GWR/LMS OO Gauge DCC RR&Co

[user=34]Ken[/user] wrote:

All the scenes look very authentic John and simply ooze realism.   Very well done.

Ken

Thanks Ken…….glad you like it…….Hope you have a great Christmas:cheers

[user=31]sparky[/user] wrote:

A yea from me.:thumbs

Thanks Reg…….that seems to be the majority view elsewhere………..I guess Mr Palethorpe has got a reprieve;-)

Have a Great Christmas:cheers

[user=878]Gary[/user] wrote:

Great series of photos John. There is life in all of them making Granby a busy place. The terraced houses, goods shed office and the Palethorpes Sausages sub depot all look good. :thumbs

Merry Christmas and best wishes for the new year. :cheers

Cheers, Gary.

Thanks Gary……much appreciated as are the seasonal greetings:cheers    and a Merry Christmas to you too……I guess I only just got that in time….it will be Christms Eve when you read this…..how time flies!

[user=477]shunter1[/user] wrote:

I love it all John.Busy looking scenes with plenty of character.Loads of railway with those brick terraced buildings and Warehouses plus Railway essentials.
Have a great festive season with all your family and 2015 will be an excellent vintage year.
Cheers,
Derek.

Hi Derek…….thanks for the kind words and good wishes. My very best to you and Axeingholm for both Christmas and the New Year. I hope your health continues to improve and that Axeingholm flourishes without any further pruning:cheers

[user=1338]Ed[/user] wrote:

Great attention to detail John, really like it  :thumbs

I remember seeing barriers around petrol pumps, but when and where escapes me.

The black and white picture of the Dukedog is particularly atmospheric.

Looking forward to more in the new year.

Merry Christmas.


Ed

Thanks Ed…….I was quite intrigued when I saw the barriers photographed in the book……you just knew that some accident or accidents had caused that instruction to be sent out:shock:

Glad you like the Black and White Dukedog…..I will try and do more in 2015….I think they suit the black and grimy 1947/8 I am trying to portray

Have a great Christmas:cheers

[user=6]Petermac[/user] wrote:

Another corner done up to your usual very high standard John. :thumbs:thumbs

I've said many times before that it's not really the layout that sets Granby above many others, it's the details and this corner is no exception. 

A small are but so much to look at and study without even casting an eye over the "train bit".  The quoins on the stable block are super as is the little fuel pump scene.

Regarding the sausage depot ……….my only comments are that, from France, the fall pipe on the left looks a little "hefty" and, along with what others have said, some dirt would look great.  I wouldn't give a thought to whether Mr Palethorpe ever had such outposts.

Had you been modelling the 60's or 70's, you could have installed a hot dog stall for it to service ……..

Our very best greetings of the season to you and to Doreen - have a great Christmas and a very Happy New Year. :cheers

Thanks Peter as always you are very kind……I must confess I particularly enjoy creating these little cameos that, hopefully, collectively present some sort of overall picture of life over 60 years ago

You are right, of course, about the sausage shed……when I started to have second thoughts I just plonked it down as is without doing any more work……its had a reprieve so I will get the brush and powders out in the New Year. You are also quite correct about the thickness of the drain pipe  (fall must be a Yorkshire expression like sill!;-)) I rummaged around in my bits box (es) but maybe I should have stuck with Wills:oops:  Perhaps the weathering will slim it down if not I will replace it

Thanks for you both for your good wishes. Doreen and I hope that you and Liz have a wonderful Christmas and a heakthy and prosperous New Year:cheers

Quite  a few of my New Years Resolutions have already taken a bit of a  beating……….including regular updates with much improved  photos……..as I post this in the first week of February

My  modelling time in January has been spent on maintenance and trying to  fine tune some of my automatic routines (read playing with the trains)  and I always find it more difficult to post about this than when I am  focussed on a tangible project.  


