Scenic Progress

These two photos show some of the scenic progress made by team member Alan Pearson on board six, which has the exchange sidings, south of the station and just prior to entering the fiddle yard. The work Alan has recently put in is yielding some very impressive results, including the use of some natural material, along with an etched tree skeleton, suitably clad. Thanks Alan.
The trackwork looks rather bare without the Chris Mills hoppers filling the area!
This posting might well have been headed "is this 'N' gauge mister", thanks to Bachmann Farish products coming to the rescue on stock levels! The 3 car DMU belongs to Les Waters, and has just had 2mm Association replacement drop in wheelsets fitted. The class 24 on the left is mine, and was fitted likewise prior to last July's 50th bash at Oxford. The B1 has only recently arrived at Fence Houses, and is awaiting wheel reprofiling....... when I pluck up the courage! Well if Mick can do it on a 4MT, then I'll have a go too. Watch this space.
Ah well, back down the pit (what does he mean I hear you ask, well keep checking the blog and find out!)
Bob.

Low Lambton Farm Access Bridge

This slightly unusual bridge is situated just a few yards south of Penshaw North box, which featured in my last couple of postings. Well it seems unusual to me, because of the mix of masonry materials used. I'm guessing, but it looks like The North Eastern Railway built their side over the four track main and relief lines part in the more pleasing (and presumably expensive) stone, whereas the colliery lines made do with a more economical brick version for their part of the structure. As used on the previously mentioned signal box, Slater's Plastikard has been used for the brick and stone work. In reality the actual bridge metalwork seems to have been in two parts as well. Though indistinct, photographs appear to show a different design for the platework for the two sections. Again, the colliery span differs, and seems to be provided with fewer strengthening uprights on the sides. Regardless of this I've etched the whole span in one design as shown here. Note the colliery lines on the layout are to be out of sight under the embankment on this baseboard, and also partly out of sight on the two adjacent boards as well. One photo shows the situation without the removable embankment section in place. The other photos show the embankment in place. The colliery lines are diving down to pass under the main lines here, so that they are out of sight by the time the main lines reach Victoria viaduct, which caters for only the up and down lines. On the photo looking south along the lines, the track to Low Lambton Farm can be made out coming off the bridge on the right hand side, while on the left hand side you can see where we are to represent the actual Lambton railway colliery lines, lifted and abandoned. Apart from the bridge and masonry, it's obvious that much scenery and greenery has yet to be done, but we are getting there, and we should start using the electrostatic grass applicator soon. Some of you may be interested in the fine gauze type netting we have used to cover the polystyrene and removable embankment sections in. This was bought from Aldi about a year ago, and was sold as winter protection for vulnerable garden plants! Applied using pva glue (before and after laying in place), it sets and gives a finish when dry, a bit like fibre glass. Seems ideal for painting with enamel (nothing water based obviously due to the previous application of pva), and should be ideal for our requirements.
Happy New Year, Bob.

Penshaw North Box - The Dark Side

Like our nearest celestial neighbour, this is the side you wont ever see....... unless you are an operator on the layout peering over the top of the backscene.
Forgot to include this view in yesterday's posting, so two postings in two days!
Also forgot to include any build details in the previous missive. The whole thing, excluding the brick base supports is an etching in my normal 0.25mm thick nickel silver . The brick wall under the chimney in this shot is also part of the etch. The box itself comprises the main three layers, representing the front and rear 'sliding' windows (which don't) and the outer framework 'wood' parts. In addition at the top, is another overlay representing the barge boards and guttering. The main roof is half etched and rolled to shape prior to soldering on (slots and tabs for location). There is some internal detailing in progress, such as the lever frame, table and chair etc. but I have not yet started the glazing........ should be fun! After all this is finished the box will be permanently secured to the floor. There will be the operating wires to run down the inside of the wall of course, but I'm not sure how far we'll go with the point rodding yet. One of many detailing jobs that will need tackling sometime. All Handrails and posts are etched to shape. I know some people don't go for this as the sections come out square as opposed to round. The brick bases are in 4mm scale embossed brickwork Plastikard. I don't mind these scale deviations, as from NVD (normal viewing distance) they are hardly if ever noticed. Be honest, like the over scale brickwork, did you really notice the square handrails before I told you? If you did, bear in mind the enlargement of the photos. The four layer thick support girders for instance are 110mm long x 10mm high, and the brick supports are 40mm high. Drop the sizes down to these figures and take another look.
I've spent quite some time on the painting and weathering. Anyway, I pleased with it, though I'm no Mike Raithby!
No modelling yet today, as I've been out on the shovel again this morning in readyness for the weekly get together tomorrow. From upstairs it looked like just a cm thick, but when I tackled it it was more like 3cm, plus the ice my neighbours over the road had left me to clear up after their departure for the daily grind. It's so much harder to shift after it's been compacted!
Talking of tomorrow, we're hoping to get a first try with the two newly acquired ESU radio control handhelds for the ECoS. Another learning curve! At least we will be in the warmth of the house instead of the garage.
Bob.

