Yes I am still adding engines and also continuing very slowly to ballast the new section of the layout. The latest acquisition is a Triang DMU converted to 3 rail operation. It didn’t cost very much which is a good thing as it is really a non runner. The motor works fine but with the coarse scale wheels and the insulation on one set there are only two wheels which can earth the current. As a result it goes off at speed then loses electrical contact and stops. I have tried adding weights to improve the position but that has made no difference. What it really wants is some metal wheeled bogies to replace the plastic ones on the second coach and wired to the motor bogie. However the bogies are riveted on and they would be difficult to remove. Must be another way but I haven’t thought of it yet.
Anyone out there got any advice? Why a DMU I hear you ask. The diesel that killed branchline steam I hear you say. Well the first reason is that I cannot afford the HD EMU which would have been number one on the list and the second is that the DMU was a significant addition to British Railways in the fifties. Yes they did replace branchline steam but they were also responsible for keeping these branch lines open for much longer than they would have been had they remained with steam. By this time the autotrains and the local small tanks were well past their sell by date and the coaching stock was mostly decrepid so they represented the best chance possible to keep these small branchlines open.
Another local train fare last Sunday and of course some more purchases. Bargain of the visit was a Dapol Midland region 4-4-0 in BR lined black with the number 40567. This has been “professionally” converted to 3 rail using a Marklin skid. It is tender drive, didn’t I state that I would never have another one, but goes very well, does not not de-rail and sounds OK. The lining on this loco is white unlike the normal red. I have a black and white picture of the prototype but can’t really make out the lining. I also added some trucks to fill up available siding space. Nothing too adventurous.
Dapol also produced this model in LMS Crimson Lake and SDJR Blue. It must be that Dapol was taken over by Hornby Hobbies as they produced models of the same engine. It is very plasticy but seems to run well so is an interesting and unusual addition to the loco fleet. I have posted some pictures.
Nothing else has really happened on the new layout since returning from vacation I must find some time to continue with the ballasting.
Back to the layout after a holiday (vacation) in California. I needed to get back into the swing of things so made a low bid on a re-painted and re-named Castle class loco. Amazingly my low price won the auction so now I have added Athenley Castle to my loco stock. It arrived today in very good condition and a good runner although I have added a small peice of foam under the front bogies to prevent them de-railing. Seems to work, but very little running has been done so far. I have also bought some more gey ballast so can continue to ballast the “six feet” when I get the time. There is some steam train driving to be done over Easter so it will probably have to wait. I have posted some pictures of the new acquisition in the 2005 album.
Now that I am pretty sure that the running tracks are as good as they can be I have started adding some scenery. There are two fields with cows, horses and since the photos were taken, sheep and pigs. The “6 Feet” (that is the name given to the distance between the two running tracks – which are the “4 feet”) has started to be given its ballast. As it is grey it really doesn’t show on the pictures. The engine siding has been ballasted but not yet finished and the road through the siding has been picked out. There is now a level crossing leading away from the coal sidings. Progress has been slow but part of that is due to the freezing temoeratures which makes the PVC glue slow to set and can leave it white rather than colourless. Anyway who wants to hurry it – as its fun and anyway I have run out of all ballast material. All work will cease whilst we are away for two and a half weeks but I am fairly happy with the effect. It must be remembered that this is a toy train layout meant to be run not a model railway with excellent prototypical scenery etc. It has to be that way because I have never seen a proper railway with a third rail running along the middle. Pictures have been posted in the 2005 album.
I have posted two pictures of the recent acquisition of a much modified HD 0-6-2T N2 tank engine. Basically somebody has taken a HD N2 and cut out the boiler and replaced it with a cylinder to act as the new boiler. Having done this it requires a horseshoe magnet chassis to fit into the space that is left. Hopefully the pictures, which are unfortunately slightly out of focus, should show the gap under the boiler compared to the standard HD offering. The pictures also show that it is unpainted and does have some detailing added – is that an oiler that is on the RHS side of the engine. I think the body is interesting and probably deserves to be painted however the chassis is a disaster. It is a non runner, the wheels are green on one side, black on the other and also out of alignment so they wobble about if were able to run. I have checked and a standard non horshoe magnet chassis will not fit. So there are some choices:
1 Remove the armiture, make it a non runner and tow it behind an engine as being on its way between works
2 Repair the chassis turm it into a runner, leave it unpainted and have it running light engine between works
3 Repair and repaint. I am currently very undecided as to which option to take. Probably I ought to go for option 3, but that could be difficult and expensive.