New Year……change  of Company…..change of Colour……..not a Pannier in sight.  The  Granby-Chester-Birkenhead line is of course jointly operated by GWR and  LMS.


3205  3F 0-6-0 passing the GWR goods warehouse n its way from Stafford to Birkenhead Docks


I  think this is a superb model and its only defect is the absence  of  tender pick ups which results in occasional indifferent performance.  Some two years after getting the model I finally added the pick ups in  January……….you can unfortunately see part of one in this shot.
As many of you know,I  operate Granby with RR&Co computor control and am slowly building  up a series of automatic routines which will eventually be linked  together in a time table.


One of the routines involves a  suburban commutor service between Granby and Birkenhead (storage). I am  definitely looking forward to the newly announced Hornby coaches but  right now I have to make do with a set of 3 Bachmann corridor coaches  and the a second set of Dapol (ex Airfix) non corridors 


Its  quite a complicated routine involving a lot of coupling and uncoupling  (Kadees and Magnets) at both terminii…….both of which are  hidden…..the Roof at Granby and the Storage foreground at "Birkenhead"  . There are four locos involved and its a bit like dealing with our  Wheeton Terriers trying to get them all to behave properly.


Here is an Ivatt 2-6-2T backing the corridor stock into the bay carriage siding




One  of the many reasons why Granby moved from 1947 to 1948……. only 6  were outshopped in LMS livery…….and by a happy chance 2 were sent to  Granby!




I  guess this model is at least 15 years old……super runner…..weighs a  ton…..split chassis……total pain to chip with all that valve gear


The other loco involved couldnt be more different………the Lanky Tank




I  think the detailing is superb …….I wanted the really good crew to match the  interior and then when I made my mind up Monty's sold out of the pair I  wanted…..high on my to do list. You can see the re numbering but it is  far less obvious than on the second Ivatt


Both locos  bring back childhood memories…….there were a number of Lankies at  Southport and I am pretty sure that the Ivatts were used to haul the the  three through coaches from Southport to jine the Liverpool -Euston  train………the twice daily passage of a STEAM train used to cause  much excitement to those brought up on a diet of Electric trains!  


So I will finish with a bit more nostalgia




ps Sorry about the random Bolds……spent ages failing to correct it:oops:

Some great images there John. I would find it very difficult to do anything else other than run trains I'm afraid. Granby looks like a dream to operate. So many interesting features and routes to lose yourself in.

:thumbs:thumbs:thumbs

Feel free to give us more of the same;-)

Cheers

Toto

GWR and LMS sounds like a plan to me. Looking forward to continuing progress.

Thank you for sharing your journey from the first entry.

[user=1505]toto[/user] wrote:

Some great images there John. I would find it very difficult to do anything else other than run trains I'm afraid. Granby looks like a dream to operate. So many interesting features and routes to lose yourself in.

Cheers

Toto

Thanks Toto….glad you liked the shots……..got some new lighting for Christmas and I think it helps……I am determined to use Photoshop Elements to better effect…….right now its just    Smart Fix     Crop      Resize     Sharpen………………..layers and background are a total mystery to me.

Not sure about a dream to operate…….more often a night mare…….I often wish I had spent as much time as you have on the track plan……….I have three choke points which are a total pain and the less said about some of my track laying the better :oops:

They say nothing can beat on the job experience……..certainly tru in my case…….Granby IV  would be brilliant…….and a dream to operate for sure……….but it aint going to happen…….the axe is well hidden:lol:

[user=1752]Andreas Jodner[/user] wrote:

GWR and LMS sounds like a plan to me. Looking forward to continuing progress.

Thank you for sharing your journey from the first entry.

Thanks Andreas

Glad you liked it…….hope you didnt attempt to wade through the whole thing:shock:……it tends to wander about a bit. Nevertheless I have enjoyed writing it and I do appreciate all the feedback I have received over the years

Regards from a very very wet Vancouver (123mm today:roll:)

The new locos are lovely John.

