Worsley Dale Garden Railway

[mick]

I've gradually been getting some more stock out onto the layout though it's all ones that have been seen previously. I don't expect there being anything new anytime soon although I do have two RevolutioN Cargowaggons that haven't yet been seen either on Skew Bridge or Worsley Dale. They arrived along with my IWA log wagons a few weeks/months ago now so I might give them a run in the coming days and see if they perform any better in the garden than the log carriers did.

I attempted to do a bit of filming today but I find it gets in the way of actually enjoying running trains. I'm not sure it's worth it to be honest as you can't sit back and relax when you've got a controller in one hand, gopro camera in another and nowhere left to hold your phone. I never was any good at juggling.

24009 was never intended to be a 'Scottish' loco for Worsley Dale. It was one of many impulse purchases I made and I only recently discovered that it actually spent time in Scotland between 1971-75 so that's good enough for me to add it to the roster. Being a Sutton Loco Works model fitted with sound and stay-alive it performs brilliantly and sounds as good as any loco I've heard. Saying that...I'd had it running for probably 30-60 minutes before I just happened to notice something by the side of the track near Low Shott viaduct and it turned out to be a sandbox & pipe. I hadn't had any mishaps so it had obviously just fallen off. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have seen it. 

37401 'Mary Queen of Scots' is one of my 'go to' loco's along with 37025. I tend to grab the weathered ones before the pristine ones although I haven't yet dared tackle the SLW 24's.

37401 is seen here at one of my favourite locations for photographs as it exits Stack Gill viaduct and runs along Stackgarth Gill.

Another of my favourite photograph spots is by the side of Low Shott viaduct and 37401 is seen crossing the viaduct immediately before entering the shed and Shieling Bridge station hauling one of my favourite wagon rakes - the OTA log wagons.

And although the weather today has been extremely pleasant, during the early part of the day it was almost impossible to get photos or videos that were not affected by sun shining directly in the camera lens or that didn't have the shadow of the camera itself (or worse..me) in the foreground. 

45010 had direct sunlight to contend with as it hauls the West Highland excursion rake across Stack Gill viaduct.

[mick]

I uploaded this video yesterday evening but I'll just post it here now for reference as I'd had enough last night.

 

[chris]

Your railway is looking lovely. Great video.

[mick]

On 25/04/2022 at 16:37, chris said:

Your railway is looking lovely. Great video.

It's all down to selective focus Chris!

[mick]

It was suggested by a viewer on YouTube that 2 class 24's would look good working freight so I thought it would be a good idea to have a go, not realising at the time just what a challenge it would turn out to be.

I have two SLW BR Blue class 24 loco's which, despite them being from the same stable, do not run perfectly well together. So using the Z21 program I added traction details for my 2 blue class 24's, timing them running over a measured length of trackwork at various speed settings. There was quite a difference in timings, as I expected. Once my timings were complete and the details entered into Z21 I consisted the locos together hoping they would fare much better but the improvement was only slight. Turning one loco round did improve things and I decided it was enough for me to work with as I didn't wish to spend all day at it.

I spent some time capturing a number of video clips, which I have yet to view so I don't know how they will turn out, but for now I'll add the following four photos which I took in-between filming.

Taken with the DSLR, 24081 and 24009 doublehead the loaded OTA log wagons, passing through Watch House tunnel.

And taken using my phone camera, the same loco's emerging from Watch House tunnel with the log train.

Earlier in the day 24081 and 24009 were captured passing over Stack Gill viaduct with a mixed freight.

And for a bit of variety there was an additional trip with a short coal train.

I'm not sure that all these wagons would have been seen behind BR Blue class 24's but it's all about enjoyment and having fun out there.

 

[mick]

I didn't have quite so much video footage as I thought but I've put a few minutes worth together here. That's probably just as well because the sound from these two is pretty overpowering and can become monotonous after a while when viewing on video. You really do need to be lineside to appreciate them fully - simply amazing.

As I've mentioned in the video description, they fill the garden with sound and in places you can hear it reverberating off the garden fencing even though you are some distance away. You often hear them long before they come into view as you'll see.

 

[Clay Mills Junction]

Consists on dcc seem to me a bit of a faff, I find they never exactly work quite as smoothly as I'd like. There seem so many variables. I've found trains that run similarly on analogue and could be coupled, fight each other on DCC. My guess being small differences in performance are amplified on DCC or the decoders alter performance by a different factor or something like the start volt or acceleration CVs being slightly different.

