GWR/LMS OO Gauge DCC RR&Co

The ideal way to shoot John, if your camera allows it, is manually, with everything set as we discussed in an earlier post, once this is done, all is needed is to focus and by looking at your camera meter, turn a wheel to adjust the shutter speed until the marker in the meter is centre, BUT!……some camera's don't have this facility, having said that, these new shots are much better than the last grainy ones ;-)

Thanks Phil……glad you approve. I guess it s pretty dumb of me not to have worked out the implications of auto ISO:oops:
I will try shooting manual assuming I have the exposure gizmo….I will check


Cheers

Those latest shots look a tad dark to me ,but i am no expert.  The atmosphere on the layout is wonderful John .,  a touch of magic . :thumbs

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

Those latest shots look a tad dark to me ,but i am no expert.  The atmosphere on the layout is wonderful John .,  a touch of magic . :thumbs

Thanks Reg glad you like it………..I guess I am trying to reproduce the look of dark satanic mills! :lol:………but you may well be right…..I dont have a lighting rig and I havent yet had a chance to get to Ikea and follow up on Max's suggestion………its on the to do list

Cheers

John

Having passed a variety of running tests the ballast on the branch junction has been permanised.

Cynwyd East Signal box and its associated signals are now back in place.

The original track and ground cover were laid ten years ago. Trying to blend in the new cover was something of a challenge



This has nothing to do with the narrative but I dont believe I have shown the Mikes Models token apparatus before.  I couldnt resist this shot of Dai Hughes, relief signalman, replacing the Bersham token on the bullhorn (hopefully I have used all the correct terms)






Okay back to the script…….here is a shot of the newly replaced signal box, lamp hut and signals taken from the other side of the canal.




So thats it……job done.

For a glimpse of the next stage of the project the camera has to turn through 180o  to the other corner of the room






The Parcel depot and a row of terraced houses which conceal the lower level storage sidings





The hidden sidings seemed a good idea at the time. However with two insulfrog double slips they have turned out to be over complicated. Despite the strategically placed peepholes, automatic operation has proved to be somewhat fraught

Time for a rethink









Having just survived the blitz the poor housewife in the blue dress has now temporaly lost her washing line.

Panning round to the station …….hopefully the Austin 7 has good brakes




This busy street scene will have to be lifted clear so that the second double slip can be removed

Lots to do…….when complete I hope to finish up with two parallel smooth running storage sidings……each siding divided into three separate detected blocks……..thus, in addition to the auto train and diesel rail car that are currently stabled there, I will be able to store and operate 4 additional trains on the lower level. No complicated manouveres in the hidden sidings but plenty of opportunity for automated shunting in the open


So here is a look into the future as the Pick up goods (hopefully hauled by a Dean Goods) passes over the lower lock at Richard's Wharf basin





Regards from Vancouver where thankfully it is a little cooler and the smoke from the forest fires has cleared

Thanks, John.

Very enjoyable.   :cool:

It is good to see that change happens on other railways outside of the D&S.

Nice work John and the pictures are much better now too  ;-)

You mentioned signalman Dai Hughes…it brings to mind a BBC sitcom back in the 50's called Davy Jones' locker, all about  Dai Jones and his escapades at Dowlais Top signal box, (four miles from where I live) I can't find any info about it on the net!

Lovely atmosphere on your layout John. :thumbs

Thanks for the comments guys……glad you liked the post :thumbs

Ron…I dont think I am approaching the level of track relaying  on the D&S…….it always amazes me how quickly you get your projects started and finished……..I have been mulling over this for about 2 years.

Hopefully it wont take that long to complete :roll:

Cheers

Hi John  Wow very nice lay out. Look, s great. Very nice pictures.Please keep us up date.
Best of Luck from South Wales U.K.

Noviceman.

And the same here John, four miles from Noviceman (Merthyr Tydfil) which is half a mile from Dowlais Top which I mentioned in my last post…..small world  ;-)
 Phil

Absolutely oozing atmosphere as ever John.  :thumbs

There's so much detail in Granby that I often miss things first time around so have to go back and take a second, or third, look.  Then, when I do a recap, there's yet more bits I missed.  Heaven knows how you picture it all - or do you work from photographs……………… :roll: :roll: :roll:

It's a small world Phil - I was in your neck of the woods last week - Nant Garw & Taff's Well to be precise - can't be too far away from you.  A quick in and out otherwise I'd have popped in for a cuppa (and maybe a look at the odd shotgun ………)

Hi phil Silly Question had you seen Google search information Dowlais top signal box.
WWW.SRS org U.K. HTML GWP S 2233 HMT.

History Alan George Old Merthyr Tydfil  WWW. Alan George Co U.K.Dowlais Top Station HTM
Historical Photograph, s

U.Tube WWW Living 3000 Co U.K. Search Dowlais

Merthyr Tydfil Libuary Historical Photograph, s & Information Rail Nett Works, 

Rail Contract, s for Gest Keen Steel. ICI Chemical, s. NCB Coal.  Fruit Supply, s. Coach Travel.
Closed 1962.

Best of Luck.

Noviceman.

Thanks for all the comments guys.

So the plan outlined two weeks ago was intended to be a simple relay to create better use of the lower level storage sidings. :lol:



It involved replacing the double slip seen above with two turnouts…..one for the storage sidings and the other providing access to the brewery.


Renovations never go entirely to plan and this was no exception




I was able to keep one of the slip tortoises to power the brewery turnout but my plan to relocate and use the second tortoise didnt work out.

So once again I had to revert to a board mounted Peco motor and a frog polarity switching unit was hastily ordered from DCC Conceptst



The new storage sidings actually worked as planned……..the outer, longer loop divided into three blocks each able to accommodate a 5-6 wagon goods train.

So now the branch will be served by a pick up goods, a short coal train straight from the colliery and a cattle train………..so at long last the cattle dock at Cynwyd built 2009 will have a train to serve it…………assuming I can find the box of half assembled Coopercraft wagon kits……last seen….about 2009




The inner loop has been divided into two short blocks and a longer block in the centre. One short block will accommodate the Diesel rail car and the other the autotrain. Both these blocks  have sufficient space for their designated train with the addition of a Siphon or two wagons and a brake van so I can run the occasional mixed train.

The centre block will probably have a roundy roundy coal train…….I have started digging out and repairing some of my discarded stock

So thats it……done and dusted. I need to write some RR&Co schedules and do a lot of testing….particularly stop and brake distances and then the covers and parcel depot can go back in place.

The next project is kind of unplanned but already in hand…….

This is the brewery circa 20010


   
I have never been entirely satisfied with it. However using the old army mantra of prioritising projects into Must do,Should do and Could do…….. two weeks ago the brewery was probably halfway down the could do list.

To access and replace the double slip one or two brewery buildings and track had to be temporarily removed.

One thing led to another







And now the brewery has climbed to the top of the Must do list!

More next week…….regards from a hot and sunny Vancouver

It amazes me John how you still come up with modelling space  :)

In this case it was demolition!:lol:
John

I've really enjoyed catching up with progress on Granby. What a wonderful atmosphere this place has. It is the buildings that make it… I love the station and am inspired to tackle The Roof myself.

Thanks Mike……glad you like it.
Should you decide to have a go at building the roof or its smaller version let me know…….there are a few things I would do differently if I built it again

Best wishes

John

I'll definitely be building it, John, thank you for the offer. I have already followed your build and seen your learnings as you went, but any advice would be more than welcome. Mine will be smaller (N Gauge) and not as long, as I'm modelling just the very front part of the station. The roof will therefore be hiding the fiddle-yard entry point.