I have also posted one picture of the New Town which has sprung up on the new extension. It now requires a road, cars and people but at least the process has started.
The two running lines have been screwed down and the running is very good. The 2-6-4T’s with their foam inserts run well as does everything else including the Co-Co. The Co-Co however will not enter the sidings without de-railing so not everything is sorted by a long way.
Anyone out there got a 0-6-2T horseshoe chassis which they are willing to sell?
For those of you who have read the comments you will know that Nigel Clark advised me to add a small peice of sponge foam under the front bogie of the 2-6-4T to prevent it de-railing. I did this on 80033 last night and it worked a treat, so I followed it with 80054 and today I also added the magic foam to the Wrenn bodied one. Actually this still had a problem when shunting so I might have to modify it a little but it ran well on the main line. In fact you can easily see that the foam stops the bogie from bouncing high enough to derail but does not prevent it from rounding the curves etc. A little more trial and error is necessary but I think that I am on a winner.
A local toy and train fair was visited on Sunday, resulting in two 3 rail ventilated vans, 5 full length straights and a strange N2 loco. I will post on this laters when I have taken some pictures, the problem being that it is both a non runner and non painted, but of course it was very cheap. I am still looking for a running A4 chassis so that I can get my wrongly painted Sir Nigel running again, however everything I have seen so far as complete locos are silly prices. for the purpose I want.
I have posted three more pictures of the general layout.
Today I started screwing down the new running tracks. Even being very careful and running “sensitive” locos after every couple of screw had been put in it still turned into a de-railing nightmare. I think that this old track benefits to some extent by have the flexibility of being loose laid but also has the problem that after many circuits some of the rails especially on the curves begin to part causing their own problems. So its a dilemma. I have decided to screw down the running lines but only every other rail or so and leave the sidings loose at the moment. Not sure that this is where I will end up but its a good place to start.
I haven’t yet got hold of the conductive paint as suggested by Nigel Clark to improve the running of the two rail conversions but I am going to give it a try as soon as I have the paint. Otherwise there has been very little running for the sake of it, its all been done to make sure that the track is as good as possible. It does seem that the phantom de-railer is still at work as 80054 amnd its train happily went round for about 10 minutes with no problems and then popped off its front bogie on one of the diamond crossings. How do you ever solve that sort of problem. Its just as likely that its the loco as it is the track. I have 4 2-6-4T’s of which one always derails its bogie, two never do (so far) and one does occasionally. I have also had instances of the Dutchess class locos (HD and Wrenn) derailing their tender – this does seem to be a track problem as careful re-alignment seems to have stopped it. The probbies continue but its interesting to say the least.
This picture is a bit of a hoot now that I have really looked at it. It was taken by the boy prior to Chrissy and the new locos and whilst I was still running in the track. That probably explains the carriage that is lying on its side! No criticism of the splicing but we do have a phantom carriage dissappearing into the track at one point, two printers and a picture of me adjusting my shiny (nickname for a cheap anorack for working in the workshop. Lots of other bits but overall interesting I think. Good reference for later work on the layout.
Its wet, cold and very miserable weather – ideal to be in the workshop working on the layout or just playing with the trains. The test running is continuing and mostly everything is just about OK. There are still some de-coupling and jumped bogies but there always will be with track and rolling stock around 50 years old. The next job is to put some additional side bits on the new extension as the rails come very close to the edge of the board and any de-railment would mean a 4ft fall to the floor. Having done that I think that it will be time to screw the track down. This can be a very dodgy process as there is a tendency to slightly move the rails as you do it so further track testing will be necessary as this process continues.
I am very well pleased with all the new acquisitions as they look and run well. I also bought some cardboard kits for new buildings so another job to add to the many already. There is also a Train Fair this coming Sunday so the temptation to add some freight wagons will be high. I need some to add to the goods siding. I also need another BR (W) superdetailed carriage and perhaps another Pullman just to complete the current trains, prior to new additions of complete trains. 80033 runs well but I have to run it bunker first as it derails its front bogie on either the up or down line. As I have several other 2-6-4Ts which do not then there must be a problem with this particular loco but its not easy to solve. So for the moment its bunker first and no de-railing problems. A problem for the future.
Now thats a unique title, but true. The Trix Lilliput Mallard was sold by Mike King over the holidays. I think that I made a small profit on it but the tender drive drove me mad and the fact that there was little weight in the loco itself meant that it was a de-railing nightmare. It was converted by Mike back to 2 rail prior to the sale. It was in nice boxed condition so I think that the new owner will be pleased. Anyway I now have some cash for further acquisitions which makes life interesting.