Nice to see the railway in operation and a couple of shots from inside as well as out. The parapets don't look in bad condition or is that after being repaired?
I have to admit to never having looked at the 24s before, I think they'd been retired by the time I came into being.

[mick]

In theory, the Z21 method would seem to be perfectly fool-proof but as you point out, there's the differences in start voltage and acceleration/decelertion to contend with. I read an article somewhere about speed-matching loco's which goes into details about altering the speed 'curves' but it's not something that could easily be applied to your entire loco fleet.

By far the best way to create a trouble-free double-header is to remove the drive mechanism from the rear loco! There's a practical use for all those non-runners.

9 hours ago, Clay Mills Junction said:

...Nice to see the railway in operation and a couple of shots from inside as well as out. The parapets don't look in bad condition or is that after being repaired?
I have to admit to never having looked at the 24s before, I think they'd been retired by the time I came into being.

I don't normally film anything inside the shed as I tend to focus primarily on the outside - it's usually a bit too dull within the shed. The parapet walls have been repaired several times over and there is still a couple of missing bits that I haven't yet completed.

I have no experience of the 24's either but for some reason these were another one of my 'must have' purchases when they were first released. To be honest I am so glad I bought them as they are above anything else that's been available before or since. I'm not about to start buying more loco's but if these are anything to go by the same companies forthcoming class 25's will be awesome - it's just that I feel I can now resist those earlier temptations.

 

[mick]

One of the things I noticed when I brought stock back out onto Worsley Dale was that some of the Kadee couplings I had fitted myself were slightly too high, especially the ones on some HEA hopper wagons where I had fitted an NEM mounting block beneath the chassis floor. I decided to remedy that today and took them all up into the attic so I could work on them. It involved removing the mounting blocks and gluing some packing in place before replacing the mounts. It was one of those jobs that I could have left for a number of months before doing anything about it but something told me today was the day!

With them all at more or less the same height it makes marshalling trains much easier. I can't say they are all absolutely spot on even now but they are close enough to make them reliable.

While I was in the shed I also noticed my rake of Heljan IWB Cargowaggons sitting on the shelf, sparkling in their pristine livery. They've been like that ever since I got them, waiting for the time to come when I eventually get round to putting some dirt on them. At the moment they are far too clean to be seen running on the layout. I decided to take them, along with the 2 RevolutioN IZA's that are also sparkling clean, up into the attic with me and make a start on them once I had sorted the Kadee couplings.

This is one of the IZA sFins2 Holdall wagons from RevolutioN trains that I received along with my IWA log carriers a few months back.

And this is how I've started dirtying them up by applying a diluted enamel wash that perhaps looks a bit too brown in the photo but is actually darker than that.

I just paint it on with a large brush and then dab it back off again with some paper kitchen towel.

The photo below shows how it looks with the paint applied to the left side of the wagon and how it looks after 'dabbing' off on the right side.

And this is the wagon after that initial treatment, just lightly weathered.

I'll need to get the airbrush out to finish them off but I like to do the initial weathering so that it isn't just a flat sprayed finish.

I managed to do the whole batch of 5 Heljan and 2 RevolutioN so sometime soon they should be making an appearance on the layout.

[mick]

I've finished dirtying the Cargowaggons/Ferryvans (whatever they're called) and managed to give them a run up in the attic before they make their way down to Worsley Dale where they are intended to be. There was the usual problem with the Kadee coupling on the Heljan wagons being at the wrong height and I had to cut and carve another of my mountings so that it would stay coupled to the locomotive - only damaging one buffer in the process.

I am quite pleased with how they've turned out and more so the fact that I've actually managed to accomplish a task that I'd set myself some time ago.

I found a video on YouTube depicting the West Highland line in 1999/2000 with various class 37 workings among others. One such working was a pair of EWS liveried class 37s hauling a rake of Cargowaggon/Ferryvans and it was that video which gave me the idea and inspiration to attempt to recreate it on Worsley Dale. Listening to my pair circling the attic and viewing the video again they look and sound remarkably similar so I can't wait to get them outdoors at some point.

Below is one of the Heljan wagons....

...and one of the RevolutioN Trains holdalls.

I haven't gone overboard with the weathering but looking at prototype photos online I could well have done much more, including graffiti!

[mick]

I seem to be crossing back and forth between the attic and the garden, not knowing where I ought to be! Anyway as we're talking about stock for the garden layout, despite the fact that they're running on the attic layout, here's a short video of the 37s hauling the Cargowaggon before I take them downstairs and into their rightful place.