Penshaw North Signal Box

The rather excessive snow around the North East having curtailed various other activities, has at least kept me fit with all the shovelling, and has enabled some progress to be made with the box. As an appeasement to the villagers of Penshaw and it's station (located between Fence Houses and Victoria viaduct), which have for space reasons been omitted from the layout, I have at least made a decent effort to model the overtrack signal box at the junction. The box spans four tracks here, and was kept busy even in the late 60's, according to one of the signalman, Neville Whaler.
Nev has sent me loads of photos of the box (one of himself at the controls is above), along with various shots of just some of the adjacent lattice signals. Lots of etching work to do now to get this lot incorporated on to the layout!
The box is not fully fitted yet, so still a few hours more work to do on all the bits and pieces, but nearly there.
Note the outside 'netty' (NE for toilet) and the little crane for hauling a bucket of coal up to the box. Apparently it was safer than going up and down the stairs!

Bob.

Oh Ballast!

It may seem from the lack of posts that nothing is being done......... far from it!
The first exhibition is now only 10 months away and we are under pressure, though enjoying it (well David will be when he finishes re-building his house).
We have now finished applying the track ballast, and are in the middle of cleaning up and making sure the trains will run again.
Some of the basic scenery has been applied, but there will be no more until we are fully finished on the trackwork/ballast. No point in hampering yourself by putting things in the way!
Happy modelling, Bob.

The shunting plank

Been a while since I posted, so for anyone who did not make it, here is a photo from Expo at Oxford.
Not mine, but one of Paul Martin's for which I have permission to show.
In order to get said permission I did agree to state:- "This awesome image created by the skill wit and judgement of master-photographer P. Martin Esq."
Thanks Paul!

Bob.

Fence Houses - The Full Monty!

Yesterday was a very momentous day for all concerned.
I agree with Nick, but then there's Gordon and David....... sorry I'll start again.
Late night watching part of the election results, then up early and out to Harrogate this morning for the Model Engineer's Show has taken it's toll!
Seriously, what a day we had yesterday (Thursday). After postponing the previous two days due to what turned out to be incorrect weather forecasts, we set about adding to the four baseboards I'd already set up under cover in the garage in readiness. Then came the drizzly rain, and a few cups of tea.....then lunch....then the first board....then more drizzle and plastic sheets, but finally some dry though dull weather. We decided to go for it.
All 14 baseboards went up as best we could, and we did well, considering the very unlevel area at the front of the house. Aldi's work stands are great, and will be even better when I install the height adjusters (screwed rod with knobs on) to the top rail.
Chris Mills plus wagons, then Mick and Yvonne all arrived to add to us lot (me, Les, Simon and David......'our' David that is, not the other one), and then the time came to turn the power on. Big fat Zero! Nothing but a dull red 'stop' light on the Ecos power unit.
What to do now? Fortunately Les had designed in some terminal block breaks on each board, and with Chris' help they soon isolated the problem area.
This was down to me. One red wire feed in a black position, and vice versa had the whole job stopped. Out with the soldering iron and five minutes later the red light had gone, and we were away!
Mick captured the first complete circuit on his mobile phone....see http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqxEbDtc0To and I've added a couple of stills here to record the event for posterity.
Still a very long way to go, but we are all really looking forward to bringing "the big test track" to Expo, so we can start learning how to operate it!

Bob.

Fence Houses layout plan

I'm posting the layout plan here for the first time. It's in three parts, which can be cut out and joined at 'A' and 'B', to give the full plan (38'-6" x 9'). Originally it was 'only' 37'-0"long, but we have extended board 6 by a further 18", and because of that, board 12 also to match. Most of the track layout worked as planned, but the final stretch before reaching the end board 7 just ran out of space.
With a layout this big, what does an extra 18" matter!
At the viaduct end, compare the plan with the photo from my posting of 25th February 2009.
A lot of the latest track used is Easitrac. On the previous post this is much in evidence, coupled to the F.H. etched chairplated pointwork system. There are quite a few 'one off' shaped turnouts on view and it has all worked out quite well.
Note the track at the ends of the boards is all soldered construction.