The trade are producing some wonderful models for the LMS and particularly the Southern at the moment. Less so for the LNER and particularly so for the GWR.  How times have changed 

[user=401]pnwood[/user] wrote:

The new locos are lovely John.

The trade are producing some wonderful models for the LMS and particularly the Southern at the moment. Less so for the LNER and particularly so for the GWR.  How times have changed 

Thanks Nick.

I guess its swings and roundabouts……particularly with the work horses. We did get the Dukedog and the new 14xxs from Hattons look pretty good……..but I do wish someone would do a Dean Goods…….Ive given up trying to get one to work satisfactorily with that horrible tender drive quite apart from the equally horrible traction tyres……:twisted:

There is some talk of Bachmann redoing either the Manor or Mogul chassis……I do hope that happens……I have both……they must be be nearly 20 years old……..as they perform so well they are used a lot and I know the plastic bushes will go sooner rather than later. I have already had to cannibalise a couple of other locos.

Kind Regards

Lovely stuff John,Some great looking loco,s working on your railway.
Thanks for the photo,s
Derek.

[user=434]John Dew[/user] wrote:

[user=401]pnwood[/user] wrote:

The new locos are lovely John.

The trade are producing some wonderful models for the LMS and particularly the Southern at the moment. Less so for the LNER and particularly so for the GWR.  How times have changed 

Thanks Nick.

I guess its swings and roundabouts……particularly with the work horses. We did get the Dukedog and the new 14xxs from Hattons look pretty good……..but I do wish someone would do a Dean Goods…….Ive given up trying to get one to work satisfactorily with that horrible tender drive quite apart from the equally horrible traction tyres……:twisted:

 

John
The Dukedog is a fantastic model I agree, mine is rapidly becoming a favourite. I have a 48xx on pre-order and a 64xx so perhaps on reflection us GWR modellers are not doing too bad for locos after all. Coaching stock is a different matter though.

I agree about the Dean Goods, one of the most iconic o-6-o tender locos on the GWR and the drive is a right pigs ear!. I have a high level nickel silver chassis kit for the Hornby / Mainline Dean Goods that I can't find the courage (yet) to have a go at. I need a sustained period of staring at the box to go "what the heck……I'll take the plunge"  :lol:         The kit gets rid of the tender drive and puts the motor in the firebox. Apparently haulage capacity won't be great as it doesn't leave much room for any extra weight but it would only have to pull a couple of coaches or half a dozen wagons on Much Murkle so it doesn't really matter too much. One day!!!

[user=401]pnwood[/user] wrote: 

John
  I have a 48xx on pre-order and a 64xx so perhaps on reflection us GWR modellers are not doing too bad for locos after all. Coaching stock is a different matter though.

Snap and Snap!:lol: and  I couldnt agree more about the need for updated coaches,

I agree about the Dean Goods, one of the most iconic o-6-o tender locos on the GWR and the drive is a right pigs ear!. I have a high level nickel silver chassis kit for the Hornby / Mainline Dean Goods that I can't find the courage (yet) to have a go at. I need a sustained period of staring at the box to go "what the heck……I'll take the plunge"  :lol:         The kit gets rid of the tender drive and puts the motor in the firebox. Apparently haulage capacity won't be great as it doesn't leave much room for any extra weight but it would only have to pull a couple of coaches or half a dozen wagons on Much Murkle so it doesn't really matter too much. One day!!!  

I wish you luck……having seen some of your work I am sure you will make a splendid job of it……of course the danger you run is that the day you finish it ……Bachmann/Heljan/Hattons will announce a new release…….;-)

Cheers

 G`day John,

 Beautifully presented locos John…..they are the bees knees!!!. and well photographed too..

 Have you tried tender pick ups that wipe the top of the wheel as opposed to the back. I did it years ago on a Mainline Manor and the pick ups were invisible and it worked really well. I just sold it recently on the Bay.

