' crossing over Low Shott viaduct and heading in towards Shieling Bridge.

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Half a dozen photos and 3 video clips is all I managed before I had to hurriedly pack everything away

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3 hours ago, chris said:

@mick, Any chance you could write up a quick Topic on Sprung Points. I'm already struggling to find the posts this topic. It's a genius idea and it would be helpful to have it as a stand alone subject....

I suppose it could be useful to others but it's something that needs a bit of refining and it would be a good idea to test out different thicknesses of 'spring' wire to determine which works best. I'm happy with how it works for me but it does need weight adding to the lightest wagons and that might be something that others wouldn't want to do. Of course, if I could find a more suitable spring wire that might not be necessary.

Funnily enough I was watching a video this morning of the sleeper train over the West Highland line and there was a good view of an actual 'spring point' - made me smile.

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Although I don't always have the correct loco's and associated rolling stock I do enjoy trying to recreate some of the scenes I've stumbled across either in online videos or through photos in various books and magazines. The double-headed class 24's running earlier in the week were an example of that although the actual loco's should have been class 26's, but never mind.

Anyway, moving on in time and another scene that caught my imagination was of double-headed class 37's from 1999/2000 with both loco's in EWS livery and again, I've got two suitable class 37/4 loco's, one of which actually featured in the video, and so I've decided that the next time I have the layout operating I will be getting these speed matched and coupled together. Here they are posing earlier today on Low Shott viaduct having been fitted with chips and some added detailing. I'll have to see how they perform because 37419 is a pretty old model now and only has pickups and drive to 2 axles on either bogie. I see I even managed to grab the photo while 419 wasn't sitting properly on track!

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Another loco that's being prepared ready for use is 37415 in InterCity Mainline livery which it received in 1990 before transferring away from Scotland. It wouldn't have been seen working in Scotland like this, rather more at home around the Blackpool area I think, but again I'm not looking for 100% authenticity. I just want something that looks right without needing to go down the renumbering route. Maybe in time I'll feel differently but for now I'm happy to leave them as they are.

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On 28/06/2020 at 22:29, Noisynoel said:

That's the good thing about our hobby, it doesn't have to be 100% correct....

I fully agree with that Noel and it's how I've always operated up to now. I couldn't imagine restricting myself to a specific period and not being able to run the loco's and trains I've collected over the years.

18 hours ago, ba14eagle said:

As you say Mick, 37415 looks to be liveried post Scotland - note the Thornaby Kingfisher logo on the central bodyside door.

Yes they shouldn't be too difficult to remove and there's several others it could be renumbered to so maybe it's one I could have a go at when I summon up the courage. A particular livery or depot emblem hasn't ever prevented locos from appearing out of area so I don't really have a problem running it as it is for now.

18 hours ago, Clay Mills Junction said:

I've got a 37114 Dunrobin Castle too, Mick. MMRC isn't far from me 

I also have a 37 (506 in red stripe) "visiting" from Thornaby. I just liked the livery.

'Visiting' is a good and valid excuse - I'm with you on that. It seems like we've both got similar loco's in our collections - I've got 506 in Railfreight red-stripe livery with Thornaby Kingfisher too so I might need to borrow your excuse if you don't mind.

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I've found it very difficult trying to speed match the 2 EWS liveried 37's partly, I think, down to them being fitted with different manufacturers decoders. One minute they seemed ok and the next they were locked together grinding away on the gearing, in fact yesterday I had them running round the layout together just fine. Anyway as I mentioned before, 37419 is an older model with 2 axle drive and 2 axle pickup and my main reason for running it is to create the double header with 37411. These are the only 2 EWS liveried 37's I have and I don't really want to be going out buying another one so I decided that 419 could safely become undriven - as in having its gears and drive shafts removed. I can use 411 on its own when desired while 419 can now easily be used as a double header with any other loco or even at the rear of a train in top and tail formation. 

According to our weather forecaster it looks like being early next week before there's a realistic chance of any running again but I'll be out with the camera when I can.

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37411 and 37419 have been in the weathering shop today receiving an initial coat of weathering to the loco bodies. Just a simple brush on, wipe off routine using enamel paints to dirty them up a bit. I'll get the airbrush out to the chassis and add a little more grime to the roof and bonnet tops at the same time.

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In the photo above it looks like 411 has lost some of the front cab glazing at the drivers side but it's just how it appears in the picture.

What does look strange is how the tooling from the 419 model differs from that of 411. The front cab windows look squashed - not as deep as those on 411. Did Bachmann change things at some point between these two models? I hadn't noticed it previously until I saw these photos.

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