 

[chris]

12 hours ago, mick said:

I am quite pleased with how they've turned out and more so the fact that I've actually managed to accomplish a task that I'd set myself some time ago.

This one sentence describes the majority of the stuff I do with model railways.

[mick]

5 hours ago, chris said:

This one sentence describes the majority of the stuff I do with model railways.

I think it's remarkable that we're still here discussing layouts we started over a decade ago and as for unfinished projects, my 'to do' list turned the page a long time time ago. As an example I've just been up into the attic and unboxed a rake of EWS liveried OTA log wagons that I've had goodness knows how long. I will eventually get them up and running when I decide whether they should be loaded or not but at least they're now out of their boxes which is a start. I've also got some Cavalex BBA wagons which I'm hoping to get out onto Worsley Dale - they too have been unboxed and will suffice for some aluminium ingot traffic so that's more loads I have to make. It wouldn't be so much fun if everything was done and dusted.

[mick]

I've had the layout up and running again today mainly to make a video about the 37's and their rake of Cargowaggons/Ferryvans/IWA holdalls. As I've mentioned before, filming takes all the fun out of running trains for me and one of these days I'm just going to sit back and run something without aiming a camera towards them.

Before I could make a start I had this to sort out - looks like the pigeons have been at it again.

This time I've tried using a bit of sand and cement in the hope it will be stronger. I've tried it before but the small amount I need means it dries so quick giving you very little time to do anything with it. The aerated blocks suck the water from the mix so I had to use plenty of water on them beforehand. I'll see how it goes and if it dries okay I'll sand it level along the top. I've also found another section that's very loose and in danger of falling so I'm going to have to do something about that too.

Anyway, it was all about the 37s today and I gave them a decent run first to make sure they all stayed on the road. Fortunately they did, even the IWA Holdalls which I was a bit worried about. Here they are passing over Low Shott viaduct.

And here the train is just coming off the end of Stack Gill viaduct

I like this portrait format which shows the vegetation beneath the viaduct with the train passing on top.

Edited May 5, 2022 by mick

[mick]

The video of the 37s running earlier

 

[chris]

38 minutes ago, mick said:

This time I've tried using a bit of sand and cement in the hope it will be stronger. I've tried it before but the small amount I need means it dries so quick giving you very little time to do anything with it. The aerated blocks suck the water from the mix so I had to use plenty of water on them beforehand. I'll see how it goes and if it dries okay I'll sand it level along the top. I've also found another section that's very loose and in danger of falling so I'm going to have to do something about that too.

Have a go at re-enforcing it. Try drilling a hole vertically through the parapet and into the block below. Then put a rod of something rust proof in the hole and fill over the top. You've still got loads of earth wire from the twin and earth cable haven't you (I have), that'll do the trick.

[mick]

1 hour ago, chris said:

Have a go at re-enforcing it. Try drilling a hole vertically through the parapet and into the block below. Then put a rod of something rust proof in the hole and fill over the top. You've still got loads of earth wire from the twin and earth cable haven't you (I have), that'll do the trick.

Lots of earth wire! I'll see how the latest attempt feels tomorrow once it's had time to dry. I've never used mortar before so maybe it's what I should have used to begin with. We'll see.

Whichever type of grip adhesive I've used in the past it always tends to go pliable after a year or so and the birds just knock the walls over.

[mick]

It's been a busy afternoon on Worsley Dale with an unusually large selection of loco's in action. Normally I run one or two loco's and spend the day in pursuit of them trying to capture some video but today I just placed the camera at the end of Low Shott viaduct and allowed the trains to pass by, only turning the camera round depending on the direction of travel. Just for a bit of variety there were a few shots on the approach to Stack Gill viaduct too.

I've kind of spoilt some of the video by not having replaced the frog juicer on the sprung points nearest the shed after winter. Most loco's travel over without interruption but certain ones did stutter a bit which is evident on the video. In the end I had to replace it so it was out with the soldering iron, something I was trying to avoid until later.

The only actual photos I took were of 47715 'Haymarket' as it came off Stack Gill viaduct, mainly because I never even thought to take any until I'd more or less packed away so had to hurriedly grab a couple for use as video thumbnails.

 

[mick]

This afternoons running session with 11 different loco's in action

 

[Noisynoel]

Nice to see a wide variety of trains running Mick. I must admit, when I'm on my own I tend only to run 1 or 2 trains, but when I have people round it gets a tad more populated.