 Lovely layout John…..it`s a pleasure to visit for inspiration every now and then.

:cheers Gormo

 

[user=477]shunter1[/user] wrote:

Lovely stuff John,Some great looking loco,s working on your railway.
Thanks for the photo,s
Derek.

Hi Derek

Good to hear from you……Glad you liked the photos…….I thought that you, amongst others, would appreciate some black locos for a change ;-)

Best wishes from a very wet Vancouver

[user=1224]gormo[/user] wrote:

 G`day John,

 Beautifully presented locos John…..they are the bees knees!!!. and well photographed too..

 Have you tried tender pick ups that wipe the top of the wheel as opposed to the back. I did it years ago on a Mainline Manor and the pick ups were invisible and it worked really well. I just sold it recently on the Bay.

 Lovely layout John…..it`s a pleasure to visit for inspiration every now and then.

:cheers Gormo

 

Hi Gormo

Thank you……thats very kind of you:thumbs

Thats a good idea with the wipers……less friction and of course less chance of them fouling the spokes……..I will give it a try next time……although in truth all the new locos have tender pick up now…….but now I come to think of it I do have a Manor???

Kind Regards

Operating has come to bit of a halt. The Lenz DCC Controller/Throttle stopped working .  My attempts at repair (replacing the cord) have not been successful, in  fact, they may have made things worse! What was a sick or resting  parrot is quite possibly now a dead parrot .

I cant have my diagnosis confirmed because the sole Lenz repair  technician in the whole of North America is away on a trip until mid  March . Tony's Trains have been very helpful and understanding but they are out of stock of a replacement until at least Mid February.

I can still run trains, throw points etc through the computor with  RR&Co but the controller is useful for day to day movements and I do  need it to programme some decoders.  So all in all……a bit  tiresome…..and expensive.


Lots of time now, and no excuses, to press on with modelling the strip on the North end of the station







The plan was to fill the space between the Parcels Depot with terraced  houses and a Pub. I was a bit uncertain how the space would work out  ……I am very poor at visualising………so, before Christmas, I  built a trial run of Scalescene Small Terraced Houses







I got too far into the build before I realised I hadnt taken any photos.  If I am honest I am now rather relieved. I have to confess this  building only barely makes a pass grade.


 I guess its a case of pride comes before a fall ……having built a  couple of Warehouses and the big Roof and Station I thought this would  be a breeze


I found the build extraordinarily difficult and in addition to the more  obvious flaws there is a nasty 2mm gap at the back where I failed to get  the gable ends to mate properly 




I am not certain what I did wrong but its some consolation that John  (Brossard), a fellow Canadian and far better modeller than I, said he  had a similar problem at the back.
 

I always said this would be a warts and all thread:) 


Before moving on ……note the boarded up windows in the end house above











John Wiffen has produced some alternative sheets for the end gable thus  providing me with a perfect time stamp for 1947/8 and now I come to  think about it…..a rather feeble excuse for the c**p build. :)









Doug (Dooferdog/Chubber) did a brilliant cameo of a bomb site with a  supported wall which by coincidence re surfaced on YMR quite recently. I  remember being very impressed with it at the time and filed it away for  future use.









As I said its a perfect time stamp for 1948…….the sites were semi  cleared…..some piles of brick remained….weeds and even small trees  and shrubs appeared. Perfect playground for kids……in fact I used to  play cricket on just such a site.


Its astonishing the varied effect a bomb blast can have…..in 1947 we  moved into a house that had been repaired by the War Damage  Commission…..there were a few similar houses….. others with no  apparent damage (I guess they had new windows!) and others totally  flattened…..those sites were still empty 10 years later……..and all  from one land mine!
  

So here is the site of this months project





I have made a bit of a start with the Bomb site……which also provides a convenient viewing lane on to the railway.

After the site, two more terraced houses which I will record and get right this time :) and finally the Scalescene Pub

Regards from a very damp Vancouver