Bob.

2010 Expo 2mm

Seeing the name Fence Houses in the February 2mm magazine really brings it home. Less than 5 months to go and still so much to do! I've said from the start when asked to bring the layout to Oxford that it will not be finished, far from it, but at least we're on the final few boards now with the track laying and electric's. Finishing the Black 5 project meant I was not able to meet the target for completion of track laying by the end of 2009, but with a layout nearly 40ft long you can imagine how much is involved. Anyway, what we have is looking good, though by Expo time there will still be little scenic treatment started. As for the trackwork, how is it all wired then? Well as we all know, with DCC "it's only two wires". Oh really? Have a look at the underside photos of the main station board and judge for yourself! We have in total some 50 turnouts, diamonds and single slips on the layout, mostly now installed and wired up to my ESU Ecos controller, with it's 'touch screen' technology. Les Waters, one of the original F.H. team from the 'N' gauge version of 30 years ago, has all this is in his very capable hands, thank goodness! We are now using the point motor kits from South West Digital Ltd (usual disclaimer) http://www.southwestdigital.co.uk/ (click on point motor control) in conjunction with the ESU Switch Pilot Servo, and this is proving to be a very worthwhile investment, although for now we are leaving in position the Tortoise motors previously installed on the first couple of boards already wired up. It will be interesting to see the comparison over the coming months and years of operation! As can be seen, some of the SWD point motors are on top of the station board and will be out of sight behind the backscene when this is fitted later. We did this for ease of access for any adjustment in the initial setting up, and for any that may be necessary later. This location aspect also helped due to congestion of pointwork, especially at this northern end of the station area. At the southern end the four servos can be seen fitted underneath, with the decoder that operates them via the Ecos controller.
What you will see at Expo, will in effect be a giant test track, with the operating team very much on a learning curve. We shall be very pleased if it all just works without any serious mishap!
What we intend to attain eventually, will take a lot more time and effort.
'Completion' is planned to be in August 2011, at the 50th anniversary show of The North Eastern Railway Association. This is to be hosted by the Blyth club and will be held at North Shields, Tyneside. It promises to be a very special event indeed, as we have some quite iconic layouts (in various scales and periods from pre-grouping through to BR) in our sights!
Fence Houses then has a second outing at The Newcastle show (Gateshead International Stadium) in the following November. So, you can see that after the 2mm Expo, we have some breathing space to get into place the scenery, signals, buildings and all the other hundreds of things needed to 'complete' the project.
In 2012 the NE area group will be 30 years old, so we might even get an invite to that as well!
Mention of buildings reminds me. I intend to use at least for starters, the Plastikard buildings from the original 'N' gauge layout. Considering their age the condition is very good, and of course the time saved in using them will be most welcome!
We have amassed quite a few 'N' coaches now, some with turned down wheels (thanks Mick!), and even a few main line diesels and a couple of DMU's for conversion. Steam traction will be converted to DCC as time permits after the track laying is finished, and Chris Mills is very busy making what seems like thousand's of 21t hoppers and 16t minerals for us to borrow.
If anyone out there has a DCC loco they would like to see 'stretching it's legs', on what is probably going to be 'the biggest 2mm finescale layout in the world' (!) then make yourself known beforehand, and you may well find your offer accepted. On the day we intend to have a separate test track / loading gauge available to try things out prior to letting anything lose on the layout proper, just to be on the safe side!

Bob.

At last....... the Black 5

After many happy hours (!) here she is folks.
I'm still tweaking the last couple of pages of the instructions, but they've all been read and vetted by knowledgeable people, so they should be correct now! I was going cross eyed, as I read and re-read them so many times myself, I had to call for help!
A c.d. of the instructions (18 x A4 written pages and 110 sequence photographs on a further 14 pages) will be sent off (after Christmas now....... don't want them getting lost) to the relevant authorities, and the sets of artwork will be sent to the etchers within the next week.
The castings should be available by the time the etchings are ready, so it's all about to happen in the New Year.

Talking of which, all the best to modellers everywhere, for Christmas and 2010. See you at Expo in July!