GWR/LMS OO Gauge DCC RR&Co

David, Tony and Keith

Thank you so much for those kind words….much appreciated…….Modelling alone, as I do, comment of any description good or bad is invariably a great motivator.

Keith…..the blue polythene is still there hiding the shambles the station has become but I am now quite adept at photo cropping :lol:

 :cheers

John

We're close to a national park and we get regular burning off. We still get fires though; probably set by some *^&£.

Hi John Chinchilla bathing sand is ideal for your needs it's super fine almost like powder thats if it's available in your part of the world.

Bob

I've just been doing some catching up on Granby John.

Doing so works wonders whenever I need to rekindle my modelling desires.  I'm currently still desperately frustrated by not having a "railway home" although fortunately, that will be changing this autumn …………..

Not only is Granby a masterpiece in modelling but it's also a masterpiece in my kind of modelling.  As you know, I'm a huge fan of "northern" steam era grime and Granby depicts exactly that - perfectly.

Each of your photographs contains so much detail, and all so very accurately, that I sometimes wonder if you live in a time-warp and can actually visit the post war era rather than just imagining it.  Your modelling is wonderful but your ability to capture the atmosphere so brilliantly is uncanny.

Every time I do a "catch up" I'm both fired up and frustrated because I can't "get on" myself - yet.

The new shed area is coming on in leaps and bounds - it's fantastic work !!  It will be my inspiration when I start Maxmill 2, hopefully during next winter.   :cheers

[user=2126]81C[/user] wrote:

Hi John Chinchilla bathing sand is ideal for your needs it's super fine almost like powder thats if it's available in your part of the world.

Bob

Hi Bob

Thank you

Thats definitely a new one for me. I am now drying out some kiddies play sand  prior to sieving through Doreen’s finest* tea strainer. *I hasten to add “finest “ in terms of mesh not value……I know my place!

If that doesnt work its off to the pet shop….

Best wishes

John

Petermac wrote:

I've just been doing some catching up on Granby John.

Doing so works wonders whenever I need to rekindle my modelling desires.  I'm currently still desperately frustrated by not having a "railway home" although fortunately, that will be changing this autumn …………..

Not only is Granby a masterpiece in modelling but it's also a masterpiece in my kind of modelling.  As you know, I'm a huge fan of "northern" steam era grime and Granby depicts exactly that - perfectly.

Each of your photographs contains so much detail, and all so very accurately, that I sometimes wonder if you live in a time-warp and can actually visit the post war era rather than just imagining it.  Your modelling is wonderful but your ability to capture the atmosphere so brilliantly is uncanny.

Every time I do a "catch up" I'm both fired up and frustrated because I can't "get on" myself - yet.

The new shed area is coming on in leaps and bounds - it's fantastic work !!  It will be my inspiration when I start Maxmill 2, hopefully during next winter.   :cheers

Hi Peter

Once again thank you so much for such an encouraging post. You are undoubtedly one of my most enthusiastic supporters.

I suppose at my age one is always in a time warp……my daughters certainly seem to think so!
Granby reflects little of my childhood memories….I was brought up in Crosby and Formby….villages developed into suburbs with the building of the Electric train service between Liverpool and Southport…….not a satanic mill in sight!

I think the biggest influence is the time I spent in my early twenties when I worked in Leeds, Oldham and Manchester. Which is perhaps why Granby looks more like a Pennine town than Wrexham! I guess all the Lowry prints above the layout exercise a subliminal influence as well.

I am so pleased that you will be starting Maxmill II in the fall….that is splendid news. It must have been incredibly frustrating not having a home for that wonderful collection of buildings you have assembled….. quite apart from all the stock.

I hope you are going to start a thread. Doreen and I are both intrigued as to the layouts new home. The outbuildings seemed to have lots of potential but the reno costs sounded prohibitive…..whatever…… we are both delighted and look forward to more news

Best wishes

John

This is a rather happy conclusion to the saga of my Oxford Dean Goods.

Shipment of the original order was delayed……when it arrived in Mid April it proved to be a non runner.After a fair amount of correspondence it was sent back to Oxford for repair. When it was returned in late May/early June it turned out to be still a non runner. After being returned to Oxford again they sent me a new replacement. I wouldnt give it 10/10 for performance…….there is a video a few posts back……..but it will pass muster on the Down goods circuit.

So almost 9 months later it was time to set up the loco for service on Granby.

Here is a rather out of focus shot of the loco straight out of the box






 

And a rather better shot…… after the treatment














I confess that I am apt to over-weather but in this case feel its more than justified. A Dean work horse built in 1893 with a last possible repaint in 1934, would undoubtedly look very grimy in 1948. 


After the weathering, lamps were added





Crew, fire irons and coal






 I will concede the individual lumps of coal are a tad over large. However a splendid photo in the annals of the Warwickshire Railway proves the Hornby style coal pile is quite prototypical!

 
In any event I had no choice it conceals a rather large Lenz Standard Decoder.





And a change of number.

 Engraved number plates certainly improve RTR models. In this case I had no option. The model was originally numbered 2475. This locomotive was requisitioned by the government in 1939 and was shipped to France with the British Expeditionary Force. She did not return.

 On the other hand, in 1946, 2449 was allocated to Oswestry Shed.    
 

I managed to remember to re number the buffer beam





While I had the transfers out, I corrected Hornby's error in positioning numbers on the rear buffer beam of my 72xx



Bit of topic drift but I do like the photo!




