Brake Vans - A Gricer train (1)

Another task I need to address is a Brake Van Special to run on Tredethy Wharf. Roger Cox has been more than generous in allowing me to borrow his Gricer train for a number of exhibitions. Even though I'm extremely grateful to him, I think it's about time I created one myself. So, I've purchased a number of figures which need painting to populate the brake vans. As far as brake vans are concerned, only a Southern Railway Queen Mary has been finished and populated with figures. I have seen a photo of a Queen Mary brake van at Wadebridge - but cannot recall exactly where? I have also come across the photo below of a Queen Mary at Dunmere.

Don't know if it would have been a candidate for a Gricer train, though surely it could have been used at some point.

 

On the Bachmann model above I've used MJT components for the bogies and side frames, this combination has produced a very free running and stable van.

The two Brake Vans above have been in a part converted/upgraded state for over 12 months, just need to get some mojo back to get them completed.

Only require 3 or 4 more Brake Vans and 30 or so painted figures... 

A Beattie Well Tank (Part 1)

Two years ago a member of the local Scalefour group took on the challenge of building a chassis for a Perseverance kit of a Beattie Well Tank for me. I collected it around March last year but unfortunately it was pointed out that the boiler was not a good fit between the splashers. Even though I am now retired, this problem, along with last year's distractions of house extension building work; holidays to Vietnam and Sweden; short caravan breaks in the UK; being seduced into playing more golf (resulting in winning a few competitions); and taking Tredethy Wharf to three shows - I've not progressed the kit any further. Oh the excuses, excuses and more excuses - or was it just plain procrastination? This year I think it has to be a priority that I make progress on this Perseverance kit to get it running on Tredethy Wharf.

Current state of play

The above photo shows the boiler is not fixed in place as there is still a gap between the boiler and splashers. Not knowing which part of the kit needs correcting has possibly been the main reason why I've not continued the build.

Then Eureka! While going through back copies of magazines, I found a drawing of a Beattie Well Tank in a 1985 Railway Modeller drawn by Ian Beattie. The wheel base measurements were accurate which made me believe that the drawing had been reproduced correctly and in proportion. Assuming the boiler had been drawn correctly, it indicated that the kits boiler is 0.1mm under size. I don't think I can complain too much about that, therefore, I can fit the boiler and work on the splashers to fill the gap. At last I'll be able to 'persevere' (pun intended) with this kit and move the build on...

Well... New Year...New start...

2019 was not a very productive year for my modelling projects, either model railways or wargaming. Back to my school report: "If Ian puts as much effort into his studies as he does on the rugby field he would achieve good results". For Rugby read Golf. Golf did take over much of my time last year which enabled me to win three competitions plus some good finishes in others. Think I should change the strapline on the blog header from  "an attempt to get out of the armchair" to "an attempt to to spend less time on the golf course". I feel that I can make better use of my time so plan to become more focused on modelling projects while at home.

So outline plans for 2020:

1. Complete the Beattie Well Tank
2. Create my own Grizer train
3. Build better support structure for Tredethy Wharf
4. Complete minor modifications to Tredethy Wharf
5. Make a start on the next project (more about that later)
6. Investigate DCC mainly for the next project but may also be for Tredethy Wharf

At the moment I've been honoured with invites for Tredethy Wharf to two shows during 2020:

1. Scalefour North, Wakefield (28th & 29th March)
2. Helston, Cornwall (25th & 26th April)

This does mean that for the next couple of months I must get my head down to some serious modelling before the better weather kicks in and I'll be tempted to spend more time out in the fresh air on the Golf Course!

Rethink on layout transportation

Well... less than 12 weeks before the layout’s next outing and I've decided to dismantle the two end boards. This task has been on the "to do" list since returning from Scaleforum 2018 when it came back with a few trees damaged due to problems fitting the layout in my car. For the short trip to the subsequent Immingham show I was able to borrow a neighbour’s trailer. Not wishing to push my luck with the neighbour, I've decided it's about time I adapted the layout to be able to transport all of Tredethy Wharf safely in the car.

My plan is to complete two layout transportation objectives before the Caistor Show in October.

1. I need to reduce the space needed to transport the end boards which will then create the space required for all of the layout to fit in my car much easier.
2. Build a transport box for each scenic section. One box should be strong enough to stand on (more about why later).

Stage one of the reconstruction is to take off the scenic break ends of the end/fiddle boards. These will be reused and adapted so they can be bolted on to the boards and still act as supports for the lighting pellet.

New "Man Cave"

In a previous post I alluded to a building project that will have an affect on my modelling hobbies. This was the building of an extension between the house and garage (Man Cave) creating a small study and a passageway through to the garage. This project also included stealing a good seven foot off the length of my "Man Cave" for a downstairs shower room and toilet. Even though I've lost space I now have direct access to the "Cave" from the house.

• No more venturing outside in the dark and cold winter evenings.
• No more worrying about security while opening the door that gave access from the street. This door is now firmly bolted.
• No more having to boost the temperature with an electric fan heater during the cooler evenings as it now has a radiator running off the house central heating.

All in all, losing seven foot off the length of the room along with having access direct from the house has enabled me to create a more cosy welcoming space in which to while away the evenings. The only down side is that, due to the reduced space, it would seem my proposed Grogley Junction project is now "dead in the water".

I'm still getting use to the new room and sorting through all the stuff I've collected over the years but it's coming together nicely.

I'm still alive

It's been a funny old year since my last post. The Missenden experience was brilliant and, as previously mentioned, it did sow a seed. Prior to Scaleforum, the 'seed' had stunted growth and still needed a little nurturing. Scaleforum was an excellent experience. I'll certainly count it as a great achievement to be invited but in some respects it was not the main event of last year....

At the end of July 2018 I was signed off work with 'Anxiety and Depression'. Strange as it seems this came as a complete surprise to me. In hindsight I'd been suffering for months, and possibly had bouts years prior. It was a work-related incident that brought things to a head. One could say it was the proverbial 'straw that broke the camel's back'. Initially the diagnosis was 2 weeks off work, which morphed into 5 months.

Wow - you must be thinking - 5 months off work! But, at times all was not pretty (especially in the first few months). The darkness of depression is a strange thing. Eventually with some considerable effort I could see light and do some minor tasks, or face certain situations relatively easily. With other tasks or situations the dark mood was more difficult to lift. The result being that publicly all seemed to be OK (but privately ... I was struggling).

This all had a huge affect on preparation for Scaleforum. I could not get my head into gear on simple tasks around the house, let alone modelling tasks. I seriously contemplated pulling out of the show. It was only with the support and encouragement from my wife, along with knowing I had the support of three good friends at the show, that gave me enough confidence to get me to Aylesbury. I'd not done nearly as much as I'd wanted with Tredethy Wharf, especially with the rolling stock and the back-screen. I went along with a heavy heart knowing I should have done more.  Then with all the extremely positive and heart warming comments received during the show, I left on the Sunday evening elated but very tired.

All set up on the Friday evening

After the show I starting to take stock of my situation and after many discussions with my wife the decision was for me to take early retirement from work. After a little negotiation with my employer I officially retired on the 3rd January 2019.

'Excellent' you might say! So why have I not posted more of my modelling achievements before now? Bouts of 'darkness' ... or should I say 'greyness' still affected me, and then strangely enough much of my time has been filled with other things. One being getting my head around the consequences of a little building project. This project is currently ongoing and will have a big impact on my modelling...

Missenden has sown a seed

Since Missenden I've not had much time available for visits to the Man Cave. What time there has been has been put to installing Sprat & Winkle couplings on a few more wagons. With the Easter Weekend looming and the thought of having at least two full days of the four free for modelling I'd not been too worried. But how situations can change in a moment. During the week prior to Easter, we had a request from the Fostering team to take on an emergency placement. The little lost sole is with us for at least a week, possibly more...

On evenings away from home I've been putting some thought to tasks I would like to complete on Tredethy Wharf prior to Scaleforum. Thankfully it's not a long list. Apart from adding/improving rolling stock I feel I need to add a couple of trees, along with a couple more fiddle yard cassettes with some minor modifications to the existing cassettes. This would have been it if I'd not popped my head into Paul Bambrick's workshop on Back Screens at Missenden. I was very impressed by the work being created in the workshop and it sowed a small seed of discontent with my own work.

Standing back and taking a second look at the back screen on Tredethy Wharf made me realise it might now not be up to standard. It was created very quickly early in the layout's construction to enable me to present it at an exhibition in a reasonable "state of progress".

2013

No work has been done on the back screen since.

2018

After a little Googling on back screens I discovered that Paul Bambrick has written a book as well as a few magazine articles. Having duly purchased his book I found it to be a well written in a friendly encouraging style. This has made me seriously think about creating a new back screen for Tredethy Wharf and that I might be able to improve on the current one. The objective would be to add some depth to the scene.

So a new back screen for the layout has been added to the list as a possible "to do" before Scaleforum. It will be interesting to see what if I can make an improve on the current back screen. Just a shame I've not progressed the layout much over Easter.