To finish Dean Goods 2449 in 1948

Absolutely brilliant photos John 👍🏼👍🏼

Hi John,

 I'm on a rather choppy cross channel car ferry back to France, having spent a splendid weekend in Swindon at the Great Western Railway Steam museum, complete with a large model railway exhibition, live steam road vehicles and real ale tent.

I just had to add my congratulations to how your Dean Goods is now looking. Top stuff and yes, I saw the prototype, amongst others in Swindon!

Speak soon, best,

Bill

You've worked some magic there John. The Dean Goods looks OK even if it doesn't run as expected. Not too much to ask in this day and age.

gdaysydney wrote:

Absolutely brilliant photos John 👍🏼👍🏼

Thanks  Dave. I was a bit uneasy about them because the lighting in the room  has changed. Mrs D is renovating the kitchen and all the spotlights were  "requisitioned" and replaced with banks of LED tubes. Its a bit  industrial but much better to model and operate in. Photographing for  the first time I had quite a struggle trying to find the right AWB  setting

Cheers


John

Longchap wrote:

Hi John,

I'm on a rather choppy cross channel car ferry back to France, having  spent a splendid weekend in Swindon at the Great Western Railway Steam  museum, complete with a large model railway exhibition, live steam road  vehicles and real ale tent.

I just had to add my congratulations to how your Dean Goods is now  looking. Top stuff and yes, I saw the prototype, amongst others in  Swindon!

Speak soon, best,

Bill

Thanks Bill. That sounds like a great trip (Swindon not the Xing :lol:)  I have never been to the museum but we are just planning the itinerary  of a trip to Europe next year. I think I have convinced Mrs D that a pub near  Swindon would be the perfect stopover after arriving at Heathrow. :thumbs

I guess your busy season is winding down now and you will have more time for modelling now? 

Best Wishes

John

peterm wrote:

You've  worked some magic there John. The Dean Goods looks OK even if it  doesn't run as expected. Not too much to ask in this day and age.

Thanks Pete I am glad you like it. The running of this Dean has been frustrating. I am surprised that there hasnt been more fuss about the way Oxford cut costs and omitted the second flywheel, that was on the original livery release. Subsequent livery releases rarely get reviewed in the same detail……..I only found out there was only one flywheel when I took the body off :twisted:  I will think very carefully before I buy another loco from Oxford. 

Best Wishes


John

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

Thanks Bill. That sounds like a great trip (Swindon not the Xing :lol:)  I have never been to the museum but we are just planning the itinerary  of a trip to Europe next year. I think I have convinced Mrs D that a pub near  Swindon would be the perfect stopover after arriving at Heathrow. :thumbs

I guess your busy season is winding down now and you will have more time for modelling now? 

Best Wishes

John

Yes John, we are indeed winding down, with just two more renters, one which we know well, but not seen for 15 years, so should be a pleasant end to the season.

I've already began to move some railway items into one of the gites in readiness for modelling and after finishing the Clifton Downs set, I've a Metro Tank engine to build as motive power, not to mention learning how to use my airbrush, having bought two brilliant books on the subject at Swindon.

I hope you can persuade Mrs D to treat you to 'Steam', as it easily exceeded my expectations and that's without the beer tent! https://www.steam-museum.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx 

I was however a very good boy at the exhibition, buying absolutely no rolling stock or kits! There were however, rather a lot of simply indispensable books which jumped into my arms!

I do hope my Dean Goods behaves when I run it properly, although the current model is also a replacement, as some of the detailing was damaged. Must pay more attention when packaging Oxford.

All the best John and good luck getting your lights back.

Bill

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

Thanks Bill. That sounds like a great trip (Swindon not the Xing :lol:)  I have never been to the museum but we are just planning the itinerary  of a trip to Europe next year. I think I have convinced Mrs D that a pub near  Swindon would be the perfect stopover after arriving at Heathrow. :thumbs

I guess your busy season is winding down now and you will have more time for modelling now? 

Best Wishes

John

If you're doing Steam, it would be very remiss of you (as you're almost in the same area),
not to include Didcot and Pendon as well!

They (Oxford) are doing their selves no favours by taking away things like flywheels. I've only got one of their models and it runs superbly, albeit with a Zimo decoder. Makes me think of Hornby with the mess they made of the pancake motor by cheapening it until it was absolutely useless.

I also take note of Bills mention of packaging. They got off to a good start; don't muck it up now.

:twisted:  Sorry, John.  I can't resist it.

If you're using a decoder, the flywheel is redundant.

Where's me tin 'at and flak jacket?   :lol:

Hi Max
Incoming!:lol:

My green Dean struggles at just one point in the cycle ……at lower speed steps you can see it struggling to overcome some resistance (which I have yet to identify….some of the gears are enclosed) and stalls.At higher speed steps it still hesitates but manages to overcome the impediment and continue. Physics has never been my strong point but I would have thought the second fly wheel would have provided additional momentum?

I was actually making a more general point that when the model was first released it attracted a hail of criticism for  various design errors but the twin fly wheels were generally praised. They were forced to redesign the body, an expensive exercise I would think, to correct these errors. When they released the improved version they failed to mention it no longer had twin fly wheels.:roll:

It is good to hear from you……how is the house move going?

Best wishes

John

[user=269]MaxSouthOz[/user] wrote:

:twisted:  Sorry, John.  I can't resist it.

If you're using a decoder, the flywheel is redundant.

Where's me tin 'at and flak jacket?   :lol:

   Do I need a flywheel ?:mutley

Thanks, John.

Moving day is Monday 24th.  Settlement is on Friday 28th.

Here's Olpharts Crossing ready for the road trip . . .





. . . and here is the safe arrival in the mezzanine . . .





Can't wait.   :lol: